"Of course they are," Gladys agreed - not because she thought her cakes were above average but because she naturally expected Terence to be biased. "They should be second to your mother's really, I suppose. Does Cassia make cakes?" Gladys certainly had more time on her hands to make cakes in, though of course that was only true since her retirement. Running a business was just as time-consuming as being an Unspeakable, but Gladys had always liked to fill her days up as much as possible, never one to sit idly for any length of time. "I can make you cake before you birthday," she pointed out, because it seemed almost sad to be looking forward to something that was so far away when it could be achieved in such a short space of time.
Gladys nodded when Terence said he didn't know what to expect. "I suppose I had the advantage there," she said, "if you can call your grandfather dying an 'advantage'. It gave me an idea of what I was likely to feel." The two had been different, of course, not least because Gladys had been very different ages and in very different places in life. "It's sad, and awkward, and you'll probably question at least twice whether it's really necessary." Though she phrased it as if she knew, she trusted that Terence understood she was speaking only from her own experience. "But plans do change. Life throws up unexpected bends and people change and grow. Even wizards aren't supposed to be forever fixtures. We'll leave that to the mountains."