Your Nickname: Ris
Have you read and do you agree to the Code of Conduct?: Yes
Are you over thirteen? Yes
How did you find us and decide to write with us? Other
If you have written other characters here: No
If Yes, list them all: Will retire Petra Pendrick-Talonen
Is this a Primary or Secondary Character?: Primary

Full Character Name: Iris Beatrice Nollett
Character Birthday & Age: 28, September 10th 1982
City & Country of Birth: Oxford, West Midland, England
Blood Purity: Halfblood
Alma Mater: Ravenclaw, Hogwarts
Job/Position: Journalist at the Daily Prophet

Wand:  Eleven inches of supple vine wood with a core of dragon heartstring

Physical Description:
Slim and tall, Iris is the picture of casual chic. Her long angular face is visibly marked by freckles particularly over the bridge of her nose. Her face is framed by long black hair with light brown highlights. On the job, she prefers to twist her hair high up in a bun; preferring it out of her way when on the clock. Literally, she lets her hair down when on a night out on the town. She's no wallflower who blends with the wallpaper.

No matter, how many smartly tailored dresses, her twin sister--- and budding fashion designer---Verity pushes on to her, she prefers anything but dresses---trousers, jeans, and cute leggings, yes-- though she'll throw on some ratty old robe when the situation—work, formal interviewing calls for it, since her years working at a fashion magazine did improve her dress sense.

Personality Description:
Hungry for the story is a phrase that describes Iris' ambitions to a tee. The young witch is not intensely introverted, being comfortable around crowds even if she's not the centre of attention and disliking any fuss made about her. In her younger days, she liked to take time to people-watch. Really, it was quite relaxing, to do it, and make up stories in her head.

Since the war, she grew out of that phase in her life. Writing the truth—which was up to interpretation—was far compelling than imagining stories (Much to the disappointment of her father, who thought she'd become a novelist).

Still, she likes to make connections. A good journalist needed sources she could count on. In retrospect, in line with work, she likes to either butter people up or put them in the spotlight, and isn't above lying or hiding the truth, when its to her advantage. One day, she hopes to either start her own newspaper or be a recognized journalist. These two ambitions are often muddled up, making her torn between learning the managerial ropes of a publication and working hard even off the clock. When working, she tends to scribble over every available bit of parchments, small questions regarding work, journals theorizing her research.

Her past romantic endeavours have failed miserably, and most of her past romantic entanglements have ended when she was much more interested in using them as a source (or expert source) more than a partner. A serious ethical failing, but Iris always argued that those relationships ended before they started a short professional one. The witch tries hard to make up with her twin-sister, often indulging the younger's propensity to shower her in tailored ensembles. Sadly, her relationship with her parents is strained, she greatly dislikes their overprotective coddling of her, feeling trapped by them.

History:
The Nollett twins were born to Cuthbert Nollett and Maria Ortiz Nollett on the afternoon of September 10th 1982 at Oxford hospital. The youngest of three children, and a herbologist, Cuthbert had sought sanctuary on the mainland, and had met and romanced Maria Bolivar, a naturalized French citizen of Argentinian origin who worked in the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris.

In the excitement of Lord Voldemort's defeat, Cuthbert felt safe enough to propose  to his Muggle lover. The twins, Iris and Verity, were grow up in a multi-lingual—French, English and a bit of Spanish-- home in France that encouraged their many creative gifts. Summers were spent at Cuthbert's parents' home at Oxford.

When she turned eleven, Iris received her Hogwarts letter and was sorted into Ravenclaw. The twins  who had always spent time together—ballet lessons, museums, camping trips-- became more distant, when it was apparent that Verity showed no sign of magical ability.

Her later years Hogwarts  had been spent under the dark cloud of Voldemort's return, and his eventual takeover of the Ministry and Hogwarts.  Her grandparents—both magical academics-- had gone into hiding helping smuggle out their colleagues' families.

Her family—particularly her mother and her sister—had been stressed with her stay in England, and insisted on Iris taking her time. Her time during the Voldemort's second reign was cathartically expunged through a short autobiography penned under a pseudonym. She wanted to publish it in a collection of essays, but she did loose her nerve at exposing her own private thoughts.

A few weeks in with her entire family, she grew tired being coddled by her mother, and aside from grudgingly slow attempts to repair her relationship with her sister, she applied for an internship in a French magazine for young witches. Her six month term there taught her much, particularly the behind the scene functions of a magazine publication.

She grew irritated with her parents' constant attempts to make her talk out her experiences at Hogwarts.

Itching to move forward on a career path, she moved back to England, where she lived with her paternal grandparents, and was commuted by floo back and forth from there to Witch Weekly headquarters. She researched for writers, assisted the sub-editors, before she got her big break as working on small articles.

After four years at WW, she moved on to the Daily Prophet, where her article on illegal ingredients being used in magical cosmetics got her through the front doors there. A potioneer she had dated for a bit, happened to be her expert on the ingredients. Sadly, their relationship ended after she became a source for her.

For the last year, she has been filling in other journalists, reading their copies, and been tasked to cover society events. Needless to say, Iris is hoping to write more of these investigative pieces.


Describe your job duties and how you go about them:
At the Daily Prophet, Iris will come in each morning---or stay there on overnighters—and gather up  the relevant reports assigned to her. At the moment, she's assigned to cover society events, and tapped to be a replacement writer for some stories. She's eager to get assigned to more juicier stuff. She works much harder when researching for stories, taking much more time to gather information and struggles to make her articles more concise and less novelistic.  

Elaborate on your expertise in your field:
Living in France after graduation, she interned for a year in a French magazines for young witches, starting from the bottom. By the end of the year, she was hired on staying on it for six months, brushing up her CV. Moving to England, she was hired by Witch Weekly in which researched articles, assisted the sub-editor before moving on to writing her own articles.

Upon writing an investigative piece on illegal ingredients being used in magical cosmetics, she used that expose to get a position in the Daily Prophet. For the last year, she has been filling in for other journalists, reading their copies, and been tasked to cover society events. Needless to say, Iris is hoping to write more of those exposes.

Writing Sample:
See Petra's app.

Sum up your character in one paragraph:
Iris B. Nollett, budding and ambitious reporter whose always hungry for the story. Ironically for a journalist, she's less inclined to share her own private secrets, but is far more willing to print others' secrets.  Trust her at your own peril.