Your Nickname: Sawyer
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? Friend
If you have written other characters here: Yes
If Yes, list them all: Verity Bell
Is this a Primary or Secondary Character?: Primary

Full Character Name: Callum Tyberius Asher "Cal"
Character Birthday & Age: March 14th, 1980 - age 30
City & Country of Birth: Birmingham, England
Blood Purity: Halfblood
Alma Mater: Hogwarts (Ravenclaw House)
Job/Position: Professor of Muggle Studies

Wand: 11 1/2", Dogwood, Unicorn Hair, springy with a bent shaft

Physical Description:

Cal stands at 5'11" and well-built, tall enough to cut an imposing figure, but not so tall as to not be approachable. Though his goofy grin and dimples erase any hope of him being intimidating. He has dark brown hair that is shaved on the sides while longer on the top, and many have found themselves daydreaming about running their fingers through his luscious locks. His eyes are a grey-brown color, similar to clay, and there are smile lines at the edges, increasing his welcoming appearance. He always sports at least some stubble, and when it grows out it is more auburn than the rest of his hair.

Personality Description:
Cal is a rather goofy fellow, with a quirky sense of humor that often borders on self-deprecation. Having lost his biological family during the Second Wizarding War, he is very attached to those he has adopted into his family, namely the Yukawas - Maiko and Kohaku, but he is reluctant to become close to people. However, he easily makes acquaintances with people due to his friendly and laid-back demeanor, but it's rare for him to allow people to see a sincere emotion. Cal doesn't tolerate any belief of superiority based upon blood purity, and has a slight bias against purebloods, believing that they are inbred relics.

Callum has an easy smile, and his personal motto is "Hakuna Matata".

History:
Born to a witch and Muggle, Layla and Tabitha Asher, using Layla's brother Tyberius - himself a Squib - as the biological father, Cal grew up in a loving home. Both of his moms nurtured the boy in developing a broad range of interests spanning both Wizard and Muggle worlds, and never felt pressure to exhibit any sort of magical ability. When the owl with his letter arrived, young Cal found himself with mixed emotions, as he was worried that this meant denying half of his heritage, but his parents assured him that no one could take away who he was, and going to Hogwarts didn’t mean that he was strictly a wizard and could no longer relate to non-magical people.

He was sorted into Ravenclaw, and was a popular student due to his sense of humor and cleverness, and he became somewhat of a class clown. But after the events of the Tri-Wizard Tournament in his 4th year, he told his moms about what Harry Potter shouted, and they explained to him what Voldemort’s ideologies were, and what that would mean for their family. That conversation caused a shift in Cal’s personality, and he was less jocular, and increased his focus on his studies. In addition, he managed to complete his GCSEs, as he hoped to be able to blend both of sides of his heritage by going to University after finishing his 7th year at Hogwarts. However, after his 6th year, tragedy struck.

The Ministry had fallen, and Voldemort’s reign of terror had begun anew. Cal’s family was targeted, and his Muggle mother, Tabitha, was unable to do side-along Apparition. They tried to escape by broom, with Tabitha riding with Layla, but the increased weight caused them to be slower, and Death Eaters killed both of them in the air. His mom cast the Confundus Charm on him before they began their escape to make sure that he wouldn’t try to stay behind with them, so Cal was able to get away and lived with his uncle Tyberius the rest of the summer. His 7th year was more difficult than he could ever imagine, as he often landed himself in detention where he was tormented by his fellow students, but he managed to sneak in his A-Level exams as contraband in order to complete his Muggle testing. Ultimately, he joined with Neville Longbottom’s ragtag group of rebels, and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts.

After Hogwarts, Cal said good-riddance to the Wizarding world, and didn’t plan to ever return, as he blamed the largely inept government for allowing all of the atrocities to occur. Going to University in London, he reunited with a fellow Hogwarts alum, Maiko Biladeau-Yukawa, who was just entering into the Psychology program, and they became near inseparable after recounting each other with war stories. Cal became a permanent fixture at holidays and helped Maiko when she gained custody of her brother Kohaku. The three formed a strangely broken yet beautiful family, and he considers them both to be his younger siblings, and they are the two people he cares about most in the world.

