Everything was going as well as it could be. The Welcome Ball was afoot and Primrose observed from a chair that her beloved people had made for her as a gift for producing an heir. Malcolm was beside her, observing quietly the guests and commenting on the now absent faces they didn't see.
"Henry wrote back to me. No word of what he and the Goldcrests are up to in Scotland, though," It was true. This morning, they had received a letter from Henry and Elian each. It was odd that they didn't attend this year's festivities, and many whispered of it.
"Elian was quiet as well," Malcolm added "hopefully they aren't roping one another into danger."
Primrose chuckled "Hopefully being the factor word here. Of both of us, you ought to know Elian best." She teased.
Malcolm let out a small laugh "You're right, dear. Danger chases our dear friend, I'm afraid."
Primrose observed Simon Battersea, standing in a corner, surely pining for his faraway sultana "Poor boy. I wish I could do something to make his stay less lonely." She looked at Malcolm "I shall dance with him the next number."
Malcolm nodded "Be my guest, dear. I shall see myself that Mr. Rowle doesnt rue the night."
He kissed her hand and she extended her hand to the young earl "Dance with me, Earl Simon?" She gave him a smile that she knew well nobody ought to deny.
"Can you? In your condition?" He asked concerned.
"A little movement will do good to me and my child."
He bowed "I shall oblige, then."
Cecilia wasn't Harlan Rowle's biggest fan, and despite him having a nice face to look at and a certain charm -though she'd rather perish the thought than admit it out loud- but he made her beloved Vinnie laugh, and that was enough for her to tolerate him, no matter how much she liked the idea of punching him in the throat, though the cad would find a way to make the situation humorous.
As the quadrille begun, she and Vinnie looked at one another "Sneak to our spot for our people-watching game?"
"Always!"
Brushing their hands, they left for a small terrace that Viscountess Primrose kept close to her heart, but Cecilia had worked a way to give her access as well. Suffices to say, the oh-so-perfect viscountess once had some scandalous rendezvouses with a beautiful and witty painter.
"Tell me, dearest, who shall be your victim for the night?" Cecilia inquired.
Lavinia observed the people around until her eyes on poor, flushed Orpheus Kenway, who looked positively lost "Oh, good Godric, by the time I have been here, I have only made a mess with five syllables or less, and overshadowed by my unsufferable villain of a brother! Whatever shall I do without cousin Charis?! Oh, Godric, grant me mercy, because polite society won't!" She cried as Cecilia snickered.
Cecilia observed the poor Adonis Demiurgos, his usual twinkle gone and observing wistfully the dancing pairs "Oh, woe is me, wherever is my witty little nightingale, who pecks me deliciously so with her razor pen? Oh, Minerva, my Minnie, where art thou?!"
Lavinia doubled in laughter, Cecilia covering her mouth while she tried to regain her breath "God, Cecy, you are vicious!"
"But true," she winked.
Not having realised till now that they were leaning on one another, Cecilia kissed her nose and Lavinia scrunched her nose. Seeing if anyone was searching for them, they kissed softly for a minute before breaking apart "I don't wish to go back, but..."
"Primrose can only buy us so much time."
Both women finally emerged from their hidden corner and rejoined the festivities, which were thankfully winding down.
Adonis downed yet another brandy as he slowly started to believe that no Kennedy would attend this year's festivities. Ed had given his word to check on his calendar, and the next thing he knew, he was already at Winbourne, wondering where Minerva could've run off to.
A concerned Primrose approached him. He stood up and quickly curtsied in respect for the lady "My lady."
"I see that Miss Kennedy won't be in attendance. It's a shame. I always enjoyed her literary insight. And don't say which one, or take me for a fool for that matter, Mr. Demiurgos, because I know better."
He raised his hands in defeat "Worry not, my lady, I know that you can't be fooled even if I tried."
"Tell you what, I have a drawing room that is perfect for some... illicit writing."
He cocked an eyebrow, intrigued "Do tell me..."
