In-Character
Full Name: Persephone Eugenia FenwickNicknames: Posey (A childhood diminutive), Persephone (Preferred for most because she wants to be taken seriously), Madam Fenwick (For students and fellow faculty members)
Birthdate: 16th September, 1860
Current Age: 29 Years Old
Occupation: Hogwarts Librarian
Reputation: A solid 8 in the grand scheme of things. She is as respectable of an academic as a witch can be in Victorian wizard society, equipped with a steadfast ambition and a formal education to boot; something that her station at Hogwarts is proof of in and of itself. However, her paternal grandmother was a known muggle and she staunchly remains unmarried, despite her "advanced" age and numerous prospects, all of which have been and will continue to be ruthlessly turned down.
Residence: During the school year, she resides within the faculty dormitories at Hogwarts. Once the holiday season commences, she returns home to the Fenwick family's estate in the Scottish Highlands.
Hogwarts House: A former Ravenclaw derived from a lineage of former Ravenclaws
Wand: 13", Ash with a Dragon Heartstring core, Unyielding flexibility
Blood Status: Halfblood
Social Class: Middle Class
Family:
- Theseus Fenwick (Father; circa 1837)
- Minerva Fenwick nee Lynch (Mother; circa 1840)
- Daedalus Fenwick (Brother; circa 1858)
- Calliope Fenwick (Sister; circa 1862)
- Ariadne Fenwick (Sister; circa 1864)
- PB: Teresa Palmer
- 16 September 1860: After a grueling eighteen hours of labor, Theseus and Minerva Fenwick welcome their second child and firstborn daughter into the world. Persephone is finally born around midnight, with the help of two midwives and a great deal of anti-pain potion.
- 2 September 1872: Persephone begins her formal magical education a few weeks short of her twelfth birthday. She's sorted into Ravenclaw before the Sorting Hat can even be properly set upon her head and proves to be an exceptionally bright student thereafter. On the eve of her birthday, she receives a collection of classic wizard literature from her parents.
- 13 November 1876: In her fifth year, she earns the rank of Prefect and receives a very unexpected congratulatory kiss on the cheek by a fellow Ravenclaw student. He confesses his love for her. She says thank you and politely excuses herself to the lavatories, where she discreetly cleans her cheek.
- 20 June 1879: Persephone graduates from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after receiving near-perfect scores on her NEWTs, earning the title of Head Girl, and working part-time at her family's book shop to help cover tuition fees.
- 8 August 1879: Rather than continuing to work at her family's book shop or entering society by formally declaring herself a debutante, Persephone uses her education and good standing with the Hogwarts faculty to apply for a position of library assistant. Much to the dismay of her haughty maternal grandmother, who pitches a fit when she discovers that Minerva is allowing her daughter to work for a living rather than climb up the proverbial social ladder like the women who came before her (which, in turn, results in a tumultuous argument between Minerva and her mother, as Persephone's grandmother blames Minerva's own rebellious streak for Persephone's subsequent lack of interest in more respectable society).
- 30 August 1879: After Persephone obtains her desired position and relocates to Hogwarts, Minerva (both out of love for her daughter's ambition and spite for her mother's outrage) funnels the remaining galleons of her own familial trust fund into Persephone's Gringott's account. This, naturally, doesn't go over well, despite Persephone promising to reimburse her mother with her own payments over time. Minerva's mother ceases all communication with Minerva and her children; Persephone never sees or hears from her grandmother again.
- 27 July 1884: Following the unfortunate death of Hogwarts's former librarian—at a suspected 116 years old, no less—Persephone receives a promotion and becomes Hogwarts's new librarian; a position she does not take for granted in the slightest, writing the headmaster a formal thank you owl and toasting to her newfound stature at the First Year Feast in the Great Hall.
