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Harry really hoped everything would go according to plan.
A few days ago, he'd made a deal with Astoria Greengrass. He would owe her a favour, and in exchange she'd get her older sister to come to a specific unused classroom at a specific time for a single purpose: So Harry could ask her out.
Harry had been crushing on Daphne Greengrass for several months now, and he'd at first intended to keep it to himself. The threats to his life (including an immortal and homicidal maniac) meant that being around him could be dangerous, and he really didn't want her to get hurt.
In the end, Ron and Hermione's constant encouragement had caused Harry to reconsider. As a result, Harry had approached Daphne's sister, Astoria, in the library for some help.
He'd hoped for some advice on what she liked, and Astoria had delivered.
Daphne liked pancakes.
Apparently she'd loved pancakes for years, and actually got more excited for pancake day than her own birthday. Harry had seen her eat pancakes in the great hall before, so it made sense.
Astoria however told him that the way to win her heart was through her stomach, and thankfully Harry was actually a really good cook.
For the first time in his life, Harry was actually grateful to the Dursley's for them making him cook all the time.
So Harry had prepared an unused classroom with Dobby's help. The room was clean, with a full kitchen setup that Harry had been making pancakes in. Dobby had wanted to help with the cooking, but Harry insisted on doing it himself.
He wanted to show Daphne his own skills to hopefully win her over.
It didn't take long for the door to open, and for the girl in question to enter. Astoria was right behind her with a cheeky grin as she lightly pushed her sister into the room and shut the door, before locking it with magic.
Daphne looked at Harry questioningly, but with a growing smile on her face as she saw what he was making.
"Hi" Harry said, nervous beyond belief "I asked your sister to bring you here ... err ... I heard you like pancakes, so I'm just making some - for you."
As he spoke more and more Harry's face became redder and redder, and Daphne's smile grew larger and larger. It was pretty clear she understood exactly why he was doing all this, and thankfully she seemed completely onboard with it as well.
"Is this how you greet all the girls then? With the greatest food in the world?" she teased as she took a seat, before pausing "Oh, and hello to you too."
Harry shook his head "No, no. Just you - after all, these pancakes are special."
As Harry said this, he brought the pancakes over to the table. There was actually a lot of them, under warming charms. On the side of the table were several different food items to put on the pancakes - several different syrups, fruits, chocolate, whipped cream, ice cream, sugar and several more.
Harry had truly gone all out to get various options, just in case.
"Oh?" Daphne said, as she put some ice cream on her first pancake "What's special about these pancakes in particular?"
"This is going to sound really corny, but they're filled with my love and affection for you." Harry said with a smile, looking Daphne in the eyes.
Daphne had taken a single bite of her pancake when Harry spoke, but put it down and blushed as Harry continued speaking.
"I've had feelings for you for a while now. You're amazing and beautiful, and light up every room you're in. I haven't just fallen for your beauty, but who you are as a person." Harry paused before carrying on "If you're interested, would you like to be my girlfriend?"
Daphne stood up, walked around the table before leaning down and kissing Harry on the lips.
As was expected, she tasted of pancakes. Harry couldn't help but think it was wonderful.
As the kiss ended, Daphne didn't move back into her seat - instead she sat in his lap with her back to his chest. "Just to be clear: that's a yes. You're not the only one whose had a crush - also, your pancakes are delicious. Even if I didn't also like you, I'd consider it just for them. They're gorgeous."
Harry grinned and hugged his new girlfriend from behind, keeping one arm wrapped around her as the other went to eat some pancake.
"Also, I am definitely going to marry you. You're too good to pass up."
At that Harry laughed, both of them enjoying lots of pancakes. Daphne loved all sorts of combinations, and got Harry to try many different types of pancakes.
Everything was good.
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Harry had been dating Daphne for three weeks when she decided to introduce him to Astoria.
Now, Harry was all for that ... except for the fact they'd already met (which Daphne already knew).
However, Daphne actually meant that she wanted to introduce Astoria to Harry's pancakes.
Since they'd started dating Harry had made pancakes quite frequently. It wasn't every day, but every two-to-three days they'd have pancakes together - whether that was breakfast or dinner.
Daphne loved his cooking, and not just the pancakes. She really enjoyed most of the dishes he'd made for her - besides when Harry had made carrot cake. Dobby had mistakenly given Harry salt instead of sugar, so it didn't taste very nice.
