Draco, Harry and Mashed Potatoes
Jean Edgecomb, Anne Haywood, Harrietta Grimblehawk, Lily Merrythought, and Joy Dale, five of the second year Hufflepuffs, sat eating lunch together.
“Have you thought about what electives to take?” Lily asked.
Professor Sprout had given a presentation on the electives to all of the second year Hufflepuffs the weekend before, and had encouraged them to talk with their parents about it over Spring Break.
“My mums are going to want me to take either Ancient Runes or Arithmancy, preferably both,” Harietta said. “And I’m going to need to take three, although I could probably make an argument for only taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy since those are the harder electives.”
“I think I’m going to do Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes and maybe one other,” Anne said.
“I’ve been considering doing Muggle Studies, since my cousins say Trelawney is a bad teacher, and I don’t really like animals. Joy, you’re a muggleborn. What do you think?” Jean asked.
“I think it’s great that you want to learn more about the muggle world, but Muggle Studies is not the best way to do that. From what I’ve heard the information is all outdated or utterly untrue. You could probably learn more on a day trip into London,” Joy shrugged.
“We should totally do into muggle London together over spring break!” Anne said. “It would be fun, and Joy could be our guide.”
“I’m from Edinburgh. I’ve only ever been to London when I needed to take the train all the way down to King’s Cross Station just to take the Hogwarts Express back up to Scotland, which is so stupid by the way” Joy said.
“Yes, but you’re a muggleborn, so you understand the muggle world,” Anne said.
“Is it true that in London there is a giant eyeball that is as tall as Hogwarts?” Lily asked.
Joy stared at her blankly for a moment before a wave of comprehending washed over her face, “No. There is a ferris wheel, which is called the London Eye. It’s not an actual eye.”
“What’s a ferris wheel?” Jean asked.
“It’s, uh, a ride? Like at an amusement park or a fair.”
“Oh, like the Gringotts carts,” Harietta said, recalling how Joy had previously compared them to a roller coaster.
“No. It’s a giant wheel with little glass rooms that can fit... maybe twenty people? And it rotates and you go up high in the sky and then come back down,” Joy said.
“Without levitation charms?” Anne asked. “Is that safe?”
A screech from the neighboring table stopped their conversation as the girls turned to look at the source of the sound.
“Is that… Harry Potter?” Lily asked, squinting at the figure in Ravenclaw clothes whose head was covered in mashed potatoes.
A smirking Draco Malfoy stood next to the flailing Ravenclaw holding an empty serving bowl, and Potter’s friends were all looking at Malfoy with expressions ranging from anger to annoyance.
“Really Malfoy? The mashed potatoes? I was eating those,” Zo Hawk, Potter’s friend, asked with a perfectly elegant raised eyebrow.
With a snobbish air, Malfoy began, “Terribly sorry to ruin your meal, mudblood, but the potatoes-”
Malfoy was cut off when Potter, who had wiped the mashed potatoes out of his eyes, lunged at him and tackled Malfoy to the ground. The empty bowl, which had still been in Malfoy’s hand, went rolling along the floor until it stopped close to where the girls were sitting. Lily, the most responsible of them, got up to pick it up and place it on the Hufflepuff table.
“Get off me you buffoon,” Malfoy yelled at Potter.
The two fifth year boys began rolling around on the ground, flailing around and whacking each other with their limbs. Hawk sighed and rose from her seat.
“What’s she going to do?” Jean asked. "Is she going to hex Malfoy?"
“Shh, just watch,” Anne said.
Hawk did not move to intercede or stop the fight, but walked down the Ravenclaw table several paces and stopped in front of a group of first years. She said something to them, and after they replied picked up a bowl and walked back to where she was sitting, careful to avoid getting knocked over by Malfoy and Potter brawling.
“Did she… just go get another bowl of mashed potatoes?” Harietta asked.
Sure enough, Hawk spooned some of the potatoes onto her plate, added some green peas. She began to eat with a perfectly composed air, angling herself so that she could continue watching the brawl with a faintly judgemental look.
“I want to be her when I grow up,” Lily sighed in awe.
“So do I,” Joy said, nodding. “The purebloods take her seriously even though she’s a muggleborn. Some of them hate her, but they take her seriously.”
“Malfoy! Potter! Cease this disgraceful ruckus at once!” Professor McGonagall thundered, approaching them.
The two boys broke apart and sat up, looking faintly guilty. “Detention, both of you!”
McGonagall waved her wand at Potter, and then Malfoy, and magicked the mashed potatoes off of them. Malfoy smoothed back his hair and straightened his robes. The Deputy Headmistress berated them for another minute before sending them back to their seats.
The group of Hufflepuff girls were close enough to wear Potter and Hawk, and were able to overhear what they said.
“Did you have fun?” Hawk asked wryly.
“Immensely,” Potter replied.
"Good job mate. I think you gave Malfoy a black eye," Weasley said.
“It’s a shame Hermione and Ron missed the show,” Hawk said.
"You shouldn't get into fights. That's going to go on your record you know," Granger admonished.
“Yes, Hermione. Hey what ingredient did you write your Potions essay on?” Potter asked in an attempt to distract her.
The Hufflepuff girls turned back to their own meals once it became clear that Potter and his friends were talking about mundane academic things.
“Well that was certainly interesting,” Anne said.
“I wonder what electives they take,” Lily said thoughtfully.