Hogwarts School: A Harry Potter RPG

CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character name:
Franklin Cleveland Litchfield

Previous and/or Current Character(s) if applicable:
Nora Lowsley, et. al

Character age:
March 21st, 1860
87

Character education:
Hogwarts Ravenclaw, Class of 1878.
N.E.W.T.s:
Divination -- Outstanding
Charms -- Exceeds Expectations
History of Magic -- Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration -- Acceptable

Strength and weaknesses (details please):
Franklin, in his heyday, was one of the Department of Secret’s most talented Divinationists. Although most of his senses have begun to dull with age, these abilities have remained sharp as ever since retirement. On the magical side, he has never been good with the art of Conjuring and Summoning. He also walks with a limp, on his right leg, an injury gained through his work as an Unspeakable.

Physical description:
Quite good looking in his youth, age as managed to add more of a distinguished look to Franklin’s face. His once black short hair and beard are now grey, though he hasn’t had the need to use glasses as of yet. Franklin has eschewed robes since stepping down from his Wizengamot seat, and often wears black suits, which offers better mobility for his wounded leg, and are less cumbersome overall.

Personality (nice, rude, funny etc. Paragraph please.):
Franklin often seems distinguished, yet cheerful and friendly to those around them. He is often always in good humour, even under pressure, and doesn’t shy away from pulling the odd joke on someone. Unorthodox in his methods and views on things, he is neverless confident in both his own Divination skills, and its importance compared to other subjects. While his friendly facade almost never breaks, it does if someone asks in detail about his leg or his work at the Department of Mysteries. His eyes cast a penetrating gaze to the asker, and he quickly changes the subject to something else. Once the subject is forgotten, he returns to his normal self.

Hopes and dreams. Why are you teaching at Hogwarts?:

Franklin had taught at Hogwarts briefly five years ago, to try and fill in for the war. While he enjoyed working with the students, he could not handle the workload that was required of the Divination professor, and stepped aside after a term. Now though, with the Hexenreich as a presence in Hogwarts, Franklin feels like he can help protect the students. At the very least, it would be one less staff member that would be a Hexenreich sympathiser. At 87, the old wizard’s congenial demeanor makes him disarming, and hard to suspect as a Resistance member. As for the position, Franklin knows he can no longer teach. Instead, the position of Librarian would allow him to be present in the school, and offer a lessened workload.   

Biography (500 words minimum. There is never such a thing as too much.):
Franklin was born into the Litchfield family, well known for it’s Divination prowess and jobs in the Ministry. Growing up, they were not simple guidelines, but requirements, expectations, that Franklin would live up to. His time at Hogwarts was short, compared to the long career he had after. A star student, he was never serious enough to be bound by the rules. Franklin loved pushing the limits, both in his studies and application of Divination, and his attitude towards protocols around the castle. The administration, therefore, never saw him fit to be Prefect, or Head Boy. It was, though, just a brief phase in his life; with a Quidditch championship under his belt and four N.E.W.T.s, he waltzed into the Ministry to get a job. His family history, skill in Divination, and penchant for the unorthodox led him into the Department of Mysteries.

The next forty years of his life, in that regard, are unfortunately, undocumentable to history. The secretive nature of the job bears the title ‘Unspeakable,’ though this did not prevent Franklin from wooing his future wife, Ellie, away from her secretary position and to the altar. They did not have kids right away, waiting until Franklin was 27, to have his first of three children. First Grogan, then Reginald, and finally Odie. Working hard in both the Ministry and, later, in the Wizengamot, he neverless tried to spend as much time with his family as time could allow.

During the Boer War and the Great War, Franklin took a leave of absence from the Ministry served as a special advisor to the Wizard Expeditionary Force, utilizing his powers of Divination to try and keep the volunteer force alive from enemy attacks. Later in his life, he was rushed to St. Mungos for emergency treatment. All documents relating to the procedure were expunged, and the Nurses working on it voluntarily submitted to limited memory charms to remove details. The only evidence of what happened that day is the limp that Franklin now walks with. When questioned, Franklin often gives a smile, and a shake of his head. “Ministry Business.” He’ll say, and leave it at that. Suffice to say, it is a Mystery that will stay within the walls of the Department.

