Your Nickname: Hans
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Full Character Name: Deborah Florence Clarencieux
Character Birthday & Age: 7th of September, 1992
City & Country of Birth: Clarencieux Estate, Shooters Hill, South East London
Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn: Pureblood
House & Year: Slytherin, Sixth Year
Wand: 15", Padauk wood, Phoenix Feather core; Inflexible, Decorated Shaft
Physical Description: Small and delicate-looking, one can almost say that they could carry around Deborah "Flo" Florence Clarencieux around like a porcelain doll. Another stolen glance at her and you might mistake her for your long-lost sister - that's how '
homely' she appears to be. With glasses too big for her and drab clothing even your grandmother wouldn't like, she goes around walking like the direct reincarnation of someone's nanny. For her, everything must be long - long-sleeves, long skirts... Add in turtlenecks to the mix for a long-awaited bonus. She can be fashionable if she likes - that is, in terms of pureblooded, medieval ways.
Her hair is of the most unusual occurrence - those who know her refer to it as "salt-and-cappucino", as opposed to the "salt-and-pepper" type. It is a combination of both her father and mother's colors, and it sits daintily atop a scalp guarding the portal to an enormous brain. She usually piles it high upon her head in the "Gibson Girl" (waterfall of curls) fashion.
Flo's eyes are piercing grey - like fragmented crystals subject to displayed ice; mirrors shattered to the extent that people thought she saw the world through a shifted, unnatural gaze. It wasn't always noticed because she couldn't bring herself to look at people naturally in the eyes.
Lastly, her complexion is translucent white, with a rosy tone to it. She has a figure that has curves in all the right places but will probably go unheeded as well because of her clothing.
Personality Description: In front of her relatives and during utmost formal occasions, Flo could be described as quiet, demure, subservient and discreet - she is sweet, adorable and nice, all of which are qualities easily found in a pureblooded girl. She is careful where she threads - taking extra precautions and planning a way out ahead of time should anything go wrong. She had a stellar education of magick long before her years in Hogwarts, but she is also keen in not flaunting it.
Flo is a reserved, mysterious character - but in school she is strong-willed and always aware of her heritage and blood status. Dignified, never informal in her affairs and demeanor - she was mature even from the time she was a child. Stubborn and proud, of very high courage, but never haughty - she has a blind unwavering affection for her grandparents (which was broken as well, in time) and this contributed to her affectionate, devoted, kind nature. She could best anyone at a debate because of her skill, but is afraid to do so because of her insecurities.
The reason for that is the endless string of failed betrothals that was shoved towards her forcibly from a young age - alongside with this is the disapproval of most people in their family. It left scars in Flo’s front that she is afraid to show, for it has left her emotionally insecure and unsure of herself for the rest of her life. Precocious and a determined intellectual, doted on by her parents until the day they were killed.
In her later years, she would realize how to make things go her way, especially since her grandparents' involvement in her personal life is becoming more and more blatant through the ages. Flo could be quiet the exasperating person to deal with, since she sets the bar high for herself and others - unwilling to settle for anything but the... best. A wonderful friend to add to someone's collection, but a bitter enemy who might or might not hold grudges.
Flo isn’t an extremist ‘blood equality’ protestant, but under her uncle-turned-father’s care, she was given free reign over what she thought about status. She is an unusually gentle young woman who shows deference to everyone regardless of their views towards her. Firm in her decisions, but doesn’t know how to handle her anger. When provoked, her temper could be quite hot, because she bottles her emotions up. To conclude that, her power gets out of hand and is definitely dangerous to behold.
Flo is a lady who could evoke positive responses wherever she went, not only because of being well-educated and well-versed in the world of magick and pureblooded aristocracy. Even though a lot of people try to go and suck up to her, she ultimately refuses - choosing to slyly avoid them instead of having to deal with the latter. She gives respect but doesn’t demand nor expect it, though she may noticeably do a lot of things to earn it. She holds no malice towards anyone, but when she knows that she is right, she will talk back and defy the person who wronged her with a sharp tongue. Flo also has a steady resistance, and that adds up to her straightforward, cunning personality. All in all, she doesn’t know how to give up or turn her back on the things she’s begun.
A curious young lady who never cried, backed down, complained or screamed about the harsh reality of her situation - when she realized that it was her own people playing her, she learned how to defy them, whilst knowing that at the end of the road, there is but a bitter end.
History: When she first uncovered the true story of her parents' love, she saw how unconventional it was. Her mother was seventeen, fresh out of Hogwarts and her father was a magician at a circus, disowned by his family. Both were purebloods, and consenting adults at the time, and so everything began...
