In-Character
Full Name: Algernon Humphry AstorwoodNicknames: Astor, generally; Humphries, by close friends/teammates; Algae by family and loved ones.
Birthdate: July 4, 1865
Current Age: 26
Gender: Male
Occupation: Professional Quidditch player; Chudley Cannons, first string chaser.
Reputation: 7 - While Algae has never done anything scandalous in his life, and he comes from a decently respectable middle class family, he recently had a rather damaging incident in his quidditch career that has made his reputation drop a touch. He hopes to clear it up in the next few years.
Residence: Currently planning to have a roommate in Irvingly, but spends a fair amount of time traveling with the team. His family has a modest house in Hogsmeade, but it’s too small for him to feel comfortable imposing on them there.
Hogwarts House: Gryffindor
Wand: Redwood, 11.5", swishy, dragon heartstring (His wand is currently lost somewhere and Algae is not interested in finding it any time soon apparently.)
Blood Status: Halfblood
Social Class: Middle Class
Family:
Sebastian Astorwood, Father
Marian Astorwood nee — , Mother
Sibyl —, nee Astorwood, Older sister
Mabel Brighton, Baby Sister
Appearance: Algae is sprightly, athletic, and fairly handsome. He’s certainly built like a Quidditch player, and has the chiseled facade to prove it. With bright red curls that tend to blind him when he lets his hair grow too long, and blue eyes so light they almost fade to green, he burns quite easily which can cause issues during training. He’s developed a spotting of freckles over the years from spending so much time in the sun with fair skin. He’s of average height, and completely unaware of his looks making him a quieter sort that tends to fade into the backdrop unless called upon. He is right handed, and flies with a bit of a list in that direction but manages to do rather well, considering. He smells like clove and treacle tarts.
History:
1865-1866 | Algernon Humphry is born July 4th, 1867 to Marian and Sebastian Astorwood in a small, cozy house in the middle of the English countryside. He’s an easy baby that doesn’t cry much, a relief for both his parents after his older sister Sibyl (b.1862) who was a right terror.
The Astorwoods live a decently happy life in the country. Sebastian Astorwood works for the Muggle Liaison office at the Ministry, but Marian Astorwood, a muggleborn witch herself, stays home. She cares for the home and children as much as any upper-middle class lady is wont to amidst the small staff roving in and out, but very much embraces the magical world where she can. They have two house elves and a maid for a few years, but soon enough one of the house elves stages a rebellion - refusing to serve a muggleborn for a mistress. In 1869, the tiny staff is reduced even further and restricted to only human. Algae is blissfully unaware of where his funny little playmates have gone.
1867 | At the age of two Algae displays his first signs of ability when he gets a hold of a magical broomstick - an instrument his father had brought home after confiscating it from a muggle town - and accidentally lights the tail twigs on fire. His sister’s shrieks alert their mother and the thing is quickly taken away from him. Marian Astorwood starts to worry about having two young children with unrestrained magical ability about the house.
1869 | As the children get a bit older, a new family tradition is borne. Every Saturday, they take a stroll through the local park. It is here that Algae first encounters a young girl. There’s nothing remarkable about her, really. She seems as plain as the rest of the muggles that stroll about the area. As a quiet baby and a shy child, Algae hides behind his mother’s skirts to watch her from afar. He notices her bright eyes and sad smile. He wonders why she looks like that.
1871 | At six years of age, Algae is determined he’s found his first love. Even though it’s been a year, he’s been looking out for that girl every weekend and always brings along something he thinks she might like. One week it might be a dandelion from the yard; another it might be an extra treacle tart he saved and accidentally squished in his pocket. This time he drags along a book on herbs. He’s seen Sibbie flipping through it before and he supposes if she likes it, then the girl might too. He’s in luck finally, as he spots that same plain, sweet looking little girl almost a year later, loitering around the swings. Algae sucks in a deep breath and compliments her on her ribbon. It’s blue, just like her eyes.
They become quick friends after that, him accidentally calling her Maple instead of Mabel, but the girl doesn’t seem to mind. Eventually Algae introduces his new friend to Sibbie and Mama. They seem to like her too and it bolsters his confidence. He grabs Maple by the hand a lot and plays with her like she’s his very own.
1873 | One strange day Algae and Mama go to the park alone, as Sibbie had a fever and it was decided she was to stay home with Papa. Algae is thrilled to get there; he’d snuck an actual chocolate frog into his pocket for Maple, even though Mama said it wasn’t allowed. He’s nervous on the trip there and keeps playing with the frog squirming around in his pocket. Eventually the little thing manages to escape his grasp and jumps out into the open, causing Mama to scold him terribly. Algae hangs his head in regret and scuffles his feet the rest of the way. Because of this little incident with the frog however, they arrived later than usual. Algae doesn’t notice the commotion when they arrive or the book that hits another child in the face by Mabel’s doing. All he sees is his best friend being dragged off by her mother in a rage, and his own Mama holding him back from following after her. They don’t see Maple again after that.
