Margaret Harkiss

[Margaret Harkiss]

Application for Hogwarts School

→ CHARACTER INFORMATION.

Name: Margaret (Maggie) Harkiss

Birthday: December 23rd, 1930

Hometown: Oxfordshire, England

Bloodline:
Halfblood

Magical Strength (pick one):
Transfiguration

Magical Weakness (pick one):
Divination

Year (pick two): Sixth (or Fifth) Year

Biography:
Margaret Harkiss was born to Petra and Howard Harkiss in a quaint magical village in Oxfordshire. The Harkiss family came from a long line of farmers stretching back at least a hundred years and have grown to up keep a 5 acre space in their small village. The family, despite its conservative setting, was very open to engaging and interacting with local folk, both magical and non-magical. Her grandmother was a Muggle for this reason and despite 75% of the rest of her immediate family being witches and wizards, still upheld some traditional muggle values and customs. Margaret was the first of four children who would be raised on the farm for her first eleven years of her life. Sadly, due to the time warp and changing circumstances, the economy that sustained the farm had collapsed, plummeting the prices of their crops and sending the Harkiss family to the brink of bankruptcy. Half of their five acre farm had to be sold in order to make ends meet and being frugal became the children's most frequently occurring pastime. Growing up, even drinking straws were washed and reused, not wanting to waste a single resource or knut. As a child, Maggie would find herself wandering the fields after a chore in search of a rare stone or jewel to bring back to her parents or share with her siblings. It is there that she picked up the habit of holding rather strange and seemingly useless items in her pockets at all times. After getting her wand, Maggie (as most people close to her called her by) had a natural knack for transfiguring pebbles and objects into something else entirely, simply for play. To her siblings it would be one of the most annoying aspects of being around Maggie, equivalent to a person tapping their foot on the floor repeatedly. To some of her peers, it was an indication that she was close by and present.

When she received her letter to Hogwarts, Maggie was more than thrilled. After years of spending life in a small community farm, where all the neighbors and family members knew each other and their business, it was a dream for Maggie to be more independent and go to school to finish off what little education she had. She loved her family, and when push came to shove, she could be swayed to return to her quiet home to spend the rest of her days, but being young and intensely curious, Maggie couldn't help wonder what it was like outside the borders of Oxfordshire. Her parents were students but they reminisced on their time at Hogwarts as more of a stepping stone to their true passion of starting a family and raising their farm happily. They were Hufflepuffs content with their life of singularity, rather than her grandmother who was as fierce as a firecracker, not letting anyone stand in her way. Conversely, Maggie was curious and probing, always wondering about her surroundings in the bounds of her comfort zone. Going to Diagon Alley and to experience the full scope of the magical world was enchanting. Her wand, a flexible 10" willow with the core of hippogriff, seemed large and as daunting as the school year in front of her. However, as the years went on she grew (physically and mentally) into her powers and skill. Her quick wit and fierce devotion to her family and background placed her in Slytherin and transfiguration became one of her favorite subjects to tackle in school. The silly objects that she once toyed with in her hands for fun now became her test subjects for the latest Transfiguration spells taught in class. She enjoyed learning and becoming immersed in the world of Hogwarts, just as she predicted.

As with any child in a school setting, Maggie endured her fair share of bullying, and her charms and courage did not catch up with her enough to defend against the waves of students who found her upbringing curious and strange. They made fun of her rural attitudes, her frugality, her ignorant views. The way she dressed was looked at strangely, even scoffed at. As a First Year she came to think of herself as an ugly and tried to push herself further away from her rural upbringing. Peer pressure shaped Maggie more than she would like to admit. When Fifth Year rolled around and her full height and beauty came to realization, it was a bit too late. Her surroundings had hardened her to be closed off, quiet, and darker. Maggie had a tight knit of friends and although would be kind and poised to anyone who spoke with her, her preference was to stick to her close knit group of friends. Although she still loves her family and her farm, she now prefers to spend summers at the Summer Campus, expanding her vast knowledge and experience that she didn't get in her little village. Her mother finds it inappropriate, Maggie finds it practical if she is to fit in with the other students. A product of her times, Margaret Harkiss simply longs to belong, be tied to something meaningful in the world, and do something worthwhile. Being in her Sixth Year, with war amongst  the country, Maggie is trying to figure out where she fits in the spectrum- Where her friends lie, and of course, her family.

