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
February 8th, 1890 - Beauregard Home, Bartonburg North Stella Beauregard
Though Elsie was sure she might be exaggerating the circumstances, at least a bit, she felt like she was walking on eggshells in her own home and it was making her beyond anxious. Thanks to a terrible maid with a big mouth she was under more scrutiny that she would ever imagined- a mention in Witch Weekly and all. It was almost enough to tip her over the edge, to just cave to the easy, admittedly crazy way out and elope or something equally foolish. This was exactly why she had even imagined herself getting married or involved with anyone in her adolescence. Not that she could regret it now, regret was the furthest thing from her mind, but sometimes she did wish it was just a bit easier.
As she pushed open the door to her family home after a long day in the library, Els wanted for nothing more than to unwind and maybe even go right to bed with a book she'd brought home, but knew that wasn't really a choice. Lottie hadn't been feeling well the last couple days and Elsie meant to check in on her, but detoured to the kitchen to start the kettle for tea to bring up with her. Hanging her cloak and scarf on the way, she meandered in the warmth of the kitchen only to find her mother already home. Was she that late?
"Hello Mother, I apologize for being late. I was caught up reorganizing the herbology section." That fact was punctuated by the large tome in her arms on the subject. She'd gotten caught up because she'd been distracted reading instead of reorganizing. Whoops.
Stella Beauregard most certainly did not subscribe to Witch Weekly, but her pupil most certainly did—an arrangement that suited the governess well. That her own daughter had been included in a recent article for anything short of an engagement caused the witch no small discomfort and embarrassment, especially given how level-headed and well-mannered she knew her daughter (generally) to be.
Motherhood was not an easy job. There was the labouring, of course, which had been a menace the first couple of times but seemed almost easy with her subsequent children (bar the twins). The actual rearing of them, though, was far greater a challenge, and one most women—Stella included—were woefully unprepared for. Even with nearly three decades of experience, there were still times Stella felt overwhelmed or ill-prepared. Was she too meddlesome, or did she allow her offspring too much freedom?
Today, Stella felt, it was almost certainly the latter.
"No apologies needed, my dear—an occupation is a commitment to be fulfilled, after all," she remarked kindly—enough so that, if Elsie were paying attention, she would almost certainly detect ulterior motive. The 'borrowed' Witch Weekly sat on the table.
Nodding along, Elsie moved to start the kettle like she'd intended. "Is Lottie feeling any better?" She questioned lightly, unsure as to whether she was in hot water just yet or not. There was something in her mother's tone that suggested there was something amiss and as Els turned to get the cups from the cupboard, she found out just what it was.
On the table, perched inconspicuously where she could easily see the cover, Elsie saw the offending Witch Weekly that felt it entirely necessary to air out everyone's laundry whether it meant something or not. She sincerely wished she could leave that up to Tyb. The damage was done however, and Elsie was trying her best just to ignore it and wait for the floods to ebb and for a better, juicier story to surface so she could continue on with her life without people paying her any attention.
"And your day, Mother?" She questioned, the pause at the cover ever so brief, but probably long enough for her mother to notice.
"Still under the weather, the poor lamb, but I have no doubt she'll be right as rain before long—you know how these winter sniffles can be," Stella answered, eyes tracking her daughter's progress. Her keen eyes did not miss Elsie's recognition of the magazine's cover.
That was enough, Stella thought, to drop pretense.
"Mr. Adlard features in this week's edition," she continued their dance verbally now, gesturing at the Witch Weekly before her. "I was surprised by how...prominently, though. An entire two-page spread, if you can imagine!"
Continuing to busy herself with the tea, Elsie was glad to hear that her mother thought her sister would be better soon enough. Well aware that her mother would be the one to know, Els had to take her word for it. Motherhood was obviously a mystery to Elsie and would remain so for a long time (possibly indefinitely) but it seemed to house its own secrets of the trade that one was only privy to after a few years of experience.
About the comment further, she was cut off at the pass by her mother's next statement. Nearly flinching, Elsie instead sighed softly. "So I'd heard. Rather unfortunate." Especially so since Elsie was mentioned yet again in conjunction. Some people would feel that a large feature in the gossip rag was splendid, but she wanted no part of it. Certainly it was mostly harmless, frivolous really, but when they meddled in affairs that simply needed no publicity nor interference, it was highly obnoxious to say the least.
It was extraordinarily loathsome because she could tell her mother had something to say about it and Elsie had no escape to avoid whatever it was that was coming next.
"You've not read it?" she asked, genuinely surprised. Though Elsie was hardly one to partake in gossip, Stella had been sure someone would have seen to her education in this particular instance. "Perhaps it is best you do."
It took quite a bit to get Elsie well and truly riled up, but she was starting to get there at the moment. This whole issue was so very frustrating. She simply didn't know what else to do about it anymore other than weather the storm that seemed intent to keep on raging.
"I hardly think it prudent that I need to know what Witch Weekly thinks about me, pardon me for that Mother." She tried to keep any sign if disrespect from her tone, but there was an underlying bite Elsie wasn't sure she'd ever used in her mother's direction. Besides, whatever it was the gossip rag had conjured up was a lie anyway. It wasn't as if they really knew anything about what had happened with Mr. Adlard nor did they know about Tyb.
"It is very prudent," Stella argued, tone gentle but firm, "for what Witch Weekly says about you—even bold-faced lies—will find itself in parlours and tearooms."
Though Elsie might not now be concerned with matrimony (had she been, she would be Mrs. Adlard), Stella could not bear to see that door closed and locked to her daughter.
"People are foolish creatures," she added more softly. "They are so often inclined to believe what is interesting, not what is true."
"Bold-faced lies are not worth the attention." Elsie countered gently as she continued to fix her tea. That was all she needed to know really. The article itself was a giant lie and she knew better. "I should hardly think that I am the topic of conversations in anyone's tearoom. I'm far from interesting enough for that." Besides, though she supposed even if she was being spoken of in an ill manner, it would prevent any other eligible gentleman from heading her way. That was an unexpected little perk.
"I would hate to think anyone would speak negatively about Mr. Adlard, but his reputation will bounce back just fine." He'd find someone more worthy of his time and affections. "True or interesting, my only regret is that it would rebound on Lottie." Her younger sister's prospects were fresh, she was only a year out of school however and had plenty of time. It had taken Adella a few years, it would take Elsie even longer and Lottie would beat them all, of that Elsie was certain. "And I would also hate to disappoint you, Mother." She turned to face her mother more properly as she said it.
They had come at it from very different directions, but mother and daughter appeared to have reached the same destination. There was a shard of Stella in each of her children. Elsie's was not as large as some, but manifested in what might, in a bolder young woman, have been called her stubbornness. Stella would let the matter drop for now, but that did not mean she would not retrieve it at a later date, should it become prudent she do so.
"You could never disappoint me, dear one," she reassured her daughter firmly, smiling as she reached to place a hand on Elsie's.
![[Image: Elsie-MJSig.png]](https://i.ibb.co/zFHDHQc/Elsie-MJSig.png)
