𝔨𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔫 !

𝓐dora wrapped her arms around her knees and placed her chin on top of them. “Oh no.”

“I bet your parents like ambition. Bueno, of course they do! Look at this place!” Her eyes fluttered around the foreign flat and its Slytherin accents.

“And.. and..” Adora zeroed in on the placement on the marriage parchments and the grimoire. “My parents would never make me do something I don’t want.”

She sat on her knees, facing Alecto. “But that does not mean they give me what I need. They could buy me the most beautiful castle just because I say I want it, but all I would feel is suffocated. They would rather me sit around doing nothing in my ivory tower, and give me the world on a silver platter…. rather than let me earn it for myself.” 

Adora told Alecto what she wished verbatim, then fell back with a huff. 

She would do what she had to do to get her life back, including letting someone like Alecto behind the veil of mystery, but that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it. She wasn’t happy about any of this.

Adora looked up at the ceiling. 

“We didn’t trade bodies. We traded parents.”

Adora whimpered. “I need a carajillo, a counter wish spell, and a face mask. Also… you have to take a vow of silence.”

“I will write my school that I’m sick, and get someone to take notes for me. I will glamour charm you so you look the part. Of course, you will still look beautiful, but no one will expect you to speak.”

“Under no circumstance will you speak to anyone, especially the press! Or sing! Or dance! Not having the De La Fuente walk will be bad enough, but at least they might think you, me, are too sick to function.”

She pouted. “I just have to put my upcoming plans with Ansemcito on hold, and we will be set. I’ll say I’m muy busy and that I’ll explain later.”

Maybe she wouldn’t have worried if it was a few weeks ago, but her and Ansem had just started kissing. It was so good it made her want to die. But not literally die, because then the world wouldn’t have an Adora De La Fuente. In any case, she couldn’t risk Alecto being around him. Unless she told him what was going on, he would think something was wrong when “she” pulled away, and he would be right. But he might guess wrong and think she wasn’t interested anymore. As her best friend, he had watched her infatuations fade many a times. But this time was different. 

She couldn’t have anything risk them.

She would explain everything to him later. But if the whole Snake debacle months ago had taught her anything, any number above two was too much. Now that Alecto was here, they would have to figure it out as a team. 

Merlín les ayuda.

「 ✨ adora has mentioned a canon object x3. 」 「 ✨ adora has brought up a magical subject x3. 」 「 ✨ adora has referenced something from hogwarts: a history x4. 」

“  the selwyn family has been placed in either slytherin or ravenclaw for generations.  so it would be safe to assume that they  like  ambition.  ”  it was no surprise there.  her family resided in england long enough to be documented in the pureblood directory and to be considered part of the sacred 28 families.

alecto listened intently to what adora was saying.  to say in the least,  their lives are  DIFFERENT.  adora has parents who are willing to bend over backwards to give their daughter anything she desires.  she can see how she wished for more freedom.  the feeling of earning and accomplishing something was something that can’t be described adequately.  but it was a MAGNIFICENT feeling.  it was similar to flying on a broom.  and despite having the family business handed to her,  she did everything in her power to make sure she proved others wrong.

“  oh dear merlin.  ”

it made sense.  her parents gave alecto the freedom and independence for quite a while now.  but at the same time,  the things that her parents have made her do were not so much for her happiness.  but rather,  for the wellbeing of the family.

“  there’s brandy over by the minibar if that helps.  i think my family’s grimoire might have something for counter wish spells.  and as for face masks,  i’m sure i have some around here.  ”  she waved her hand dismissively.

she gave adora an expectant look.  a vow of silence  ?  that’s a bit over the top.  “  well for one thing,  i was definitely  not  planning on leaving the flat.  i’m fine with staying here until we figure out a solution and we’re able to get back to our own lives  ––  speaking of which,  i’ll need to owl my assistant and tell her to push back any meetings i have today.  ” 

“  i’m cancelling my sparring session.  and since you are telling everyone that you’re sick,  then the same goes for me.  i reckon it’s best for us to stay here anyways.  minimal contact.  i’m sure we can get food by owl post should we want to.  if not,  there is food to make on hand.  ”

at least it won’t be hard to believe.  with all the hours she’s put into work,  it’s a miracle she hasn’t gotten sick yet.  “  visiting evan can wait.  i’m sure he’s busy with some commissioned pieces.  ”

merlin,  she really didn’t need this today of all days.

