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Welcome to Charming, the year is now 1894. It’s time to join us and immerse yourself in scandal and drama interlaced with magic both light and dark.

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Queen Victoria was known for putting jackets and dresses on her pups, causing clothing for dogs to become so popular that fashion houses for just dog clothes started popping up all over Paris. — Fox
It would be easy to assume that Evangeline came to the Lady Morgana only to pick fights. That wasn't true at all. They also had very good biscuits.
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The Night Before Break
#1
December 20, 1889 - Gryffindor Matron's Parlor, Hogwarts

It was the night before Christmas break and Aideen was grateful her the Gryffindor house and settled down for bed. No girls were screaming about a mouse loose in their dorm and the girl who had danced in her sleep had graduated last year. Which left Aideen to enjoy the peace of such a moment. She could almost vision the quiet of an empty dorm when the children were snug in their beds like this. Alas the peace could not last (for where would the fun in that be?) and a timid knock at Aideen's parlor door had her moving to open it wondering just what it could be this time.

"Good evening. she greeted as she opened the door.


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A marvelous Lady design
#2
Before Connie had made the long trek from the dungeons of her own house to the tower of another she had seriously debated putting off her task. It was absurd, but she utterly loathed the aspects of their job that required them to acknowledge that the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin in particular, though it mostly danced on the fine line of civility, occasionally tipped over into less than ideal behaviour.

Unfortunately, as it was the last night of term, she had little choice but to get it done or else she would spend the entirety of Christmas having visions of what unpleasantness would unfold once she returned to work. Sighing Connie rapped on the other matron’s door and offered her a small smile in greeting.

“Sorry to disturb, do you mind if I come in?” She glanced over the other woman’s shoulder and wondered whether this would be better or worse in the Gryffindor’s snug quarters as opposed to her own slightly airier ones. “It’s about the incident with the mouse this afternoon.”



[Image: jGi0wPk.png]
MJ made me beautiful
#3
At much as Aideen loved her job she was relieved to find Miss Skyes on the other side of her door. "Oh, please do come in." Aideen gestured the other matron inside stepping out of her way and closing the door behind her.

Oh yes, the mouse. The one that had been slipped into a young Gryffindor girl's bag. "Ah yes, Miss Fitz was quite beside herself when she realized it was there." Aideen led them to her seating area closer to the fire and gestured for the other woman to sit. "Tea?"


[Image: rZ8Ezq.jpg]
A marvelous Lady design
#4
“I don’t suppose you have anything stronger? It is the end of term and you might need it when I tell you the rest of the story,” Connie replied ruefully, crossing the room to take a seat. Lord, there really was no easy way to say this – probably best to just blurt it out.

After all, it wasn’t as though she could have predicted this – she left that business to her head of house and he had been at a loss himself.

“It was a student. The mouse I mean. It was Miss Monroe. One of the other sixth years – one of my sixth years I ought to say – thought it would be a tremendous joke and then somebody stole her and put her into Miss Fitz’s bag. So it’s been quite the odyssey for Miss Monroe today.” Connie attempted some levity but soon found her headache reappearing. “I only found out half an hour ago. She’s in the Hospital Wing and quite alright, though a tad hysterical, but I thought you ought to know.”



[Image: jGi0wPk.png]
MJ made me beautiful
#5
Oh?” Aideen certainly had a store of firewhiskey, but it wasn’t often the first thing she offered guests. That said certain occasions certainly called for it - as it turned out this one did. “Yes, this does call for something stronger.” Aideen agreed, summoning a bottle of firewhiskey and pouring two glasses before handing one to Miss Sykes.

A student into a mouse. That took a great deal of skill to do, but the consequences were less desirable then Aideen typically liked to doll out. However, the entire situation was rather laughable, despite the circumstances. If it hadn’t been one of Aideen’s own students who had been transfigured then Aideen might have even laughed at such a situation. “Poor Miss Monroe, her parents wouldn’t like to hear of this.” Aideen made a mental note to visit the girl after Miss Sykes left. “Do you have an idea who transfigured her?


