#Adelia Selwyn

[carewyncromwell]

3 for Jackmon?<3

"No, I'm not being overdramatic!"

referencing Montelimar Bloom @cursebreakerfarrier, Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch, and Io Gordon @drinkyoursoupbitch

At the turn of the century, there was no bigger drama queen -- or, perhaps in this case, drama monarch -- attending Hogwarts school than Slytherin house's own troublemaking charmer and dynamic Quidditch commentator, Jackson Knightly. Unlike his dormmates Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt, Jackson had always been prone to being very flamboyant in expressing his feelings -- he would compliment people he liked profusely, he would sass the hell out of anyone who insulted him with a broad grin, and he would give flowers to just about any girl he met that looked like they needed some cheering up. It was quite frankly unsurprising that most of Jackson's closest companions ended up being those who could successfully rein him in -- most notably, his first and closest friend in the world, Adelia Selwyn; his aforementioned and much more level-headed dormmate Ominis Gaunt; and the brilliant Ravenclaw who would eventually become Jackson's husband, Montelimar "Monty" Bloom.

If one thought Jackson was prone to drama in his younger years, it was nothing compared to when he was in denial about the extent of his feelings for Monty. At one point the sixth-year Slytherin was so upset that Ominis had to recruit his crush Gryffindor Beater Io Gordon to fly up on her broom so she could help him retrieve an incredibly drunk adder from a high branch on the tree next to the Black Lake. (An incredibly drunk illegal adder Animagus, for the record.)

"Merlin's beard," Ominis swore at Jackson in Parseltongue as he carried the adder back to school on his shoulder, "how did you even navigate your way up there in the first place? You look like you can hardly see straight, let alone slither anywhere!"

"Aw, don't be sssssilly, Gaunt, old boy," Jackson hissed cheerfully, giving something of a cheerful hiccup through his fangs. "I t'wasn't doing nothing -- just ccccelebrating with some firewhiskey for Bloom, thass'all...making a wedding toast or two for 'im..."

Ominis wanted to facepalm. "Wedding? For goodness' sake, Knightly -- "

"They make a lovely couple, don't they?" Jackson hissed more loudly than ever, his voice more of a dementedly happy shriek now. "Bloom and Miss Oakessss -- ssssuch a lovely pair -- more than sssssuitable for proper wizarding sssssociety, ssssuch a pretty, bright couple -- "

"Knightly, they were assigned partners for a Charms project, not bloody betrothed," Ominis said exasperatedly. "Stop being so overdramatic."

"I am NOT being overdramatic!" Jackson snapped abruptly out of nowhere.

The adder then flopped down almost comically on Ominis's shoulder, his angry retort flipping over into a way-too-loud miserable moan on a dime.

"'M sssssorry, Gaunt -- hic -- I didn't mean to yell at you...it'ssss just not FAIR...we alwaysssss got to pick partnerssss in Charms, and I don't wanna be with Clopton, he's an abssssolute flapdoodle -- I wanna be with Bloom, I wanted to work with Bloom -- he's my Frenchman, my brilliant Ffffrenchman..."

The snake Animagus trailed off into more hissing, incoherent mumbles under his breath. Ominis brought a hand up to his face, massaging his temple with his fingers.

"You are hopeless," he muttered sourly. With a sigh, he said, "Come on -- I'm taking you to the Prefect's Bathroom and getting you cleaned up."

Maybe dunking his stupid head under some cold water a couple dozen times would help sober this idiot up.

Jealousy Prompts!

[usernoneexistent]

8th March 1897. The bi-weekly newsletter bringing you the latest news and gossip at Hogwarts for witchcraft and wizardry written by Winona Rosewood - this is the entry for this month's @hp-12monthsofmagic challenge

CELEBRATING WITCH MONTH

This month of March we want to unofficially celebrate the wonderful and wickedly talented witches found within our own school of witchcraft and wizardry, so wizards take a step back while today I will dedicate this week's newsletter to several ladies that I believe deserve the utmost attention. Unfortunately, the small amount I can write is only a small part as they are complex and people should take the time to get to know them.

AN ENTREPRENEUR IN HER OWN RIGHT

This may be my bias as Victoria Summer @whatwouldvalerydo, my dearest and darling friend to place her first but it would be outrageous if I didn't. This sweet and fair Gryffindor has a business mind screw on top. Her perfumes are to die for and I have never smelled so heavenly. I could dedicate a while page to her but I must share it with others.

BRINGING THE FIRE TO HOWARTS

Ema McGiliguddy @kc-and-co entered Hogwarts with fire and style. Literally. This adventerous Slytherin has all eyes on her and certainly the Newspapers have been lying as she is far from the frail girl they make her out to be. I do watch her in anticipation for what may be next on her path of adventure.

A WITCH OF HER OWN MAKING

What goes on behind this inquisitive Ravenclaw's mind is anyone's best guess but Persephone Gould @cursebreakerfarrier is certainly multi talented. A prefect I would love to have and daring in her choice of past time endevours like fencing to name but one.

MORE THAN JUST A STYLE ICON

Despite my past article about her, Carolyn Nyberg @lifeofkaze I do find she certain qualities to be admired. While her beauty is so great that she makes the beautification potion envy there, she is so much more with mind enviable too.

THE ALCHEMIST'S GOLD

Though brief our interaction may be through Delilah Sweets, Violette Durand @cursed-herbalist it was made clear to me that she is going to go far. In spite of her agreeable nature, there is an ambition to create more paths for women in alchemy.

A NEW AND GORGEOUS LIONESS

Io Gordon @drinkyoursoupbitch, Head Girl and the latest addition to our wild Gryffindor brood. She is certainly welcomed with open arms, at the very least from me.

AN ASTRONOMICAL MIND

Now while I don’t have much to do with Héloïse Perrault @the-al-chemist, I heard much about her. This French witch is proving herself of wit and intellect certianly befitting of a Ravenclaw. Her starry mind will certainly bedazzle everyone at Hogwarts.

A SOPHISTICATED POTIONEER

Lastly, I present Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch whom I have to admit that I deeply admire her skillful hands as all I can watch with awe and wonder how she can brew potions so perfectly.

[the-al-chemist]

The Beginning of a Symphony - Chapter 38

A/N: Ophelia lets her guard down for once.

Warnings: fainting incident, arguing, mentions of privilege, poverty, sickness and death.

OCs featured/mentioned: Carolyn Nyberg @lifeofkaze, Professor Macmillan and Bradford Pendleton @kc-and-co, Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch, Marigold Sterling @that-scouse-wizard, Leila Hellebore @whatwouldvalerydo.

May 1897

Three weeks had passed since the Celestial Ball, and yet the evens of and following the evening were still the main points of conversation around the castle. There had been both rumours of new courtships and confirmations of already rumoured courtships, and it seemed that this was to be the summer of love for Ophelia’s classmates.

Not for Ophelia herself, however. The ball had seemed like the perfect opportunity for herself to finally reap the rewards of the efforts she had made to find herself a suitor, but her efforts, it had transpired that her efforts were fruitless. She had danced with several young men, but none had since shown any interest. Meanwhile, almost all of the other girls she knew - even the terrifying Leila Hellebore - were now being courted by someone.

