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.
I saw your notice in Witch Weekly's lonely hearts and in it saw someone with whom I might be myself around. I know it is unseemly for a young lady to speak of her own virtues, as such I shall simply say I believe you will find me as delightful a companion as you desire. Additionally, you will find that I love trying new culinary treats, in fact I often experiment with my own baking. I do hope that if you were to write back it would mean you are amiable to trying some creations of my own.
Witch Weekly is pleased to inform you that your recent submission to our Lonely Hearts article has generated a response. Witch Weekly is devoted to providing help to all of our readers, no matter what their social disadvantages, and we are delighted to provide this service to the lovelorn in our magical community. We hope that you will be able to create a happy ending with our help, instead of being doomed to a tragically lonely life.
Please see the enclosed letter and advise us whether you will need your advertisement repeated in further issues of our magazine.
While your letter is quite flattering, I must confess, I did not willingly submit myself to this Witch Weekly scenario. I believe my niece submitted on my behalf and now I am left to deal with the fallout. I am quite sure that you would be a lovely companion and I trust your baking skills are immensely enjoyable as well. I do hope this does not dissuade you in your pursuit of happiness and companionship, I have included a bundle of sweets to hopefully make amends for any disappointment this letter may incur.
Thank you for your response. Truthfully, I do not put much stock into these Witch Weekly letters myself, so you may trust that you did not disappoint me. You may ask yourself why, if I do not put much stock into such things, that I would write you. A fair question. And one I promise to answer. Just not today.
For what it is worth, I believe that the fact that your niece submitted such a letter on your behalf shows that she cares very much for you. You must be a wonderful uncle to her. And I might add that her letter was quite entertaining to read, she seems a very clever girl.
Your basket of treats was not remiss, indeed, it seems you know the way to a lady's heart. But to be fair, I think most ladies have a sweet tooth. Or at least the way my sisters fought me for the treats, I am led to believe so. Nonetheless, I do thank you for the kind gesture.
I have included a basket of some baked goods, which I hope you will take as an apology on the behalf of myself and your niece for this predicament you find yourself in.
Sincerely,
Miss. D.H.P.
Postscript: If I might impose, would you write me back with your candid assessment of the biscuits. It is a new recipe I am trying and unfortunately I have only been able to have my sisters taste them - and one can not always truth a sister's opinion in such matters.
My darling niece is clever indeed, in the most mischievous ways, I assure you. No harm, no foul however, if there have been no hurt feelings. I will never turn down an even exchange of sweets. I learn quite a bit of people's tastes this way.
My honest assessment of the biscuits is overall favorable. The flavor was spot on, I enjoyed the strength of the flavor though since you asked for honesty, they were a bit dry. Might I suggest a little less flour and perhaps a touch of honey to mend the problem.
Since it is no longer "today" I am still quite curious to know about your choice to answer the ad, if you do not put much stock in the magazine? Please feel free to ignore my inquiry as it is rather forward, but my curiosity is piqued.
I should never have thought that gifts might help one understand another's tastes better. I have always rather subscribed to the thought that one caters to the tastes of the one they are giving the gift too. Although I suppose there is merit in your line of thinking when one doesn't know the other's preferences. To that end I've included my favorite scones along side the biscuits in the basket. Perhaps it shall give you some insight into myself.
Thank you for the assessment of my biscuits, I appreciate the candidness. I did add some honey to this batch, you shall have to tell me if it improves them. I had worried it would overwhelm the flavor, but I find myself very grateful to you as it did not. I believe the dryness is gone, but I've included some in the basket for your assement as well.
Indeed, sir, it is, as you put it, "no longer today" and as such a feel I owe you something of an explaination and that I ought to assure you that your question is no less forward than my own original letter to yourself. Since I put little stock into the magazine that publishes such articles, I feel there is little to be lost by writing under an equally anoymous name. I love writing letters and I suppose that I doubted anyone would respond in the first place. Besides, in a house full of sisters it is refreshing to be able to spend my time conversing with someone who shares my own interests rather than their own.
Sincerely,
Miss DHP
Attached is a basket of biscuits and lavender honey scones.
My mother raised me in under the impression that one should never show up empty-handed, though how that translated to the post for me, I could not tell you. I do suppose it is my way of making amends for the magazine predicament.
The cookies came out much better this time, what do you think of them? I wouldn't mind a little icing atop them either. A little confectioners sugar, milk and a touch of vanilla would do the trick in a little drizzle. The scones however, are absolutely delightful. I am fond of a blueberry lemon myself and so I have included some to continue our exchange, but I don't sell these at the shop. They are a more personal recipe. I enjoy the best with my morning tea.
