Kieran Cherrywell - Transfer from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts

[Kieran Nonpareil]

Transfer Application

→ CHARACTER INFORMATION.
Name: Kieran Cherrywell

Birthday: February 2nd, 1924

Hometown: Nonpareil Compound, Scotland, United Kingdom

Bloodline: Pureblood

Current Levels: C4D5T6S3

Current Year: Fifth Year (2dé année)

Year Requested: Sixth Year

Reason for Transfer:
Due to Beauxbatons no longer being an institution, Kieran has no choice but to return to Hogwarts where he originally came from before going to Beauxbatons. Great Britain is also his place of birth and he wishes to stay in closer contact with his family, especially during these stressful times.

Biography:
“Tell me about yourself.”


“I was going to!” A mutter. “Troglodyte.”

“You’re very outspoken, you know. Not to mention rude.”

A pause. The boy scowled.

“I’m sorry.”
–––––––––

The idea of retaining things called ‘memories’ has always been a strange idea to me.  Why are we given memories? How do they become stored? Why do we lose them?

These were questions I’ve always asked myself. And I still do.

I have a vague memory of when I was born. I was in a well-lit place, it had many sources of light; candelabras, lamps, candles, and almost anything else you could think of. It was warm, I felt secure.

But infants don’t have a sense of consciousness or understanding of what the world is really like.

(They really don’t.)

Ever since a young age, my presence was always greeted with cold stares, my name said with contempt. I still can’t forget– and probably never will forget– how my family thought of me.

My siblings and cousins, who were usually in direct contact with me, never treated me much better. Their words, along with their actions, were equally as hostile.

Only one person– my sister Ursula– treated me with kindness.

Until she was told by the others to become more ‘strict’ and ‘just’ with me. She would join in with the others without hesitation. It was like she lost her own identity among the others. But even, then she would– in private– offer me aid.  I still remember her kind words and actions. At the time I appreciated them, almost gladly welcomed them. I still remember crying into her chest. But then I experienced a feeling of hatred for her contradictory actions.

I felt like she was looking down on me for being weak, for not being able to defend myself. I hated how she kept switching sides– which to me, felt like she was trying to please both sides.

(I hate inconsistent people. I hate disloyal people.)

My mother and father were hypocrites. My mother, Cassiopeia, was an excessive shopper with an ego and vanity that matched her shopaholic nature. And my crude father, Abelardus, was something of an alcoholic, whom I would try to avoid like the plague whenever he had too much to drink.

That was all I thought of as my parents– hypocrites. They openly said that they were just and good, dedicated to serving wizard-kind and the Nonpareil cause.

(Even our clan name was arrogant.)
I was separated from the other children of the Nonpareil Compound, physically and in spirit.

They went out to balls, dinners, and various other social events. I stayed at home, holed up in my room, reading books and imagining distant worlds outside of the Compound. I was convinced that the real world had to be better than home. I thought to myself that nothing could be worse than this, so the real world had to be better.

(Perhaps in some ways I was right.)

My desire to see the real world had come true in the few months after my birthday, in the summertime.  My gate to the outside world? Hogwarts. The key? My acceptance letter.

I do not remember how I felt at the time. But something in the back of my head tells me it felt like relief and joy mixed together. My relief was mostly due to the fact that I could not have been a Squib like my siblings told me. My joy stemmed from the fact that it was not only an escape route out of the Compound, but somewhere in the world people wanted me.

(They wanted me. They were paying attention to me. They wanted me to leave the horrible Compound.)

I still wonder how the family elders still let me go to Hogwarts and who convinced them. I have my suspicions...

I don’t want to bore you with all the details about Hogwarts, so I’ll just summarize it in one sentence. For the most part, if I died right now and found out that there was no Heaven, then I already would have known that I have lived in Heaven already.

I have told you most of my story already, and that will begin to stop here. I can’t speak about some things here.

Why am I going to Beauxbatons?

For reasons I don’t feel comfortable disclosing, I left my family and effectively Hogwarts. It wasn’t that long being on my own, staying in pubs in Diagon Alley, writing to my only source of moral support.  She provided me comfort when I was scared. She gave me hope when I was at my lowest. She wanted to see me again. I cannot thank her enough for that.

But before meeting her, I realized that I forgot a couple of things at the Compound– most importantly my fan and daughter, Wilhelmina. Sneaking around at night isn’t my sort of work, it’s far too nerve-wracking and risky for my cup of tea.

(I wonder how I was ever considered to be a Gryffindor.)

But I met someone. I cannot disclose her name for fear of getting her into trouble. Nor can I tell my relationship to her or what we talked about that night. But I have promises to fulfill and duties to carry out: to her and only to her. And through her, I am going to Beauxbatons.

I knew that the language wouldn’t be a problem for me as I have been learning French from a young age. School would be more difficult, but she arranged for papers and that in return I would pledge my loyalty to her.

I owe her everything.

My time at Beauxbatons was long but brief, but nevertheless it was enjoyable. It was a school that I felt suited me, combining two things-- the arts and education-- that defined a civilized person into one entity. At the time, I convinced myself that this was the place where I belonged, not at that musty castle with asinine Gryffindors running about, proclaiming words of ignorance and savagery.

 Although this sudden transferral to Beauxbatons was not without its disadvantages. I had to teach myself musical composition from scratch, compared to my other classmates who were more experienced then myself (something that I was reluctant to admit at the time). Language and nationality were two barriers that I felt that I had to overcome. I was English, they were French. They thought French, I thought English. They were learning English, I was learning French.

Despite these differences and challenges, I cannot deny that Beauxbatons held a special place in my heart-- and it does.

But time destroys all things, as I have come to learn-- even old institutions. Even despite recent events concerning Beauxbatons (which I refuse to talk about; as one must exhibit tact at all times even towards one’s self), I am still in disbelief that I am being sent back to Hogwarts.

And suddenly, I find that time is more complex than I found it to be in the books I’ve read. But I must continue on forwards, as I like to think I can overcome anything.

On this note, I must end it on one word- reversal.



→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Note: This section is optional, and is up to you to complete.

[Hogwarts] House Request: Ravenclaw

Personality: Kieran’s vanity and delusions (both of which are getting more moderate) are his two defining personality traits, as both mark his reputation as an individual and earn mutual dislike and irritation from those around him. Despite these shortcomings, he is more perceptive and intelligent than one usually thinks of him, as he takes delight in educating himself and thinkings logically and seriously when the situation calls for it. Despite his intelligence, he doesn’t hesitate to claim that his views are superior to others and often carries a holier-than-thou attitude. As much as he hates to admit it, he has qualities that are considered to be Gryffindoric, such as his chivalry and his innate bravery (which he justifies as straightforwardness).

Appearance:

[Theodore Beauchamp]

Mr Cherrywell,

Congratulations, your application to Hogwarts School has been accepted. Term begins 01 January, 2014. Currently, students have gathered at Camp Loki. Your admission is joint for both the school and Camp Loki, and we encourage you to spend your summer there. Should you choose, you may also visit our Elsewhere board via the Floo Network to visit or purchase school supplies. We look forward to seeing you at the School.

Regards,
Theodore Beauchamp
Head of Hufflepuff House