THC Round 2 – Drabble
House: Slytherin
Class: Herbology
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Action] Baking a cake
Word Count: 914
Disclaimers/TWs:
Beta's: The Slytherin Team, AshJuillet
"Charlie!"
A desperate cry for help came from Fred as cake batter splashed all down his top. He stood on his tip-toes to see inside the bowl and pouted. Something had gone wrong. But he had followed the recipe! He didn't understand what had happened for the mixture to go all… gooey; liquidus instead of thick and creamy?
Why am I making this Muggle way? Oh, yeah, it was my own idea! Thank Merlin, the others are out with Mum so they can't see, or they'd make fun of me! He thought, groaning.
He pushed the bowl away and leant his elbows on the wooden surface, placing his head in his hands. He always got the simplest of things wrong–Bill said that Fred was too young to know any better and that it was okay to get things wrong because he was still learning, but he was eight! He was a big boy now. He didn't need to call his big brothers for help! He didn't need anybody's help!
Fred sighed heavily, but he did need help. It was a special occasion so everything had to be perfect, and they didn't have long before Mum came back from Diagon Alley.
Which was why he had called for Charlie, who had stayed behind to look after him.
This was another thing which frustrated Fred. He didn't need to be looked after; he was fine by himself. If he could keep an eye on George, he could stay at home by himself quite easily!
Unfortunately, no one else saw it that way.
"Freddie? What's wrong–oh! You said I could trust you, Fred!" Charlie exclaimed frantically.
Fred recognised the panic in his voice and smiled sheepishly at his brother, who gave him a pointed look. Charlie's eyes widened as he took in the mess the kitchen was now in.
"You can trust me! Just not when it comes to keeping things clean? Please help me. I don't know what happened, I've done it wrong, and everyone will be upset because they all went out for nothing, and I don't want to ruin Mum's day–" He would have rambled on if Charlie hadn't put a hand over his mouth.
Guilt at having wrecked the kitchen gnawed at his gut, but that soon faded when he noticed Charlie's soft eyes and warm smile.
"Hey, hey. You're thinking too much, Fred. This was supposed to be a fun activity, remember? You chose to do this. Let's see if we can fix it, alright? If worse comes to worse, we can just start again," Charlie said with an infectious grin, rubbing Fred's hair as he walked over to the bowl.
Fred released a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding and the tension in his muscles disappeared at the way Charlie was handling the situation. He really appreciated that it was Charlie who had stayed behind and not Percy.
He bit his bottom lip as he stood next to Charlie, who was examining where he had gone wrong. Fred's heart thumped as he began worrying. He worried about having to start all over again because maybe he had put too much egg in. Maybe they wouldn't have the cake ready in time before the others got back! What if he upset everyone because he ruined it?
"Okay, Freddie, pass me the flour. We can still save this," Charlie said—more like ordered—enthusiastically as he rubbed his hands together before rolling up his sweater sleeves.
Fred nodded with a determined frown that graced his features; he stuck his tongue out in concentration, reaching for the flour that was still on the surface. He carefully handed it to Charlie, who then took a spoon out and gave it to Fred. Charlie instructed, "We need a few spoonfuls. You do that while I find the icing."
Nodding once again, Fred managed to not make too much of a mess while he did as Charlie asked.
"Is three enough? Too much? Have I put too much in?"
"Fred, breathe. It looks just right. I think you need to believe in yourself a bit more, kiddo," Charlie responded, patting him on the back with a grin.
Fred frowned, pulling a face at that. Maybe Charlie was right; maybe he did need to develop more confidence. He was more confident with George by his side, but without his counterpart, he wasn't as silly or as assertive. He was shy and over-thought instead of being spontaneous. Maybe he could learn from this for when they were older. He couldn't rely on George all of the time, could he?
"Now, stir!" Charlie told him, still grinning a toothy smile.
He stirred the mixture, and it was a lot better than when he had started, that was for sure. He was glad he had asked for help. Perhaps it wouldn't have been a good idea if he'd been left alone, after all.
"Thank you, Charlie. We have to put the mixture in the tin now! And then we get to make the icing!" Fred cried, worries forgotten as he told his brother what to do next, jumping up and down as he poured the mixture into the greased tin.
"Perfect, buddy! Sounds like you don't need my help anymore," Charlie replied, laughing lightly as Fred got more mess on the surface that they'd have to clean later.
"I want you to stay and help though!" Fred admitted.
"Alright, how could I say no to you?"
"Thanks, Charlie, you're the best!"