Full Name: Steliana Elizabeta Nicolescu
Nickname(s): Ana (only to friends)
Birthdate: April 17th, 1862
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Occupation: Professor, Care of Magical Creatures
Blood Status: Pureblood
Residence: Hogwarts, (summer estate in Hogsmeade)
Hogwarts House: Durmstrang Graduate
Wand: 13” Rosewood, flexible, dragon heartstring core
Family: Father: Andrei Constantin Lararescu
Mother: Elizabeta Ioana Lararescu (nee: Romani)
Brothers: Andrei Jr. Lararescu , Viktor Lararescu (twins)
Husband: Stefan Dmitri Nicolescu (deceased 1890)
Isabel Nicolescu (b. ~1882)
Steliana was born in Castle Lararescu located in the central Carpathian Mountains (Northern Wallachia). She was very much adored by both her parents and the servants who lived within her home. Her father and his father before him for many generations raised, bred and sold magical creatures, especially hippogriffs. In the past Romanian Longhorn dragons were under the care of the Lararescu family but changes in the laws about keeping dragons forced her family to give up their dragons to the local reserves. Her father still provides funding for their care. Steliana had long wished to have a dragon of her own but understood the reasons she couldn’t.
Castle Laraescu was also a safe haven for nomadic people, often referred to as the Romani or gypsies. There had been a long standing relationship between the Lararescu and the Romani people, both Muggle and magical members. Other intelligent magical creatures were given shelter on Lararescu lands providing they obeyed the rules her father set forth.
Despite the unrest among the Muggles, Lararescu Castle was largely left alone, the entire area rife with rumours of monstrous creatures and curses, legends and tales encouraged by the family. Travelers near the borders of the Romani lands often vanished without a trace. Strangers were definitely not welcome.
In her youth Steliana often helped her father with the care and training of their magical creatures and quickly fell in love with the work. By the time she was seven years old she had raised her very own hippogriff and could ride him at any time.
Once she was old enough, Steliana left home to attend the Durmstrange Institute of Magic where she thrived. Her natural thirst for knowledge and desire to learn quickly had her rising to the top of her class, gaining the envy of most of her peers. Her first years at Durmstrang along with a fiery temper had her see plenty of detentions and a few encouragements to go back home and leave magic to wizards. Arrah didn’t let anything stop her from succeeding in her studies and remaining at Durmstrang for a full term.
The challenges at Durmstrang toughen her and also helped her control her temper. A few times she was threatened with expulsion if she didn’t keep it in check. She had too much desire to succeed and get the best grades to let her temper ruin her life. In the end she succeeded and achieved top grades.
After graduating, Steliana met and eventually married Stefan Nicolescu, finding the man likeable enough and the Nicolescus were well respected, wealthy and pureblood. Things weren’t always easy after the wedding but they found a way to tolerate each other and at last be content in the marriage. Publicly they looked the perfect couple and Steliana never said a negative word about her husband. As Stefan was often travelling Steliana enjoyed having the estate all to herself, especially being able to focus on her own things, learning new things, experimenting with magic and raising her own magical creatures.
Not long after the marriage Steliana gave birth to her first child, a beautiful girl she named Isabel. Being a mother wasn’t the best thing in Steliana’s life but she wasn’t disappointed. She adored her daughter and did her best to raise her well but the truth is Steliana preferred to focus her energy on her own projects and experiments. This was easy to do once Isabel was weaned and a Nanny could watch over her but once Isabel was older and wanted to spend more time with her mother, Steliana had to divide her time more.
Teaching Isabel about animals and getting her help on some simple projects made bonding with her much easier. Even when her daughter was old enough to help out, there were certain projects she kept away from her daughter, mostly to ensure she didn’t get hurt. Unfortunately some of these experiments were discovered by her husband. When Stefan confronted her about them they fought and during the argument a fire broke out though she couldn’t say even to herself how it happened.
Steliana managed to get out of the building, assuming her husband was right behind her. By the time she realized he wasn’t, it was too late to go back and get him. Several servants tried to help but the fire had grown too out of control. It was fortunate she had been doing her experiments in a separate building from the main manor else it may have gone up into flames as well. Steliana claimed it was a tragic accident and without any proof otherwise, her story was accepted by the investigators. It was fortunate during this time Isabel had been staying with her Great Aunt and Uncle in Britain.
With her husband dead and her daughter already in Britain, Steliana decided to join her and they could mourn together. She packed up everything that was important and arranged to have the bulk of her things moved to her Uncle’s place in Britain before going herself. It was her plan to stay only for a few months then return to Romania but something came to her attention she couldn’t let pass her by.
Steliana immediately applied for the open position for a Care of Magical Creatures Professor, a position she knew she would enjoy. Being in Britain would also ensure give her the opportunity to learn more about British Wizarding society. She had no real desire to return to Romania where her father will want her to remarry anyway. Besides, she didn’t want to risk being questioned by her former In-laws about the accident which took her husband’s life.