Tagging @gaygryffindorgal @unfortunate-arrow and @legilimenace because their characters made an appearance on this POV!
Day 02: The Welcome Ball III
an event by @endlessly-cursed
characters: malcolm stolberg-burke, primrose gray, lavinia wakefield, harlan rowle
briefly mentioned: elian goldcrest by @potionboy3, atticus doherty by @hphmmatthewluther, the kenways and the northmoors by @legilimenace, simon battersea by @unfortunate-arrow, cecilia balinor by @endlessly-cursed
December 5th, 1900
The Ball
The ballroom was decorated beautifully with silver and gold and the mood, Malcolm thought, seemed to be rather jubilant. He and Primrose swayed to the music and Malcolm couldn’t help but think of how far he had come with his dancing lessons. He still wasn’t anything as graceful as a swan but at least there was no fear of him stepping on anybody’s toes. This year he had to manage for himself though, since Elian wasn’t around for secret dancing lessons. The memory of the previous year amused him, and he had to admit he missed his friend’s presence dearly.
December 5th, 1900
The Ball
The ballroom was decorated beautifully with silver and gold and the mood, Malcolm thought, seemed to be rather jubilant. He and Primrose swayed to the music and Malcolm couldn’t help but think of how far he had come with his dancing lessons. He still wasn’t anything as graceful as a swan but at least there was no fear of him stepping on anybody’s toes. This year he had to manage for himself though, since Elian wasn’t around for secret dancing lessons. The memory of the previous year amused him, and he had to admit he missed his friend’s presence dearly.
“Are you having fun?” he asked Primrose in a low voice.
“Yes,” said Primrose. “Though I can’t help but feel like something is bound to go terribly wrong.”
“Well,” mused Malcolm. “If it does, then we’ll deal with it then, but for now, I’m rather enjoying myself.”
“You’re awfully optimistic tonight.”
“I have a good reason.”
“What’s that?”
“You see, my wife is the most capable, charming, and beautiful lady in all of England,” said Malcolm.
“Oh, you must introduce us,” Primrose said and finally smiled.
“I think you might be rather well-acquainted already.”
Primrose laughed, and really, that was always enough to put Malcolm in good spirits.
“I’m glad to see so many of our friends, though,” Primrose continued.
“Me too, especially Atticus,” said Malcolm.
“Yes, and some new faces too,” Primrose mused. “The Kenways and the Northmoors are attending this year.”
“Oh, yes. And Mr. Rowle decided to grace us with his presence,” said Malcolm.
“He’s not all that bad.”
“He’s like a peacock.”
“Well, yes, but Vinnie likes him.”
“Why she does is beyond me…” muttered Malcolm.
“How’s the book coming along Lav?” Vinnie’s current dancing partner Harlan Rowle asked.
“I’ve got half of it written, I think,” Vinnie said. “The wrong half though, I’m afraid. Beginnings are difficult.”
“I’m sure you’ll crack it,” Harlan assured her. “Or if not, then you can always start working as The Viscountess’ cleaning lady.”
Vinnie punched him gently in the arm. “That’s an important job, you snob.”
“I’m sure it is. I wouldn’t do it, though.”
“You’ve never done a day’s worth of honest work in your entire life so no one’s asking you,” Vinnie reprimanded him. Harlan was some years older (and several thousands of galleons richer) than her and thus they hadn’t known each other at Hogwarts, but since graduating, Vinnie and Harlan had become something that one might generously call friends. It was a bit of a surprise, since Harlan was mostly an utter snob, not to mention a complete arsehole, but he could also be rather amusing.
“Alright, alright,” Harlan said. “I’m actually surprised I get invited at all.”
“It’s because Prim–, Lady Gray isn’t as judgmental as some people.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it’s because Malcolm and I are mates.”
“No you’re not.”
“Well, we could be, if he wasn’t such a stuck-up.”
Vinnie punched his arm again and a couple dancing nearby gave them long looks. “Stop being horrible.”
“I can’t, it’s my second nature.”
