treat yo (s)elf [Camila]

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

21 December 2025

The Christmas markets were one of the most exciting parts of the holidays, in Sienna’s very well-researched opinion. There was always an amazing variety of activities, along with the nice view of all the colorful lights, and it was impossible to be bored walking around. Si had decided not to go home for Christmas this year – she had visited her father last year, and wanted to spend this year with Gus and some of her friends from the magical community. So, for the first time since moving to the United Kingdom, Si was ready ready ready to sample the Christmas markets in this part of Europe.

She’d invited Camila, because the two girls seemed to have started a habit of spending most major holidays together. But, sticking around London had seemed like too easy an activity – not to mention Camila was more well-known in the capital – so Sienna had dragged her friend all the way to Wales for a fun day outside, with a warning to dress warm. Camila knew the best ways to travel disguised – magical or otherwise – but Si had still chosen Caerleon over other better-known parts of Wales mostly because it was the city she knew best, having visited the magic museum before.

Sienna craned her neck up as the girls walked along a pedestrian-only area to get a better look at the Christmas lights. She would never leave the house without looking her best -- so her outfit was perfectly color-coordinated -- but she'd also gone a little overboard because she got cold easily. Si rubbed her gloved hands together, then she turned to smile at her friend. “So where do you want to start? There’s so many options, I can’t decide!”

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Wales definitely was a change of pace from London, but Camila hoped that it would be quiet enough that she could avoid any unwanted attention from the public. Sienna had invited her to go to a Christmas market there, and she really didn't want to have to use Polyjuice Potion just to go hang out with friends. That was no way to live, and she didn't want to force Sienna to go to the trouble of making yet another supply of it for her. If she stayed bundled up in enough layers, she hoped that she wouldn't be as easily recognizable at first glance.

It was quiet, and the Christmas light displays everywhere were beautiful. They had found a pedestrian area that made it even easier to enjoy what the market had to offer, and the sound of Sienna's voice pulled Camila's attention away from the scenery for a moment. She asked her where to start, saying that she couldn't decide, and Camila laughed; she understood the feeling. It was really quaint, with a bunch of little stalls set up with all sorts of things. Everything was lit up and twinkling, and it looked so nice.

At about that same time, Camila spotted a stall just ahead of them advertising drinks. It was cold enough outside that getting something warm to drink certainly wasn't going to hurt them. She turned to Sienna with a grin. "Hot chocolate first?"

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

It was nice to see Camila as herself in public. Si understood the risks, and why she might choose to travel disguised whenever she went out. And naturally, Camila could always count on Sienna to provide a batch of Polyjuice Potion for whatever she needed – having made quite a few doses already, the recipe now came very easily to Sienna and hiding it from the apothecary wasn’t hard to do. It was nice to have little experiences like that to validate how far she’d come in her potions work – she certainly wasn’t the 11 year old that hadn’t known how to work a cauldron.

“Carmen, you’re a genius,” Sienna praised as Camila suggested hot chocolate. She’d stuttered a little on the C, as her natural instinct had been to say Camila, but she’d caught herself at the last moment and switched to the girl’s real name. That would probably make her less conspicuous as well, on top of the low-key market they were at. There were plenty of stalls around them, and Si grabbed Camila’s arm as she followed her nose right to a vendor that was selling hot drinks. There were so many options – teas, coffees, ciders, hot chocolate, even some mulled wine and spiked eggnog for the adults. “Hello!” Sienna greeted the vendor cheerily, her French accent much more subtle after years of practice. “I’ll have a hot chocolate please, the largest size you have with marshmallows. And whatever my friend wants too!” Si winked at Camila as she pulled out her wallet. Only Muggle money would do here, which Camila was sure to have as well, but Si wanted to treat her friend. It wasn’t a strict necessity, since Camila did very well for herself, but it was one way of showing her love. Victoire also never had to pay for chocolate around her.

After paying, Sienna received her drink and sighed happily as the drink warmed her hands through the gloves. She couldn’t wait and took a small sip of the drink, humming as the flavors swirled in her mouth. “Hot chocolate is always good, but even better outside,” Si confirmed as she took another sip. Her smile widened into a full grin. “So, did you hear about this Christmas ball?” she asked excitedly. “I’m sure Gus is tired of hearing me talk about it. But…it’s a ball. A royal ball. With ballgowns. And royals.” Si’s eyes were wide with wonder.

