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 trust this letter finds you in good health, and I very much hope it finds you in good spirits.
As our last conversation is still very much on my mind, I feel obliged to ask for your forgiveness for the sudden manner of my appearing. My valet thinks it a less permissible youthful folly than I do, and sometimes his admonishments make me wonder.
Now that I am better informed about your circumstances, it occurred to me that sending you flowers again might call undue attention to our continued acquaintance, so I forgo the gesture. But be very much assured that I think you deserving of all the flowers the shop would permit me to order at once.
As it happens, my little sister Hester is going to be a first-year at Hogwarts this year, and I plan to join the entourage for King's Cross and look around in search of your lovely face.
I shall greet your maman very politely and be on my best behavior.
If this sounds at all agreeable to you, please do not hesitate to reply at your convenience.
I remain, dear Miss Violetta, at your service,
Victor Frey
P.S.: You did not happen to visit the lake in Padmore Park yesterday, did you? I thought I saw someone, but it might have been someone else.
I am on good health and spirit and I thank you for your enquiry.
Your apology is unnecessary on this occasion, I was quite flattered by your visit, but I would ask that for future you maintain proper manner of visits as had it been anyone but Luca spot you, they should not have accepted you as a postman.
I will likely regret myself for putting this to paper, but I have thought about you too since our visit and was saddened when your beautiful flowers wilted and had to be pressed. Your assumption is correct though that further gifts might arouse suspicion.
I had not planned to take the train to school, but now I feel I might. I have briefly met Miss Frey, perhaps I shall perform my prefect duties and offer her a kind accompaniment on the train.
I do hope that we shall meet again and be allowed the chance to get to know each other a little better, I am sure Maman would not cause you too much harm provided you follow the proper etiquette of meeting with a female acquaintance.
How did I rejoice to receive your letter! I must tell you that I was not sure if you would respond to me at all, and I much hesitated to accost you.
But — be that as it may, I have learned that your graciousness is without comparison. What a wonderful idea to accompany Hester on the train. I shall see to it that the little brat understands she ought to be very thankful.
Please, be sure to let me know if you will be at King's Cross at last.
You shall see how very proper I can be!
Yours devoted,
Victor
P.S.:Since I cannot send you a bouquet, I enclose a special dried flower in this envelope. The girl at the shop in Hogsmeade assured me that it returns to full bloom once submerged in water. I hope you can keep it without someone questioning what does not concern them.
You really are quite the charmer Monsieur Frey. My tickets at King's Cross are now hooked, so I shall see you there. I assumed your sister would also be riding in first class as a lady should not be wandering too far from her allocated seat on a busy train.
The flowers worked as advertised and were quiet beautiful, merci. Papa has seen them in my room but was quite content with my explanation that I purchased them for myself with my pin money.
Your devotion is sweet mon ami, I am quite taken aback by your affections. Perhaps it is a pity that our personal situations makes exploring our friendship more difficult. Perhaps this is for the best, Oui? I would hate that anything would be said of either of our families. We have of course been fully proper and shall continue to be, but the town has a tongue that wags does it not.
Do not be afraid; I do understand what you are saying. I cannot say that I think it to be for the best, but alas, a lady has different sensibilities, I am told.
Be sure of seeing me at King's Cross! I shall bid you goodbye, as promised.
I thought I might write to you and let you know that I had settled back in. I suspect you have heard about the scandal involving you and my mama. The silly gossip mongers. It gave me a little laugh to hear, but c'est la vie.
This year so far has been, peculiar? This is a word for it but I'm not sure that is it, my friends are treating me differently and I don't know why? I will endure, but i feel a little lonely, even though I am surrounded by the same people who i have spent four years with.
I am not one who wishes after silly things so I accept that we have determined our friendship will not develop beyond it's social bounds, but my mind wanders and I sometimes find myself thinking of you when I am alone and all is quiet around me.
I hope you shall still write.
Sincerely your friend,
Mademoiselle Violetta Elise DeCroix
Of course I shall write to you. My heart seems presently amiss! Perhaps I've misplaced it?
Since we're sharing our sorrows, I must confess I've been wretched. It saddens me to hear your friends aren't treating you well. Are you the target of some girlish intrigue? I've heard young ladies have a tendency towards such wiles. I do hope your friends are, indeed, ladies. It pleases me that you think of me. Yes, I hope you shall remember me forever! I think of you often and with great anguish, for I have placed my undying affection on a flower so unattainable. It is just like me to do such a foolish thing. My valet tells me this all the time.
Regarding the scandal: people gossip about the silliest things, especially if the lady concerned is pretty. Not in reference to your maman, of course (she's a perfectly lovely woman). Pay them no mind.
Girlish intrigue indeed mon ami. It is not something I should be troubling a gentleman like yourself with but it is good to have someone I can speak to. Miss Moony is jealous that I was picked over her as prefect. It was always her ambition so I can understand her disappointment, but their decision was not my fault and jealousy is such an ugly emotion. And sometimes we just cannot have something that we want non? However tempting.
I will pay the gossips no mind, they can talk as much as they want, and yes, Maman is very pretty, but perhaps Mademoiselle DeCroix will raise the bar even further oui? You cannot see me but I am rolling my eyes at myself.
The twelfth of this month is Hogsmeade day, a few of us are attending the harvest festival, will you be there? If you are, then I would be most accepting of a dance from you. There shall be school chaperones of course, and perhaps even your sister, so I will not be offended if you are not able to attend to dance with this silly girl.
So I shall see you on the twelfth, or I shall await your next letter with eagerness
Sincerely your friend,
Mademoiselle Violetta Elise DeCroix
X
Also enclosed in the letter is a small length of pastel blue hair ribbon about 8 inches long cut from Violetta's favourite roll.
Be certain to see me attending the harvest festival in Hogsmeade and think me the most fervent harvest enthusiast in the world, as it was, naturally, always my plan to attend! Nothing to do with a certain mademoiselle, non?
Well, to finally share a dance — how enthralling!
I must find my valet at once, there are some new fashions about town.
Regarding Miss Moony, jealousy is indeed very unbecoming. Moony is a lowly-sounding name, so I am sure you have nothing to expect from the consequence of this connection?
I am aware that the environment of the school at times encourages connections most unlikely; it was much the same for me. You shall see, however, how quickly this is rendered untoward upon re-entering society. So be assured, Hogwarts is the only place you must suffer the ire of girls unequal to you — which the teachers certainly considered in their correct decision to award prefect to you.
In delighted anticipation of our imminent reunion,
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