maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

117. pasts & grandmas

a/n: friendly reminder that red (taylor's version) is officially out and claudia, betty and inez would've wanted you to listen on repeat !!!

SITTING ON THE OTHER side of the table, Claudia found herself analysing her grandmother for the first time in her entire life.

She had always worn that same pinkish lipstick, she noted, and her cheeks were always slightly rosy. But Claudia had seen pictures of Margaret when she was young, and the pink lipstick had once been red just as the stern face had once been soft.

But, there was always something hidden behind the eyes of Margaret Maple. Something that no one knew about and no one could see through.

Something scary.

However, it was not the type of scary that Claudia's father could be. It wasn't as if Margaret would ever kill anybody. She most certainly wouldn't.

The elderly woman wasn't even a death eater, Claudia realised as she her grandmother's sleeve got pulled up slightly by accident.

Margaret was just plain and simple scary. Well, intimidating might be the right term.

She could get whatever she wanted just by asking or even just implying it.

And the thing was, no one really knew why she had everyone at her feet. Not even herself. She just did.

Claudia found herself wondering what Margaret would do if she told her that her father had killed somebody and that she had witnessed it.

When she told the full story of the village to Nicolas, the boy shrugged it off as if it was nothing as he told her to not do a thing about it.

So, naturally, that's what the Marauders had to tell their parents to do.

To stay out of it.

Because if Charles found out where Claudia was and who she was with, none of the involved would survive long enough for him to go into hearing at the ministry.

And they definitely wouldn't witness him going to Azkaban.

Because he was Charles Maple, and that surname could get him out of anything.

Reminding herself of Nicolas' warning, Claudia quickly let go of any amount of trust she had in her grandmother as she thought about how the woman knew of the abuse and simply only helped her heal instead of helped her out of there.

So, when their second butterbeers of the day arrived, Claudia chose to try and keep the conversation polite and short.

But Margaret had other plans.

"Tell me, Claudia, is there anything you'd like for your birthday?"

"Uh..." Claudia trailed off. "I think I've got everything I need, thank you."