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.
Outside the sky was lit up with an endless field of stars; they were of the sort only truly seen in England when the usual layer of cloud cloaking the country dissipates without warning, vanishing as if in retreat after an unseen wound and leaving behind nothing but clean space. Giddy with the sudden opportunities the stars shine brighter than seemed possible, creeping closer than ever before towards the earth they know so little of, showing their constellatory arrangements to the inhabitants below who so rarely see anything but slate grey and the grim anticipation of ruining another pair of shoes.
Inside the opulent, man-made library Elladora stared upwards at the ceiling as she swirled the brandy in her glass carefully and pondered how many galleons had been spent to achieve the artistic effect. It was sublime, of that there was no question, but she had never truly seen the appeal of paintings – which naturally had nothing at all to do with her own lack of skill in the craft but rather spoke to her preference for a more physically present beautiful object to stir the emotions.
Lazily dropping her gaze to the woman sat next to her on the chaise by the fire Ella smirked as she lifted her brandy glass to her lips and took a sip.
“You’re not too appalled then?” With her left hand, what was left of it, Ella brushed the back of her index finger gently against Evalina’s silk-shod shoulder. Her hand was encased in a glove of the same material, perfectly normal for the most part but enchanted to keep its form and imitate the presence of the two fingers that had been splinched away two months ago.
Physical deformities, however slight, did not generally sit well in their crowd and even if Elladora abhorred the opinion of most she had felt some genuine anxiety over what Evalina would think.
As much as her past dictated that she shouldn't like the holidays (mostly because of her older sister), Evalina rather enjoyed the occasions. She could spoil her children as much as she wanted, and blow their budget on decorations and catering for their holiday parties. The holidays were almost over though, and Evalina was getting tired - thankfully Henry was keen on getting back to his study, and Evalina was eager to spend the night in her library.
This was where she wanted to be: the eve of Christmas sat in front of the fire in her chaise nursing a large glass of wine. What made it infinitely better was the woman sat by her side; the person she could be completely herself with without fear of judgment, criticism or feel like she had to adhere to society's standards. Even the most groomed of their society needed a breather every now and then; her place was with Elladora.
Sat back on the chaise, she tilted her head back, neck elongated and mirroring Elladora as she gazed up at the ceiling. She swirled the contents of the goblet in her hands and took a drink from it, her blue eyes peering over at the dark-haired beauty sitting next to her. As her eyes caught Ella's, she returned the smirk, letting a laugh escape her lips as she drank.
Her eyes drifted to the gloved hand on her shoulder, the corners of her mouth quirking up again at the sensation. She averted her eyes to the swirling contents of her goblet before speaking. "Kintsugi," was the first word out of her mouth, low and pondering. "A Japanese art form of fixing broken wares with gold. Break it enough and the final piece looks as if it has gold spun throughout." She placed the goblet down and leaned her head in her hand to finally meet Ella's gaze with her own. "They believe it makes the piece even more beautiful than it was before." She cracked a genuine smile. "Why can't the same be true for creatures such as us?" Eva posed, raising an eyebrow as if daring Ella to challenge her logic.
i refuse to break myself into bite sized pieces
i will stay whole, and you will
choke
※
In hindsight it was somewhat inevitable that Eva’s response would be thoughtful and measured but that didn’t make the words any less soothing. She had endured Phineas’ utter indifference and Ursula shrieking like a silly chit in a penny dreadful novel – really, they were as bad as one another in many ways – so to hear from this particular woman’s lips the reassurance that she was not entirely ruined was more than acceptable. If Elladora had been the sort of woman to admit to such things she might even have gone so far as saying she had been hoping for Evalina’s particular brand of flattery.
She had certainly been hoping for her brand of flirting.
“Is that what I should do?” She asked quietly, turning her body towards the other woman to lean her elbow on the back of the chaise, hoping the relief wasn’t too evident in her entire being that she had not been deemed lesser. “Fix my imperfections with gold?”
