CHARACTER INFORMATIONCharacter name: Percival Hartwood
Previous and/or Current Character(s) if applicable: Seraphine Mousseau, Otto Fowl, Isolde Morgenstern, Louis Fossoway
Character age: 27
Character education: Ravenclaw ‘39
Strength and weaknesses (details please): The general perception of Percival makes him out to be a dandelion of a man, whose gentleness puts up barriers. While he does enjoy the more fragile side of life -flowers, softness, rain, and the like- he can be rather strict when it comes to duty. As a librarian at Crimbleton and Co. Booksellers he learned the importance of cleanliness and order in the workplace, a strength he would transfer to the classroom effectively, as well as the impact of unwarranted kindness. While he is a generous man, his time as the Hogwarts groundskeeper ‘45-’46 showed a stricter side of him. Leading detentions and patrolling taught him a new respectability. Silent authority is a strength of his, and helped him manage rooms full of delinquents, so why not a classroom of eager young students?
Physical description:He is a thin, fairly muscled man with hair with chestnut hair with just a touch of waviness. His face is outlined by a strong jawline and a dotting of unkempt stubble when he forgets to shave. His strong brow often makes him look more concerned than he is, yet his eyes share a soft light that only a gentle man could harness. He has a habit of dressing rather odd, with mismatched patterns generally in shades of brown and burnt orange. Despite his odd clothing, he keeps his outfits looking proper, by never failing to remove wrinkles and lint from himself, as he believes there is no sense in living without order. His broad shoulders come from his experience playing Quidditch, yet he is anything but aggressive.
Personality (nice, rude, funny etc. Paragraph please.): Despite his best intentions, Percival has always been something of a loner. He prefers the company of his many plants to that of his peers, yet when encountered always remains polite and friendly. He toes the line of respect carefully, believing in the traditional Vincentian values of his family, that every person deserves respect, no matter who they are. He is a kind, understanding man. Yet, when it comes to deadlines, Hartwood is rare to waver. He is strict, yet kind. He is friendly, yet isolated. Most of all, he looks for the best in every person, no matter their background or circumstances.
Hopes and dreams. Why are you teaching at Hogwarts?: School was a safe haven in his youth, Hogwarts being an angel sent to guide Percival. He has always had a deep respect for knowledge, valuing it far past wealth or power. His purpose at Hogwarts is to spread knowledge to young witches and wizards, while treating his students with the respect earned by each living thing. Percival hopes to teach students about aspects of transfiguration and provide an open forum for discussion about the subject, where every voice is valued.
Biography (500 words minimum. There is never such a thing as too much.): The Hartwood family always insisted on the importance of a man’s physical strength, attributing it as a key component to a successful life. These values were forced onto Percival as soon as he could walk. From his first steps, his father was insisting he practice flying. But when he wasn’t receiving private lessons from his tutor or riding on his broomstick, the young lad often could be found mingling with orphans and feeding stray animals. He enjoyed helping his mother tend to the gardens, despite his father’s disapproval and absolutely adored the plants. Many times, Percy was caught with stray animals living in his bedroom, often kept in boxes or his closet. He had a habit of drawing wounded and weak animals to his presence, and his sympathy for their pain led to him hiding them in his room and taking care of them. While his playdates were arranged with other pure-blooded children, he often found them to be dull and rigid, preferring books to the company of such children. He longed to be free of his parents and of the pressure laid on his shoulders as the heir, and that relief came in the form of a letter.
The arrival of his Hogwarts letter was easily one of the best memories he possessed. Entirely anticipated, the letter symbolized his new freedom. While his relationship with his father was less than favorable, there was no love lost with his mother, and she dreaded sending him off to school each term. None of the other children were as close to her as Percival was. They shared a gentle nature and a love of plants. With his father being of Slytherin and his mother of Ravenclaw, there was no clear expectation for his house, yet his father insisted Slytherin was the best path to success. Percy’s arrival at Hogwarts found him sorted into Ravenclaw, to his delight as a lover of knowledge. Percival didn’t form the strong bonds that other classmates formed with their friends. He had plenty of friends, but often preferred his privacy to the company of them. His marks were excellent and he felt his knowledge ever-expanding. As a keeper for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, Perce honed his flying abilities, yet refused to reduce himself to the ordinary arrogance and aggressiveness of the Pitch. Much of his free-time was spent practicing on the Quidditch Pitch, studying and lounging in the library, or penning letters to his mother.
