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 1894. It’s time to join us and immerse yourself in scandal and drama interlaced with magic both light and dark.
Josie sat at her desk, humming a Christmas hymn quietly as she worked. She was finishing writing up some documents for Mr Prewett. In front of her, some paper chains attached to the front of her little desk flashed every so often. She had cajoled someone into enchanting them into light up for her, as she had been struggling to do it herself. While it was some simple decoration, it did bring her lots of joy and Christmas spirit.
Christmas was, by far, Josie's favourite time of the year. You could tell this as soon as you entered the Department of Magical Games and Sports offices. Josie greeted every person who entered the office with a resounding, "Merry Christmas!". She had not stopped smiling for several days.
Once she had finished writing up the documents, she grabbed the ones which needed checking by Mr Prewett, as well as the card and present she had gotten him for Christmas. After some deliberation, Josie had decided on a small box of Honeyduke's nice chocolates. While what she could afford was probably nothing to Mr Prewett, and her present would be outshined by others, but she wanted to give it anyway. Normally she wouldn't have, but her boss clearly had been having a bit of a bad time since the world cup, and Josie wanted to bring a little bit of joy to work for him.
It had been really hard not to give him her latest copy of Witch Weekly.
With documents and gift in one arm, she headed over to Mr Prewett's office and knocked on the door.
Fitzroy Prewett was keenly aware of the ticking of pocket-watch tucked away—less literally and more figuratively, of course. In another hour or so, he could reasonably call it an early day and abandon his office and all its weight in favour of a rousing dinner before his mother's party. Then he would be free until into the new year.
Doubtless, that hour would seem impossibly long.
"Yes," he called out in response to the knock upon his office door, not in the least bit sad to have a reason to abandon the reports he was pretending to read.
— graphics by lady ❤ —
December 27, 2020 – 10:31 PM
Last modified: January 2, 2021 – 1:01 AM by Josie Jones.
"Good afternoon!" Josie announced with a beaming smile as she entered the office. "So, I have two things for you," she continued, fiddling with the contents of her hands. "Firstly, I have those reports that needed transcribing. That's done." - Josie held them up in her right hand and then popped them on the desk - "And secondly I thought I'd get you this."
Josie held the chocolates - which were wrapped up in some simple brown paper and tied up neatly in a bow - and the card up in her left hand. "I know it might be a bit... strange me getting you a present," Josie added, suddenly feeling somewhat awkward about her decision - what if Mr Prewett indeed thought this was strange? - "But I know things have been stressful since the summer, so just thought that you deserved a little something that might cheer you up."
She held them out, looking to Mr Prewett for affirmation. Hopefully this did cheer him up.
Ugh, reports. Why had no one told him how much paperwork this job required before he took it? Was it all part of some conspiracy to suck the fun from his life? Had his mother found some way to trick him into a promotion?
He flashed Miss Jones a quick smile of gratitude as she handed over the undesirable parchment—after all, it was not her fault the reports needed transcribing to begin with.
But it was the latter delivery that came as something of a surprise. Puzzled, Fitz reached out to accept the proffered box of chocolates.
"Why Miss Jones," he said after a moment, "I must say, I'm touched. I'm afraid I did not get you anything."
This latter was not, strictly speaking, true; each employee had arrived the morning before to find a marzipan golden snitch upon their desk as well as a Christmas card signed by their fearless leader (in reality, the majority of them had been signed by Miss Jones herself, who had gotten delightfully good at forging Fitz' signature). Still, there had been nothing personal, and for a moment, the wizard could not help but wonder if he erred dreadfully.
A wave of relief surged through Josie as Mr Prewett accepted the gift happily, and did not declare her bizarre or strange for having bought it. As per usual, she had worried for no reason. She couldn't help herself from beaming. There was no better feeling than giving someone a gift which was appreciated.
"Don't worry about it!" she replied cheerfully, "Christmas is about giving, not receiving."
Fitz might have been inclined to disbelieve her were it not for the look upon her face—Jones truly appeared to believe this, and so he could not help but echo back with a smile of his own.
"Regardless," the wizard returned, "you are very kind indeed to think of your ever-demanding boss—particularly in a year such as this."
Josie was not used to compliments, and never particularly believed them when she heard them. She scoffed. "I was just doing what anyone else would have done. And dealing with demands is my job." Her body language had decidedly changed during this sentence, with one arm covering her body, and the other tucking some loose hair behind her ear.
Josie smiled awkwardly. "Thanks sir," she replied, "I'll stop bothering you and head back to my desk now." And with that, Josie shuffled out of the office, ready to make herself invisible again.
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