[Image: rZ8Ezq.jpg]
A marvelous Lady design
#6
Connie hesitated as she took the glass from the other matron. She had identified the culprit and assigned the boy detention for the month of January, but as far as she and Professor Carmichael were concerned the matter was dealt with and they didn’t especially want others to stick their oars in. While a genuinely stupid idea it had been intended in the spirit of a festive jest – something to do with sugar mice and an unrequited crush – and she doubted Miss Monroe wanted it going much further.

“Professor Carmichael has seen to it,” she replied evasively, taking a small sip. “I don’t believe Miss Monroe intends to let her parents know and we’re inclined to let it remain a school matter.”

Another sip and she was just about beginning to relax into her seat.

“I’m sure it will be forgotten before twelfth night,” she smiled, hoping they could move on to easier things. “Are you heading back to your family for Christmas?”



[Image: jGi0wPk.png]
MJ made me beautiful
#7
"I'm inclined to agree." Aideen nodded. If the problem had been resolved with no reparable harm there was little reason to alert the girl's parents. She often found that if a parent had to be alerted it was not a pleasant situation, indeed, she often dreaded such scenarios. Better to let things at school remain at school if possible.

Miss Skyes was likely right. Such things were often of paramount interest only for a day or two - or until the next student messed up a potion or started a new rumor. Aideen began to relax again. Hopefully the students would be off on break without any further mishaps.

"Yes, my sisters have been relentless in their appeals for a visit." Aideen shook her head. At home it felt so different, there she was the outcast, the sister who hadn't found a husband. Here she had grown into herself. She had a confidence that was respected, at home it was often simply considered odd. "And yourself?"


[Image: rZ8Ezq.jpg]
A marvelous Lady design
#8
“I sometimes question whether they want me to visit, or if they simply feel obliged to invite me home in case the neighbours ask,” Connie said wryly, taking another sip of her firewhiskey. Merlin, this was going down well – it had been a hell of a day and she desperately needed this term to be well and truly over.

“But either way I ignored them and decided to play chaperone again.” She chuckled, leaning back against the chair and letting herself relax into the offered comfort, eyes resting on the other woman. “It really is the most restful time to be at the castle. You ought to join me one of the years,” she added with an inviting smile.



[Image: jGi0wPk.png]
MJ made me beautiful
#9
Aideen chuckled, she could understand why such a statement existed. While her family loved her and plied her for reasons to come home she was still the odd one out. They loved the thought of her home, but when she was home it was glaringly obvious that she simply did not belong there. She suspected that Miss Skyes felt similarly, their backgrounds, Aideen had found out a few years ago, were rather similar. What did one do with the magical sister who never wished to marry? The twice cast out black sheep of the family.

"After a term such as this one it sounds perfectly lovely." Aideen admitted taking another sip of the warming liquor. "Perhaps next break." She had already promised her sisters she'd be home for Christmas and didn't wish to deal with their letters if she renegaded on her promise.

"Sometimes I think they simply like the idea of me being home until I actually am home and they realize how much I just do not fit in with their version of our lives." Aideen mused, her brows furrowed as she inspected her glass. It would be easier to simply do as Miss Skyes did and stay at Hogwarts at such times.


[Image: rZ8Ezq.jpg]
A marvelous Lady design
#10
Connie knew the feeling. It had not escaped her notice over the years that Penny, despite her magical talents, received a much heartier welcome than she did: Connie tried not to take it too personally but it was tricky to see how she was supposed to do anything else.

“It’s the cross we bear I suppose,” she said with an exaggeratedly long-suffering expression, before drinking the last of her whiskey and smiling at the other woman. “You will have to let me know how it went, I must get back to the dungeon in case any more rodents have spontaneously appeared.”

Or the Headmaster had decided to get involved which was tantamount to the same thing.

“Merry Christmas,” she said by way of farewell, immediately feeling the sting of cold that came with being in the hallways once again.



[Image: jGi0wPk.png]
MJ made me beautiful

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