Ambrose Pepper
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| Ambrose Augustus Pepper | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Born | 19 September 1994, 23 |
| City of Birth | Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England |
| Current City | London, England |
| Residence | Hiraeth |
| Blood status | Half-blood |
| Physical Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5'9" |
| Hair Colour | Sandy Brown |
| Eye Colour | Blue |
| Skin Colour | Fair |
| Relationships | |
| Father | Francis Pepper |
| Stepmother | Gabrielle Pepper |
| Mother | Claire Pepper |
| Siblings |
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| Extended Family | |
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| Magical Characteristics | |
| Wand(s) | |
| |
| Patronus | Squirrel |
| Education | |
| School | Hogwarts |
| House | Gryffindor |
| Occupation | |
| |
| Character Information | |
| Playby | Max Thieriot |
| Kit | |
An apprentice beast handler and former Gryffindor, Ambrose was most well known amongst his peers for mispronouncing spells and causing accidents. He is also very gullible.
His father is Francis Pepper who makes time turners for the Ministry, his mother, Claire Pepper was a court scribe until a memory charm accident in early summer 2008, involving Ambrose's older half brother. Ambrose also has a younger brother called Timothy Pepper who is a Graduate (Class of 2015) Ravenclaw. From July 2011 his stepmother is Gabrielle Murray, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
Physical
Ambrose Pepper was always likeable enough at a distance. He has well proportioned features, inherited from his mother, he likes to think, which give him the look of a friendly sort. As a teenage Hogwarts student, his sandy brown hair often needed more of a wash than it got, and he suffered with acne in winter, though potions cleared that up considerably by his third year.
At school through fourth year, Ambrose was patiently waiting for his body to have that bit of growth that all boys got. His feet and hands were oversized to the rest of him slightly, which made him a little clumsy. He was longing to be taller - even a few inches, he wasn't fussed.
During fifth year his body grew at a rate of knots and he shot up several inches like he was not intending to stop. At seventeen he was still growing, now 5ft 9, and broadening out the fitter he becomes.
Ambrose's eyes are large and blue. When he was younger he hated the fact that when combined with his soft expression, he could pass for a girl with a wig. He thinks they are most unbecoming in a man, was self conscious enough about his speech without lady-like lips to emphasize things. The broader and stronger he becomes, the less he dwells on this, as he is finally growing into things - not exactly the ugly duckling, but somewhat.
Personality
Ambrose means well, he really does, he's just a little slower than the majority of the population. Gullible to a point of insanity, he holds onto the words of the likes of his former classmate Winifred Oliver like its gospel. He fell for all the sarcastic jokes the Professors used in lessons, and subsequently got a very twisted view of the world. Now he has progressed beyond the classroom he is becoming much more streetsmart. Though, the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures like to tease him just as much, he is also their little brother since he began as an apprentice. They take their big brother duties seriously, introducing Ambrose to adult wizarding life.
Ambrose is incredibly protective about his brother, who is two years his junior. Tim is a Ravenclaw, far more academic than Ambrose will ever be, and with aspirations to become a top class healer. Ambrose was convinced that Tim would be torn to shreds at Hogwarts in his first year year. He was most upset when his brother was not sorted into Gryffindor too, so he could watch him all day. He frequently bowled into Tim's conversations and quizzed him later to ask if the people were being nice to him, or that he doesn't much like the look of the girls Tim was speaking to, and that he'll sort them out. Tim learned quickly not to even let Ambrose entertain the thought of 'sorting out'.
While at school, Ambrose would drive any more academic housemate or classmate spare with his questions. He'd forget what he asked, and repeated things often, chipping in his own warped reality of the world and anecdotes of things he believed to be true, but were hideously wrong. In his professional career he is much more careful who he relays these to, a little shy about it, and has begun to learn to laugh at his own shortcomings and misunderstandings. He is thankfully much more focused on his duties and learning everything there is to know. For when Ambrose is really interested in something, he turns into a sponge.
On the plus side, Ambrose has never ever meant anyone any harm. He gets too tongue tied to insult anyone effectively! He is surprisingly adept at dealing with people who are upset, sitting and listening to things, and always nodding along to their side of the story.
Generally jolly in his outlook, happy to be with friends, family, especially his Muggle relatives on his mother's side, Ambrose only turns gloomy when the anxiety of spellcasting gets too much. His tongue ties itself in knots, and its usual to see him carting himself off to the hospital hut due to performing the wrong incantation. He generally does it with good humour and grace, though in the lead up to his OWL exams, pure frustration on his face began to show.
