The Beginning

The year 1843 saw Evangeline born the first in her family in Boston, Massachusetts. Oh, her father almost certainly would have preferred a boy to take on his shipping business, but she was healthy and happy enough (as babies went) and there would most assuredly be time for more children. From an early age, young Evangeline proved to be an... outgoing creature, if a bit loud and in one's face for most situations. With plenty of heart and the best of intentions, she also had an indulgent family that never seriously discouraged much of anything.

Evangeline was indeed followed by additional children, both female. First, Thomasina in 1845 and, later, Primrose in 1853—Evangeline's 10th birthday to the day! This was the first time at which Evangeline truly had to share the spotlight, and she did not particularly care for it: in a rather late first display of magic, the elder of the birthday girls set her entire cake on fire (and promptly began to sob). This would be the first and only birthday on which young Primrose overshadowed her elder sister.

As is often the case with young witches and wizards, Evangeline eventually went off to school, attending Ilvermorny as a member of the Puckwudgie house beginning in 1854. She did not particularly distinguish herself academically or socially, though did form a couple of close friendships in her time at the school.

At eighteen, she was launched upon society—and in her case, it truly was launched. Unfortunately and frustratingly for young Evangeline, her large dowry was rather dwarfed by her large personality, making it difficult to secure a match to someone she actually liked. Indeed, her first two seasons were altogether unsuccessful. As to her third...

The Great Upheaval

He was a muggle. That, if nothing else, was altogether damning in America, but beyond this, Thomasina had eloped in 1863. This did seemingly irreparable damage to Evangeline's already iffy prospects, and a very difficult decision was made: Wilhelmina would take the remaining daughters to Britain to stay with her brother, escape the worst of the scandal. Benjamin would visit when he could.

And Thomasina was to be altogether shut out.

With a further enhanced dowry and a new market of potential suitors, Benjamin Endicott issued his daughter perhaps his first stern directive of her life: she was to be quiet and demure until she secured a suitable husband. (Well, that was what she heard at least. Presumably he wanted her to chill out permanently, but that was unlikely.)

Secure a husband she did. A childless widower, Horace Darling was more than a quarter-century her senior, but from an established, if ailing, upper class family. He had retired a decade previously from the Ministry of Magic and devoted himself entirely to his hobbies: insect collecting and amateur taxidermy. But he was kind, with a sparkling wit and undemanding demeanor, and Evangeline found herself fond of him even if romance never did spark in the years of her marriage.

In January of 1864, she became Mrs. Darling.

The Intervening Years

Mrs. Darling would prove to be an eccentric, over the top host. Her parties were always a bit gauche, but in a way that was rather thrilling for the younger set (largely because they were, at times, horrifying to their parents). What she was not was scandalous. Evangeline grew back into herself in a way that trod at the edges of society's norms—a compromise between nature and expectations. She would not follow in Thomasina's footsteps, not ruin either family.

By the end of 1864 she had blessed her husband with Victor, upon whom she doted just as much as her parents had doted upon her. He was followed by Matthias in 1868. Though she loved her sons dearly, Evangeline desperately wished for a daughter—in truth, likely the only reason she continued relations with her husband. In the next near-decade, Evangeline endured two miscarriages and a stillbirth before finally producing her daughter Effervescence (swiftly called Effie by just about everyone) in 1876. Because of this, she missed Primrose's wedding that same month—a modest affair, as Rosie had chosen to marry a middle-class healer.

Enduring a bit too much scrutiny from their muggle neighbours in London, 1877 saw the Darlings sell their London home and adjourn to the countryside full-time. This was not at all to Evangeline's taste, as she immediately missed the bustle of Town, and so a home (uncreatively titled Darling House) was purchased in Wellingtonshire in time for the 1878 season.

Here, life continued largely as it had in London: parties, teas, gossip, a bit of side-eye from more conservative neighbours, and an overall enjoyment of life. This year also saw the birth of her niece and nephew—tragically after their father's surprise passing. Evangeline did her best to support her sister, and indeed invited the Whympers to stay at Darling house while her sister recovered from grief and childbirth and trained to become a healer herself.

(All involved parties agree that the Whympers leaving just shy of three years later was for the best for everyone's sanity, though there remains a deal of love between them.)

In 1883, Victor concluded his time at Hogwarts and, after an eight-month tour of the continent, departed for America where he was to work under his grandfather with the aim of, eventually, taking over the shipping business as the eldest grandson (this would happen with his grandfather's passing in 1892). With her firstborn not just at school but gone, Evangeline felt strangely adrift. After discussions with her husband, preparations were made, and the Darlings closed up their Wellingtonshire home and set off on a tour of their own in the spring of 1884. Effie, of course, went with her parents, but Matthias remained with his aunt for the completion of his studies, joining the family over the Christmas holidays (it was always Evangeline's favourite time of year). When Matthias finished at Hogwarts in 1886, he took a year to "see the world" before joining the family in... seeing the world. This was fortuitous, as by the time he rejoined them in 1887, Effie had returned to Hogsmeade to live with Primrose during her Hogwarts years.

During this time abroad, the Darlings spent anywhere from half a year to two years in any given place, living a flighty ("adventurous", Evangeline insists!) existence. In 1891, they settled in St Petersburg, Russia, for what would become their final stint abroad.

The Now

(Evangeline wants it known that she is incredibly put out not to be returning to Britain at the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, her husband's health took a turn, delaying their departure from St Petersburg. But returning she is!)

In 1893, it was decided it was time for a change: with Horace's health not quite what it once was, he decided that more familiar (and less frequently changing) settings were in order and the Darling family should return to British soil—for good?