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.
With the same account, complete eight different threads where your character interacts with eight different usergroups. At least one must be a non-human, and one a student.
Did You Know?
Braces, or suspenders, were almost universally worn due to the high cut of men's trousers. Belts did not become common until the 1920s. — MJ
Perched on the counter of Quality Quidditch Supplies Marlena felt decidedly out of place. Partly because of where she was sat – a position she had adopted purely so the spell she had cast on the broom meant that it wouldn’t batter her feet while it swept the floor, but did have the unfortunate side-effect of making her look like a purchase. But the bulk of her discomfort was the contents of the shop.
To say she was not at ease in the air was an understatement. Marlena had spent most of her time at Hogwarts in the library, had passed her apparition examination quicker than anyone else in her year and the question had never been whether she would pass her NEWTs, but rather, which branch of her academic prowess she would utilise in the future. She had achieved all of this while dodging flying like the plague.
Women’s troubles had been her constant companion.
“It’s nearly finished Vera,” she shouted to her sister in the back of the shop. She had arrived for tea just in time to help her oldest sister shut up the shop for the day and, despite her dislike of brooms and their various attachments, she had no qualms about waving her wand to assist. Marlena wasn’t sure of the last time she had actually used her mother’s household spells so it was nice to know she still had the knack. “Is there anything else?” She shouted, as an afterthought.
One of the shop girls, Miss Williams, had left early for a family event which had given Vera the perfect opportunity to rope her sister into helping close up shop. Frankly it wasn’t the ideal activity for some sibling bonding but needs must, she figured. That Lena seemed content to help her out eased her guilt at making her talented, Unspeakable Ministry worker of a sister do menial household spells whilst Vera counted the till. Once she balanced the books in the back — she had to remember to deliver that payment to Mr. Grimstone by the end of the week — Vera closed the ledger and sat back in her seat. She sighed for a beat, only taking care to note the ache in her feet for a second before she sprung back up and hurried out of the office.
“No, I don’t think so, thank you for doing that,” She called back, tugging on her cloak as she walked into the main display room to find her sister sitting on the counter. She laughed at the sight. “What are you thinking for some tea? Fancy the Three Broomsticks?”
One day she would have the nerve to invite her sister to her London, Marlena thought, though today was not that day. Vera could visit the capital whenever she cared to, of course, but Lena drew a distinction between London and her London. The London that had the ABC and other attractions. And her flat.
Unfortunately it had very little food and none of the home comforts that her sister seemed to exude from her very being. (Notably, she did not feel this way about Helga.) What would her sisters think of how she lived if they could see it in all it’s glory?
“Would you mind if we didn’t? I keep running into people from work and I need to talk to you about something in private,” she admitted as she slipped from the counter.
“Oh!” It was an unexpected response of her sister, and it only caused her curiosity to tick up a notch as she gathered the remainder of her things. Aside from that, she was content to go anywhere with her sister if it meant a proper catch up. Lena’s job (and location) understandably made her quite busy, and had her keep odd hours sometimes. Being a working woman herself, Vera could understand. “I wouldn’t mind at all.” The small smile that usually graced her features brightened considerably as she tugged on her hat.
“As it happens, cook made some of that delicious lemon loaf and blueberry scones last night. There still should be some leftover if Selene hasn’t gotten her hands in them yet.” Vera chuckled to herself before walking to the door and opening it. “I’m sure we can find some privacy while Selene finishes up with the governess.”
The urge to fidget with her fingers was a holdover from childhood but Lena felt them begin to twitch despite her ever-advancing age. She had said it now so she would have to go through with her plan: Vera was generally more amenable than the rest of them, true, but the Scamander streak of stubbornness would probably rear its head if provoked and no one could resist a secret offered then hidden away again.
“Or we could talk on the way?” She suggested, sliding through the door with the unfussy ease of someone who had not bothered to remove their outerwear in the first place. “I’d rather-” She cleared her throat to cover up the get this over with that had been about to follow and instead offered: “Hear your thoughts before you’ve had chance to think of something nicer to say.”
She hadn’t thought anything was amiss until her sister faltered in her request. Vera’s hand paused on the brim of her hat as she looked closer at Lena. She didn’t want to go somewhere social, nor did she see the privacy of Vera’s home as a viable place to have this conversation. Curiouser and curiouser. She blinked, pausing for a moment to make sure she had her things, then tapped the door’s handle with her wand to lock the shop. “Alright then,” She relented easily, putting her wand back in her pocket before preparing to give her sister her full attention. “What...what is it you wanted to talk about?”
Now she had said it there was no going back but Marlena was beginning to doubt her intentions. She had meant to tell Vera how she had been feeling lately – as though it had all gone wrong, mostly – but now she hesitated. Her sister was normal, after all, and had done all the things that one was supposed to do, so how on earth could Lena possibly expose her to her world?
“I’m worried about Eugene,” she said instead, the lie rolling off her tongue as easily as air left her lungs. “About how he’s coping.”
“Oh,” She wasn’t exactly surprised at what Lena had to say, but she was left feeling rather…re-directed? I’d rather hear your thoughts before you’ve had a chance to think of something nicer to say. Nicer? Would she…not have had something kind to say about Eugene, had Lena given her more time? But there was hardly time for her to be confused about what unspoken thing may or may not have just occurred, because they were on the topic of their brother. “Oh dear,” And when it came to Eugene, especially recently, Lena had been voicing what had been bugging Vera for quite some time.
“How’s he coping?” She responded, twiddling with a piece of lint she felt in her pocket.
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