Application for Hogwarts School
→ CHARACTER INFORMATION.Name: Raúl Serrano Álvarez
Birthday: 1st May 1951
Hometown: León, Spain
Bloodline: Halfblood
Magical Strength (pick one): Divination
Magical Weakness (pick one): Transfiguration
Year (pick two): 5th, 6th
Biography:Being born to high society isn’t all that it’s hyped up to be.
It means living a hectic life in two countries as your father hops the Atlantic for his business, it means long, draining hours at whatever soirée your mother drags you to. It means being spoiled rotten, but also being saddled with expectations so high you feel as if the weight of the world lies on your shoulders.
He’s never been too bothered about it, though.
The prodigal son of a prodigal son, Raúl came into this world with his life mapped out for him. A fracking mogul for a father and wizarding royalty for a mother, you could very well say he’s the product of good breeding. And it’s not too far from the truth, for he’s the first in a long line of proud purebloods on his mother’s side to bear only half wizarding blood and not immediately get tossed into the gutter. A symbol of changing times and shifting ideals, his parents’ marriage. But that just meant there were even more eyes on him than usual.
His early weaning years were spent on the sunny coasts of the Iberian peninsula, but the young family soon moved to the States for his father’s company, settling down in San Francisco. Trips back to Spain were frequent, though they became limited to the summer months as he got old enough to attend a magical academy. Though his mother argued vehemently for Hogwarts, his father insisted that the boy go to a school in the Americas so that they could keep a better eye on him.
And so, off he went to Ilvermorny. They deemed him a Horned Serpent, and for the most part, he did his house proud. A demure, scholarly overachiever is as stereotypical as they come, but that was a good thing, insofar as his parents were concerned. The only letters they received were ones praising his academic excellence, conveniently omitting his lack of a social circle and utter disinterest in physical sports — particularly quidditch.
He would’ve been content to live his whole life for his parents, but it became a bit of a tall ask when the family fractured under a messy divorce. A slew of affairs on both sides came into light, shattering the illusion of perfection they’d tried so hard to maintain. Suddenly, Vincenzo Serrano was no longer the dignified businessman, but a loose, belligerent alcoholic, and Maria Álvarez an unabashed spendthrift instead of the graceful lady she held herself to be. Caught in the middle was Raúl, and after a particularly nasty fight regarding custody, he was sent away to London to spare him any more trouble while the adults figured themselves out.
For the first time in his life, Raúl found himself on his own. A daunting prospect, one that was only compounded when a letter arrived from his mother explaining that he would be attending Hogwarts from here on out.
→ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.House Request: Hufflepuff
Personality: Raúl is a gentleman, first and foremost. Mild-mannered, soft-spoken, as patient as a saint, and rarely lets his emotions out of control… at least on the surface. He’s a lot less superficial when he’s out of his parents’ eyes, but the kind-heartedness and laid-back attitude remain even when the mask of perfection comes off. Bookish, hardworking, and a bit of a stickler for the rules, Raúl has some trouble assimilating with the more rebellious kids around his age, but he swears he’s trying his best not to be a killjoy. The fruits of his labour remain to be seen.
Appearance: Brown hair and brown eyes make Raúl a forgettable sight amidst a crowd, and he prefers it that way. He’s not that big for a teenager coming out of puberty — barely 5’6” and built like a stick, to quote his grandmother. Not the most imposing of people, certainly. His sense of style is a few years out of date, but the boy always makes sure he’s well groomed and looks presentable. The long hair is a new addition, grown out over the summer while he’s away from his mother and father. A small rebellion, as he fancies it.
→ SAMPLE ROLEPLAY.Option I:The dungeons. A place eleven-year-old Evangeline had not yet travelled since her arrival at Hogwarts.
A place she really was just fine with not knowing; but it was too late. The dare had been accepted, even if it had been done in fear of being kicked out of Gryffindor, like the older girls had said she would because Gryffindors were supposed to be brave.
The air changed instantly when she hit the main corridor of the dungeons. The dampness was almost too much for her and she instinctively took a deep breath to avoid the sensation of being suffocated. There was also a sour burning smell which Evangeline assumed was from many, many Potions lessons.
Further and further she walked, her steps so slow and gentle they made no noise against the stone walls and floor. The feeling that she wasn't alone crept up her spine and raised the tiny hair on the back of her neck. Shivering, Evangeline wrapped her arms around herself. Suddenly, she missed the warmth and comfort of the Gryffindor common room. The fire was always going and it made her feel at ease.
Why had she let those girls talk her into this? She was only eleven, she didn't have to be brave. Surely the Headmistress would not kick her out of Hogwarts for not being brave.
If only she had these thoughts while being dared to search for the ghost of one Emma Birch, whom supposedly haunted the dungeons. It was not, Evangeline had learned, the place where the sixteen-year-old girl's life had ended but as she had been from the house with a snake as its mascot, it was the place her spirit had returned to. That common room was down here somewhere, she'd been told.
Something - the small blonde girl wasn't quite sure what - but something made her stop in her tracks suddenly. There was a low, dull thumping noise. Or maybe that was her heart beating so loudly she thought it was coming from outside her body.
"H-h-hello?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Remembering that she was supposed to be brave, Evangeline tried again.
"Hello! Is Emma Birch here?"
The sound of her own words bouncing back at her off the walls made her jump.
Roleplay Response:The pitter patter of hurried steps from the other side of those dungeon halls heralded the arrival of one Raúl Serrano, lost within his own head as he shambled forward with a stack of parchment too heavy for his own good. That’s Potions off the list of extracurriculars he needed to drop off today; one down, six more to go. The damp air, smelling like burnt acid and poorly maintained toilets hung about his nostrils, committing egregious offences against his senses. But! He had quickly gotten used to these wretched conditions after a great many Potions lessons since the start of term, and he was proud to say that a traipse through the dungeons only gave him a minor headache these days.
Pushing down his grievances, he made haste for the stairs back to the Great Hall, though his steps slowed as he came round a corner and almost ran over a tiny little thing, almost invisible with her dark robes under the poorly lit braziers. The only thing that stood out was the red badge signifying her house — one of fools and dastardly heroes.
“No, no Emma Birch here,” he answered coolly, attempting his best smile and trying not to make the girl’s day any worse than it already was. “Just me.”
He had heard of Birch, of course. The name had come up in the recent records of Hogwarts, specifically concerning its takeover almost two decades ago. It had also popped up here and there in late-night whispers and rumours, though Raúl had brushed them off as baseless claims by students who had a little too much time on their hands. Still, he opted not to dwell on the subject of the dead girl and instead steered the conversation towards a less gloomy subject.
“My name’s Raúl. And you must be… a first year. Am I right?” He flashed the girl a warm smile and offered his hand, balancing his papers on the other with some difficulty. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. You won’t find any Emma Birches here, and I can show you something cooler instead. You uh… you know about the giant squid that lives in the lake?”
→ ABOUT YOU.Please list any characters you have on the site (current and previous): Cayden Cox
How did you find us?: Returning member
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