Approved! - N

Your Nickname: Sarah
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: Choose One...
If Yes, list them all: My Member Board
Is this a Primary or Secondary Character?: Primary

Full Character Name: Barnabas Cuffe
Character Birthday & Age: 25 May 1939; age 72
City & Country of Birth: Grimbsy, Lincolnshire
Blood Purity: Pureblood
Alma Mater: Ravenclaw
Job/Position: Editor-in-Chief, Daily Prophet

Wand: 9in dragon heartstring, oak


Physical Description:
Cuffe is an aging white wizard with half-a-head of curly greying hair. He has piercing owls’ eyes (pale blue), a long nose, and a sharp chin. His voice is a tinny tenor, and he’s known to use it like a whip. He’s just under 6 feet tall, and is now soft around the middle. At the pace he operates, his wife is sure he’ll meet his end at his desk, face red from shouting; if only he’d have a kip and a cup of tea just once on a Sunday…

He dresses as a traditional sort of wizard of his age ought to, with robes and vests, cufflinks and ascots. In the bullpen, he’s usually down to this shirt sleeves, rolled up to the elbow.


Personality Description:
Cuffe is a known eccentric. He spins in his mind a constant web of connections, irregularities, and patterns, and this incessant whirring is enough to keep him up at night and thrumming at full speed all day. He is, on his best days, a genial and reasonable sort. He’s been a man of such importance for such a long time, it’s not likely he’ll ever outpace the good grace his talent and influence has earned him.

In esteemed company, he is suave and flattering; skilled at peddling tokens of affection and status to earn the right trust and the right ear. In contrast, however, as the sovereign of the Daily Prophet, he is the conductor of a spinning, churning paper-and-ink machinated gollem, who demands spot-second changes in direction, and impeccable detail. He is not unknown to rant, scream, and throw things in fits of tortured creative rage. He’s not proud of it, but he dare not tamp it down for fear of losing some vital spark.


History:
Barnabas is the second son of Bilbad Cuffe and Morrell Bagby, both notable in pureblood company and of some means. He was born in May of 1939 at the family home in Lincolnshire. A few months later, the UK entered World War II. Despite the Cuffe family’s status, it wasn’t possible for anyone to completely avoid the impacts of war at this scale, this close to home. Barnabas’s very earliest years and earliest knowings of the world were shaped by what he heard and saw on the radio and in the newspapers, both muggle and magical. He was a serious child, always talkative and inquisitive.

Hogwarts: 1949 - 1957
By the time Cuffe began at Hogwarts in 1949, the war was over and Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald. The events of Tom Riddle’s time at Hogwarts had passed, though most were unaware of their significance. Cuffe was sorted into Slytherin. He and his family had been expecting Ravenclaw, because he was such a keen reader and enjoyed maths, but it wasn’t very long before Cuffe became immensely at home in Slytherin. He was tapped as a favorite of the Potions Master Horace Slughorn, who groomed him for success, smoothing the way, making introductions, and being overall encouraging. Cuffe did very well at Hogwarts, deftly navigating his courses and classmates.

A notable bit of trivia - Cuffe was at school with Minerva McGonagall and likes to say they were chummy

Early Career
During the 60s, Barnabas cut his teeth at Obscurus Books as a production assistant. He moved easily through the publishing world, charming, clever, and well-connected. Cuffe’s eccentricity and wit eventually made him a favorite occasional commenter on the Wizarding Wireless Network, and he had some of his editorials published in the Daily Prophet.

In 1963, Barnabas married his first wife, Calliope Gallows. In the next 5 years, they had two children together. They would separate in 1982.

Daily Prophet
In 1973, at age 34, he became a politics editor at the Daily Prophet (thanks, in part, to some impressive recommendations). These were days of growing danger, as Lord Voldemort gained power and the Death Eaters claimed murder upon murder. Cuffe was gaining a reputation as a wizard who got the job done at any cost, printing the news despite death threats and sabotage. His own home was burned in 1979. Mercifully, no one was injured.

By 1985, age 45, he was the Editor-in-Chief. His rise was not without scandal. There were rumors of affairs, and his temper was becoming a poorly-kept secret. He pushed the Daily Prophet to expand its readership and he was able to leverage his connections to get more footholds in places previously off-limits to the press.

He married again in 1986 to Wizarding Wireless Network star Agatha Pendragon.

The Second War: 1990s
Under Cuffe’s leadership, the Daily Prophet worked in mutual benefit with the Ministry of Magic. And Cuffe was, personally, a vocal supporter of new Minister Rufus Scrimgeour. (He had, of course, been on very good terms with Fudge, as well.) He faced some accusations that the Prophet was no more than the propaganda wing of the Ministry, but he was unphased. “In this time of crisis,” he had said, “we must all stroke together.”

Present:
Barnabas Cuffe has been Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Prophet since 1985. He lives with his second wife Agatha Pendragon in a very comfortable house in London. He is pleased when his grandchildren visit.

He continues to be a supporter of the Ministry of Magic, and travel in all the highest social circles. He spends night and day working, either orchestrating his newsroom or navigating red carpet galas and to-dos.


Describe your job duties and how you go about them:
Barnabas has complete editorial control of every word  printed in the Daily Prophet, but in reality, he is supervising a team of editors and driving the direction and integrity of the paper. He’s hands-on with the reporters, often sending them on assignments personally, or throwing their submitted copy off the balcony back into the bullpen.  He has an intimate working knowledge of the actual printing press, and has, at times, rolled up his sleeves to assist in repairs, but it’s been a long time.

If he’s not in the newsroom, he is peddling influence and rubbing elbows with the Wizarding World’s illuminati.


Elaborate on your expertise in your field:
There is never any doubt about these two things: a) Barnabas Cuffe is a wizard of business, and b) Barnabas Cuffe never misses a trick. He is a man of long vision, good instinct for what's next, and a proven leader. His extensive professional and social network are all but vital to the papers influence, access, reach, and longevity.

Writing Sample:


Sum up your character in one paragraph:
Barnabas Cuffe is the eccentric editor of the Daily Prophet, a wizard of great influence, and volatile mood. He’s overall a man who believes in the greater good, and is sly enough to have the helm of the largest newspaper in the country.