June, 1895 - By post
written in French

Dear Miss Bonaccord,

My friend, I hope you are well.

I write this letter having finally been granted my just rewards for completing my OWLs. I find myself in Brilliantmont Finishing school in Switzerland and I could not be happier. The people are wonderful and the surroundings are beautiful. I would much like it if you could join me for tea here before I return home.

As I have alluded to on many many occasions throught our friendship, I will be marrying in the early year of 1896. I am eager soon to become Mrs François Dupont.

From my first days in Hogwarts you have been my friend. You took this little nervous French girl with a very poor grasp of English under your wing. Your guidance, your support and your friendship allowed me the confidence to grow into the woman that I am today. And for that I thank you.

Hermia, it would do me an honour beyond compare if you would agree to join me for my matrimony as my maid of honour. I would feel most emboldened to step forward until marriage with you at my side.

I hope that you can see to accept this and I look forward to discussing my plans for the event, of which there are many.

Yours truly,
Miss Violetta DeCroix
.. Vee

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Hermia Bonaccord

  

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7 June 1895

Chère Violetta,

You have my sincerest congratulations on completing your OWLs. I hope you are proud of your great accomplishment and that you hold your head high. I know how hard you worked for this day.

Switzerland sounds lovely, and I will ask Mama if she can spare me for a visit. I have fewer classes to occupy my time, but I will soon be assisting with the Flint summer courses. I do love teaching. I am certain Mama will allow me a visit for tea.

I hope that M. Dupont knows how lucky he is to be your intended. He is the most fortunate gentleman, and I am sure he will dote on you. It would be my honor to stand with you at your wedding. I am grateful for your friendship. It was my pleasure to guide you in your early days at Hogwarts. I am humbled that you would think of me for such a grand occasion.

We will speak soon.

A bientôt,
Hermia

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   Violetta DeCroix

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Lady is a genius

Thread Log

9th June 1895
All in French

Dearest Hermia,

Thank you! It has made my day to your response to my letter. I shall be web and have your beautiful self by myself. I will make arrangements for tea once I am further through my classes. You are the first beyond my family to know this so keep it under your bonnet, but my family are hoping to host my ceremony at Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, I have visited there once as a child and am told the renovations have made it a beautiful location.

You will find this amusing, we had a class of dinner service today, I can do these things in my sleep, but poor Miss Le Marachel, you might think she had never seen an oyster fork. I am having wine with her after I finish this letter to give her a few pointers, we ladies must succeed together.

I shall see you soon my friend. Your first duty, I have sent you with this letter a few drawings of dresses that I am partial too, perhaps you can give me your opinions?

Yours truly,
Vee

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Hermia Bonaccord

  

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11 June 1895

Chère Violetta,

I am more honored still that you would entrust me with such a secret. I promise, I will keep the venue to myself. With that said, let me now tell you just how excited you should be for your amazing wedding. Mont Saint-Michel is beautiful, a true marvel of architecture. It is the perfect tribute to our French heritage, even if the Muggles claim it as their own.

No! That reminds me of etiquette classes at Hogwarts. I always had a knot in my stomach for etiquette class. I did not worry for myself, of course, but watching our peers struggle through such things is distressing. It is good of you to tutor her, mon ami.

I think, with your stature, it would be best to avoid the puffy extravagance of some English gowns (they are truly garish!) and I would advise you to look for a slimmer silhouette. The empire waist is most fashionable.

I must ask you, now that you have the experience at finishing, is there anything new to learn about our role as women? I would wager – if I did such things – that we have been raised from the cradle for such things. I cannot imagine what else there is to learn about our femineity.

A bientôt,
Hermia

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   Violetta DeCroix

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Lady is a genius

Thread Log

14th June 1895
All in french

Dearest Hermia

Yes, then Empire waistline is one of my favourites, I do not have the curves of some of the other ladies here and I think puffs will swallow me whole. My mother has offered me her own dress, it is lovely but it is not to my taste.

Discussions of feminity have been quite interesting here, as you say there is little for me to learn with regard to the etiquette side of things. However, the fact that we are mostly in waiting for marriage has led to dorm room conversations regards, that would have had the Hogwarts professors running in alarm. There are aspects of our feminity that might be better explored with the aid of a gentleman you might say. Some of the conceptions that the other ladies have are quite amusing, Miss Saint John fears even kissing her betrothed might have her with child. I am a little more informed of such things it seems.

Hermia, would you damn me as your friend if I was the sort of person who might entertain the company of a gentleman who was not my promised? I have done something that I fear I must tell someone for fear of exploding. I have allowed the temptation of my heart to cause me impropriety. There are very few people who know, and fewer still who know the extent. I do believe the problem to have passed, but what I did cannot be taken back. Can I allow myself to believe I shall be a better wife of duty if I have at least once sampled what it is like to be a woman of love?

Yours in nervous anticipation,

Vee

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Hermia Bonaccord

  

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16 June 1895,

My sweet Violetta,

I will be forced to deny this in public, but the idea of wedding in my mother’s dress makes me even less inclined to the activity. Forgive my tongue, dear friend. I fear your wedding has sent all our mamas into fits. I think they are aware none of us will prove so beautiful a bride.

I am grateful you are not making me tell you via owl that kissing will not lead to your first child. I am ashamed you would think, even a moment, that I would condemn you. I have a world of questions, but I am not here to judge you.

I will listen, of course, and offer what council I can, but I cannot say more without understanding your worry. I also reject, whatever occurred, that you will live a life without love. Who is to say you will not find marriage the greatest adventure of your life? You are too easy to love, my friend. I choose to believe this is but a prologue to better things.

Your dear friend,
Hermia

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   Benedict Hunter

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Lady is a genius

Thread Log

20th June 1895
All in french

Dearest Hermia

Thank you for your letter of support, I am pleased that my lack of propriety has not made me a lesser friend. I shall not commit the full details of my scandal to paper should it have my letter whisked away to join the libraries of prohibited romantic fiction, but I will share when we meet if you wish.

And also a thank you for your reassurance. It is not that I see no possibility that François and I will ever find love, perhaps we will, he seems a pleasant enough gentleman, kind, handsome, I should count myself lucky. But for a man to want me for no compulsion other than his desire, it felt special. I suppose it is just my nerves causing me to overthink my future experience, I am very excited, marriage, family, everything. Its just. I look in the mirror and I see both a woman, and a child, for I am both and neither. We're you to write and announce that Miss Moony was preparing her nuptials. I would scoff that she was too young, but she has nearly three months on me, but here I am. Such a different world, it is no wonder I found tension there.

But I am ramling. I shall wrap this letter up before I am chastised for candles after last light.

Yours truly,
Vee

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Hermia Bonaccord

  

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