- 19 December 1886: While continuing to turn down numerous suitors, Persephone begins a scandalous affair with a fellow faculty member. One too many glasses of mulled mead at the Three Broomsticks Inn results in entangled bedsheets and, hours later, a great deal of discretion as they bid one another happy holidays. However, it is far from a one-time incident. As two fully self-aware but equally intelligent (and arguably cunning) witches, their relationship blossoms in secret for several years, and continues to this day.
- April 1890: With her thirtieth birthday fast approaching, she begins to receive owls from her sisters, who now beg her to find a suitable admirer. When she tears the owls up, more seem to arrive in excess, along with quite a few Howlers and cut-out columns from Witch Weekly that gossip about her love life (or lack thereof). She can't really blame them, as her status as a spinster certainly affects their own reputations to some degree. But unfortunately for them, Persephone is not in the business of bending to the wills of others and, perhaps quite selfishly, she begins to write her own owls to a different address entirely—the headquarters of Witch Weekly. If they're going to whisper petty things about her, it will at least be on her own terms.
Other:
- Skills:
- Languages: Native in English, fluent in French and Scots-Gaelic, and conversational in Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish. She's also professionally proficient in Ancient Egyptian and Old Norse, having spent many an afternoon deciphering hieroglyphs and runes.
- Research: If you need to know even the smallest of details regarding any topic whatsoever, Persephone can either tell you directly or, at the very least, point you in the right direction. She knows exactly where to look for information, bypassing the common issue of students (and even faculty, in some cases) simply being unsure of where to find resources in the first place.
- Memory: Equipped with a photographic memory, she has the unique ability to remember just about everything that she's ever read. For subjects that hold her interest particularly steadfast, she can also recall direct quotes from books that she's read, even citing the chapters and pages in which said quotes can be found in some cases.
- Languages: Native in English, fluent in French and Scots-Gaelic, and conversational in Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish. She's also professionally proficient in Ancient Egyptian and Old Norse, having spent many an afternoon deciphering hieroglyphs and runes.
- Habits: Her curiosity extends to publications such as the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly. While she doesn't necessarily believe everything she reads in either newspaper, she still finds herself too nosy to stop indulging in such fodder, despite knowing better.
- Secret: She is a lesbian and has been in a discreet relationship with a female Hogwarts professor since December of 1884.
The soft click of maple wood knitting needles echoes throughout the space of her modest faculty accommodations within the school's library; tapping and sliding against each other as they knit a thick wool jumper on their own accord. Persephone doesn't seem to notice their presence, however, as she is far too preoccupied in pouring over a dreamy romantic text about rebellious aristocratic witches in Georgian Era England. The comforter is warm and welcoming as it envelopes her lap; the mug of tea clasped in her hands just hot enough to successfully melt the chill from her fingers.
She doesn't notice the knock on her door at first—and when it continues not once, but twice, she simply ignores it. She knows full well that it isn't her beloved suitor, if only for the simple fact that they've developed a series of very specific rhythmic knocks to differentiate themselves from others. Which, in turn, means that whoever it is (particularly given the lack of urgency in their knocking) can wait until the sun has risen to converse with her.
Not even bothering to look up from her novel, Persephone calls out, "Has there been an incident?"
And as expected, the response she receives is that of a young, prepubescent voice. "... N-No, miss." Followed by a series of very faint giggles and soft hushing noises.
"Then surely it can wait until tomorrow," she responds decisively, languidly turning a page. Were she any other faculty member, she might be inclined to punish the little hellions. But truthfully, she doesn't possess the level of physical dedication necessary for such actions. She does, however, have her own methods of handling these types of situations. "—when troublemaking students aren't liable to be locked in the cold, dark dungeons for the rest of the school year because they refused to stay in bed."
Naturally, this seems to get them moving; another series of hushed (and now panicked) whispers emitting from the other side of the door before the pitter-patter of rushing feet announces their escape.
She rewards herself with a generous sip of tea and, with a minute pause, another page turn.
Out-of-Character
Name: BrielleAge: 25
Contact: PM please
Other Characters: None
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