Accepted! ~Elle

About You, the Writer:

Your Nickname: Pam
Have you read and do you agree to the Code of Conduct?: Yes
How did you find us and decide to write with us? SR/HWM
If you have written other characters here, list them all: Marietta Grimlish, Darcy Bloxham

Full Character Name: Graham Edward Bombay
Character Birthday & Age: April 20th, 1976; 31
City & Country of Birth: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn?: Pureblood
Alma Mater:Hogwarts, Ravenclaw
Position at Hogwarts: Professor of Herbology

Wand: 10” Oaken wand, Phoenix Feather core.  Pliable.

Physical Description:

At a distance, Graham is typically noticed as a short, dark blob of hair.  Upon closer inspection, very little detail is added.  Hidden by the veil of dark, almost black hair, two hazel eyes cower under the twin caterpillar eyebrows that creep across his forehead.  His hair hangs to his shoulders, almost cloaking his small, oval head.  It doesn’t help that he rarely shaves, either.  As a hairy man, it grows back quickly.  Once it starts getting in the way, Graham will bother to shave it off, generally once a month or so; or whenever the students begin mistaking him for one of his plants.

Graham’s maternal Italian heritage resulted in a somewhat larger hooked nose, and a moderately pronounced chin, two points of sensitivity for the man.  Graham’s light olive complexion accentuates the overall dark feel one gets upon meeting him.  Although he stands taller than a few other girls at a good 5’6,” Graham isn’t athletically built.  He’s a slender fellow with wide feet.  Although he usually stays away from the battlefield, Graham’s hands and arms bear a number of scars from the plants and potions he works with.  Scar tissue covers most of his knuckles, with a good callous built up on both of his index fingers.  His feet bear marks of the same, although even more calloused and a bit leathery, as he prefers to go shoeless when possible. 


Personality Description:

One of Graham’s first schoolyard nicknames was Graham-pa Grump.  As a child, he did not enjoy socializing with others.  He did not enjoy sharing his toys.  He did not like waiting in line.  The only child of his family, he did not feel he should have any consideration for others.  That attitude has softened, but still remains.  His time as a student of Hogwarts taught him that other children were just as mean and selfish as he was.  Sometimes there were good children that made Graham have hope that he could be a man and that sometimes you could have friends and people were good.  Then a Slytherin would come along and crush that hope.  The same holds relatively true today.  Graham believes everyone is only looking out for themselves.  Sometimes you can do good, but sometimes you just have to live for yourself.  His plants depend on him for sustenance, but one wrong move and he could easily lose a limb. 

After a brief bout with extreme hedonism, Graham has learned the lesson of moderation, one that is reflected before his eyes every day.  Graham must face that he betrayed someone not for himself or his gain, but out of pure hatred, and the backlash of his choice led down an emotional black hole.  Few know of Graham’s mental state at the time, sometimes including himself.  It was a long journey that left Graham having finally achieved balance.  After realizing his flaws and capabilities, Graham’s arrogance subsided to a smoldering remnant of what it once was.  Teaching at Hogwarts has made him realize his place as a role model to others.  As such, he attempts to embody the philosophy of Hogwarts as an open learning environment.  But sometimes he can’t help a quick temper.  Common courtesies are an enigma to him, and often Graham merely jumps in to whatever he wants.  His impulses often lead the way, but on occasion his mind will catch up and slow things down.


History:

Graham Edward Bombay was born to two magical people who were deeply in love.  Amelia Agnes Astoria was 20 at the time of delivery, and Frederick Emilio Bombay was 23.  Frederick doted on her hand and foot, even going so far to have Graham’s name permanently etched along his torso.  It was quite a picture.  However, once the reality of having a child set in, the two eventually fell apart.  Frederick went into the retail business, selling enchanted music boxes door-to-door to unsuspecting muggles.  Amelia stayed home, glad for his absence.  The arrival of Amelia’s mother, Darlene, kept Frederick even further away as the two mothers took care of little Graham.  Fortunately for the small boy, Darlene was of the school to let ‘boys be boys’ and generally let him run wild, threatening Amelia with the idea that her boy might end up a squib if she interfered with his natural urges.  Graham was often covered in dirt from dawn to dusk, having climbed trees, tied rockets to cats’ tails, or created a dirt fortress. 

