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
The day felt all too long. Despite her effort, she felt that her older children were starting to pick up on the tension in the household. This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted her children to remain oblivious to what happened between herself and Hugo.
A day of spending time with her mother and father would be good for them, she felt. In addition, Hugo was out on business. Which left her alone at the house. Except that she had invited Zach for a visit. She knew nothing could happen, but part of her was absolutely desperate.
Upon entering the parlor to greet her guest, she smiled warmly. "Hello, Zach."
Hogwarts letters had just been received, so his shop had a sudden influx of students. It was exhausting darting about trying to ensure the correct texts ended up in the right hands. The fact it was summer had already made business boom without the addition of student shopping.
Zach had accepted the invitation to visit with Rosie over lunch, assuming that his nieces and nephew would be in attendance. In fact, he had arrived with a small stack of books of titles he thought they would enjoy. When he entered the parlor and was met with silence, he slowly realized the youngsters must be elsewhere.
"Ah, Rosie. Good afternoon. How are you on this fine day?" He looked a bit tired, worn out from long days. It probably would do him well to take a couple of hours away from the shop.
It was a busy time of the year, for shop keepers and parents alike. Hogwarts was coming soon. With it came whatever true repercussion awaited Rosie from her act of defiance towards Hugo. Rosie dreaded the return of the Hogwarts season for an entirely different reason than most mothers.
Having the children present did not cross Rosie's mind. Perhaps it would have been better. But then again, if she even wanted to mention Hugo, she wouldn't want her children hearing her opinion of their own father.
Zach looked tired. More tired than Rosie had imagined he might have been. It was the busy season, so she could certainly understand why. "A bit stressed, but I'm fine. How are you?"
Magic by Lady
August 2, 2020 – 10:22 PM
Last modified: August 2, 2020 – 10:22 PM by Zachariah Binns.
"Stressed how?" Zachariah questioned, a bit concerned. He knew his brother wasn't the easiest person to exist with and assumed that was likely where her stress was coming from. However, Rosie did have children, one of which was a bit too much like his father, so they could also be the cause.
"I am also stressed, but it's to be expected. Hogwarts students get more and more eager each year," he laughed at that comment. In a few days, he would have a reprieve, a business trip. The extra exhaustion he exhibited was due to overcompensating for that time away, wanting to be sure the shop would be fine without him. Though, it usually was. He traveled a good amount.
Zach placed the books on a table and tapped the top one, "For your children. I'm sure you can work out which belongs to who."
Pretties thanks to Olive! <3
August 2, 2020 – 10:31 PM
Last modified: August 2, 2020 – 10:35 PM by Rosie Flitwick.
Rosie didn't like to think ill of any of her children. She blamed Hugo entirely for how their son acted. Albin was only a boy, after all. He couldn't possibly understand, what with his father whispering nonsense into his ear.
"Hugo troubles. We had an arguement." Not the first time, and surely not the last. Rosie didn't want to talk about what came of that arguement. Though her voice was even more strained than usual. "I hope that things calm down for you once September comes around."
Looking at the books, she smiled. Each one sounded absolutely perfect for each of her children. Zach was always so attentive like that. "Thank you."
Magic by Lady
August 2, 2020 – 10:39 PM
Last modified: August 2, 2020 – 10:40 PM by Zachariah Binns.
An argument. That certainly explained things. It wasn't the first, nor would it be the last. Rosie and Hugo were entirely ill-suited for one another. It amazed him that they lasted this long together, but the children were likely the reason for that. Then again, divorce was so incredibly frowned upon that his sister-in-law was likely stuck for life. Unless Hugo perished, but he wouldn't ever wish that on his brother, no matter how irritating he could be.
"What sort of argument this time?" Hugo was likely the cause, no doubt. Zach wasn't normally one to press, but, when it came to family members, he found a way to become more assertive.
Divorce was only a dream. Her parents would never take her in if she went that route, and she wasn't dumb enough to assume that she would instantly adapt to living on the streets. And what of their children? Surely not in her custody.
While she didn't really want to talk about it in general, it would be unfair not to. "Hugo... he announced to me that he planned to move us to America if our status didn't show signs of rising soon." Whether he had even mentioned that to anyone else in the family, she wasn't sure. She hadn't really heard too much after she had started, as the saying goes, seeing red.
Magic by Lady
August 2, 2020 – 11:35 PM
Last modified: August 2, 2020 – 11:36 PM by Zachariah Binns.
Well that was certainly news to him. Then again, his brother wasn't one to confide in him, and he doubted he wished to do so with Juliana either. What on Earth would running off to America accomplish? Zach was fairly certain they disliked social climbers just as much across the ocean as they did here. What sort of life would Rosie and the children have?
"And he thinks he'll have more success there?" He scoffed, unable to understand Hugo's line of reasoning. "I'm fairly certain it's an international truth that nobody likes a social climber. And what of the children's education? Has he not thought of that?"
Zach shook his head and ran a hand over his tired eyes. There was no logic in this. "I'll mention it to Mother and Father. Surely, they can talk some sense into him." After all, Hugo was the eldest and set to inherit. That fact couldn't be overlooked, not even by their generally understanding parents.
Rosie could care less about Hugo's train of thought on the matter. Perhaps the whole 'American Dream' or some other nonsense. Not what she would call logical.
"I suppose. He said that he planned to either wait until the children's education has ended, or have them live with either of our parents." It wasn't their parents responsibility to raise their children. And how could Hugo ever think that Rosie would just leave like that.
Perhaps Zach was correct. Rosie's parents-in-law seemed to be the only people that Hugo respected in some way. But that was probably her only biased opinion. "Please do. A move to America would be nothing but trouble."
What would be the point of having children if they were going to just be dumped on someone else as if it were their responsibility? At least Albin was nearly of the age where he could feasibly go off on his own, but the girls would be crushed. How could his brother be so selfish?
Well, that was a question he'd been asking most of his life.
"I'm sure they'll know what to do. They wouldn't want to see you all off to America either."
Dull parties and fake friends were one thing. Rosie could live with it, work with what she had. But the idea of being dragged away from her family, from her children? How could Hugo even think that was alright? That she could live with that?
"I just got so mad at the very thought of it. I can't imagine having had a bigger fight with him. Oh Zach, I'm worried about how his temper will get to him." Not only had she defied him, now she was taking things to his brother - and by extension, his parents.
"If his temper does get the best of him, you know you are always welcome at my parents' home. They'd allow you to stay in a heartbeat. They know how he can be." He would have offered them to stay at his own home if it came to it, but his residence simply wasn't large enough to accommodate Rosie and three children. It just wouldn't work.
Not to mention it would make things worse for them all. His parents' were the only ones Hugo listened to.
Was she? This marriage had never been her idea. Between the mothers, leaving Rosie stuck with Hugo in a match that drove her mad. Not that she would complain about her in-laws with Zack.
If she could, she would live with Zach. But she couldn't. "I'll keep that in mind."
Zach nodded, unsure what else to say on the subject. He shifted awkwardly and rubbed at the back of his neck. This wasn't what he had exactly expected when he had accepted Rosie's invitation. That being said, he didn't mind being a listening ear for her to vent about his brother.
"Are you well besides that particular bump in the road?"
In all fairness, she hadn't meant to start venting about his brother. She didn't like doing that to him. It wasn't his fault that she was utterly stuck.
"As well as I can be. I try to spend a good deal of time with the children before Hogwarts, though they are currently spending the day with my parents." Her mother and father surely wanted more time with their grandchildren, and Rosie couldn't blame them for that.
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