Judging by the look on Ascanius's face, she had done a pretty swell job of feeding his ego. The seventh year beamed at her baker for the day, snapping a couple more shots as he went to gather ingredients and did stuff with the oven. Mo wasn't going to mind all these photographs of Scany cluttering his camera, right?

Psh. It wasn't clutter, it was art.

"I'm going to ask Cactus to help me develop these and turn them into a book for your birthday," Alice announced seriously, clicking away at the button some more. Pause. "When is your birthday?"

"Food is awesome, i mean if it was a person i would marry it. No joke." he smirked. Now they were grabbing some bread and PB&J? AWESOME! "Alright let's do it." he nodded and went with her to the kitchens.

As they made their way, he heard her compliment on his name. "Aww why thank you." he smiled brightly. "Yeah a lot of people been telling me that my name is unique lately..."

Silver lightly laughed, Kace was funny. "You better invite me to that wedding." She teased, grabbing a slice off bread and spreading peanut butter on it. "Okay, these babies are kinda like double cheeseburgers. Two layers of pure heaven." Silver was teaching Kace how to make a double-decker PB&J sandwich. "It'll be a party in your mouth!" She grinned, very excited.

Kace was a unique name she's never heard before. "Well it is, and it's awesome!" She smiled and nodded.

Jeez, he was starting to feel a little overwhelmed by all of her picture taking. It was flattering, yeah, but performing for the camera was an art and he was trying to bake here. Frilly apron and all.

The sixth year just tried to ignore all of the flashing attention and filled his bowl to the brim with everything he needed. All that was left was a little bit of mixing and filling the pan. Baking was easy. See?

Uncomfortable pause. Ascanius shifted and put down the bowl that he was using to whisk all of the ingredients up for her cake. "I don't have one," he said trying to brush the topic off with a casual shrug. Could they talk about something else? Anything else would be nice.

Did Ascanius know what he was doing with the stuff in that bowl, or was she going to be dead by the time that cake landed in her stomach? The Gryffindor stole another picture and watched curiously. Show us how it's done, apron boy.

"Oh." Oh, right. He was an orphan. But Alice didn't find the topic at all uncomfortable, on account of connecting on emotional wavelengths was hard, and the fact that her friend was bothered went completely unnoticed. "Do you know around when it is?"

'Cause she was a hundred percent set on getting him a present this year. Snap.

After the first question, he returned to aimlessly finishing up his baking. Or at least the stuff that happened BEFORE the oven. The magic of decorating the cake was its own monster that he would tackle after the cake had cooled for fifteen minutes. No one liked a soggy cake.

"No, I don't," he snapped a little. 'Round about October actually, but he didn't observe it in the slightest. He just was another year older whenever he decided. There was no need to get all questiony about this, Alice.

They could let it alone now, yeah? He REALLY wouldn't mind.

Picture taking was actually really fun. And easy. She could see why Mo wanted to make a career out of it- all you had to do was click a button, right? Of course, all the photographs Alice was taking came out a bit titled and unfocused and blurry, but she barely noticed.

".... okay." Was she bothering him? Which part, the interrogation or the photos? Another question about why he was being all testy nearly escaped her throat, but she swallowed the curiosity and set down the camera. Scany was being all nice, and driving him nuts was hardly a way to repay him.

"I'll just get you two Christmas presents instead." One for the imaginary birthday.

The kitchen was just a titch too large to find everything without some level of struggle. It took Ascanius three drawers and four cupboards to find a pan that would properly make a cake with the amount of batter he had. No wonder they had several elves on demand. One person alone would get swamped in this kitchen.

He filled the pan and shoved it in the oven without glancing at Alice once. If she was going to ask a million and seven questions about his birthday the parent questions usually followed. He didn't have the energy to go down that road now or ever, thanks. Orphans were always slightly touchy about that subject, yeah? At least the ones in the home he grew up in.

"Sounds fair," he conceded as he climbed up on a counter and ruffled his apron. Couldn't have it all scrunched up in the front, could he?

"How was your summer, beautiful?" Subject change.

