About You, the Writer:
Your Nickname: Dawn
Have you read and do you agree to the Code of Conduct?: Of course.
How did you find us and decide to write with us? SR directly. I've stalked Sarah across a few sites.
If you have written other characters here, list them all: N/A




Full Character Name: Tamis Marian Raynor
Character Birthday & Age: 36, born 06 January 1974
City & Country of Birth: London, England
Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn?: Pureblood
Alma Mater: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry
Job: Head of the Auror Office

Wand: 9 and 1/4 inches, Hawthorn Wood, Phoenix Feather, Rigid. Ollivanders 1985.

Physical Description:

A five foot wonder, this excessively petite woman often falls... short... of expectations when first confronted with the physical embodiment of Tamis Raynor's reputation. Maybe a collective seven stone (about one hundred pounds) soaking wet, Tamis Raynor is a very slender and delicately built woman who tends to downplay her own physical fragility. Well proportioned to her height, she has a slim waste with enough hints of curvature to debatably claim an hour glass figure. Dedicated to fitness and a healthy diet to meet the demands of her career, she is deceptively well-toned and more resilient beneath the surface than it would first seem, but is still immensely disadvantaged in physical confrontations. In a contest of physical exertion, Raynor would almost unanimously lose. 

Her complexion, while not unhealthily pale, is certainly fair, even by European standards. Far from an unattractive woman, she was an adolescent beauty -- and knew it. As she has matured and life's hardships took their toll this became less readily evident, muted beneath a stern demeanor and near-unreadable expressions. Her features can at times be uncannily unemotional, rarely lending any insight to what she is thinking. Subtle changes, such as a raised eye brow or a twitch of the lip are often the only indications of her thoughts. It is a very "icy" appeal. Long, dark brown hair frames her face, further exaggerating the pallor of her skin. The most extraordinary factor to Tamis Raynor is her eyes; gray and sharply stormy, she had an unsettling habit of bearing them up at her prey of choice with calculating consideration. The rest of her countenance is usually as stoic as a rock, and as easily interpreted.

However, when she does slip up enough to allow her emotions to show, her expressions can be quite comical.

Raynor uses every inch of her short stature to her advantage, often showcasing the height that she does have -- without altering it. Her posture is impeccable and rigid and she does not know how to "slouch". A woman used to command, she radiates the cool confidence of someone that expects to be respected. Dressing on the darker end of the spectrum, black is the dominant presence in her wardrobe of well-tailored, close-fitting yet conservative attire, often militaristically influenced. Most hints of color tend to be shades of red in honor of the signature color of the Auror Corps she represents.

Despite her diminutive stature, Tamis Raynor's presence is not often overlooked. She makes sure of it.

Personality Description:
-UPDATE NEEDED-
In her youth, Raynor was a living, breathing time bomb. She was an egotistical, arrogantly proud woman with a mouth willing to prove it. And may Merlin take pity on the world for it. Never wrong – of course not, such an idea is preposterous – you were more likely get a rock to talk than Raynor to admit she was incorrect… under the influence of Veritaserum. Once or twice it might have been suggested that the woman take an anger management class or two – the parties of the before mentioned have yet to remove the restraining orders. Years of seasoning and maturity have whisked away the rash demeanor and temperamental explosion level (for the most part) of the previous hot-head, but it would take a very dedicated individual with a very fine chisel to chip away Raynor’s prideful and stubborn nature.

When one extinguishes the fiery temper, they find themselves a rather rational woman with a sharp wit, even more flippant of a tongue and a humor sadistic enough to make even You-Know-Who turn over in his grave. Blunt and to the point, Raynor had never understood the point of sugar-coating and rarely utilizes such devices.  She believes things should be told as they are, unless it is one hundred percent necessary not to, earning her a label of “upstart” in many instances. Impeccably clever, Tamis approaches life as a chess player; always making sure she is three strategic moves ahead of the game – she often jests that such tactics are how she had withstood politics for so long.

While a kinder, perhaps even charming woman does lurk behind the cool formal mask of distance and indifference, such a person is hard to reach to say the least -- and after many hard learned lessons, hidden carefully behind a rather secure set of walls. The professional level-headed woman one meets at the workplace is a strong contrast to the good-humored, if still conservative and reserved woman Raynor is in her personal life.

Fiercely independent, Raynor had consequently held very few relationships since her last major one. While that had at first been due to issues of not being able to let go of the past, or that she is too career driven, the fact that most dates run away screaming within the first half-hour could play a large part in it as well.   