Vinnie let out a long-suffering sigh.
“I’m just kidding, Lav, I’m so very grateful to our gracious hosts.”
“Good, you had better be.”
“Have you seen a lot of friends?” asked Harlan, changing the subject.
“Well Simon’s here, which is nice, he was on my year,” Vinnie said.
* 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐃 : who would daniel henney fit best do you think?
out of canons i think he’d fit xenophilius lovegood ( malfoy ) so long as it’s acknowledged that both xeno & luna would have to be adopted, markus scarrs, gaspard shingleton, sturgis podmore, kirley duke mccormack, one of the bagman brothers, stubby boardman, thorfinn rowle or maybe tilden toots ! if you’re not opposed to using a surname, he’d be cool as a marchbanks, oddpick, vaisey, rookwood, fenwick, cresswell, kettleburn, wakefield, haywood, lockhart, picquery or fudge ! and just to round us out, some wanted connections i think he’d be fun in are : antonin karkaroff’s other right hand man ( tangentially connected to ezekiel burke ), eliza fawley’s husband or ex ( possible father of her youngest child ! ), alecto carrow’s fellow obliviator ( tangentially connected to marietta edgecombe ), lorcan d’eaths ex, narcissa malfoy’s longterm friend, ezekiel burke’s former hit wixen colleague or lavinia lacefield’s former friend !
What should have been a night of fun and frivolity at a Wokingham fun fair in 1984 ended in unthinkable tragedy when 7-year-old Mark Tildesley disappeared without a trace. With school having broken up for the half term holiday, Mark was desperate to pay a visit to the Frank Ayers Fun Fair, which visited town just 4 times a year. After raising money for his ticket by collecting the 10p trolley deposits from his local supermarket, he set off to the fair on the evening of June 1st, promising his mother to return by 7:30 pm. When his curfew came and went, Mark’s parents set off to look for him, finding only his cherished Raleigh bicycle chained near the entrance of the fair.
Despite extensive investigations by police, years passed with no clue as to Mark’s whereabouts. But in 1989, Operation Orchid was launched when a hand drawn paper map outlining the site of Mark’s disappearance was found in the possession of convicted paedophile and child murderer Leslie "Catweazle" Bailey. Bailey revealed that Mark had been drugged, tortured, raped and murdered by a gang known by police as the ‘Dirty Dozen’, led by Sidney ‘Hissing Sid’ Cooke. The pair, along with Bailey’s boyfriend, forced Mark into a car before meeting up with another man at Cooke’s nearby caravan. In an event they sickeningly referred to as ‘Mark’s party’, they plied the little boy with muscle relaxant and repeatedly gang-raped him until he was dead.
As there was no physical evidence against Cooke, no charges could be made, though he was already serving 19 years for the manslaughter of 16-year-old Jason Swift. After being paroled for a brief period in 1999, Cooke was sentenced to 2 life sentences for unrelated sexual offences. Now aged 90, he is incarcerated at Wakefield Prison, and has never revealed the location of Mark’s remains.
Bailey was also serving time for the murder of Jason Swift when he was handed 2 life sentences in 1992. He was strangled to death by two fellow inmates of Whitemoor Prison just one year later. His boyfriend, like Cooke, was never charged for Mark’s murder due to insufficient evidence, and died of AIDs in prison in 2006. The fourth man, whose name was never revealed to the public, had the mental capacity of an 8-year-old, and for that reason no charges were ever made against him.
Mark’s parents, John and Lavinia, died in 2005 and 2011 respectively, having never had the chance to lay their little boy to rest.
Distinguishing Marks (scars, birthmarks, etc.): tbd
Background
Hometown: Winbournshire, Leeds, England
Abandoned by her birth mother at Viscountess Gray’s doorstep, she immediately took her to the cottage of Vinnie and Cecilia, fully knowing that they wanted to start a family of their own, and the pair of women were more than happy to accept this bundle of joy. They named her Marigold for her golden hair and bubbly personality and the three of them had a happy and low-key life.
