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.
He could have attended Mrs. Lestrange's ado, reportedly the party of the year (of 1890 or 1891? That much hadn't been clear). The notion of ending one year and beginning the next at a ball, though, seemed oddly laughable to the man pleasantly meandering through the more subdued festivities in Padmore Park with the aid of a cane. Even when he had had full use of his body, Aldous Crouch had been a hair too reserved to properly enjoy himself at such an event. No, this was decidedly more his speed.
There was a sense of anticipation and a smell of bonfire smoke in the air as folk from every walk of life made their way about the festivities. Light flurries fell from the sky—not enough to be a nuisance, but they certainly added to the ambiance of the evening.
"Pardon me," he voiced as he navigated—with a bit of effort—around a cluster of school-aged youths on his way to the edge of the pond.
Ice skating had been a pastime Aldous had enjoyed immensely as a youth and even after his time at Hogwarts, he had continued to see it as an enjoyable winter diversion. That had also flitted away after his accident, but as he stood at the ice's edge, part of Aldous wondered if it had to...
He was shaken abruptly from this musing when a woman skated into the shore, colliding with him and sending them both into the snow-dusted grass.
Hurling? Open to an unattached, MC, human female, 19-29.
— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. — — graphics by lady ❤ —
Begonia did not even want to go to Mrs Lestrange's fireball. She had thought from the start it sounded like it was not her sort of event. She had always thought that families like the Lestranges thought they were so much better than everyone else because their blood was pure and they were rich and they could throw fantastic balls. Begonia's blood was pure too!
It would have been an evening of boring small talk with people who thought they were better than her because they had more money than the Belbys. Begonia would have hated it. She knew she would have.
But she really wanted that invitation.
These were the thoughts that were going through Begonia's mind as she skated gracefully across the ice. A stern look occupied her face as she darted about, long since abandoning her chaperone, not even noticing the older woman's struggles to catch up. "I'm so sorry!" seemed to be her catchphrase of the evening, as multiple times she had to skate to a halt to prevent herself from skating into various families and groups of children.
Each time, she shook her head and swore she would pay more attention. Begonia didn't even realise she had reached the edge of the ice until she was tripping up into some poor man. Again it was time for: "I'm so sorry! Pardon me, truly!" she cried, genuinely mortified, as scrambled in the grass.
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Though his coat stopped much of the coldness of the ground from seeping into him, it did not stop the surprise that coursed through Aldous body met ground, cane a few feet away and almost invisible in the night and grass. The legs of another were briefly entwined with his own before the pair managed to separate, still in the grass and drawing a few startled looks from passers-by.
"No harm done, Miss," Aldous reassured what he now saw to be a young lady, like him still on the ground. By now, the wizard had at least returned to a sitting position, but was taking a moment to get his bearings before endeavouring to stand.
Still from his grounded vantage point, the wizard asked, "Are you alright? I must admit, it takes some doing to arrive at the shore as you have."
Honestly? Begonia was not fine. Physically, yes she did not seem to be hurt, but it was perhaps not the best sign that she had ended up in this position. "I do believe the only thing I have bruised is my pride," she replied, forcing herself to laugh. Inside, she could feel a pit in her chest. Begonia seriously contemplated running away and apparating home.
Instead, she continued with "I was.." she trailed off, trying to think of some lie that sounded better than the truth, however ended up choosing: "Distracted."
"Again, I am truly sorry." she repeated as she stood up and dusted snow off her skirts.
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Merlin, now she had gotten up entirely without his assistance—what a lout she must think him! This ill-opinion, Aldous expected, would no doubt intensify the longer he remained upon the ground, but from her new, elevated perspective, she would have an excellent view of his awkward (at best) efforts to rise. He was not in an enviable position in any sense of the word.
"Distracted?" he asked conversationally, hoping to buy himself some time as he assessed his situation.
He was asking about her distraction. That was an excellent question. Begonia's eyebrows shot up as she tried to think about what to say. "Yes! I was distracted. Distracted by... what... dress I should wear to the next ball!" was what she came up with. Yes, that seemed like an appropriate response for a young lady. She topped it off with a tight-lipped smile, that didn't come out as genuine as she had hoped.
She looked at him for a few seconds. Noticing how he hadn't tried to get up down there. Was he just going to sit in the snow all evening? His clothes must have been getting so wet.
"Are you..." Again, Begonia had to find the right words before she spoke, "Quite alright down there?"