Eventually Frederick found a new love, and divorced Amelia the week before Graham’s eighth birthday.  Graham was devastated, but his magic was revealed when several person-shaped dirt clods spontaneously exploded after his hearing the news.  Amelia handled the divorce well, merely ensuring that the majority of his assets stayed with them.  Graham was given a sizable trust for his coming of age, and Frederick was free to dally with his pretty young witch.  Darlene dropped the pretense of a temporary stay and officially moved in with the two. 

Once it was certain that Graham was capable of using magic, the two women began curbing his rambunctious ways.  He was given etiquette lessons, instructions on the handling of women and was forced to respect all elders.  It was a difficult time for him, but eventually Graham passed their lessons and was ‘granted entrance’ to Hogwarts.  Naturally he was passed into the Astorias’ house of Ravenclaw.  He grew up, his nose to the books as his mother had instructed.  Her daily owls ensured his constant participation in class and the nickname of Momma’s Boy.  His outstanding grades for his first year convinced his mother to slow to weekly letters for his second years, eventually fading out to only monthly correspondence.  He made friends slowly, with the other outcasts of his year.  Hogwarts wasn’t about fun or friendship for him, but rather an education so that he could go out into the wizarding world and make something of himself and support his mother in her last years.  It wasn’t until his third year that the scant handful of friends he had convinced him to take his life in his own hands.  He began pursuing his own interests, albeit secretly, excelling in the fields of potions and herbology.  His mother was convinced his path for greatness was held in the stars, but Graham preferred to deal with what was in front of his face, not the fanciful imaginings of well-meaning frauds. 

During his summers home, Amelia was worried by the underlying sense of rebellion that haunted Graham’s eyes.  She could tell he was disenchanted with his upbringing, and she couldn’t help but wonder what she did wrong. When questioned, Graham would only respond that now he knew why his dad left, and as soon as possible, he would do the same.  Amelia was crushed.  They spent summers avoiding one another, speaking only when necessary.

Upon reaching his seventh year, Graham was excited to reach the end of his adolescence.  School would no longer be holding him back.  While the near-freedom was intoxicating, he was also a bit frightened.  An internship with Slug and Jiggger’s Apothecary brought him into contact with people of all sorts, including his future colleague Nicodemus Gunnar.  Graham was briefly caught up in the ill-doers’ hedonistic lifestyle and made some choices he later came to regret.  Among those, the look of betrayal on Mr. Slug’s face upon discovery of Graham’s indiscretions with his wife was one Graham could never forget.  Filled with the arrogance of youth, Graham attempted to start his own apothecary, Bombay’s Brews.  Unfortunately he was unable to persuade the young Mr. Gunnar to join the business, and set out to run it on his own.  Graham quickly found that managing, filling orders, gathering and maintain supplies, was more work than he could handle.  Suppliers were faithful to the old Slug, and many clients refused to work with Graham, citing his quick temper and narcissism; they preferred the sweet little Nico at Slug’s.  In rage, Graham was forced to close down his shop.  On the last day, however, Graham gave the little precious Nico’s name to the Death Eaters, and information about Nico’s habits and tactics.  After his anger passed, Graham realized he had essentially destroyed another being.  He became fearful of his hedonistic rage, knowing the cycle of the Universe would soon come full circle with his own destruction.  Graham left London, returning to his mother’s cottage in West Sussex to find himself and decide which way his loyalties lay: to death and vice, or respectful life.

As the Second Wizarding War reached full tilt, Graham felt the first kindling of a higher calling.  He went to Hogsmeade, offering Aberforth Dumbledore his assistance and eventually taking part with the Healers.  Although his body was willing, Graham was aware he lacked the aptitude for a full-fledged fight against Voldemort’s best.  His knowledge of herbs and potions was a great boon and he made a few contacts among St. Mungo’s finest as they patched up the war-scarred aurors and to Graham’s horror, children.  After the Battle of Hogwarts, he approached the Headmaster in helping rebuild the castle.  Seeing his youth battered, Graham felt a kindred spirit in the old stone walls, and wished to reshape the institution that gave him the tools to reshape his own character. 

