Novemberh 7th, 1893 — Stanwell House, Melody's bedroom

Melody Henriette Stanwell liked her bedroom. Pastel sea green walls, trimmed with natural light wood. The room was furnished to match the paneling, though Mel was unsure of the exact type of wood. Perhaps it was willow, matching her wand, or perhaps it was some other sort of pale wood. One of the only things in the room that wasn't pale was Melody's Daugherty Visible, black as midnight. The young woman sat before it, typing away at the machine that scared so many of her siblings away.

As she typed, she found herself humming a tune she recalled, typing to the rhythm of the song, though she carefully typed her letters out, keeping the words of the song very pointedly out of her mind. Her writing was in English, and the song she was humming was one written in French. She was always good at multitasking like that.

When the door opened, Mel was unsurprised. She was accustomed to her siblings entering into her room without much preamble, perhaps a knock she didn't hear. Easily, Mel turned to check who it was, and smiled. "Astoria! What a pleasant surprise." Her tone was genuine, her smile bright and beaming. "I've just been writing a letter to Belle with my type-writer. I wonder how long until I'll need to replenish the ink." She gave a light sigh. "Shall I send your love?"

Astoria Stanwell

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   Astoria Stanwell

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Her mother had warned her that due to the dragon attack that there was likely not going to be many events to come in the autumn and winter months, simply because so many families were now in mourning, and Astoria knew that and she wasn’t trying to be awful, but she was bored and she wanted to go out! Thankfully, an invitation to a ball had been delivered just as she was about to complain to Flora, as she wouldn’t judge her, and like lightning, Astoria had taken the letter and bolted to her younger sister’s bedroom where she knew she was. She had knocked, really she had, but Astoria doubted Melody could hear her knocking over all of that racket from that dreadful machine she used, so she didn’t wait too long before entering.

“I know, I heard all that clacking,” she wrinkled her nose, though she smiled; even if the typewriter startled her and she didn’t like it, she liked how happy it made Melody, “I don’t understand how you can think over all that noise. But, yes, of course, let her know I love her and I can’t wait to see her again.” She wondered how she was doing, especially after that dreadful business that was announced about the loss of a Professor. No matter, Astoria had an actual purpose for being here, so she stepped closer to her sister and thrust the letter out to her, “An invitation for a ball! I just wanted to let you know.”

  

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The dragon attacks had pur a dreadful damper on the household, though they hadn't lost anyone in the dreadful circumstance. Xander's comments always made her nervous, but she never said anything. He was their older brother, the oldest son, and he had his opinions. Worse still was the lack of events they'd been anticipating. Melody's wardrobe was overflowing with unused gowns, but she understood.

The business with Professor Pembroke was truly heartwrenching for Mel. She'd been writing him letters on this very type-writer for some time before his sudden and tragic death, and was more upset by the news than she was really letting on. "Oh, certainly," Melody agreed. "Our dear sister, the last of us to attend Hogwarts for now. When is the next Hogsmeade weekend, I wonder." Carefully, she stood up, taking the invitation and skimming the writing.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "I had been hoping November would see at least a few events. I've been hoping to wear this lovely aqua dress I had made. Oh, it's a vision! You'll love it, I swear." She knew her designs weren't always a hit, but she always hoped her family would like it.

Astoria Stanwell

  

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Awe! Astoria put a hand to her heart while thinking of the fact their youngest sister would be graduating in May and that she would soon be joining the two of them in society; it would be delightful to have her around, but somehow it felt wrong that she had gotten so old! “Um, I think it’s coming up? I’ll have to check the calendar,” she hoped they hadn’t missed it already! Or even worse, they completely canceled it because of the tragedy, “It feels like just yesterday that she was joining us for her first year. I was so disappointed she didn’t join us in Hufflepuff.” But, Ravenclaw suited Rosabella well and was a fine house.

She clapped excitedly, bouncing a bit on her toes as Astoria was pleased that Melody was just as thrilled that they were going to a ball; at least she wasn’t the only one who had been missing going out! “Oh? Could I see it? Or is it still at the Modiste?” she asked; aqua was not a color that Astoria would normally wear, preferring to stick with more light pastels, finding such colors far too bright, but she was sure it’d look phenomenal on Melody. Astoria didn’t always get her designs, but she tried to be supportive anyway, “I ought to get a new dress for the ball too; all my things are too… October. You know what I mean?”