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Sienna complimented her, calling her a genius. Camila wasn't sure about that, but hot chocolate did sound good to her. It seemed as though they must have been of the same mind, too, since Sienna grabbed her by the arm and practically pulled her in the direction of the drink vendor.

Once they were there, Sienna fortunately spoke first, ordering the largest hot chocolate that they had on offer, before adding that she would pay for whatever it was that Camila wanted. Camila laughed as Sienna winked, though she wasn't going to fight her on paying for something as simple as two drinks.

Still laughing a little, Camila spoke to the vendor. "Hi. I will have the same, please," she smiled. It probably would be a lot of hot chocolate, but it wasn't as if either of them would have to chug their drinks right then and there. They would be able to enjoy them as they went along.

It wasn't long before their drinks were ready, and Sienna got her drink shortly before Camila got her own, picking it up from the counter as Sienna took a sip of hers. "Hot chocolate is always good, but even better outside," she commented, which was definitely true with as cold as it was outside. Camila held her cup in her hands for a moment before drinking any of her hot chocolate. Though she had gloves on, it made for a nice hand warmer.

"So," began Sienna, "did you hear about this Christmas ball? I'm sure Gus is tired of hearing me talk about it. But… it's a ball. A royal ball. With ballgowns. And royals."

Camila was glad not to have taken a sip of her hot chocolate yet, because she giggled at Sienna's excitement for the ball. She had heard about it; she was also invited, but it admittedly felt different for her now that she was famous—not that she had been invited to anything royal before. It would be the social event of the year for a lot of people, she expected, and of course she would go. She also felt terrible for the royal family for having lost one of their own in the explosion at the Quidditch match, especially when she had been able to be Disapparated from the stadium as soon as something was amiss.

"Princess Sienna," Camila teased her as she continued on from the drink stall, mostly so that their conversation would be less likely to be overheard. "You and Auguste are going?" she checked with Sienna quietly, after taking a sip of her hot chocolate. She didn't think that there were many Muggles around that part of Wales who would have been so close to anyone royal, and trying to explain how they had scored invitations to such an event would be a nightmare.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

The girls continued walking after picking up their hot chocolates from the vendor, and Si sipped at hers periodically to warm up. The atmosphere was different in a non-magical area, with a different kind of crowd, and Si enjoyed the feeling, even as she kept her wand close by in her pocket. She never found many opportunities to spend time around Muggles anymore – usually just those short visits home. In an abstract sense, she understood why – busy with work, busy with friends, and most wizards usually preferred to stay around other magical beings where they didn’t have to monitor conversations or hide their magic. But this was still how she’d been brought up, so it was as much a part of her as the magical world had become.

Camila teased her about dreaming of being a princess, and Si smiled at her because it wasn’t so far from the truth. Once upon a time, Sienna had been obsessed with fairytales and princesses and the royal families of Europe. She wasn’t a kid anymore, but some of that still lingered. Si lowered her tone to match Camila’s as she replied, “Definitely.” She considered how to keep the conversation vague enough for Muggles, then continued. “It messed with our plans a little bit, since we’re planning to spend Christmas at his place. But there are ways to work around that.” Gus did have a flying car, but Si was also debating the use of Floo Powder. Magical transportation was by far one of the best ways the wizarding world had outpaced the non-magical one.

She stopped walking as she noticed a stall with a variety of festive clothing – hats, sweaters, even Rudolph noses. She picked up a Santa hat and tried it on (a good decision because her ears were getting cold) and turned to Camila. “What do you think? This and a nice dress? We could go matching,” she joked. She did a small twirl to show off the hat.

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Camila didn't mind the magical world, but she appreciated that Sienna had gone out of her way to find the market that they were visiting. It was different from anywhere that she had been before, and she didn't even mind that the people's accents were much thicker than she was used to hearing, for the most part. Even though it made it a little bit harder to understand what people were talking about around her, it was nice that it wasn't just chatter about how Camila Calderón was out somewhere and this and that.

Though they weren't non-magical, they were able to blend in well enough not to have to worry, and Camila understood that Sienna was minding her word choice while talking about the royal ball. "It messed with our plans a little bit," Sienna told her, "since we're planning to spend Christmas at his place. But there are ways to work around that."