Mmm. Food.

Specifically food that involved bacon, the most sacred of all food according to him, Elodie and seemingly the rest of Hogwarts.

Instead of asking an elf to do it for him and lazying it up on the counter, Coulson pulled out a frying pan and began searching the fridge for bacon and anything else he could make with it. Hmm. What if he made potatoes too? Potatoes wrapped in bacon specifically. That would sort of be the perfect snack.

He pulled out the bacon and searched around for the potatoes instead, putting the frying pan back where it belonged and pulling out a baking pan instead as well as a pot which he filled with water and set to boil.

Today was awesome yeah? All full of potential and utter amazingfulness. Surprisingly so the almost contagiously happy girl found herself passing the Hufflepuff Common room and entering the kitchens – even if she wanted to enter the common room and be all…hello friends but she wouldn’t do that. She didn’t know how they got past those barrels.

She heard cooking water-boiling sounds when she entered the kitchens and glanced around. There was a person boiling something here? She thought as she walked in and glanced around. Luckily the ovens were still warm so her plans were kind of still golden.

“Hello” she called over to the Gryffindor chef-person-boy…he looked familiar wasn’t he Elodie’s boyfriend or something? She didn’t know it wasn’t like she hung out with Elodie all that much she was normally a bit distracted by a different Hufflepuff.

“What are you making?” She asked as she pulled out a bag of flour, sugar, salt, and all the other mixings for cookies. Yep, cookies were awesome weren’t they? But she’d help making other foods if needed because she liked baking it just didn’t like her.

Coul was busy making preparations when a girl came into the kitchen. He didn't even pause in his rummaging as he looked for a nice sack of potatoes, clearly not bothered by other noise or company or anything, really.

But then she started saying words and.. well, he felt it were rude to ignore people when they were speaking, but not really so rude when they were just in the same room. So he lifted his head as he pulled the bag of potatoes out and gave the girl a quick glance as he made his way to the sink.

"Uh… hey…" he said back, already opening the bag and turning the water on to rinse them all over. He needed to peel next.. hmm.. "Do you uh.. know where the peeler is?" He could use a knife.. and he could look more properly but now he was feeling a bit self conscious. Strange, how time could change a person.

He finished rinsing and started drying just in time to answer her next question. "Bacon wrapped potatoe bites…" That sort of thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wood'sLittleFlower

Coul was busy making preparations when a girl came into the kitchen. He didn't even pause in his rummaging as he looked for a nice sack of potatoes, clearly not bothered by other noise or company or anything, really.

But then she started saying words and.. well, he felt it were rude to ignore people when they were speaking, but not really so rude when they were just in the same room. So he lifted his head as he pulled the bag of potatoes out and gave the girl a quick glance as he made his way to the sink.

"Uh… hey…" he said back, already opening the bag and turning the water on to rinse them all over. He needed to peel next.. hmm.. "Do you uh.. know where the peeler is?" He could use a knife.. and he could look more properly but now he was feeling a bit self conscious. Strange, how time could change a person.

He finished rinsing and started drying just in time to answer her next question. "Bacon wrapped potatoe bites…" That sort of thing.

The guy seemed…odd maybe? Did he not like people? Who didn’t like people especially on awesome days like this? Mika wondered as the guy said his quick hey. Okay the guy might have felt a bit awkward with her in there – but there was food to be made.

”Hmm I think I saw one over here” she pointed at a drawer and quickly began digging around for the peeler she had passed by earlier. ”Oh, those sound really good,” she grinned over to the guy.

”I’m Amelia by the way – or Mika everyone calls me Mika” she smiled as she placed the peeler closer to the pot of water. ”I was thinking of making Butterbeer Cupcakes – if they turn out well later you are free to have one…and If you need help with the potatoes” she grinned.

And the idea of the bacon bites sounded soooo good. It was bacon, how could it not?

Coul dropped the potatoes in the now boiling water as the girl began her hunt for the potato peeler for him. That was.. nice of her… He tampered with the heat, turning it down a bit and turned to face the girl.

