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.
Complete a thread started and set every month for twelve consecutive months. Each thread must have at least ten posts, and at least three must be your own.
Did You Know?
Did you know? Jewelry of jet was the haute jewelry of the Victorian era. — Fallin
Aristide had moved next to his twin quite early into her marriage. It was not the same as being down the hall from each other but honestly, they might as well have been. Adrienne was often at his place. It was the same the other way around but not as frequent out of respect for Cassius. Aristide had not spoken much to his sisters husband but that was probably no surprise to most. For all his Trystan-inherited charisma and charm, Aristide could be unintentionally selective about who he socialized with. It did not help that Aristide still did not like that Adrienne had gotten married and that it had not been for any of the reasons he might have been okay with, such as love.
It so happened that he had assumed Cassius to be out when he invaded the Lestrange household to show Adrienne a painting of Asa that he had done. Mainly because she was the only one (besides Asa himself, of course) who knew what the extent and intensity of his feelings for the other former Ravenclaw was and he felt the need to vent about the others lack of communication lately. He had not knocked for what was knocking on doors between twins?
However, instead of Adrienne, he found himself face to face with Cassius when he entered one of the rooms in the house. He had heard noise and had assumed it to be Adrienne. The moment was only made more awkward by the fact that he had the portrait of a man in his arms. Not that Cassius Lestrange was likely to know or care that Aristide had painted a portrait of his first love - a man Adrienne had always disliked. "My apologies, I thought you were... well, my twin," he said, unable to help a chuckle as he sheepishly ruffled some of his golden hued curls.
Cash was startled at the sound of the door to his house opening without a knock, and was more startled when he saw someone who didn't live or work there. It wasn't as if he was being robbed — it was just Aristide.
"Oh," Cash said. He never knew how to interact with Adrienne's twin, even though he had made incredible gains with his wife over the past ten months of their marriage. "I'm not sure where she is, I apologize — I thought that she was with you." Of course there were times that Adrienne was with other people, but she was so close with Aristide that if he did not know where he was Cash expected her to be with her twin.
"What do you have there?" he asked, indicating the painting with one hand. It was the polite thing to do.
If they had been close, Aristide might have teased Cassius over how startled he looked. After all, it wasn't like Aristide was not often over at Adriennes. Just usually with said twin in question. That was likely his own fault though as he had made little effort beyond pleasantries to really speak to Cassius Lestrange.
"A portrait. It is of someone Adrienne is also acquainted with so I wanted her opinion on whether I had caught his likeness adequately enough." Though he knew it was impossible to commit every single piece of Asa's beauty onto canvas. Perhaps he would make a sculpture instead.
Cash looked more closely at the portrait. "It's beautiful," he offered, although he did not know the man who was pictured. "Someone you two went to Hogwarts with?" he guessed. The Selwyns were much younger than Cash was — and the man looked slightly younger than Cassius, too.
Aristide smiled at the compliment. "He is, isn't he?" Aristide said without thinking. Really, more people should think that Asa was beautiful. "He is our yearmate and a dear friend of mine."
Cash finally got it — it was 'dear friend' that did it. The man in the painting was either Aristide's lover, or would be soon. Did Adrienne know? He hummed a thoughtful note, carefully keeping a neutral expression. "That's wonderful," Cash said, maybe more enthusiastic than he meant to. Aristide was attracted to men! It was exciting! "Adrienne will be home soon, I think — you're welcome to wait for her. I've been reading in the parlor."
Aristide did not know what to make of the sudden bout of enthusiasm. He wasn't about to complain though. "I would be glad to wait. How have things been with you?" He hoped it wasn't a delicate subject since the man had given up Quidditch for a Ministry career.
Cash led Aristide to the parlor, although he was certain that the other man knew how to get there — letting people wander around your house was not really the done thing. "Oh, they're good," Cash said — he could not imagine responding to this question any other way. "And you?"
Aristide had never felt more awkward in his life. "Quite well. I have been getting many pieces done." He was not likely to make a career out of being an artist but his artistic pursuits brought him great joy. "Have you any creative endeavors?" He had learned some things about the man through talks with Adrienne but it would be altogether different to hear things from the man himself.
Cash shook his head at his brother-in-law. "Not of my own," he said. He read, and he flew — but he didn't dabble in creative pastimes. They'd never caught his interest in the same way that Quidditch did. They'd reached the parlor, and Cash leaned on the doorframe. "Shall I leave you to it?" he asked.
They really did seem to have absolutely nothing in common, it seemed like. Oh well. It wasn't like it mattered much so long as the man treated his sister right. "Of course, thank you."
