February 14th, 1894 - Love at First Sight Ball
after this thread

Sadie had indeed swapped to a regular white dance card after her third trip to the floor with Mr. Ashford. As content as she was to keep spending time in his company, she did need to make sure things look appropriate and she would hate to be the topic of gossip because they kept making eye contact across the room. He had been pretty clear with his intentions so far, sending flowers, calling at the house and taking her riding.

Still, she didn't want to get too ahead of herself and so thought maybe she ought to take a little breather. Without the compulsion of the pink dance card propelling her to the dance floor, Sadie thought it would be a good idea to step toward the terrace and get a little fresh air. Despite the chill in the air, it felt good on her flushed skin and she leaned comfortably on the railing of the terrace.

She'd gotten very comfortable here in Hogsmeade and she knew that it wasn't forever, unless something drastic happened, but she was coming to terms with it. Once her uncle felt better they would head back to Cheshire and though she didn't want to there wasn't much she could do about it. She had tonight however, and for however long she was in Hogsmeade, she would enjoy her time, there was no need to dwell on that now, not when there was a lovely party in full swing.

Turning to head back inside, Sadie found herself facing Mr. Hatchitt once again. She smiled slowly. She hadn't seen him since she'd first met him, but he crossed her mind far more often than was appropriate. There was just something about him that nearly triggered memories for her and she just did not know why. "Mr. Hatchitt, lovely to see you again."

---

Lester Hatchitt

  

---

Adventure Awaits!

She was dancing a great deal with an eligible bachelor tonight; Lester didn't know the man she was dancing with, and knew that he didn't have any right to feel territorial about her. She probably wasn't Sloane. She really, probably, wasn't Sloane. He couldn't convince himself tonight, so he went on the terrace to breathe, and when he went out — there she was.

He watched her for a second before she noticed him.

"Miss Sinclair," Lester said, "It's been a while."

The person at the Spirit Division had urged him to contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement if he thought she was someone else. But the Sinclairs were wealthy, and Lester wasn't sure — but sometimes she looked so much like Sloane that he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. Not when she was dancing with eligible bachelors, but standing on the terrace, smiling slowly at him — then she looked like Sloane.

"Do you ever wish you could change your appearance?" he asked, unable to resist, "Not — not that there's anything wrong with your appearance."

The following 1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post:1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post
   Sloane Bixby

---

set by Bee!

Sadie's hand automatically and self-consciously went to her hair. The blonde had been fading to brown over the last month or so and it was jut so bizarre. The fact that it hardly grew was one thing, but now changing colors! It had to be all related to her accident, but Sadie had to wonder if there was truly something wrong with her sometimes.

Making it appear as if she was just tucking some stray strands back into place, she straightened out her expression. "I do wish I was taller sometimes, but I feel like I'm shrinking." Another weird thing. The hems on her dresses kept catching! They'd had to have this one shortened just this week because it was too long at the final fitting. She had to wonder if she was actually getting shorter or if perhaps the measurements just hadn't been done right.

"I've heard of people who can do it though." She'd read about them in the library at home once. At least she thought so anyway; she couldn't exactly remember.

---

The following 1 user Likes Sloane Bixby's post:1 user Likes Sloane Bixby's post
   Lester Hatchitt

---

Adventure Awaits!

Nothing she said helped convince him that she wasn't Sloane; she thought she was getting smaller. Lester looked her over; she was still a little taller than Sloane had usually been, but when he was looking for it, he did feel like she was smaller than she had been when he met her at Sloane's grave.

He tilted his head at her. "Metamorphmagi," he said. "You haven't met one?"

  

---

set by Bee!

The chill in the air was starting to settle over her skin, so Sadie moved toward the doors once more, closer to Mr. Hatchitt, at least to capture some of the warmth from inside. If she looked at him too closely she started to think that she recognized his face, beyond their one meeting in the cemetery, but that was ridiculous. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling.

Shaking her head, she smiled. "No, but I bet it's fascinating. I've read a little bit about them in the library, I think. It's hard to remember sometimes. Have you met one?" Surely since he'd gone to Hogwarts he would have met one. That was a silly question, but she was curious. They weren't that common, if she remembered right, so perhaps not. It was such an interesting brand of magic, to be inherently able to chance one's appearance with the use of a wand or specific spells. If she could do it, she would certainly fix her hair not being able to grow. It was fine most of the time, but the length was tricky to work with for updos like the one she was currently sporting. The fact that it was changing colors would be nice to fix too!

---

  

---

Adventure Awaits!

