Turmeric Steam and the Sorting Hat's Sneeze (Part One)

As they passed through the castle gates, Eileen's nautilus suitcase suddenly rolled down the spiral staircase, its brass clasps clattering out a rhythm like "Jingle Bells." Hailey swiftly flicked her wand, but accidentally triggered Galileo's Improved Spell, which her father had sewn into a button on her cuff. The suitcase traced a perfect parabola through the air, first grazing the brim of Professor McGonagall's pointed hat-making the startled professor's spectacles slip to the tip of her nose-then looping around the levitating array of spellbooks above Professor Flitwick's head. Finally, as though guided by a precision spell, it landed squarely at Eileen's feet. The lid sprang open, sending three poorly hidden bags of Indian green mustard powder tumbling out.

"Miss Leicester," Professor McGonagall said, adjusting her spectacles, though a barely perceptible smile hid at the corners of her mouth, "if I remember correctly, first-year students are supposed to trace an ∞ with their wrists for their levitation spell homework."

Hailey blushed and bowed, then heard Eileen mutter, "Maybe Sir Newton's spirit is applauding our parabola from heaven!" She nudged her friend with her elbow, but Hailey noticed that half a flake of turmeric powder was stuck to Eileen's butterfly hair clip-apparently it had gotten there when she secretly tucked the spices away that morning.

As they queued outside the Great Hall, Hailey looked up at the starry ceiling. Three stars in Orion were twinkling, looking just like the three cinnamon sticks set in the caramel pudding Nini had baked last night.

Eileen suddenly tugged at her sleeve and pointed toward the Big Dipper. "Look! Don't those seven stars look like the cauldron rack in your cellar when you connect them?"

"They're a tanghulu skewer!" Hailey corrected her with a laugh. Her fingertips touched the ginger candy in her pocket, and she suddenly remembered how, three months ago in Diagon Alley, Eileen had mistaken turmeric powder for pepper and sprinkled it into her Butterbeer, making the whole drink bubble with orange foam.

Just then, one of the stars on the ceiling flashed a warm yellow. Hailey blinked, and its halo gathered into the shape of steam rising from ginger tea, only to dissolve back into ordinary starlight an instant later.

"What are you looking at, Miss Leicester?" A young witch behind her poked her head out. She was a Half-blood girl named Ruili Site. Only when she spoke did Hailey realize the queue had already reached the oak doors. She shook her head and popped the ginger candy into her mouth. Sweetness and magic burst together on her tongue, and it was as though she could taste the tangerine-peel mung bean dessert her mother made.

At last, the gilded doors slowly opened. Hailey stepped onto the polished flagstones, her gaze drawn to the jack-o'-lanterns on the long tables. Tiny magical arrays were embedded in their carved faces, and their flames changed color as the patterns rotated.

Eileen suddenly leaned close to her ear. "Do you think we could turn those jack-o'-lanterns into ovens? Rock Cakes baked in them would smell amazing!"

"First think about how to keep the Sorting Hat from smelling the nutmeg in your hair," Hailey said with a quiet laugh, though her palms grew slightly sweaty when she saw the Sorting Hat on the raised platform.

She remembered the vibranium hair clip her father had slipped into her suitcase last night, saying it could interfere with the Sorting Hat's ability to read magic. It was now fastened securely in her curls, like a silent amulet.

When Headmaster Dumbledore stood up, Hailey noticed a few specks of star-shaped icing on his silver beard. He had apparently just sneaked a bite of the honey cake on the table.

"Welcome, young witches and wizards!" His voice was as rich and mellow as aged port. "Before you put on the Sorting Hat, I have three reminders. First, there are dusters that bite in the broom cupboard at the end of the corridor. Second, the House-elves in the kitchen are allergic to ginger-" At this, Hailey and Eileen exchanged a glance, and Eileen hurriedly stuffed her hair into her scarf. "Third, please do not attempt to turn Peeves into a pumpkin carriage with a Transfiguration Spell. Now, let us begin the Sorting Ceremony!"

Then, as the first new student sat on the stool, Hailey heard Eileen softly humming the adapted version of the Sorting Hat's Song they had made up in their secret base. The lyrics were all a mix of spices and Potions. Hailey secretly traced a calming spell on her palm with the tip of her wand, only to discover that the gears on the bracelet her father had given her were turning faintly with her heartbeat. The ginger-colored specks visible between the gears looked just like the little suns her mother had embroidered on her pillowcase.

"Hailey Leicester!" When her name was called, the Great Hall suddenly fell silent for a moment.

Hailey climbed the steps onto the platform, hearing her own heartbeat echo beneath the ceiling.

The moment the Sorting Hat touched the top of her head, it sprang up, patches fluttering from its brim. "Merlin's cauldron! What's this? A Brief History of Time tucked inside Basics of Transfiguration? And... Schrödinger's cat is fighting with the law of conservation of magic?"

Hailey gripped the hem of her skirt, remembering the "mental shielding method" her father had taught her: imagine wrapping her magic in a layer of gingerbread icing.

But the Sorting Hat was clearly even more excited, its eyes darting beneath its brim. "Oh! The resonance frequency of vibranium gears and Dragon Heartstring! Are you trying to give a flying broomstick a steampunk makeover?"

"Actually..." Hailey swallowed. "I want to try using magical arrays to solve equations, like deriving universal gravitation from the levitation spell..."

"Brilliant!" The Sorting Hat suddenly burst out laughing, making Hailey's ears tingle. "Hufflepuff needs a practical person like you who's willing to share ginger candy with House-elves! But remember, don't stir your coffee with your wand in Professor Snape's class—he'll think you're casting a poison curse!"

When the cry of "Hufflepuff!" rang out, Hailey heard Eileen cheering below the platform, her voice carrying the unmistakable scent of turmeric powder. As she walked toward the long table, she noticed tiny points of starlight floating in the Butterbeer cups, just like the magic catcher in her father's laboratory.

A Hufflepuff Prefect handed her a Rock Cake and whispered in her ear, "I hear you can build magical arrays with Muggle blocks? Shall we bring you along next time we sneak into the kitchen to steal roast chicken?" Hailey nearly choked on the crumbs, but then she saw the gear cuff peeking out from the Prefect's sleeve—it was much the same style as her star-pivot necklace.

It turned out that products made using the Lester family's "cross-dimensional" trade secrets had already quietly spread through Hufflepuff.