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
I do hope everything has settled at Hogwarts in the uproar of last month. Elliot seems to have settled in nicely, his letters are a jumble of excitement at the very least.
And what of you my dear? Third year was so exciting with the new electives. How are you finding your choices?
I am dolefully reminded that your birthday is coming up far too quickly, aren't you still eight? What is it you would like this year? I can scarcely remember turning fourteen. Feels like a long time ago.
Lilibet has enclosed a painting for you, she worked very hard on it during her lessons. Ambrose and I both send our love. Please let me know if you need anything.
Yes, everything is going well! It's odd to be taking electives. I used to share all of my courses with my classmates, and now there are some that I don't see for nearly half the day. Of course, there's also some overlap, which is nice.
Muggle Studies is quite fascinating. You must tell me more about Muggles! The things they do seem so different from us. It's also quite a nice class because those who care about blood status tend to avoid it. Arithmancy is a little tricky, but I still enjoy it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up with Divination--did you ever take it? I can't seem to read any of the "signs" in class.
I still feel like I am the first year and not Elliot, but I would very much appreciate a new dress or two. Miss [Name], one of the older students in my house, has a dress with flowers on it that move like there's wind when there isn't. I know it might not be terribly practical, but it's still pretty!
Tell Lillibet her painting is proudly hanging on my wall, and give her and Ambrose my love!
It's nice to branch out and work with other people sometimes. I'm glad you're getting to experience the new classes. New experiences are what school is good for!
I am quite pleased to hear you are enjoying Muggle Studies. It feels like another lifetime ago, I barely remember what it was like, living without magic (thought I suppose I never really did, but being able to use it is another thing entirely!), but I will try and think back on my childhood to see if I have any good information. If you have any specific questions please do let me know. I did not take Divination, I didn't have room, but I'm not sure I would have been any good at it either. Stick with it for a little while yet, you may find some aspect of it you are good at.
If it is new dresses you would like, it is new dresses you shall get. Do you think we might steal away a small portion of your next visit to town to get fitted? You're growing like a beansprout and I would hate for them to be ill-fitting. This way you can pick out the colors you would like and tell me more about the flowers.
Everyone sends their love. I am so very proud of you, Birdie.
I have come up with a specific Muggle Studies question! Do Muggles have something like Floo or Apparation? Or even a Portkey? It must be dreadfully dull to have to take a carriage everywhere.
I will try in Divination, even if the future seems to be pulling in a series of impossible directions. I don't think Miss [Name] is going to be married to both of the classmates her tea leaves indicated, and I told her as much but she seems satisfied that it will be at least one of them. If any of your current friends took the subject, I beg you to please ask their advice!
I would love to spend time with you during next month's Hogsmeade visit! It is a little bit after my birthday unfortunately, as there's a Quidditch match scheduled. Nevertheless, it will be fantastic to see you again. And tell you all about these dresses. It makes me want to focus a little more in Charms, so I could update them if I needed to!
Though, as you say, I am growing taller. And even though I try, I'm still not too good at sewing!
Muggles do not have any sort of quick travel like that. They depend on carriage, horse or train for the most part. Or boat, obviously, if it is by water. I used to walk quite a bit in my youth to go just about anywhere! We took the carriage into town if all of us were going. I did enjoy riding, still do, come to think of it.
I will inquire around about Divination. I cannot remember if any of my current circle took the subject, but I will ask around. Probably (and conventionally) she will only marry one person and it is highly unlikely to be one of your current classmates, if her parents have any sense whatsoever.
That is alright, but I am delighted to see you. I shall sign you out upon your arrival to town and we will get the dresses sorted to your liking.
Wow! Perhaps I should do more walking. Or write a report on it for Muggle Studies class. Then again, I don't use the Floo or Portkeys when I'm at Hogwarts, so maybe it's more like a Muggle school than I thought!
That's what I told her, but maybe she believes more in the Divination than I do. I'm going to tell her that what I said in the first place was correct, and that my mother agrees, too, so there!
In the meantime, can you tell me about what you've been up to? I know that there must be all sorts of things going on in preparation for Halloween. Are Ambrose and Lillibet going to do anything fun? I'm going to attend a ghost tour at Hogwarts soon, and of course there's the feast! I hope you all will have as much fun as I will.
If it comes up, it might be of good use! Hogwarts is unlike any muggle school I have ever seen. No magical creatures, secret passages or moving staircases. Or talking portraits for that matter. A muggle would swoon at the sight of that, certainly!
There hasn't been much going on at home. Lilibet and Ambrose are continuing their studies. I've started volunteering at the hospital, trying to help out where I can. After the disaster on the Thames, I realized I miss healing more than I thought. Perhaps, once Lilibet is off to school, I will go back to it. It's quiet. We did go to the Harvest Festival at that farm on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, they had quite a few fun activities for all ages, so we were able to explore! We all slept well that night!
