The Baking King Loses His Crown

(word) council

Lucius Malfoy stared at the rest of the Parent Council with a stoic look on his face. His jaw clenched when James Potter whistled under his breath and singsonged, "Awkward!"

"You think Weasley's cupcakes are better than mine?" Lucius hissed, trying to remain calm.

How could he, though? The council had deemed his double chocolate chunk cupcakes—that he had perfected after hard, toiling labour—inferior. Baking was his thing. Not anyone else's. He didn't care that Molly Weasley was only doing this for charity; she was going to dethrone him, and that was what stung.

Lucius would not stand for this.

"Yeah, they're so delicious and—" Thoros Nott said, but he trailed off when Alice Longbottom kicked him in the shin. He quickly corrected himself. "Weasleys' cupcakes are more popular with the children, that's all."

"I. Don't. Care," Lucius stated, leaning over the long rectangular table to glare at everyone one by one. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "I've been making these cupcakes for the bake sale every year. Molly Weasley cannot come strolling in here and take my position from me. I will not allow it."

"Your cupcakes are getting boring, Lucy," James said, rocking back and forth in his chair. Pushing his glasses back up, he grinned. "Try something new, will you? Maybe add some sprinkles, some light, fluffy goodness. Your cupcakes look like they'll kill us if we look at them wrong."

The squeaking sounds of the chair caused pangs of rage coursing through Lucius' head, but he didn't flip out. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoys always kept their cool.

Then, Thoros leaned forward and pushed a batch of fresh cupcakes towards Lucius, their smell hauntingly delicious. Lucius' mouth was starting to water at the sight of all the rainbow sprinkles and perfect frosting, but then, James went and opened his big fat mouth.

"Molly made them. Don't they look perfect for our children's annual bake sale?"

Lucius finally flipped out.

He shot to his feet, grabbed the cupcakes and hurled them across the room. With a look of murderous rage in his eyes, he stalked over to James and grabbed him by the collar of his denim jacket. "How dare you offer me the enemy's dessert?"

"Mate, Molly's not the enemy. She's not even on the council yet. Give her a chance, Lucy. She's not even competing in the Bake Sale Drive," James said, rolling his eyes. He didn't look scared in the least, and Lucius wondered if he was getting too predictable in his temper tantrums. "It's only you—as usual—because everyone's scared of your temper. No one wants to go up against you."

"As they should be." Lucius let go of James and stood up straighter, squaring his shoulders. Turning to look at the rest of the parents on the council, he said, "I challenge Molly Weasley to a bake-off. Go, peasants, and spread the word. I will not back down until the crown of the reigning king of baking is back on my head. Exactly where it belongs."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit, mate?" James asked. He always annoyed everyone with his questions, but for once, everyone silently agreed with him. What a shocker.

"How dare you, Potter? You dare mock the king?"

"Better apologize now, Potter, or else he'll start spewing his nonsense about being superior to us all," Pamela Parkinson said, rolling her eyes. She glanced down at her painted nails and inspected them for any imperfections. "Can we get this meeting over with? I've got an appointment at the nail salon. My nails are getting chipped! The horror!"

"Why don't we just vote on it? All in favour of Malfoy's cupcakes, say aye!" Alice suggested, looking around.

Only Thoros raised his hand, as a sign of solidarity for his childhood friend, and Lucius scowled at the rest of them. Traitors, the lot of them.

"All in favour of Molly's cupcakes?" Immediately, the rest of the council raised their hands, and Lucius knew he had lost.

But he wouldn't give up oh-so-easily.

As he walked out of the council's meeting room, Lucius planned on having his revenge. The bake-off would decide their fate, and Lucius Malfoy would not fail to win back his unofficial title.