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If you have written other characters here, list them all: Waker Nolan, Neely Woolfolk, Matilda Quinn, Laney Irving, Charlotte St. James, Eleanor St. James, Vincent Pennyapple, Emmylou Carter, Juliette Vaillancourt, Molly Pratt
Full Character Name: Adley Lewis Folsom Rothwell
Character Birthday & Age: 1st November, 1996, age 11
City & Country of Birth: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn: Pureblood
House & Year: Gryffindor, 1st Year
Wand: Maple and yew, 11.5 inches, phoenix feather core. Fairly inflexible.
At first glance, Adley appears a bit weaker than he is. Even his family, who largely associate a fair complexion with the leisure of their dying aristocracy, are somewhat taken aback by the boy's pallid skin tone, and have called upon more than one healer to evaluate his vitals. But if Adley has any vitamin deficiencies or mild anemia, the doctors have failed to discover them. Colorless and small-boned, he is shockingly quick with his limbs, though he is not a natural born fighter. Adley possesses the agility of a hostile, cornered animal evading being coaxed into a cage-- the perfect poise for employing magic at the crescendo of a rare scene.
Looking closer, one will note that Adley is well-cared for and wants for very little. Compact and prepubescent as he is, the child has a tiny but unmistakable, boyish tummy that is subtly visible beneath most of his starch white dress shirts and woolly jumpers. His black hair is thick, but pin-straight and easy to tame-- and almost always tidily cut. Despite the grooming and nurture, there is still a shadow of neglect or slight wrongness about Adley, and it has nothing to do with his skin or size. He is simultaneously, almost indisputably angelic and vaguely unsettling to look at.
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Further lending to the child's ghostly splendor are a pair of beautiful, if startling, coin-shaped eyes: wide-set and very light blue, with black rims around the irises. His top lashes are thick and dusky while the bottom are almost nonexistent. His eyebrows are similarly sparse, an odd occurrence, given the color of his hair. Still, they are bound to fill out much like his father's. Adley's faded cornflower gaze would be most alluring on anyone else (his mother, for example), but for Adley, it is occasionally overwhelming, like a house-elf gone awry. One can only assume (and hope) that the boy grows into his features.
To calm the intensity, Adley does have a typically puerile roundness to his face. His ears are cutely prominent, and his nose wide and pleasant. His mouth is just the right degree of pink and cherubic, without being too girly. When Adley smiles, any symptom of evil immediately vanishes, to be replaced only with new teeth and bunched cheeks that beg adults to cave to the boy's disposition. These smiles are very rare but effective. |
Personality Description:Adley is perhaps one of the most adult-like children one could happen to meet. It's as if he were born thirty-five, the trade off being an appearance that is dreadfully babylike even for an eleven-year-old. When first encountering Adley, many people observe that he is patient, seemingly docile, and polite where it counts. He is (seemingly) a librarian's dream and, at first glance, a quidditch captain's worst nightmare. He could spend all day in the sun or mud, and return home without so much as a burn or a speck of dirt on his knees-- not that he particularly cares one way or another. He is not obsessive about cleanliness; it just happens to find him.
The youngest Rothwell child's tastes range from first edition copies of out-of-print biographies, to wizarding pioneer novels, to the collection of rare coins inherited from his older brother Calix. He is particularly attracted to things that are singular and one-of-a-kind, or the mark of some sort of adventure, past or future. At the moment, he is not absolutely enamored with sports, but likes to watch them well enough. Adley enjoys the tactics behind quidditch, even if he's not at all conscious of absorbing them while he watches. Searching for snitches, diving in feints, and mastering the swing of a beater's bat are not entirely unlike the art of using people. Timing is everything. Adley, like many young boys who have yet to come of age, will probably find these things more intriguing the older he gets... and, of course, once he has more people his age around with whom to compete.