Whilst she did love his cooking though, her favourite was clearly the pancakes. Harry always put the most effort into them, filling them with his complete love and affection.
Now however, she wanted to show off his great cooking to her sister.
"Hi Harry, it's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you." Astoria greeted teasingly.
"Hi Astoria, nice to meet you too." Harry responded in kind.
The two then snickered as they looked at Daphne, who could only shake her heard in amusement.
The three then went over to a table with some pancakes on it.
"So Daph said that apparently you make 'the greatest food known to mankind'" Astoria mentioned.
Daphne blushed as Harry looked at her affectionately.
Harry grinned "Well I dunno about that, but I do make some good pancakes. Your sister loves them, and I assume she told you that she wanted you to try them."
Astoria nodded, before looking at the toppings.
"So it's mostly the usual's. Some syrups, fruits, chocolate, ice cream and sugar. Although there is something here that Daphne hasn't had before either."
Daphne and Astoria both looked in curiosity as Harry pointed to a bowl of berries. The berries in question were a mixture of red, orange and yellow, and looked similar to a blackberry.
"Swedish cloudberry. They're from ... well ... Sweden. Dobby somehow got some. Apparently they're really good." Harry explained.
Daphne nodded "Well I'll be trying them regardless."
Astoria chuckled "I guess I'll do the same."
So the three ate some pancakes with the cloudberries on, although Daphne had some bananas with hers as well.
After finishing, Astoria looked concerned. Noticing it, Daphne asked if something was wrong.
"I wouldn't say wrong. It's just .... I suddenly feel good, like really good." Astoria paused, gathering her thoughts "I'm not sure how to explain it. I usually feel like something's dragging me down, that being my illness. Sometimes it's like dragging a bag behind me and sometimes it's like pulling a house, but I always feel it ... except now I don't - and that's never happened before."
In the end, they continued eating pancakes and Astoria did end up admitting that they were amazing.
What was more amazing though was the news that came in a few days later, as Daphne briefly left Hogwarts with Astoria to go to the hospital.
Harry and Daphne hadn't been dating long, so he wasn't upset at not knowing - he just hoped everything was well. However, everything was more than well.
It turned out that Daphne's family had an inherited blood curse, that had been present in their family for over six hundred years. Despite all that time no cure had been found.
For Daphne, the curse was recessive and wouldn't affect her. However for Astoria it had kicked in, and had caused her a lot of suffering. It had been estimated that she'd be lucky to live to 30.
When they went to the hospital though, it was found that by some miracle the blood curse was gone - Astoria didn't have it, and Daphne didn't have any remnant of it in her blood either. Somehow the impossible had been achieved, and the culprit was quickly identified: the cloudberries.
When the two girls returned to Hogwarts, both came to find him. Daphne naturally smothered Harry in kisses. Astoria simply gave a hug.
"I guess that makes us even now." she said with a smile, deeply thankful.
Harry smiled back "What would you have asked for anyway?"
Astoria shook her head "I'll tell you one day, but not today."
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Daphne sat with Hannah Abbott as their boyfriends made pancakes.
For Daphne, this was pretty usual. Not only did she enjoy watching Harry cook like the pro he was, but she was always eager for the end result.
For Hannah, it was not usual. Neville had never cooked before, having had house elves do the cooking for him. However Neville had heard of Harry's pancakes and had come upon an idea - if a certain type of food could cure a blood curse, then maybe it could somehow help his parents regain their minds.
Harry wasn't sure if it would work, but he wasn't about to turn his friend down. So he helped teach Neville how to make pancakes. Daphne and Hannah would taste test them, then Neville would take some of his pancakes (and some cloudberries) to the hospital to feed to his parents.
Hannah looked nervous, but was clearly working to overcome it to support her boyfriend. Harry and Daphne both could remember how she'd fainted in multiple exams.
As the cooking was finished they brought the pancakes over.
Neville looked nervous, as the girls each cut a bit off his pancake and ate it.
"It's .. good." Daphne said "Pretty good actually."
Neville smiled slightly before looking to Hannah.
Hannah finished eating, before looking at Neville with a grin "THIS. IS. AMAZING."
Hannah jumped up and hugged Neville "It's so good. I love it so much - please say you'll make me more."
Neville was blushing, but happy.
Later in the evening, after the other couple left, Harry looked at Daphne teasingly "So whose were better?"
"Yours's. Don't get me wrong, Neville's were pretty good - but they just don't compare to the best." Daphne declared proudly.
