June 11th, 1894 — London
A Dolls' Tea Party

A fragile constitution, Regina had always believed, was a polite way to call someone feeble or inclined to illness. Neither of these things described the rather overbearing Culpurnia Cress, who thrice had told her tea party guests that they were holding their dolls wrong, twice that their chosen cakes did not 'suit their complexion', and once had simply grabbed a saucer from another child's hand because she favoured the pattern.

It seemed half of Hogwarts' incoming class of first years—the ones from wealthy families, at least—had been invited. Evelyn had bid Regina be kind and mild, and explained that it was likely Mr. and Mrs. Cress wanted their daughter, hitherto largely isolated from other children, to make friends before going to school, much in the same way G had her cousins. It would be, Regina thought as she sipped her tea at the furthest table possible from their young hostess, an uphill climb.

"I thought she was going to break Mr. Riley's doll when she grabbed it from his hands so roughly," G admitted quietly to her companions. Not that she thought the boy would mind—it was probably his younger sister's. She cast a protective glance to her own doll, Isabella, on the chair beside her own, the doll's porcelain features making her look blissfully unaware of what a tyrant her hostess was.

Open to up to 3 other UC incoming firsties.

  

Mo rather thought she was too old for this, but Mama had insisted they be nice and attend. Honestly though, they were off to Hogwarts in just a couple short months, a tea party with dolls? Regardless, Mona had put on her best smile, a nice dress and pulled some ancient stuffed bear from her bed, as she didn't currently have any dolls. Mr. Bear was a perfectly good tea companion, he even had his bowtie on, obviously.

She had seated herself near Regina, as at least a friendly, family face would serve to keep her entertained and prevent her from fidgeting too much. G had such a grown-up way about her, that Mo knew she would never be able to emulate, but she could try. Well, maybe. The sentiment slipped from her lips before she could stop it, "I hope she's not in my dorm." Mo whispered conspiratorially to her aunt, leaning over just enough so that hopefully nobody else heard. It wasn't the nice Mama had asked for, but it was the truth.

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   Regina Pendergast

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Hester still wasn't entirely sure why she'd chosen to sit with the Pendergast girls. She'd brought her favorite doll — a French bisque with vibrant blonde curls she'd named Marie, not the most imaginative, but it was better than the doll not having a name at all — and now, part of her was even regretting that she'd come at all. Not that it was the Pendergast girls' fault. Rather, it was their hostess she feared. Perhaps she ought to have brought something else, as Ramona had done. Something less sentimental and decidedly softer.

"She is our hostess," Hester reminded — more for herself than anyone else at the table. But that didn't stop her next line from tumbling out of her mouth. "Isn't it true that she has no siblings?"

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set by LOU

deep in my bones, oh, yeah, i know — i am the champion

It was safe to say that Caspian was quite Over this party already. First, he had been holding the doll wrong, then had been told his cake did not suit his complexion - and what on earth did that mean? And then the hostess had taken his saucer right out his his hands while he had been using it. For Merlins sake why had the girl not earmarked it before the partys start?

The doll he had sitting precariously on his lap was not his own but rather an old one of Odessa's that she didn't even like anymore. "Indeed she has no siblings and has not socialized over much with many people of our age is what I hard a footman say." In fact, this was the first time he had ever heard of her and Caspian would have liked to have remained ignorant of her existence. But he did enjoy getting to see the people who would be in his year even if he had already known some for years simply as a side effect of them all being in the same social circles. "But do try not to let her ruin your enjoyment, the cakes are delicious, aren't they?"

  

"Let the three of us be together," G whispered back to her niece (who truly felt more a cousin), "and Miss Cress far, far away."

If Regina was even invited to attend Hogwarts. At eleven-and-some-months years of age, the youngster had not yet displayed any signs of magic, so far as she knew. Unless something happened soon, there remained a chance she would not be invited to the castle into the autumn, a prospect that had been gnawing her from the inside out with more and more ferocity with each passing year. In a year's time, it could be Miss Cress that Ramona conspired with, whispering harsh truths instead about Regina.

This thought made Miss Frey's gentle admonishment land rather harder.

"My elder sister is acquainted with her parents," she allowed, mostly for Miss Frey's benefit—Mo of course knew Evelyn (her proper aunt), and Caspian's father ran in the same circles as Elwin. "Ares and I have never been invited here, and our London house is only a block away."

