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
Thomasina Dempsey had left Mr. Greengrass and Miss Farley alone seven minutes ago; hopefully they had used that time to fix Miss Farley's dress before Thomasina could spread the word of their transgressions. Sina had spent the past three minutes waiting for her opportunity to bring things up.
"Oh, that's nothing," Sina said, when one of her conversational partners pointed out that Miss Sinclair was on her third dance with Jeremy Ashford. "I just discovered that Mr. Greengrass and Miss Farley have been carrying on in secret for half the evening."
She arched her eyebrow, hoping that they would catch onto what she meant by discovered and carrying on.
Dean had opted for a pink carnation this evening, but had grown tired of the compulsory dancing so had ditched it on a table somewhere for some poor other shmuck to pick up. He was in the mood to be a little more choosy about his company.
That hadn't included the new Minister's wife, because Off Limits, but he found himself harangued into a juicy tidbit of gossip and Dean was a bit of a slut for dicey conversations.
He had no idea who Miss Sinclair or Mr. Ashford happened to be, but he was pretty sure he knew the name Greengrass from a different department at work, which made this tea a bit more interesting to him. He was torn though, because he would for any of his indiscretions to be topic of public scrutiny, but he wasn't dumb enough to get caught either. "A secret rendezvous?" He quirked an eyebrow, holding his drink up to his lips as if he was waiting for her answer before taking a sip.
Sina did not think that she'd met Mr. Hudson before, but his response was pleasing to her, and she did not bother to hide it — her smile expanded. "Her dress was askew," Sina said in a more hushed voice, looking to see his reaction. Technically this was kinder of her than the actual state of Miss Farley's clothing when she found them — but a gentleman did not need to know that Thomasina had seen the girl's bare back to get the gist of things.
Ida picked up a white dance card, because she had no intention of leaving her fate this evening up to chance. There were a few friends at this Ball as well, which certainly made for more engaging and exciting company than anything a strange man looking for love could offer.
The witch was only half-listening to her friend’s notes about the hors d'oeuvres, however. Anyone with eyes could clock the Minister's wife, and so anyone with a brain might be inclined to listen to what she was saying, which for the record, was not being said in any secretive manner. In fact, it rather seemed like she hoped more would hear. Ida balked at what she said.
“Mister Greengrass?” The not-question edged out before she could catch herself, and her brows furrowed. Ida did not know much about the younger Greengrass brother, but her stomach clenched to think this could bring her friend’s family trouble. “Ah– apologies, I could not help but overhear,” she backtracked, flushing to be caught listening to the pair’s conversation. “They are friends of our family.” So I'm concerned and have an excuse to know, she left unsaid.
Dean felt like he made the appropriate horrified expression, but he was still a little new here. Plus this was the minister's wife, he had to seem interested. Was the whole thing a little kitschy? Sure, but he was sort of invested now, especially when the pretty young debutante sidled into the conversation, with that appeared to be genuine curiosity.
Without a good answer to her inquiry, he took a sip of his bourbon and looked back at Mrs. Dempsey. Was there more than one Mr. Greengrass? He had no idea. Frankly he had no idea who anybody was talking about, but he was in the mood to be entertained and this was a surefire way to prevent boredom.
Sina snapped her fingers, trying to recall. "The one at the Ministry," she offered to the debutante. "Not the potioneer." They looked alike, though, although the one she had caught with Miss Farley was rather baby-faced. Sina knew the potioneer better, by sight at least — potioneers were always fishing around the hospital for clients.
set by MJ
February 28, 2024 – 10:33 PM
Last modified: February 28, 2024 – 10:37 PM by Ida Chang.
The one at the ministry, she said. Ida looked visibly gobsmacked at that, replete with a mouth that fell open. The witch recovered herself with a meek "Oh." There were plenty of facts she could offer up that could be useful here, of course. That he was the eldest in the family, and that he was really quite responsible usually, and very good with ghosts, and that surely, surely-- "Surely this could be some sort of misunderstanding?"