With a shotgun wedding. Yes, her father managed to worm his way back into his own parents' graces and marry Genesis Madpiece legally. 'Gene' soon gave birth to Flo in Clarencieux Estate, but couldn't handle the overbearing nature of her new mother-in-law. Lawrence Clarencieux, devoted to his wife, stood by her - Torrance Clarencieux, Flo's paternal grandfather, however, wasn't entirely fond of the couple and especially his daughter-in-law. It wasn't a matter to be surprised of, most likely because Torrance favored Leon, his second son, more than Lawrence. While they may have all resided in the same house, the tension between each and every family member was so palpable in the air one could've sworn the entire manor was lathered with it. Flo was often taken away by '
Ruthie', or '
Lady Clarencieux' to educate her in pureblooded ways - at the same time, Gene purposely steered the courses to raise her daughter defiantly in a way that would deem all magickal creatures '
equal' to one another. This enraged Lady Clarencieux so much that she moved out of the house, Torrance shortly afterwards following suit. Now the only people left were Leon, Gene, and of course, Lawrence. Since then, Genesis was deemed a blood traitor by her husband's family.
But that's not where the story ends. Even old people can manipulate strings of events one after the other. While what Lady Clarencieux could've wanted was just to place the couple in a comatose state, she got much more. That fateful day when Flo was just five, her parents left in a train ride that was supposed to head towards the central part of an unknown destination - unknown, because they were meant to never return. From then on, Flo was subject to her grandparents' manipulation - Ruthie and Torrance returned to the estate and together, they convinced Leon to adopt his niece. Flo grew up under her uncle's wing - confused at what was happening but never dared to question anything. Betrothals came and went - all of which were failures, and at every reunion, while the young girl was eyed sharply by the older ladies, every jeer was a taunt towards her ego and sanity. She longs to leave the place, longs to be back in her parents' arms - all the while not knowing that all this time... they are dead.
Salvation came in the form of her Hogwarts acceptance letter - at first Flo thought that it wasn’t possible to escape the monotonous routine she was entangled with, but the boarding school offered her comfort. It was at that time that she decided that the manor was just a cold, bare place - Hogwarts was home. Even when she bade her tutors farewell, no one knew how happy she was.
But the fear and the strings didn’t stop there.
“Ravenclaw.” her grandmother told her in a sickeningly sweet voice that made her stomach churn.
“You must get into no other house than that of the Grey Lady’s, do you understand, Deborah?” Terror gripped her insides and clawed it into pieces. Her grandmother held her hand so tightly in hers she was sure the bones broke. “
And in the summer, you must return to the manor. No dilly-dallying, you must get ahead of everyone in class. If your grandfather and I hear of any slacking-““Let Florence go Mother.” Her uncle, or rather, her legal father appeared on the scene, and never had Deborah known any other time that she was so grateful for his abrupt interruption.
“The train is set to leave.”When she embraced her, she felt as if her body were ripped apart from her soul. Just when she could be free like the songbird she’s always wanted to be, they had her in chains and shackles that would define her.
“Make the Clarencieux family proud, darling. Do us good, and earn your place in Morgana’s favour.” There was a kiss. A kiss that she sorely wanted to rub away. Sometimes she loved them, sometimes she didn’t - in the end, she couldn’t decide either. Leon simply patted her head. From afar, they looked as if they were father and daughter - in truth, they were uncle and niece.
“Don’t listen to Mother mousie - it doesn’t matter where you’d end up in. Blood status doesn’t matter as well, remember?”
Her grandmother snorted at that.
“Leon, enough of this nonsense you are feeding your daughter.”
“She is my niece Mother.”
“Not by law she isn’t.”
“You’ve said your goodbyes, let me have mine.” With that, Ruthie walked away in all her pureblooded glory. He turned to Deborah, eyes so full of pity it also shook Deborah’s core.
“Your mother was a lion, my brother was an eagle. It doesn’t make a lot of difference, I’m telling you now.”Except that it was too late.
Even on the ride going to Hogwarts it frightened her to think of it. As she sat alone on the compartment, Deborah couldn’t help thinking that perhaps the hat (she’s read about it) would make a mistake and place her on a house that deemed it fitting for her. She didn’t want to think of the consequences that would occur soon after she didn’t make it to the eagles’ den. If there was ever one. It carried her away so much that when her name was called, she didn’t even notice that they have already arrived. When she finally climbed the steps leading to the stool, it was as if the world could crumble down any second and eat her up.
Would it make sense if she convinced the voice? ‘
No, of course it wouldn’t!’ The logical side of her reasoned. ‘
Pathetic.’ And so began her argument with the hat. Try as she might, she ended up in Slytherin - with the last things the hat said to her having been,
"You may be introverted - you may even be brooding. Cold and taciturn, pushing away carefully those who could be considered your friends. Resents leadership, don’t you? But has potential… No, you’re not Rowena’s… Helga’s… Godric’s… A clear, troubled mind, with a sense of responsibility underneath. Better yet, find your match… a Slytherin you are!”