Graham was quickly accepted as the new Herbology Professor.  It was quite a challenge at first, having to deal with children and their own various egos.  It amused him to see versions of his younger self, but infuriating to teach.  The years mellowed him and experience allowed him to finally find his place within Hogwarts society.  Mr. Gunnar’s arrival triggered his sense of shame from the earlier betrayal, but Graham refused to revisit his past; his pride would not allow it.  Besides, he had already declared himself good by helping with the war and educating the young minds.  No further work was needed, he could finally live his own life.  While past contacts continued to tease him for retreating back to the educational womb, Graham felt a sense of belonging that no teasing could ever take away.  After five years, Graham was approached to become Head of the Ravenclaw House.  While he always saw himself as a contradiction to his house, Graham was secretly honored. The year was doubly wonderful as his book Philosophy of a Mandrake was picked up for publication. Through educating others, Graham feels he has finally redeemed himself by becoming a productive member of society; but he’d never admit it.

Elaborate on your expertise in your field: Graham proved himself quite apt in the fields of Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Potions throughout his time at Hogwarts.  An internship at Slug & Jigger’s as well as time spent cultivating his own gardens has given him invaluable experience on growing and harvesting.  He recently published a book on mandrakes, a combination of their uses, origin, and the philosophy behind growing them.  He has been teaching at Hogwarts in the position of Herbology Professor for the past ten years, serving as the Head of Ravenclaw for the past five.

What is your teaching philosophy?: Graham believes the secret to existence, mind body and spirit, lies in the palms of the Earth.  By understanding her mysteries, one can understand the world around them.  As the Earth’s chosen ones, wizards are able to manipulate magic.  Yet that is not the only magic accessible.  By learning the power of the Earth itself, through plants and their uses in potions, one can access a higher power that could make one unstoppable.  While this may give a rush to those with evil intentions, Graham wishes to teach his students to respect the Earth and its powers.  By teaching them to respect, Graham gifts this knowledge to them and hopes the principles of Hogwarts and their connection with nature with lead them to use it properly.  Outside of that responsibility, Graham washes his hands.

Writing Sample:

The small first year looked up at Graham, holding a small leaf in his hand, the frail greenery quivering in time to the little boy's lip.  Graham fixed his darkest glare upon the lad, his overabundant eyebrows scrunching in fury.  "Did I give say you could take a cutting from my alihotsy?"  The shaking worsened, and Graham hid back a smile from seeing the boy quake.  "This leaf has more magic than resides in your entire body."  Graham snatched the leaf from his hand and laid it gently in his other palm.  He strode towards the violated plan, knowing the boy would be too afraid to move.  Graham crouched, stroking the soil of the plant while whispering words of comfort.  His poor plant would be fine.  In fact, Graham was certain he felt the sting of the insult far more keenly than the alihotsy, but the insult remained all the same.  Without a second look, Graham spoke crisply to the boy.  "Twelve inches on the uses of alihotsy.  On the door of the greenhouse by midnight tomorrow."  The boy took his dismissal and left. 

Graham smiled, empowered by the child's fear.  He would soon be more familiar with the plant than any third year.  The plant would always be respected and paid careful attention to.  He would think again before touching any of Graham's plants.  They were his children, and Graham had sworn to guard them and use them for the purpose of teaching the youth.  This one would be well-taught indeed.


Sum up your character in one paragraph:

Graham is an impatient imp who is concentrating on living in balance, having given in to the hedonism of his youth.  His edges have softened with the years, but still remains a brash, impulsive youth.  When slowed down, Graham proves very self-reflective, and proves himself a true introvert.  Social skills are not high on his list, but he often makes up for that with his ability in herbology.  If one proves they have the patience for a one-on-one conversation with him, they may find he has a lot to say on the questions of nature and self.

Accepted! - Niobe

[Character Name:] Graham Bombay
[Title Applying For:] Head of Ravenclaw
[Link to Accepted Biography:] http://absitomen.com/index.php?topic=2290.0

[How Has Your Past Prepared You For This Honor?:] Graham has served the children of Hogwarts for ten years.  As a former Ravenclaw, Graham feels indebted to those students the most.  While his main duties lay in teaching herbology, he also feels he is there to teach students how to balance their lives.  His greatest fear is that they’ll repeat his mistakes.