I had hoped to write you with pleasant news of the Hogwarts feast and stories about the ghost tour, but something absolutely horrible, truly awful happened yesterday. I heard one of the young Miss Valendurises Valendurisii Valendurises Valenduris twins screaming, and discovered that Professor Pembroke was dead! Mama, I couldn't believe it. I don't think I've ever seen something so terrible.
There were a bunch of professors and older students there, too, but I didn't know their names. We went to the Hospital Wing and I felt so bad. I know there's nothing that could've been done, and that it was an accident, but I can't believe that Professor Pembroke is really gone. I wish that it were the Hogsmeade weekend already. I don't feel as though I could celebrate my actual birthday like this.
They've cancelled class for the next few days, but I don't know how they'll find someone like Professor Pembroke to teach the class. I was just getting used to the way he taught, and I enjoyed the class! I don't know if I can do that if a stranger is teaching.
Oh my darling that is just awful. Are you alright? Do you need me to come get you for the weekend? That is terribly upsetting. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. And we were just talking about how much you enjoyed his class. I'm glad it was handled quickly, but what a tragic accident.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I had Cook send along some cookies and treats for you and your roommates to share, hopefully a little pick-me-up. I look forward to seeing you soon, please let me know if there is anything more I can do for your and please make sure you check in with your brother and let me know if he is well.
Thank you so much for the delicious treats. Tell Cook they were fantastic, and certainly brought up spirits in my dorm room. I think I will stay at Hogwarts. Some of my friends don't have mothers who are as excellent as you are, and they need some cheering, too. Nevertheless, I anxiously await our scheduled Hogsmeade time, and I am certain that I will write many letters to you in the meanwhile.
It is strange to be going to my other classes already. I know that not everyone was in Muggle Studies, but it is just strange to see people going about things as normal. And to think, tomorrow I will turn 14!
Elliot seems alright. I think he was only familiar with the situation because of the announcements they've made, so I suppose it is lucky that he wasn't in a position to know more about what was happening. Sometimes I wish I hadn't decided to take Muggle Studies, because then I would be a bit more removed from all of this.
Happy Birthday my beautiful girl! I have included some small trinkets until we can get your dresses. Your favorite cake and a bracelet with a feather charm.
I am so proud of you, Wren, for the empathetic, giving, kind soul that you have grown into. You continue to amaze me each and every day. Your letters are truly cheering and I am glad you are not too grown to still write to your mama.
I'm glad Elliot is alright, it might be a touch easier for him and I am sorry it is so hard for you. Please do not let this tragedy dissuade you from your interest in Muggle Studies, I'm a sure they will find someone to take over soon enough. It is very difficult to deal with and I am so very sorry, but you will get through this.
I love you so much! Thank you for the presents, I will wear the bracelet everywhere I go, except for maybe Potions class. I wouldn't want it to fall into the cauldron!
I think I would write you forever and ever if I had the chance, Mama. Even if I was 100 years old, like Professor Valenduris! A few of my friends and I had a little party to celebrate. It was small, since we didn't want anyone to think we were celebrating Professor Pembroke's death, but it was still nice.
Right now, Coach Crouch is the interim Muggle Studies professor, which I think is odd. Shouldn't a Muggle Studies professor be Muggleborn? I hope we get a Muggleborn Muggle Studies professor, soon.
I'm so glad you like it and that you and your friends were able to celebrate, even briefly. You should still be able to celebrate the good, even in the shadow of tragedy.
It warms my mama heart to know you still enjoy writing. I fear though that if you live to be 100 I will be positively ancient! I wish your brother had your penchant for writing, I hardly ever know what he is up to!
I'm sure Mr. Crouch will do his best, it's hard to find someone qualified on such short notice, it'll work out though. Just be helpful in class while he is there. I'm sure he didn't think he would be called upon to fill in.
I am excited to see you soon! I have been counting the days until the Hogsmeade visit. I will remind Elliot to write more when I see him around. Or ask the friends he seems to have made about their adventures, if they're willing to tell his older sister.
Professor Crouch's first class was fascinating. Miss Best fainted right in the class! Coach Crouch had to take her to the hospital wing. Do you think Professor Pembroke would haunt us or curse us? And how would we even know? I hope the answer isn't Divination. I'm still having troubles with it, but I'll keep trying. And I'll try to be nice to Coach Crouch. I hadn't really thought that he wouldn't be used to that. Maybe that would be like asking me to teach a class on Alchemy.
Oh my goodness, that good hmm? I'm sure he's trying his best. It will all work out in the long run. I highly doubt there will be any hauntings or curses. Only people who have unfinished business tend to cling to this world instead of passing on. I encourage you to keep trying in Divination, it may surprise you yet. Or you will find yourself done with it after OWLs and that is alright as well.
Your encouragements with your brother is most appreciated. We shall see if your efforts are rewarded. I am so very much looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!
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