THE BASICSName: Alexander Valentine, but will go by Alex if he is close to you.
Former Character's Name (if you had one): N/A
CHARACTER DETAILSHouse Request:Alexander fits well with either Ravenclaw of Slytherin. Why? He is a resourceful guy that is able to think quickly on his feet. He is an intelligent and sometimes vain in his own abilities, and if given a chance, he won't hesitate in demonstrating his mental prowess to try and prove it. His biggest weapon, besides his magical abilities, is his wordplay, as biting his snarky quips may be.
Year:Fifth or Sixth, but preferably Sixth
Bloodline:Half-Blood, but more like 3/4th Blood
Magical Strength (pick one):Charms
Magical Weakness (pick one):Divination
Biography:Alexander's father, Maxwell, was the black-sheep of the Valentine family; A family that was highly valued their pure bloodline and had raised countless Slytherins. He was considered such because he had been far too interested in Muggles for his own good, often receiving punishment from the older men of his family due to his curiosities. Specifically his bother, Matthew; and his father, Magnus.
Despite this, Maxwell's interest in Muggles never swayed, however he had only became less open about it when he was around his family. He eventually graduated top of his year from Hogwarts, where he had be a sixth year prefect and then Head Boy in his final year. He had also eventually fallen in love with the woman that was to be Alexander's mother, who had also been a Prefect along with Maxwell. The woman, Elizabeth, had been in Ravenclaw, while Maxwell had been in Slytherin. She had also been a Half-Blood, which eventually led to the pair eloping from the magical world when she was with child.
The move had pleased Maxwell greatly.
After nine long months and a labor that seemed to last forever, Alexander had been born on All Hallows Eve. However, Elizabeth had passed away after birth and Maxwell had become crestfallen due to losing the only woman he had ever truly love. In a final selfish act, Maxwell had informed his family about both the pregnancy and the marriage, leaving Alexander on their doorstep before joining his wife in the there-after.
It was only natural for the Valentine's to take the news badly, but it was only because of Matthew's wife accepting Alexander that prevented them from sending him away. Or worse. He was received as a blight on the family name, since he was
not pure of blood.
A taint on their once perfect bloodline.
Alexander had only been six when he had first heard them refer to him as such. He was heading to the washroom late one night and accidentally eavesdropped on some of his relatives as they whispered to one another behind closed doors. It was what children did, but the family had no clue that someone was listening. Much less the one they had been talking about.
Alexander was still much too young to fully understand the meaning of what they were saying, but it didn't take a genius to know how much they scorned him by they way they spoke. He was treated as if he was a house elf. No, probably much worse than a house elf. It was the first time he had truly wept for anything since he was still a baby. It had also been the last.
Through the years that came after that, Alexander had struggled to prove that he was much better than what they claimed him to be. His adoptive father and uncle, Matthew, showed indifference whenever he presented him with what he learned, while his adoptive mother/aunt would secretly praise him for how he progressed through his studies. Alexander was quick study of things, like his real mother and father, and highly intelligent compared to the rat that was his cousin. Alexander sometimes wondered if there was anything in the other boy's head, but generally kept his thoughts to himself out of fear of punishment.
That changed greatly over the years as well, when Alexander grew more confidant in himself and less caring of how his family treated him. He knew they would never fully accept him, but he used their own dislike for him against them. As well as his sharp mind and the arsenal of witty, yet biting, remarks that came along with it. He had a lot of practices with that as well as a child, since he would often engage in the only things in the house that his family considered his equal, The House Elves.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONPersonality:Alexander tends to act cold at first when interacting with other people, but generally acts more decent as he warms up to them. He has the tendency to make snarky quips whenever possible, while tending to be speak more harshly when people rub him the wrong way. However, he still remains snarky to people he has warmed up to, just at a lesser degree than before and chooses less biting, yet still witty, remarks. Alexander is also generally more comfortable being by himself, but will still engage with other people when the situation demands it. Study sessions is another matter entirely.