Family
Mother: Cecilia Denise Patricia Balinor
Beautiful and cunning, she was a pureblood woman who was disowned by her father for falling for a muggleborn woman and ran away to marry her and give up her rights as a Balinor. They ran to Lady Gray’s protection, who married them herself and gave them a place and a living with her protection. A year later, she brought baby Goldie to their lives, completing their dream.
A Muggleborn woman with a deceased father and a widowed mother, she always had a crush on Cecilia from the moment they met while she saved them from Slytherin bullies and always thought she wouldn’t have a chance until they started moving in similar circles and soon fell in love. However, Cecy’s father found out of the scandalous affair and tried to hurt Vinnie and abduct his daughter to marry the man he chose for her, but Cecilia fought him and both of them escaped to Lady Gray’s territories where they married and got a place to live and something to do. A year later, Goldie came into their lives.
Hogwarts
House: Ravenclaw
Best Class: Charms, DADA
Worst Class: HoM
Boggart: Her mothers being caught and burnt
Riddikulus: They instead dance in the fire a silly dance
Patronus: tbd
Patronus Memory: Playing chase with her mothers
Mirror of Erised: tbd
Amortentia (what she smells like): freshly cut grass, old books, eau de perfume, apple pie and pine wood
Amortentia (what she smells): tbd
Career
11-18: Hogwarts student
20-38: tbd
40-64: tbd
65+: Retiree
Personality & Attitude
Priorities: Her mothers, her friends, tbd
Strengths: Wise, strong-willed, intelligent and brave
Weaknesses: Proud, stubborn and quiet
Stressed: During exams
Calm/Comforted: Eating her Mother Cecilia’s apple pie
Favorites
Colors: Yellow, blue, pastel green and white
Weather: Sunny
Hobbies: Baking, reading, sewing and playing the violin
Fashion: With her mother’s dowry, they got a bit richer and lived a life with basic needs met, so her dresses are low-key but still have a touch of elegance
Relationships
Significant Other/Love Interest: tbd
Friends: tbd
Rivals: tbd
Trivia
She grew up in a suffragist and open-minded household
She also tried singing but her social anxiety prevented her to do so, but she does hum
She started playing the violin at seven when Lady Gray gifted her one after she mused she had good hands for it
She also learned the basics of ballet from her Mother Cecilia
Her secret favourite mother is Mama Vinnie
She had a childhood crush on Vincent Somerset but faded when he went to Hogwarts
She cut her hair the moment WWI was over
Her Mama Vinnie loves to read her about strong women
She’s named after her grandmother Catherine Wakefield (by Vinnie) and Maria Theresa Balinor (by Cecilia)
She’s a rebel like her mothers and always fought stereotypes
Primrose, who was covered in expensive fur and holding the mallet, bit her tongue in concentration. Then, she took a deep breath and swiftly hit the ball, sending it through four loops, showing her clear skills. Everyone politely clapped as Malcolm lined his shot. Seeing that she herself had forbidden any sort of magic, she'd have to do like those before her...and use her feminine wiles. Slowly coming behind her beloved husband, as he was about to hit the ball, she casually whispered "Your firm on the mallet brings me back to that secluded cave in Denmark..."
Seeing him inhale deeply, flushing deep red as he unceremoniously missed, she bit back a giggle and whispered to herself "Emmie was right. Men are usually easy to sabotage when one is the object of their affections."
Cecilia knew that Vinnie was unfamiliar with many courtly activities, but it was quite adorable seeing her struggle with croquet. While the party was busy with one another, Cecilia slowly rounded her hands sensually on Vinnie's hands as she guided her grip "Like this. Hold it with poise and firm. See? Now, with the firm onto it, feel the wind...and strike!" She whispered, her breath against her ear.
Despite feeling her heart on her chest, she lined up two loops and was close to the third. Cecilia smiled, proud. "Well done, dear. Perhaps I should teach you more tricks on the viscountess' tree house when the victor comes up..."