Dislikes
- discussing or thinking what happened to his mother
- members of the extended family being at odds over his dad's remarriage
- his low OWL exam scores
- being asked why he split up with his old girlfriends
- cousin Linus Hughes staring at him without blinking at close proximity
- Professor Storm
- wearing tight underpants
Romantic Relationships
- Cyhirae Trishna was his first kiss and proper girlfriend.
- Juni Zamperia
Early Years 1994 Onwards
Ambrose was born to Francis and Claire Pepper, only at the time Ambrose arrived, they hadn't yet married. He was Claire's second child (who was five already), from a previous relationship which had ended.
Ambrose was the first of the two children Francis and Claire were to have, the second being Timothy, Ambrose's brother two school years below him.
Life at home was happy. Ambrose attended local schools, the family content to fit into a Muggle life as far as possible. Claire, being Muggle-born was very adept at this, and neatly prepared explanations about boarding school for Ambrose, and how not to speak about magic before his friends. Occasionally he'd slip up, but his teachers put it down to an overactive imagination, and if they ever met Francis (which was less often than they did Claire) they put it down to his genes.
Ambrose adores both his parents, and considers his father to be a genius. Francis Pepper creates time turners, a family business that has been passed down through generations from father to son. It requires precision and patience, sadly only the second trait is achieved by Ambrose in any one day. The time turners are regulated and controlled by the Ministry, though Francis isn't considered a true unspeakable, despite working with the Department of Mysteries.
Claire was until the summer of 2008 a scribe for the Wizengamot, sitting in on lengthy trials. While Ambrose and Tim were too young to attend Hogwarts, she worked as best she could, and occasionally made use of time turners Francis had not yet delivered to make it possible to collect her sons from school when they were very young. The Department turned a blind eye the first half dozen times, which was thankfully all that was needed.
Hogwarts
First Year at Hogwarts 2006-7
Ambrose was incredibly excited to go to Hogwarts. His older half brother was already attending, and he adored the fact he'd been sorted into Gryffindor. He wasn't one for winning them too many points, last in the class to master most of the basics, charring more feathers in charms class than the rest of his housemates put together. His parents kept encouraging him - sometimes it would just take longer, they told him, but he'd catch up in no time and be ahead of them if he tried really hard.
Ambrose, believing every word, tried harder than ever, and his trips to the infirmary were as many as four times a week. He managed to pass his broom course with Hooch just - because it didn't involve speaking any spells.
Second Year at Hogwarts 2007-8
In second year, he decided to try out for Quidditch, and got knocked off his broom by a bludger and broke his leg. That got patched up soon enough, and he contented himself with cheering loudly at matches instead, though is a bit jealous of anyone his age who does play in the team.
His most famous mishap other than that was when he singed off his eyebrows which refused to grow back for a week right before Valentines day which ruined any of his chances to flirt with the girls.
At the very end of the year, his older half brother left Hogwarts right before the NEWT exams. Ambrose thought it was daft, but secretly was glad someone else was taking the attention away from his poor grades for the year.
He was later informed his mother had been caught by a backfiring obliviate spell, and had lost her memory, taken into care by St Mungo's. Although it was not Claire who cast the spell, Ambrose is convinced it was, and therefore has a twisted sense of relief that his mother made mistakes too.
Since then, Claire has been in St Mungo's for spell damage, trying to deal with her memory loss and damage which means she doesn't remember the family, and forgets from day to day after being told. Ambrose does find it upsetting, and this has made him all the more protective over the rest of his family.
In the summer before third year, while shopping for school supplies with his father and his brother Tim, Ambrose decided to try and steal some self correcting ink from Flourish and Blotts. He was caught, and in the heat of the moment, Timothy admitted blame, claiming he'd planted the bottle in Ambrose's pocket to get him in trouble.
Ambrose, gobsmacked at his younger brother covering for him, stuttered and later claimed he'd been winding Tim up, so that their father gave them equal punishment for the incident.
Third Year at Hogwarts 2008-9
In third year, Ambrose's inability to pronounce spells correctly has prevailed. It hasn't helped that he trapped the tip of his wand in the door in November, which further intensified magical accident likelihood. After a strongly worded letter from several of his Professors arrived home at Christmas, Francis ensured the wand was replaced hurriedly.
