Dec 15, 2012 21:09
- What sort of profession in the wizarding world would you choose and why?
My ideal profession in the wizarding world? I would have to choose to be the person who classifies what is off limits in terms information to students. I have a certain affinity for history of this world as it is. I'd love to dedicate my life to researching and connecting the dots of previous events and how it has shaped the magical world of the present. Also, that kind of knowledge would make certain aspects of history become more accessible to others. I am a firm believer that if you do not learn from history, you are destined to repeat it. It doesn't take a genius to know that if you hide history from others, they are destined to never truly understand why those things happened. I'd love to be the one who explained to the public that what had happened in the past is not due to freaks of coincidence, but things that could very well be repeated if not learned from. Learning the human aspect of these things would be beneficial to the wizarding world. I would research what is truly harmful for children to learn about and declassify what is unlawfully marked 'dangerous'. These things need to be reviewed constantly and I would be happy to do it.
- You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one Harry Potter character other than Hagrid and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you'd want with you.
If I had to take one person, and an object, I would take Luna Lovegood and The Cloak of Invisibility. I'd love to walk around the forest and observe certain things without getting caught or noticed. I'd do it in the sense of natural observation because if creatures become aware of your presence, they won't act naturally. I would take Luna because she would be very interesting commentary. She thinks outside the box and that's what I would have the most fun listening to.
- If you had the opportunity to live forever, but your family and friends did not, what would you choose? And if you did choose to live forever, what would you do with eternity?
This is a really hard one to answer. Honestly, half of me says that yes, I would live forever. But in the end, I would not choose to live forever.
My reasoning for that is that death is what makes life exciting. It may sound odd, but at any given moment, we could die. It could be as simple as getting hit by a car, or from something as complicated at cancer. But that's what makes living life enjoyable. If you lived forever, then you wouldn't have one of the most important emotions: fear. In my opinion, fear is what keeps us going. Without fear, there is also no excitement when it comes to doing the things you want in life. Someone who bungee jumps doesn't do it because they are fearless, they do it because the fear makes it worth while. If I lived forever, I would find the most exciting things in life boring, and I hate being bored. Living in existence surrounded by a boring world would not be a gift, it would be a curse.
- If you could travel back in time to one point, when and where would you go? Why?
This is another hard question for me to answer. I, originally, thought that if I had the power, I would go back and warn my past self of the dangers of addiction. I would try and stop myself from going down that path but then I realized that what I went through made me who I am now. If all those things hadn't happened to me, I would be a completely different person. I grew up and learned from my mistakes, and in turn, it made me a better person. So, no, I would be go back in time.
- What HP character do you identify with most and why?
Why are these questions so hard? Ugh! Just kidding, I know it's meant to be hard and thought provoking.
I am going to cop out and say two characters. I identify with two characters: Snape and Remus.
I identify with Snape because most of my life, I have been an outcast. I was bullied as a child, and that made me draw into myself. I learned on my own, and I began to hate the people around me. I came to resent the people that didn't have that trouble talking and relating to people. Most of all, I blamed myself. I blamed myself because I started to believe that there was something wrong with me, that I wasn't good enough as everyone else. After a while, I realized that there was nothing wrong with me, and that the power was in my hands to make the situation better.
While in my childhood, I might have identified with Snape, but it wasn't until I grew up that I realized that I was more like Lupin. I, myself, have a debilitating chronic illness (elaborated in the question below) and I know what it's like for people to judge me because of that. At the best of times, I look like Skeletor, and people began to realize I was different. It was only in adulthood that I stopped blaming my illness and took control. I went out in the world, despite the illness, and did the best I could. I even surprised myself with what I could achieve. I identify with Lupin because he went out and didn't let his illness dictate who he was, and that is admirable.
- What would you see if you looked into the Mirror of Erised?
This is probably the easiest one for me to answer. In the mirror, I would see myself tall and healthy. I have Crohn's Disease, which is an autoimmune disease of the gastrointestinal track. Because of that, I have stunted growth and my puberty was delayed. I am now on growth hormones and testosterone injections (i'm male) to try and restore that. Like I said, in the mirror, I would be the person I could have been if the disease hadn't affected me so much. I know I stated earlier that these things have made me who I am, but I would like to see, even just for a moment, what my life could have been like.
- Do you believe that moral actions should be judged by the intentions behind them, or by the consequences they create?
