Accepted! ~Elle

Your Nickname: Mikey
Have you read and do you agree to the Code of Conduct?: 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: Alastar ó Dálaigh, Daryl Harrington
Is this a Primary or Secondary Character?: Primary

Full Character Name: Duncan Flickwick
Character Birthday & Age: June 7th 1969
City & Country of Birth: County Cork, Ireland
Blood Purity: Halfblood
Alma Mater: Gryffindor
Job/Position: Musician

Wand: 12 inches, Hawthorn, Hippogriff talon. Fairly springy and excellent for charms, but has the tendancy to backfire on the odd occasion.

Physical Description: Although the Flickwick brood have been resident within County Cork for generations now, Duncan has not the hint of fiery red locks nor does he share the pallid skin typical of his heritage. On the contrary, he seems to have inherited the coarse, wavy hair of his mother’s complimented by a bronzed, Mediterranean look which is only contradicted by the blue eyes he shares with his nana, Magda. It often surprises people when such a strong Irish accent resonates from Duncan as he is often taken to be of Italian or Latin descent, especially when he is around his wife.

As a musician and aspiring man of the world, Duncan has explored many a questionable trend from raggedy band shirts to cords and tweed, and not one of those fashions is he ashamed of, even if Ruby had threatened to burn them at the time. Nowadays, Duncan is seen to have a far more conservative and contemporary style with simple shirts and leathers that tend to be welcomed by the girls now. The long, lifeless hair of the grunge scene now away in the past, the man sports a head of dishevelled, choppy hair and a short beard which spirals around his upper lip and chin.

On turning forty, Duncan made the decision to switch from Guinness to fire whiskey in order to maintain the body of a demi god throughout his remaining years but overall, the man would be considered fairly handsome and has even accumulated a small crowd of fangirls over the years with Mandrake Siren. He has never truly grown out of his boyish features to an extent and has been fortunate enough not to look jaded and burned out. Nana, for all the worrying she could do, said he took that from her and is lucky enough to be as laidback to avoid deep wrinkles and bad bones thus far. Not only that, Duncan has the same warmth as she and with a casual demeanour, is approachable even to strangers.

Personality Description: There are few who find Duncan an effort to get along with, as he has a humour that could split the sides of an old battle-axe with a dodgy hip replacement. One thing that could’ve been said for Conall Flickwick was his incredibly slick way with conversation and his supreme ability to socialise with strangers, and it seems that his youngest son has inherited the gift of the gab. Within a few mere words, Duncan can entice the attention of everyone around him and coax them into hanging off his every word, if he should please. It may have been something he soaked up from the gallons of ale spilled on stage, or just the state of an Irishman, but for sure, there’s no harm in striking up banter with old Duncan.

Having been around five brothers in his youth, socialisation and family are something which he values above all else and for all they may have driven him to the edge of a draughty cliff at times, Duncan would never change a thing when it comes to his brood. He feels driven to provide them with the emotional devices he was deprived of as a child, like a stress-free mother and an ever-present father who is there to explore their childhood with them. With this at heart, it’s no wonder that Duncan and Ramona have stayed together for so many years. Whilst Duncan insists on giving the weins the freedom he believes they ought to as young things, Ramona opposes with the belief the children should be raised with care that can put a foot down when things seem like they’re getting out of hand. With these conflicting interests, the Flickwick parents tend to argue like two dictators and then kiss and make up.

Needless to say Duncan thrives on those who appreciate other people and finds it hard to dislike people unless they challenge his family directly. Although in his youth, he may have been willing to throw a few punches for a mate, nowadays he comes across as a gentle pixie with only love to give. In certain respects, that isn’t altogether untrue, although he wouldn’t mind spitting blood for a week if it meant he had protected someone he held dear.

History: The Flickwick boys were born not of wedlock but of the coupling of a teenage girl and boy who happened to come upon each other in the midst of County Cork’s folk festival. At the time, Conall Flickwick had just escaped his final year at Hogwarts without any outstanding grades to flaunt. He chose instead to drift from one place to another for the latter part of his teenage years and was known as a foolish youngster whom had been born of a promising clan. Nana Flickwick often said, ”that boy had all the ambition of a teaspoon.” It was naturally devastating and concerning when he heard of how Jane was with child however, as a big family the Flickwick’s were if a little, delighted at the thought of there being another baby to coo over and thought it better to keep the parents close to home.

