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
Unseen in the darkness and low fog of midnight, Baron Crossridge opened the door to La Rochelle, a grey-bricked establishment in Kensington. It was much warmer in here; and noisier. This was at first glance a simple public house, but the music and chatter was of a certain sly ilk. Exotic-smelling smoke reeled from several cigarettes, and young women of scarce dress fluttered around the patrons like mayflies.
Content to find deep distraction after his eventful afternoon in Charing Cross, Djura took a seat at the bar, straight-backed and cool of gaze. He was not a frequenter, but La Rochelle was the kind of place where the bartender recognised even an occasional patron; especially one who demanded utmost discretion. Wordlessly, the bartender poured him a neat whisky, and thus Djura turned his attention to the distractions of the night.
Endy had been brought along to La Rochelle in London by a client and was now wandering as he pleased. He had been here before, usually brought along by one person and discretely leaving with another. Not that a lot of the folk were able to pay much sometimes but a meal and a drink bought for him was sometimes just as good as the galleons.
Endy watched curiously as a man with a cool gaze settled at the bar before making the choice to approach. "Would you care to play a game of cards, sir?" He asked since that was the game of choice of many a man as far as he could tell. Endy personally mostly knew the cards by the illustration they had on its surface but tended to well for himself most of the time.
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
It was not long before a trinket caught his attention — thin and golden, a boy or girl, but most likely the former judging by his clothes. The proposition was both innocent and not, and unusual enough for it to be a distraction. Djura regarded the boy over a sip of whisky, then replied; "if you can find us a table". For it was a crowded night, and spare tables were quickly claimed.
The redhead smiled at the task given to him. "Easily done," Endy promised as he went in search of an unclaimed table. It took a bit but he found one in a corner of the pub and soon returned to the older mans side. "Found us a spot," he said before leading the way. "You can call me Max, if you have an inclination to call me anything at all."
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
The bright young thing rose to the challenge easily enough, though after a short time Djura returned to his drink and surveying the rest of the clientele, not altogether confident that the boy would succeed in his quest. But... he did. And so Djura accompanied him there, taking a seat but giving no name of his own. "Sir" would do just fine.
"First things first. Max. You have no drink — what's your poison?"
"Anything that is not poison will do me just fine," Endy replied with a cheeky warm smile. He honestly did not have much preferences when it came to drink so long as it wasn't something that would render him unconscious or dead. "Perhaps something that will warm my belly."
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
With a hard glance and a few words, Djura ordered them two gins, then returned his attention to the merry sprite. "So what's our game", he asked. They'd dealt their cards... but only figuratively.
Djura nodded, cut the deck with one large hand, and left Max to deal the cards. "So what do you do with your days, Max?" he asked as he leaned back, regarding the lad over his glass of gin. "Or indeed nights."
The man had large hands and Endy subtly admired that. His own were actually pretty feminine though he would probably punch anyone that so much as said so. They were dainty and small much to his ire. "I'm an entertainer," Friendless said with a smile. It was partly true but he was no actor or musician but instead provided entertainment of a more.. fun sort.
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
Djura scooped up his dealt cards and regarded them for his play.
"We're hardly in a venue of oppression and euphemism", the Baron observed, dissatisfied by the boy's vague answer of "entertainer". "Specifics please. Or I will assume you sing, roller skate and tame lions."
Djura played to win a trick, then thought on Max's answer as it was voiced. He wasn't surprised; of course the lad was that type of entertainer. A type that Djura — who was widowed and solitary but had needs — sometimes indulged in.
"And are you working tonight? Or just here to enjoy the cheap gin and rowdy company". The answer to this question would establish whether or not Max was in this card game because he hoped to get a whole lot more out of it.
As they continued their card game, Endy could see that the man was not surprised. It was always a gamble for some men didn't seem to realize that it was not only women that had their sensual services for sale. And once they discovered this tended to get offended and try to rough him up.
"It should always be assumed that I am working - but I can enjoy cheap gin and rowdy company at the same time, can't I?"
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
Friendless grinned as he played his next hand, not even minding when he lost. "I liked the look of your hands," he said with a shrug. Plus the man looked a lot more refined than the rest and Friendless was drawn to that sort.
endy's gender is hard to discern from voice and appearance alone
goes by multiple aliases - but mostly by Nico set by mj!
![[Image: djura-sig.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/19ZN7g0/djura-sig.jpg)
