wear your silver lining;

and now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good. @darlingclementine: i knew i shouldn't have given up on my enchanted umbrella idea when i was 8.

[clementinerobards]

/ about / 

name: clementine robards age/birthdate: 21 /  21st December, 1958 blood status: pureblood residence: the bongalow, banchory  education: cornwall county day school, class of 1977 / hogwarts university, class of 1980 occupation: waitress at winnie’s diner

/ 1979 /

in february clem went to costa rica on a university exchange program. the exchange was cut short when her father confessed and was arrested for the murder of adara shafiq in april and sent to azkaban.

john robards spent seven weeks in azkaban until it was revealed his confession was coerced through use of the imperius curse. at the time of his release, bradford yaxley was arrested and later convicted for the murder instead. 

in june, following a public press conference in which the robards family denounced anti muggle sentiment and vowed to fight against it, clem, along with her mother, susan, and brother, percy, were attacked in their family home in richmond. the attack resulted in the murder of susan. clem spent a few days in st mungo’s recovering from the effects of the cruciatus curse and with parts of her memories from the night missing. 

at christmas, clem revealed to her father her desire to teach rather than go to the auror academy as had always been expected of her, resulting in an argument. john informed her if she didn’t apply to the academy he would cut her off.

/ 1980 /

in january, despite the threats from her father, clem destroyed her auror academy application and applied instead to do a teaching masters at hogwarts. she kept this a secret from her family, so she could use her allowance to save up as much as possible before she was cut off. 

in march, clem’s best friend, danny, vanished without a trace. knowing he would never leave without a word, she quickly concluded something terrible had happened and he was dead. despite her belief in this, his loss prevented her from opening her acceptance letter for her masters when it arrived and she hid it away instead, unwilling to move forward into a life without him. in may she finally opened the letter and found she had been accepted. 

at graduation, john confronted clem about not applying to the academy and followed through on his threat to cut her off. she moved into a house with d.w. and began working at winnie’s diner, beginning her masters in september. in late october, after struggling to balance working as much as possible to pay tuition and rent with school, clem deferred her place on her course for a year, deciding to spend the year building her savings so she can work less when she returns to school. 

in october clem discovered her father had been having an affair with her godmother, and the mother of her best friend, Faye McKinnon, for many years prior to and after her mother’s death. 

/ relationship history /

bas bott / boyfriend, 1975 - 1976 fabian prewett / on off boyfriend, 1976 - 1979 benjy fenwick / sex friend, hogwarts year 1, 1977 - 1978 peter pettigrew / ???, january 1979 - we don’t know   bertie higgs / dating, january 1979 - june 1979 / boyfriend, june 1979 - december 1979 hayden ward / don’t ask, december 1979 - june 1980 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Fine, I won’t tell you when that happens,” agreed Hayden. Though, in all fairness, it wasn’t as if she wouldn’t be privy to it, as she might already suspect he hadn’t been listening if she ever asked the right questions. “Just didn’t expect that answer,” he admitted with a slight shrug. He pulled his next card and held up, revealing a seven. He was already picking up his cup to take the drink, while waiting expectantly for her next question. 

“Good,” Clem said, satisfied. “And I’ll just pretend not to notice when you’re doing it, and then it’ll never be able to piss me off.” Maybe not the most mature approach, but it would save them an argument or two. The more she drank during the course of the game, the harder it became to think of anything serious. Ten minutes ago she was certain she had more questions she wanted to ask. Now her mind seemed to scratch around for a good one. It didn’t come. Which was why, instead, she said, with a shake of her head, “God, I don’t know. Which finger do you think is the best finger?” Arguably the most important question Clem had asked.

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“See, the thing is this thing is finally synced up to my brain,” said Hayden as he pointed out the hearing aid, “which means I don’t even consciously control it anymore. Not really, it just does what comes naturally so tunes out when my brain just gets tired of listening.” He gave her a shrug, as if he was helpless to do anything about it. “Interesting,” said Hayden to her answer. Although he had hardly pinpointed any dessert to be her favorite, if he had been asked to guess, his answer would have never ventured close to sticky toffee pudding. “Good to know.” 

.

“Yeah, well, I think it’s best if you don’t tell me when that’s happening and you’re tuning me out,” Clem grumbled, reaching over to grab a card. “What I don’t know can’t hurt me, can it?” She didn’t need to know if he was so sick of listening to her he’d subconsciously tuned her out. “What’s interesting about it?” she wondered aloud. “It wasn’t really a hard hitting question. Although, arguably, still a very important one.” She turned over the card in her hand, grinning. “Queen.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Can’t believe how lucky I am to barely be able to hear,” said Hayden at her proposal. He looked surprised when she turned over a two, but then looked up thoughtfully. “What is your perfect dessert? And you have to be as specific as possible.” 

.