The Sweeneys had always looked upon Conall as though he were an intruder in their upright Catholic line, suspected him to have relations with the IRA with the way he frequently disappeared, and had until the first grandchild kept the young man at bay for their own comfort. It was a wonder that even Magda could talk the situation round, without the whisper of the word, ‘wizard’ of course, for the sake of the weins. It went against their better judgement but as a young, vulnerable girl foolishly smitten over a young man with the emotional capacity of a teenage boy, the family were unable to tempt Jane back home. Before any one could protest, Magda had arranged a makeshift nursery in the Flickwick home to make do until they could rise to a decision. The little’un was passed around from place to place from grandparent to grandparent whilst Jane struggled through post-natal depression and Conall found solace in the pubs. When only a year later it was found Jane was expecting again, it was agreed that the time had come to cut the proverbial apron strings and gently urge the couple to find a suitable home of their own.

Conall at first was resistant having much the mentality of a sulky teenager still in his mid-twenties. The man had descended into muggle employment, in desperation and in the belief it was far less taxing than wizarding careers. Unfortunately, working on the docks proved to be damaging as much as it was fairly paid at the time, as the shipbuilding lads would more often than not treat themselves to a few well-deserved brews in the local before heading home. It became a standard in the Flickwick-Sweeney home and as much as Jane resented it at times, it was a cycle that kept Conall in work and the weins fed. For all her sadness and her hopes, Jane held the family’s needs above her own, which was why Magda was so gracious towards the woman; for all they were young Conall had been blessed with a woman who was too kindly and big-hearted to ever leave his side for all his flaws.

As the fifth son, Patrick arrived Jane was all about burned out after the difficult pregnancy but struggled by as the older boys mimicked the changing of nappies and wiping of snotty noses. If it weren’t for Nathan and Liam, Jane might’ve just keeled over at one point. They just scraped by on Conall’s wages, which were halved by the time he had bought every man in Ireland to a round at the pub, but with a close eye, Magda was privy to their struggle and would often give them an allowance whenever her son’s back was turned. The pressure was somewhat lifted by the time the boys got settled at Hogwarts and certainly when the eldest graduated.

Duncan arrived during one grim winter and was vowed to be the very last addition. Conall was causing a whole manner of trouble after work at the docks was cut back upon and the house became too much for Jane when Duncan became a toddler. To say Duncan had a difficult childhood would’ve been unfair as the combination of Jane and Nana Flickwick made for a great parental unit. Even as a teenager, Duncan couldn’t have recalled a genuine period of unhappiness and although the older brothers took pleasure in lovingly beating the bejesus out of him for kicks, it was brotherly antics. The complicated relationship between Conall and Jane was in a way, hidden from the boys whenever possible, which gave Duncan the opportunity to find himself at Hogwarts.

A stocky youngster and keen quidditch player, Duncan was instantly popular and known for being one of the greatest beaters for Gryffindor in his day and although he didn’t flourish academically, underlying talents were revealed as soon as he touched his first guitar. Ironically, the Flickwick’s are known for being tone-deaf, which is perhaps why they never quashed the boy’s creativity even when he was beginning to fail in core classes. Duncan begun following mainstream wizarding bands like Accio Ladies! And Firebolt Five before becoming hopelessly infatuated with the grunge scene of Dead Sirius. In third year, he formed his first band, The Black Bludgers with the sole intent of fleeing Hogwarts in a blaze of glory. Needless to say, the pipe dream ended with a full month of detention and a clip around the ear from Nana Flickwick.

That summer, Jane fell into despair and seemed unable to recover. Her health had deteriorated ever since having Duncan, but she had managed and the boys would visit and take care of da whenever he was causing bother. Since Conall had just been made redundant, neither one of them knew where to put themselves, which was why Magda insisted they help out in the apocrathy for their own sanity if nothing else. With Conall’s strong back and Jane’s way with people, it seemed to work at first, but as the woman sunk into exhaustion, it seemed like nothing could lift her spirits. It just about killed her when Conall took to the hills with a Witch Weekly model and within a few months, poor health stole her away.

The first six months were numb for Duncan. Nana Flickwick had taken he and Charlie in as she would’ve her own sons but felt desperately guilty for not being able to save the situation. Although he resisted, returning to Hogwarts late in the term was for the best as it allowed Duncan to distract himself from the agony of losing his mother. Turbulent though it was, Nana Flickwick held fast to her promises and guided the boys through every moment of grief as though she knew just how they felt. She was as close as they would’ve got to the mother they lost and it was downright heart-breaking to watch her face as he made way for London at the end of his Hogwarts days to found his musical career.