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

House Request: Ravenclaw or Slytherin

Personality:
When Maggie is with her family and close knit group of friends, that is when her true personality shines through. She is laid back, silly even, to the point where she can be funny and clever. Maggie finds anything funny if it comes from the right person. She is loyal and devoted to people through thick and thin, putting no judgement forth if they have known each other long enough. Maggie is loud, fun, and most importantly, herself. Beyond the circle of close friends and family, is a completely different person. Outside and in more formal classroom settings (like Divination or Potions, two of her worst subjects), Maggie is quiet reserved, even stoic. Furthermore, to people Maggie dislikes or has a bad first impression of, it is hard to get back on her good side. Too many people have given her judgmental looks and side comments for her not to do the same. Those who are indecisive, ditsy, clueless about mundane aspects of life especially infuriate her. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Maggie always wants to know more and learn more, and finds it inexplicable that people are content to be in the dark about a certain subject. The reason she is so weak in Divination is became there is no logical explanation to the skill- It is an innate feeling one has to grasp and hone rather that learn and develop. 

It is this kind of frustration over a subject, a person, or a situation that can cause Maggie to become quiet, cold, and unappealing to the stranger. Her physical stance becomes closed off and unwelcoming, giving off a sense that she would rather be anywhere but there. The only people who she does not have this attitude for, are kids. This is because she has 3 younger siblings below her, all at various stages of their lives, all adorable. Maggie is a sucker for children and their naturally curious tendencies, unsure of the world because it is so vast and big. Another part of her own motherly sense of wanting to having children in the future makes her nurture rather than judge and yell at those who are younger than herself. Those of the same age of older students, especially ones in her own house, should know better. And an even smaller part of her likes to think that she could mold and shape the younger minds of those below her. Not as manipulation, but as a good influence. She never liked the idea of tagging muggleborn children, as they had no choice or say in their upbringing or care and finds it barbarous that any tagging had to be done at all. This was another influence of being raised with parents in a village that contained both muggleborn and magically-descended families prior to the warp.

Maggie also, although she denies this, also changes when she is around others. Whether for good or bad, her peers have changed Maggie's behavior and personality immensely. As someone who was called out for being an outsider due to her rather closed off upbringing, she did the opposite and tried to participate in more activities, extracurriculars, clubs, and visit the city as often as possible. Maggie more often than not, tries to be independent but often finds herself following trends and the interest that her friends partake. Whether it be the clothes and fashion styles that her friends get her into, or the way her professors encouraged her to embrace her love of Transfiguration into other areas of her life. She is, if anything, adaptable and flexible. Part of it also stems from her meager upbringing. Frugality was a game Maggie played over and over in her head and carried over to her regular life, even when her family didn't have to struggle to put food on the table. Although not present anymore, her muggle grandmother had a heavy influence in their family's life before they were swept away to another time. She wears her clothes until they're worn through, only takes and eats what she can to avoid leftovers, and dislikes waste in general.

Being adaptable, and constantly exposing herself to new things, there aren't many things Maggie is afraid of. One thing though is mistrust and dishonesty in people. While she can be cordial and polite to everyone, making small chat isn't her favorite pastime but she is good at it, no one would really know the true Maggie unless she felt she had someone's trust. Maybe because her family had put trust in the government and a higher power to take care of them and they failed, maybe it was just the pessimism that comes in a time of war. Either way, Maggie places trust in her family, herself, and her knowledge very highly. It is only because she is solidified in her values and who she surrounds herself with that she is able to bend to the changing times.

Appearance:
A good adjective to describe Margaret would be comely. Having come from a family of farmers, Margaret's skin is known to be a tanned color almost throughout the year, maybe through the various years of being exposed to sunlight or a far but deep descendant from Italy. Since she was young Margaret has always been thin and but defined with muscles that come from running errands, doing tasks, and not being able to keep her hands still. Like everyone else she had an awkward stage of being too tall and too thin in the wrong places to fit her clothes right, creating a rather insecure feeling within herself since the age of thirteen, when she had never believed herself to be anything but regular before that. Standing now at almost 5'9" Margaret suffers at times from slouching her back or shoulders, without even noticing. She recognizes it has a bad habit but has yet put the discipline or time in to stop herself (nor is there anyone else who bothers to say anything).

