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.
First and foremost - I'm sorry to have waited a month into your new school year before writing. Mediwitch training is intense and I rarely remember to have supper, nevermind attending to my letters. Not that I haven't wanted to write, of course. I have, very much so. I'm quite curious to know how NEWT classes differ from OWLs.
Aside from classes, I do hope you remained on the quidditch team? Have you had any matches yet? Are we on track to win the house and quidditch cup this year? Is it enjoyable being in classes with the boys again? I very much missed Mr. Hatchitt and Mr. Moony's presence last year.
I miss you all this year, too.
When is the next Hogsmeade weekend? I'll do my best to at least visit with you all for a short while. It's incredible how much more freedom my parents have alloted me now that I'm employed. It's like I'm a woman now and no longer an innocent school girl.
No worries, it's been a bit of a whirlwind with tryouts and everything, getting back into the routine. No quidditch matches yet, need to train our new teammates, but we'll see how that goes. Our team has been together for so long it takes a little bit to get a newbie on the same page as the rest of us. Games start in November, I'll let you know how it goes!
I'm glad to hear training is keeping you busy though, how is it going? I liked the on-the-job training I got at the zoo this summer, it feels more useful. When it's applicable I always remember it better.
NEWTs are alright. It's nice having so many fewer classes and only ones I like to focus on. I don't have too many with them, they all took ones they wanted for their future careers, which I didn't need, but it is nice to be on the same schedule again. Moony is already keeping an eye on my performance Defense, but it's going alright so far! I wasn't sure if I would need it, but I think it's helpful if I do decided to go into Magizoology in the future.
Our first Hogsmeade visit is this Saturday upcoming, will you be around or is that too short of notice? I'll try to pay better attention for the next one if it is.
How is the newbie? Do you like them? I'm sorry for having lost track of how the year plays out with quidditch. I already miss hearing you chat about how the team is shaping up. How is Cameron managing with being captain? How are you feeling towards him in general?
Work is more challenging than I expected but a far cry from what I dreamt of being. There's hardly any satisfaction to be gleaned from transporting injured people from one place to another. It's mostly patching people up and moving them along the line, no puzzles, no critical thinking. I can't see myself doing this forever.
Are you still considering forgetting quidditch as a career? You're so talented, Sloane. It would be incredible to watch you in a professional game, but I'll support whatever career path you choose. Calla has been telling me all about the internship this summer. Did you take a liking to any particular creatures? I haven't been myself, perhaps one day I'll make it there.
Mr. Moony is very diligent about ensuring his friends do well in Defense. I know I'm not there, but I copied about a hundred different potions, herbology, and charms textbooks. If you have any need of that information I'll help however I can.
This weekend is too short of notice, unfortunately. I'll try to make November's though.
They're alright, I leave all of that up to Cameron. Not being a chaser has it's advantages. He seems to be doing alright with it, I just keep my head down and do my job. Things between us are... alright I guess. It feels, tired? Maybe. I can't really describe it I guess. It's definitely not what it used to be. I don't know when things changed, but we hardly spend time together. I don't really know what to do about it.
I'm sorry to hear things aren't up to your expectations. I'm sure the people you do treat are grateful for your care. I'm sure you'll settle in and figure it out. There's got to be options out there. You can do anything, Alice.
Not sure on the quidditch front yet. I think it will wildly decide on how my seventh year season goes. I'm doing alright with school this year at least. Having so few classes compared to last year makes it easier, even if the classes are harder. I like being able to focus on the classes I do like and the ones I'm good at rather than try and scrape through the ones they make you take. We'll see though.
Moony is still playing dad, nothing will change that. The new Professor for Defense is pretty good though, funny, if a bit of a scatterbrain; I like him. I'll let you know how the next few weeks go. Hopefully I'll get to see you in December!
Do you want to do something about it? I'm not sure what you mean by tired, but if that's the way you're feeling is it worth taking the risk? Or, I guess if you're not really spending time together there's no risk to be taken. It all comes down to what you want, I suppose.
