The closest thing to forgiving solo Closed

backdated to the night of August 31st 2022

As Clair slipped in from her outing, she shut the door as softly as she could. Clair had left her phone at home while she was out, mostly because she had known that she would need to go to Diagon Alley, which of course everyone knows that muggle devices don't work in Wizarding places such as Diagon Alley.

She softly set down the bag of school supplies she had bought, slipping off her shoes she started for her room. The girl quickly put her new stuff in her trunk along with her old stuff.
She was just heading down the stairs and towards the kitchen to get a snack when the one person she had been avoiding became unavoidable.
Ffion Walsh stood with her hand on her hips and a look ln her face which terrifyingly reminded Clair of her own expression that she made when she was not impressed. Just another reminder that they were in fact related.
'Where were you young woman?" Ffion's voice clipped. Clair looked up at her with a look that was as bored as she could make it.
"I went out shopping, needed some supplies for school." there, she had been honest, and not told any lies.
"And you never bothered to check you phone?"
Clair shrugged, "I forgot to bring it with me."
her grandmother snorted, "You forgot? did your parents never teach you that you should always have some form of communication? This is a City for heavens sake!"
Clair gave her grandmother a dirty look. "If you don't remember, I don't come from the city. I never had to worry about stupid idiots trying to get at me or something." she paused and then softly added "Yet another reason to live in the country."
"Whatever. If you have of brought and checked you phone you would have saw that I had messaged you to come home as soon as you could." Ffion sighed, "Come along."
The Ravenclaw frowned, "I have things to do, it takes so much work to get ready for you know"
"Well I'm sure the girls will understand if your a little late to the welcoming tomorrow, they all be to dazzled by your stupendous grandmother to care."
Clair's eyes flashed with panic for a moment before she recovered, "umm, about thattt, I've got a ride already, I'm going with a friend." she tried to smile convincingly, but her grandmother just shook her head, "That's too bad, I was hoping to see how the school looks, you have yet to give me your address to your dorm either."
Clair paused, "Yeah, I'll send it to you once I find out what dorm I'm in." Clair still could not understand why her grandmother needed her dorm address, even if she did attend the school for girls that she claimed to, she would still be able to get messages across with muggle tech such as her phone.

"Anywhoooo" Ffion said as she reached out for Clair's face. The teen smacked her hand away,
"Don't touch me, thanks."
"Fine, close your eyes then and I'll guide you into the other room."
Clair groaned extra loud so that she could make sure her grandmother could hear it and then closed her eyes.
As she was guided into the sitting room the smell of food wafted over her nose. She could smell sea food, bacon, all sorts of other meats, fresh breads, Yorkshire pudding and many other delicious smelling food. Clair felt her belly grumble, it smelled so good.

She was guided to a seat and she sat down gratefully.
"Ok you may open your eyes now."
Clair let out a gasp at what she saw, there on the table were platters of cheese, meats, breads, crackers, Seafoods and all the other yummy delights that had been out of reach in this house.
"Oh my gosh, I thought you were vegan?" Clair gasped.
"I am, but I realize now that you aren't."
"May I eat?" Clair looked at her grandmother with a hopeful look, possibly the most hopeful look she had ever given her grandmother.
"On the one condition that you listen to me and do as I say."
Clair glared at her grandmother. "Fine." she zipped out and grasped a bacon slice and started to munch on it.
"First off, We got off on the wrong start. Lets be honest, I was not very considerate of how you might feel having the grandmother you'd never met barge in right after your mother's death."

Clair raised a eyebrow, "You don't think?"

"I feel like we should start over again, act like this is our first time meeting, shall we try?"
Clair laughed, "I'm not a actress."
"No need to be perfect."
Ffion got up and left the room. Clair took the moment to take more food.
After a few moments Ffion re-entered "Oh my darling Child!" she said coming up to Clair with outstretched arms.
"My my you've grown." Clair was crushed in a tight hug.
"Let me go..." she squeaked, wishing she was allowed to use magic, and that she had had her wand with her. a knock back jinx would save the day.

Her grandmother let go and moved her hand towards Clair's cheeks, which she pinched like all Grandmothers do.

Clair pulled away, reached for another piece of bacon and started munching, she had two months worth of bacon to make up for after all.

"So tell me, how is school going?" her grandmother asked.
Clair glared at her, "Its the summer, there is no school might I remind you."
The older woman smiled, "I know deary, but what am i to ask? 'how is work coming along?'"
"Just stop ok? this is not working, we both know that we have met, and your acting extremely queer."
Ffion shifted and the normal look came back to her face. "Your not trying! come on Clair, we have to try!"

Clair stood up, "No, we don't have to try, I don't need you. after tomorrow I will never have to see you again, or think about you, I'll never have to think about this stupid house, or these stupid rules. I'm not coming back here, never. We both know that." she reached down and picked up the plate of bacon before turning and heading up to her room.
She shut her door and sat down on the bed. Tears started to well in her eyes, she was tired, she had wrecked her chance to be on the good side of her grandmother, and all she needed was to be in the arms of her mother. in the arms of a woman she would never see again.

Clair set the plate down and lean into her pillow, tears streaming from here eyes now.
all the feelings she had gathered up and held in for the summer were now pouring out.

All of the sudden a gentle hand rubbed her back, Clair wondered if her mother had magically come to her. She sat there, enjoy the thought.

"I'm sorry, hun. I did not mean to make you hate me."
Clair shoved Her grandmother's hand off of her, no longer enjoying her touch.
she sat up and looked right into the older woman's gaze.
"I don't hate you. I can't hate you, no matter how much I want to hate you, I can't." she took a deep breath, "I can't hate someone who knew my father better than I ever will. I can't hate someone for trying to come into my life when I had no one else, I can't hate someone for trying to make me love them by kidnapping me away from my life into a city." she wiped her eyes, "But I can't love you, I never will, I can't forgive you for the way you have tried to change me, for the way you tried to make me live like you. You can't change me, and I can't love you. Please, don't expect it, ever."

Clair looked up at her grandmother and saw that she too had tears in her eyes.
"I know, I know I failed to be like a proper grandmother. But My relationship with my son, and your father, was corrupted. I failed him, I can't fail you, Even if you won't love me, I'll love you in my own way."

Clair closed her eyes, "Love me how you want, but I warn you. I don't forgive quickly, I don't forget things easy, if our paths cross after tomorrow I won't act, I won't lie. I'll be honest, and I won't try to be fake happy."

Clair watched her grandmother nodded, looking like she had just failed and succeded at the same time.
"I hope you have a good school year, maybe next time we see each other we'll both be able to get on the right side of each other."

Clair nodded, "Maybe one day, but not any time soon." with that she laid back down, ready to sleep.
(wc 1513)