Ophelia had never been the sort of girl to get despondent over frivolous matters, not when she knew that there were real hardships in the world, but even so, her lack of success was beginning to get to her. Was she destined to be an impoverished spinster? Were her fortunes never going to change?

She pondered these questions silently in Herbology, which might have been her favourite subject were it not for the soil that dirtied her hands and dresses, and never seemed to fully eradicate itself from underneath her fingernails, no matter how hard she scrubbed. She was so lost in her thoughts that she barely listened to Professor Macmillan’s lecture, and only became aware that she had finished when the sound of her voice was replaced with the sound of quiet mewling and the chuckles of her classmates, all of whom were now wearing ugly earmuffs and looking at what Professor Macmillan held aloft in her gloved hand: a plant shaped like a wrinkled, dirty baby.

Ophelia wrinkled her nose, and the plant baby opened its mouth. The mewling stopped, and was replaced by a loud piercing scream, which echoed around the greenhouse, high-pitched and dizzying, so very dizzying. Ophelia swayed on the spot at she heard it, her head growing light and her legs weak and wobbly. As they gave out underneath her, pinpricks of light seared her vision, and then everything went dark.

When the world around her returned, she found herself no longer in the greenhouse, but the Hospital Wing, where Nurse Blainey the matron was busying herself by arranging her bedclothes and pouring out a pink-tinged liquid from a brown bottle.

“What happened?” Ophelia asked her. “How-”

“Mandrake,” Nurse Blainey tutted. “You should count yourself lucky that it was not fully matured. Whyever were you not wearing earmuffs? No matter. Here, drink this while I examine you.”

Having imbibed the matron’s pink tonic and been declared fit to be discharged, Ophelia left the Hospital Wing. It was time for dinner, and so she headed for the Great Hall, and took a seat with her dorm-mates, who greeted her far more frostily than she had expected. Marigold pursed her lips and looked down at her meal determinedly, Adelia made brief eye contact before looking away, and Carolyn stared at her from across the table with such a sharp look in her eyes that it felt as if she were trying to cut Ophelia into pieces with her gaze.

“Is something the matter?” Ophelia asked, and Carolyn let out a derisive snort. Ophelia frowned. “Carolyn, are you-”

“Do not pretend that you hold me or my wellbeing in any sort of regard,” Carolyn replied shortly. “If you did, you would not have pulled that little stunt in Herbology this afternoon.”

“What little stunt?”

Carolyn gave a harsh laugh. “You are not so naïve as to not know what stunt I refer to.” Ophelia was indeed so naïve, but thankfully Carolyn enlightened her without requiring prompting. “I am, of course, talking about you orchestrating a faint so that you could get Brady’s attention, when you know perfectly well that we are now courting.”

“I did not orchestrate anything,” Ophelia said. “I did not even know that Brady was nearby when I swooned, and it was an accident.”

“Of course, just like it was an accident when you did the same thing in front of Henry Alderly.”

“You heard of that?”

“Of course, everyone heard. Everyone knows about you, Ophelia.”

Ophelia stiffened. “What do they know?”

“That you are scheming and so very desperate to be loved that it verges on pathetic,” Carolyn said with a sneer. She did not speak loudly, but still the eyes of those around them had turned to their conversation, all looking with curiosity. Ophelia felt the colour rise in her cheeks. “I knew that it was true, of course, but I thought that you were a friend. I never thought that you would play your silly little matchmaking games with Brady. I never thought that you would be that desperate, or that cruel. I suppose that was my mistake, and my misfortune to-”

“No,” said Ophelia, more harshly than she had intended. Caro raised her eyebrows.

“What?”

“I said no,” Ophelia repeated, louder this time. Her heart was beating faster than before. “You do not get to talk to me about misfortune. You know nothing of misfortune, none of you do.” She gestured not only at Carolyn, but the other students in her vicinity, all staring at her. “How could any of you spoiled brats possibly know anything of misfortune, when you are all so clouded by privilege that you can barely know of anything that is beyond the tips of your snooty noses?”

“Ophelia…”

“Has a single one of you ever known what it is to be cold in winter for lack of warm clothes? To be hungry for lack of food? To not know when or where your next meal might come from? Of course you have not, because you have everything, and everything you do not have is sure to be handed to you on a silver platter by a House Elf the moment you ask for it. Meanwhile, some of us have nothing, and we cannot afford even the very basics for survival, let alone pretty dresses and jewellery for balls.

“So, I am afraid that you will have to excuse me if I am ‘desperate’. Perhaps what you consider desperation is merely my determination to do whatever it takes so that I may escape the poverty into which I was born, so that I may carve out a life for myself where I can afford my own wand rather than one that is second-hand, where I will never again have to watch my own sister die because there is no money for medicine…”

Ophelia stopped, aware once more of the eyes on her and the volume at which she was speaking. She clapped her hand to her mouth, but it was too late. She had spilled her secret, her greatest secret, the one she had swore she would never tell anyone. Unable to take her words back, she swallowed, and stood up from the table.

“Excuse me,” she said, trying her hardest to regain her composure. She half-curtsied. “I must take my leave of you.”

It was a miracle that Ophelia was able to walk at all, let alone walk away so briskly, with her legs feeling almost as jellylike as they had after the mandrake had screamed. Still, she managed to keep her body upright and chin aloft until she was out of the Great Hall and in an empty courtyard beneath the setting sun. With no one around to see her, she allowed her composure to drop once more, and she closed her eyes, raised her head to the sky, and screamed at the top of her lungs.

[endlessly-cursed]

hp women appreciation week, day two; favourite women that are not mine

agata della rovere; she's such an interesting and multi-layered and complex woman, I was besotted with her the moment I saw her @potionboy3

gaia alden; I know she remains a mystery but she's my emmie's descendant and i'm also in love with the concept of her and olympia (make them a couple challenge!!!) @cursed-herbalist

verna malinda; the first character of gryff that I met and I fell for. She's brave, tragic, heroic, and like me, one useless lesbian. I love her and she remains in my loml list @gaygryffindorgal

astraea mckenzie; she's beauty, she's grace, she's my baby and bestest girl of the founder's era. I fell in love with her and she remains a fav of this era ♥ @magicallymalted

ava campbell: reading book two of tpr made me fall for ava quickly: reckless, badass, with a strong sense of justice and one of the strongest characters of the saga, ava is a well-developed and written character and i can't wait to dive into her stuff @lifeofkaze

ophelia burke; she's such an interesting character, and the true embodiment of abba's 'money money money'. She's cunning, smart and knows how to play the game, and i can't wait to see the last part of symphony @the-al-chemist

brianna o'rourke; she's an underrated baby, someone i highly relate to and her character alone without her li is so interesting and fun to read! A comfort character of mine @unfortunate-arrow

virginia scott; another underrated b!tch, she's literally what i aspire to be someday, not to mention an instant crush and fav, she deserves to be in this list @slytherindisaster

adelia selwyn; a crush of mine before i came into the fandom (and later inspired me to join it!) Her beauty matches her intellect and she's one of the most all-time iconic women of the era. This legend is worthy to be here @thatravenpuffwitch

siobhan llewellyn; ofc shiv should be here!!! she was another of the inspos to join here and one of the first ocs i interacted, as well as her owners. She's badass, with a soft side, funny and witty, same goes for her owner 🤍 @kc-and-co

odette bellerose; yet another underrated baby, she's literally living my dream: live in marseille in a big ass mansion in late victorian england. she's such a complex and interesting character, she deserves to be here @kathrynalicemc

miriam cairncross; of our brokencross universe, miriam was the first lady i was introduced to and she was an instant fav!! She always shows that she's not just eli's wife and is interesting in her own right. She deserves to be here as well @cursebreakerfarrier

mathilde coventry; a recent one, she's such a badass as well! Poisoning her way through everything and ofc her special relationship with my bruna is one of the best girls out there @camillejeaneshphm

abbi bennett; ofc i had to put my wife here! She's one of the best characters, and alongside roxie, is a fav of mine. I'm forever thankful that you chose her to be ernest's wife 💜 @mjs-oc-corner