"Cecy, I swear, you will be the death of me!" She whispered, but a small smile was nevertheless on her face.
Distinguishing Marks (scars, birthmarks, etc.): none
Background
Hometown
Balinor House was an spacious, beautiful and big house, though growing up there proved sour. The house was located in Leicester and it showed the splendour of purebloods and was overall dull and cold.
Family
Mother: Maria Theresa Balinor, neé Burke
Beautiful, intelligent, tall and ambitious, she was one of the Pureblood Marriage Market, and many proposed, but it was Mr. George Balinor who caught her eye. The two of them married on a lavish ceremony and had twin girls, much to Mr. Balinor’s disappointment. Later, in her 30s, she’d give birth to a sickly child, Evander, who’d die in his early twenties.
Father: George Evander Balinor
A concerningly proud pureblood man, he was sorted in Slytherin and was Gryffindor and Hufflepuff’s worst nightmare and always assumed everyone was obssessed with him or wanted to be him/wed him. He was expelled nearly seven times, but his money and named saved him. At 23, he wed Maria Theresa Burke, a beautiful woman who he was sure would give him sons and a good reputation. Much to his disappointment, she instead gave birth to twin girls, Cecilia and Elizabeth. After much awaiting and many failed pregnancies and miscarriages, at 34, she was pregnant and this time, it was the desired boy, Evander. Though he was a sickly boy and his only hope was his eldest daughter Elizabeth, whom he married her into the pureblood circles after his and Cecilia’s fallout.
Twin Sister: Elizabeth Eugenia Bona Balinor
The perfect daughter, she was her family’s hope and never once disobeyed any command and always resented and mocked her twin sister for not obeying dear father’s orders and ended up marrying into the S28 to perserve the family line when it was clear that her younger brother Evander could die at any given moment. She was always the perfect girl and never once changed until later in her marriage to Mr. Gaunt.
Brother: Evander Theodore Balinor
A sickly boy since birth, he was the only son and heir of his father and his wife, and he was overprotected and sheltered. He never attended Hogwarts and was homeschooled, and was married to a beautiful and very fertile woman of the Bulstrode family. He died two years into the marriage, leaving behind his wife, triplet boys and the Balinor fortune to his sons when he was 24.
Hogwarts
House: Slytherin
Best Class: Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration
Worst Class: Potions, Herbology, History of Magic
Boggart: To die in a fire
Riddikulus: Fire turns into fireworks dancing an Irish dance
Patronus: Crow
Patronus Memory: Hearing Vinnie’s laugh for the first time
Mirror of Erised: Having a life of her own
Amortentia (what she smells like): Smells like strawberries, lemon cake and rosewater
Amortentia (what she smells): Pine trees, old books, cinnamon
Career
𝟏𝟏-𝟏𝟖: Hogwarts Student
𝟏𝟗-𝟐𝟒: Trainee at the Ministry of Magic
𝟑𝟓-𝟒𝟎: Newbie Hit Witch
𝟒𝟎-𝟓𝟓: Professional Hit Witch
𝟓𝟔-𝟔𝟓: Trainer of future Hit Wizards/Witches
𝟔𝟓+ : Retiree
Personality & Attitude
Priorities: Being free, her brother, Vinnie’s safety from the zealot of her father
The two women met during first year, when Lavinia was being bullied by a pureblood supremacist and Cecy jumped at her defence and offered to escort her to the Prefect. Since then, both often talked and as years passed, realised they had much in common than both estimated. Love soon sparked in sixth year and went on until the summer before the last year when Cecilia’s sister Elizabeth ratted out the affair and her father nearly hurt Lavinia, but Cecilia stopped him by using the Cruciatus Curse as an act of impulse. Vinnie could run away, but Cecilia was struck with guilt by having ‘stooped as low as he would have’ and her father locked her up and sent her to a muggle ladies’s school.
