Who: Elaine Campbell and her mother, Barbara Where: Hogsmeade, a private room at the Three Broomsticks When: Backdated to Saturday, 1 March What: Barbara has a delivery for her daughter, and wants to take her... shopping. Status: Story post, complete Rating: PG for mention of unmentionables
Barbara Campbell had gifted her youngest child with her small stature and blonde hair, but had neglected to do the same with her placid, easy-going nature. It hadn't been easy, living in Duncan Campbell's home for all of her married life. But she had adapted and had even come to love the old man in a way. He had, after all, made her welcome into his family despite her English blood. That it was only removed from Scottish by only a few generations was a mark forever in her favour, and that she had agreed to marry his oldest son another. So Barbara had adapted to her new family and had made herself invaluable.
Her children were both a sore point and a source of pride for her. Alasdair, although he had been disowned, was still her child; he had been the one to inherit her calmness and also her husband's cheer. His marriage to a Muggle notwithstanding, she was proud of him for being independent and going his own way. She merely wished that this particular trait had shown itself in a different form. Elaine, however, would always and forever be the tiny baby that had always been louder than it was deemed possible she should be. But where Barbara had seemingly failed with Alasdair in ensuring that loyalty to his family and to the wishes of his elders came first, she had succeeded with Elaine. Family pride, although not always evident, ran deep. Or perhaps, Barbara pondered in the minutes before Elaine joined her, it was that Elaine simply didn't like change. She had always seemed to want things to remain the same, safe and secure. But life wasn't like that and no amount of screaming, pouting, or crying hadn't made Alasdair come home from Hogwarts, and neither did any of it work when he married the Muggle.
Her reverie was broken by the knock at the door, and at a softly-spoken word, Elaine entered.
Immediately Barbara was on her feet, moving to envelope her little girl in her arms. "Darling, you look peaked. I do wish that Madam Pomfrey had kept you in the infirmary a few more days. It would have done you good."
Elaine breathed deeply, glad just to have the hug from her mother that she'd so wanted for so long. "I'm fine, Mum. I still just get a bit more tired than I'd like when I do more than I expected. It was a long walk from the school."
Barbara held Elaine away from her, looking at her closely. Elaine was right; upon closer inspection she merely looked tired. Gently, she pushed a lock of hair behind Elaine's ear, and then pulled her into another hug. She was growing so quickly -- had grown, rather. And soon -- Barbara pushed that thought from her head, even though it was always there.
"Have some tea, darling. Madame Rosmerta's been very accommodating. She's such a sweet young woman." Tea was poured and handed over, and mother and daughter spent a few minutes in the ritual of settling in.
"Mum."
Barbara sighed. "I know, Elaine. I know. You'll be taken care of. And yes, all of this is necessary, all of the clothes. You've got to make a good impression, darling. It's all but done, you know this, but his mother wants very much to see you for herself and know that you are a good match for her son. It doesn't matter what your grandfather says, you'll be the one in the family."
Elaine nodded. She knew her mother was right, but acceptance was slow to come. "I just... I don't know if I'm ready to be married. Actually, I know I'm not. I want to stay at school and get my N.E.W.T.s. I'm eligible for an internship and I won't get it now because I'm getting married. Mum, by this time next year I'll be expected to be pregnant. I'm not ready for that. And it's not fair of him to ask this of me, not now. Why couldn't this wait? Surely a few years wouldn't make a difference for Mihail. He's only a few years older than me."
"And none of that is point, and you know it. If everything was fair in this world then a lot of things wouldn't be how they are and you might not even be sitting here with me. There are potions you can take to prevent pregnancy, you know this. They won't like it, but they can't stop you." It was, they both knew, mostly a lie. Elaine would be entering a world entirely unlike the one she knew here. "You will do what you have to do, Elaine, because you have to do it. You've agreed. You've accepted and there's naught we can do."
Elaine swallowed, looking down. She refused to cry, blinking back tears. Taking a sip of tea, she focused on that for a moment. "What's that over there?" She indicated a corner. A trunk stood there, ornate and ancient. "Is that ... grandmother's?"
Barbara nodded, waving her wand and floating it towards them. "Duncan wants you to bring this to Bulgaria with you rather than your school trunk. It's to be yours from now on, he said. To remind you of home when you're there permanently."
Elaine blinked slowly at it. She'd been hoping to get her mother's. "What about yours? I always thought..."
"So did I. But Duncan overruled me." Barbara looked down a moment. "I've given mine to Fiona. Alasdair's wife." When next she looked back to her daughter she was almost defiant.
"You've been to see them?" Elaine again felt her mouth trembling, and bit her lip. She missed her brother desperately. "I wish I had known. I would have sent along a letter."
"I went this morning." Heaving a mother's sigh, Barbara closed her eyes. "You mustn't tell your father or your grandfather. They only think that I went to Hogsmeade today."
"I... of course not, Mum. I won't tell." Elaine put her teacup on the table. Barbara followed suit, and stood.
"We should go to Gladrag's now. I want you to be able to have a bit of fun, today."
"Why do I need to go to Gladrag's? I don't need anything."
A curious expression crossed her mother's face. A cross between mischief and conspiracy, and Barbara smiled. "If you are to be a grown, married woman soon, then you must feel like one from head to toe, in everything you wear." She raised her eyebrows. "From the inside out."
It took a moment for Elaine to process what her mother was trying to say without saying it, and then her face flared red. "Mum, I really don't think that you need to go with me to buy knickers. I'd rather you didn't, actually. Especially with... well. There are so many people."
It wasn't that she was opposed to the idea of buying frilly knickers; on the contrary, the idea appealed to her more feminine sensibilities. But it was the idea of doing so in her mother's company that had her wishing to fall through the floor.
Barbara crossed her arms, eyebrows raised. "If I'm not there, they won't be bought. And you'll wear the ones you have now. Nothing pretty to put on under your dress robes, Elaine."
Elaine frowned, obstinate and pouting. But she gave in. "Fine." She pointed at the trunk. "I'm not carrying that thing around with me all day."
"No, of course not. Madame Rosmerta has agreed to hold it here until you fetch it to take it with you to the school." Barbara swung her cloak around her. "Shall we go?"
Elaine nodded. There was nothing else for it, really.