Extended Family

Chapter 20: Kitchen Clash

Set after Dahlia's birth but before the final chapter

"Harry gave you this too huh?" Angelina asked, looking at some familiar handwriting on a bundle of parchment.

Alicia nodded.  "I'm glad I got him those quills his first year, his penmanship has drastically improved.  But yes.  Hadley wanted her godfather's noodle dish so I had him write the recipe for me.  It's close enough though my darling daughter tells me it's not as good."

"Kids are brutally honest," Angelina chuckled.  "Hailey is the same.  George'll eat anything and I'm thankful for that considering how awesome of a cook Molly is.  He even likes some of the stuff I learned from my mum.  But it's not Papa Harry's cooking for Hailey."

"Children can be rather picky," Daphne agreed, "or so my mother claims.  I vaguely remember Astoria like that."  She paged through the bound parchment.  "I may have to ask for my own copy.  I can follow a recipe well."

"I hope so, as a fellow potioneer," Alicia said and she smiled at Daphne's rude gesture.

"We can always ask Mistress Castor," Daphne said with a sharp smile.

"One time!  One time I misread a line.  As if you have never done that before!"

"I always feel like Harry leaves something out," Hermione said.  "I've tried to follow his recipes before but it always tastes a little off.  I've watched him time and again but I don't know, something seems not right."

"Probably some secret special ingredient to keep us hooked," Alicia said.

"Knowing Rabbit?  Something cheesy like love," Angelina smiled.

"I don't buy that," Hermione said.  "You can make perfectly adequate potions without emotion.  Cooking can't be that different."

"Just admit it," Angelina said with a wry look.  "Some things do have that little who-knows-what to make it extra special and it matters.  Like magic."

"Except you can explain magic.  There's plenty of magical theory," Hermione argued.

"Which doesn't work all the time," Alicia said.  She shrugged.  "Well, cooking isn't exactly magic either so there's that.  Ah well, I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later."  Alicia tipped her head at Angelina.

Hermione narrowed her eyes.  "Why you two?"

"Because we're cooking for our children so that'll give us the edge at figuring out the nuance."

Daphne narrowed her eyes too.  "A mother does not a cook make.  My mother never cooked a day in her life."

"I mean, neither did mine but we have the greater inspiration," Alicia retorted.

"Don't drag me into this," Angelina muttered.

"Too late, you are."  Alicia stared at Hermione and Daphne.  "You think you can cook better?"

"I think we can do just as good without having to have children," Hermione said and Daphne nodded.

"Fine.  Let's make it official.  We each make something and have us taste it and have an impartial judge.  Whoever makes the best dish, wins."