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.
Dearest brother, must they cancel Hogsmeade weekend this month? I had a dress appointment this month with Pippa! I mean, I understand that it's for our safety, but it took us several weeks' worth of scheduling to arrange a double appointment! Anyway, are you quite well? How is Papa? I am very well, as are Pippa and Ida.
Should I send a letter to the modiste, requesting our appointment be rescheduled for next Hogsmeade weekend? If it even happens. Oh, I do hope everyone that has disappeared is found soon.
Don't fret. If the appointment was really so difficult to get no need to cancel - send me some of your hair and I'll brew up some polyjuice to keep it for you. If you trust my fashion sense, that is.
I hope you know, sending letters complaining about missing dress appointments when the alternative might be getting kidnapped is pretty stereotypically teenage-girl of you. This is why people call women hysterical.
I will not send you some of my hair, and I will see about rescheduling. Pippa is one of my closest friends. Ida already had her appointment during winter break, so I couldn't go with her — which is why I've decided to go with Pippa and get our fittings done together. You can't polyjuice into two people, and the appointment was for two people.
I didn't call you hysterical; I said you were the reason people called other women hysterical. Important distinction.
You're speaking as though you'd entertain the idea if I could figure out a way to be two people. If I enlisted the help of a friend, would you really let us design your and Pippa's debut gowns?
Of course I have other reasons for denying it than merely that you're just one person. The only thing I would ask you for is whether you've seen something before on the dance floor of the ballrooms you sit on the sidelines of. Not that I judge your choice of employment — in fact, I envy you, being able to earn money doing something debutantes are expected to know but never make use of.
That aside. No. I will reschedule the appointment tentatively for next month, if the modiste will allow it. Hopefully it is allowed, considering these inconceivable circumstances.
I like how you say "if it's allowed" like she's some sort of deity instead of a businesswoman. She wants your money (or father's money, at any rate) and she's hardly going to make a fuss about getting it three weeks later if she doesn't have any alternative.
On the other hand, whatever superstitions see you through. Make an offering to the ballgown gods and maybe Witch Weekly will call your fashion sense inspired instead of trite.
How are classes?
Silas
PS: Sidelines or no, I've seen the insides of more ballrooms than you have. Maybe you should let me design your dress.
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