As things get more difficult, Ambrose found himself kept behind by exasperated Professors, and has begun to loathe Transfiguration and Charms which require a lot of memorisation and speaking spells. He is scared stiff of Professor Ignan Storm, who gives him an almost weekly detention to sit in his classroom reciting the same spell over and over without his wand, while he marks homework. The Professor claims its more for the benefit of Ambrose's classmates who'd like to keep their limbs intact.
He's been asked not to attend duelling club a while... or is confined with the first years.
One class he loves is Care of Magical Creatures, and he spends lingering time there with the different beasts. Its a class he doesn't have to use so much magic in, and the creatures don't recoil or run away from him when he raises his wand to try a spell. Well... not at first.
Fourth Year at Hogwarts 2009-10
In Ambrose's fourth year, he finally started to find his feet with girls. Most notably, because he began to grow up a bit! He enjoyed meeting the overseas guests due to the Tetrawizard Tournament at Hogwarts. He finally began to make progress in charms under Nightingale Kesali's guidance, and made a friend in Moira McBoid, visiting her Scottish farm in the holidays. He acquires a first girlfriend in Cyhirae Trishna.
Over summer, Ambrose attended the trip to South East Asia and finally began to feel more at home in his skin as he grows.
Fifth Year at Hogwarts 2010-11
Although granted the title of Gryffindor Prefect, Ambrose decided that this would be his last year at Hogwarts as he was not cut out for academic life. He and Cyhirae broke up and Ambrose began to date Juni Zamperia, buying her an alpaca for her birthday. Other highlights of his year were volunteering for the school newspaper, interviewing charms professor, Rick Donovan.
Ambrose didn't think he was cut out for academic life past his OWL exams. He'd developed a keen interest in Care of Magical Creatures which he considered his only strength from his time at Hogwarts. In February, Ambrose applied for an apprenticeship with the Beast Division. He secured this with a good OWL in Care of Magical Creatures, plenty of practical experience gained at school and through family friends.
Academic Records
| Subject | End of Third Year | Mid Fourth Year | End of Fourth Year | OWL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomy | A | A | A | A |
| Charms | P | A | A | A |
| DADA | D | D | D | A |
| Herbology | A | A | A | A |
| History of Magic | D | P | D | P |
| Potions | P | T | T | D |
| Transfiguration | D | P | P | P |
| CoMC | A | E | E | O |
Apprenticeship
In July 2011 Ambrose joined the Beast Division as an apprentice beast handler.
He begin with a lot of learning. Rather than studying subject NEWTs, Ambrose learned the ins and outs of his vocation by performing active duties. He shadowed more senior members of his Division and Department, and attended sessions the Ministry required for professional development. He dedicated time to study and research to deepen his knowledge, and applied it practically whenever appropriate.
Amongst this time he discovered Balfour Spectre's cats[1] were in fact Sphinx, met a couple of vampires, was taught to play pool[2] by Andromeda Gamp and caught a griffin on Level One[3] with the Minister for Magic.
Ambrose excelled around people who were like-minded and with practical work. Yes, he still can have magical backfiring and stumbles, but he’s grown into his wand, so to speak. Now he has a reputation for being great in a crisis. He somehow lacks the extra part of self-preservation to worry about himself, focusing on the beasts.
Apparition
Ambrose passed his apparition test at last in September 2012, and doors opened. No longer did he have to hail the knight bus miles from home, or fork out for floo powder, he could apparate! He instantly felt more grown up (despite being just over 18 when he passed). His buttocks were both still attached!
Qualified!
Ambrose finished his apprenticeship with the Division and became a fully-fledged beast handler. He worked hard through his apprenticeship, never failing to put in effort, and partly through gullibility, went along with all the crazy plans and missions of his seniors.
There have been memorable moments of acromantulas, centaurs, the sighting of a lethifold on a training trip abroad, breeding fwoopers, a house overrun with puffskeins… Ambrose remembers every one of them, and with an interested audience will tell them all about the ridiculous situations he finds himself in. He’s not one to say ‘no’ these days.
Throughout the years Ambrose has been saving fastidiously. Though his step-mother’s family home is copious and there is plenty of room, he wants to get out on his own two feet like his younger brother, Tim, has managed already while training to be a healer. For some reason his father seemed less worried about Tim moving out than he seems to be about Ambrose, and landlords aren’t so keen on his hopes to keep pets…