Her best feature, in her mind, would have to be her hair. From the time she was young she remembers having long flowing black year that seemed to go on for miles. She loves the feeling of running her hands through it, feeling the wind rustle through on a breezy day, or even merely done up in a bun or ponytail when it comes time to buckle down for finals. Coming from a long line of thick bushed men and women, it is the one aspect of herself that Maggie truly feels confident about. Everything else is up for debate.

As for her sense of style, Maggie, as with many girls her age, liked simple yet elegant pieces. Having been through a more frugal time in history, she takes what little items of clothing she has, and takes gentle care of it, or at least, she tries. During classes and formal education hours, Maggie does try her best to look her cleanest but anything off hours is another story. Being caught up in events, her friends, or even in her own mind, Maggie can become rather careless with her belongings without meaning to. She has gotten rather good at mending charms, if nothing else, and uses it to her advantage to mend her knits and tops which are most susceptible to clinging onto branches and stray hooks around the castle.  

→ SAMPLE ROLEPLAY.
Maggie found herself doing a Potions assignment. Again. It was so strange no matter how many Transfiguration and Charms essays were assigned, it never seemed like enough but one measly Potion's assignment and she had to spend all Saturday at task, completing it. It was a glorious day and she had wasted it the time on one of her least favorite subjects.  And it wasn't entirely successful, much to her disappointment. She had followed the steps to the T and yet the end result still did not produce the warm deep purple glow that showed on the textbook's illustration. Halfway through the day she had decided to bugger it and try it her own way, mixing in measurements not written anywhere in the booklet. That had produced a big puff! Which not only messed up her hair and robes but also produced a smell of something slightly burning and pungent. It was not pleasant. She did not like it. But what was a girl to do?

Finally, after straining her back and her brain trying to figure a simple recipe out (she would clearly never be a decent cook either), Maggie gave up and decided to take a walk down the halls of the dungeon to stretch her legs. It was no use doing the same thing and expecting a different result; that was the definition of insanity. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the stone walls of the dungeon with the other, letting out a small sigh. Despite hating Potions with all her might and have rather negative associations with the place, the dungeons were comforting and a good place of solitude for anyone wanting some peace and quiet. She remembered being intimidated by the very sight of the entire castle when she had first walked in through the front entrance. Although her farm back home had over 2 acres spread far and wide, it was a different vast that she had to get used to. With other big groups of students, she had circled as much of the castle as she could in her spare time and even after six years of attending Hogwarts, she still wasn't sure if she had seen it all. There was yet more to see and learn.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small cry of an unsure female voice. Her ears perked up at the words, her lips lifting up in a slight smirk. Although ghosts were present and lingered around at the castle at times, the infamous Emma Birch was nowhere to be found. Maggie emerged from the shadows as slowly as she could without any sudden movements, hoping she wouldn't scare the girl. She was as easily startled when things came out of nowhere. She wasn't sure how the little one's heart would take it. "Nope, no Emma Birch. Just a frustrated girl that stinks of ash." She used the walls as a crutch and leaned on it, folding her arms in a cross, tilting her head back slightly. "You need some help little lady?" Truth was, Maggie was the one that needed help. But what could a little First Year do for a Sixth Year with Potion N.E.W.T.S. level assignments? Or worse yet, what would she tell people if a First Year were able to complete the potion in five minutes when she hadn't even figured it out yet?



→ ABOUT YOU.

Please list any characters you have on the site (current and previous): N/A

How did you find us?: a google search after wanting to get back into roleplaying

[Aries Paladin]

Hey Margaret, and welcome to the site! Your application is just stunning (I love how much thought went into it!), but before we can accept it, there's just one change I'd like to ask that you make. Years, as with Houses, are not necessarily guaranteed (though the administrators will definitely try to give you your first choice), so if you could just tweak the application and make her present Year a little more vague, that would be great! (Later, your biography will be posted up in your House, so saying she's Sixth may make things a little confusing if Maggie ends up Fifth and not Sixth.)

