It's Witchcraft (OPEN)

[Deleted]

February 28, 2025

Muffet Hubbard had begun the day armed with pamphlets and motivated to go out into one of the touristy parts of Central London. It was a Friday, and she hoped that she would be able to enlighten both visitors to the city and locals alike to the clear and obvious dangers that witchcraft posed to the world. Finding a place to stand as people made their way up and down the pavement to and from the attractions around Leicester Square was no challenge, but keeping their attention apparently was.

"There is clear evidence that witches and wizards live among us!" she called out as people passed by her. A few gawked for a moment and then kept on moving; others didn't even make eye contact.

Two men holding cigarettes were among the crowds of people, one of them croaking with laughter at her declaration as they walked away. "Yeah! And I'm Sherlock Holmes, and he's Maggie Thatcher!"

It was frustrating for a second or so, but Muffet was not a woman who was easily deterred. Lips pursed, she scanned the people around her. A teenager with some sort of skull logo splashed across the front of a black shirt came walking past, and she raced to shove a pamphlet at them. "That shirt is a clear sign of witchcraft, you know," she informed them as she passed out a pamphlet—unable to determine whether the person with whom she was speaking was male or female. "We must all protect ourselves from the dangers of witchcraft! It is possible to repent!"

OOC: And so it begins! I was given permission from Suzie to post this; Muffy just doesn't have her user group yet.

[Deleted]

Wandering around Muggle London wasn't something that Kataleya enjoyed. However, she had purchased a cheap apartment there that she stayed in with her brother. Usually, she found herself aparating from her home to Diagon Alley, but today - today she felt different. She wanted to walk, and the prickle on her neck usually was a sign to follow her gut. Not that she had any special powers or tingles that signaled danger, she was just superstitious that way.

However, she was glad that she did, because a woman was screaming about witches and wizards, handing out pamphlets to the crowd of non-believers. She drew closer to listen.

'There is clear evidence that witches and wizards live among us! That skirt is a clear sign of witchcraft, you know. We must all protect ourselves from the dangers of witchcraft! It is possible to repent!' Dark eyes narrowed, and a slow smirk appeared on her face, arms crossed over her chest. "Oh yeah!? And what evidence do you have of these claims? I doubt black skirts with skulls determine witchcraft...that's more satanic than a witch."

@muffet

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A young woman—probably in her early twenties or so—approached next, openly challenging her claims and asking her what proof she could furnish of the true existence of witches and wizards. Muffy, used to dealing with people who were so skeptical of what she had to say, was only momentarily frustrated. She knew that what she was preaching was the truth. In time, so would everyone else.

"It's all here in this pamphlet," she smiled, handing one towards the younger woman in spite of her crossed arms. "Photographs of traces of magic," she explained, unfolding the pamphlet she was holding so that the woman could see it with her own eyes, the photographs from Muffy's own "special" camera that likely looked like regular thermal images to someone untrained. "Signs of magic," she continued, "testimonials… Tips to protect yourself from witchcraft."

@kataleya

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Kataleya played into the woman's delusions and unfolded her arms and drew closer to the pamphlet being held out to her. She pretended to be not only curious but infatuated with what the woman was trying to say. It was easier to get closer to someone and then kill them, rather than kill them instantly.

'Photographs of traces of magic. Signs of magic. Testimonials...Tips to protect yourself from witchcraft.' Kate nodded her head, looking at everything that was laid out before her, before speaking once more. "How do you know these 'testimonials' are true; and not just someone that belongs in a psych ward?" she questioned.

@muffet

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At first, the young woman appeared to have been drawn in to what she was saying, looking at the pamphlet with curiosity. It was only once she spoke again that Muffy realized that she had only been feigning her interest in it all. "How do you know these 'testimonials' are true," the young woman countered her, "and not just someone that belongs in a psych ward?"

Momentarily, Muffy bristled, breathing out through her nose. "Miss," she smiled sweetly, "I can assure you that these claims have been verified by those who have seen witches with their own eyes." She didn't work alone, although she might not have been in the company of any of her family members at that very moment. "I would urge you not to be so skeptical. I can always provide you with resources for more information. There are some titles provided on the pamphlet itself, as well as contact information for my organization." Well, it was just the general contact information that they gave to anyone from the outside who was dealing with the New Salem Philanthropic Society, but she would get put in touch with someone else who could answer her questions.

@kataleya

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'Miss, I can assure you that these claims have been verified by those who have seen witches with their own eyes. I would urge you not to be so skeptical. I can always provide you with resources for more information. There are some titles provided on the pamphlet itself, as well as contact information for my organization.'

Kataleya smiled at the woman, "I never said I was a skeptic...I wondered if the sources were confirmed. It's not every day that there is an organization that confirms what I saw to be true..." she breathed out, her acting skills coming out. She looked at the woman, "Do these witches have newspapers...that move? Like the pictures on them?" the words sounded like vile on her tongue, or at least, that was how she made it sound.

@muffet

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"I never said I was a skeptic…" the younger woman smiled at her. It was true; she hadn't actually said that, although Muffy had inferred it by what she had previously said. "I wondered if the sources were confirmed. It's not every day that there is an organization that confirms what I saw to be true…"

That, naturally, caught Muffy's attention, and she looked at the woman—whom she no longer took for a skeptic—with curiosity. What had she seen

"Do these witches have newspapers… that move? Like the pictures on them?"