History:

The Raynor line was a well reputed and ancient one able to trace Wizarding origins to the Middle Ages. They donated to the Ministry often, were foundation sponsors to St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies, and over all sported wealthy and fancy titled additions to the Wizarding Community. If any rotten apples appeared over the ages, they were either successfully hidden or disowned immediately upon discovery. Two prominent members of the clan were Renwick Raynor, an Unspeakable within the Department of Mysteries, and his beloved wife, Reseda Raynor nee Finlay, of a creditable pureblood family and healer at St. Mungos. Any unsavory thoughts of misconduct would not enter the minds of onlookers when investigating the Raynor family – particularly those two. One could imagine the shock and surprise of the community then when headlines of a mass genocide of the Raynors broke out across the Daily Prophet in 1979. The sole beneficiary? Six year old Tamis Marian Raynor, daughter of Renwick and Reseda, whom had been mercifully vacationing with a childhood friend during the tragedy, according to reports.

An investigation was set forth by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but within a month, operations were internally shut down by the Department of Mysteries under heading of a cold case. With You-Know-Who still in his prime, many wizarding families had and were taking blows and suffering from them. The Raynors were a prominent pureblood family of good origins; they probably just got in You-Know-Who’s way or refused to stand with him. All further investigation ceased. With many condolences little Tamis was classified as a ward to the Ministry, her inheritance secured for her coming of age, placed in a magical orphanage, and that was that.

A few years later of customary hardships and cat-fights with fellow orphans and Raynor, much obliged, received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Sorted into Ravenclaw, it became a second home – if not first – for her as it did for many of its inhabitants and she excelled during her time there. Well, excelled would be the word that she attached to her personal war and rebellion against authority; she was a down right little terrorist. But seven years worth of typical Ravenclaw marks, more detentions than a person could handle in a life time, and half a head of new white hairs for Filius Flitwick, and she graduated and moved on into the world beyond.

Life went on as it was prone to do, and the young woman went on to acquire a job as a Healer at St. Mungos, an occupation that had drawn the eye for many-a-moons. Here she was happily content, dividing her time between job and the Hogwarts-love of her and current fiancé, Tait Aldridge, an auror with the Ministry of Magic. But nothing good ever lasts for long, a lesson that Tamis seemed to be learning the hard way.

In the winter of 1994, just after their engagement, the couple was wondering down a side alley way in London, returning to their flat after a faculty Christmas party at St. Mungo's. Tait had been edgy about letting Raynor – whom was never fond of apparition – return home alone, particularly with The World Cup event fresh in everyone’s minds. And, as fate would have it, his suspicions were right on target. They were attacked – but not by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named supports, but rather a group of men with a personal vendetta against Tait relating to a recent bust on black market items. Tamis became the ample means of their revenge, of which they seemed to have no qualms of using all but one of the Unforgivable Curses on. Outnumbered, overpowered, and disarmed, there had not been much Tait could do until they did him off with a rather accurate Killing Curse. By the time the Ministry Officials arrived on the scene, all that was to behold was a dead body and a rather emotionally unstable young woman.

Determine to keep her and others from being victimized again, Raynor left her job at St. Mungos – unable to heal others when she could not heal herself – and went through the steps to becoming an Auror in Tait’s stead. Three years later, in 1996, her goal was obtained; tossing her fresh and green into a war that would go down as one of the biggest in Wizarding history. Old for a rookie auror, Raynor faced a good deal of criticism from her peers and an obscene amount of over protectiveness from the veterans.  In her early years, she strove harder than necessary to prove her worth, and might have broken from it if not for the help of Jason MacDonell and Aurora Le Fey-MacDonell.

As the Second War progressed and the Ministry’s downfall became inevitable, Raynor did not flee as many of her comrades and friends did, but after an intense self-debate remained. As a pureblood witch of a reputable lineage and good standings with the Ministry of Magic with a minor blurb on her track record for her “associations”, she was left primarily alone with a careful eye half-trained on her. From this position, Tamis aided those smuggling muggleborns by gathering information from the inside and then working out carefully planned escape routes to those who would take them to Avalon and other safe holds. Eventually she was caught, but it was graciously almost simultaneous to Lord Voldermort’s demise and she did not suffer to the full extent as a “blood traitor” as some of the less lucky had.

Once Kingsley Shacklebolt returned to the Ministry as Minister, Raynor went back to her previous position as an auror, and aided where she could in the changes the governmental empire was undergoing. From there, life remained mostly peaceful as the scattering Death Eaters were rounded up and order restored. But then, in July of 2004, the auror-guarded Azkaban Prison was overwhelmed by a well devised breakout by its inmates. Under Jason MacDonell’s lead and in the company of such rising Ministry figures as Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, Raynor partook in the recapture of the prison with an easily remedied broken arm and other minor scars and bruises. Others were not so lucky. MacDonell was badly injured and in the end retired, and much to Raynor’s surprise and horror, recommended her as his replacement as the Head of the Auror Office.