[unfortunate-arrow]

𝐻𝒫 𝒲𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝒜𝓅𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒾𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒲𝑒𝑒𝓀

Day Two: Who Run The World? Girls! (Talk about another OC that isn't yours that you love and why) of @endlessly-cursed’s HP women appreciation week

Many of the HPMA/modern girls that are my favorites can be found here!

Theo Abbott→ One of Tadhg’s first friends, Theo is such a unique character and so fun. @smarti-at-smogwarts

Adelia Selwyn → Another one of Tadhg’s closest friends, Adelia is one of the best Slytherin girls out there. Her friendship with Tadhg is one of my favorites. @thatravenpuffwitch

Ivy Anders → Max’s girl. Ivy is one of the most fun Hufflepuff girls and is so unique. Her love of quidditch, baking, and parties are probably her most unique features. @kc-and-co

Josie Edwards → William’s girl. Josie is also a unique Hufflepuff girl. Her love of creatures coupled with a soft nature is what sets her apart from many of the other HL puff girls. I love her story with William. (Absolutely not biased or anything, but they might be my favorite of my HL/Victorian ships.) @slytherindisaster

Ethel Malinda → Rory’s girl. She’s such an interesting character, especially with the fact that she decides to reject her supposed place in the world. I like that she’s a journalist and I love the stuff that we’ve developed for Rethel. @gaygryffindorgal

Lyra Wilson → Huck’s girl. Lyra is amazing and I love how different her story. There aren’t many other HP OCs with Australian heritage. I love that she has different passions and just how unique she is. @cursebreakerfarrier

Scotty Rosier → Finn’s girl. Scotty is so much fun, even if I don’t know that much about her. She is such a fun character and I’ll also give a small shout-out to Wendy, who was one of my first intros to the joy of oc-oc friendships. @drinkyoursoupbitch

[smarti-at-smogwarts]

How about a playlist for the Tadhg Lynch Protection Squad as a whole?

Hope Ur Okay_Olivia Rodrigo ( this is the first song i ever assigned to them and it makes me so emo listen)

And when the clouds won't iron out And the monsters creep into your house And every door is hard to close

Well, I hope you know how proud I am you were created With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred But, God, I hope that you're happier today 'Cause I love you And I hope that you're okay

I'll Save You_Jordan Sparks

But I have found a place That I can call my own And I could take you there Why should you be alone?

Stand By You_Rachel Platten

Hands, put your empty hands in mine And scars, show me all the scars you hide And hey, if your wings are broken Please take mine 'til yours can open too 'Cause I'm gonna stand by you

Seven Years-Lukas Graham

It was a big-big world, but we thought we were bigger Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker

Here's To Us_Kevin Rudolf

Everybody's got a story they must tell an' You got yours and i got mine All the times you felt the pain and seen the glory It feels good to be alive

Bonus:

This Is Home_Switchfoot ( the hogwarts years)

Yeah, this is home I've been searching For a place of my own Now I've found it Maybe this is home Yeah, this is home

[lifeofkaze]

You can never have too much soup! Until you do and then you get sick and okay I'll stop

Oh I loved this one. I know it might not look like it, considering how long this took me but trust me - I did.

Characters featured (both fully and in mention) belong to @the-al-chemist @thatravenpuffwitch @kc-and-co and @slytherindisaster

“Trust me, this is going to be funny.” “I’m not sure I share your perception of funny, old chap.” Bradford Elijah Pendleton IV swallowed uncomfortably. Nervously, he glanced to where the object of their current conversation was sitting in the shade with her friends. “It sounds dangerous, if anything.” "I must say, I agree," Jim Hexley butted in from the side, sounding as nauseous as Brady himself felt. "There's people you don't trifle with." He couldn't have said anything more wrongly. Rising to what he perceived a challenge, Lysander Mercury got to his feet from their spot in the cloisters of the clocktower courtyard and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Oi, Iceberg!" The shoulders of the witch his words were aimed at stiffened, her already pinched-looking face growing tighter still. Sighing heavily, she put down her book and shared a meaningful look with her friends. "How can I help you, Lysander?" "Go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Carolyn Pendleton froze, the only indication that she had heard him a slight twitch in her sharply outlined eyebrows. Next to Lysander, both Brady and Jim shifted in their seats. "Pardon me?" "You head me right." Lysander grinned, stretching his arms above his head. "You, me, the Three Broomsticks. Sounds marvellous, doesn't it?" Caro inhaled deeply, a smile forming on her face that was so sweet it made Brady fight the urge to duck his head. "I'd rather dip my head in a boiling cauldron, strip down naked and run around the Black Lake in a hailstorm but thank you anyway. It was sweet of you to consider me." Lysander grimaced. "Oh, what a shame. I shall not be able to continue to live, having suffered such a blow. Except..." Screwing shut his eyes, Lysander's face began to change. His smooth skin grew deep lines around a suddenly hard mouth. His hair, golden in the sunshine, darkened to a deep brown streaked with lines of silver. Wrinkles appeared between his now bushy brows, and a stubble as well as a close-cropped beard was covering his cheeks. He cracked his neck from side to side, the long scar running from the top of his hairline to the corner of his mouth shimmering subtly in the light. His transformation complete, the image of Potions Master Aesop Sharp wiggled his eyebrows at the gaping girls. "How about now?" Caro's cheeks flashed an alarming shade of pink, pinker than Brady had ever seen them. One of her friends giggled into her hands, biting her lip upon receiving an icy look from Caro. Then, she turned her steely eyes onto Lysander. "If you, for one sliver of a moment, think..." "And what would be the meaning of this?" Lysander froze, and so did Brady, Jim, and the girls in the shade as a shadow fell over Lysander - a shadow that bore a striking resemblance to the features the young shapeshifter's face had taken. Swallowing, Lysander's face returned to its normal form in less than a heartbeat. "Nothing, Professor Sharp. I was merely trying to brighten these lovely ladies' day." "Of course you were, Mercury." Professor Sharp gave him a long look, then turned his attention to the girls, who all of a sudden sat up straighter than they had a moment before. He nodded at Caro and the witch sitting right next to her. "Nyberg, Selwyn. With me. I have need of some competent potioneers to help me catalogue the latest delivery of nightshade and moondew." Brady could have sworn the Potions Master's eyes had grazed him on the word 'competent'. Across the courtyard, Caro and her friend Adelia Selwyn almost - almost - scrambled to their feet, whispering among themselves. Brady didn't think he had ever seen Carolyn Nyberg this flustered. As the two of them hurried past Brady and his friends, Lysander couldn't help himself. His eyebrows turned dark and bushy once more, wiggling as he whistled lowly through pursed lips. If possible, Adelia and Caro walked even straighter and with their heads held high but the flush climbing up their necks was undeniable as they hurried away.