1874 | Somewhere in the middle of his tenth year, Algae picks up with his family to Hogsmeade. He’s startled by the move, unsure of why his Papa insists it’s so important. Mama seems frazzled by it all, but she takes the move in stride and tries to appease him as Algae rebels. He’s furious at being forced to leave Maple behind, and without even saying a proper goodbye!
By now Algae has learned he loves two things more than anything else in this world: Maple and flying. Since he can’t see the former - and doesn’t think to owl her - he plunges himself into the latter. Day in and out he lives more and more on his broomstick. He’s always had a natural talent for it, Papa says, but it isn’t until he makes friends in Hogsmeade with some of the local boys that he learns to play Quidditch properly. He finds he’s rather good at scoring goals and becomes even more invested in his boom. Algae barely notices when Sibyl goes off to Hogwarts later that summer.
Sometime around Christmas that same year, a knock sounds at the door. Algae opens it, hoping to slip by whoever it was and grab his broom for a quick ride before dinner. He’s astounded to find that instead of just any boring guest, it’s Maple! He’s thrilled and grabs her by the hand immediately, determined never to let go. And good thing too, because she becomes the family’s ward after that.
1876 | On his eleventh birthday, July 4 1876, Algae finally receives his Hogwarts letter. He’s torn between excitement at the prospect of finally getting to go and try out for a real Quidditch team and the terror of leaving Maple behind. He’d become even more attached to her in the subsequent two years she’d been living with them, if that was possible. (They’d shared many a sleepless night where he would show her silly, mundane wizarding things and she in turn would make him feel better about whatever it was that day that made him feel less than.) Eventually though, he has no choice.
1876-1877 | Algae is sorted into Gryffindor almost immediately. He’s pleased with the decision, and though it takes some time for him to make friends that first year, he eventually becomes very attached to one Thomas Harvey and a Mr. Barnabus Beck. Both Slytherins, and all three peas in a pod. Though Barbie and Tom are decidedly a few years older than him, Algae doesn’t mind being the ickle first year trailing after two third years. To him they are experienced, knowledgeable, and - despite their antics - they accept him for who he is without forcing him to engage when he doesn’t want to. Plus, they both like Quidditch, so it's an easy thing. In fact, it’s on their support and encouragement that the first year boldly tries out for his house team. (He might have flopped, but at least he tried.)
The failure to make the Gryffindor team his first year stings Algae in a way he doesn’t expect. He isn’t used to struggling at Quidditch, especially when he’d been the best player back home by far. His tryouts are a mess however, and his tendency to list to the right catches him out when he tries to sneak one past the much more experienced fourth year keeper. After tryouts he hears that same keeper berating him for his failure - to the coach no less! - and instantly, a grudge is born.
1877 - 1878 | His second year sees Algae have more success in the realm of quidditch. He practices like a hellion all summer long, and eventually makes it onto the team. He tries to keep his dislike for the keeper - Thomas Aldridge - under his hat, but he can’t help it. A slowly burning fuse lights and Algae finds it both difficult and frustrating to talk to the older boy. He fumbles a lot and says rude things, always determined to prove he deserves his spot on the team.
That same year Maple joins him at Hogwarts and Algae is relieved, even if she is sorted into Ravenclaw. At least she is there when he needs her, and he still… really needs her.
1878-1881 | Third, fourth and fifth years see Algae lose his two best friends to graduation and force him to expand his network. Maple makes her own friends and, even if he hates that he notices, Aldridge also seems to be surrounded by people that (ugh) like him. (Though it’s not for long, as finishing his fifth year sees Aldridge leave Hogwarts for the Appleby Arrows. Even if he tries to pretend it doesn’t, it wrinkles at Algae. He knows he should wish the other well but he can’t.)
At least he still has Cliff. They practice a lot and become a pretty good chasing duo during games. Slowly, Algae starts to let his reservations go about… the world, life, and even speaking freely. He drops Ancient Runes like a hot potato as quickly as he can, but he does spend some time focusing on Transfiguration. He works with Maple at becoming an animagus, to support her - surely - should she ever need it. He succeeds after much trial and error.
1881-1882 | Algae does well enough on his O.W.Ls to continue to N.E.W.T in a handful of subjects he doesn’t adore, but that Mama insists he should. He’s not terrible at magic, in fact he does rather well when he applies himself, but his interest is lacking. He’d much prefer to enjoy his last two years on the team as captain - because he does in fact make it - and that’s where his personality starts to change. Perhaps it’s being surrounded by something he knows inside and out and being good at it, or maybe he finally just decides he doesn’t care what others think, but sixth and seventh years are ‘peak season’ for Algernon Astorwood. He has more friends than ever and he’s driving towards one thing and one thing only. The Chudley Cannons.