Elladora took a sip of her brandy, eyes flashing dark and mirthful. “Some would claim there is not sufficient gold in the world,” she licked a drop of brandy from where it fell from her lips. “And you my dear could never be improved upon, gold or not.”
Perceptive as Evalina was, she could tell that her words provided Ella the soothing balm of comfort she was looking for. While normally it was with smugness that Eva made this realization, however with Elladora, the smile that came after Ella's reply was made with ease and reassurance.
"What imperfections?" she joked, taking a sip of her own drink again. In society they were perfect. In Eva's Library, they were simply themselves. Even the most beautiful birds needed a break from singing, the most beautiful flowers needed their shade. This was theirs.
Eva's dark blue eyes watched her companion almost hungrily as she sipped her brandy. She smirked again before letting out a throaty chuckle. "Some would argue quite the opposite, you know." she replied. Eva had her critics - every notable woman in society perhaps did, whether it be her family, friends, or those beneath her. Regardless, one held one's head high and proceeded. And what better example of keeping one's pride and poise through the face of adversity, Eva thought, than the woman in front of her.
The sight of a smiling Mrs Rosier was a rare one indeed and Elladora felt a familiar stab of pleasure at being the one to bring it forth. Even after so long it was still a singular thrill and not something she took lightly: despite what some might think their kind of life was a far from easy, there was precious little in the world that truly afforded one any real pleasures and it could just as easily be taken away or made dull by the obligations that inevitably proceeded or followed any joy.
“Flatterer,” she murmured, arching her body easily to catch the other woman’s lips with her own. They were sitting close enough that it was hardly an effort at all, which was entirely the point of their seating arrangements but no less pleasing for its practicality. Evalina tasted strongly of the drunk still swaying in her glass and Ella felt a tiny bit drunker than she had a moment ago, heady from the brandy, the fireplace and whatever Delphic magic this woman possessed that she had never quite managed to find words for.
It was with this woman that the most truths escaped her lips. Lies and masquerade were her stock and trade, but Elladora was the one who was privy to seeing the real her. That she did not balk at some of the things that Eva had said proved the woman had real grit; a quality that they both knew the rest of the women of society around them were severely lacking.
"I would never -" her words were cut off as Elladora's lips descended onto hers. An indulgent inhale told her how much both of them had to drink, which quite possibly made her deepen the kiss even more.
She took her time, savoring the taste of her lover; someone who could fulfill her more than her pathetic excuse for a husband ever could. "Flattery is an empty, transparent excuse to manipulate, and you, Elladora Black," she said, once the kiss had been broken. She reached up to stroke Ella's face with the back of her hand. "Are worth so much more than that."
Had anybody seen quite how much Elladora’s face softened at her lover’s words then there was every chance they simply would not believe it was her. Certainly nobody else in the world was privy to the gentle smile she bestowed on the other woman; nobody else had ever earned the look or her trust in quite the same way. It helped, of course, that they were cut from the same cloth so it was easier with Evalina than the rest of the world.
“Quite true,” Ella said with a haughty smile, perfectly content with her own worth. She had the respect of her brother and the affection of Evalina and everybody else was an afterthought – the good opinion of those two was worth more than the reverence of idiots she had no time for herself. “But I am not immune to it when it come from you.”
She kissed the other woman again, the passion that simmered beneath the surface of her usually austere demeanour threatening to defeat her composure. “I almost feel sorry for the man I’ve been cuckolding these many years that he doesn’t have the benefit of your honeyed tongue.”
It was the trust between the two women that kept their bond strong - Evalina knew full well how much Elladora could ruin her should any of her secrets find their way into society's chatterings. Then again, Elladora knew how much Eva could do the same to her. Some would call it mutually assured destruction, however, Eva preferred to ignore that aspect and think they bonded over their mutual flaws in the eyes of society.
