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
Lytton's was, perhaps, becoming overdone. Everyone knew about Lytton's. Everyone wanted to go to Lytton's. So the new modiste in Hogsmeade offered an opportunity to look a little different; to generate the sort of small talk that was not just conducive to but also necessary to standing out this season.
She had come to the grand opening and scheduled an appointment with Mrs. Rose. Her father was likely not to be ecstatic re: her plans for this visit, but Camilla was veering on old and was sure that he would overlook these things when her choices resulted in a husband. (Also - when her choices resulted in a husband she would be able to buy things with her husband's money.)
"I was eager to have an appointment with you so soon after opening," Camilla said, enthused, as the appointment started. She wanted Mrs. Rose to like her, because being liked by the new modiste was a surefire way to being Seen.
Tea had been served, as would be the case for all of her wealthier clientele, but Lavinia's cup remained untouched as she stood, moving to get the figurative measure of the young (well, not exactly...) lady before her. As it had been a Miss Zabini in the books, the modiste had been rather surprised to see her turn up without a mother or elder sister or even cranky grandmother in tow, but at least there would not be competing visions to contend with.
"Eager to beat your rivals to the newest designs, you mean?" Lavinia asked, frank but playful, as she jotted a few notes down in her notebook. Miss Zabini's colouring would be an absolute delight to design for, as there would be few colours out of bounds, and with stays in the right places, her willowy figure could easily become an envy.
Camilla grinned at Mrs. Rose; if another debutante or Calliope said it, she would have said no, but the modiste felt more like an ally for the afternoon than an enemy. "Well," she said cheerfully, "It's hardly my fault that I thought of doing so before they did, hm?" She was going to outshine the debutantes who treated the pre-season as an off-season; she had decided.
"Then I do believe we must make the most of our head start," Lavinia directed. "If I might have you over here," she added, gesturing to the low platform that managed to be beneath a skylight in spite of the fact that there were flats on the floors above, "then we might begin in earnest."
Camilla proceeded to the skylight as indicated, and stood with her arms awkwardly out a little from her sides. "I find that I like the way I look in greens," she said, for want of anything else to say, "But I am of course flexible." Anything that would get her noticed was worth it, as long as it was in a 'wow what an attractive young woman' way and not a 'wow that looks terrible' way.
"You're fortunate that your complexion suits most colours," Lavinia answered, sending her charmed measuring tape towards the debutante. "Is there a particular occasion—or occasions—you need a gown for?"
"I try to keep a busy social schedule," Camilla said, because there was no reason to pretend otherwise to the modiste as she did with some of the other debutantes. "So next month, I was planning on - the sonata, Mrs. Finch's Courtly Love event, and we'll see if anything else arises. Oh - and I could use something versatile for when we begin to have springy events again, in March."
Her shrewd businesswoman's mind was delighted by the prospect of multiple orders, while her creative side was practically elated at the notion of dressing Miss Zabini for a courtly love inspired event. Theme parties allowed one to work with different silhouettes than usual, to exhibit true artistry.
A beat and then, with a glint in her eyes, "I find I must ask, Miss Zabini—how bold do you consider yourself?"
That was an interesting question, and an exciting one. "I like to think of myself as a risk-taker," she said, after a beat where she mulled it over. "What do you have in mind?"
February 20, 2021 – 7:15 PM
Last modified: February 20, 2021 – 7:16 PM by Lavinia Rose.
It was a risk, Lavinia thought, to do anything outside the usual in society. If Lavinia's recollection was correct—and it usually was—Miss Zabini's family had seen its fair share of scandal, which likely could be attributed to the fact that she was a debutante in spite of appearing somewhat north of twenty. The modiste hoped the risks they took together would pay off for the debutante, whom she was quickly deciding to like.
"At the garden party," Lavinia mused, having already heard the vague details of the event, "most of the ladies will, no doubt, be wearing low-cut dresses and drooping cuffs and it will all be very lovely—" she herself had already begun work on three such dresses "—but hardly stand out. I would see you instead in a steel bodice, or perhaps copper—playing the knight instead of the damsel."
Camilla tilted her head and considered the modiste's words. "I like the concept," she agreed, "I don't need to be delicate. Femininity can be sharp-edged, too, can it not? And that could be - captivating." She didn't want to appear masculine, but she didn't want to appear boring, either - and this was more likely to have people think her interesting.
"Copper, then," Lavinia affirmed with a nod, more to herself than to Miss Zabini, "Over a soft, but rich green—silk, of course..."
As she spoke, a quill in the rear of the room took notes. It was not the most effective tool, for it often lost some of her words, but was certainly more cost effective than requiring Miss Corner to sit in the corner taking dictation.
"Perhaps some floral engraving to soften things just a bit—gentlemen are very sensitive when they feel as though a woman is too capable."
Camilla nodded. "I would like to be eye-catching, but not in a way that men find over-frightening," she said, because men could be silly in this way and the last thing she needed was to be considered a scary oldish debutante. Ethereal, striking, sure - those were all adjectives she would love to hear used about herself.
"You must leave it with me, Miss Zabini," Lavinia directed, "and come back in a few days for a fitting—I assure you that I am just as invested in your outfit's success as you are."
For different reasons, of course, but Lavinia wagered the statement was true.
"Miss Corner shall take your measurements before you depart, as I want to ensure we are as precise as possible."
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