𝓣he huge door swung open immediately.

Adora was on Alecto like bowtruckles on doxy eggs. Her hands curled around her true visage’s shoulders as she made sure not one strand was out of place on her pretty little head. Finally, she sighed with relief.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“No. frowning. If I have one frown line when I get back in there, chica, te lo juro…” Adora trailed off warningly. 

Adora whirled around dramatically, leaving the door open behind her. She was in a mood, but it was warranted. She fell onto the couch gracefully, curling up on it so that her arm rested on the back, and her chin rested on top. The only thing missing was the black and white film, and the declaration that her life had become a film noir. All she needed was pin curls, but Adora wasn’t sure Alecto was worthy of the power of the pin curl.

“There is only one reason something this terrible could happen,” Adora began, rolling her r’s, “the wish last night.” 

Adora thought back to her Ravenclaw days. Was it possible that Gamp’s Law would protect against jealousy wishes? Even if Alecto wanted to, Adora found herself probing the real probability that she had said outloud, I wish to take Adora De La Fuente’s life, and how likely was it the stars would grant a wish like that, really? If wishing spells worked that way, the world would be in disarray. 

It had to be something else.

Adora had wished her life was a little different, but she hadn’t wished for a different life. But maybe…

She shifted on the couch, looking over at Alecto. “What did you wish for?”

「 ✨ adora has mentioned a canon object. 」 「 ✨ adora has brought up a magical subject x5. 」 「 ✨ adora has referenced something from hogwarts: a history x4. 」 「 ✨ adora has used a wizarding idiom. 」

she flinched at the immediate physical contact.  she was  not  expecting that as soon as the door swung open.

“  merlin  forbid  you get a  single  frown line,  ”  alecto muttered to herself.  nonetheless,  she refrained from frowning.  she could understand the need for beauty and a skincare regime.  after all,  if there’s a useful thing helena selwyn can bestow to her daughter,  it’s the importance of skincare.

alecto stepped into her flat,  a sense of familiarity surrounding her.  oh how she missed being in her own body.  she was always skeptical of wishes.  everything behind it was an  uncertainty.  almost like divination.  except,  with divination one can  predict  what’s to occur.  then again,  the culture of asian witchcraft was one that was  GREATLY  hidden in korea.

oh that  bloody  wish.  this is what she gets for entertaining herself with a  simple  wish.  she was sure that salazar slytherin was rolling around his grave.  how is it that gamp’s law didn’t protect against wishes that could end up in a body switch  ?  she didn’t even  want  adora de la fuente’s life.  she just wanted her parents to actually care more about her wishes.  it’s not like she outright said  ‘  i wish i had adora de la fuente’s life ’.  if there’s one thing she learned is don’t count your owls before they are delivered.

the former slytherin looked over at adora expectantly.  “  well i didn’t wish to have your life,  that’s for sure.  ”

there had to be some other explanation for this.

“  i just wished that my family cared more about me  . . .  ”  she’d never really confided this to anyone but her closest friends.  “  what about you  ?  ”

𝓞nce Adora finished her thirty minute weeping spell, there was only one thing left to do. Whenever she traveled to foreign countries, she made wherever she was staying feel homey so she wouldn’t get homesick. Since she was in a different person’s body, she would just have to do the same thing.

She smiled at herself in the mirror. She posed with her hands on her hips. A lo hecho, pecho. Face up to what is. What is done is done.

Adora took a bite of the food she whipped up, theatrically falling onto the sofa in what she now presumed to be a flat. She couldn’t go and find Alecto. Easton Manor’s protective charms would have her for dinner. She also couldn’t write Fifi or her family who was farther off in Spain. They would think Alecto was some sort of stalker, and Adora De La Fuente had plenty of stalkers. There was only one person she could think to owl: Ansem. He would believe her. Plus, he could get into the Manor and to Alecto. Dios mio.

She searched for some parchment to write on. Her hands shifted some of the papers on the coffee table with a delicateness, carefully avoiding what looked to be a grimoire. Adora’s eyebrows furrowed as the words started to lift off of the paper. 

“Selwyn and Flint wedding?”

Adora looked up, a gasp on the tip of her tongue. What a little liar she turned out to be.

“I can’t believe her!”