Appointed in a time of relative peace, Raynor spent most of her now four years as Senior Auror making sure that the aurors maintain their sharp-pointed lethal edges, that training for new aurors does not slack under a false sense of security, and that paper balls hurled in boredom are kept to a minimum.

What is your job description? How do you go about your job?
How did you get your current job? How does your past and abilities justify your current position?:

The Head of the Auror Office is a glorified baby sitter in most respects. Recieving orders directly from the Head of the DoMLE, the main duty of the Head Auror is to manage aurors and trainees. Assign them schedules, make sure their shoes are shined and robes are clean, handle internal dicipline, and give them their assignments, Raynor ensures that the Aurors remain on their best behavior and direct their boredom to more constructional means.

She was appointed to the position on the premise of Jason MacDonell's recommendation.  Since her appointment Raynor has proven to be much different from any of her recent predecessors. While a good Auror, Tamis had always been a lot of wit, and very little brawn. Not anywhere near to being the most powerful witch of her day, she values mind more than muscle, a concept that she hammers into the brains of trainees with a club if she has to.

As a leader, Raynor has been slaving over re transforming the Auror Corps from the wand-happy "cast first, speak later" brutes it had been forced to become during the Second War back into the respectable, elite force of dark wizard hunters that it used to be. In regards to the aurors under her, she tends to be strict but fair and often acts as "just one of the boys" but maintains a level of professional detachment so that she can be a commander, and respected for it, when the occasional calls. A workaholic, Raynor lives for the job and for the lives of her comrades. While she will animatedly complain about the amount of paperwork they create, she will defend every last one of them and do her best to bail them out when they get in trouble. She will hang them by their toes from the ceiling for whatever they did, but she will bail them out.

As a subordinate, Raynor is both successful and a disaster. She knows her place in the food chain and, while she will toe the boundaries of her position, she will never actually cross the line -- a dance that can be aggravating to those above her. As an auror, it is her nature to obey a direct order, and she will do so without hesitance, but if she disagrees with it, she makes her opinion known in subtle ways. Pride and subordination are a tricky combination, but, while opinionated, Raynor is loyal to those she serves, and unconditionally loyal to the Ministry.

When Jason MacDonell offered her name to replace him as Head Auror, Raynor was confident that leg injury of his had gone straight to his head. She in fact proclaimed this fact to him multiple times. Having entered the auror academy at a later age than most of her fellows, Raynor from the beginning of her career had been tagged as nothing overly significant. At the time, most of the current aurors had known her late fiance, Tait Aldridge, and while they sympathized with her and commended her, none of them took her entirely serious. For a good part of her career Raynor had spent most of her time trying to prove herself -- both in the eyes of others and her own. She was successful and played a prominent role during the Second War and the famous break out in Azkaban in 2004.

Raynor has always been a different breed of auror than the stereotype during the Second War. By-the-book (except when it counts), it has always been jested that she would have made a better politician than auror as she preferred to play the system than rebel against it.  Some would argue that this had a lot to do with the reason MacDonell promoted her, though Tamis still sticks with her insanity theory.

(1985-1992) Attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry,  Ravenclaw Alumni

O.W.Ls Scores:
Potions	O
History of Magic	P
DADA	E
Charms	E
Transfiguration	O
Herbology	O
Astronomy	A
Muggle Studies	D
Ancient Runes	E

N.E.W.Ts Scores
Ancient Runes	A
Potions	E
Charms	E
Transfiguration	O
Herbology	O
DADA	E

(1992 - 1994) Healer Training -- St. Mungo's Hospital, Potions and Plant Posionings
(1994 - 1996) Auror Training, Ministry of Magic
(1996 - 2004) Auror, Ministry of Magic
(2004 - Present) Head of the Auror Office, Ministry of Magic

Total Years Ministry Employee: 15; 3 Auror-in-Training, 8 Auror, 4 Head of Auror Office[/color]

Writing Sample:
(Taken from Specialis Revelio with minor modifications)

“What I want to know, Minister, is why I have so many people contaminating my crime scene.”

