Welcome to Charming, where swirling petticoats, the language of flowers, and old-fashioned duels are only the beginning of what is lying underneath…
After a magical attempt on her life in 1877, Queen Victoria launched a crusade against magic that, while tidied up by the Ministry of Magic, saw the Wizarding community exiled to Hogsmeade, previously little more than a crossroad near the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the years that have passed since, Hogsmeade has suffered plagues, fires, and Victorian hypocrisy but is still standing firm.
Thethe year is now 1895. It’s time to join us and immerse yourself in scandal and drama interlaced with magic both light and dark.
With the same account, complete eight different threads where your character interacts with eight different usergroups. At least one must be a non-human, and one a student.
Did You Know?
Braces, or suspenders, were almost universally worn due to the high cut of men's trousers. Belts did not become common until the 1920s. — MJ
To anyone who knew her properly, Ginny’s smile would have clearly belied her discomfort. Even before spending several years as the subject of it, the witch had never been one for gossip—nor did she keep up nearly enough with the who’s who of society to even attempt to appreciate that gossip when it did reach her ears. As such, Virginia Carmichael was rather waiting for this whole exchange to end, that she might retreat to more familiar ground—and no, someone she attended school with did not count when she had left Hogwarts nearly a decade ago!
“How unexpected!” the witch exclaimed, trying to sound vaguely impressed but worried she sounded wholly inauthentic. Acting had only been her strong suit when her life—well, reputation—had been on the line. This…Merlin help her, how long before she could detangle herself from the situation?
Open to her conversational partner (had to have attended Hogwarts when she did) or someone able to drag her elsewhere!
It was a rare occurrence indeed that saw Elladora indulging in anything that might be described as society but with the menfolk of her family at Hogwarts and her only alternative being Ursula even she would make allowances and seek company elsewhere. She didn’t especially care for the location – she honestly had very little memory of the particulars of her acquaintance with the hosts, having begun to suspect that they were friends of Ursula’s and she had inadvertently stolen the invitation without reading it properly – but it was better than another night spent avoiding her sister-in-law’s gaze.
They had much to discuss and Elladora had no intention of uttering a word.
So champagne and strangers, and from her vantage point at the edge of the room she had an excellent view of the latter whilst also being able to enjoy the former. And her view was rather pleasant for once: a young lady she had seen on the circuit for several years now and, to the best of her knowledge, had never entered into a courtship of any description. Which was far from conclusive but did suggest she was an imminently sensible sort of young woman who was clearly suffering under the strain of a tedious conversation.
Elladora finished her champagne and discarded the glass, dabbing elegantly at the corner of her lips as she cut through the room and slipped a hand around the young woman’s waist.
“How wonderful to see you my dear,” she leaned in and kissed her cheek, turning coolly to her conversational partner. “I do hope you won’t mind me stealing her away, it’s been simply ages.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. The balcony beckoned.
Her efforts to hide her surprise were flimsy at best, but as soon as her expression was out of Mrs. Blanding’s line of sight, it shifted to one of relief. It was only then that she realized her saviour was none other than Elladora Black, a formidable socialite (if puzzlingly a decided spinster) with whom Ginny had never run in the same social circles. There were many women—even those who were mere acquaintances—that the Welshwoman might have expected to perform such an act of social heroism, but Elladora Black was not one of them.
The crisp air of the evening hit her face and bare neck as they stepped onto the balcony, the sounds of the party still emanating loudly from indoors, the pair lit by the glow of the room they had just left.
“Thank you,” was all that Ginny could think to say, expression still quizzical and body just slightly tensed, as though there were some sort of plot afoot that she was unable to put her finger on.
It was a rare occurrence indeed for Elladora to go out of her way for another but she had endured more than her fair share of unwanted attention in her younger years to feel compelled to come to the aid of others on occasion. Admittedly her benevolence tended to be directed towards a very particular kind of person but that wasn’t something she dwelled on – some were just more deserving than others.
“Think nothing of it,” she offered airily, straightening her back as she inhaled the cool air, eyes flicking unobtrusively towards the younger woman. “You seemed somewhat beleaguered inside and I know how intolerable certain company can be.”
Again, Ginny offered a smile in exchange for the words, but Miss Black's conversation did little—did nothing—that might hint at her motives. Somehow, Ginny doubted that the other witch was simply a good Samaritan; nothing she had read, heard, or seen of the Black spinster had ever suggested that would be the case.
"'Intolerable' might be a bit strong," came the brunette's reply, "but it was certainly difficult to extract myself on my own. It is a true service you are providing this evening, Miss Black."
“It is not a service I offer to just anybody.” Elladora retorted purposefully, taking a step towards the younger woman in the limited light. Across crowded ballroom Miss Carmichael finally stood out to Ella now that she had a few more years lining her face and her marital status, or lack thereof, was becoming something to be commented upon. “I simply cannot abide to see a lovely young lady cornered by such deeply unworthy suitors.”
“Yes, well,” Ginny answered, a smile on her lips and confusion in her eyes. Miss Blanding was a lot of things, but a potential suitor was not one of them. Even if Ginny had not half sworn off love, after all, there was the decided concern that Miss Blanding—as well as being tedious—was a Miss!
Miscalculation was not something that Elladora suffered from often but given what had happened to her the previous month she could probably be forgiven for not being entirely at the top of her game. This was all Ursula’s fault - she loathed making a fool of herself and this young woman was looking at her as though she were mad.
“They were prowling closer I assure you. Another moment and they would have lept upon you like wolves on a gazelle.”
Part of the aging debutante could not help but wish they had. After the complete disaster that was her friendship with Mr. Podmore, not to mention previous failed efforts, Ginny was all but certain that her time would never come. What was it like, she wondered as she looked at Miss Black, to know one would never find love, or even the companionship that marriage brought? It was almost a shame that she had before her a wellspring of knowledge, but no socially appropriate method by which to inquire.
"My goodness, you do have a way with metaphor, Miss Black!" she answered instead her questions forcibly shoved back to the far recesses of her mind. "It is hardly any wonder you are such a lauded companion."
Elladora knew she was many things, but a celebrated conversationalist was not one of them and she could not entirely recall the last time somebody had sought ought her company deliberately. She was generally avoided in company, whether out of fear or pity, and the whispers had followed her for years until she had convinced one and all that poor Miss Black didn’t regret a single bit of her circumstance.
Still, it was a charming lie from a pretty woman. It was probably the best thing to come of the evening.
“Amongst some circles I suppose,” she replied with the ghost of a smile. “But I shouldn’t keep you. Your circles are still much more varied than mine I suspect and you may as well make the most of them while you are able. Goodnight Miss Carmichael.”