An expert liar, Adley will readily use his militantly-trained emotions and frightful logic to (attempt to) convince anyone of anything. He expects morals very rarely, and thus has very few himself. As agreeable as he is toward most adults, he can be equally scathing toward his peers, but not always in obvious ways. He possesses a stealthy sort of boldness, and has few qualms working behind the scenes while letting his peers handle the theatrics or rough and tumble of an argument. For Adley, it's often an enjoyable show. But it would be a mistake to assume that the child is afraid to use his wand. He will make his presence known, and he will make it last when the time calls for it. Currently, there are few situations where Adley is willing to paint his hands red, mostly because he is surrounded by adults. For his sworn and mutual enemies, he is quite often more blunt. Adley is the sort of person one might write off as a follower when passing the boy on the street, but nine times out of ten, he contributes much of the plan.
Though he is not the chattiest child on the block, often finding it necessary to observe a scene before engaging it, the boy possesses an eloquence that is at first unfitting for so small and seemingly breakable a creature. The people who don't notice it are usually the ones who don't wait around to listen to him speak. Perhaps it is a foreshadowing hint of his father's radiant charisma, something which Adley can only hope to inherent (though probably to a lesser and more somber degree). Like many young people tossed into new situations, Adley can be positively verbose when the mood strikes him; his eagerness to discuss certain topics with gusto is a reminder that he is indeed an eleven-year-old boy.
Even with this gift, Adley often prefers quiescence. He can be detached or taciturn to the point of annoyance, and makes a part-time career of slyly intimidating people his own age through sheer disinterest-- if they do not first write him off (again, a mistake). The Rothwell boy's skills of persuasion should not be underestimated: Adley has been known to fool and lull even his private tutors for long stretches of time. He can calm friends, tempt the devil out of the most behaved of his peers, and upset people in untraceable ways.
Given his nature for trickery and want for control, Adley often feels threatened or secretly plagued by people who are equally intelligent, if not more so. For this reason, he mistrusts adults as often as he admires them. He frequently avoids people like himself and gravitates toward those who are blatantly strong and outspoken. They are people who have a different allure than Adley's own subtle brand of magnetism and boldness. Though it takes Adley time to truly warm up to people, he is steadily learning to value friendship as more than just a chess game.
Despite his many inwardly powerful qualities, Adley
is still a child, and there are absolutely things that betray this stark fact. He is at times a subtly controlling figure, certainly, but he is often caught off guard by people who are extremely different than he (friends and foes)... or, more often, people who play the same line-walking game. Adley grew up in a very sheltered world; his street smarts are improvised, and not always the most seamless solutions. When the boy is punished, he usually shuts up and takes it, but inwardly, he is always raging. In rarer instances, he will take a leaf out of the books of his less civil peers and flat-out demand that the wrong-doer (i.e. the supposed authority figure) reverse the demerit. This usually leads to further punishment and a lasting desire for vendetta.
Like many little boys his age, Adley has grandiose dreams and craves adventure, but of whats sort, it is unclear. He is a good student, but not an overly dedicated one. He tends to work smart, not hard, and does not always have to put in painstaking effort to collect decent marks. First and foremost, he learns for himself and is unafraid to do so.
History:Adley is the son of
Glendower Rothwell (age 53) and
Beatrice Folsom-Rothwell (age 48). He is the family's fourth and youngest child, following
Ellory,
Calix, and
Martine.
For the first five years of his life, Adley spent one day a month in St. Mungo's hospital. His mother, whose family and husband's family were both Voldemort sympathizers at the height of the war, tried to flee Britain while heavily pregnant with her fourth child. Almost immediately, she was reported missing, and the authorities who found her two days later-- while she was attempting to board a train to Paris-- had to do quite a bit of coaxing. An accident occurred along the way, with Beatrice growing antsy at the idea of returning to her husband and raising a child post-war. She had long been plagued by the crimes both excused and perpetuated by her family. Moreover, and more pressingly, she was worried her unborn son might face persecution for what was beyond his control (to be born a pampered pureblood). The woman thus leaped from a broom and was consequently stunned into submission, lest she further attempt to endanger herself or the child. The crude spellwork and Beatrice's already delicate state of mind and body left the woman in a shambles; Adley was born only two nights later, quite healthy, but Beatrice was removed to permanent residence at the hospital. Physically, she recovered within weeks, but her mental health remained hazy at best.