She said this with all the confidence of a child who expected her anecdotal experience was definitive proof to support Caspian's claim.

Ramona Pendergast Hester Frey Caspian Pettigrew

  

Hogwarts was going to be rough for their hostess, it seemed, and Ramona, knew it was selfish to hope that she would not be a roommate. Mo could have patience, but only in short spurts. This was an excellent example. She would need to let loose and run through the garden once she got home to get out the energy she had been holding in during this tea.

"It must be lonely," Mona conceded lightly, thinking it through. She had the unique experience of having a twin, so she truly could not fathom what it was like to not have anyone. Mo was so used to sharing everything with Stella so blindly that she didn't even think about it, that's just how they were. They had shared a womb, why not everything else? "Hopefully Hogwarts will help." It was said with a bit of hesitancy, but Mo thought there would truly be no other way.

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"How unfortunate," Hester said politely. "Yes, let's hope Hogwarts helps."

Hester, being the baby of her family, knew rather well that she was just barely counted among her siblings' friends, and then only the youngest of her older siblings. Her only sister was already married and out of the house, and she only had brothers left to talk to in the house. Maybe if it weren't for her governess and Mama insisting she socialize in Hogsmeade, Hester would be much like Miss Cress...

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set by LOU

deep in my bones, oh, yeah, i know — i am the champion

Privately, G rather thought this was an... optimistic view. If Hogwarts was a place suitable for smoothing out edges so rough as this, then her mother would not have opened a finishing school (the same one her sister presently ran). Though she might have said as much were it just Miss Frey, she had always been reluctant to contradict both of her cousin-nieces, her sheer need to be included manifesting as a desire not to make waves. Regina busied her mouth instead with taking a sip of her tea.

Ramona Pendergast Hester Frey Caspian Pettigrew

  

Honestly, Caspian had mentally tuned out of the conversation for a bit. "At the very least, she will become more accustomed to being surrounded by her peers," he chimed back in. After all, seven years (assuming she stayed for the full lot, not all rich young girls did) around people of all walks of life might bring about some change. Who knew? Maybe she would graduate to barely tolerable by the time her Coming Out Ball came around.

  

"That's what I mean, plus there's etiquette lessons, those should help her." Mo was not thrilled about having to sit through those, but she supposed they would be good for some people. She truly just hoped Miss Cress was not in her dorm, Mona didn't want to be responsible for teaching the other girl how to share a space successfully. Mo rather thought that was going to be an adjustment for a lot of them, but Mo and Stella had been sharing their entire lives, it wasn't new to them.

"Only time will tell I guess. Do you all have a house in mind?" She was curious to know if anybody had put any thought into it.

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"Oh, I haven't a clue what house I might be in," Hester admitted on a delicate laugh. "I think I'd like to be a bold Gryffindor, but I worry I'm not bold enough! I do hope to stay the whole seven years, though. My sister stayed the full seven years, and she's happily married now." Hester looked up to her only sister, even though her eldest sibling had had little to no interaction with her throughout her life. She had watched her growing up, and sought to be just like her.

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set by LOU

deep in my bones, oh, yeah, i know — i am the champion

"My father was a Slytherin so I imagine that is where I might like to end up," Caspian said as he pondered the question. He knew things like House were not hereditary but often families tended to end up in the same house. Besides, he was sure his father would be proud of him if he ended up in the same house so it would be rather nice.

  

"Both my parents were in Gryffindor," Mo shrugged a little, looking at Regina out of the corner of her eye. "But I'd be okay with anywhere I think." Slytherin not so much, but after Caspian had said that, she wasn't about to blurt that out. She moved to sip at her tea, smiling at Miss Frey. "I think it's important to get the full education, hopefully you do get to stay." Mo had no interest in leaving early for any reasons, so she didn't foresee that being any sort of a problem.

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"My parents were..." Regina thought for a moment. In truth, her parents were simply not a factor, both having died before she was old enough to remember much of anything. "Slytherins, both, I believe. My guardian, too. I should be happy anywhere, though," she agreed, flashing a smile at Mo.

Anywhere she was not alone, at least.

Ramona Pendergast Hester Frey Caspian Pettigrew