I am impressed with this question. It's a very good one, and a very hard one to talk about.
I am going to ignore the coarse of groans and talk about history. The Third Reich to be exact. I know this is a sketchy topic, but hear me out.
When Adolf Hitler was a youth, he was living on the streets before he was drafted into the war. Back then, even before WWII, the world was very anti-Semitic. Germany was one of the worst for it. Hitler adopted the thought, like many other people back then, that the jews were the reason the country was in such a horrible state. When he came into power, he firmly believed that the country would be better without the people bring it down, i.e the jews. So, he got rid of them.
The old quote says that the " path to hell is paved with good intentions" and I firmly believe that's what happened. It was sick and perverse, but it's true. And a lot of things that have happened could be explained by using that quote.
So, in the end, i'm going to cop out and say that situations should be based upon both intent and consequences.
- What was your ideal job as a kid? Has that changed? What is your ideal job now?
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to educate others on topics that aren't really talked about mainstream. I tried that out and I found that it's not the job for me. I was sorely disappointed, but I decided if it wasn't for me, it wasn't for me.
Now, i'm focusing my studies on the medical field. My mom is a nurse, and at a very young age, I started learning about the medical field. I was always so intrigued with what she did and how she did it. I like the idea of being looked upon with respect because i'm good at what I do. I also like the thought of people relying on me for answers that could be life changing. Also, if someone needs help with something they can't do on their own, i'd be happy to be the one to help. I know first hand who scary illness can be, and I want to be able to help others through the same thing.
- If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it, and what would you call it?
I'd like to create a spell that could tell you how a person is really feeling about something. Maybe make it so only you could see a colour they were showing around their body, and each colour would mean a different emotion. I would use it when I was talking to others, and how to say the right words to make sure the situation turned out the best for me. I would know exactly what to say to get what I wanted when the person showed me how they felt, and what not to say when the colour was associated with a negative emotion. I would be tempted to name the spell after me, because who wouldn't want something named after them? Though I would probably name it something like 'The Colour Incantation' or something simple like that. I would also make it a hard spell to use so people couldn't go around manipulating people. I may even not teach it to anyone and keep it to myself.
- If you were to face a boggart, what would it turn into? And what does it turn into when you throw the counter-spell, Riddikulus?
My boggart would probably be, well, myself. I am my own worst enemy and I know that. I am over critical of the things I do, and I am usually the one that makes things worse than they already are by over thinking. I still slip into times when I think i'm not good enough, or that I am a waste of space. Or that my disease will get the better of me. I put my perceptions of myself into others, assuming that they think the same about as I do, and that had let me into some trouble. So, my boggart would be me, saying the things I truly think about myself out loud. Hearing myself say those things would be terrifying, and I would have a very hard time trying not to listen to them.
The counter spell would be me dressed up in something funny, saying nice things about me. Maybe dancing around like a fool. Something to show me that everything is alright and that it's okay to be myself.
- What do you look for in a friend?
What I look for in a friend is someone who can listen to me. I tend to talk at length about things i'm passionate about, and I need someone who is willing to listen to my nonsense. Some of the things I say are rude, and even cruel, and I just need someone who is willing to listen to all of it. Maybe even call me out on my opinions. For me to talk about things gets them off my mind, and that goes a long way for me to feel better. I tend to bottle things up and if I have someone to talk to, i'm able to have a stable mind. An unstable mind for me is a very bad place to be, not just for me, but for others.
- What trait most annoys you about other people?
One of the things that bothers me the most in people is when they use an illness or a disability as an excuse for their actions. I understand that some illnesses and disabilities do have some horrible side effects, but people who use those things as a 'get away free card' for their actions makes me so made. I believe that if you have a flaw, or you do something wrong, that is not the disabilities fault but your own. I know way too many people who think that because they have a diagnosis, they are allowed to say whatever they want and walk away scott free. That's not how life works. You own up to what you have done like a decent human being and you face your consequences. I have seen far too many people who have willingly insulted people, known they have done wrong, and blamed a psychiatric disorder on said behaviour when we all knew the only thing wrong with them was that they were an asshole. Nothing makes me more angry than this, and you'll be hard pressed to see me talking to someone who uses these things as an excuse. I believe that everyone, no matter what they have, should own up to the behaviour that the present.