There was a knock at the door. Adora looked up, eyebrows furrowed grumpily and lips fixed into a pout. This was probably the most threatening Adora had ever looked and the least threatening “Alecto Selwyn” had ever looked in her lifetime. She waltzed to the door, adjusting the long sleeves under her robes. She missed her grandiose gowns, and she already hated the way pants felt. 

Adora cleared her throat, and then she practiced a neutral expression, like the ones Alecto always wore. “Who is it?” She asked, imitating an English accent. She sounded just like the Slytherin did. She wanted her own voice back.

「 ✨ adora has mentioned a canon object x4. 」 「 ✨ adora has brought up a magical subject. 」 「 ✨ adora has referenced something from hogwarts: a history x4. 」

alecto was silently thanking merlin that no one was around to disturb her.  she spent about a good hour picking and changing into an outfit that was very much so  ––  well,  ADORA.  it was safe to say that she and the former ravenclaw were just  acquaintances.  she really didn’t need to be dealing with this today.  or any day for that matter.  how in the name of merlin did this even happen  ?  

she let out a heavy sigh.  her first thought was to owl tiffany.  after all,  her best friend was the brightest witch of her age.  but alecto wasn’t even sure if there is some sort of connection between adora and tiffany  ––  aside from being housemates.  no,  too risky.  that was out of the question.  plus,  she was going to assume that the former head girl was busy with auror training.

did  salazar slytherin  ever deal with situations like this  ?  did any of the FOUNDERS  ever deal with a body switch  ?  she shook her head from her musings,  the blue hair still catching her off guard.  her eyes caught sight of the floo,  but she placed extra security measures on her flat so it was  very  unlikely  that’d she get through as adora de la fuente.  and she really didn’t deal with flooing to a public network such as the leaky cauldron.  she doubted adora would ever be caught dead at a pub like that.  the only other option left was to apparate.

after that whole ordeal and she actually managed to apparate to the front door of her flat.  as she’s always said,  time is galleons  !  she just wanted to get this situation fixed as soon as possible.  she let out a sigh again and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.  she knocked,  three times.  please answer.  please let someone be home.

“  it’s  ––  ”  she paused.  who in the name of merlin was she supposed to say  ?  adora  ?  alecto  ?  screw it.  “  alecto.  ”  the sound of her name with adora’s voice sounded so  . . .  foreign.

𝓐dora sat on her balcony’s stone railing, her silk robe billowing over the edge as she stared up at the nearly blinding moon. The shooting stars would be visible soon. She let out a soft sigh. Maybe it was foolish for her to wish on a star when she seemed to have everything. Seemed. Most nights she forgot there was anything to miss. Oh, she knew she was being silly. Still, there was something whimsical and comforting about it; the idea of dusting off a grimoire and casting a spell tonight, with the hopes that its magic would bring a better tomorrow.

So with her wand in hand, she indulged. Just this once.

“Ojalá.. tuviera más libertad.” I wish.. I had more freedom. She wished that her parents would stop being so overprotective. She wished they would expect more of her, instead of the very small role they had her written her in, backed up by centuries of ideologies.

And then she laid her head down, on her silk pillows that smelled of heavenly lavender, and found peace in her dreams.

She awakened to a nightmare.

The first thing she noticed was that this wasn’t her bedroom. It wasn’t nearly fabulous enough, not with its minimalistic decorations, and it possessed an unfamiliar coldness to it with its colors. Black? Wow, someone owl the Mortician. The second thing she noticed was that there wasn’t a pin to pull out at the top of her head, which usually held her silky midnight strands within a safety net, and toppled out in a theatrical movement each morning. She held a piece of black hair to the light. It was pin straight, and she didn’t remember taking her glamour charms off.

Adora gasped.

Her hands were pale, and her finger nails weren’t painted amorentia pink!

She scrambled out of bed, and clamped a hand to her mouth as she came face to face with Alecto Selwyn in her reflection. She hyperventilated, the sounds high pitched as she put her hands to her face— oh wait, Alecto’s hands, to Alecto’s face. She pouted in the mirror. Well, at least that was still her pout. At least she could frown now without getting frown lines.