“Are you going to dine out on that one for the rest of your life?” Clem said, eyes rolling. “Hardly puts on us on an even keel when you can just tune anything the fuck you want out, but I can’t.” That wasn’t just specific to ABBA, but she thought that was rather obvious without her needing to say so. She hardly had to consider long. “Sticky toffee pudding, just the right temperature, which is somewhere in the middle of hot and warm. Thick toffee sauce, even spread of dates, and some double cream.” 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Oh, know, I want that known with or without this game. In fact, you’re right, we should have had this conversation ages ago,” said Hayden quite seriously. “Shut up, and pull a card,” he said as he nudged her, already refilling his own cup as well and pulling his next card. He flashed it at her, a four of spades. 

.

Clem rolled her eyes, laughing. “It’s not like I’m waking you up every morning by blasting ABBA,” she pointed out, as she reached for another card. “But now you’ve expressed such strong distaste, maybe I’ll think about starting.” She turned the card over and looked at it. “A two.” She didn’t wait to be told, instantly picking up her cup and downing its contents. 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“And yet my answer about ABBA still stands,” said Hayden with a shrug, and a small smile tugging at his lips. At her next question, he ran a hand over his beard. “Honestly?” he said, his hand moving from his beard through his hair, “I like going to construction sites after hours and breaking concrete or breaking down walls. Breaking– something. S’probably not the most surprising answer, but it s’fun.” 

.

“Just as long as you know I didn’t ask the question, and that doesn’t count as an official answer, within the parameters of the game,” Clem said sternly. Absently she refilled her cup ready for the next round, a smile playing on her lips. “I’m starting to think I might be in direct competition with construction sites.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“If you ask me, I don’t think people should be playing ABBA at all.” It certainly was a bit too upbeat for his liking. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want with your answer, yeah. S’your answer. If your feelings change within the thirty seconds between answering and your continued rambling, then yes. Your answer can change.” He looked at her next card. As expected, it was higher and he was already draining the tequila he had poured out for himself. 

.

“I actually don’t think I did ask you,” Clem quipped back, teasing. She considered her question for a moment— of course she had filed a couple away, his dream job and there was the one he had suggested about his funeral, but when it came time to ask, they seemed a bit inconsequential in comparison to other questions she could ask that might tell her more. After some thought she said, “When you’ve had a really shit day, what is the one thing guaranteed to help cheer you up?” She only hoped he wouldn’t say alcohol, or that would be a waste of a question. 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“What? And you can’t play music while you’re eloping? You know, have it playing while the officiant or sea captain marries you? Just have a radio on standby, and playing in the background,” said Hayden as he pulled a card. He glanced at it before he then flipped it to show her: a two. He was already grabbing his cup, pouring in more of the tequila. 

.

“Well then, whatever the radio is playing. I don’t think I’d be too fussed, unless it’s ABBA. Mostly because I don’t think anyone should have ABBA playing whilst they’re getting married. Be fun for a funeral though, I think, ‘cause it’d be so unexpected. Down the coffin comes and suddenly Dancing Queen starts blaring.” Clem laughed at the image. “Am I allowed to change my last answer? ABBA for my funeral, Van Morrison for my wedding.” She pulled a nine, and flashed it in Hayden’s direction. 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Well, there goes my next question on wanting to know what your thoughts were about funerals and the details about your mum’s,” said Hayden wryly. “You’re not allowed to ask me a question until you get a higher card, so feel free to shelve that one away for next time if you really want to know.” It shouldn’t have surprised him the tangent she went on at what he presumed would be a simple question. “Well, I could ask the music you’d want at your wedding, but that feels like it would have a different vibe. Although, maybe your answer is still the same.” 

.

“Don’t be a dickhead,” Clem grinned, pulling out another biscuit. “All my thoughts are very interesting, you know. You should feel very lucky to be privy to them.” Especially the drunker she got, she thought. She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. “I don’t want a wedding.” It wasn’t technically one of the allowed questions, per the rules Hayden had pointed out, but Clem said it anyway. “I’d just rather fuck off and do it, you know that. Take a card.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

Hayden shrugged. “I know they don’t equate the other, but still feels like ‘ve fucked up a lot worse than most. Given up on chances because I hadn’t figure it out.” He shook his head, though. This didn’t feel like the time to dwell on that and he moved on, Clem showing her card and knowing that he’d likely get to ask a question. After all, what were the chances of her also pulling another ace? He didn’t even wait for her to drink before asking, “If you could have any band or artist– dead or alive– play at your funeral, who would it be?”

.