He nodded because yeah, they were suuuuuper good. He'd never made them himself before, but he'd seem them done a few times and.. well.. couldn't be that hard, could it? "You could try one.. when they're done.. if you wanted to." Wow, Coulson. When did you get this awkward and shy?

He silently questioned himself as she approached. "Hey. I'm Coulson." He stuck out his hand and gave her a winning smile, trying to be a bit more like he was a few years earlier. This whole shy, unapproachable act was getting old. He missed his formerly charismatic self. But being around certain people, people who were afraid of him, made him that shy guy.

Meeting new people was nice, he supposed. Rare, but nice. It was kinda like a clean slate, which was what he was going for with the new, shorter hair, look. "I uh.. Yeah. I'd try one if you make a spare or something."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wood'sLittleFlower

Coul dropped the potatoes in the now boiling water as the girl began her hunt for the potato peeler for him. That was.. nice of her… He tampered with the heat, turning it down a bit and turned to face the girl.

He nodded because yeah, they were suuuuuper good. He'd never made them himself before, but he'd seem them done a few times and.. well.. couldn't be that hard, could it? "You could try one.. when they're done.. if you wanted to." Wow, Coulson. When did you get this awkward and shy?

He silently questioned himself as she approached. "Hey. I'm Coulson." He stuck out his hand and gave her a winning smile, trying to be a bit more like he was a few years earlier. This whole shy, unapproachable act was getting old. He missed his formerly charismatic self. But being around certain people, people who were afraid of him, made him that shy guy.

Meeting new people was nice, he supposed. Rare, but nice. It was kinda like a clean slate, which was what he was going for with the new, shorter hair, look. "I uh.. Yeah. I'd try one if you make a spare or something."

She could try one? She turned and sent shy guy a beaming smile; seriously it was like someone had turned the headlights behind her eyes on. ”Oooh thanks!” she continued beaming.

”nice to meet you Coulson” she smiled over to him in her cheery fashion. Seriously she had gone from study-a-saurus-rex last term to bubble-mcgee. It was a strange flip in her personality, but she liked it.

”of course you can have one!” she practically sing-song-spoke to the guy. ”Where’d ya learn to make the bacon-bite-things?” she asked interestedly as she began to prepare the dry ingredients in her recipe.

The first thing she started to do was to mix all of the dry ingredients – because that made sense. And a bit of distracted mixing and the addition of butter beer she began to miiiiix everything. Eventually everything smelled awesome and looked all smoother and batter-like. Setting up the oven she she quickly poured the mixture into cupcake pans (the paper was already added of course). AND IN they went…now all she had to do was frosting.

”Okay this looks alright so far,” she muttered at the left over batter. She knew not to eat it – with her luck it would poison her.

He nodded and moved the potato peeler a bit closer to himself and then went to work looking for a cutting board, the next thing he ought to have prepared, though he probably wouldn't have to touch the potatoes for a while because they needed to cool. Hm. Was there a food cooling spell? That would come in handy..

"You're welcome and it's a pleasure to meet you as well." The boy was hungry now and potatoes were going to take too long so, he started unwrapping the bacon and grabbed the frying pan he was going to use before to fry some up to eat now.

Coul smiled at her enthusiasm and her offering. He liked cupcakes so long as there wasn't any chocolate. "Oh, uh.. the elves. I asked them to whip up something with bacon and potatoes a few years back and thats what they made."

And boy, did they know how to cook.

Eyeing the potatoes, he stuck a fork in them to see if they were ready yet and eventually emptied them out into a strainer to wait for them to cool. In the meantime, he watched Amelia make her cupcakes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wood'sLittleFlower

He nodded and moved the potato peeler a bit closer to himself and then went to work looking for a cutting board, the next thing he ought to have prepared, though he probably wouldn't have to touch the potatoes for a while because they needed to cool. Hm. Was there a food cooling spell? That would come in handy..

"You're welcome and it's a pleasure to meet you as well." The boy was hungry now and potatoes were going to take too long so, he started unwrapping the bacon and grabbed the frying pan he was going to use before to fry some up to eat now.