“Ayy, that witch stole my life!”  ( &. @sclwvns·. )

「 ✨ adora made a wish. 」 「 ✨ adora saw her wish came true. 」 「 ✨ adora regretted her wish. 」 「 ✨ adora has mentioned a canon object x3. 」 「 ✨ adora has brought up a magical subject x4. 」 「 ✨ adora has cast a spell. 」

alecto sighed at the parchments in front of her.  while a date hadn’t been solidified yet,  she  knew  that her mother would most likely come knocking at her door within a week’s time.  casting them aside,  she glanced at her grimoire.  the selwyn family grimoire.  it dates back centuries,  with both light and dark magic.  heavily guarded by the family’s  guardian spirit.  running her hands along the cover,  the former slytherin grabbed her wand.  she summoned a brandy cup and filled it up a quarter of the way with the drinks in the mini bar of her flat.  merlin give me the strength.

alecto selwyn is an  independent  witch.  it didn’t mean that her parents shouldn’t care  less.  the shooting stars would soon grace the night sky.  as skeptical as she was,  she summoned her grimoire and cast a spell.

“  i wish  ––  i  wish  my parents cared more  ...  ”  it was a faint whisper,  but she said it out loud nonetheless.

finishing off her brandy,  she cast a quick cleaning spell and put the cup back in its place before heading off to bed.  despite the minimalist decor,  she thought her room was distinctly hers.  black and white with emerald green accents.  truly a  slytherin  sight.  laying in bed,  she eventually drifted off to sleep without the aid of a sleeping draught.

it was a decent night’s sleep,  the first in a while.  only to realize that she’d be late for work.  galloping gargoyles  !  the alarm on her wand mustn’t have gone off.  funny,  she set the alarm to go off at the same time everyday except the weekend.  she could also recall falling asleep with her hair down instead of being held up by a pin.

she reached up to unpin her hair,  letting it cascade.  only to notice that it was  BLUE.  blue hair  ?  really  ?  taking another glance at the room,  she knew that she was not in her flat.  spotting a mirror,  she leaped out of bed only to be greeted by the face of adora de la fuente in the reflection.  her eyes widened in shock.

“  oh dear merlin  ...  i’ve got to get back to my flat.  ”

「 ✨ alecto made a wish 」 「 ✨ alecto saw her wish come true 」 「 ✨ alecto regretted her wish 」 

“oh, of course!” fatima says with a reassuring nod of her head, bright smile across her features.  if she said it she meant it– and there was nothing wrong with company. in fact merlin she was always up for company. “if you’re sure. i still feel bad i was taking up all the room.” she reckoned she wasn’t the first to have done that before, even if that had been the same kind of thing with her– the brunette nods her head in agreement. “i get it completely! it’s been a little while since i seen you last, how have you been? good i hope.”

「 ✨ fatima has used a wizarding idiom x2」

“  don’t worry about it  !  it’s not nearly as much room as a hippogriff would take up,  ”  alecto jokes.  “  but i’ve been well. handling the business.  you know what they say,  time is  galleons. and whoever coined that term was not wrong. with that and wedding planning,  it’s definitely taken up most of my time.  merlin  !  it’s been a while since i’ve had time to myself.  ”  she normally never did have time to herself.  not when she was busy owling and meeting with board members.  may merlin bless enchanted coffee cups.  if it weren’t for them,  she doubted she’d be able to stay awake to make floo calls to overseas members that were also a part of her company.  “  but enough about me and how my life isn’t at all  interesting.  how have you been ?  ”

open to first two or three characters.

fatima waves one of her hands, in a manner almost as if she was waving the thought away–and she was, it was one of those hand motions that resembled the same kind of poise that she had. “no, no i insist feel free.” as there’s another gesture towards the seat, with a reach of her wand within grasp– and the proper spell, the fall colored cloak moved from the seat and into her ready hand, to which she placed onto the back of her own seat. doing the same with her belongings– that she had also placed there for the moment that were now moved onto the floor at her feet, and out of the way. it was rather rude! now that she thought about it, at least now she was fixing that. a friendly smile written across the brunette’s features. “sorry about that.”

