RP: Chris Creevey Who: Chris Where: His and Colin's flat, London. When: March 20 Rating/Warnings: Summary: Chris' grandmother means well but ....
He'd heard the whispers of the house-elf long before his Grandmother had shown up. First it was the mutterings that his fridge was empty, then that he wasn't eatng the food prepared for him. He ignored it just as he'd ignored the white noise at the funeral.
Chris couldn't be bothered to really hear anyone that day. Nor could he be fussed to be the supportive son. For once in his life he kept a distance from his Dad; his father who never allowed himself to know the Colin who came back. Chris understood why; the pain, numbed just then, that ripped through him when he was told, knocking him off his feet, that would be unbearable to go through twice. It had been self-preservation on Dennis Creevey's part, but it had hurt Colin, that distance. That was what Chris couldn't forgive.
His focus was on ignoring the open casket at the service. That wasn't Colin in there, that was the shell that had held him; he knew if he looked it was what would be seared into his mind instead of the real Colin. Afterwards, when the casket had been lowered into the ground and Dennis' parents, his grandparents, walked with him was the only time he felt anything. For a second, when his Grandmother hugged him and told him she was sorry for everything, including the fights they'd had, he almost let go; Almost.
Then it was back to the flat and work. Work he could manage, if only by rote.
The flat was more problematic. Colin's room and darkroom remained shut. He couldn't bring himself to go in there. So when his Grandmother MacDonald dared, summoned no doubt by her worried house elf, he wasn't all that surprised, just a little angry. Why couldn't they let him and Colin be? Then she started opening doors and he flinched. He could hear her from Colin's room, talking and the words didn't penetrate at first. "Not healthy, little one. You need to let go and get past this. Missy and I will have these cleaned out in no time, it will be like he was never here."
Chris wasn't concious of raising his wand, just of the dull thud as she hit the wall; hard.