Once he finished with his degree, his uncle attempted to reenter his life, but Tyberius was incredibly unstable, as he had never come to terms with the murder of his sister and her partner. Tyberius seemed to be crazed and talking about some plot of vengeance, and Cal attempted to politely disengage from the conversation. His uncle flew into a rage, and stormed off. Cal hasn’t seen him since, and wonders if his uncle is still alive. After the incident, Callum didn’t feel safe in London, and – having been deeply affected by Kerouac – he decided to travel around the world, though he maintained contact with Maiko and Kohaku, and always returned for holidays and birthdays with crazy new stories about his experiences. During this time, he taught at various Muggle high schools around the world, and as an adjunct professor for some time.

Recently, having grown tired of his nomadic lifestyle, Cal has moved back to London to be with the two people he cares about the most, and is currently trying to work through a “midlife” crisis.

Describe your job duties and how you go about them:
As the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts, Cal works to try to bridge the gap between the Muggle and Wizarding worlds, by teaching the students an eclectic mix of pop culture, current events, history, and practical skills. He hopes that by integrating the worlds more and fostering understanding that history won't repeat itself.

Elaborate on your expertise in your field:
After Hogwarts, Cal became rather disillusioned with the Wizarding world as a whole and lived solely in the Muggle world, going to University and graduated with a degree in History and Literature. He then traveled around the world, working odd jobs in the Muggle world, before returning to London to be around his closest friend, Maiko. As such, he is quite knowledgeable about the non-magical folk and their different cultures.

Writing Sample:


Sum up your character in one paragraph:
Cal is an entertaining individual with a laid-back air about him, though he tends to hide serious emotions and keep most people at arm's distance. However, he values family more than most everything else. He is rather lost at the moment, and is trying to figure out his purpose in life.

Special Title Request
Character Name: Callum Asher
Title Applying For: Head of Ravenclaw
Character Biography: Link

What Experience has Prepared You For This Honor?:
Since leaving Hogwarts, Cal has traveled the world learning about different cultures and gaining new perspectives on situations. He has been teaching Muggle students for the past several years, and mostly stayed away from the wizarding world, so he has an interesting view on Muggle-wizard relations that fits well with Ravenclaw's 'think outside of the box' mentality. And, having gone to Hogwarts during Voldemort's most recent return, he can empathize with those students who have lost someone or are going through a difficult time and offer them guidance.

What Do You Think the Most Important Aspect of This Job Is:?
Responsibility for the safety and success of those within his House. Guiding the brightest minds of the next generation of witches and wizards. He will make sure to help them with locating job opportunities for after Hogwarts, and also instill within them the confidence to follow their dreams. Cal understands that he is also to enact punishment for rule breaking, but he believes that positive reinforcement is the best way to assure that the students grow to be the great leaders and progressive thinkers that the world needs.

Tell a Story From Your Past That Has Proven Your Mettle: 
Cal embodies those traits most attributed to Ravenclaw possessing a clever mind and a sharp wit. He is an extremely approachable individual, thanks to those glorious inverted pogs (dimples), lacking the cerebral aloofness commonly associated with the House. He is great at relating to students on their level, but has knowledge of the world at large that he can use to help guide the young witches and wizards. In addition, due to his travels, he has many contacts throughout the world (both wizarding and Muggle), so can help students get in touch with various people and set up potential internships or jobs during breaks and/or after graduation. During his time teaching Muggle students, he often was approached by "problem" students who found him to be less intimidating than other teachers or the counselors and he tutored any student who sought out extra help. Many of his old students he is still in contact with, and he has helped many of them with applications and writing letters of recommendations to universities.