[catohphm]

Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy Appreciation Week - Day 4: Favorite Ships by Moots

Hey guys! This is the fourth entry for @endlessly-cursed’s fantastic HPHL Appreciation Week. Today the focus is on other people’s ships! Y’all have made some wonderful couples and friend groups/duos! There are so many of them that again it is a challenge to narrow down which ones will be featured for the post. Anyway here goes:

Tedelia - Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch and @cursebreakerfarrier

Slytherin and Gryffindor in love and getting along like peas and carrots? It’s hard to believe for the common student but if the passion is there it is going to happen. Dear Addy is far from the stereotype of her house and she is so wonderful and compassionate! Teddy and his dormmates are a group of chaotic Gryffindors but they love their gals all the same. Together he and Addy have built a beautiful family with three great kiddos. Danny is a frequent visitor to the Selwyn-Ellison household and he loves Teddy, Addy and their kids so much!! He considers the kids part of his found family just as much as their parents, they’re like nephews and nieces to him and he tries to find them great gifts for their birthdays and Christmas celebrations. Danny has always been close with Teddy and Adelia - he and Teddy are colleagues as aurors and he stops by to see Adelia frequently while working in France. The role that Tedelia has in Danny’s life is why it is number one on this list!

Roxariel - Gabriel Sapieha @slytherindisaster and Roxie Haley @beloved-bucky

This wholesome ship reaches number two spot by a close margin to Tedelia. I cannot decide which should be number two because its more like that it and Tedelia hold equal places in my book. Still this ship is one of my favorites because the gal in here is Danny’s sister figure and best friend Roxie! Gabriel is also a dear friend to him! He is protective of Danny and cares a lot for his well-being, where to he would put himself in harm’s way to keep him safe. The dynamic for Roxariel is unique - I just love how Gabriel and Roxie are still able to love each other so much even though she is a vampire. In a time where racism and supremacy still dominate the wizarding world, this couple can be an example of how minorities can still achieve successful and fulfilling lives just like regular people. Danny is also very grateful to have Gabriel and Roxie in his life and they’re very dear to him - his life would never be complete in their absence.

Galehan - Siobhan Llewelyn @kc-and-co and Galen Stagg @cursebreakerfarrier

Two sweethearts that have it all. Their story is about living life to the fullest. Bonding over a love of magizoology and outdoorsy-ness, Bon-bon and Galen live a very unique and epic lifestyle with many connections around the world. They look over many creature reserves in several countries - one of which is located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Danny vibes with the couple over their appreciation and reverence of the outdoors, reminding him of the better angels of his old home far away. He loves Bon-bon so much and they’ve been best buddies since their Hogwarts days. Galen is such a sweet and soft boy with great compassion and acceptance for minority groups which Danny really appreciates! When working in America he often stays at one of the reserves under the care of Shiv and Galen and is always happy to see them and hear about their latest adventures!

Reubeila - Leila Hellebore @whatwouldvalerydo and Reuben Willows @that-scouse-wizard

While I don’t bring up this ship much it still deserves recognition. Like Roxariel, this ship is another great example of how normally disadvantaged groups in wizarding society are still capable of having romantic feelings, falling in love, getting married and raising a family! Reuben is an awesome quidditch mate of Danny and Leila is a Slytherin lady with demon heritage. Like him they’re both are the type that may seem intimating on the outside but on the inside they’re just amazing friends who do great things for those they know and do their best to give back! 

[carewyncromwell]

Jackson and Matilda, please?

Hogwarts's Deputy Headmistress actually knew of Jackson long before his other professors. As Deputy Headmistress, it was her responsibility to write to all those students who the Book of Admittance had chosen to attend Hogwarts each year, and one of those such students was Jackson. You can imagine Matilda Weasley's shock and concern when -- after sending Jackson's letter to the address on file for Cassandra Knightly -- she received a letter back from Cassandra's father, Everard Knightly, explaining that his grandson had been kidnapped by his Muggle father the previous year and taken to places unknown. Matilda followed up with the Ministry of Magic about this, and sure enough, a case file had been opened, but with no further leads, it had gone cold and there was no indication of where poor Jackson might be. Matilda was heartbroken by the news and actually sent several letters to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement over the next two years, pressuring them to keep looking for Jackson, just as Everard had been. Fortunately, after nearly three years of separation from his mother, twelve-year-old Jackson was discovered in New York City thanks to the efforts of one Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch and the MACUSA. Matilda was very relieved by the news, and quickly set about preparing the new arrival to start his second year at Hogwarts.

One could argue Matilda Weasley was predisposed to like Jackson from the offset, just because of everything he'd suffered through prior to getting to school, but this isn't wholly true. Jackson just turned out to be a rather amiable, charming boy -- upon first meeting Matilda Weasley at the Knightly estate before he started at Hogwarts, Jackson immediately bowed to her, offered to take her cloak, and even brewed up a pot of tea for her, his mother, his grandfather, and himself, without any prompting. Matilda was also both startled and awed when Jackson ended up moving the furniture around the room and even conjuring a white rose out of thin air for his mother, all without a wand. Matilda was quick to caution Jackson about using wandless magic, given the risk of becoming an Obscurus -- a warning she'd have to give him several more times in his school career -- but she could already see that this young man had extraordinary magical talent, especially for her own subject, Transfiguration. When Jackson started at school officially, he soon became one of Matilda's most gifted students, acing just about every Transfiguration assignment he was ever given. Matilda would've probably sung Jackson's praises as a student if it weren't also for him constantly breaking school rules. Sneaking into Hogsmeade; exploring forbidden corridors; breaking into the Headmaster's Office and the Restricted Section; finding dangerous creatures in the Forbidden Forest; sparking duels in the corridors -- Matilda quite frequently arranged for Jackson to serve his detentions with her, just so she could make sure the other professors (like his Head of House, Abraham Ronen) wouldn't go too easy on him and she could bend his ear off about him squandering his potential and defying authority just because he thought he could get away with it.