She was closer to him now, and Lester felt like he knew the curve of her nose and the height of her cheekbones, even if her expressions were different than Sloane's were. They looked so alike, and she was getting shorter, and maybe one day she would be a mirror of Sloane and he would really feel like he'd gone mad.

But she didn't know what a metamorphmagus was. He sighed, and leaned towards the doorframe, injecting a little bit more space into the interaction.

"My best friend," Lester said, sadly. He was not sure that he'd ever, verbally, told Sloane that she was his best friend when she was alive. But she had to have known, right? (Despite himself, despite how odd and familiar she looked — he kept thinking about Sloane in the past tense.) "The one whose grave you saw."

The following 1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post:1 user Likes Lester Hatchitt's post
   Sloane Bixby

---

set by Bee!

Sadie mirrored his posture, leaning back against the door frame opposite. She settled her arms behind her more casually, helping to keep the corner from digging into her back instead. She seemed to keep catching him (or putting him?) in a melancholy sort of mood and she frowned a little as he mentioned the young woman whose grave they had met at. His affection for her was obvious and Sadie was almost a little jealous, though she pushed it down.

"She really sounds like she was a remarkable person." To inspire such a look on Mr. Hatchitt's face that clearly said he missed her. Sadie had seen it that same day in the cemetery, but she was still awed by his loyalty. "I'm sorry I keep managing to bring up your loss." Sadie meant it too. She obviously didn't know Mr. Hatchitt very well (even if she strangely felt like she did), but for some reason she had managed to keep reminding him of the loss of his dear friend and that was unintentionally unfair of her.

---

  

---

Adventure Awaits!

Lester shrugged at Miss Sinclair. "It's alright," he said, "It's nice to talk about her, sometimes." He'd been such a mess since Sloane died. Talking about her was hard, but if they didn't talk about her she was going to really die.

Maybe he owed Sloane better than looking for her ghost. Certainly he owed Miss Sinclair better than sending letters to the Spirit Division trying to figure out if she was an imposter. But, still — there was something about the way she leaned against the door frame that had him feeling like he knew her.

"You're still liking Hogsmeade?" Lester asked, sudden.

  

---

set by Bee!

Sadie had to smile at that. At least Mr. Hatchitt had fond memories of his friend that he could honor her by. Without any real memories of her parents, they almost felt like strangers to her and it was hard to mourn someone you didn't really know. Still, her heart longed to make him feel better somehow. Sadie knew that was ridiculous, so she let him change the subject without complaint.

"Yes, my stay had been extended. My uncle has fallen ill and we can't travel with him in this condition." She felt awful and selfish for being relieved that they were staying for a while longer yet, but she was enjoying herself here. Something about Hogsmeade felt like she belonged; it was a feeling she couldn't quite explain, nor had she ever felt anywhere else. She felt like she fit in here, like she was meant to be here, but that sounded crazy and so she searched for something more say to say. "He'll be alright though, which still makes me sound terrible for enjoying my time because of that, but it's been nice to have more time." She wouldn't have gotten to get to know Mr. Ashford better or Mr. Hatchitt for that matter. "Just trying to make the best of a change in circumstance." There that helped a little, right?

---

  

---

Adventure Awaits!

Lester nodded sympathetically. "I don't think you sound terrible," he said, "And I'm glad he'll be alright. And — that you're still here." Even if there was no reason for him to be attached to Miss Sinclair, he was still interested in who she was — because the more he learned about her as a person, the more reason he had to believe that she wasn't Sloane.

Even if he still could not get himself to believe it.

  

---

set by Bee!

Finding herself blushing again, Sadie had to look away and hoped the dim light hid the color on her cheeks. She wasn't so sure why she was gratified by his sentiments, but she was. He'd been the first person she'd met in town and even though she didn't know him all that well, she felt connected to him.

"That's very kind of you to say," she managed finally, after getting control of her heartbeat. It was a strange sort of sensation, not entirely unlike what she felt when she was around Mr. Ashford, but different somehow. More comfortable. Sadie shivered in the cold air, thoroughly cooled down now. She glanced back inside and then back at Mr. Hatchitt. "Do you want to dance?" She had swapped her dance card for a normal one and thankfully her aunt hadn't completely filled it.

---

  

---

Adventure Awaits!

It wasn't very traditional for the lady to ask the man to dance — another way she reminded him of Sloane. Lester gave himself a little shake. This was Sadie Sinclair, and she was — different. "Sure," Lester said, "But I'll warn you that I'm not very good." Luckily, he'd improved enough since Hogwarts etiquette classes that he probably wouldn't step on her toes.

  

---

set by Bee!