Muffy hadn't seen one for herself, so she couldn't say, though the thought was intriguing. "Pictures that move?" she repeated, mulling it over. "Like a 'giff'—'jiff'—whatever they're called? Or a hologram?"

@kataleya

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The look on the slightly older woman's face made an internal smirk appear in her mind. She had caught the woman's attention with her words, and it seems that she was quickly falling for her words. She was gaining the trust of the woman that believed witchcraft was vicious, evil, and cruel.

Kataleya's eyes seemed to light up, snapping her fingers, and nodding her head. "Yes-kind of like a gif. Just not...but that is the perfect way to explain it. I saw it near the subway, some person was reading it. It was a newspaper...with a gif. Which is weird...because that shouldn't happen, right?"

@muffet

[Deleted]

January 25, 2025

Muffet was surprised by the sudden change in what the younger woman had to say, but she certainly didn't question that the woman was anything but non-magical. At her question, the woman elaborated that the pictures were like a GIF, except they weren't—although, she said, that was a perfect way of explaining it.

"I saw it near the subway, some person was reading it. It was a newspaper… with a gif. Which is weird… because that shouldn't happen, right?"

Muffy shook her head. That didn't sound like anything that she had seen, but witchcraft was an absolutely plausible explanation for it. "And which station was this?" she asked, hoping that the woman would be able to recall that information. If she knew where it had been, then maybe that would be a good lead. Muffy had her camera; taking a photo or two of the public transportation system in a foreign city was perfectly reasonable.

@kataleya

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She seemed to have caught the woman's attention with her revelation, and the girl seemed thrilled to hear of this discovery. Excited enough that she questioned where she had seen this, what station. She thought for a minute, "It was in the tube...I believe it was the Westminster station, though I'm not positive. They were sitting inside, I only caught a glimpse before the doors closed, and the train was off." she said, frowning deeply. "Sorry, I couldn't be more help." she added, her voice sounding guilty.

@muffet

[Deleted]

January 25, 2025

The young woman clarified where the location of the strange sighting had been. It had been in the Tube—the London Underground, in other words, which meant that she wouldn’t have to go too far out of her way to find it again—and in the Westminster station? Well, maybe it wasn’t the Westminster station, but it was close enough… Even though that detail was hazy, Muffy nodded, listening carefully to the young woman’s every word. She would have to go to all of the stations nearby the Westminster one, just to be doubly sure.
 
“They were sitting inside,” the young woman added. By this, Muffy assumed that she meant that the person in question had been inside the station—perhaps on the platform—rather than on the train itself. “I only caught a glimpse before the doors closed, and the train was off.”
 
Muffy kept nodding. It was all interesting… very interesting, and she shook her head joyfully when the young woman apologized to her for not having been more help.
 
“No, no,” Muffy assured her with a broad smile. This was a wonderful development. “I appreciate any information you can provide!”

@kataleya

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She watched the emotions on the woman's face shift to glee. Kataleya almost laughed at how gullible the woman was, how easily she was tricked by the words the witch had spoken. What would make Kate gleeful was if the woman found a poor witch or wizard doing that very thing. Oh, that poor unfortunate soul.

'No, no, I appreciate any information you can provide!' Kataleya smiled, nodding her head, "They looked pretty long...perhaps around my age? They looked to be wearing a suit...as if they were either coming home or heading to work? It was the afternoon, so maybe they were on their lunch break at the station? I'm not too sure," she breathed out. She looked down at the watch on her arm, and her eyes widened, "Shit," she breathed. "I...I'm sorry, I have to be heading off. But I hope you find whatever you are looking for. Have a nice day," she breathed out, walking past the woman and disappearing into the crowd of people, a smirk on her face.

@muffet ●● le end for kataleya, feel free to post again or post it in the finish threads thread if you don't wanna post once more!

[Deleted]

January 25, 2025

The young woman elaborated about what she could recall having seen before—that strange occurrence that had led her to realize that, perhaps, what she had seen was truly witchcraft. The person who had been reading the newspaper had looked to be about her own age, the young woman told her.
 
Muffy nodded, soaking in all of the information that she could get. She had struck gold with this girl!
 
“They looked to be wearing a suit… as if they were either coming home or heading to work? It was the afternoon, so maybe they were on their lunch break at the station? I'm not too sure,” the young woman added. It was surprising to Muffy that a witch or wizard would have been otherwise so ordinary; they were getting more and more difficult to differentiate from the rest of the population without the proper tools, and she was grateful that she had traveled with hers in tow.
 
Just as Muffy was about to ask the young woman more about what she’d encountered, the woman looked down at her watch and cursed. While Muffy didn’t normally enjoy hearing such words, she was willing to forgive the woman. She had been such a significant help to her, giving her some real information.
 
“I… I'm sorry, I have to be heading off,” the young woman excused herself. “But I hope you find whatever you are looking for. Have a nice day.”
 
Muffy was just disappointed that she hadn’t caught her name.

@kataleya
Fin!