The pit of Ida's stomach insisted that this was so. That these rumors were like fire, and better to be stamped out than allowed to catch air and spread. "This is unlike him," Ida insisted. Since Ford told her, once, about someone he loved but couldn't be with. And that reality they shared in common was something Ida deeply appreciated, it might even be why she trusted him so much. And if it was as easy as being trapped in a compromising situation with that lover in public, well. Wouldn't have Ford done that in the first place, rather than angst for over a year about it? So who is this Farley girl?
Dean was catching on quickly; two Mr. Greengrasses, one at the ministry, the one in question, and a potioneer. He would never keep this straight, surely, but in the long run it probably wouldn't matter. All he'd really learned so far was that he would not be sneaking off tonight, not with the minister's wife and her eagle eye in attendance.
The young debutante seemed to know Mr. Greengrass well enough to know this was out of character for him, which had Dean quirking his eyebrow for a different reason. Had this beauty also been carrying on in secret with Mr. Greengrass? Dean wasn't sure if he should be impressed or scandalized. He snorted internally; he was never scandalized. So therefore he had to be impressed, even if he may be jumping to some lofty conclusions.
He really didn't have much to add to the conversation, and so he took a sip of his bourbon, trying to think of a question to extract more information without playing the complete gossip. "Have either one of them been otherwise attached previously?" He could play the clueless male part quite well. Dean was just happy to be here, after all.
"I don't know about entangled previously," Thomasina said, airily — (actually, from what she'd heard, the Greengrass brother had been entangled with the debutante who was in front of them. But if the girl wouldn't own up to it, then Sina would not call her out in front of the gentleman, whose question allowed her room to be worse.)
"But it is utterly impossible for a married woman to misinterpret what I just saw," Sina said.
The man’s question earned a barely-contained scoff from Ida, because entanglements was far too dramatic a word to describe the situation at hand. A brief transversal, perhaps. A light coherence, maybe. But an entang–
Previously. Perhaps the Minister’s wife did not truly accentuate that particular word, but her glance over to Ida seemed to punctuate her thought. Because there had been a – slight– entanglement, of sorts. And for better or worse Ida had milked it like a cow, eager for any reprieve from her father’s constant interference. The witch flushed bright pink at the realization now that she was caught in this woman’s crosshairs.
“...E-excuse me,” she stuttered. Ida offered a half-hearted, awkward curtsy before she none too graciously fled.
Dean didn't even get to comment on whatever exchange had happened between the two women before the younger one was hastily excusing herself. Dean watched with a puzzled smile before turning back to Mrs. Dempsey with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I don't suppose I would know," Dean would in fact know very well what it was also that only a married woman would know, but he wasn't about to flat out admit that to the minister's wife, even if his smile was a little telling.
"But it seems to have frightened the young Miss off." He motioned gently with his glass to the direction she had retreated to. Pity, she was pretty.
Sina was slightly disappointed to see Miss Chang departing. She had been hoping for a smidge more drama out of this conversation.
There was something about the man's smile. Sina returned it, feeling pleased that at least someone had understood her. "How unfortunate," Sina said, although she did not sound particularly sorry. "But you do understand what I saw?"
With Mrs. Dempsey's full attention again, Dean shrugged, but his smile still held a touch of mischief. "I know the possibly implications of what you could have seen." Ever the diplomat, he knew how to phrase just about anything without tying himself into it too much. And he could do it in several languages. He quirked an eyebrow at her, curious to know what she was going to do with this information. The gossip mill had been started already; there was no way he had been the only one drawn in by her comments, and so therefor it was too late for discretion.
Mr. Hudson had some mischief about his expression — Sina wished he was more of a gossip, but she was sure some of the tons mothers would have more to say about it. "Thank you, Mr. Hudson," Sina said — now it was time to move onto those mothers.
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