Once you've made the changes, please post the entire edited application below so that we can take another look and get you sorted.

Thank you! <3

—'ries

[Margaret Harkiss]

Application for Hogwarts School

→ CHARACTER INFORMATION.

Name: Margaret (Maggie) Harkiss

Birthday: December 23rd, 1930

Hometown: Oxfordshire, England

Bloodline:
Halfblood

Magical Strength (pick one):
Transfiguration

Magical Weakness (pick one):
Divination

Year (pick two): Sixth or Fifth Year

Biography:
Margaret Harkiss was born to Petra and Howard Harkiss in a quaint magical village in Oxfordshire. The Harkiss family came from a long line of farmers stretching back at least a hundred years and have grown to up keep a 5 acre space in their small village. The family, despite its conservative setting, was very open to engaging and interacting with local folk, both magical and non-magical. Her grandmother was a Muggle for this reason and despite 75% of the rest of her immediate family being witches and wizards, still upheld some traditional muggle values and customs. Margaret was the first of four children who would be raised on the farm for her first eleven years of her life. Sadly, due to the time warp and changing circumstances, the economy that sustained the farm had collapsed, plummeting the prices of their crops and sending the Harkiss family to the brink of bankruptcy. Half of their five acre farm had to be sold in order to make ends meet and being frugal became the children's most frequently occurring pastime. Growing up, even drinking straws were washed and reused, not wanting to waste a single resource or knut. As a child, Maggie would find herself wandering the fields after a chore in search of a rare stone or jewel to bring back to her parents or share with her siblings. It is there that she picked up the habit of holding rather strange and seemingly useless items in her pockets at all times. After getting her wand, Maggie (as most people close to her called her by) had a natural knack for transfiguring pebbles and objects into something else entirely, simply for play. To her siblings it would be one of the most annoying aspects of being around Maggie, equivalent to a person tapping their foot on the floor repeatedly. To some of her peers, it was an indication that she was close by and present.

When she received her letter to Hogwarts, Maggie was more than thrilled. After years of spending life in a small community farm, where all the neighbors and family members knew each other and their business, it was a dream for Maggie to be more independent and go to school to finish off what little education she had. She loved her family, and when push came to shove, she could be swayed to return to her quiet home to spend the rest of her days, but being young and intensely curious, Maggie couldn't help wonder what it was like outside the borders of Oxfordshire. Her parents were students but they reminisced on their time at Hogwarts as more of a stepping stone to their true passion of starting a family and raising their farm happily. They were Hufflepuffs content with their life of singularity, rather than her grandmother who was as fierce as a firecracker, not letting anyone stand in her way. Conversely, Maggie was curious and probing, always wondering about her surroundings in the bounds of her comfort zone. Going to Diagon Alley and to experience the full scope of the magical world was enchanting. Her wand, a flexible 10" willow with the core of hippogriff, seemed large and as daunting as the school year in front of her. However, as the years went on she grew (physically and mentally) into her powers and skill. She has quick wit and fierce devotion to her family and transfiguration became one of her favorite subjects to tackle in school. The silly objects that she once toyed with in her hands for fun now became her test subjects for the latest Transfiguration spells taught in class. She enjoyed learning and becoming immersed in the world of Hogwarts, just as she predicted.

As with any child in a school setting, Maggie endured her fair share of bullying, and her charms and courage did not catch up with her enough to defend against the waves of students who found her upbringing curious and strange. They made fun of her rural attitudes, her frugality, her ignorant views. The way she dressed was looked at strangely, even scoffed at. As a First Year she came to think of herself as an ugly and tried to push herself further away from her rural upbringing. Peer pressure shaped Maggie more than she would like to admit. When Fifth Year rolled around and her full height and beauty came to realization, it was a bit too late. Her surroundings had hardened her to be closed off, quiet, and darker. Maggie had a tight knit of friends and although would be kind and poised to anyone who spoke with her, her preference was to stick to her close knit group of friends. Although she still loves her family and her farm, she now prefers to spend summers at the Summer Campus, expanding her vast knowledge and experience that she didn't get in her little village. Her mother finds it inappropriate, Maggie finds it practical if she is to fit in with the other students. A product of her times, Margaret Harkiss simply longs to belong, be tied to something meaningful in the world, and do something worthwhile. Currently, with war amongst  the country, Maggie is trying to figure out where she fits in the spectrum- Where her friends lie, and of course, her family.