As Jackson grew older, though, he grew a little wiser and more responsible, to the point that he decided he wanted to go into politics, to make a real difference in the world. Matilda was very encouraged to hear that Jackson hd earned a place on the Minister's support staff while still a young adult and was even more pleased when Jackson became Minister for Magic. She even attended Jackson and Monty's wedding at the Knightly estate. The two did end up having something of a falling-out, though, when Jackson made the decision to actively keep the British Wizarding World out of World War I -- the Weasleys in general, being both so strongly pro-Muggle-rights and unafraid of conflict or battle, were all vocally opposed to the decision, and Matilda was no exception. She even condemned Jackson in a letter at one point, saying that she would never have imagined he could be so blinded by the fears of his past that he'd place a higher value on the Statute of Secrecy than on his constituents' families' lives. After Grindelwald's rise to power, however, Jackson earned back Matilda's favor when he publicly, candidly, and passionately rebuked Grindelwald and his ideals, regardless of anyone else's opinions on the matter. The now elderly retired professor even Transfigured a letter into a paper owl to ensure it reached Jackson at the Ministry, in which she applauded his courage and admitted that she'd always admired how Jackson had never allowed his father's cruelty to blind him with hatred toward all Mugglekind, let alone the world and Fate overall. Later that decade, Jackson was one of many attendees to Matilda Weasley's funeral, and when asked to speak, spoke very fondly of his ex-professor --

"In some ways at school, she was very much like what I've heard many mothers are, for their children. I do very much love my own mother -- but Professor Weasley tried so very hard to try to 'keep me in line,' back then, as it were. And yet, even then, it was like I was doing a high-wire act for her, while doing it -- performing in front of the whole world, showcasing my potential for everyone to see and towering higher than I ever could've, if she hadn't kept me walking that straight and narrow wire. ...I am grateful, truly grateful, that I got to know such a talented witch...a brilliant professor...and a remarkable woman. So let us, when next we enjoy our favorite drink, surrounded by those who push us to be better with their mere presence...take a moment to toast our dearly departed professor. To Matilda Weasley."

Teacher Ask!

[usernoneexistent]

Autumn 1895: Euphemia realises that her presence is not really noticed by others, even those who are suppose to be friends. Please mind that this is Euphemia's biased perspective and that you should check these amazing Slytherin girls on the creators pages.

Characters featured: Carolyn Nyberg @lifeofkaze.

Characters mentioned: Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch, Marigold Sterling @that-scouse-wizard, Ophelia Burke @the-al-chemist.

Warnings: self esteem issues.

The hues of orange and red leaves settled on the Hogwarts grounds as Autumn had fully arrived in its glory. The beauty could hardly be seen under the green lights of the dungeons beneath Hogwarts grounds with the Black lake for their view. Euphemia saw Adelia, Marigold, Ophelia, and the girls' leader, Carolyn Nyberg, gathered. The witch was graced with Swedish beauty of blonde hair and ice blue eyes, which outshined all especially compared to the plain English girl.

The girls giggled loudly, with the exception of Ophelia in the common room as she walked. She approached her fellow dorm mates and perhaps only friends, like a ghost at Hogwarts rather than a friend. It was a kinder term, yet the applicable term of how Euphemia felt about her time so far at Hogwarts.

"Euphemia!" Carolyn observed the girl up and down, aghast. "I don't recall brown being back in fashion this season."

A chorus of snickers followed; even Ophelia smirked a little from behind her book. In horror, Euphemia realised as she looked down at her skirt. Brown dirt stains contrasted clearly against the light grey school uniform skirt. Euphemia hadn't realised that when she was at the gardening club despite her efforts to keep it clean as possible.

"Oh, I had not realised," she hung her head, ashamed. It was unladylike of her to get herself dirty. "I'll go change."

"That would be preferable."

She found a spare skirt to change into but hesitated before returning to the other girls. She dreaded to think how to could further proceed with the other girls. Time and time again, she has humiliated herself in front of them, in front of Carolyn. Euphemia stood in the common room, contemplating whether she should join the other girls. She wouldn't be like they missed her if she didn't join them in their gossip; nobody ever did. People only cared about her if they needed something or to use her for their own gain. It felt like everything she did was off by one step, yet Carolyn did everything flawlessly.

Taking a deep breath, she held her head high. Euphemia marched out of the Slytherin cave and into the dungeon's corridors. She looked back to see if anyone noticed, yet not to her surprise, nobody did. She let out a little laugh, though somebody passing by would probably think she had gone insane. Maybe she has?

"Euphemia?"

The Slytherin girl turned around and saw a girl with long flowy brown hair and a bright, wide smile that made her nose wider.

"Winona?" Euphemia was surprised at her warm reception as she recalled that Winona was very clear about her feelings about Euphemia's engagement with her brother. "What brings you here?"

"Uh, well, I..." Winona searched for the words. Euphemia seemed suspicious of her intent. "I was looking for you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I wanted to apologise." The Gryffindor girl clasped her hands.Euphemia blinked at her, confused. "For what?"

"Hmm? Oh, I was rude at dinner, and I really don't want us to get off on the wrong foot, now do we?" Winona put on that same grin from earlier. Euphemia wasn't fooled by her smile; she knew that sweet sickly meant nothing good. Though she had few other options to differ as she saw Carolyn and the other girls leaving behind Slytherin's tapestry.

"Could we go for a walk and discuss this somewhere else?" Euphemia glanced over at the tapestry. "Please?"

Winona seemed to have caught her meaning and swiftly acted. Dragging her by the arm and out of sight of the Slytherin girls. Not that Winona also wanted to deal with Nyberg after some rumour she allowed to pass through in the school letter. Euphemia remembered that day clearly.

"I thought you and Nyberg were friends?" Winona commented.

"We are, it's just..." Euphemia shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly.

"The sun and you, the little shadow," The Gryffindor curtly said. No one had put the words so bluntly, yet it pained her to realise that Winona was right.

"No, I...That's not it," Euphemia denied, and she wanted to be in denial.

"Look Euphemia, you might not want to see it but you mean nothing to Carolyn. She isn't your real friend." She patted her back. "But I want to be. Your friend that is.

"The Slytherin girl scoffed. "Don't you have many friends? Why be friends with the girl that hardly one knew existed."

"Because I see you, Euphemia." Winona shakes her a little, almost like an awakening. "Yes, I'll admit that I couldn't recall who you were before, but I see you now. And I can also assure you that there are others who see you too."

Tears formed in Euphemia's eyes, but she wiped them away discreetly before letting out a laugh. "You just want to ensure I don't end up marrying your brother."

"Oh, so she has a sense of humour," Winona laughed before winking. "I guess you uncovered my hidden agenda."

"So, you wouldn't be mad if I shan't be marrying your brother?" She asked, pressing her hand tightly together.

"No, no, no. Absolutely not, I won't be mad." Winona waved her hands, dismissing the thought. She gets a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. "Though why not? If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh gosh," The Slytherin girl sat down at the ledge of the corridor's open window structure. The one where it looked out to the open courtyard.

"Well, I..." Euphemia covered her cheeks as she felt them burning. "Can you keep a secret?"

The Gryffindor girl looked intrigued. "Don't worry, I can keep secrets. Let me guess, this is about a boy? A secret sweetheart?"

A smile crept on her face as she shyly hid her face from Winona.

"So this is about a boy!? You need to tell me everything," Winona sat down next to her.

"Well...where do I start?"

[the-al-chemist]

The Beginning of a Symphony - Chapter 41

A/N: In Ophelia’s final chapter, she gets a new start with the help of others.