A very important facet of Percival is his beliefs. While he is not particularly religious, he is a strong advocate for Vincentian ways and is firm in his belief that every person deserves respect, no matter the situation. This has helped him over the years to be more understanding.
Immediately following his graduation, Hartwood knew there was no path for him pursuing a Ministry career or anything of the like, and he found himself employed as a Librarian at Crimbleton and Co. Booksellers. He adored the owner, Amarantha, and looked up to her as a role model. He made many friends through the peace of the shop, connecting with people over their love of literature and poetry. The peace and quiet of the store proved to be like another home to him.
While, he loved his work as a librarian, Percival saw an opportunity in the form of Hogwarts. The school that he adored was hiring for several positions, so he went ahead and indulged himself. While he was not selected to be a professor, he was granted the honor of serving as the school’s Groundskeeper for a term and adored his job. He was able to roam freely on the grounds, was entrusted with holding detentions and doling out punishments and went on patrols. This position also granted him access to the vast greenhouses, a space he had cherished through his years at Hogwarts. Being back in the house of learning was inspirational to Percival, yet the presence of the Hexenreich terrified him.
Percival had never been particularly tough, and the presence of the Germans put his nerves even more on end. He ended up resigning the position out of cowardice, returning to his cottage and resuming his work at the bookstore. It is now that he has decided to turn away from his fear of confrontation and pursue his educational career to shape minds of future generations.
SAMPLE ROLEPLAY(Please respond to to this in third person past tense. Do not write the other characters' reactions. Only your own.) It was the largest office in Hogwarts and, perhaps to students and newcomers, the most intimidating. The shelves were filled with various odds and ends, with a place of honor for the Sorting Hat, and the walls held all the portraits of past Headmasters and Headmistresses.
In the middle of the room sat a large desk. Everything was in order, for the current occupant had always despised a messy desk. It was the sign of a messy mind, and she had always favored neatness.
A clock sat on the desk, which currently showed the time to be 2:05. The meeting was supposed to begin at 2:00 precisely.
Along with order, Anneka valued punctuality. She was a very busy woman these days. Even during the summer, she had a number of matters to attend to. Interviewing and hiring staff was only of those matters. The newest potential member of her staff wasn't making a good impression.
She paced the room, black heels clicking against the stone floor. When the door finally opened, Anneka turned, her expression reminiscent of a Russian winter. "You are
late."
Explain yourself was what her face said.
Roleplay Response: The trip to Hogwarts had gotten off to a bad start when Percival misplaced his papers. Running behind schedule was not familiar to the man, but mistakes happen. The imperfection was bound to look horrible, especially in the face of his former employer. A bead of sweat rolled down his nose as he opened the door to the headmistress’s office. “Good afternoon, Headmistress, I apologize for my lack of punctuality. Travel took longer than anticipated, with the situation in Britain,” he expressed, continuing with a pleasant smile,” I hope you can forgive me.”
The office was just as he remembered it. Neat and tidy, the way any functional office or working room should be. His eye caught on the sorting hat, a smile lifting one corner of his mouth. Nostalgia flushed over him.
Stepping up to the stool and sitting on it, young Percy had never been more nervous. His thoughts raced and danced. He had no idea where he belonged, but he prayed that it would not be Slytherin. The hat had scarcely grazed his head when the old hat shouted, ”RAVENCLAW!The mind was an odd thing, conjuring up memories at the slightest hint of happiness. Maybe it was an attempt to calm himself. He had been scared back in 1945 and he was certainly scared now. His eyes locked on Ivanova’s confidently. “Thank you for inviting me here today,” he uttered graciously.