There were ways, for sure. Since the travel restrictions were lifted, it wouldn't be as difficult for Sienna and Auguste to get to France on short notice. Camila nodded, happy that they would get to spend Christmas in peace and away from any intrusion. She was about to say something, as well, but Sienna's attention had been taken away from her by a stall with some very… festive merchandise. Camila knew that someone had probably put a lot of thought into it—especially the sweaters—but the only other thought that came to her mind was that they were sort of ugly.

That didn't stop Sienna from grabbing a Santa hat and trying it on, though. "What do you think?" she asked, presenting her look. "This and a nice dress? We could go matching."

"Yes!" Camila agreed, laughing as watched Sienna twirl around. A Santa hat would definitely ensure that she would be invited back to any royal events in the future, but it was an amusing idea. "And the clown nose," she added, looking to the Rudolph noses.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

If there was one thing that Sienna appreciated about Camila above all, it was how natural the girls were when together. From the very first meeting, the differences between them had been obvious. Camila was a celebrity, one who was becoming more popular as she gained more international attention, while Si was just like anybody else. Camila still struggled with her English, much like Sienna had when she’d first arrived to London, and they didn’t share any other languages in which they could communicate. But even from that first meeting, it’d become obvious that they would learn how to work around those obstacles. A phone app for translating, Polyjuice Potion so Camila could go out in public. Yes, their friendship had always come naturally for Si, and she absolutely loved that it had never been hard.

It was fairly obvious that they were both comfortable in a Muggle setting, so Sienna released that last little bit of concern (that fear of being judged for her Muggleborn roots) and let herself fully enjoy the day. She set her hot chocolate down on an empty bit of table so she could fully admire the Santa hats, and she checked her reflection in a small mirror that had been set up. Camila laughed as she watched Si twirl, and the laughter was infectious as Sienna also began to giggle. She adjusted the hat so it covered the tips of her ears, then picked up a second one thoughtfully.

Camila had joked about the cloth noses, so Si picked one up as well and inched closer to Camila. “Of course,” she agreed in an innocent tone. Then she snapped the Santa hat onto Camila’s head in a rush – it wasn’t a normal Santa hat, as it had antlers coming out of the top. “And what would Santa be without his best and most loyal reindeer?” Si teased, holding out the Rudolph nose for Camila to put on as well. Still, the sight of the reindeer Santa hat on her celebrity friend was comical enough that Sienna burst out into laughter. “How many likes do you think I’d get if I took a picture of you right now?” It wasn’t a serious question – Sienna understood better than most how celebrities struggled with their privacy – so she shot Camila a wink as she pressed the red nose into Camila’s hands.

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Sienna was one of only a few people whom Camila would have allowed to ambush her with a Santa hat with antlers sticking out of the top of it, and she laughed hard enough upon realizing what Sienna had done that she was afraid of spilling her hot chocolate. She managed to avoid that catastrophe, though, even as Sienna teased her about what she had wrought. "And what would Santa be without his best and most loyal reindeer?" she questioned, holding one of those silly noses at the ready.

As much as she got dressed up and put in clothes that she wouldn't wear in her everyday life for various reasons as a celebrity, wearing a Santa hat with antlers was a new one. Sienna, too, seemed to understand that, joking, "How many likes do you think I'd get if I took a picture of you right now?"

"Nooooo," Camila laughed. "Post it later." She didn't want a mob of magical people to show up in a Muggle part of Wales in search of her for the sake of getting a picture or an autograph. Knowing that she would probably have to purchase the red nose once she'd stuck it on her own nose, Camila was poised to put it on, though—drink still in one hand—she had to check her reflection in the mirror to make sure that it was on properly.

Once she was satisfied with it, she looked back at Sienna and cracked up again, moving her hand to check that the red nose was still there and that it hadn't fallen off because of her laughter. "Okay, okay… We can take photos," she said between giggles, reassured that the nose was still there. It was amusing to her, too, as opposed to being caught by paparazzi when she didn't want to be, and it would remind people that she wasn't afraid to laugh at herself. The WWWW was sure to go wild over it.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Sienna joined Camila as she began to laugh hard at the sight of Camila with the Santa hat and Rudolph nose. Despite the antlers on the hat, the look clashed hard with the rest of Camila’s fashionable outfit – it was festive, no doubt about that, although not exactly the kind of look people left the house with. It was something you might wear on Christmas itself, or at a party with family and friends you trusted with your life (because really, the thought of posting a picture like that on social media meant we were talking about life-or-death situations). Sienna laughed until her cheeks hurt and she was breathless from the exertion, and she forced herself to take several deep breaths so she could respond.