I'm considering traveling once I'm through my training, that way if traveling doesn't work out I can come back to the same work. Edison was telling me about this woman he knew who was a traveling healer. Maybe if it's a private client they won't be so strict about my education level. I don't know how you find private clients or if it's worth leaving home for, but all I know is I can't live here forever. I already harbor so much resentment towards my parents and siblings. Once the future of the farm becomes more clear I'll make a decision there. I can't leave until that's settled.
If we can't get together for the Hogsmeade weekends we'll definitely have to find time over the holiday to see one another. I hope things are still going well for you.
I truthfully do not know. He's graduating this year and with another year to go for me, it seems foolish to try and continue on. Maybe we should just call it quits while things are still alright. It's not like anything can really come of it in the long run, right? Sixteen seems like a stupid time to try and figure that out.
Traveling sounds delightful, a real life experience to be had. I bet you would do well with that! There's something to be said about getting good grades and something to be said about the actual experience of being a healer and learning how that way. I bet you could make it work. I cannot even begin to understand how you're feeling, but I imagine it must all be very frustrating. I hope one day you get to do what is best for you, I truly wish that for you, Alice. I'm here to help in any way I can. You're so smart and so very talented you can do whatever it is you put your mind to.
There's another couple of visits between now and the holidays, I don't remember exactly, I'd have to check the calendar in the common room, but I'm tucked into bed already so I will let you know next time. Regardless, we should try to get together at Christmas, I can ask Mother if you can come stay if you want? Maybe after Christmas itself has passed, for a couple of days? I would really like that.
I don't know. There are women who marry at eighteen as fresh debutantes. They have to know what they're doing, right? I mean, I'm sure some of them marry for security purposes, but some have to marry for love. Or you would think so anyway. I at least hope some of them marry for love. I want to -
Perhaps I can convince my parents to allow me a sleepover at the farm over the Christmas holiday. It wouldn't be the most comfortable of lodgings, but we could invite all the girls and have a camp out under the stars. It could be just like old times.
I can't even fathom. Marriage at eighteen and having to start a family? I still sort of feel like a child myself. No thanks. I think I'll jump right into something and be an actual adult first. Not even sure I want to get married or have kids. Who knows what'll happen, but it won't be for a while yet anyway. Thank Merlin.
How's everything else going? Has anybody else been writing? I feel like everyone is a little disconnected these days, it's strange.
I would love to come visit the farm! Sounds like fun. Let's try and make it happen! Next Hogsmeade visit is November 12th, that should be enough notice to try and get together right?
There are ways of having a husband without having children, or so one of my coworkers explained to me. It isn't without risk (which is how I discovered the options at all) but there are ways. I mean, should you and Cameron decide to work through the difficulties, there are ways to be married without becoming a mother so young. I most certainly wouldn't like to be a mother any time soon either.
Calla and Sisse write often. Edison too when he has a spare moment. His and I letters are more like passing notes in a classroom than a true letter. In some ways I almost prefer those letters as they feel more like I'm there, you know? I'm not sure if I'm explaining that right, as I most certainly don't mean that I don't enjoy these letters as well. I don't know - I suppose I just miss the ease at which I used to be able to communicate with everyone.
I'll do my best to be there on the 12th! Hopefully the schedule allows for me to sneak away for a few hours at least. And I'll ask my parents about a sleepover tonight!
I think I need to survive NEWTs before any of that becomes applicable. If it every becomes relevant we can revisit. Plenty of time to figure out what to do after graduation at the very least. I know it's closer than I realize, but it I don't feel the existential dread yet.
Good! We all miss you. Moony's been quite busy this year, I hope he's not burning himself out. All of the boys seem a little stressed as the end of the term looms. Then it's just their last half until they graduate. I couldn't fathom what it was like without you, it'll be weird without you and them. I've never experienced Hogwarts without any of you, not sure it will be the same.
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