  

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"Oh, yes, I know how you feel," Melody agreed. "I remember her sorting better than I remember my own! Goodness, has it really been long enough for this to be her last year?" She shook her head in disbelief with a quiet scoff. Ravenclaw was perfect for Rosabella, no matter how much Melody would have liked to be closer to her little sister. But she had Astoria, and that was all well and good — they'd gotten on pretty well, most of their lives. Even with their occasional squabbles.

"Of course!" Melody giggled slightly as she handed the letter back to Astoria, before jaunting over to her wardrobe and shuffling about before pulling loose a mass of aqua and silver, made from charmeuse, lace, and bits of cording. It was not a design that evoked the thought of autumn, or November specifically, but it was perfect for Melody — and clearly of her own design, with the hand of the modiste involved in the cut. "The original design was a touch more...old-fashioned, but I rather like the way the modiste altered the design. The neckline, especially, looks quite beautiful, don't you think?"

  

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Astoria remembered her own a bit too clearly; she felt so alone because she had been so used to always having her younger sisters at her side and now she had to attend school without them. She wondered if Rosabella felt that way after they left her to go to school, or even now as they graduated. “Time flies when you’re having fun, as they say,” she was going to have a hard time seeing her youngest sister as an adult, that was for sure, “But, I bet if she had it her way, she’d be attending school for another seven years!” She laughed, referring to how bookish she was; maybe she’d attend the Flint Institute if their parents approved. Astoria had heard of a few ladies who went into doing that after graduation instead of just attending events.

Once again, Astoria did an excited clap when her sister agreed to let her see her latest design; she placed the letter next to Melody’s typewriter after she was handed it back and followed her sister to her wardrobe. Her eyes widened a bit as she took in the gown - it was… a lot, she thought, and it certainly made her think more of maybe summer than autumn in terms of color, but it wasn’t ugly! It was actually rather stunning, if not unique. “It suits you,” she commented, reaching out to delicately feel the fabric, “I think it’ll make your eyes pop, and you have such pretty eyes.” Astoria giggled as her sister explained more about her design, “Well, if Mrs. Quibbleberry can host a ball with Tudor fashions without it causing a whole scene, I’m sure a hint of old fashioned is hardly cause for any concern, but the Modiste, and you, of course, modernized it nicely.” Astoria’s eyes then lit up as an idea suddenly hit her, “What if you meet a suitor of your very own wearing this dress!”

  

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"Indeed," Melody sighed.

Eagerly, Melody smoothed her hand over the waistline, draped so beautifully as it was. It was truly beautiful, the way the fabric shimmered, the way the metallic cording caught the light. Melody loved this gown, and was so excited to wear it. "Thank you, dear sister," she said with delight. "This color is so lovely, I simply had to have a gown of the shade." She was so delighted when Astoria affirmed her desire to have an old-fashioned gown, citing Mrs. Quibbleberry's Tudor ball as an example.

"That ball was such a delight, wasn't it? I enjoyed the Tudor fashions, and was so delighted the modiste would see us on such short notice." She still had the gold and black gown she's worn to that ball, folded into a box at the bottom of her wardrobe. "It would be so lovely to meet a suitor wearing this beautiful gown, wouldn't it? Can you imagine me, dancing the night away with a suitor so enamored with me he can't take his eyes off me, even to dance with another?" She swayed, showing the way the skirt played in the light as she did so.

  

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The gown, Astoria thought, reminded her of the beaches in Clifden, where they could spend all afternoon gazing out into that aquamarine water, wondering just how far the ocean stretched; the flowy fabric felt nice underneath her fingertips, and she liked how it shimmered in the light coming from the window. “It’s not quite what I’d wear in November, I think it’s more fit for a summer ball,” she was honest, of course, thinking of what were the usual colors she saw worn during this time of year, “However, perhaps November could use a bit more color, especially after such a dreary few months. Who knows, you may even make it into Witch Weekly! Start a whole new trend that will capture everyone’s attention!” Always the optimist and dreamer, Astoria was, and she thought it would be so cool if her little sister was featured as the start of a whole new trend.

“I thought the poor seamstress was going to have my head,” she laughed, thinking back to when she ordered her own dress, because she had insisted upon a pale blue with silver accents, even if it wasn’t historically accurate; Astoria didn’t care that it wouldn’t be accurate, because she just wanted to wear the colors she liked, “She kept going with dark blues and I didn’t want to wear dark blue. But, the ball was an interesting concept and I had a lot of fun.” Mr. Stanwell, thankfully, made sure she was tipped well for dealing with her fussiness, at least. Astoria put a hand to her heart and she feigned a slight swoon for effect as she watched her sister sway around with the gown, “Oh, Miss Stanwell! You’re the most beautiful girl in the whole room! I can’t take my eyes off you!” She laughed, bouncing on her toes before sitting on the edge of Melody’s bed, “Next thing you’ll know, he’ll be paying calls! Could you imagine? Oh! Maybe Eira will chaperone while he takes you for walks in the gardens.”