Warnings: mentions of poverty.

OCs featured: Carolyn Nyberg @lifeofkaze, Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch, Marigold Sterling @that-scouse-wizard

July 1897

Ophelia walked through the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley in her nicest clothing, her head held high and her expression haughty in spite of her nerves. She was not quite sure of what she should expect from today’s expedition; Carolyn Nyberg had invited her to meet, and it was the first time that she had been extended any sort of invitation by Caro all summer.

Things had been frosty between Ophelia and her dorm-mates for the rest of ever since the fateful day when Ophelia had fainted in Herbology class, been scolded by Caro, and revealed to the other girls that she was not in fact anywhere near as wealthy as she had led them to believe. Or wealthy at all, for that matter. She assumed that it was both her dishonesty and low status had been the reason for the girls’ lack of warmth towards her, however, she was not certain which was more significant in their eyes. In any case, she had been most surprised to receive any correspondence from Caro, let alone an invitation to engage socially.

She was even more surprised to find that Caro was not the only one who had arrived to meet her; Adelia and Marigold were also standing on the street, directly in front of the shop window of Ollivander’s Wand Shop.

“Ophelia, there you are,” said Adelia, extending one hand to Ophelia. “Why, we were starting to suspect that you were not coming.”

Somewhat awkwardly, Ophelia shook Adelia’s and then Marigold’s hands, and after a brief pause in which she and Caro stared at one another in tense silence, she shook Carolyn’s hand as well.

“Where did you want to go first?” Ophelia asked, and the other three girls all stepped sideways to create a path between her and the door to the wand shop. Ophelia looked from them to the door and back. “Why, is one of you in need of a new wand?”

“Yes, certainly,” said Marigold. “You are in need of one, are you not?”

Ophelia shook her head. “I have a wand.”

“But it is not truly yours, you said so yourself. You really had ought to have one that has chosen you, don’t you think?”

“I cannot afford one.”

“Perhaps not,” Carolyn said. Her tight lips pursed and twitched so that she almost smiled. “But we can. And we would very much like to buy you a wand.”

Ophelia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “But…”

“It is your birthday next month, is it not?”

“Come, Ophelia. It is high time that you had your own wand.”

That was undeniable, so Ophelia allowed the three girls to guide her inside the wand shop. It was dark, with a mahogany countertop and shelves lined with long, narrow boxes. Behind the counter, a wizard with a balding head and large grey moustache smiled at them, a curious expression passing over his face as his eyes settled on Ophelia.

“I don’t believe that I have made your acquaintance before, Madam,” he said to her, bowing his head slightly. “First wand, I presume? You’re a little older than I’d expect, but no matter. Let us see what we have to suit.”

Without another word, he turned away and fetched several boxes from the shelves. He opened all of them and placed them on the counter with the lids off so that the wands inside were visible. They were slightly different, one had a very fine grain, one had such a pale wood that it looked almost white, and each had detailing on the hilts that distinguished them from the ones on either side of it. Ophelia blinked and looked up at the shopkeeper expectantly, and he chuckled.

“Which one calls to you, Miss?”

Ophelia did not think that any of the wands were calling to her. She frowned and looked at the selection again. The silvery white one was rather handsome, and so was the one made of an almost pink-tinged wood. She liked the look of that one a lot, and so raised her hand to point to it.

As she did, however, she caught a glimpse of a box on the shelf behind the shopkeeper with a label that was yellowed and tattered, as if it had been sitting unclaimed on the shelves for some time. Her gaze drifted towards it, and the wand maker’s gaze followed hers. He smiled and fetched the box.

“Very well. Let us try this one.”

He opened the box and held it out to Ophelia. The wand inside was made of wood that had been polished to a very dark finish, plainer and less pretty in colour than the ones on the counter, but with a handle that had been intricately carved into the shape of a rose. Ophelia reached out and took it, her palm warming as her fingers wrapped around the wood.

“Cedar wood and dragon heartstring,” said the wandmaker. “Unbending.”

“You need to wave it,” Carolyn told her briskly.

Ophelia did as she said, and a moment later, petals began to float down from the ceiling, coating every surface of the wand shop and landing in the hair of all four Slytherin girls and the shopkeeper, who clapped his hands together softly.

“A most auspicious match, indeed!” he declared, and Ophelia smiled to herself.

He was right. Of course, this had not been the match she had hoped to make. A wand was no replacement for a wealthy suitor, after all, but it would certainly make do. For now, at least. She would have plenty of time to find herself a real match later.

She continued to smile to herself as Carolyn, Adelia, and Marigold paid for her new wand between them, and together they exited the dark and dingy wand shop to the bright street outside, where the sun shone as gold as a Galleon in the azure sky.

[endlessly-cursed]

❥𝑴𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒐𝒈𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎 1/3

Adelia Selwyn belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch

Siobhan Llewellyn belongs to @kc-and-co

Roxie Haley belongs to @mjs-oc-corner

Ophelia Burke belongs to @the-al-chemist

Carolyn Nyberg belongs to @lifeofkaze

[unfortunate-arrow]

Through Thick & Thin

Day 4: Through Thick & Thin (focusing on friendships) for @cursebreakerfarrier’s Back to School Challenge

— Tadhg Lynch, Teddy Ellison, Theo Abbott, Gabriel Sapieha, & Adelia Selwyn

At first glance, they were a rather ragtag group, four troublemaking Gryffindors and a Slytherin who quickly gave up trying to get them to follow the rules. They’d been friends since third year, as that was the year that Tadhg started at Hogwarts and by the winter holidays, they were rather inseparable. For Tadhg, he didn’t know who he’d be without the friendship of Teddy, Theo, Gabriel, and Adelia.

Teddy @cursebreakerfarrier ; Theo @smarti-at-smogwarts ; Gabriel @slytherindisaster ; Adelia @thatravenpuffwitch

— Minerva Kennedy & Lottie Gallagher

Upon first meeting on their first journey to Hogwarts, Minerva and Lottie became fast friends and soon became best friends, despite being in different houses. They often exchanged ideas for stories or edited the other’s work. They rarely fought and their biggest fight occurred when Minerva stumbled upon her twin brother and Lottie in a scandalous position. Minerva eventually came around, and was thrilled to add Lottie as a sister.

Lottie @slytherindisaster

[smarti-at-smogwarts]

OC Pride Challenge 2023 ⍚ WEEK TWO (June 8th—14th): LGBTQIA+ TROPES ⍚ Tropes played Straight ⍚ Family of Choice ⍚ Theo Jane Abott & Her Hogwarts Friends.

inspo by @squirrelstone    x  

When a group of characters who've been disowned by their own families decide to be each others' family instead.

Ft. Adelia Selwyn ( @thatravenpuffwitch ) Io Gordon ( @drinkyoursoupbitch ) Taghd Lynch ( @unfortunate-arrow ) Danny Gibson ( @catohphm ) Teddy Ellison ( @cursebreakerfarrier​ ) 

Family isn’t who you’re born with, it’s who you’d die for.

[lifeofkaze]

Not So Bad

Happy Birthday to my snarky queen, the one and only Carolyn Nyberg 💚💚💚

Thank you for not making a fuss and giving me hell while you peacefully enjoyed quality time with your friends.