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

House Request: Ravenclaw or Slytherin

Personality:
When Maggie is with her family and close knit group of friends, that is when her true personality shines through. She is laid back, silly even, to the point where she can be funny and clever. Maggie finds anything funny if it comes from the right person. She is loyal and devoted to people through thick and thin, putting no judgement forth if they have known each other long enough. Maggie is loud, fun, and most importantly, herself. Beyond the circle of close friends and family, is a completely different person. Outside and in more formal classroom settings (like Divination or Potions, two of her worst subjects), Maggie is quiet reserved, even stoic. Furthermore, to people Maggie dislikes or has a bad first impression of, it is hard to get back on her good side. Too many people have given her judgmental looks and side comments for her not to do the same. Those who are indecisive, ditsy, clueless about mundane aspects of life especially infuriate her. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Maggie always wants to know more and learn more, and finds it inexplicable that people are content to be in the dark about a certain subject. The reason she is so weak in Divination is became there is no logical explanation to the skill- It is an innate feeling one has to grasp and hone rather that learn and develop. 

It is this kind of frustration over a subject, a person, or a situation that can cause Maggie to become quiet, cold, and unappealing to the stranger. Her physical stance becomes closed off and unwelcoming, giving off a sense that she would rather be anywhere but there. The only people who she does not have this attitude for, are kids. This is because she has 3 younger siblings below her, all at various stages of their lives, all adorable. Maggie is a sucker for children and their naturally curious tendencies, unsure of the world because it is so vast and big. Another part of her own motherly sense of wanting to having children in the future makes her nurture rather than judge and yell at those who are younger than herself. Those of the same age of older students, especially ones in her own house, should know better. And an even smaller part of her likes to think that she could mold and shape the younger minds of those below her. Not as manipulation, but as a good influence. She never liked the idea of tagging muggleborn children, as they had no choice or say in their upbringing or care and finds it barbarous that any tagging had to be done at all. This was another influence of being raised with parents in a village that contained both muggleborn and magically-descended families prior to the warp.

Maggie also, although she denies this, also changes when she is around others. Whether for good or bad, her peers have changed Maggie's behavior and personality immensely. As someone who was called out for being an outsider due to her rather closed off upbringing, she did the opposite and tried to participate in more activities, extracurriculars, clubs, and visit the city as often as possible. Maggie more often than not, tries to be independent but often finds herself following trends and the interest that her friends partake. Whether it be the clothes and fashion styles that her friends get her into, or the way her professors encouraged her to embrace her love of Transfiguration into other areas of her life. She is, if anything, adaptable and flexible. Part of it also stems from her meager upbringing. Frugality was a game Maggie played over and over in her head and carried over to her regular life, even when her family didn't have to struggle to put food on the table. Although not present anymore, her muggle grandmother had a heavy influence in their family's life before they were swept away to another time. She wears her clothes until they're worn through, only takes and eats what she can to avoid leftovers, and dislikes waste in general.

Being adaptable, and constantly exposing herself to new things, there aren't many things Maggie is afraid of. One thing though is mistrust and dishonesty in people. While she can be cordial and polite to everyone, making small chat isn't her favorite pastime but she is good at it, no one would really know the true Maggie unless she felt she had someone's trust. Maybe because her family had put trust in the government and a higher power to take care of them and they failed, maybe it was just the pessimism that comes in a time of war. Either way, Maggie places trust in her family, herself, and her knowledge very highly. It is only because she is solidified in her values and who she surrounds herself with that she is able to bend to the changing times.

Appearance:
A good adjective to describe Margaret would be comely. Having come from a family of farmers, Margaret's skin is known to be a tanned color almost throughout the year, maybe through the various years of being exposed to sunlight or a far but deep descendant from Italy. Since she was young Margaret has always been thin and but defined with muscles that come from running errands, doing tasks, and not being able to keep her hands still. Like everyone else she had an awkward stage of being too tall and too thin in the wrong places to fit her clothes right, creating a rather insecure feeling within herself since the age of thirteen, when she had never believed herself to be anything but regular before that. Standing now at almost 5'9" Margaret suffers at times from slouching her back or shoulders, without even noticing. She recognizes it has a bad habit but has yet put the discipline or time in to stop herself (nor is there anyone else who bothers to say anything).