The next day Neville would take his prepared pancakes to the hospital. In the end, he didn't even need the cloudberries, as the pancakes alone caused his parents to begin to recover.
Later testing concluded that Neville had subconsciously infused the pancakes with his magic, with the magic being the embodiment of his love for his parents and his desire for them to recover.
It wouldn't be a quick recovery, but they would still recover.
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"This is ridiculous." Voldemort sighed as he read the Daily Prophet.
He only bothered to read it after seeing Bellatrix's reaction to it. The front page had been about some of her previous victims, the Longbottom's, and how a miracle cure had helped them regain their minds.
Now, a 'miracle cure' wasn't what annoyed Voldemort. In fact he was happy to see more advances in magic - it was after all capable of many great things.
The issue was that the cure was apparently pancakes of all things. Not only that, but the inspiration behind this cure had been his hated enemy Harry Potter.
Apparently he made some super powered pancakes that could cure curses, and now this.
Personally Voldemort wouldn't have an issue if it wasn't so ridiculous or associated with that brat, but it was so he was.
At the same time though the article did leave him with an idea - if those pancakes could empower someone, then what would they do to him?
Now, there was a chance that nothing could happen - but there was also the chance they could empower him in some form, and if that was the case then he had to take it. Nobody could be allowed to be more powerful than him, after all.
There was also no real downside to this, as it wasn't like a pancake could kill him.
So Voldemort went to Hogwarts to get the power for himself.
Now, Voldemort wouldn't be able to waltz into Hogwarts like it was nothing, but he could use one of the secret entrances and use some magic to hide himself as he wandered the school. It was actually pathetically easy for him to do so, and made him realise that he could quite easily kill Dumbledore with not much effort.
Resolving to do that after getting the pancakes, Voldemort snuck into the room where Harry and his blood traitor girlfriend were sitting, ready to eat the pancakes.
With a single wave of his wand both of them were tied up before looking at him in horror.
"We meet again Harry Potter, and this time with your blood traitor girlfriend in tow. It shall also be the last, for once I've gotten this great power I shall kill you both." Voldemort announced, as he approached the pancakes.
Looking down at them, he mused out loud "So this is your secret power? I'm not impressed, but as I told you all those years ago - there is only power, and those too weak to seek it."
With that Voldemort took a bite of a pancake and paused.
It tasted good, really good. However, within the pancake was something more - something he was not prepared for.
Love.
Just like Neville had done, Harry had been subconsciously empowering his pancakes with actual love magic. By consuming them, that power had entered Voldemort and completely drained him off his hatred and evil.
In that one moment, the dark lord looked back over his life with regret. Having tasted the power of love, he realised how empty and unfulfilling his life had been - and how horrible all the suffering he'd inflicted on others had been.
Feeling true regret and remorse, his horcruxes all undone themselves. Voldemort felt a tear go down his face as he looked at Harry.
"Thank you." Tom Riddle said to Harry with a smile as he disintegrated.
The bindings holding Harry and Daphne fell apart right after, and the two hugged in relief.
"Did your pancakes really just kill him?" Daphne asked.
Harry shrugged "Apparently so, yeah. Maybe it cured his evil, and that was holding his body together?"
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"So I managed to get Astoria to confess what she was going to ask you to do." Daphne revealed "She wanted you to set her up with Ron."
Harry looked at her in shock "Ron? Wow, I wouldn't have expected that."
"Except it's pointless now as earlier today he ended up asking her out anyway. Apparently you inspired him."
"Good for him." Harry grinned as he kissed his girlfriend.
It had been a month since the death of Lord Voldemort. After some careful investigation by Dumbledore, it was concluded that love really was the 'power that he knows not'. Harry's love had been so potent that it had destroyed Voldemort's evil and darkness, and thereby destroyed him as well.
The Death Eaters had collapsed immediately, just like in the last war. Bellatrix was one of the last holdouts, as she tried to target the Longbottom's only to get a pancake to the face ... followed by a lot more hitting her. The picture of her being arrested whilst covered in pancake had been front page news, and Daphne had cried at all the wasted goodness.
Still, despite everything nothing had really changed. Once again the two were enjoying some pancakes together.
"You know, when we get married we should have a wedding pancake instead of a regular cake." Daphne suggested.
Harry grinned, before looking at his girlfriend in amusement "Should the wedding rings be pancakes as well?"
Both burst into laughter as they ate, as they both enjoyed a wonderful evening together filled with love ... and pancakes!