August 30, 1888 - Lukeson Home, London

Fleur Rey

Two days that was all there was until Sybille boarded the train to Hogwarts finally! But now that it was so close Sybille was beginning to worry. Would Ace and Avril be alright by themselves? Would they be lonely? Would she like Hogwarts? What of little Roselle? Her nerves didn’t take away from her excitement and so she was a complete mess and had banished herself to the calm of the kitchen. Luckily she wasn’t alone.

Fleur had of course come to visit and her timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Sybille had been speaking to Cook, who was well use to the young girl’s interest in the kitchen and helped less and less with the baked goods as the girls got older, when Fleur walked in. “Oh, Fleur!” Sybille rushed up to her best friend, throwing her arms around her in a hug. “I’m so glad to see you!” It felt like weeks since she had seen her cousin. In reality it had only been a few days. “I’m planning on making scones this morning, want to help?” Sybille always liked to get started on their projects before she really started to talk.

  

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Fleur was likely driving everyone at home nuts with her excited energy. Hogwarts was so soon! She had grilled poor Edgar with so many questions that she had decided to banish herself from the house so she wouldn't spout out with even more. The only place that would bring her some calm was beside Sybille's side in the kitchen. So, she was delighted when she already found her there.

"Syb!" Fleur returned the hug enthusiastically and then backed up to get a better look at her cousin. "I am so glad to see you, as well. I don't think I could have possibly waited another day. It's already so difficult that we have to wait for Hogwarts, waiting to see you would have been unbearable."

"Oh yes, please. I would love to help!" Fleur started to roll her sleeves up in preparation, and then questioned, a curious glint in her eye, "What kind are we making today?"

  

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Thanks, MJ!

“It would have felt like forever!” Sybilled agreed as they headed toward the prep table in the center of the kitchen. “Hogwarts is only two days away, I can’t decide if it feels like forever now that it’s so close.” Sybille admitted, feeling her worries melt away a bit simply by having Fleur with her. They’d be together, just as they had always planned. Sybille would be away from all the shadows at home, that alone made her feel as if Hogwarts couldn’t come fast enough.

“Cook said she got some fresh blueberries yesterday. So I thought we could make two batches, blueberry in one and currants in another.” Sybille pointed at the bowls of fruit. The flour in front of them she began adding them to a bowl in front of her. Another bowl sat beside it ready for the same treatment for the second batch.

  

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"It's worse than waiting for Christmas!" Which was, of course, her favorite holiday, and the only thing she could think of comparing the wait to. She hoped it would be good for Sybille, to get away. Fleur just hoped that they would both end up in the same house. They could still visit one another and have classes together, of course, but it wouldn't be the same.

"Oh those are both the best kinds!" Fleur had a habit of wanting to smell everything before she used it to cook with, so she went over and happily took in the aroma of the blueberries and currants. She then wandered closer and started to help preparing the bowl for the second batch. "Do you think we'll still be able to do this when we're at school? Is it allowed?"

  

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Thanks, MJ!

“Much worse!” Sybille agreed. But Fleur and Sybille shared a love for Christmas, the whole season was something the Sybille loved, but the actual day always seemed to take forever to come around.

Fleur’s excitement over the baked goods only made Sybille happier. She loved blueberry scones, but she also wanted to make sure that everyone else loved what she made too. Afterall she rarely baked for herself but for everyone else. It was one of her favorite parts of baking - sharing it with others.

“I don’t know.” Sybille’s face grew worried. “Ace mentioned kitchens, but he didn’t know if the house elves would welcome us baking there.” It really was something that had been lingering in the back of Sybille’s mind. “I’m sure we’ll find something.” She added though, as she cracked an egg into a bowl. She was really good at making sure none of the shell got into the dough, she considering it one of her most special skills. “I don’t think I could survive a term without baking.” She admitted a bit sadly as she beat the egg into the dough.

  

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Fleur's stirring slowed as she stared off into space, clearly going over something in her mind. After a moment, a determined grin crossed her face, and she turned to Sybille, "Well, we'll just have to make friends with the house elves!" She glanced back at what she had been doing and realized she had the sugar measure out, but it was just sitting there while she'd mulled things over. "Or at least one of them."

Adding the sugar to the bowl slowly, she mixed a bit at a time, while still chattering on, "If not. Well, maybe we'll just have to get creative. I imagine there are fireplaces to keep everyone warm in the winter." She gave her cousin a conspiratorial grin. If they did manage to get sorted into the same house, perhaps they could cook from their dorm room somehow!

  

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Thanks, MJ!

“Yes, we will!” Sybille grinned back at Fleur, glad for her determination on the matter. That’s what best friends were for afterall. She could only hope they’d be placed in the same house. She wasn’t quite sure what she’d do without Fleur. Although Ace assured her that the two girls would see each other all the time even if they weren’t. But they wouldn’t be allowed in each other’s common room or hanging out in their dorms like they did now. In that case the kitchens were the only way they might have a place to hang out together. But she really hoped it didn’t come to that.

At the thought of baking over a fireplace Sybille couldn’t help but giggle. “I’m sure we’d learn charms that would help too!” She suggested as she put butter into her own bowl, flour poofing up her arms with each splat of the butter.

  

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Fleur tried to push any worry she had out of her mind, preferring to think positive thoughts about the upcoming school year. She couldn't bear it if everything ended up being a disaster. It just had to go well! Her and Sybille would have the most wonderful time. They had other cousins and siblings even if things went South.

"Yes! I bet we will." She nodded her head, deciding Syb must be right! Maybe she would actually focus on that class and even open up that book. Charms and Potions were the two classes she was most looking forward to. "I guess we better make friends with the Charms Professor, too!" That way, if things with the house elves didn't pan out, they could have someone else who might know how to help them bake.

  

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Thanks, MJ!

Sybille poured the blueberries into the bowl and mixed them as well. “We’ll add him to the list.” Sybille agreed cheerfully, “And perhaps maybe the matron of the house?” For surely the matron would be sympathetic to their cause. “She may be able to help us find a spot too.”

Sybille scooped the dough onto the table and started kneading. “I can’t wait for these to come out of the oven.” They would smell amazing.

  

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"Oh yes, add her to the list, too. I bet she will be of help." Fleur gave Sybille a wide grin and mentally took down the few options of those who might help them.

Since she had grown distracted, plotting, she was a step or two behind Sybille and had only just then started to add the currants to her mixture while her cousin was already kneading. "Next to pie, scones are probably one of my favorites."

  

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Thanks, MJ!

“I think cakes and pies are my favorite.” Sybille commented as she slid the dough out onto the table and began to knead it with her small hands. “But I do love to eat scones.” Sybille chirped. Besides cookies scones were one of the first things she had learned to make, perhaps that was why she loved cakes and pies so much, required a bit more imagination and attention as she went.

Together the two girls worked side by side on their afternoon project, excited chatter about Hogwarts and baking exchanged between the two of them, for once not pestering their cousins and siblings with their plethora of questions. Soon they’d be at Hogwarts and their questions would be answered!

  

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