Daughter of a Witch

Kitchen Chaos (Part Two)

It was two weeks before Christmas, and the Harkness-Vidal household was fully festive. The tree in the living room bedecked with ornaments from years past, twinkled brightly in the soft glow of fairy lights. Garlands lined the banisters, and stockings hung from the mantel, each one personalized with a tiny bit of magic that had them shimmering with different colors depending on who passed by. Snow gently fell outside, covering Westview in a blanket of white.

Things were just starting to heat up in the kitchen-quite literally.

"Mom, Mama!" Y/n called excitedly, waving a recipe card in her hand. She was already in her Christmas apron, which was dusted with flour before they'd even started. "It's time! We need to make the cookies before the day slips away."

Sitting at the table with a warm cup of coffee, Rio chuckled at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Alright, alright, no need to rush. We have all afternoon."

"Afternoon, yes," Agatha said, sauntering into the kitchen and tying on her own apron. "But if we're doing this, we're doing it my way-no shortcuts, no magic."

Rio raised an eyebrow, her fingers already twitching with the urge to cast a small spell. "No magic? Are you sure? We could be done in ten minutes."

"No," Y/n interrupted, grinning mischievously. "I want to do it by hand. It's more fun this way! Besides, the holidays are about the process, not how fast we can finish."

Agatha gave her a proud nod. "Exactly. You heard her, Rio. No magic."

Rio sighed dramatically, leaning her elbows on the counter. "You two are no fun." But there was a playful smile on her lips as she took her place beside Y/n, prepared to at least pretend she wasn't going to use magic.

"Okay, first up," Y/n said, grabbing the bag of flour. We need flour, sugar, butter, and all the usual cookie stuff. We'll divide it-Mom, you crack the eggs, Mama, you're in charge of the dry ingredients."

"Easy enough," Agatha said, taking her role very seriously as she measured out the flour precisely while Rio started cracking eggs into a bowl with exaggerated care.

The first ten minutes went smoothly enough. Agatha sifted the flour and cocoa powder, Rio whisked the wet ingredients, and Y/n measured the sugar while chatting about their plans for the rest of the holidays. The kitchen was filled with the scent of vanilla and butter, and outside, the gentle sound of snowfall added to the cozy atmosphere.

But, of course, it didn't take long for Rio's impatience to get the better of her. As Y/n carefully stirred the dough, Rio glanced at the clock and then at the still-empty cookie sheets. With a quick flick of her fingers, she levitated the bag of flour, sending it soaring across the counter and dumping it directly into the bowl without a single spill.

"Mom!" Y/n yelped, her hands flying to her hips as she gave Rio a pointed look. "No magic, remember?"

Rio chuckled, shrugging innocently. "What? I didn't spill a drop."

Agatha glanced up from her mixing, eyes narrowed but lips twitching with amusement. "That's not the point, Rio. You're cheating. I said we're doing this by hand."

Rio held up her hands in mock surrender, laughing softly. "Alright, alright. No more magic. I swear."

They went back to work, but it wasn't long before another magical mishap occurred-this time, thanks to Y/n. As she absentmindedly muttered a spell under her breath while rolling out the dough, a small blob of cookie dough sprang to life, growing tiny legs and arms. It hopped off the counter and skittered across the floor like a gingerbread man on a mission.

Y/n's eyes went wide. "Oh no! I didn't mean to-!"

Agatha burst out laughing, clapping her hands. "Looks like you've inherited your mother's impatience."

Y/n blushed, chasing after the little dough creation, her spoon in hand. "Come back here!" she yelled, half-laughing, half-embarrassed.

Rio was leaning against the counter, smirking as she watched the chaos unfold. "Need help, sweetheart?"

"No magic!" Y/n insisted, trying to corner the rogue dough creature, but it was too quick, darting between the legs of the kitchen chairs.

Agatha, still laughing, finally stepped in. With a simple wave of her hand, she stopped the cookie mid-run and levitated it back onto the counter. "There," she said, gently setting it before Y/n. "Problem solved. Now, let's finish these before more kitchen disasters occur."

The rest of the cookie-making process went about as smoothly as one could expect for a magical family. Y/n got flour in her hair, Rio knocked over a bag of sugar, and Agatha ended up with butter smeared on her apron, but they managed to mix and roll out the dough-without any more animated cookie attempts.

However, as Y/n slid the first tray of cookies into the oven, disaster struck again.

The oven, which had been preheated to a reasonable temperature, suddenly erupted in smoke, the scent of burning sugar filling the kitchen. Y/n's eyes widened as she scrambled to turn it off.

"I didn't even put them in for that long!" Y/n exclaimed, opening the oven door to find that a couple of cookies had expanded... a little too much. They were practically molten, bubbling and spilling over the edges of the tray.

Agatha waved her hand, fanning the smoke away from the stove while Rio grabbed a fire extinguisher. "This," Rio said with a dramatic sigh, "is why we use magic."

Y/n couldn't help but laugh as Rio put out the tiny fire. "We'll get it right next time."

Once the smoke cleared, they salvaged what cookies they could and started again. This time, Rio closely monitored the oven to prevent another mishap. Despite the earlier chaos, the second batch came out perfectly golden brown.

"I'm calling this a victory," Y/n said proudly as she placed the tray on the counter to cool. "Oddly shaped but delicious."

Rio ruffled her daughter's hair, leaning down to grab a cookie. "Agreed. And honestly, I think the misshapen ones have more character."

Agatha smiled as she reached for a gingerbread cookie. "Imperfection is part of the charm, darling."

Y/n beamed, grabbing a cookie herself and taking a bite. It was buttery, sweet, and just right. She looked around at the messy kitchen-flour still dusting the countertops, mixing bowls piled in the sink, and the faint scent of smoke still lingering in the air-and felt a warm sense of contentment.

"See?" Y/n said, grinning. "We didn't need magic. We made memories. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?"

Agatha chuckled and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders. "You're wise beyond your years, kiddo."

Rio, wiping her hands on a towel, moved closer to the two of them. "Alright, since we've conquered the cookies, how about we move on to something a little less disastrous, like hot cocoa?"

Y/n's eyes lit up. "Yes, please!"

As Rio began to heat up the milk on the stove, Y/n curled up next to Agatha, resting her head on her mama's shoulder. "This was fun," she said softly, her voice filled with gratitude. "Even with the chaos."

Agatha smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "That's what makes it special, sweetheart. Chaos is part of our charm."

As the rich smell of chocolate filled the kitchen and the warmth of the fire from the living room flickered in the background, the three of them sat together at the table, laughing and sipping their cocoa. The imperfect cookies were a testament to their perfectly imperfect family, and Y/n couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate the holiday season.