Elladora was closer to her than her husband - closer than anyone's best friend would really be, she suspected. It added a bit of excitement and buzz to their daily lives, she thought, as another grin crossed her face. "Even if he wanted to, he would never get it in the true sense, Elladora," she said, her eyes flashing with desire. "You are the only one privy to such luxuries."
i refuse to break myself into bite sized pieces
i will stay whole, and you will
choke
※
And they were luxuries indeed, she thought lasciviously. Henry Rosier mattered less than pondlife in Elladora’s world order but she did feel some sympathy for the man that he was married to this woman and had never seen her in the throes of true passion. It was quite the sight and for fifteen years had served Elladora well during the rare occasion she summoned a patronus.
Unfortunately brief luxuries these days Ella thought as the clock on the mantle ticked to mark the hour. Time with Evalina had a tendency to pass rather too quickly for her liking and it was already eleven; before long it would be Christmas Day and both of them would be trapped in the inescapable world of family gatherings, treading the dangerous line between drinking just enough to make it bearable whilst never losing control of their manners.
“In the spirit of indulging in luxuries,” Ella drawled. “We ought to plan a trip in the New Year. Florence? Or Venice perhaps? I have a longing to see masterpieces in the sunlight,” she added, trailing a finger along Eva’s arm.
The clock's chiming promptly landed a feeling of disappointment in the pit of the witch's stomach. It wasn't fair; she knew Elladora would be caught up in family affairs and so would she.
Evalina let out a gasp of delight – an odd sound to perhaps hear come from the socialite, seeing as the appearance she affected most often in society was that of eternal placid contentment. "Venice," she said, her voice definite as her eyes followed Elladora's hand along her arm. "We can take one of those gondola trips by ourselves."
She could just imagine it. It would be both of them in one of the most beautiful cities in the world without anyone to walk in on them. Sure, Evalina had made it clear to her staff that no one was to come in here unless they wanted immediate expulsion without references (and a serious memory charm), but she relished in the idea of being in adjacent rooms with only a few of their most trusted staff. "We'd finally be alone." she murmured, reaching up to cradle Ella's face in her palm.
i refuse to break myself into bite sized pieces
i will stay whole, and you will
choke
※
It sounded heavenly and Elladora knew that the anticipation of such pleasures would be sufficient to get her through the festivities to come. Admittedly hers was not an unbearable homelife – and often she exaggerated her discontent with the household entirely for her lover’s benefit – as, unlike Evalina, she did not have the same drains upon her patience.
Phineas’ disinterest in the household meant she didn’t have to justify a single part of her life, be it how she spent her time or her money, to the patriarch of the Blacks. And Ursula was less of a tribulation these days: more of a headache she had grown inexplicably fond of.
Leaning down Ella pressed her lips against the other witch’s again, savouring the moment for all it was worth. She was far from sentimental, and knew better than to get too carried away when they needed to part so soon, but still she lingered longer than she should.
“I ought to go,” she admitted reluctantly. “The house will be locked up for the night soon.”
Coming home late and having to wake up the steward when it was just her and Ursula in residence was one thing but if Phineas were to notice he…well, he wouldn’t exactly care but he might notice and Elladora was not prepared to risk it.
There was something about being with the other witch that just....sat right with Evalina. Her normally stormy mood was quelled by a mere glance at the other woman, and she felt content, loving the feeling of being with her. And as light as her eyes were, when Elladora pulled away from the kiss to announce her imminent departure, they darkened with disappointment. She jutted her lip out in a childish pout, gazing up at the other woman.
Despite all this, she knew she was right - stolen moments like these were a treasure, and Evalina knew Elladora was not a mere treasure that would be kept on a display case like some common artifact. She heaved a sigh and stood up, taking her hands. "Fine, if you insist." she winked at Elladora, the only woman who would ever see such a flirtatious side of her. "I'll sit here and await your return."
i refuse to break myself into bite sized pieces
i will stay whole, and you will
choke
※