Duncan recalls many screechy demos, cold mornings waiting outside of independent studios, broken hearts and guitar strings, crumpled up lyrics in paper baskets, gigs with the turnout of a two year old’s birthday party. There was nowhere the man wouldn’t travel and after the first six months, boy, did he know London like the back of his hand. He could’ve drawn a fully detailed diagram of the underground on the space of a beer mat by the time he had lived there a year. London had a way of swallowing you up and trapping you but as a young man, Duncan embraced the scattering of pokey, intimate venues to play in and the air of promise following him around. Living with two other men in a bedsit was an experience and really, it was safer to kip on the couch on Friday nights than venture into the bedrooms, but London held Duncan long enough to find local fame and happen upon his future wife one fine evening.

The band, Mandrake Siren, had landed a Sunday night spot for a month and after a quiet year, it was a welcomed gig. The venue was The Hungry Slug and the audience was a fair mixture of young careerist wizards and witches and the odd student who had managed to evade the bouncer’s radar. The set went swimmingly, the gaffer was happy and drinks were on the house for the first night. With all going so well, it seemed nonsensical to go home without having a try at the Latin beauty that had been propped against the bar the whole time. In a wave of excellent conversation and smooth lines, Duncan felt his bile duct disagree with the situation and unload on Ramona before he could argue with it. The rest, so to speak, is history.

Although it wasn’t surprising, Ramona was hard work at first and demanding of a man who’s idea of romance had previously been a fish supper and walk home. As many a jaded husband would tell, before he knew it, he was married. Strangely, the young newlywed’s lifestyles seemed to complement each other in a way neither could describe. The two had fallen into careers which they felt passionately about and felt a connection between their opinions on everything from family to politics. When Patrick arrived, there was little argument over the arrangements. With the misery of Conall in his past, Duncan felt compelled to give his new-born son the attention that he was so cruelly deprived of in his youth. Nana Flickwick was a big help at first but there was no contest as the weins came; Ramona would continue at the Ministry whilst Duncan stayed at home with them on a permanent basis. In the meantime, he would equip the kiddos with rainbow xylophones and run a studio from the Flickwick home.

Although he came under some criticism from his band mates for his decision, Duncan managed to run Mandrake Siren casually, playing the odd gig at local venues that they knew well. There weren’t the same pressures as there were previously, especially after ditching the manager that had bled them dry for years, and Duncan was able to experience the movement from afar without becoming too attached. As the monkeys grew old enough to go to Hogwarts, he was left with only Sophie to care for, who would become his latest band member. Mandrake Siren was able to unearth to record a variety of new material which would make way for their return to the scene permanently. Whilst Patrick was involved, he seemed at the time reluctant to follow his old man’s band formally, although tended to bring a lot of baby bands from the underground to Duncan’s attention. The studio was never without scruffy young men coming back and forth to the Flickwick residence, overburdened with guitar cases and drum kits. Luckily, Ramona permitted her husband that one pleasure so long as he do right by the weins and keep the noise to a sociable level through the nights.

As the last of the babies grew and left, Duncan has remained at home but pledged full responsibility to the return of Mandrake Siren and its members, including his young son, Patrick. Although shaky at times, it seems as though the deal will pull through and that the boys may actually shift into the spotlight in wizarding London at least. With the luck of the Irish permitting.

Describe your job duties and how you go about them: Musician: Duncan writes, produces and edits the sound of Mandrake Siren and has a keen ear for new sounds. Although he aspires to expand, Duncan works within his personal studio with the band and records a lot of their stuff there.

Elaborate on your expertise in your field: In the beginning, Duncan was very much the product of a baby band jumping from one place to the other trying to establish himself in Scotland. After four years of exploring himself musically, he felt it time to penetrate the scene in London and try and branch out.

Duncan circulated throughout the scene for years and was known as a familiar face who had never quite reached the top until he met his wife.

In recent years he has run his own studio from home and become a producer for fresh-faced bands who need direction. He made way for the likes of The Screaming Inferi, Band 'o' Banshees and Seek The Seeker.

Now, he is intent on bringing Mandrake Siren to their glory and is producing a variety of old and new sounds to bring them back to the front

Writing Sample: See Daryl Harrington.

Sum up your character in one paragraph: Duncan Flickwick is known not only as the lucky git that landed a Latin beauty but also as the frontman of Mandrake Siren, whom have of late, injected themselves back into the music scene in London. As an eternally cool father and talented musician, Duncan is the envy of many.