Your honesty is quite refreshing, though I do suppose that begs the following question, am I to guess who you might be or will you save me the quest to figure it out? I must admit I forgot how much fun correspondence could be, so I do thank you for reminding me.
Your mother sounds like a wise woman. Although, I admit, we have been raised to bring flowers rather than baked goods. I believe your habit has much improved this custom. As for it translating to post, I must say that it makes me feel utterly spoilt to be the recipent of such treats.
On that note, your scones were absolutely wonderful and I thank you very much for sharing them with me. My sisters quite enjoyed them as well and have asked me to replicate them. I do not know that I shall do them justify, but I shall admit that I have tried my best.
I took your suggestion and added a glaze to the biscuits and am quite pleased with the result. I also tried to place jam between two of them and have found that I am quite torn in which I think is better. I've included some of both for you in the basket and should be greatly obliged if you would give me your thoughts on them.
Given our previous discussion I am quite curious to hear what you have learned of my tastes from the scones. From yours I have gleaned that you like a balance of sweet and tart. I suspect this means that you take milk in your tea? But perhaps I am mistaken in such an assumption.
Given my honesty I feel that I ought to perhaps provide you at least a clue as to who I am. You will likely have found some sprinkled throughout my letters, but I shall add one here as well:
I am more well versed in the language of flowers than I am in the world of candies.
I am glad that I could rekindle your enjoyment of the written word. To be honest, in a house as full as ours it is nice to have a quiet conversation from time to time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the scones, I have included the recipe for you. Careful, it's a secret, guard it well. I must admit, I enjoy your take on the cookies with the jam. That is certainly my style. I think I prefer your idea to my own, my compliments to the chef.
You have me pegged fairly well, which is slightly surprising. I am a sweet and sour sort of person. I like pairing flavors that wouldn't normally go together. It's part of the fun. I don't however, drink much tea. I get up far too early for that to suffice, so I have turned to coffee and I drink it black, though sometimes add a touch of honey.
Your clues do seem to point in one direction, though I would be remiss to make an outright guess. You have several sisters, flowers are your first language. Does your family have a shop here on the high street? I have the feeling I am acquainted with your mother.
I appreciate your candidness, I too find sending and receiving letter to be relaxing at the end of the day. I do apologize that my letters arrive in the evening, the shop keeps me far too busy these days. I often forget to enjoy the little things in my limited down time.
Along with the recipe, I have included some truffles I think you might like, but please let me know if otherwise.
I am honored to have you trust such a recipe to me. You have my word that I shall guard it closely. Yesterday I endeavored to make them myself and my efforts were much rewarded. I do not think I would have met with such success had I continued with my own recipe. My sisters greatly enjoyed the treat this morning. So I find that I must doubly thank you for the kindness.
Thank you for your kind words regarding my biscuits, it is high praise indeed coming from you. I enjoyed making them, which I admit was my sole purpose in doing so, but having others enjoy the taste of them makes the endeavor that much sweeter.
I quite enjoyed the truffles, the chocolate went well with the tang of the raspberry jam. You have quite found my weakness, I adore sweets with the slightest tang to them to them. Gentle nudges of flavor so to speak. In return for the wonderful truffles I've included several sour cherry hand pies. They are rustic, I know, but I do not believe we should be limited by predjuices when it comes to our treats. Why else would they be called treats? But that, I suppose, is an entirely seperate matter.
You are a man of your word, truly, for even the combination of coffee and honey is a surprising one. I have more often heard of coffee with sugar than any other option. If I am to be candid with you, and as I have been so far I feel I have no other option, I have never had a cup of coffee. I shall endeavor to do so in the future so I might have a better flavor palate. Although, I suspect my mother would be quite scandalized at my request for coffee over tea.
It would seem that you are on the right path, Mr. Honeyduke. I shall leave you with my confirmation as the only clue in this letter. You are right to believe my family has a shop in Hogsmeade. But you shall have to decide which of those sisters I might be.
I enjoy your letters too much to be bothered by the time they arrive. Indeed, it gives me something delightful to start my day off with, so please, do not worry about the time.
It can be hard to find time for the little things in life, I will admit, but I am glad that I am able to help encourage that. Sometimes you need that quiet moment in life, away from the bustle, to truly enjoy things. If I might be so bold, perhaps this is the reason your niece submitted your ad in the first place? To ensure you took a moment to look beyond work and enjoy life? Not merely the business of life?
It is always nice to hear that one's recipe was enjoyed. I'm glad to hear your sisters thought highly of it, as do you. As you said, it is one thing to make the treats for yourself, but another entirely for others to enjoy them. I do believe that is what drives me to keep creating new sweets for the shop. I love seeing others enjoy what I have created.
