Hermione got her first look at the changes to the room and at the food on the serving table and said, "Wow!"
Harry smiled. Cassandra and Zinnia had definitely put the wow factor into tonight's menu. It featured cuisines from around the world all put out in a tasting style display. Four salads, eight appetizers, two soups, five miniature entrees, and half a dozen desserts. All put out in a convenient format to aid in a social, moving group to group, sort of meal. There were three types of tea in addition to coke, butterbeer, lemonade and water to drink. Harry figured the only way someone would be hungry at the end was if they refused to try new things and even then it would be hard.
The rest of the tent's occupants drifted from their rooms and were likewise impressed. Everyone had started to hit the serving table when the first of the non resident guests appeared. Harry made a point of greeting Giles' family in French. Giles' mother responded, "Parlez-vous francais, Monsuier Potter?"
"Un peu, Madame, un peu." (A little bit, ma'am, a little bit)
About then Draco showed up with his mother in tow. Harry moved on to greet this next set of guests.
"Draco, so glad you could make it."
"Thank you for inviting me. As you can see I brought my mother with me. Mother may I present our host, Lord Harry Potter. Harry, this is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy."
"Mrs. Malfoy, a pleasure to meet you. As you both can see the tea is a sort of serve yourself and socialize sort of affair. Be welcome and enjoy."
Narcissa Malfoy wasn't sure what she'd been expecting. When Draco had begged to be allowed to come and have tea with his teammates instead of attending the dinner the Parkinsons were giving, Lucius had frowned, especially when he heard Potter was hosting. But Narcissa disliked Violetta Parkinson, so she persuaded Lucius to allow her to escort Draco to this party. She still wanted to thank Lord Potter for rescuing her son from that filthy man. To get here and find both her cousin and her niece here was sort of surprising. The food and the format of this party was unlike anything she had ever been to before, but she had to admit it suited the venue and the company perfectly. The Greengrasses were very acceptable company as were the de Vereignes. Lord Potter seemed the consummate host talking to all his guests and smoothly moving from group to group. She estimated that he would approach her and Draco again within five minutes. At almost exactly five minutes he approached.
"Draco, Mrs. Malfoy, is everything agreeable for you?"
"Indeed, Lord Potter. Everything is much better than I expected. Thank you for inviting us. I must say I think I got the better end of the bargain. My husband is at another party you see, and it fell to me to escort Draco this evening."
"Well, his loss is our gain, having a beautiful woman such as yourself joining us makes our evening brighter. And please call me Harry, Lord Potter sounds so stuffy"
Narcissa couldn't help it she chuckled, "Harry, you are a flatterer." She semi-scolded in a scandalized tone. "You must tell me about these dishes we're eating tonight."
"I know what some of them are, but I left the planning of tonight to my assistant and to my chief cook Zinnia. How about I introduce you, and Cassandra can tell you what you want to know."
"Mother, may I..?"
"Yes, Draco, you may go discuss quidditch with your teammates."
After Draco was out of earshot, Narcissa took her chance, "I want to thank you."
"For the invitation? No need, Draco is my teammate."
"No, for helping my son, when you had no reason to, against that monster."
Harry's emerald eyes snapped to hers and glittered coldly. "No thanks are needed there either, Mrs. Malfoy. I was merely doing the right thing. It cost me nothing and it needed doing."
"Perhaps, but I've noticed a positive change in my son since that time and I know you've been roommates. Your influence has been beneficial. Draco has been less spoiled and more responsible, and even if my husband doesn't appreciate it, I do."
About then they got to Cassandra, Harry spoke smoothly, "Mrs. Malfoy, may I present Cassandra Yaxley, my assistant, and the one woman in my life I couldn't do without. Cassandra, this is Mrs. Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy was asking me about the menu."
"Harry, you need to stop trying to butter me up, or one day that silver tongue of yours will get you in trouble. " Cassandra softened the scold with a fond smile. She turned to Mrs. Malfoy, " It's nice to make your acquaintance. The menu is a bunch of different things from all over the world. It's an up and coming trend for a party like this, to just have a few bites, or tastes, of various foods." She lead the way over to the table. Harry followed because he wanted more to eat. "The salads are: a caprese salad, a honey mustard salad with greens, asparagus, baby beets, goat cheese and pralines, asian slaw, and a Moroccan carrot and raisin salad with rose water. The soups are: vegetable bisque, and miso. The appetizers are: spanakopita, portabella napoleons, goat cheese with fig sauce on rye, vegetable samosas, california roll, oni-guri, shrimp with mango salsa, and buffalo wings with ranch dip. The entrees are: florentine quiche, a lamb chop with a scoop of tabouleh and cucumber mint sauce, chicken satay skewer with rice and steamed vegetables and peanut sauce, mini american hamburgers also known as sliders, and american chili. Last are the desserts which are: tropical fruit salad, white chocolate mouse, key lime delights, carrot cake bites, strawberry shortcake trifles, and mini apple crostas."
"It's an original menu, with a unique and appealing display, Miss Yaxley. Have you worked for Lord Potter long?"
"Since I graduated from Hogwarts."
"And is he a good employer?"
"The best."