[What Do You Think the Most Important Aspect of This Job Is:? The most important aspect is providing guidance and wisdom from his own experiences.  
[Tell a Story From Your Past That Has Proven Your Mettle:]

After betraying his coworker to the Death Eaters, Graham realized how low he had sunk.  Before he cared only for himself, but after realizing the consequences of his act, Graham knew he had broken the one bond of unity that gave him life.  He had betrayed his fellow man, an unspeakable act on par with the titled curses.  He returned home, reflecting on his actions on what led to the final deed.  When he realized that he could either continue towards self-destruction or redeem himself, he chose to undo his wrong.  Graham met the evil head on, restoring his bond with humanity by savings others’ lives with his knowledge of herbs and potions during the Battle of Hogwarts.  He was able to help many, and by doing so, restore the balance of good to his soul.  While he still maintains a good degree of selfishness, Graham is very aware of just how far a soul can sink.  This is the one lesson he hopes none of his students will ever learn.

An Alternative History

Threads:
[June 26]Runespoors, Take Cover!
In which Graham saves Diagon Alley from a gigantic Runespoor, throws Niobe's finger in the gutter and rescues some students with the magic of herbs.
Featuring: Various Characters
Completed

[June 27]A Worthy Excuse
[/color]In which Graham plays Patient with Quincy Pratt to score a date.
Featuring: Quincy Pratt
Completed

[August 17]The Herbal Trade
In which Graham supplements his income by selling herbs at Woodcroft Days.
Featuring: No One
Locked

Opening Feast 2008-2009
In which Graham meets his new colleagues and feels shame for laughing at Nico.
Featuring: Various Characters
Locked

[Sept 1]Cold Reading is Cold
In which Graham is told that he is old.
Featuring: Figaro Sellaphix, Sasha Schlagenweit
Locked

[Sept 5]Ravenclaw Quidditch Tryouts
In which Graham makes a menacing cameo appearance
Featuring: Various Characters
Locked

[Sept 5]And the Card Attached Would Say "Thank You For Being A Friend"
In which Graham talks to and regenders an ant before being interrupted by students.
Featuring: Zooey Gabriel McAdams, Sasha Schlagenweit
Completed

[Sept 6]The Odd One is Out
In which Graham chit-chats with some Hogwartians.
Featuring: Demetrius Woolfolk, Kit Branwell, Adrienna Hayes
Locked

[Sept 6]I'm Wasting My Breath, You're Wasting My Time
In which Graham shows his skill with the ladies.
Featuring: Emily Cooper
Locked

[Sept 8]Going Out on a Limb - Correspondence
In which Graham is asked out on a date by a married lady fox.
Featuring: Quincy Pratt
Completed

[Sept 8]She's a Killer Queen
In which Graham goes on a date with the lady of his dreams.
Featuring: Quincy Pratt
Locked

[Sept 16]Lesson Planning
In which Graham interacts with his colleagues.
Featuring: Aileen Reid, Myrni Leviathan, Isaac Frasier
Completed

[Sept 16]Little Runaway Girl
In which Graham saves a small child from the forest and uses her to score a date
with the mother.
Featuring: Quincy Pratt, Edward Pratt, Natasha Pratt
Locked

A Request - Correspondence[/url]
In which the Ministry of Magic asks to borrow Graham's prize student.
Featuring: Dreogan Eleor
Completed

[Sept 25]You Can Learn a Lot From the Flowers
In which Graham allows a promising student to care for a more advanced plant, and is interrupted.
Featuring: Grace Eddy, Bethan Ellis, Sasha Schlagenweit
Locked

[Oct 13]Bumbling Forward
In which Graham is asked to loan out his favorite student and gets to make more disparaging remarks about his colleagues.
Featuring: Isaac Fraiser
In Progress

[Oct 19]If You Were a Season, You'd be in Bloom
In which Graham interrupts Juliet persuading Romeo into going to the ball using Graham's roses.
Featuring: Neely Woolfolk, Julian St. James
In Progress

[Oct 31]An Evening in the Enchanted Forest - Halloween Ball!
In which Graham chaperones, has happy thoughts involving Myrni and breaks up fights.
Featuring: Various Characters
In Progress

To be continued...

---

Classes:
Fall - First Years
In which the 1st Years set the greenhouse on fire.
Featuring: Various Characters
Locked

Fall - Fifth Years
In which the 5th Years review for their OWLS
Featuring: Various Characters
Locked

Fall - Seventh Years
In which Graham gives the 7th Years their task for the year and a key to the greenhouse.
Featuring: Various Characters
Locked