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Dresses. Yes, that did tend to be the sort of thing young ladies worried about, though that it drove this one to such distraction she might have injured herself (and him) seemed to Aldous to be rather...extreme. He was, however, saved from commenting as much by her noticing that he was, in fact, still on the ground.
There really was nothing for it, Aldous realized, resigned and utterly mortified.
"Might—might you be so kind as to pass me my cane?" he asked sheepishly, glancing over to where it lay. Even with it, Aldous knew it would be a struggle to regain his footing, but he knew there was no way in hell he would manage without it.
Begonia's heart sank. Had she truly managed to skate into a poor chap who needed to walk with a cane? This was what she got for being a petty idiot. She reminded herself to be less petty. Although, she did that most days and it never particularly worked.
"Of course!" she replied quickly, scurrying over to collect his cane. It was quite difficult to spot in the dark and in the snow. The poor gentleman - stuck in the snow on the floor all because of her! And now she was taking far too long to find his cane.
Finally, she found it. She announced this with an "Aha!" before turning back to him.
"Here," she said, holding the cane out to him, "I am terribly sorry. This is all my fault."
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If he gripped it well enough, Aldous thought, he might be able to use the shaft of the cane to pull himself upwards—but he was already feeling decidedly ungallant, and the thought that he might inadvertently pull the young lady (at fault or not, she was still a young lady) back down swiftly put the kibosh on that. With a murmur of thanks, he accepted his cane, but did not rush to get up.
This would not be graceful; he did not need an audience.
"It is merely a bit of chaos in my evening, that's all," he insisted weakly.
Begonia wasn't sure what to do. Did she leave and leave him to get up independently? She assumed he did not want her to watch him struggle to get up. However, could she bare to leave him alone? What if he didn't get back up and was stuck here for ages? No. Begonia couldn't do that to him. Yes, she could be a cow, but only when people deserved it! Begonia Belby was never mean for no reason.
She realised she had spent far too long thinking. She opened her mouth, spent another second or so deciding what she would say before ending up on, "Would you... like some help getting up?" She asked, extremely awkwardly.
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If he had not been mortified before, Aldous most certainly was now.
Was that pity in her voice, in her eyes, or was Aldous simply projecting?
(In the evening light, he could not even quite make out the colour of her eyes, so probably the latter.)
Regardless, the wizard certainly did feel a blush of shame that reached even the tips of his ears, and he could not bear to look the young lady in the face, never mind the eyes.
"I should not like to be a bother," came the quiet response.
Begonia could tell this was probably not the highlight of the gentleman's life. So she decided to make this as quick and painless as was possible. Perhaps it was because he was so utterly helpless, but he seemed so sweet and gentle. He didn't need this in his life.
"No no," she stated decisively, shaking her head, "I absolutely cannot leave you on the floor."
She took a step closer and outstretched her gloved hand. "Here. I'll help you up. I won't take no for an answer." She looked down to him with a small smile and perhaps more kindness in her eyes than had been there for a long time.
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If the earth could swallow him and trap him in the very depths of hell, Aldous decided, it would be preferable to this moment. His options now were to be churlish and deny her aid, or paint himself the invalid in accepting it. The wizard was no fool; he knew, from a logical standpoint, that he was a cripple, but for the most part, he had adjusted. For the first time since the accident, however, Aldous now truly felt it, and it was an impotent feeling that erased any dignity he might pretend at.
His expression was of a certain resolved dread as he accepted the proffered hand after a long moment's hesitation. Aldous made the mistake of meeting her kind, pitying eyes, however fleetingly and wondered if it were genuinely possible to die of shame.
Begonia had to ready herself. If she wasn't careful, they would both end up on the floor again. She opened her mouth to make an amusing quip - however she thought the gentleman would probably not be appreciative of that.
And so, without saying a word, Begonia pulled up with all of her strength.
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Aldous participated as best he could and the young lady proved stronger than expected; it was not exactly a graceful movement, but they quickly had him back on his feet (and cane), his pride the only thing worse for wear.
"Thank you," he offered stiffly, still reluctant to meet her gaze.
Wow. Begonia impressed herself. Before she knew it, he was back on his feet, and was standing in front of her. Excellent, she had righted her wrongs (if she chose to ignore any of the psychological torment she had caused). That she couldn't do much about. Except keep this to herself.
So. Begonia shrugged.
"For what? I have no idea what you're talking about." She told him with a smirk, before swiftly returning to the ice and gracefully skating away.
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