- What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
Intelligence - I do credit myself with being above par when it comes to my intelligence. I even have an above average I.Q! I'm bragging, sorry. But, I do pride myself in knowing that I am able to figure out most things where some people have trouble. I love to learn and I am a very happy camper if i'm learning about something new. If my mind has nothing to learn about, then I am a very unhappy person. I pride myself in not being ignorant, and when i'm faced with something I know little about, I will go out of my way to educate myself on said topic.
Charismatic - I don't want to sound like 'that guy' but i'm able to walk in a room and the attention is on me. I'm able to go up to someone I don't know and talk at great lengths with them, and I am able to walk away with the feeling of making a new friend. I like knowing that i'm able to make friends easily, and that I come off as a warm person.
Caring - I care a lot about others, and I care about their struggles. If my friends are hurt or upset, I will go out of my way to make them feel better. If i'm very close to you, I will even put your needs above mine (but only if we're close, heh). I hate the thought of my friends being hurt or scared, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are in a better place than when I started to help them.
Open Minded - This is one of the most cliched things you can put here, but it's true when it comes to me. I don't care where you've come from, what your class is, or what life has handed you, i'm going be nice to you. I am very aware that every human being is different, and that different things happen to everyone. I'm not going to judge you based on how you look, i'm going to base it on how you act.
Unbiased - As odd as this one sounds, it somewhat ties into the opened minded aspect of my personality. I don't judge people on what others have said, or what they have done in the past. I judge people by the strength of their character and the traits they show me. I cannot truly know how someone is based on what others have said, and most see things in a different light than I do. What others see as a bad trait, I might see as a good trait, and I like to have the ability to judge certain aspects of personality by myself.
- What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
Vain - I'm telling you right now, i'm probably one of the most vain people you will ever meet. I like talking about myself, the things that i've done, or how attractive I am. I could go on great lengths about how wonderful I am. I can also go on explaining why i'm a better person than some other people. I will never miss the chance to bring in the topic of myself into a conversation.
Condescending - This is one of my worst traits. If I know what i'm talking about, and you try to correct me, i'm going to come off as a superior asshole. I will go at great lengths to correct people because I think that i'm smarter than them, and I will make sure they feel as small as possible. It's a horrible thing, I know, and i'm trying to work on it.
Guarding - I might be charismatic, but I can be a very hard person to truly get to know. I tend to push people away once I get close to them, and it's sometimes very hard to get an emotional reaction from me. I am caring, but when it's my turn to talk about my problems, I become more boarded up than a psychiatric hospital build in the 1800s. I find it very hard to trust people and that has led me to become somewhat standoffish when it comes to my personal emotions. I also believe that it's my problem to deal with and no one else should get that privilege.
Manipulative - I know exactly what to say to get my way, and I am very aware of this. I know enough about human emotions that I am able to assess a situation and imply the best way of manipulation to get what I want. I know exactly what buttons to push in a person to get the right emotional response, and I have no problem with pushing said buttons.
Addictive Personality - As I have mentioned throughout this application, I have had my issues with addiction. I'm clean, seven months as of now, but that doesn't mean I'm not addicted to other things. I can get addicted to thought behaviours and fantasies, living completely in them from time to time. I also get addicted to characters, shows, books, material objects, etc. I also have a very hard time breaking from those things, and it's hard to try and get me to break said addictions. I can get so addicted to characters that I base my personality around them.
- Define in your own words the following key traits:
- Courage: Courage, to me, is doing something that you are afraid of, terrified even, but doing it anyway. Not letting the fear get the best of you. Courage is knowing that something has to be done for the greater good and doing your best knowing that the road will be hard.
- Loyalty: Loyalty is doing everything in your power to stay true to your word. Whether it's staying someone's friend through thick and thin, or staying true to a concept that may be hard to give up on.
- Intelligence: Intelligence is keeping your mind open to learning through every aspect and making sure you've covered your bases. It's about learning as much as you can while you can. It's about knowing when to say your piece and when to back off.
- Ambition: Ambition is about being the best that you possibly think you can be and keep going from there. It's about doing everything in your power to get where you are going while keeping others in mind. Ambition is not about destroying who is under you, but raising up to be better than that person.
- Name: Elijah.
- Age: 20.
- Where did you find out about us? I went through the search engine because I miss the old sorting days on Livejournal.
- Do you plan on being active in the communities once you are sorted?
Definitely. I have been looking for a community like this for a while, and i'm so glad I found one!
term xxiv,
sorted: slytherin