2543 days without solo backdated part 1

backdated to august 4, 2024
setting is walking on the streets of london in the general direction of the railway station
npcs in this post include beatrice soliel (mum), xhosa soliel (brother), and beas parents which are (as of this post) unnamed because paris does not know their names

Beatrice Soliel halted. Paris stopped with her and looked up, confused. Why had her mother stopped so suddenly? Her face was paler than usual. This was meant to be an exciting day; Paris' Hogwarts letter had arrived the week before and their trip just now to Diagon Alley had been marvellous.

Paris' eyes flickered to Xhosa. Her brother, too, had his eyes trained forward, a set expression on his face. She followed their line of sight. About seven metres away, an older couple with pale skin and greying hair that was obviously once red stood just as haltingly as her mum. Their faces showed shock, but also an immediate coldness, like plunging a hand in water so freezing that it takes a second to even feel the chill.

Both parties stood frozen for several seconds. Paris' eyes shifted back and forth between the strangers and Bea. "Mum? Who are they? Is something wrong?"

Bea did not answer. Paris looked to her brother, growing more concerned. "Xhosa?" She heard her voice waver with worry, but couldn't bring herself to care that for once, she didn't sound confident.

Xhosa paused. The short silence was humid. "It's mum's parents. Our grandparents."

The depth of the air was sucked away and became a near vacuum. She gasped. What? Paris had heard her parents discuss them before. Xhosa always seemed grimmer whenever they were brought up. Apparently they hadn't agreed to their daughter's marriage in any way, arguing that Natan was dangerous and irresponsible and never loved you and who would anyway and you love a black man? and-- The list was extensive.

The stories were rather infamous among Paris and her siblings. Evidently, they had visited when the Soliels were still living in Ghana. Paris' childhood memories were rather faded from the years since then, but Xhosa could perfectly recall the tension, arguments, and insults that resulted from their coming. What were they doing here?