Rubble shifted underneath practical boots as the Auror returned from her inspection of the disaster zone. The usual grandeur of her grooming habits at the Ministry were absent, a drab tunic and trousers tucked into the before mentioned boots taking the place of the rich robes she usually paraded around level two in. In fact, one might not have even realized they were looking at the Auror Head unless their gaze happened to catch the badge pinned to her chest declaring the fact. The field was no place for the theatrical nor political, which was she was surprised to see both gathering into a giant cluster in front of the remnants of the estate.

As per usual, the Minister was making his presence known though Raynor was questioning its attendance. More bewildering was spotting the Junior Undersecretary and the Head of Magical Education of all things. Ogden’s was more logical and Snark her gray eyes grazed over without comment.  She had never been fond of the Department of Mysteries and had learnt long ago that things tended to function more efficiently if Law Enforcement kept their noses out of it. She would let Snark do her job and Raynor would focus on hers.

She joined the group just after Covadonga departed from it.

“It is a double homocide. The area has been secured and my men have begun their investigation. I only brought a small detail, the rest of the Aurors are on standby at Headquarters in case this was merely a diversion for something larger. When I know more details, you will know.”

In her life time, Raynor had seen many terrible things. This was simply just another one of them. Emotion had no place in the field and often obscured judgment. The estate was in shambles, the perpetrators long gone. The immediate threat was over. All that could be done now was to determine exactly what happened before Accidents and Catastrophes got their little paws on the crime scene. 

Sharp gray eyes settled intently on Covadonga Gertrudis. Wiltshire, if she recalled, was home to Gertrudises. The woman’s expression could have been carved from stone. Shock? Possibly... Raynor’s expression in retrospect was composed, bordering on cold. The fact that Goblins had been involved in this assault was more than apparent, which would mean Ogden’s presence would not only have to be tolerated, but Covi’s technically was permitted.   However – the girl had picked up her pace, by the looks of it... heading towards Harcroft.

“I am requesting permission to remove Miss Gertrudis’ presence from this investigation. The case is too personal and she will need to be questioned by my department for leads on motivation," She stated quickly, gaze still locked on the woman.

Despite her poised exterior, there was a raging inferno underlying the collected planes of her face. First Aurora and now this? Attacks on individuals and homesteads. She was growing tired of sitting on her hands. The Aurors were growing restless. Action was becoming imperative. It left her fuming. Something needed to be done, but was war the right answer?

Sum up your character in one paragraph:

To put it simply, Tamis Raynor is a complicated and fallible woman. She does her best to do what is right, by her definition of moral and ethics and tries not to contradict them. While she is considerably talented with a wand, she lacks considerably on the scale in actual raw, magical power and has therefore learnt to use her head and think before she acts instead of relying on brute force to get her way. Usually collected and witty, she does have a temper when it escapes her and has a mouth that uses all three of the previously mentioned traits. Raynor's life has been full of many lessons, all of them learned the hard way, and she has taken them to heart, for better or for worse.

Career Change

Character Name:  Tamis Raynor
Character Biography: Link
Previous Job/Position: Head of the Auror Office
Position Applying For:  Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Why have you chosen to change careers?:

Not one to actively seek out responsibility, Tamis Raynor has, in fact, declined promotion to Head of Magical Law Enforcement in the past. As well as has been stonewalled from the position twice in recent history -- prominent political players concerned about their ability to control her and what rising to the position might elevate her own political power. The consequences have frequently resulted in tension on Level Two and a division of loyalty among the Aurors.

Content with her current life style, Raynor has believed others could be more capable as the Head of the MLE, not quite ready to completely leave the field for a desk job.  While authority suits her and her life is very much her job, she thought she could better serve England as an Auror than a politician.

Now having outlasted 4 Department Heads in the span of a couple years, and with the rise of various threats to the country, she has decided that it might be time for her to step up her game as well.


Elaborate on your expertise in this new field:

Tamis Raynor has served the Ministry for 15 years; 3 as an Auror Trainee, 6 as an Auror, and now 6 as Head Auror.

After the Second War, she assisted other prominent figures in reforming the Auror Corps and, in 2004, after the Azkaban Uprising, was appointed by Jason MacDonell to be his successor as Head Auror. At a mere 30 years of age, she was a controversial choice and made little friends for it among the current Senior Aurors of the time. It was a long first year earning their respect (and not successfully in all cases) and proving that she deserved the post and was not just MacDonell’s “favorite.”

In 2008, just after the Remembering Day murders, Alexander Belisario went “MIA” saddling Raynor with maintaining order not only among the Aurors but the rest of Level Two through its first major crisis since the events of 2004. She began the preliminary investigation into Kyle Gibson and dealt with the fallout when it was discovered the boy had been innocent. Annywl offered her to Head of the MLE position, she declined, agreeing to operate was Pro-Temp instead until a suitable replacement was found. Gawain Robards received the election not long after.