“You…look…amazing,” Si wheezed out, still breathless with laughter. After a few more moments, she was able to put herself together long enough to assure Camila, “You’ll definitely want to remember this look. It’ll be perfect whenever you end up making that Christmas single.” It seemed to be a milestone in every celebrity’s career, a sign that you were really making it if someone wanted you to do a cover or even compose your own original festive song. Camila’s producers probably wouldn’t green-light the Rudolph nose, though. It was easy, in that moment, to ignore the crowds of Muggles around them (and the vendor only a few meters away chatting to another customer) in favor of the silly moment.

When Camila confirmed the two girls could take photos, Si shot her a mischievous look as she slipped off her gloves and slid them into her purse. She immediately felt the cold, but ignored her slightly reddening hands in favor of taking out her phone and going straight to the camera app. “Gus is going to love this,” Si said with a laugh as adjusted the Santa hat on her head, moved to stand by Camila and threw an arm around her. Si was able to smile prettily for the first couple selfies, but then she glanced again at the camera and began to giggle again at the sight the two girls made. Eventually, at the end of the mini photoshoot, Si began to scroll through the pictures, selecting a few of the better shots to send to Camila straightaway.

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Camila was almost worried that Sienna was going to laugh so hard so as not to be able to breathe, but she managed to collect herself enough to snap a few selfies. They looked totally comical, though maybe Sienna had a point about putting out a Christmas single for the next year. It would be fun, though she was certainly having fun striking poses with Sienna for her phone camera. One of the snapshots would have to turn out, and Sienna was already hard at work, searching through the best ones, as Camila went to put the hat away and pay for the nose.

She had no intentions of keeping the red nose on her nose for the rest of their trip, though, so she slipped it into her pocket as she turned to Sienna. Prepared to ask her what she wanted to do next, she noticed a booth offering ornaments and ornament-decorating just across from where they were. It was probably geared more towards children, she guessed, but there weren't any kids over there at that time. Having already taken plenty of pictures looking totally silly, she wasn't afraid to point Sienna's attention in that direction.

From what she could see from a distance, it wasn't anything too elaborate—just painting designs on round baubles—but they would make for a cute souvenir (and slightly more useful than the nose that she had just bought, to boot). "Do you want to paint?" she smiled at Sienna, looking between her and the other booth.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Sienna finally managed to get her laughter under control as she finished sending the selfies to Camila. There were still more to sort through on her phone, but she would finish that tonight after choosing the best for social media and a few of the funnier ones for Gus. She still had a bright smile on her face as she followed after Camila to pay the vendor (there was something special about handling Muggle money after years of puzzling over the conversion rate from pounds to sickles). Camila had taken off the Rudolph nose (which Si couldn’t blame her for), although the two girls continued on with the Santa hats on their heads and Si quickly slipping her gloves back on.

The Christmas market was bright, and loud, and they wandered through the crowd of families and couples navigating the various stalls. Finally, Camila brought her attention towards a cute little booth (probably more oriented towards children, although it seemed family-friendly), and Si brightened as she took in the plain ornaments and painting kits on display. “How is that even a question?” Si shot back teasingly, looping her arm through Camila’s and pulling her friend towards the ornament booth. As much as Si appreciated the fashionable and sophisticated, her favorite kind of gift was still the ones where it was clear thought had gone into it. If it was personalized, then it didn’t matter whether it was worth a knut or a galleon.

She sighed a little mournfully at the thought of having to remove her gloves for a second time, but Sienna quickly put them back in her purse as the vendor set out two ornaments for her and Camila. “Hmm,” Si considered out-loud as she glanced between the ornament and Camila. An idea popped into her head then and she carefully selected a brush and a small painting kit. Si had seen some amazingly talented artists – sometimes one crashed on her couch when she needed a place to stay – and while she’d never be the next big thing, her art wasn’t terrible. Sienna began to carefully paint music notes on the ornament, systematically cleaning her brush so she could experiment with practically every color available. After some time, she asked Camila jokingly, "Ready to see my masterpiece?"