In part due to his injury, age, and wanting to spend more time with his family, Franklin stepped down from his position of head of family, relinquishing the position to his first born son. A year later, he retired fully from the Department of Mysteries after fifty years of work. Able to leave responsibility behind and spend more time with his extended family. Lunches, dinners, and day outings had replaced the rigours of Ministry work.

All seemed going well, until the war broke out again. There was a drain with the draft in place, demands and expectations on men to hold fighting positions. Franklin had considered, once, to offer his services to the MOD. However, he realized he was too old to be living on an army base again. The last time, he had been in his fifties, and that had nearly done him in.

If he couldn’t offer his services to the MOD, then Franklin decided to do the next best thing. He heard from his Grandson, Lincoln, that there was an opening as the Divination Professor. A non-essential position like that, from a purely militaristic sense, would be better served by one not able to fight than one that could.

Franklin’s time at Hogwarts was brief, briefer than he had hoped. While he enjoyed working with students, especially those that felt they could get one over the old man, that wasn’t the problem. Franklin could just not keep up with the workload anymore. The amount of essays and marking, standing and lecturing, took a toll that he wasn’t used to. So, when the year ended, he tendered his resignation, and settled into retirement.

He thought that would be the end of it. His grandson took over as Divination professor, and then replaced by Flair. Things were going well on the war front as well. The war had turned, though Franklin was uneasy. It seemed easy, and familiar. Too easy, too familiar. They had won the war.

Then they lost.

The Hexenreich took over, but it was not something his family took laying down. Instead, the Litchfields secretly began to fund the resistance. As Franklin was no longer the head of family, it was not his decision. Then again, it would be hard to hide anything from him.

Two years passed, and he began to grow restless in the halls of the manor.  The Germans had been a distant threat, but the Hexenreich were here, up close. The thought of his great grandchildren in a school where those who wished them harm grated against them. He couldn’t be a professor again, but if he could find a lesser role to take, then he might be able to pull it off. Why would the Hexenreich fear someone who walked with  a cane?

Franklin would show them a reason.

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:

Nostalgia was the great problem of old age. Every sight, every glance, reminded one of younger times. The streets of Diagon Alley, different now than they once were, still brought memories: of running down the cobblestones - of a stolen kiss - of blown out buildings from the bombs. Hogwarts was the greatest culprit of them all. Franklin had spent seven years here, so very long ago. Every hall, every stone, every door brought a smile to his lips, distant, of the ghosts of the past.

Sometimes in the literal sense.

Still, the nostalgia was blunted somewhat by the fact his nostalgia of youth was juxtaposed with his memories of his interview, five years ago. His term at Hogwarts had been brief, but Franklin still believed he did it for the right reasons. Now, it was the same. Of course, it meant the same walk up the stairs to get to the office.

Remembering his last interview, he arrived early.

Franklin pulled out his watch as he reached the top of the steps, checking it. Two PM on the nose. It gave him a smile. He could go in now, and be on time. Then again, how would the young Headmistress react if he showed up to both interviews late?

So he waited.

Five minutes, he believed. It let him catch his breath as he leaned on his cane. Franklin briefly thought on what the young woman had faced since he last left: before, she was just starting out. Her daughter may have even been starting at Hogwarts, but he could not remember anymore. Now, she had seen a student murdered, her daughter was hostage, and Anneka was said to be a shell of her former self. The clock hit five, he turned the handle, and entered the room.

"You are late."

The accounts of her demise were greatly exaggerated. Perhaps the Headmistress still had that fire in her that was required. Meeting the steely stare, Franklin gave a chuckle, the smile creasing his well-worn face. “It is the stairs, once again, I fear.” He said, holding up his cane. “If  I apply for a third time, I insist on an interview in the Great Hall.”

There would be no third time.