Appearance:Alexander is tall for someone his age and stands at the height of around five-foot-ten. He has broad shoulders and a squarish jaw, something that he had inherited from the genes that belongs to his mother's side.
He had also been somewhat on the skinny side when he was a young boy growing up, but Alex had started to exercise more as he matured to fill out his body; His muscles are considered more compact, rather than bulky. He didn't like the thought of being too lanky, since his cousins that usually played "rough" with him and he hated losing to them.
Alexander has blueish-grey eyes and a dark brown shade of hair which he normally keeps short, mainly since he never liked the way longer hair looked on members of the same sex and figured it looked better on girls.
Additionally, because of his upbringing, Alexander has some signs of physical abuse, but has never claimed it as such. It has mostly faded away by now, but the evidence of it is still there. How he feels about it is a bit of a mystery since, while not proud of it, he doesn't let it show when others see it.
SAMPLE ROLEPLAYOption II:“Oh, come now!"
Astrid Bixby’s voice carried down the corridor, the tall blonde girl not far behind. Her interviewee – or victim, depending on perspective – turned a corner and she frowned. They were always so elusive when she needed them. Sure, they would talk as if there was no tomorrow during class, but once she actually needed them to say something, they were nowhere to be found. Gryffindors.
Flustered, Astrid stopped in the middle of the corridor and stared, her parchment hanging limply from her hand. She was a good reporter, really, and she always did her best to make sure that everything she wrote was accurate. She glanced down to the quill, eying it with disdain. It wasn’t her fault if her quill misquoted. How was she supposed to know? It made for interesting articles, at least, and if she had misquoted the Head Boy last term as saying he had a love for stuffed animals, then that gave him personality. Astrid sighed.
A pout formed on her lips as she turned away, discouraged. The corridor was mercifully empty, though the doors to The Spellbound – the school newspaper – were ominously closed. Corbridge was a mercifully sweet editor, but Astrid was terrified of disappointing her all the same. She had to come back with quotes.
Her eyes, blue, trailed her surroundings before choosing a new path, and she turned down a new corridor. A figure was ahead, and her eyes lit up, an impossibly rosy smile blossoming across her lips.
“Hey!” Astrid called, her voice light and singsong. She trotted to catch the person, her shoes clicking on the stone floor. “Wait up! It’s for the paper!” Her legs aided her admittedly poor running, and Astrid gasped as she came closer. “What do you think about serving frog legs at lunch? Some say it’s a delicacy, but others think it’s plain gross.”
Sample Roleplay Response:Truth be told, the last thing Alexander wanted today was be interrupted as he made his way to the library. He had a Potions exam coming up and wanted to pour over his notes again, even though he had already completely memorized all of the formulae. They had always been his forte, after all. But the young man had just wanted an excuse to get away from everyone else. No better place to go than the library.
So when he turned the corner and saw one Astrid Bixby heading his way, Alexander was about to turn around completely before she had a chance to shoot off her question. Sadly, the dark haired teen was too late to avoid it. The girl always seemed to have the most peculiar of questions and this timed didn't seem any different. Though, in some cases, Alexander found himself amused by the articles she had penned, like the one about he Head Boy one term prior. He greeted her with a half smile and already pictured her butchering everything he said with that blasted quill of hers.
"Frog legs?" Alexander repeated, the words echoing slightly in the hall as the two were the only ones actually occupying it. His face twisted in disgust at both the idea of having to eat them again and the fact that his voice bounced off the walls, repeating his response even though he had only spoken once. Lord knows how the quill would phrase that one. It would probably quote him asking like a broken record, but he was digressing.
A sigh escaped him and he continued his response,
"I'll have to agree with the latter. Why anyone would want to eat them is beyond me. I'd much rather stick to what is already served at lunch, but to each their own I suppose." After he told her his thoughts, the male brushed past her since he didn't want to be caught for her too long. Alexander would probably be caught by another question and her eager quill, but maybe she would give up if she followed him long enough with him not responding. Either that, or he hoped someone else would capture her attention.
Optional:
Referred by Juniper Kedding.