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

Sienna asked her how it was even a question that she had asked her if she wanted to go paint, and off to the other booth they went. Once they were there, they were each handed ornaments, and Camila thought for a minute or two about what she wanted to paint on hers. She was careful not to drop it as she rotated it around in her hand, taking in the blank canvas and then considering her options. Now that she was there, she didn't know what she wanted to paint, but she looked over to Sienna to see that she had already gotten started on something.

Meanwhile, an idea popped into Camila's head. It wasn't the most inventive thing that she could have come up with, but she painted on "CARMEN" in green, followed by a red heart. It was simple and maybe a little bit predictable, though she knew that Sienna wouldn't judge her for that.

As Camila was filling in the heart on her own design, humming softly as she worked, Sienna spoke again. "Ready to see my masterpiece?"

Camila turned her head to look at her and smiled, trying to catch a glimpse of it before Sienna could actually show her. "Yes!"

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

Sienna focused intently on her ornament, turning it slowly so she could paint a couple music notes on each side without smudging the paint. It wasn’t exactly museum-worthy, but it was obvious enough what the designs were supposed to be and it was colorful, at least. And anyway, she hoped Camila would appreciate the little nod to her career (and of course, the fact that she was one of the most represented artists in Sienna’s playlists while she was at work). The nature of her job meant she didn’t see other people often besides Jamie (except the occasional supplier and maybe a customer if Si ventured out to the front of the shop), but one of the immediate advantages was that Sienna could play music from her phone at work without any complaints.

She smiled at Camila as the other girl confirmed she was ready to see the ornament, and Sienna made a big show of turning the ornament slightly and saying “Ta-da!” as she gestured grandly at it. She waited a beat, then added, “It’s for you. Part one of your Christmas present. Part two is still a surprise.” Sienna had already picked out and wrapped Camila’s gift over a week ago, although she was probably going to give her the mini-cauldron after Christmas itself since her plans involved heading to Gus’s place in France immediately after the royal ball. Once she was sure the paint had dried enough, Si gingerly slid the ornament over to Camila with a smile so she could examine it for herself.

camila calderón

[camila calderón]

December 21, 2025

"Ta-da!" Sienna announced, showing off the design that she had created on the ornament that she had been decorating. It was so cute, Camila thought, and she wondered why she hadn't thought to do something similar with her own ornament. Music notes would have been such a nice touch. Sienna followed it up by adding, "It’s for you. Part one of your Christmas present. Part two is still a surprise."

Camila's smile widened, not at all expecting that Sienna would want to gift her ornament to her. "Beautiful! Thank you, Sienna," she replied. It was really sweet of her, especially when Sienna passed the ornament over to her and she could see her handiwork up close.

Holding out the ornament that she had been working on so that Sienna could see it, she laughed a little. "It is my name," she considered, not sure if Sienna would want it because of that. "Do you want it?" It was personalized, but she supposed that it could be like a friendship necklace or something… a seasonal one.

Sienna Aurélie Linslee

[Sienna Aurélie Linslee]

As Camila showed off her own ornament, Si accepted it gingerly so she could examine the heart and Camila’s real name. “Carmen, it’s lovely,” Sienna gushed as she looked it over and set it down gently on the table. Both ornaments were simple, since the girls had really only taken a small slice of time to experiment with the paints. But again, this kind of thing was special because it had a memory attached to it, rather than a hefty price tag. She smiled at Camila as she offered the ornament to Si, and she nodded enthusiastically as she confirmed, “I’ll hang it on my tree when I get home. And this way I’ll remember who it’s from.” She shot Camila a mischievous wink.

It was a good thing Si had come prepared to blow through her money at the Christmas market, because she had known it would be an inevitability – even though she wasn’t sure what exactly they’d find. The Christmas markets were one of her favorite holiday traditions, an opportunity to spend time outdoors examining all the interesting stalls and marveling at the Christmas lights. Si was intimately familiar with the different options in Brussels, although this was her first time visiting a British market. This time, the vendor wrapped up the ornaments as they paid, and Si carefully slipped Camila’s gift into her purse.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Si thought out-loud as they began walking down the pathway again. “I didn’t realize I’d forgotten a gift until I started wrapping them. But there should be something here, no?” She’d written all the cards beforehand, so there had been a small moment of panic when there had been one card left over with no gift to accompany it. Then Sienna had remembered that she and Camila had made plans to visit a market in Wales, and she’d programmed a reminder into her phone to really make sure she wouldn’t forget again. She began to scan the stalls with an eagle eye for something interesting.

camila calderón