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.
With the same account, complete eight different threads where your character interacts with eight different usergroups. At least one must be a non-human, and one a student.
Did You Know?
Braces, or suspenders, were almost universally worn due to the high cut of men's trousers. Belts did not become common until the 1920s. — MJ
Elliot had not worked for the Spirit Division in years, but he almost always went to the Spirit Ball. It was one of only a few opportunities for him to see ghosts he had enjoyed working with when he was with the division, and it tended to attract a more esoteric crowd than the typical society balls. What he hadn't expected was to see Miss Reid there, as they had not talked about it in letters — but Elliot waved and walked over to her regardless.
It was only once he'd walked over that he realized he hadn't seen her physically since the potential potion incident. Oh, bother.
"Miss Reid," Elliot said. "It's been a while." But of course it made sense that they would see each other again at a Spirit Ball, didn't it? Ghosts and other odd things, and Elliot wished that he could find the easy confidence that had allowed him to write letters to her over the six months since The Incident. Instead he was immediately thinking about The Incident, and his embarrassment related to it — and further than that, he was not sure how to talk to her without embarrassing himself further.
To say that Meri was uncomfortable was an understatement. She hoped she was hiding it at least passably well but she wasn't at all confident she was. To start with she wasn't entirely sure why she'd been invited. Her current guesses were either her brother had gotten her on the list of attendees in a weird brotherly, long-distance matchmaking effort or some party-planning intern had some misinformed ideas about seers and ghosts.
She stood dutifully at the fringes, her hands clasped tightly in front of her in a caricature of a comfortable stance. She had been working on her distaste at being chained associated with all things divination and simply choosing to attend this ball with an open mind had felt like a culmination of those efforts. But now that she was here she wished she was the spectacle.
A promised spectral bear baiting and the perceived threat that a ghost might come ask her to dance (how would that even work?!) kept her eyes glued to the center where most of the activity was. So much so that she did not notice a familiar face approach until he was within speaking distance.
When she recognized him the relief was immediate and quite obvious. She even took a step towards him in the rush and surprise of suddenly finding someone familiar and comfortable.
Temerita Reid looked happy to see him. Elliot was surprised; even though their letters had continued, he didn't expect she'd enjoy seeing him again after the incident. He tried to mask the surprise by smiling at her, and hoped that it worked, although he could not be entirely sure.
"I'm here," he said. "What do you think of this?" Elliot had worked in the Spirit Division for long enough that he was comfortable with the Spirit Ball, but he knew that not everyone was. And he was always interested in what Miss Reid was thinking.
It was easier with her eyes off the center of the room. It was easier now, having him there to talk to. She realized after a beat that this was the first time she'd seen him since New Years. Regular correspondence made him feel much more present than that.
"I've never seen so many ghosts before." In one place or in general, it felt like a safe assumption. "Though, I'm not sure what I've done to warrant an invitation; Ghosts have no use for wands."
Elliot shrugged at her. "You're a bit of an eccentric," he said, conspiratorial — like they were starting a club and they were the two people in it. "Ghosts like people who are eccentric." Even if she was not sure why she was here, and even if he felt embarrassed around her after the incident — Elliot was glad that she was here.
His answer was so frank and succinct that it caught her off guard and pulled an immediate laugh from her. She rather liked the title. It was much more poetic than what she usually went with - oddity. And it felt more fitting any way.
She also had not considered she was wanted here. Only that her oddity - no, eccentricity - checked whatever thematic boxes the party called for. She didn't personally know any ghosts so she was going to have to take his word for it.
"Does that go for ghost bears as well?" She asked, leaning in to match his conspiratorial tone.
"Ooh", Elliot said. Then he flushed. He was joking, but it was an inappropriate sound to make, wasn't it? He missed when he had not felt awkward around her; the potion he'd been dosed with in December had really ruined him.
"I've never tested it," Elliot admitted, shaking his head as if to remove the flush from his face. "Do you fancy our chances?"
At least a ghost bear did not have solid teeth.
avs by Bee!
May 5, 2024 – 4:02 AM
Last modified: May 5, 2024 – 4:02 AM by Temerita Reid.
She shook her head without a moments hesitation. The easy distraction he provided wavered in the face of considering her 'chances' with a ghost bear. She watched the main floor for a moment before her logic side returned to push back her unease again.
"Although..." she hedged with a wry smirk. "I suppose that depends on what it means when a bear 'likes' you."
Elliot made an unattractive snort-laugh sound. He wished he had a drink to hide his face behind for a moment, and tried to clear his throat to distract from the noise. "I'll just settle for the bear not chasing us," he said, with a shrug — she had certainly bested him in the battle of considering bears.
avs by Bee!
June 2, 2024 – 4:09 AM
Last modified: June 2, 2024 – 4:09 AM by Temerita Reid.
It was obvious that was not a reaction he expected to have and he was clearly trying to cover for it. She did her best not to react but her lips pursed with the effort of clamping back a smile.
"Agreed." she said with a resolute nod. The ghost bear could do whatever it liked... as long as it kept its distance.
If she were any other woman, Elliot may have allowed the conversation to end there — but she was Temerita Reid, and he could not bear it. After all, it had been so long since he had last seen her. "You've been well?" Elliot asked. (If she hadn't been, he had always been so interested in her that he suspected he would have realized as much already.)
avs by Bee!
July 7, 2024 – 8:16 AM
Last modified: August 4, 2024 – 1:10 AM by Temerita Reid.
"I have. Quite well." It was a vain attempt at a better answer. She wished there was more to say, some interesting tidbit to offer, but without wands or visions as a topic she was at a loss.
"Yourself?" and after a pause - "No lingering effects?" She hated to bring up something he was embarrassed about but being accidentally dosed with an unknown potion was a serious problem. And asking in passing conversation seemed better than asking in writing.
She nodded with light smile. She had expected as much but was still glad to have him confirm it. And now she wanted to change the subject...to mercifully put the topic behind them but still she struggled for something of substance to say. She thought to offer an embarassing story of her own but he had been first hand witness to most of them. Should she bring up tarot cards?
Despite the hub of the party it felt like they were stood apart in their own quiet little bubble. "I never told anyone." she found herself saying softly. "It can be as if it never happened."
Elliot smiled, thin but genuine, at her statement. "I appreciate that," he said, "But if you ever do want to talk about it —" he shrugged. He did not particularly want to talk about it with her, but he did feel that he owed her as much. She had, after all, ensured that he got home safely.
She was shaking her head before he even finished the offer. She felt bad enough bringing it up to make sure he was okay, she couldn't imagine what else there could be to talk about.
"You weren't yourself." she said with shrug... and then a pause.
"Unless you - " Her expression somehow carried more doubt than the tone of her half finished sentence.