Not.

I love you, you little shit 😂

MCs featured belong to @kc-and-co (Brady Pendleton), @that-scouse-wizard (Marigold Sterling), @thatravenpuffwitch (Adelia Selwyn) and @the-al-chemist (Ophelia Burke)

Like most young girls, Carolyn Nyberg was usually looking forward to her birthday.

This year though, she couldn’t have been any less excited about turning twelve if she’d tried; it was the first birthday she would be celebrating at Hogwarts, far away from anything she’d ever called home.

Back on her family’s estate on Saddleworth Moor in Yorkshire they would have cake and cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and for once, Caro was allowed to do whatever she wanted to do, instead of what was expected of her. Or at least, until the arrival of her parents’ guests, ready for their annual and incredibly dull birthday soiree.

Her activities of choice mostly involved something far away from her loud and simple siblings, just some time on her own, alone with her thoughts. Today, however, it seemed impossible for Caro to find a quiet moment in the whole castle of Hogwarts.

It wasn’t like the other students of her house wouldn’t leave her alone, quite the contrary; Caro had made sure no one would think to annoy her with empty chit chat and meaningless blabbering.

Caro had been at Hogwarts for a little over two months now and had yet to find a person worthy of her attention; so far, no one had proven even the slightest bit interesting. She was well aware that her dislike of the rest of the student body was mostly mutual, but that wasn’t worth her attention either.

Even so, there didn’t seem to be one undisturbed moment for her to collect and focus her thoughts. Everywhere Caro turned there was an incessant stream of boring talk. It had already started at breakfast when her family’s magnificent owl had swooped over the Slytherin table, one small parcel attached to each of its legs.

Caro had subdued a sigh at the curious glances from the other students and had quickly tucked the gifts away, but the looks and whispers hadn't been lost on her.

She opened her presents in a quiet moment in her dormitory before classes would start. The first gift was wrapped in thick, silvery paper, adorned with a green bow and the crest of the Nyberg family. Inside Caro found the gift her parents had sent her, a beautiful emerald necklace, along with a very formal letter.

The second one Caro was more eager to open; it was square and heavy, a book most likely, clad in simple but high quality beige wrapping paper. A fleeting smile scurried over Caro’s face when she unpacked the collection of her favourite Swedish poems.

She opened the first page, taking out the pressed twinflower Grandmother sent with every gift and letter. She twirled the pale pink flower between her fingers and read the dedication written on the first page in a strong, curved hand:

Grattis på födelsedagen, min älskling. Håll huvudet högt och tungan skarp.

Caro’s lips pursed before she smiled again. Keep your head high and your tongue sharp; the same thing her grandmother wished her every year.

She flicked through the pages of the book, catching a verse here and there. Caro had been born and raised in England, daughter of an English mother from an old English family, but she couldn’t help it; in her heart, Caro had always belonged to the North.

Up on Gotland the days would be short by now, only a few hours of light every day. Maybe Grandmother would have already seen the first Northern lights flickering over the night sky; the thought made Caro smile.

An unexpected wave of homesickness washed over her and she closed the book with a sharp snap. This was neither the time nor the place to be sentimental.

The whole day this bothersome feeling of missing her family wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard Caro tried to ignore it. So she resigned to paying extra attention in class, and took her notes with utmost diligence. After all, if she only concentrated hard enough, everything was bound to get back into line eventually.

Potions was set to be the last class for the day. The most subtle subject on their curriculum required a lot of care and quick thinking, instead of foolish wand waving. From their first day it had proved to be Caro’s favourite.

She was lingering behind after their class had been dismissed. She wasn’t perfectly happy with the finished result of her Antidote to Common Poisons, even though she had received ten house points for it.

Since anything but a perfect potion was acceptable for Caro, she decided to try again from scratch.

She worked in concentrated silence, enjoying the peace and quiet surrounding her. The only sounds were the sizzling of the fire, the bubbling of the potions, and the dull thud of Caro’s knife on the chopping board.

She had just added the finishing touches to her potion and was rummaging through a cupboard for appropriate vials to put the antidote in, when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

Caro looked up, and made a small, dismissive noise when she saw Marigold Sterling, a reserved girl with garishly red hair from her dorm, stand behind her.

“Oh,” Caro said, “it’s you. May I help you?”

Her tone made it very clear that engaging with Marigold wasn’t something Caro actually had a mind for, but Marigold wasn’t deterred.

“I - that is we, the girls and I - have been wondering where you might be.”

“Now you know,” Caro said coolly, but regretted it an instance later.

Marigold wasn’t exactly her friend, but Caro had to admit she wasn’t the worst company imaginable. They had seen each other on the Hogwarts Express for the first time, and Caro had been half glad, half surprised to see that there was another person who needed almost a whole compartment for their luggage.

For a reason Caro had yet to find out, Marigold watched her bottle the antidote and label it, all the while chatting over today’s class. Caro disliked smalltalk, but she found talking to Marigold was enjoyable, and talking about Potions was anyway.

“How long will it take you to finish that?” Marigold asked her, and nodded her chin in the direction of Caro’s cauldron.

“Why are you asking?”

“I thought we might return to the common room together.”

Caro stopped writing and cocked an eyebrow. “You came from the common room to find me, so that I could go back to the common room with you? Is that not slightly ludicrous?”

Marigold’s lips twitched, but she didn’t seem fazed by Caro’s comment. “So, will you come with me?”

Caro shrugged and put the last of her utensils away. “I suppose I don’t have anything else to do.”

On their way to the Slytherin common room they shrouded themselves mostly in silence; or at least, Caro did. Marigold continued blathering, the ancient stone walls ringing with her incessant stream of chatter. Caro found her behaviour somewhat odd, all the while growing increasingly irritable.

They reached the bare stretch of stone wall hiding the entrance to Slytherin House and stepped inside the common room. Caro found it to be rather crowded, probably due to the weather getting colder by the day.

Her eyes scanned the groups of students, unsure of where to go; to not let her insecurity show, Caro squared her shoulders and raised her chin a little. Even so, many of the eyes she met were surprisingly friendly, some of them even smiling her way.

Her brow furrowed, and she quickly looked away with a sharp turn of her head as Bradford Pendleton - the Fourth, she scoffed internally - nodded a greeting towards her; she’d rather pull every hair off her head one by one than give that unremarkable boy her parents had made the unfortunate decision to betrothe to her the satisfaction of recognising him.

She smoothed out the non-existent creases in her dress and crossed the common room without looking at another person. Marigold was already standing at the door that would lead them to the dormitories. Caro had no desire to spend any more time with her, but it was better than sharing the room with all of these mindless oafs and their empty heads.

When they stood in front of their dormitory, Marigold rested her hand on the handle of the door and paused. Her eyes flickered to Caro, who crossed her arms impatiently.

“Have you forgotten how to open a door?”

“I’m not sure you’re going to like this,” Marigold said hesitantly. “I do hope that you won’t be cross with us.”

Caro raised an eyebrow, but before she could say anything Marigold pushed the handle and the door to the dormitory swung open.