Adley's visits to his mother began before he could properly retain the memory, and were always closely monitored by elder siblings or ancient aunts. If his father accompanied, Adley was made to wait outside the room while his parents conversed. Frankly, the then-very-young Adley didn't think his mother was capable of normal interaction until she was returned the family home on his fifth birthday. She'd always smiled at him, certainly, and clasped his small, warm fingers in her cold, bony ones -- but she had never really been much of a conversationalist beyond "So nice to see you," and "Goodbye, love".
This soon changed.
Adley's oldest siblings, Ellory and Calix, left home before his mother returned. Only his sister Martine, a solemn and independent Ravenclaw upperclassman, was around as often as the nursemaids and elves. Mr. Rothwell conducted business mostly in the expansive family home, but rarely left his study between dawn and dusk. He was cordially pleasant but distant with all of his children, spending the most time with them at their late family dinners or in the few minutes before everyone retreated to bed. Among Adley's fondest memories are staring up at his father's close-mouthed facial shrug of a smile (handsome and proud as it was mild), while having his own tidy hair ruffled. It is one of the very few inherently-childlike memories the boy possesses.
Despite careful investigative work and a keen intuition, Adley is still uncertain what exactly his father does; all he can gather is that is very important, very lucrative, and possibly not legal. The child pretends to know a lot more about his father than he actually does. Adley respects him immensely for his success, and wishes to be of similar circumstance in adulthood. In fact, he so greatly admires his father's formidable but charismatic air, that it is sometimes beyond baffling to Adley how the man could have ended up with his duckling mother of all women. It is not the child's fault; he loves his mother and is sensitive to her condition, but all that he has known of Beatrice is a shell of the woman Glendower married. Even in his youthful state, Adley has been effected by this sour family dynamic, and it has certainly contributed to the child's feelings about the world at large.
While his peers grew up playing two-a-side on their parents' secondhand brooms, Adley grew up reciting passages from wizarding nursery rhymes to a woman who spent as much time staring at the curtains as asking after her son's well-being. Life with Beatrice was often like having a little sister. Adley not only read to her, but shared sweets and board games with the woman, and very quickly excelled beyond her seeming mental capacity. From the moment she was dismissed from the hospital, Beatrice became lively and engaging. Sometimes, she would be a perfectly normal mother: she would serve dinner, proof-read Adley's letters to his brother and sisters, tuck the child into bed, scold him for snooping around his father's den, or cradle him in her arms and make him promise never to grow up. Other times, it was as if a time turner had tossed Beatrice back to her Hogwarts years. She stopped looking people in the eyes when she spoke, preferring a dreamy, glazed expression and the intonation of someone much younger. Very rarely and at her worst, she would shut down like a statue.
At eleven, Adley does not yet consciously resent his mother, but her fragile state has certainly loaned itself to the boy's tendency to treat other human beings as dolls or regard them as puppets.
While Adley is technically closest with his sister Martine, he is at that age where he most looks up to his older brother Calix, and secretly craves the acceptance of his father, if anyone at all. He sees his sister as more of a motherly type-- the sort who, unlike his real mother, is always aware of his sneaking, his lying, or his neglect his lesser important, more youthful possessions. Martine has definitely tried to make up for Beatrice's most forgivable shortcomings, and this has provided a sorely needed stability in Adley's life (one which he will undoubtedly be thankful for later). His father, too, will occasionally give Adley much needed bouts of familial attention, treating the child to professional quidditch matches and other things in which he is not always exceedingly interested but still very glad to attend with his father. These are times when Adley acts most like an eleven-year-old boy.