In October of the same year, Gawain Robards was assassinated in his own office. For the next 7 months, Raynor re-assumed authority as Pro-Temp, managing to limp Level Two through a rather chaotic period, including several personal confrontations with Cináed Tawse. Her name was once again up as a contender for Head of the Department, and even received an unexpected letter of recommendation,  but she ultimately lost the appointment for political reasons to Cameron Rosier.

As a relic of Annywl’s former administration, she equally lost the bid for the position again, Zephyr appointing Admete Brown, a Senior Auror from Raynor’s office instead. A decision obviously founded by the rocky and tense alliance between Raynor and the new Minister.

In a time of growing unrest, when the wizards and witches of England are beginning to doubt the Ministry’s strength and unity, Raynor’s popularity and notoriety as a stable figurehead on Level Two might behoove the Minister.


Describe your new job and how you go about doing it:

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, aka Level Two, has a great deal of power and influence in the Magical Community, prominent members within it often rising to become Ministers of Magic themselves; Rufus Scrimgeour and Kingsley Shacklebolt chief among them.

During the Second War, when Lord Voldemort sieged his silent coup over the Ministry of Magic, he staged much of his initial efforts on corrupting Level Two’s leadership; murdering Amelia Bones, imperiusing her successor Pius Thicknesse (whom he eventually puppeteered to Minister of Magic), and eventually placed his own Death Eater, Yaxley, in the role of Department Head.

Even in current disputes, terrorist groups continue to target Level Two and its leaders in their quest to upset the Ministry Magic; The successful assassination of former Head Gawain Robards, several attempts on Cameron Rosier, and the person harassment of Aurors. The Head of Magical Law Enforcement is a role the power hungry seek to claim and others approach with great trepidation, and, in recent years, has begun to develop a rumor for being Cursed.

Answerable only to the Minister of Magic, the Head of the MLE controls and regulates the largest department in the Ministry, overseeing the government’s police and justice facilities. All other departments can come under scrutiny of the MLE – except the Department of Mysteries, which exists beyond its jurisdiction. Though, interdepartmental inspection is uncommon, unpopular, and unlikely. But in “my horse is better than your horse” conversations, the MLE likes to remind everyone else of it.

Vastly a political position, the Head deals with a lot of public relations, serving as a poster child for Level Two and confers/communicates with the Wizengamot and other Department Heads in matters concerning domestic security and legal issues. The MLE Head works closely with its Offices, particularly the Aurors and Hitwizards, and is responsible for the effectiveness and productivity of the Level as an entire Unit. During times of war and strife, the MLE can pass decrees, such as when Barty Crouch infamously authorized Auror use of the Unforgivables on Death Eaters during the First War. S/he sits in on Trials, and often acts as Prosecutor during high profile cases.

Tamis Raynor is, first and foremost, a soldier, and that is how she approaches her job. She respects authority, but can be a harrying subordinate; she knows her place in the food chain and, while she will toe the boundaries of her position, she will never actually cross the line -- a dance that can be aggravating to the Minister.  She is not power hungry and has no desire to usurp authority, but knows exactly what her own authority weighs as well. Notoriously difficult to read, Raynor is concise and blunt but knows how to talk in riddles. Her hard won reputation precedes her and instead of networking by smiling and shaking hands, she uses it.

As a warrior, she has not quite grown out of that restlessness, and one can expect she will get her boots dirty more often that some of her predecessors.

Often accurately accused of playing “mind games,” by the Aurors, Raynor is conniving and a manipulator, unafraid of using others if she believes it serves the bigger picture. She has a savvy understanding of red tape and protocol and years of getting Auror heads out of their self-placed nooses has taught her where to find the loopholes.

As a leader, she is fair but firm, and for some reason seems to inspire loyalty from others even if they are not particularly fond of her personally. As Head Auror, she maintained a level of transparency with those under her command, including an “open door” policy she would maintain into her promotion. She defends her own publicly and berates them privately.

Fiercely loyal to the Wizarding Public, Tamis Raynor understands the necessity of structure and regulation to maintain a peaceful and civilized society. She serves the Ministry as long as she believes it continues to, in turn, serve the best interest of wizards and witches it governs.

She is best categorized as a Traditionalist, with firm beliefs in equal rights among all wizards but separation from the Muggle World, not for superiority reasons, but safety reasons she considers common sense. Weary of magic creatures, she is not particularly fond of them, but knows several she likes quite well, and opts to stay removed from the civil rights debate.