Coul smiled at her enthusiasm and her offering. He liked cupcakes so long as there wasn't any chocolate. "Oh, uh.. the elves. I asked them to whip up something with bacon and potatoes a few years back and thats what they made."

And boy, did they know how to cook.

Eyeing the potatoes, he stuck a fork in them to see if they were ready yet and eventually emptied them out into a strainer to wait for them to cool. In the meantime, he watched Amelia make her cupcakes.

So she had to wait until the cake had cooked yeah? Searching the cabinet she tried to find a mixing bowl, a whisk and anything else she could use to make her frosting. She sent the boy a warm smile and then the bacon – she could smell it cooking.

Seriously bacon was like catnip for humans.

Cook it and people would show up to eat it – even vegans…well maybe not vegans but still it was that good. And it smelled that good.

”Aw thanks” she smiled over, ”Oh cool, I got help baking from the house elves in the past – mainly because I made cookies that broke someone’s tooth…to be fair I did leave them in the oven too long so they were more like hockey pucks then cookies” she admitted with a laugh, sad thing to remember that person had been her own sister. Sorry Mel.

She began to mix things into the mixing bowl as she spoke. She had to chill the bowl yeah? ”aluminium frigidus“ she muttered and tapped the metal and watched as it seemingly iced over. Wow, she’d have to thank India for teaching her that spell later. ”You could always try the frigidus spell on the potatos to cool them – you’d have to say the latin name for it I think though…I think its Solanum tuber-something” but something wasn’t a part of the name she just wasn’t a huge fan of old dead languages. Still after the bowl was cooled she quickly added in the heavy cream, the butterbeer, and a touch of vanilla extract and charmed the whisk to whisk the ingredients on its own.

Magic, it was like an electric mixer – but only sans the electricity. Eventually after the sugar was added the frosting seemed to be stiff-ish and frosting-like. It didn’t look like it had turned to butter. Wouldn’t that be sad, butterbeer butter on cupcakes? Wait, on muffins it’d be good.

Next time.

"I hope this comes out well" she muttered as she checked on the still baking cupcakes.

"Awesome.. it smells great in here doesn't it.." he said while sniffing the air.

GRUMBLE…

"My stomach seems to think so.." he hands went to his stomach and just then he saw some cookies just sitting on the counter.

"do you think we can just take one? or like wait till an elf is free to help out?" eyeballing the cookie even more. Bay was wondering what kind it was.

Oh he was being rude just talking about food and not introducing himself. "Oh I'm Bay by the way.. 5th year Gryffindor, how about you?"

Ana nodded in agreement, it sure did smell good in the kitchen, but then with house elves being the chefs what did one expect?

"If they're on the table I'm assuming you can grab one. And with how hungry you sound I'm sure the elves wouldn't begrudge you taking a few... Ana replied, voice tinged with slight amusement. With the way this boys stomach was rumbling one would assume he'd been starved.

Nice to meet you Bay, I'm a fifth year Slytherin and you can call me Anastasia, or Ana she wasn't fussed which one really, but her parents had always told her that she should introduce herself with her actual name, not her nickname first.

"Awesome because I'm totally grabbing one.. did you want one.. oh wait let me try it to see what kind it is." Bay walked over to the counter picked up a cookie "Oh… its still warm" he said while looking over at the girl. Taking a bite Bay's eyes lit up. "Oh there chocolate chip" now this he could get used to warm chocolate chip cookies, his mother never baked.. well that was a lie she baked but all healthy stuff, he never got cookies like this at home.

He held the plate out for her.

"Oh cool your the first Slytherin I've met…" he said while taking another bite. "Do you mind if I just call you Ana.. so many names and it makes it easier to remember.." hoping he didn't offend her. "People just call me Bay, my first name is Victor.. but everyone just calls me by my last name…" he said while talking with his hands that held a cookie or two.

Ana was about to reply in the affirmative but Bay spoke again before she could get a word out. Obviously he wasn't someone who waited for answers before moving on. Although, at least this way he was the guinea pig and she now knew what flavour the cookies were.

