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
I've got to get home
Baby, you'll freeze out there
Say, lend me your comb?
It's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand
I thrill when I touch your hand
December 14th, 1894 — Scrimgeour Family Home; Welsh Countryside
Snowfall had started in their part of the countryside a couple of days prior. It had been a seemingly calm day today though. She had enjoyed a leisurely morning at home and had engaged with the younger of Eloise's brood. She felt like they were connecting somewhat which left her with a warm sort of feeling. That had her feeling good well into the afternoon.
A gentleman had come to call in the middle of the afternoon and he had been a welcome sight. They had met at some prior event and he had endeared himself to Minty. It looked like the feeling had been mutual or so Minty hoped. She had dear hopes to soon be courting and wed so that she would not continue to be a burden on her brother and his new wife. She adored Eloise and she loathed the idea of the other woman coming to resent her.
The visit had gone splendidly or so Minty felt. The man conversed well with her and was pleasant to look at. The hour or two had simply gone by too fast and the maid acting as their chaperone had discreetly coughed a time or two already. A hint for her potential suitor to take his leave. Oh but it did not seem fair! She was greatly enjoying his company.
"Oh, can you not stay just a tad bit longer?" Minty asked, a flirtatious lilt to her smile and tone, a sparkle in her eyes that she had not felt in such a long time. She glanced out the window and noticed that it was snowing quite a bit now. "And look at that weather! I would feel terrible to think of you heading out in such a snow storm." Perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration but surely there was no harm in the gentleman staying just a little longer?
It had been a pleasure to meet with this young woman whilst both properly dressed. It was a statement that in most other contexts might utterly besmirch her reputation but in this case, their history merely included a delightful evening in togas observing simulacrums of the long dead. She had been sweet, friendly, elegant and as he was pleased to confirm today, exceptionally pretty. Most importantly they actually seemed to get along, and not just in that stilted way that prospective courtiers were expected to enjoy each other. The last couple of hours had flown by more quickly than Harrison had expected.
He had learned some things about her, mostly surface things that were appropriate to discuss in polite company, he wished he could talk more freely. After his first meeting with her back in the summer her had quite naturally done a little digging into her family name. What he had found did give him a few questions, perhaps even reservations, but he could find nothing negative about her so he would not allow himself to discount Miss Scrimgeour until he had the chance to properly get to know her. This proved to be a good decision.
The maid began to cough non too discretely as a signal that his welcome in the home was ending and that he should make way. Miss Scrimgeour seemed to have other ideas and he smiled back to her before looking back out at the snow. "My word, it has begun to come down, hasn't it? I feel like we must have had a couple of inches in the time that we have been speaking." he was exaggerating too but felt like he and the younger woman were on the same page in this manner.
Harrison smiled conspiratorially at Araminta then stood and cleared his throat to speak to the maid. "I am terribly sorry, but I can't in good conscience ask my valet to come and fetch me on such a storm. Would you do him the kindness of asking the lady of the house if I might have leave to stay a little longer?" he hoped the plight of one servant might encourage another to give him that grace. In an ideal world, she might disappear out of the room and spend and spend hours searching the halls for Mrs Scrimgeour, but that was a highly unrealistic dream.
"It certainly has. And Merlin knows all the chaotic mishaps that can happen with magic and snow," Minty said with a smile. Why early in the year, there had been a terrible blizzard that had effected magic in weird ways. So there was precedent.
Her maid rose an eyebrow but even so went in search of Media Scrimgeour. "The snowfall really is so lovely when it isn't causing magical blackouts," she mused as she took advantage of her maid being gone to stand just a little bit closer. Harrison Knight
As the maid vanished and Minty stepped closer Harrison relaxed a little, it was such an obvious ploy to get her alone that if a lady had not been interested in it then she would likely find a polite reason to leave the room herself along with the maid.
"It really is, its such a lovely sight, and yet I find it hard to cast my eyes at anything outside this room." he said in a soft flirtatious voice as he took another step towards her by the window and looked out. "Makes me feel cold just to look at it, give me an open fire and some thick furs and see me melt into them with a whiskey in hand."
They had little time so they should do more than just muse about the weather, so he gave her the oppurtunity to be open. "So now we have the floor alone I offer you my candour, what would you ask a man if noone else would ever know? No limits, no judgement?" he smiled at her and cocked his head, daring her to take even a small beyond propriety.
Minty smiled at his words. He really was such a charming man and she was glad to be in his company. Her mother likely found not glaring fault with him either if she was allowing him to call on her like this without looming over them. Though she could probably also be eavesdropping. One never really knew.
