CHARACTER INFORMATIONCharacter name: Cedric Pellinore Galyn
Previous and/or Current Character(s) if applicable: Wesley Winsday etc.
Character age: 29 (born December 3rd, 1920)
Character education:Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gryffindor (class of 1939)
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries- Junior Healer, Emergency & Trauma Ward (1939-1940)
- Healer, Emergency & Trauma Ward (1940-1943)
- Department Head, Emergency & Trauma Ward (1943-1945)
Merlin's Order of Defence, 42nd Broom Battalion, Healer Lieutenant (1943-44)
Strength and weaknesses (details please):While he never made a good diviner, Cedric always excelled in Charms and Transfiguration, two disciplines of magic that have been instrumental in developing his career. His healing spells are particularly potent and he has become adept at medicinal potions brewing.
In casting magic, Cedric has always found that the spells he uses to defend -- the Patronus Charm, Shield Charms -- are significantly more powerful than spells he uses in offense, such as
Incendio or
Limax. For Cedric, the intent behind the spell is key because magical violence is something that deeply bothers him. It is likely that, even at his angriest, he would be unable to successfully cast any of the three Unforgivable Curses.
Finally, conjuring and especially summoning spells tend to be more challenging for Cedric. The "Accio" spell generally ends with him getting smacked in the face with whatever object he's attempting to summon (which can get rather nasty), so unless it's necessary, he will probably just walk over to retrieve something.
Physical description:Cedric is fairly tall, a smidgen above six feet, with sandy brown hair and grey-blue eyes. He isn't terribly concerned with appearance but likes to be clean, and his dress reflects a clean-cut, yet casual flair. His build is narrow with broad shoulders,yet well-built and athletic; Cedric keeps in shape by simply being active. These days, he wears a pair of reading glasses when he's brewing potions and complains to Seamus that they make him look old.
Personality (nice, rude, funny etc. Paragraph please.):The Sorting Hat had barely to touch his head before shouting "GRYFFINDOR," and its declaration remains true today. Fiercely (over)protective of both the innocent and those he holds dear, he holds a rather furious contempt for anyone who would take advantage of those they hold power over. He sometimes has difficulty accepting what he cannot control and despises feeling helpless to stop whatever terrible thing is occurring. Deeply affected by others' emotions and pain, he puts it upon himself to be their strength, even if he himself does not know how to ask for help. As a child, this made him prone to anger; although his temper has since mellowed with maturity, embers of that part of him do show their face on rare occasions.
Nevertheless, Cedric is at heart a gentle soul. To his patients he is kind and as empathetic as he can be, and has been said to have an excellent bedside manner. He's not all completely straight-laced, either, with a more "neutral good" sort of outlook on life -- if the authorities keep him from doing what he believes is right, he'll do it anyway.
Hopes and dreams. Why are you teaching at Hogwarts?:Perhaps the first place where Cedric truly felt at home was Hogwarts, so the castle has always held a certain fondness for him. As a healer, he often took an interest in pediatric magic and has volunteered to treat the orphans living in the West Wing at St. Mungo's following the Time Warp. It is perhaps the one thing he misses most about his old job at the hospital, so working at Hogwarts would allow him to not only work with children again but be closer to his home in northern Scotland.
Biography (500 words minimum. There is never such a thing as too much.): He was born in Cardiff, Wales in an Unplottable mansion just outside the city limits. His mother, Vivienne, quietly named him for two kings -- Cerdic of the Anglo-Saxons and Pellinore of Arthurian legend fame, a knight of the Round Table. It was a great deal to live up to, she whispered over his sleeping face, but she knew he could.
It was not an easy existence Cedric was born into. Although his family was as pure as they came and wealthy to boot, his father was both drunken and abusive and his mother miserable in a marriage she had never wanted. Cedric himself learned to steer clear of Lewis Galyn whenever he had been out of an evening, retreating to wherever his father would not be. His mother, however, he loved dearly and she doted on him in kind. They read stories and she told him of her adventures beyond the wizarding world, a year she'd spent living in America with muggles. He always wondered why she hadn't just stayed there, but Vivienne simply smiled sadly and told him that sometimes in life, you didn't always have a choice. As the years went on, Cedric became more and more aware of the violence in his home, noticing the marks on his mother's arms and body had become more frequent. One day in his ninth year, he walked in on the brutality and stepped in to try and stop it. He was hit with a poorly-cast Memory Charm and spent the better part of a month in the hospital recovering. Although he was not severely impaired, his memories of that incident remain very hazy to this day, and he suffered from nightmares for a very long time after.
Hogwarts, therefore, was a welcome reprieve though he hated to leave Vivienne alone with his father. He was sorted very quickly into Gryffindor House. Initially a rather sullen and angry child, he gradually was drawn from his shell by a core group of friends. In second year, he discovered Quidditch and the sport gave him a much needed outlet for his emotions.