Lavinia and some friends of theirs soon rescued her via letters and rendezvouses with Vinnie dressed as the postman. She could make it to the N.E.W.T.S week and aced them all to everyone’s surprise, being accepted to become eventually a Hit Witch. Both women escaped to Lady Gray’s estate where they were provided a small, cute cottage, work to do and protection from the Viscountess, who had become powerful and wealthy in her own right.
A year after, Lady Gray gave them a small baby who had been abandoned at her door, fully knowing that they wanted to start a family. They gladly accepted her and called her Marigold, Goldie when just the three of them. They raised her away from prejudice and with all their love. They lived a long, happy, blissful life.
The two of them did NOT start off the good foot. Aloysius was the bully who harrassed Vinnie and since then they declared war on each other. This followed until a few years after graduation, casually bumping into each other, their lives settled and changed. They both laughed off their teenage rivalry and Aloysius bought her a drink to make up for it. They both got along well ever since
Trivia
She dislikes bigotry
She is normally hated by conservatives and social climbers
Is seven minutes younger than her sister Elizabeth
Always wanted a brother but he died three weeks later
Always knew she never liked men
Is less pressured to marry than Elizabeth
Is half Austrian and descends from a French Earl by her mother
Likes to cause her mother a stroke
She has been taught oratory and the art of the fan since young age
Was to be betrothed with a Black younger brother, but refused his proposal, telling him that she could never marry such a boring, irrelevant and uptight tool
Has a tendency to be in a brothel, talking with the women of the night and even spending the night there
She’s hedonistic, but can control her impulses
Unlike her sister, she’s a polyglot: she speaks Ancient and Modern Greek, Latin, German, Russian and French and is learning Kurdish
Is one of the most desired bachelorettes since her entry at Hogwarts
Day 09: The Winter Masquerade
an event by @endlessly-cursed
characters: malcolm stolberg-burke, primrose gray, lavinia wakefield, cecilia balinor
The Masquerade Ball
It was late, and the celebrations had all gone splendidly, or so Malcolm thought. The day of the solstice had arrived and in honour of it, Primrose had arranged a masquerade ball in the spirit of the late 1700s. Malcolm found the idea of a masked ball rather entertaining, so he had made sure his outfit was convincing. Though it was to be said, that he was rather recognizable due to his height. He peered through his mask to see the guests mingling and dancing in the redecorated ballroom, this time made fit to house any royalty from 1710s. Primrose seemed relieved about the solstice and that made Malcolm happy. He was relieved after the conversation they’d had earlier. He didn’t want Primrose to think he had any reservations about such things as having a past. He spotted his wife talking to some of their mutual friends and headed her way. Maybe one more dance? Or perhaps it was time to retire already…
~
Vinnie had had an immense amount of fun during the weekend. She felt like writing, which was not the best thing to feel when one had to be sociable and dance through the night but the glittering costumes and beautiful masks all around had inspired her.
“You seem in your thoughts,” said Cecilia, having walked up to her quite without Vinnie noticing.
“Oh, I was,” said Vinnie with a smile and grasped Cecilia’s hand. “I think I’ve come up with a beginning for my book.”
“That’s wonderful!” Cecilia exclaimed.
Vinnie, digging through the pockets of her skirts, produced a tiny notebook along with a quill.
“You did not,” said Cecilia with a laugh.
Vinnie scribbled a few notes down, the quill being charmed as to not need any ink. “I brought it just in case the solstice would bestow a blessing upon me.”
Cecilia leaned in to kiss her cheek. “It seems it has.”
rowan and verna are an og friendship, and i adore their relationship a lot. while i headcanon rowan to be nonbinary, i think that they identified as a girl, since she probably didn’t have the vocabulary to voice their gender identity as a pureblood wizard in the 80s and 90s.
max avery and ginny weasley
max and ginny are dormmates and don’t start out as friends but they grow closer throughout their fifth and sixth years at hogwarts.
ethel malinda and irene quinn
the holmes and watson of the fantastic beasts era! i adore their relationship, especially how it gets complicated later on and how irene’s issues affect both of them.