To the Unplanner: Yeah, I should go on Pottermore to see what info they have about the Hogwarts houses, and how they do their house points. I do mention a house point system back in chapter 5, but I don't have anything truly concrete about yet. Like, how the points are actually given and such. Real world schools (notably those in England) that have houses and point systems are also something I should look more into. I'm sure there's info about that somewhere...

Shout out to the recipe site Tasty, for which I reference the macaron recipe Skuld uses in this chapter. I didn't reference the actual recipe a lot though, but it did help while I was writing out the chapter. Also, another shout out would go to Disney's Robin Hood, which inspired what classic story Skuld's quiz was on.

Thank you for reading!

She didn't know the recipe by heart, but she knew it well enough to assume that she could bake and prepare for a quiz at the same time. The macarons needed at least a day to be properly 'rise' once they were sandwiched together, but she also had a quiz due in a classic literature course. It made sense to do them at the same time- there had been plenty of opportunities to review her course work while working on the macarons.

It started out pretty well, honestly. She hummed as she mixed the dry ingredients together, glancing over at her textbook every now and again to review her notes. When it was time to mix the wet ingredients, Skuld timed each beat of the mixer with the names of the important characters in the assigned story.

The recipe eventually instructed for you to drop the tray a few times to release the air bubbles, or else the macarons would come out too flat. Skuld let the pan drop to the counter top with a very loud thud. She flinched at the impact, but something wicked sparked within her. She picked up the tray again and let it fall once more. Then she did it again, and again, and again. Skuld wasn't even aware of when she started to grip the tray at the ends to purposely slam the tray into the counter. It got to the point that it looked like she was trying to beat a small ant with the whole tray. Each clang of the tray inspired another- she didn't even notice that she was starting to each the tray closer and closer to the counter's edge.

To say Skuld cursed when the tray went flying through the air, slamming right into the ground with a worse clatter than before, would have been an understatement. Oh no, Skuld was sent into a flying rage. She cursed, she screamed, she even kicked the counter before quickly doubling over in pain. Slowly, all but grumbling the entire time, she gathered herself back up and started to mix the wet ingredients again.

It took another twenty minutes to get back to where she left off. The entire time she didn't dare look at her text book. This time, after dropping the tray five times, let it sit on the counter. Skuld sighed as she reached for a timer. She set it for 30 minutes, then she walked over to the oven and turned it on for preheating. The school's ovens took forever to properly heat up anyway, it would be the perfect time to study.

Skuld pulled up a bar stool to the counter and started to read through her text book. The chapter she was going through was about the setting of the story. 'The main setting of Robin Hood takes place in the township of Nottingham, a real world location that predates the Anglo-Saxon era. Nottingham Castle, built in roughly 1068, is used during the climax in many versions of this classic tale. Prince John's occupation of the castle coincides with King Richard's real world absence during the Crusades.'

The words on the page started to fade out as Skuld read on. She wasn't aware that she had fallen asleep until she felt someone shaking her.

"Hey Skuld, you awake there?"

The girl lazily rolled her head to look up at whoever was shaking her, and was greeting with Ephemer's rather concerned face.

"I'm up." she insisted, despite her sluggish voice indicating otherwise.

"Did you know you left the oven on?"

Suddenly, Skuld was wide awake as she jumped off the bar stool and to the oven. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized that the macaron shells were not there. Then she looked around for the shells, and let out another sigh of relief when she saw them on the counter. Ephemer, on the other hand, watched her do all this with a raise of his eyebrow.

He continued to watch as Skuld placed the shells in the oven and set her timer for 17 minutes. Only then did she look up at him.

"What?"

Ephemer looked his friend up and down, as if he was expecting to see something amiss, before he finally said, "When did you start baking?"

Skuld raised an eyebrow, not sure what he was getting at. "Maybe around 3:30, maybe 4." She paused for a moment before skeptically adding, "What time is it now?"

"7:07."

Skuld's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Jiminy Cricket, are you serious?"

Her answer came in the form of a short nod.

"I don't enough time to bake!" she declared. "I need to get back to my dorm and study, I need to take more notes, I need to… to…!"

"Take a deep breath." her friend informed her as he moved close enough to put his hands on her shoulders. "Follow me, okay? Breath in, then breath out. Breath in..."

Not thinking she had much of a choice, Skuld did as her friend instructed. He forced her to control her breathing for a few minutes before he stepped away. Admittedly, she felt a bit better.

"Thanks." she said to him. "I just… Today's not been the best, okay? I've been trying to study for a test, and I ruined an entire batch of macarons..."

"Would you like some help?"

Skuld looked at him. It wasn't like him to be so blunt, or serious. Eventually, her body sagged in defeat. "Yes." she agreed. "Please? I still haven't mixed up the icing and there should still be a batch of shells to bake."

And just like that, Ephemer's serious expression was immediately replaced with a bright grin. "Then let's get cooking!" he cheerfully told her. Despite herself, Skuld grinned as well.

The next hour was spend with the two of them finishing the macarons. Ephemer had no shortage of things to tell her- from going on about the things he overheard the headmasters say, to way too many sugar based puns. After Skuld placed icing on the last two macarons, she placed them in a small container so she could store them for later.

"So," Ephemer mused as he started to reach for the macarons, "Since I helped, I get to have a few samples. Right?"

"Oh no, you don't." Skuld chastised, playfully swatting his hand away. "These are for Valentines. Can't you just wait two days? If that?"

But Ephemer gave her his best puppy pout in response. It wasn't long before both of them went into a joyful belly laugh. When the two calmed down again, there was nothing but good will between them.

"Hey Skuld," Ephemer then entertained. "You know our school motto?"

Skuld raised a bemused eyebrow at him. "Yeah?" she agreed.

"It's kinda perfect to repeat this time of year, you know?" he then went on. "It's something you say when you're about to make an important decision. Or when you're unsure of the future and just need something to keep yourself grounded. It's a good phrase, pretty much useful in any situation."

"Why are you telling me this?" his friend asked with a bemused half smile.

"I dunno." he playfully mused. "Just something to think about, I guess."

Skuld thought it over for a moment. She started to nod her head in agreement.

"May your heart be your guiding key." she thoughtfully said.

"May your heart be your guiding key." Ephemer agreed with a grin.