In 1933, Cedric' third year, Lewis Galyn died suddenly of a heart attack in London. His son met this news with mixed feelings. Cedric felt nothing for his father and felt no guilt for it, but Lewis' death dredged up secrets. Lewis' drinking and gambling habits had taken their toll -- the family was in debt, deep debt. Although the Galyn mansion remained in their possession (due to some nasty curses that would take effect should the deed be passed along), most of their assets were sold and they could no longer afford to live in Cardiff. Living with Vivienne's father, Cassius Medraut, an elitist pureblood of the worst sort, was their only option. Vivienne was moved from one oppressive environment to another and the shock began to break her. As Cedric headed off to his fourth year, he worried that his mother was wasting away before his eyes. In 1936, his fears came true. Driven to a deep depression, Vivienne was unable to continue. Her death wounded Cedric deeply and the fifth year was utterly heartbroken.
Somehow, his fortune held. A half sister he'd never known existed appeared, a well-kept secret from Vivienne's single year in the muggle world. Arianrhod was a stranger, but she was his way out. He packed his bags and moved in with his half sister. He never spoke to Cassius Medraut again.
His friends again were his rock in the grieving process, but new challenges were presenting themselves. An accident led him to the already nagging realization that he had no romantic interest in girls. The better part of the first half of term was spent rejecting the idea (and one Seamus Reinhardt, an impish fourth year Slytherin) before he gave in and began a very secret relationship. In time, he realized Seamus had his own personal secrets and Cedric often covered for Seamus' monthly disappearances on the full moon. Motivated by Seamus' dangerous condition and hoping to one day accompany the Slytherin on his moonlit escapades Cedric began to secretly train as an Animagus, discovering with some shock that his form was also lupine. In school, Cedric became a prefect and played as a Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It was also around this time that he discovered healing through the Hospital Wing program.
While his successes in school lasted and blossomed, his relationship with Seamus faltered. In seventh year, Cedric ended it, leaving Seamus heartbroken. Cedric himself felt guilty and not completely convinced he'd done the right thing, but he pressed onward, serving as both Head Boy and Quidditch Captain.
Graduation led him to the healing arts and an apprenticeship at St. Mungo's, where he quickly excelled and became one of the youngest senior Healers in his department at the time. His innate talent for the job earned him recognition, and while his success at the hospital gave him a sense of accomplishment, he couldn't help but miss Seamus sorely. After over a year of separation, he approached Seamus to make amends. They agreed to try again, and have been happily together ever since.
In 1943, Cedric was called up in the draft to serve in Merlin's Order of Defence. He served mostly in medical tents, but the horrors of war were all too real even there. When he was finally put into combat, he was severely cursed and wounded, landing him back in the hospital -- this time, as a patient. Months of recovery later, he was well enough to return to a civilian lifestyle, having been honorably discharged. But the damage had been done. Between what he'd seen as a healer and what he had experienced on the battlefield, it was extremely difficult to adjust.
Back at work, Cedric was offered the position of Department Head for the Emergency and Trauma Ward. He accepted, but the pressure of such a demanding job after having returned from the war took a toll. He decided to step down after a year and a half, just as the Hexenreich invaded Britain. Cedric joined the Resistance and did his best to offer medical services to anyone in need. The old Galyn residence, in disrepair but structurely sound and Unplottable, served as a barracks away from the prying eyes of Hexenreich invaders.
During this time, Cedric quit his job at the hospital altogether, starting a very small private practice in Hogsmeade. He gained a few regular patients, including his own chosen kin -- Juniper Ellwood-Luxe Steele, Charlie Kedding, and their families. He and Seamus, preferring the quieter life and wanting to live away from the judgment of those who would view their relationship as unnatural, built a small but cozy home in northern Scotland a few miles outside of Hogsmeade, where they presently live.
These days, Cedric is doing well. Although he still has nightmares from the war and wakes up periodically in a cold sweat, his work and family have been instrumental in his gradual healing -- not to mention the decline of the Hexenreich. He has put a great deal of effort into researching the potency and effectiveness of wolfsbane potion, intending to continue to improve the potion and make life easier for those like Seamus.
SAMPLE ROLEPLAYRoleplay Response:Anneka Ivanova had been his Headmistress while he was at school, an icy woman with decidedly Slytherin characteristics -- not that he had anything against Slytherin. He was essentially
married to one, in everything but name, and his best friend... well. He didn't hold it against her.
That did not mean, however, she would not hold anything against him. Especially given the fact that he was running late.
When the door opened to the Headmistress' office, Cedric stood there apologetically, feeling very much like a student again. In truth, the reason for his tardiness had to do with the fact that he had not been on Hogwarts grounds since his graduation, and the feeling of walking the halls held a great deal of nostalgia. He'd been slower than usual, passing by the Great Hall, staring at the courtyard, catching a glimpse of the Quidditch pitch he'd so adored. By the time he'd realized he'd become distracted, it was nearly time for the interview. Two changing staircases later, he'd finally made it.
"Good afternoon, Professor," he smiled sheepishly, clutching his briefcase. "Nice to see you again."
"You are late." Was all she said and Cedric rubbed at the back of his neck like he always did in uncomfortable situations.
"Er... yes. Apologies for that, I... got a bit sidetracked. Been awhile. Forgot about the staircase on the second floor, you know, the one that--" He cleared his throat. "Right."
Well. Wasn't this just going
swimmingly.
