Growing up Pureblooded

You're Right

"The nerve of him!" Aries growled. "At least he could have told me what he was planning on doing." Daphne stood over the stove, stirring a large pot of tomato sauce. Aries had been complaining to her about Sirius all evening. He couldn't tell her all the details, of course, so he had invented a bit. "Perhaps he didn't want to argue with you about it," she suggested helpfully.

Aries frowned. "That's not like him. Usually he listens to whatever I have to say." "Well, you did say it was a snap decision on his part," Daphne reminded him. "From what you've told me, that is very much in character for Mr Black." "It is," Aries admitted. "I just don't see why he had to go all mental over these family heirlooms of all things. It's a tragedy, really."

He stuck a spoon into the sauce and tasted it. "You need to add more salt," he said. "But I already put in the amount called for in the recipe," Daphne protested. Aries set his jaw in frustration. "But the taste is off," he replied in a tense voice. "Always go by your senses. If it tastes like it needs more salt, it does." Daphne sighed and picked up the salt, but her hand slipped as she was adding it, and she poured in far more than she needed to.

"Watch it!" Aries snapped. "What have I told you before? Always measure the salt in your hand before adding it in. Now you've ruined the sauce!" Daphne set down the salt and turned around, fixing Aries in an icy glare.

"You listen to me, Aries Sirius Black," she said quietly. "I understand that you're upset with your dad right now. I'll even listen to your whinging all night if you want me to. But I will not put up with you taking your anger out on me. Is that clear?" Aries visibly deflated.

"I'm sorry, Daphne," he mumbled. "You're right. I oughtn't to take my frustration out on you." He gave her a winning grin, and the girl's expression softened instantly. "Shall we return to our cooking lesson?" Aries offered. "I promise to shut up about what a jerk my father is being at the moment."

Daphne giggled. "All right," she said. She looked down at the pot ruefully. "And I really am sorry about the salt. I don't suppose there's anything we can do to fix the sauce?" Aries drew his wand with his right hand and grabbed an empty bowl with his left. "Now, Miss Greengrass," he said, "you're about to witness one of the great advantages of being a wizarding cook."

He pointed his wand at the pot and muttered an incantation. Countless tiny particles flew out of the soup and into the empty bowl. Soon a perfect mound of pure salt lay inside. "The spell isn't perfect," Aries said apologetically. "It won't remove all the salt, so we'll have to salt the sauce by taste. There also aren't many Potions ingredients it will work on. It seems, however, that over-salting was a persistent enough problem that some magical cook invented a spell to counteract it."

Daphne stared at the salt in the bowl, then swatted the back of Aries' head. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot with his hand. "What was that for?" "For scolding me so harshly over spoiling the sauce when you knew all along there was a way to fix it," Daphne replied primly. "Black heir or not, I shan't put up with such behaviour from you, Aries. You of all people ought to know how to act in a more gentlemanly fashion."

Aries made a slight bow, conceding the point. "I beg your pardon, Miss Greengrass," he said. "Now, would you like to begin adding the salt?" This time, Daphne was very careful to measure the salt in her hand before adding it to the pot, and also to taste the sauce intermittently. When the tomato sauce was done, and she served it over spaghetti, Aries pronounced it perfect.