1882-1883 | In the summer leading up to his seventh year, Algae is approached by a recruiter for the Hogsmeade Howlers. (While it’s not the Cannons, his first choice, he’ll take it. At least it’s a step in the right direction.) He’s offered a first string position as chaser, if he opts to leave Hogwarts behind. After an all-out battle with Mama and Papa (and even Sibbie, taking sides) Algae is forced to turn the offer down and slug back to Hogwarts. He is more resentful this year than any other at being under the thumb of his parents, and he determines to strike out on his own as soon as he can.
Eventually graduation does come and go and, with it comes an offer to fly for the Cannons. This time it’s an offer for second string though and algae is surprised at how much he’s bothered by it. He’s never considered himself proud, or overconfident in his abilities, but he supposed the coach must see something he doesn’t like. He accepts the offer reluctantly and hits training camp with everything he’s got.
1885 | After two years of trying his damndest, Algae - or Humphries, as his teammates affectionately call him now - finally makes it off the second string and onto the first and he’s thrilled. He suddenly has everything in his life he could have ever wanted. Even if that comes hand in hand with a bitter rival he still can’t seem to get away from.
He’s not sure why, even after all this time, Thomas Aldridge still rubs him the wrong way. The Cannons and Arrows aren’t natural rivals per say, but things slowly heat up between the pair on the pitch.
1890 | For five years Algae practices hard and gets more and more smug, confident in his abilities as a Chaser. Every goal he manages to slip past Aldridge is another celebration, another cocky rub-in-your-face kind of moment. He feels vindicated each time, like every goal scored is another reason he deserves to be a Quidditch player. All of the fuss ends rather abruptly about halfway through that second year.
In the heat of the game, Algae isn’t sure exactly what happens. All he knows is that he has the quaffle and he’s determined to score a goal, another point, on Aldridge. The Cannons are down and nobody seems to have spotted the snitch as yet. Neither of them see the bludger racing along, looking haphazardly for a target. Suddenly it’s too late. He misses the goal and pulls up short, only to just barely avoid the rogue bludger and it hits Aldridge instead. That’s the last game they play together.
1892 | It’s been two years since the accident. Algae still feels horribly responsible for what happened, but he doesn’t say as much to anyone. His name, along with Aldridge's, is plastered all over the news and he takes to drinking a bit to cope. He doesn’t see any career repercussions, as nobody can prove he did anything except avoid the bludger himself, but fans don’t see it that way. And neither does Algae. Had he purposely positioned himself to draw the bludger out and force it to rocket into the unsuspecting Aldridge? Of course not. But he could have pushed the other out of the way instead of taking a shot.
Personality: FRIENDLY | MISCHIEVOUS | UNBIASED | FICKLE
“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight /
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”
Algae is by far a fickle minded romantic. He falls in love easily, and out of it just as quickly. He tends to wander around forlorn over some maiden or gentleman that refuses to give him the time of day because, let’s be honest, he has no game whatsoever. He’s generally too embarrassed to even approach most in a romantic sense, tending to tease and deflect rather than jump head-first into anything that could potentially hurt him. That said, he does love fervently those he is close to and would sooner give light or limb to help them out of a tough spot than leave anyone to fend for themself.
Due to recent events, he’s been more forlorn about his reputation than anything else. He’d never considered himself a particularly vain, overconfident type of person but he’s come to face the reality recently that perhaps he is, a touch.
When it comes to politics and blood, Algae is very open-minded. He was raised to accept everyone equally and he doesn’t tend to notice blood status or class much, if he can get away with it. He’s a lover of muggle and wizard alike, and two of his best friends are working class so he doesn’t tend to discriminate. He isn’t keen on those who like to poke fun, but he isn’t particularly outspoken about his beliefs either unless someone personally attacks his family or friends. In a sense, Algae is rather idealistic and still naive in his mindset that everything ought to be just and fair.
Other:
Boggart: Thomas Aldridge laying in a heap at the bottom of the Quidditch Pitch.
Patronus: Never learned to cast one.
Amortentia: Treacle tarts, broom polish, and the scent of a wooded grove just after it rains.
Animagus Form: A golden retriever with blue eyes.
Sample Roleplay Post: <3
Out-of-Character
Name: FoxAge: rip
Contact: PM Basil please, or discord (at your own peril)
Other Characters: Basil Foxwood et. al.
How did you hear about us?: <3 - PSA, I hope I did his math right but I am the LEAST confident in this app than any I’ve ever done so RIP staff, I<3U