“Surprise!”

Caro frowned and slowly stepped into the room.

The dark wooden table in the centre of the dorm - usually littered with school materials, hair brushes and jewellery - was covered with a white, starched tablecloth, and laden with plates full of fruit, sandwiches and cakes. Two steaming tea pots were sitting in the middle, and there even was a vase with a beautiful arrangement of flowers, one additional flower lying on each of the plates set up for four.

Behind the table stood the other two girls sharing the room with Caro and Marigold, Adelia Selwyn and Ophelia Burke. Adelia beamed at Caro, her blue eyes sparkling, while Ophelia was more reserved. Her smile was thin as they flickered to the rich assortment of delicacies laid out before them.

Caro blinked rapidly and she cleared her throat.

“What exactly is this?”

“Why, it’s your birthday party, of course!” Adelia smiled broadly. “We went for such a lovely walk for mine a few days ago, but it’s too cold now. We’d freeze to death, would we not? So we figured why not warm ourselves a little, now that the cold season is upon us?”

Caro remembered Adelia’s birthday vividly. She’d come along on the walk around the Lake as it was the appropriate thing to do, and if Carolyn Nyberg had been taught one thing, it was proper manners. She hadn’t been listening to the conversations, however; somehow she doubted she’d missed something.

When Adelia walked around the table, an elaborately packaged gift held in her hands, Caro accepted it with a nod and an automatic smile, thanking her politely. She sat down on her bed and unwrapped it carefully, her lips twitching into the hint of a genuine smile when she opened the wooden box inside.

It contained three antique looking vials, bedded on soft wood wool, the glass cut and carved in beautiful patterns. They shimmered in the unsteady light filtering into the room from the high windows beneath the water of the Lake.

Caro took one of the potion vials out and turned it between her fingers, appreciating how heavy the glass felt in her hands.

“They’re beautiful,” she said and meant it. She raised her eyes to Adelia, who looked something between happy and relieved. For the first time the smile on Caro’s face didn’t feel forced. “Thank you.”

“They’re from my own collection,” Adelia said. “You love Potions as much as I do, so I thought you might perhaps enjoy these as well.”

Caro carefully set the vials aside and Marigold and Ophelia handed her their gifts next; Marigold had stitched a fox and Caro’s initials on a silk handkerchief, and Caro had to admit that the handiwork was impressive. From Ophelia, Caro received an old, beaten looking book with Potion recipes.

Caro’s eyes went wide as she opened it.

“Is that a first edition?” she whispered and ran her finger over the old parchment. “Where on Earth did you get that?”

Ophelia’s face was stony. “I have my connections.”

Adelia frowned, and looked over Caro’s shoulder at the book. “They have this very same book on display in the Restricted Section in the library. You can see it when you walk past.”

“What do I care about the books in the library?” Ophelia said stiffly. “I buy them if I need them.”

Before the atmosphere could shift, Marigold and Adelia poured the tea and the four girls gathered around the table.

“I know it may not be perfect,” Adelia said with an apologetic shrug, “but we only learned that it’s your birthday this morning, so everything is a little impromptu.”

“It’s better than tea at the Great Hall, in any case,” Caro said wryly, but she had to admit the display was rather impressive, especially given the amount of time they’d had to put it together.

“I wouldn’t have thought any of you was friendly enough with the house elves to get them to arrange this for you,” she said and sipped her tea. “Or did that Gryffindor girl help you? What’s her name? Summerby? She loves to bake.”

“She does,” Adelia said, “and talking about it, too.”

The girls shared a chuckle, but the thought wouldn’t leave Caro alone.

“How did you do it, then?” she wanted to know.

“Brady helped,” Marigold said.

Caro must have looked confused because she added, “Bradford, Bradford Pendleton. You would know him, of course. He is on good terms with some of the house elves.”

Caro frowned at the mention of Bradford’s name.

“Of course he would be acquainted with them,” she scoffed, “it’s easy to mistake him for one.”

“He really is rather good company, once you get to know him,” Adelia said and helped herself to another cup of tea.

“I highly doubt that.”

“Adelia is right,” Ophelia said quietly. She hadn’t spoken much so far, and didn’t meet Caro’s eyes as they turned to her. “Brady is pretty nice.”

“You should give him a chance, he might yet surprise you,” Marigold agreed with the other girls. “Someone who is such an amazing artist can’t be all bad and dull, can he now?”

Caro was surprised to hear that. “He paints? How odd. I wouldn’t have thought that of him.”

“There’s more to people than meets the eye. I dare say that you are more than your haughty attitude as well.”

Shocked at her bluntness, Adelia’s and Ophelia’s eyes darted to Marigold who sipped her tea patiently.

Caro, however, found her honesty refreshing. And Marigold did have a point, a book was never best judged by its cover.

They continued chatting and enjoying their tea party until the lights hanging from the stone walls of their dormitory lit on their own accord.

Even though they were full with pastries and sandwiches, the four girls joined the stream of students leaving the Slytherin common room when it was time for dinner. They walked side-by-side, continuing their conversations, and for the first time they weren’t just walking in the same space, but actually together.

When they sat down at their house table in the Great Hall, a contemplative mood got hold of Caro. Her eyes wandered over Adelia and Marigold, who were discussing the stitching on Marigold’s dress, and Ophelia, who was sitting very straight, listening attentively but not joining the conversation.

If there was one thing Caro found hard it was admitting that she had been wrong, but maybe the people here weren’t so bad after all.

A movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she saw Bradford Pendleton, who sat a little further down the table, raise his cup to her in a silent toast. After a quick moment of consideration, Carolyn raised her own glass and saluted him back.

No, the people certainly weren’t so bad, she thought to herself as she brought her drink to her lips.

Her time at Hogwarts might even prove interesting after all.

[that-scouse-wizard]

Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy Appreciation Week Day 3: Favourite OCs that aren’t your own.

Part 3 of @endlessly-cursed’s event unfortunately I only have time for a quick appreciation of all the MCs.

First up, Reuben’s Ravenclaw buddies 

Siobhan Llwelyn (@kc-and-co) - This incredible character is part of Reuben’s family, there’s no one else I’d rather have as a found sibling for my boy.

Gwen Archeron (@thatravenpuffwitch) - Two words: Quidditch buddies!

Danny Gibson (@catohphm) - Love this sweet boy!

Marigold’s Slytherin pals

Leila Hellebore (@whatwouldvalerydo) - These two make for a potent pair, god help you if you catch them both in a bad mood.

Adelia Selwyn (@thatravenpuffwitch) and Carolyn Nyberg (@lifeofkaze) - had to mention these two as the trio of Adelia, Caro and Mary are absolutely the Hogwarts fashion police of the era.

Cledwyn’s Gryffindor friend (yes Cled she is)

Ethel Hexley (@the-al-chemist) - In spite of Cled’s insistence that she’s not, Ethel is Cled’s best friend. She may get on his nerves but deep down he does appreciate her.

 Also trying to set him up with people, one of which was Ravenclaw Henry Lovecraft (@lifeofkaze), who he developed a deep friendship with, sharing a love of stories and poetry.