Cherry is one of my absolute flavors, now I should think you're doing your research. You have me at an unfair advantage as you know exactly who I am, and I have but several sisters to choose from. Though if memory serves me right, your two eldest sisters are spoken for and your youngest remains at Hogwarts, a Miss Calla, I believe? That still leaves me with what four? Five to choose from? At least I have narrowed it down.
If you are to try some coffee, perhaps I should start you off with a tempered taste. Today's truffles have a coffee mousse in the middle, it can be quite bitter, so be careful. Though now I know that you like the raspberry ones, I have also included a couple of those.
It must be so very rewarding to run a sweets shop. Beyond baking for my family and the treats I have sent to you, I rarely am able to share mine with anyone else. Indeed you have given me an excuse to bake for someone new. With that in mind I have included a favorite of mine. It is an olive oil rosemary bread. Surrounded as you are by sweets I thought the change might be a welcome one.
You are most kind to introduce me to a new flavor. I found the coffee truffles delightful, but I do believe the raspberry ones shall always outshine them in my own tastes. I did find the chocolate paired with the coffee a rather rich flavor. Although now that I have tried this I find myself even more puzzled by the addition of honey to a cup of coffee. I know better, however, than to doubt your flavor combinations. I shall perhaps consider making something with coffee myself. I wonder, is coffee and honey scones perhaps something to consider?
You are not at so great a disadvantage as you might think sir. As I only know you by name and letter alone. For that matter I am not sure whether you do me a credit or a discredit - as you are a gentleman I suppose nothing worse than a credit - by supposing I have done my research when it was merely a matter of paying attention to your words and sheer luck. I shall demure and say it merely a matter of luck.
You have narrowed your options down more than you know, as your accurate deduction has left you with merely three to choose from. I do believe, sir, that you have done rather more research than myself. It might easier for you if we were named alphabetically. I once heard of a couple who named all eight of their children alphabetically. It seems a most orderly way in which to do this. I suppose my parents ought to have thought of that with us, it might make their lives easier when they are vexed to remember which daughter belongs with which name. Might I be so bold as to inquire if you have any siblings yourself?
Since we are not named alphabetically, but by another theme, one which, if I not mistake you have already placed, I shall leave a clue. My name suggests elegance. Although I am rarely elegant around my namesake as they often leave me sneezing.
If you would please pardon my delay, I have been under the weather these past few days, quite down and out with something nasty. Your rosemary bread went quite well with the soup I found myself living on. This will have to serve as my excuse for not sending along anything fancy, just one of my famous cinnamon buns. I can make them in my sleep at this point, so it was easy.
Coffee is a tricky flavor to work with. I'm not sure in the scone would work, but certainly on the side. Perhaps you will grace me with your company in the shop one time soon and I'll brew you a cup. A touch of honey and it will all work out.
You overestimate my knowledge of flowers. I usually leave that up to your mother when she asks me to bake sweets for an event she's hosting. I will brainstorm some flowers that start with D however, as these are the clues I have; Daisy? Daffodil? Daphne? Dahlia? Dittany? Are any of you named after magical plants? That will open up a whole world of things I cannot remember. I feel like I've done some correspondence with a Daffodil Potts regarding orders in the past, and the cadence to the writing was much different, so I will presume you are not that Miss Potts. Was I close with any of the others?
I do have a sibling, just a younger sister. She and my parents live down in England. I haven't seen them in a while. I should visit one of these days.
I am terribly sorry to hear you have been ill. I do hope that you are feeling much improved. I have heard that a mint tea with a drop of honey is most helpful in such situations, and while that is not easily sent I have sent a small bag of mint tea dried from our garden. I have found that shortbread accompanies it well and as such I have included some as well. I wish there were more than I could do, but I suppose I should find some solace in the fact that my bread brought you comfort. Indeed, I feel I should scold you for even making me this delicious cinnamon roll. Whether you can make them in your sleep or not it. I should hate to think you might have exercerted yourself for my sake, your health is much more important.
Thank you for the very kind invitation, I should very much enjoy that. I shall leave any endeavors of working with coffee until then. However, I must insist it is not until you are feeling much improved, I should be greatly vexed if I were the cause of a relapse of your illness.
You are right in thinking that I am not my sister Daffodil. Indeed, you were close as you have sir stumbled upon my name upon your brainstorming. Since you have been ill I shall take pity on you and not make you guess any further than the end of this letter.
I should think it terribly difficult to live so far away from one's sister. She must miss you terribly as I am sure you miss her as well. I could hardly imagine being seperated from my sisters. There always seems to be one about at home or at the shop.
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