Her best feature, in her mind, would have to be her hair. From the time she was young she remembers having long flowing black year that seemed to go on for miles. She loves the feeling of running her hands through it, feeling the wind rustle through on a breezy day, or even merely done up in a bun or ponytail when it comes time to buckle down for finals. Coming from a long line of thick bushed men and women, it is the one aspect of herself that Maggie truly feels confident about. Everything else is up for debate.

As for her sense of style, Maggie, as with many girls her age, liked simple yet elegant pieces. Having been through a more frugal time in history, she takes what little items of clothing she has, and takes gentle care of it, or at least, she tries. During classes and formal education hours, Maggie does try her best to look her cleanest but anything off hours is another story. Being caught up in events, her friends, or even in her own mind, Maggie can become rather careless with her belongings without meaning to. She has gotten rather good at mending charms, if nothing else, and uses it to her advantage to mend her knits and tops which are most susceptible to clinging onto branches and stray hooks around the castle.   

→ SAMPLE ROLEPLAY.
Maggie found herself doing a Potions assignment. Again. It was so strange no matter how many Transfiguration and Charms essays were assigned, it never seemed like enough but one measly Potion's assignment and she had to spend all Saturday at task, completing it. It was a glorious day and she had wasted it the time on one of her least favorite subjects.  And it wasn't entirely successful, much to her disappointment. She had followed the steps to the T and yet the end result still did not produce the warm deep purple glow that showed on the textbook's illustration. Halfway through the day she had decided to bugger it and try it her own way, mixing in measurements not written anywhere in the booklet. That had produced a big puff! Which not only messed up her hair and robes but also produced a smell of something slightly burning and pungent. It was not pleasant. She did not like it. But what was a girl to do?

Finally, after straining her back and her brain trying to figure a simple recipe out (she would clearly never be a decent cook either), Maggie gave up and decided to take a walk down the halls of the dungeon to stretch her legs. It was no use doing the same thing and expecting a different result; that was the definition of insanity. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the stone walls of the dungeon with the other, letting out a small sigh. Despite hating Potions with all her might and have rather negative associations with the place, the dungeons were comforting and a good place of solitude for anyone wanting some peace and quiet. She remembered being intimidated by the very sight of the entire castle when she had first walked in through the front entrance. Although her farm back home had over 2 acres spread far and wide, it was a different vast that she had to get used to. With other big groups of students, she had circled as much of the castle as she could in her spare time and even after six years of attending Hogwarts, she still wasn't sure if she had seen it all. There was yet more to see and learn.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small cry of an unsure female voice. Her ears perked up at the words, her lips lifting up in a slight smirk. Although ghosts were present and lingered around at the castle at times, the infamous Emma Birch was nowhere to be found. Maggie emerged from the shadows as slowly as she could without any sudden movements, hoping she wouldn't scare the girl. She was as easily startled when things came out of nowhere. She wasn't sure how the little one's heart would take it. "Nope, no Emma Birch. Just a frustrated girl that stinks of ash." She used the walls as a crutch and leaned on it, folding her arms in a cross, tilting her head back slightly. "You need some help little lady?" Truth was, Maggie was the one that needed help. But what could a little First Year do for an upperclassman with N.E.W.T.S. level assignments? Or worse yet, what would she tell people if a First Year were able to complete the potion in five minutes when she hadn't even figured it out yet?



→ ABOUT YOU.

Please list any characters you have on the site (current and previous): N/A

How did you find us?: a google search after wanting to get back into roleplaying

[Aries Paladin]

Dear Miss Harkiss,

We are delighted to inform you that your application to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry has been accepted. Term will begin on May 1^st, 2016. Currently, students have gathered at Camp Loki; your admission is joint for both the school and Camp Loki, and we cordially invite you to spend your summer there if you so wish. Should you choose, you may also visit our Elsewhere board via the Floo Network to purchase school supplies.

We look forward to seeing you at the School.

Regards,

Aries Paladin
Resistance Leader