Clem didn’t press the point, not now anyway. She used to think she’d never meet anyone as hard on themselves as she was, but sometimes Hayden proved her wrong. “What a morbid question,” she grinned, reaching across to do her shot first. “Is that something you think about? Your funeral?” It wasn’t something she’d ever given any thought, but perhaps she was an outlier. “I think funerals are stupid,” she said drunkenly, the slurred words diminishing the ferocity with which she said it. “I remember going to buy my dress for my mum’s funeral, and standing in a changing room trying to decide which I liked best for burying my mother, thinking it was the stupidest thing I’d ever done. I think the attendants thought I’d lost my fucking mind, and maybe I had, ‘cause I just sat in there and laughed. It’s so farcical. Someone’s dead and we’re all worrying about what to wear and what sandwiches to make and who’s going to read what. Who fucking cares, the person’s dead. I’d be happy being tossed in the sea and forgotten about. Anyway— Van Morrison, I guess.” 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Merlin, you really do love me if you think ‘m all figured out,” said Hayden mostly to tease her. He supposed more than anything he was simply trying to figure a lot out for himself and that’s what made him a fuck up. “Oh, sure, took it so I could relive the glory of being a kid all over again. S’basically my dream job, you know.” He rolled his eyes as he went ahead and pulled the next card. An ace. “We’re considering this one high, right?”

.

“Well, I never said you were all figured out, I said you weren’t a fuck up. You do know one doesn’t equal the other, don’t you?” Clem didn’t even know if anyone ever really had things all figured out— it seemed to her that was a lifelong endeavour, the parameters changing as your life moved forward. For a moment she thought about asking what Hayden’s dream job was, and then filed it away to ask as one of her questions, though it was unlikely to be her go this time, she thought, as Hayden revealed his card. She scowled before even turning hers over. “Ace is high,” she agreed, turning a card over rather pointlessly. It was a ten. 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“You sure about that?” he asked her, before he focused on the question at hand. “Honestly, no idea. Used to go out and look for any place that was abandoned or empty. Get away from it all, you know. Construction sites were a place I liked. When the workers weren’t there it was always nice and quiet. Easy to get away from people.” Ironic, too, considering he worked in that field now. 

.

Clem rolled her eyes, albeit affectionately. “I don’t think you’re as much of a fuck up as you think you are,” she told Hayden. “I’m not sure why you’ve decided you are.” Of course he made mistakes like anyone else but she had always known he was a good person. And she knew he cared about her. She raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you’re doing now, then? Trying to recreate your childhood? It must help you can’t hear anyone if you don’t want to.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Believe me, all I ever do is try not to fuck up,” said Hayden sincerely. At the very least, Hayden was never trying to purposefully endanger what he had with her. He had learned that much from his time in prison. “Alright then, what’ve you got for me?”

.

“You probably don’t need to try so hard.” They were doing okay, considering. Clem had forgotten she had to ask a question too. She fell silent, thinking for a moment, and then asked, “Where was your favourite place to go when you were a kid?” 

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“What? So, if I ask something hard hitting, you won’t answer?” he asked, mostly to tease. He nodded at her answer, perhaps not entirely surprised. He had never really seen her prone to flowers. “Good thing ‘m not the romantic sort to shower you in flowers. Will keep in mind to get you flour, though, if I ever really feel ‘ve fucked up.”

.

Clem put another biscuit in her mouth, chewing it for a moment before swallowing. “Depends on the question,” she shrugged. “Probably though.” Given her proclivity for talking, it seemed doubtful she might hold back. “Aw, that’s sweet. You could try not fucking up though, then you won’t have to go through the bother.” Though she supposed it was easy enough to pick up flour or flowers.

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

Hayden went ahead and put another bit of tequila in his cup, downing the show quickly. “If ‘d’ve known we’d be doing this, might have saved my question for now,” said Hayden with a wry smile. He went ahead and fell silent for a moment as he thought about it. “Favorite flower?”

.

“I don’t know if I’d have counted that one as small talk,” Clem said, refilling her cup, though she didn’t drink it, just put it aside in preparation for her next loss. She had to consider the question; she’d never been much excited by flowers, preferring plants in general, and had to wrack her brains for any she could remember that were pretty enough. In the end she shook her head, held up her hands, and said, “The type you put into a mixing bowl with other stuff to make a cake. You can’t eat flowers, but you can eat cake.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

“Well, likes his food, doesn’t he?” said Hayden who wasn’t entirely surprised. “Again, not unlike you.” Perhaps there was a pattern in the people he kept in his company. He looked at the card she drew next. “That or since s’a tie, we could both take a shot and both ask a question,” he offered. “Both lose.” 

.

“Okay,” Clem acquiesced. It sounded fair enough to her. She lifted the shot glass and drained of its tequila, lips pursed as the heat filled her mouth. After she’d wiped her mouth with the back of her hand she said, “You ask your question first.”

[clementinerobards]

whiskeynward·:

Hayden gave her a look before he raised his cup towards her as if toasting and then tipped back the shot. His nose scrunched as the tequila went down. “Same way I meet most people.” He tilted his head towards Clem. “At The Three Broomsticks because I worked there. He was being weird, asking what happened to food that got sent back. I offered him some burnt food trying to shut him up. He ate it. And kept bothering me.” 

.

Clem pretended to feign indignation. “It would have been really romantic if you’d said how you met me,” she teased. Her nose wrinkled up. “I feel like everyone’s first Doc related story is about food. “So— higher than a seven, right?” She reached across and drew another one, also turning over a seven. Clem looked up at Hayden. “Does that mean you win? Since I didn’t technically draw higher?”