She laughed lightly as he continued to speak. A warm fur by a fire did sound incredibly cozy. Maybe even romantic. As for his next question though - she could sense the dare in it. "Hmm," she intoned playfully, tapping her chin with her finger as she thought of what she could ask.
"Do men find the whole marriage chase as incredibly daunting as we women do? Do any of you get just as nervous at the prospect of a man you find interest in not holding the same kind of interest?" She then smiled at him. "I suppose I was able to think of more than one question."
He gave a broad smile, he had hoped she would ask something pointed like this and not some empty lady-like question like where he enjoyed to summer. Looked thoughtful for a moment considering his answer and how it actually pertained to him. "I suppose there is a little of that of course, its only natural that should you find a lady you are taken with to be disappointed if she turns away. But I doubt it is nearly daunting as what you ladies face. Should I end up a confirmed batchelor I shall still have my wealth, my standing and all the trappings of being a man." he nodded, that seemed like as good an answer as any. He dearly hoped that he did not get matched with some harpy that only wished to spend his money on some other man, but he had the option to choose not to marry.
"I do know several chaps whose inheritance is tied to finding a match, so I guess it can happen."
It was a difficult chase for both sides in their own way but much more so for her. Then he had a wicked question of his own. "Does it trouble you that women are expected not to entirely explore what they enjoy before they find out what they are getting?.. regards whiskeys of course." he gave the most subtle of wink, his words gave her the escape if she needed it but he hoped she understood and accepted his playful question.
Minty was glad he seemed to be taking answering a little seriously. She enjoyed his rather jovial personality but it was comforting to know he had the capacity for somewhat serious thought as well. He had a point there about bachelors, they were more free then women. Hers was a destiny to either be put under the care of a husband or reside with her family for the rest of her life.
The thought was not appealing and besides, she wanted a family of her own someday.
Minty blushed at his question then chided herself. He could mean very innocent things there! But that wink made her think her instincts were correct. "A little. What if I don't like the... whiskey after all? Or it smells bad when living with it all the time?"
His laugh was warm, "Well I suppose if the whiskey smells awful you can just toss it in the lake and let the squid have its way."
He had a little bit more of s think about the analogy before continuing to labour it, but it seemed like this was a handy way of discussion a topic without alerting the nosey ears of the house staff that couldn't be far away. "Believe it or not it is a problem us men face too. We are expected to sample our drinks, which is fun of course, but rarely the best quality. The real top shelf stuff... Let's just say it's something we might have to fight the house staff to get our hands on." he gave her a look that might make her realise who he was currently speaking of.
"I should probably cease or I develop myself quite a thirst." he laughed again and nudged her playfully. Harrison was the sort of man who liked to play games, he liked to push his luck, maybe put one foot over the line, but never both, never give a woman a reason to label you a Cad, it was what his father had always taught him.
"Oh, I could never do that," Minty said with a laugh. She did wonder what most women did if they found their husbands to be intolerable. She supposed most simply put up with it.
Her cheeks flushed prettily as she caught on to his meaning. It was a little forward of him but she was fine with it. It wasn't like he was getting fresh or anything. Though a part of her didn't think she would wholly mind but still. She was a proper young lady. "High quality is always worth it in the end."
She could hear footsteps approaching and she turned to him with a smile. "Sadly, I think our time together is due to come to a close."
The woman was a breath of fresh air and he enjoyed seeing the polite flush on her face as he pushed his luck. He heard the footsteps too as she turned toward him. It was a shame they did not have the privacy to explore the undeniable spark between the two of them. If they were people of lesser station he might take her to him and give her a farewell kiss, but then even without proprietary holding him back it was never good to have an audience. He tried not to laugh to himself.
The chaperone walked back in and interrupted his train of thought. "I should make my way home, I'm sure the weather is clearing. Thank you for entertaining me. If you approve I would like to call again in the new year." he grabbed his coat and hat and wrapped himself up ready to politely leave. He spoke to the maid to bid her farewell too. "Its been a pleasure, although I worry I have bored the young Miss Scrimgeour with talks of drink. Do you like whiskey Miss?" he asked the maid while giving Minty a conspiratorial smirk as he walked away.
"It does seem to be," Minty said in reluctant agreement. If she kept him too much longer and people came to know, they might begin to talk. "I should enjoy that very much," she said as he spoke of calling again. She smiled to herself at what she now thought of their inside joke when he asked the maid about whiskey. The maid seemed a little confused as she denied enjoying the libation as she called for the butler to escort the gentleman out.