"Thank-you," Ana walked closer to Bay before reaching out and grabbing a cookie off the plate, taking a tentative bite. "These are amazing," Ana had been expecting they'd be good but this was above and beyond. Certainly better than anything she herself managed to produce. Although that may have to do with her tendency to leave the kitchen unattended while food was in the oven and forget to come back until she could smell burning food...

"And you're the first Hogwart's student I've met. You can definitely call me Ana, the only people that actually call me Anastasia are my family or teachers, she explained while reaching to grab another cookie from the plate. With the rate Bay was grabbing them she'd have to be fast if she wanted to have more than two.

"Soo 'oood" oops bad manners Bay eating with your mouth full. he found a napkin and wiped his mouth. "sorry.." he said..

Bay pulled out a stool for Ana to sit down and pulled one out for himself and plopped right down on it and placed the plate of cookies back down. "First Hogwarts student eh.. so your a transfer like me?" he asked her.. "This is my first time at Hogwarts too… My mother home schooled me" he said while laughing.. "I'm happy to be here though"

"It's fine," Ana waved aside Bay's apology as she polished off her second cookie, licking some melted chocolate off her finger. They tasted too good to allow any to go to waste after all.

Nodding in gratitude Ana sat on the stool Bay had pulled out for her, getting comfortable before picking up another cookie and breaking it in half, ostensibly so it was less messy to eat.

"Yep, she popped the P before listening to the rest of what he had to say. "Ahh, hence the name thing. Home schooling sounds interesting. Personally this is my fourth school though, which kind of sucks. I'm not unhappy to be here but I do hope this'll be the last transfer so I can actually keep some friends and get settled in classes and stuff, Ana said, a wry smile twisting her lips.

"You know what would make these better? Milk," Ana observed as she took another small bite of her cookie. Warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies were definitely amazing but paired with ice cold milk, in her experience at least, they were even better.

Well would you look at that. Cat actually liked being an aunt? How? No nevermind, she didn't wanna know how. The idea was ridiculous in itself. Though she supposed having nieces and nephews wasn't as bad as immediate attention suckers so she'd let her have it but er...owling Vivi about it? "Nah. The way you tell it, I have another 13 years of it being socially acceptable." Which was good seeing as she didn't see herself liking the little thing for a good long while to come. "I'm a good enough sister in that I never pinch her anymore--not to mention the time she fell and hit her head on the coffe table but I didn't laugh." Lex was a saint to that little girl, a saint.

Lex froze, even with the sandwich now in her possession and watched for a reaction because there HAD to be a reaction, just look at the face he was making. Seconds later yelling happened and her eyes widened but she wasn't sorry. No. Mo would make himself another and in fact, he was already being a good sport by making another so this was officially hers...not that she would have let him have it back.

"Are you duplicating the sandwich or making a completely different combo? If it's different, I'd like to choose which I'd prefer stealing." What if the other one turned out better? Hmm? HMMM? It was important to consider such things. That one might have more meat or just less veggies than this one. Lex watched him closely. Had to be sure.

"Oh i think i will invite you. Expect your invitation." he teased her back. Then he heard her description and chuckled. "Oh really double cheeseburgers?" he said questioning it. "I do like cheeseburgers..." he nodded and grinned. He was spreading the peanut butter on the bread slices and then he went to the jelly.

"I hope it is a party in my mouth! I wanna hear music in my mouth too." he teased a little bit and grinned. He was glad she approved of his name. "Why thank you." he grinned still spreading the peanut butter and jelly on the slices.

"Where are you from?" he asked her.

The not-asking-questions thing was really hard. Alice had already swallowed a million and three inquiries of hers, and soon enough, one was bound to slip. Which it did. "How come you don't know your birthday?"

She snapped another picture as he filled the pan, and a second when he placed it in the oven. "My summer was... kind of awful, actually. How was yours? Did you work in a muggle shop thing again? Do your wrists ever get tired from all that drumming during band practices?" These questions were probably more harmless, so she put little to no effort in trying to stop their flow.

He could shut her up faster if there was cake to cork her mouth with, though. Just saying.