「 ✨ fatima has mentioned a canon object x2 」  「 ✨ fatima has cast a spell x2 」 

“  if you insist.  ”  she picks up her charmed quill just as its finished writing down what needed to be sent to her mother.  she’ll owl that list later.  merlin forbid she would ever let her mother handle that.  everyone she’s met in wizarding  society  will be in attendance if she were to have it her way  !  with a quick brandish of her wand,  alecto cast a spell to make sure the ink on the parchment has fully dried.  she with that,  she cast another spell to ensure the roll of parchment was safely placed inside her bag.  once that was all settled,  alecto  finally  took a seat across from fatima.  “  it’s quite alright.  had a couple of things to finish up myself.  ”

“i mean.. apparently not.” although evan found that particularly hard to believe, as his parents were busy any other time– and they hadn’t meddled in his younger brothers life. not that he was aware of at least, he hoped not interfering with his life was enough; he didn’t want to wish that same fate on his brother. “i don’t believe they’ve been bothering my brother, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they are, or have been.” honestly? nothing at this point after this curve ball surprised him. “you and me both, it seems like it’s going to happen regardless.. so there’s that.” at the mention of just jumping in, a hand reaches forward and he picks up the first thing he sees. “looks like i grabbed food, have you given much thought about that? or about anything in particular?”

alecto shrugged in response.  “  well i am the only child and they have chosen to  unfortunately  focus their attention on me.  ”  she let out a exasperated sigh and tapped her wand against the parchment.  she can understand the belief of marrying based on keeping the bloodline pure and all that nonsense.  but did her parents still hold the  antiquated  pureblood belief  ?  she suspected that it might have been part of the reason.  the union of the flint and selwyn families.  “  i’m going to be  completely  honest with you,  ev.  no.  i haven’t.  i mean obviously i want it to connect to my culture and heritage.  ”  she let out yet  another  sigh.  with her wand still in hand,  she cast a quick spell to summon some drinks for her and evan.  “  all i know is that i want to find some way to intertwine my culture and heritage into the standard wizarding wedding ceremony.  merlin knows how my parents did it.  then again,  i think it just depends which part of the wizarding world we’re in.  ”

“ awww. ” reagan pouts, only turning away to muse a low thank you to the barmaid behind the counter once he had his drink, a pure malt whisky, one that immediately he took a long sip from. “ it’s been a while since the last time i’ve seen evan… where is he, anyway ? ” 「 ✨  reagan mentioned a canon magical object. x2 」 

alecto let out a delicate chuckle at reagan’s response.  she took another sip of her firewhisky.  setting the glass down gently,  she refocused her attention to the auror trainee in front of her.  “  merlin knows.  i reckon he’s a bit busy being holed up in his flat.  you know him.  he loves his art. i’m probably going to pay him a visit sometime soon just to remind him that the outside world does in fact  EXIST.  maybe we’ll head to golden pine.  or diagon alley.  but i mean,  time is galleons  !  ”

“ at least you found enjoyment on doing all tha’ planning. ” reagan said, giving the surface before him a tap of his knuckles to gain the barmaid’s attention and as for a drink– anything, he said to the wix before looking back at alecto. he didn’t say anything for a few seconds and when he did, the wizard sounded serious. so serious he succeed on hiding the amusement from his words. “ can i be the best man ? ”

     “por favor. should i not be asking you what your plans are?” adora deflected smoothly, smiling, “with your event planning,” she clarified. “events point towards the future, after all.” 

theater or not, whatever adora would do in the future was sure to be fabulous. but it was going to be just that. in the future. years. whatever was happening with the witch in front of her was clearly closer at hand. why trade niceties, talk in circles, when whatever alecto was immersed in would be more scintillating to discuss? “you know, i am muy often surrounded by events…”

alecto merely shrugs in response.  as much as adora would want to know what she was up to,  the two of them were merely  acquaintances.  she didn’t feel comfortable telling her all about the events to come.      “      it’s just a little family get together.      ”      the excuse falls easily from her tongue.  technically  it wasn’t a lie.  her demeanor remained neutral,  as usual.

“i don’t know if i’d consider that mean, and if it is– i guess i’m rather mean too. because believe me i’ve been wondering the same exact thing.” evan had to admit it was hard not to wonder that, he was sure he’d thought the same thing a dozen or so times. but it honestly? it just left him wondering more things. “i’m sure you’re right, had you not the wedding would be.. SOMETHING. possibly not something either of us would have liked. i don’t know if all of this accomplishes the feeling that they mean well.” as per usual he hadn’t mean anything by it, but it was hard amongst everything to see that clearly or even to see anything in particular. “i mean might as well. i’m sure despite everything it’ll be grand. that wouldn’t be too bad, have it that way and perhaps an even bigger celebration because of that? it’s no problem.” there’s a small shrug of his shoulders, his eyes scanning along the parchments. “do you just want me to jump in? or do you have something amongst all of this, to look at? it seems like there’s a lot.”