Adley is very anxious to start at Hogwarts. He and his brother Calix have exchanged countless letters on everything from the four houses to the best elective lessons to take in third year. He feels he has a good grasp on what to expect-- something always important to the boy-- but remains (seemingly) uncharacteristically impatient to get to it. Adley is very ready for a new chapter, life among people his own age, and professors who specialize in the things he spends hours reading about.
How Do You Fit Into Your House?:Truthfully, Adley has as many Slytherins qualities as he has Gryffindor. The hat could easily place in Salazar's house, and the boy would probably thrive. But Adley has an underlying boldness and a potential that is most befitting the fiery brood of Godric Gryffindor. As often as Adley craves control, he also craves adventure, newness, and the pushing of boundaries. He was raised in such an environment that it would be easy for him to choose quantitative success and ambition over all else, and indeed he will quietly use people like pawns if he believes it is to his advantage, but Adley has the capacity to become an extremely loyal character as he ages and interacts with others. His disregard for many people, and his habit of stealthily dodging rules while appearing to be mild and well-mannered, spin a conniving sort of boldness, but a boldness nonetheless.
Writing Sample:Adley rounded a corner, none too quickly, but not with the sluggish and sloppy pace of so many people his age. Small and easily dismissible at first glance, he at least seemed to know exactly where he was going: in this case, the Slytherin common room. Some three meters from the entrance, however, a goonish third year loomed with arms crossed and the most barbarian smile the child had seen a fellow serpent wear. Adley stared calmly ahead, coming to halt only when it seemed an absolute certainty that his housemate had no intention of clearing the path. Rather than simply move around him, Adley focused reposefully, head inclined just barely, despite their considerable height difference and the obviousness of the boy's muscles. He knew better than to walk into the trap the teenager had so gleefully set. It was plain as day that it was what the boy wanted, what was smile was taunting someone to do. Adley said nothing; he waited.
"Password's changed, you'll need to pay the toll," the troll growled.
Adley's face did not flinch, nor did his hands move to his pockets. Certainly, he would be lying, if he did not admit to being wary of the older boy... but then lying was something in which Adley greatly excelled. A good lie could go a lot farther than most people realized. Because of this, the smaller Slytherin continued to stand his ground. He lifted his face only a bit more, so that his massive blue eyes seemed to rival the dungeon lighting. He looked like a punching bag, sure, but a very perplexing punching bag.
"I haven't got any money on me," he said casually, at length, knowing full well that this answer would not suit the beast. He shrugged with only halfhearted sympathy. Inside, he felt none. His tone was meant to imply resignation. But this part wasn't the catch; he could see, from the corner of his eye, a most familiar figure coming in their direction. The very same person whom Adley had coincidentally planned to meet, though not for this exact reason.
"I haven't got any money!" He repeated louder, his voice now echoing down the hall. The bully looked confused. Adley had spoken prematurely, before the more obvious antagonist had even had time to reply. The older student furrowed a brow and uncrossed his arms, more out of confusion than anything else. The tiniest hint of a smile crossed Adley's eyes. He took a step back. No, he
stumbled. As if reacting to the most hostile threat of... dropped limbs and stupidity?
Adley's eyes snaked to his left. The third party, his ally, was closer now. But the bully hadn't seen it coming. His gaze moved back to the older student with meaning. Adley very clumsily drew his wand and continued to back away, painting himself into a portrait of Eternally Victimized. He knew that waving the flag would bring out the lion in Keegan. Everyone got by with a little help from their friends.
Sum up your character in one paragraph:Adley is a bit of an oddity for a future Gryffindor, both in aura and in family history. He is ambitious and a seeker of control, but he also has many dormant qualities waiting to be unleashed. He is the man behind the curtain, if you will, waiting for his turn to take center stage, and traveling that path on a fuel of clever boldness. Still a child, Adley is only beginning to break out of the privileged but very sheltered life he's had.
Adley Rothwell: Second Year Gryffindor