  

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"Oh, it's certainly not what most would wear in November, I'm aware of it," Melody giggled, "but just as you say, November could use a bit of bright color. Orange always looks so dreadful on me, anyway." She'd love to be the start of a trend, though she doubted Witch Weekly would ever see the wonder she saw in her own designs. If she was lucky, they wouldn't say anything, but she knew the magazine.

Oh, the seamstress was so stressed that day, Melody recalled well. Rush orders for a ball like that, with a specific theme, placed an amount of undue stress on the seamstresses. "The gown you ended up in was absolutely divine, though. Do you still have it?" She knew Astoria wasn't as much of a hoarder as she was, but it was still worth asking; some gowns just stuck with the wearer, after all.

Mel giggled at Astoria's quick play-act, setting the garment aside finally, and held her hand out to her sister. "Oh, I can only hope," she sighed. Would it be so terrible if Melody married a muggleborn, though? Or a muggle? She hoped Father wouldn't disown her for such a thing. "Eira's been so much more...social lately, have you noticed? Less...frigid. I'm pleased, but I wonder what's brought about this change..."

  

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Orange looked terrible on her as well, though she thought it might look nice on Rosabella if she gave it a chance, so she nodded in agreement. Sometimes Astoria wished that she could be more like her younger sisters, as they were both so talented at something; Rosabella was the smartest girl she knew and Melody was the most creative. “Oh, I agree, the seamstress did so well, even with all the rush. Yes, I do still have it, actually. I didn’t want to just throw it away, but I suppose unless we have another ball with the same theme, I’ve got nowhere to wear it. Perhaps I could display it somewhere?” she didn’t keep all of her dresses, as she was more of a shopper than a keeper, but this one was truly one of a kind and it made it harder to let go of.

“I’m sure your wish will come true,” Astoria reassured her, and she decided at that moment that she would try to not take as much attention at the coming ball in order for more gentlemen to seek her sister out instead. Though, she really wasn’t the best at turning gentlemen down, so one would have to see how long her refusal to dance would even last in the first place. “I have noticed. They say that time heals, so perhaps she’s no longer so sad about her husband. Having such a sweet little girl around must help, of course,” she smiled; Astoria was nothing if the biggest fan of her niece, Hypatia, spoiling her with all she could ever want, “Do you think Eira might go out to the ball with us if we ask? She could chaperone us properly now.”

  

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Melody thought for a moment, before she nodded. "Display it somewhere. It's too lovely to hide in a trunk or a box," she said sagely, to her older sister. She returned the aqua and silver gown to its place in her wardrobe, giving the fabric one last gentle smoothing, before she turned back towards her typewriter, though she did not sit down.

"Perhaps Eira would be willing to chaperone," she admitted, "but I worry about pushing her too fast. She must still be grieving, after all." Melody knew well that Eira's...reclusiveness had begun long before her husband's death. Before Melody was even born. But she offered her eldest sister an excuse, nonetheless. "Still," she continued, "we, as her younger sisters, have a responsibility to help her socially."

  

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“I shall have to ask one of the maids if they can help me,” Astoria smiled, thinking about how lovely it would be to have one of her more interesting gowns displayed; she would have to find room for it though, as she was sure that it probably would seem like pointless clutter if she just put it in the parlor or something, and she didn’t know if it would look nice laying around her bedroom during all seasons. No matter, she’d think on that later, because now she was concerned about rushing Eira into socializing before she was ready and she didn’t want to hurt her. “Well, maybe we could just ask?” Astoria reasoned, “If she says no, we’ll just have to accept that, but we should at least give her the opportunity to see if she’s ready for a ball. Besides, she can’t just hide away forever, people will talk.” Being slandered, in Astoria’s opinion, was even worse than being rushed.

  

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"Indeed, we shall ask," Melody agreed. She, too, thought it a horrid thing to be slandered. She had faced her share of gossip, though much of it was true — a witch with unusual interests drew attention, after all — and would not wish untrue gossip on her sisters. Any of them.

  

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