She was afraid to send a letter for over a week, and when she did send one, fortunately, it was Leon who got to it firsthand. Thankfully, he also took the solemn duty of breaking it to the elderly couple, and Flo didn’t get any howlers coming her way. Instead, there was a vague reply in the same lines of,
“Do us proud.”And did them proud she did. Avoided people like the plague, but was the first to raise her hand in any topic during class. People must’ve found her annoying, but she didn’t mind. At a young age, in her first year at Hogwarts, she absolutely refused to eat at the Slytherin table - instead disappearing into the kitchens to catch her dinner with the elves. It wasn’t something her grandparents knew of, of course - but the things they did prompted Flo to think that she didn’t need anyone else. There were a few brave souls that dared to come looking to her for advice - mostly fellow first timers who weren’t like her who studied rigorously. Those people soon became her friends, the patriots who dragged her out of the library and taught her how to live.
Again, those weren’t included in her reports. As far as Ruthie and Torrance Clarencieux knew (and was concerned), their granddaughter was living the life of a solitary princess. She came home to them dutifully, summer after summer, all the while improving her relations with people in Hogwarts. She got along with her professors well, with Potions, DADA and Divination being her best spots. Every single time, she used to push herself, but as time passed by, she learned to let go of a bit and do things effortlessly - effortlessly meaning she didn’t have to stalk her professors anymore to know about their lesson plans and tackle them ahead of time.
One aspect of Flo’s life that was quite out-of-the-ordinary was her ability to foretell events using a mirror. She was only able to investigate this further in the subject Divination, hence the reason why she was very comfortable around the subject. At first, she thought that people who are of the same craft do not exist -
specularii, they were called - until she realised that she wasn’t the only one. It was called catoptromancy/captromancy or even enoptromancy, and until now she still studies how to have a better grasp of it.
She’s always written for the paper and was a regular member until she became its president. In her earlier years, Flo has always been a prefect, and her grandparents soon aim for her to become the Head Girl, even though she herself doesn’t know if she wants the position. For now, she is content with the friends who surround her and not to mention, the enemies who lurk strategically, in the dark. She has a habit of hanging around the courtyards, the Black Lake and again, the library.
Classes: Core Classes
No
Charms
Defense Against the Dark Arts
No
No
Potions
Transfiguration
No | Electives
No
Arithmancy
No
Divination
No
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How Do You Fit Into Your House?: The real Deborah underneath all those masks and layers is a shrewd young lady with a refined character. She couldn’t have played people so easily without a merciless streak hidden inside of her, and an ambition as great as other Slytherins’. She has a sympathetic nature - a resourceful one at that - but that does not simplify that she didn’t have conventional aspirations and set ways. Docile and gentle, but deadly and has patience akin to a tensile core.
Writing Sample: He wasn’t really surprised at their dancing - it was properly conducted, and the music was chaste, correct. He had to admit that it not only elevated, but also etherialized his mind. It’s been far too long since he’s danced the quadrille, but Merlin knows he’s never forgotten how to do so. Bryce was no poppet, but he didn’t miss out on the formal dances as well. As he and Maddie walked and slid gracefully throughout the dance, he remembered how familiar the figures were. Shifting partners constantly, Bryce filled out his role in the intricate dance. With the lively finale coming up, he placed his special knowledge of the art into use. When the girl was finally back as his partner, it signified the end of the dance. The Slytherin laughed as Maddie simply placed her hands on his shoulders, with his hands still around her waist.
“You dance well, your ladyship.” he said teasingly. Leaning back a bit because their foreheads were too close to one another, he looked at her head and removed his hands from her waist. He did what every good gentleman or bloke would do - conjure a crown of flowers the colour the girl he danced with would like. He figured he didn’t really know Maddie that well, so he just performed a minor spell that would solve that one for him. Placing the flowers on her hair, Lyn smiled.
“There, just like a princess.”“I didn’t peg you for the type that adored crowns and any other regalia, you know.” he began. It was a fact that Maddie paled in comparison to the typical ‘other girls’ that were his fellow seventh years. She was like a little sister to him.
"Besides, you look better with flowers than diamonds in your head." Lyn chuckled.
Still, he couldn’t remove it in his mind that she looks cute. No, really, he just can't.
Sum up your character in one paragraph: If you don't look so closely, Flo appears to be a rose without thorns - but take a second glance and you'll find out that she isn't just a meek observer, another passerby, but instead, an active participant in the things going on. Her appearance, coupled with that of her demure personality, gave her the front of being dumb and easy to play with - but in truth, she could see through people's intentions and read between the lines.
Deborah Florence Clarencieux: Slytherin Sixth Year