all that i can give - sirius black

chapter twelve

November 3rd, 1975.

Baking is an exact science. The measurements have to be exact, the temperature of the butter has to be exact, how long the eggs are whipped has to be exact. The slightest change to even just one step of the recipe can either make or break the outcome of the entire dish.

Which is part of the reason why it is so rewarding when the baked good comes out perfectly.

Natalie hoped that this chocolate cake would come out like that. She'd made the pudding an hour ago right after she got out of class. It tasted fine as it cooled but the real trick would be if the chocolate set properly so the consistency was actually that of pudding.

The cake batter had been just right. It was liquidy, which would normally be concerning for her but was normal for this cake. It would cook at four hundred degrees fahrenheit for about half an hour and come out light and airy.

She'd probably magically cool it before putting the actual cake together. Nilly had graciously offered to allow Natalie to use some of the chocolate frosting from the cupcakes that were supposed to be dessert that night. And how could she turn down a frosting that was as fluffy as the one Nilly made? With just the right amount of sweetness and not so chocolatey that it takes away from the cake, Natalie couldn't have made a better one herself.

Natalie smiled at Nilly as the sweet fumes of the cake wafted from the oven and into the kitchen.

Normally, Natalie wouldn't make a cake right after class. She'd probably do her homework and study before even thinking about what to do in her free time.

But her heart still hurt from seeing Remus injured yesterday and so she decided she would cheer him up with a cake.

She knew Remus wouldn't accept any pity. He despised it. He hated when someone else took care of him.

But he would accept cake. And she didn't know any other way to help him right now other than to give him cake.

So that's what she was doing. Making a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding and chocolate frosting topped with various of his favorite chocolates and chocolate covered strawberries on the side. Comfort food.

Natalie remembered how Black and Potter acted today. How they wouldn't meet her eyes. How Pettigrew looked like he was going to pee his pants when she came within six feet of him, but that was similar to his normal so she couldn't count it as off behavior.

But she wasn't going to think on that too much. As terrible as it was of Remus' friends to do that to him, she had already said her piece. If she said more it'd look like she had a savior complex. And she was not a Gryffindor.

She had other things to focus on. Helping Remus feel better, finding a spell or a potion to make him feel better, and working on those communication devices. Oh, and the whole thing with her fiance.

All of that on top of quidditch practice for the upcoming match that month meant Natalie's schedule was busy. Incredibly so. But that's how she liked it. A busy schedule meant a busy mind and a busy mind meant she didn't have much time to dwell in her own head. Which was for the better.

Besides, she worked best like this.

The timer on her wand went off and Nilly hopped around encouragingly as Natalie grabbed the oven mitts and took out the cake tins. Two big cakes and a smaller one for Nilly to enjoy.

She made Nilly's first, chilling the cake so that she could cut it in half and spread the pudding. She put the top back on and evened out edges before spreading the cooled frosting over top.