Is that a potion in your robes or are you just happy to see me?
Name: Karen
Age: 28
AIM Screename ( if you have one ): bellatook1
Who referred you here - username and house, if possible: I found the link to the community when I was doing a search.
1. Which of the Harry Potter books have you read? Which did you enjoy most? I have read all of the Harry Potter books and found that each has it’s own special qualities. However, this said, I happen to enjoy Order of the Phoenix the best. I found that while we learned bits and pieces as we went along in all the other books, Order has the largest compilation of necessary information of them all. It is much darker than the rest and is forcing Harry to mature and accept what are soon to be his responsibilities as the boy who lived. The characters are also maturing in many ways. Seeing the loyalty growing between the characters is something that fans have been waiting for. I will complain though, Sirius dying KILLED me. I cried so hard, I loved that man/dog.
2. How do you feel about Voldemort as a character? (Not as a person.)
While my first thoughts about Voldemort are he is evil incarnate. But as a character he is intriguing. He is a prime example of the argument of nature versus nurture. For all appearances he was evil from the get go I don’t believe that even a nurturing environment could have saved him. Torturing small animals or using them for his private purposes. He learned young that he had these abilities and took full advantage of the in order to get what he wanted. In creating the Horcruxes he showed that murdering someone was no problem for him. While I want to feel bad for him, I find it difficult especially when comparing him to Harry. Harry lived through a hell that could have made him evil, but it was in his nature to be good. The only time his magic was used against the Dursleys was by accident. Tom used his against other children quite intentionally. To be able to climb into his mind and find out what makes him tick would be a lot of fun for me.
3. Which Harry Potter character can you most relate to? (In the sense of personality, intelligence, character traits, etc.)
The character that I can relate to most is Molly Weasley. She has a very loving approach to life and a strong sense of family. She has suffered losses, her siblings to the original fight against Voldemort, but has still maintained her need for that family bond. She is also very strong when angry and quite intimidating. She shows this constantly when dealing with the misbehavior of her children. And her boggart being her dead family and dead Harry shows that her weakest point is her family. I love my family (blood and chosen) very much and would do just about anything to protect them. While I do come off as a very loving and gentle person, I can be very difficult to deal with especially when riled.
4. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Least favorite?
My favorite character is definitely Sirius Black. He is a character that we really don’t know much about, because his story isn’t told in full. He is a loyal, loving and very driven man who had a need to protect his godson and to repair his reputation. He is made to seem like an evil character, but there was always something very endearing about him. His disregard for his own safety, like when he protects the kids from Lupin, is commendable and shows a love and compassion that shows his true nature.
My least favorite character is Peter Pettigrew. He is the epitome of cowardice. He doesn’t even have enough of a spine to protect his friends and their families from the wrath of Voldemort. When confronted by Lupin and Sirius in the Shrieking Shack he initially denies his involvement, which in my mind makes him even lower than scum, then tries to blame it on someone else. I detest cowards, and I will own up to my mistakes and believe that others should do the same.
5. What thing, event, or person has had the most impact in your life? (Please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone/something else. Think hard!)
The event that had the biggest impact on my life was my uncle committing suicide when I was 9. He was my favorite person in the world, besides my mom, and his death affected the way that I deal with people in my life. I am very tentative when it comes to new people, but once I know them and trust them; there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for them. It may not have been a positive thing, but it has given me the drive I need to keep making improvements to my life. I am also the first person to extend a hand when I see someone in need of help. I don’t like to see people struggling or in pain.
6. What makes a friendship valuable to you?
A friendship is having someone who is always there for you when you need them. A friend doesn’t believe the bad things said about you, even if they know they are true. They don’t make judgments based upon what other say, and know their own minds enough to stick with the underdog. I have many friends that have stuck with me through difficult times and it is this loyalty that they show toward me that makes them the most valuable people to me. They are my chosen family and for as much loyalty as they show me the get it back double. They know that even if it is 3am and they live in another state, if they need me I’ll be there.
7. If you had a hero (real or literary) who would it be? (Please keep in mind that we're asking IF you had one, and again please don't use yourself because you can't think of someone else. Be creative!)
My hero is actually my mom. She had to go through a lot when my brother and I were growing up. She dealt with a cheating husband, an unplanned pregnancy, being unemployed, having no usable skills and she still managed to come out on top. Now I’m not saying we are rich by any means. But she made a life for her and us when many people had told her to just give up. She went to school, learned a trade, got a good job and got us out of the projects. We have also turned out better for it. We are proud of everything we do and everything we have and many don’t have that perspective. And if I turn out to be half as good a mother as mine was then I’ll be happy with it!
8. What are your personal aspirations for your future?
My aspirations for the near future are to graduate college with my bachelor’s degree and to get a decent job. I would like to work in either marketing or human resources. I have a great love of people and would like the ability to work with the public.
My aspirations for the not so near future include a lot of travel. I would love to visit England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as Hawaii. I have this uncontrollable urge to travel and learn as much as I possibly can. Different cultures and peoples intrigue me to no end and I am often happy just to sit and people watch.
9. What are your most prominent personality traits, good or bad? Which one do you feel best defines who you are as a person?
I believe that my unending love for those near me defines who I am. I can be a little pessimistic and untrusting but when a person gains my loyalty it is a life long thing. On the opposite side of that though is I have a fairly vindictive nature. I love to trust people, but by the same respect it is not wise to break that trust. I do not forgive easily, nor do I ever forget.
Some good personality traits are I am intelligent, driven, curious, friendly, easily amused, creative and I love research! Some bad ones are I can be easily distracted, sometimes lazy, and whiny and am seriously jealous at times. I don’t like to be ignored or excluded.
10. What house combination do you feel you're most like? Least like? (This is not pushing. It shows whether or not you are self-aware and may not have an influence on the voting process.) I’m not quite sure where I fit in. I have the wit and thirst for knowledge of a Ravenclaw, the loyalty and friendly nature of a Hufflepuff, the determination and sense of humor of a Gryffindor, and the drive and intellect of a Slytherin. So I’ll let you all decide.
11. Why should we not squib you?
I don’t think you should squib me because I have put quite a bit of thought and effort into this application. I also think that I would be a very good addition to your community. I think I have the appropriate amount of creativity to participate in your community successfully. Oh, and I’m fun! :-D