Suck My peppermint frog Kiss
1. Your name: AJ
2. Your age: 18
3. What makes you get up in the morning?
My alarm clock. It goes off, I snooze it four times and am ready for the day. The fact that I have a hot water heater in my dorm room and to make hot cocoa I just have to push a button at the let the magic happen helps. Greatly. I’d also say the light that manages to get in my room besides having the heaviest shades in the world probably plays a factor; that and I’ve always been a getting-up sort of person. When I’m sleeping I feel like I’m missing something, being useless or turning into some sort of hibernating worm.
4. Go to this website and copy your result into your application.
Big Five Test Results Extroversion (38%) moderately low which suggests you are reclusive, quiet, unassertive, and private.
Accommodation (48%) medium which suggests you are moderately kind natured, trusting, and helpful while still maintaining your own interests.
Orderliness (46%) medium which suggests you are moderately organized, structured, and self controlled while still remaining flexible, varied, and fun.
Emotional Stability (66%) moderately high which suggests you are relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.
Inquisitiveness (56%) moderately high which suggests you are intellectual, curious, imaginative but possibly not very practical.
Take Free Big Five Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com
5. What do you think of either Voldemort or Snape as a character?
Voldemort isn’t a terribly interesting character. JK Rowling has set him up as the bad guy. He is evil beyond evil for her world. He was also defeated by a baby. For the first five books or so Voldemort was this man (possibly ordinary in temperament but extraordinary in power) who turned into a soulless monster. With the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, however, we find out that there was never any ‘man’ there to begin with. Tom Riddle was an evil kid who turned into an evil teen who turned into an evil guy. JK took the possibility of a complex character and flattened him into two dimensions.
In my mind Tom Riddle and Voldemort are separate entities. We are shown small glimpses of both Riddle’s attitude. How he deals with people isn’t the same way Voldemort does. Riddle is shown as at least somewhat charismatic, and he gathers followers to him. Voldemort is more of a symbol of fear than a good leader (or head of an evil organization, whatever you wish to call it). Voldemort is only drive by his obsessions, sometimes blinding him. I find it hard to believe that Voldemort could gather supporters in the same way that Tom Riddle did.
As a written character ‘Lord’ Voldemort is neither frightening nor awe inspiring. If anything he inspires a vague stirring of disappointment and amusement in me.
6. What are your other passions/ fandoms excluding Harry Potter?
I would say that many would classify me as an ‘otaku’. That is, someone who enjoys and might border on obsessive with anime. Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane are two of my favorites at the moment. They’re partially historical, in that the characters share names and the series takes place in the same general time period and place as actual events. Not so much with the red and blue and oddly gray-violet hair colors. I have a horrible romantic attachment to swords, honor, shame and the idea of rebellions and war.
Neil Gaiman and Charles de Lint might as well own my soul as far as books are concerned. Both can write ‘urban fantasy’ or contemporary fantasy quite well. De Lint’s characters are fully three dimensional and Gaiman’s are delightfully dark and wonderful. The Sandman series and the Newford novels (respectively) are my favorites among their many books/graphic novels.
I also like to play RPGS, but since games cost more money than I wish to spend (and the quality of the game has gone down while graphics quality has gone up) I live in the world of the superfamicom and PSX games.
7. Who do you relate to most within the Harry Potter series?
Luna Lovegood, more so for other people’s reactions to her than her actual personality I’d have to say. I have the habit of spouting off random information. It isn’t that I think other people need or should know it, but I like saying it. I have a terribly bad tendency to say things that might make people uncomfortable, but if you follow it up with a nice smile and a non-threatening sentence they’ll let it slide.
People are always seeing Luna as crazy, just because she doesn’t happen to follow their thought process. Or their petty little rules of logic. What she (and I) see as important topics of discussion aren’t exactly the norm. However neither of us feels the need to convert to a standard like that.
8. What is your favourite novel (ex. Harry Potter)?
Mulengro, by Charles de Lint.
Mulengro is an urban fantasy about gypsies, their culture and someone who’s hunting them down. Oddly enough the Mulengro himself who is hunting gypsies has a bit of a Voldemort feel to him. He’s killing gypsies who associate with non-gypsies or live in the non-gypsy world. However, he has some unexpected depth which was a juicy detail to bite into.
Like all De Lint novels the story feels like it has been handed down, mouth to mouth in the traditional story teller sort of way. Each character is complete and you can imagine them walking around in the real world. The gypsy picture he paints (real or not) is believable and fascinating. Mulengro is a little darker than most of De Lint’s novels as well, adding an extra edge that isn’t present in a lot of books. Another thing De Lint does well is he writes to the audience of late teens (early young adults) but he doesn’t write down to them.
9. Would you run for prefect or Head Boy/ Girl if you were at Hogwarts?
Maybe. In all likelihood probably not. I don’t enjoy being the one who has to shoulder all the responsibilities and be a good role model. I’d much rather be the person who is ‘one of the many’. Not just because being the center of attention makes one look like a social whore in some respects, but with all eyes on you, how many flaws do you think they can pick out, let alone make up? Also, power doesn’t come from a powerful position. In a position of power, despite the rules you can impose or punishments, you’re nothing without a base.
In a kitchen if the dishwasher refuses to wash dishes he breaks down the whole line.
But if the manager doesn’t show up the kitchen can go on. Change doesn’t happen from above, it happens from below.
10. Who is your least favorite character - why?
Harry James Potter.
Oh I know, there wouldn’t be a Harry Potter series without him. A year ago I was an avid Harry Potter hater, so I would have answered ‘good riddance’. For the sake of argument I’ll attempt to prove my dislike.
He isn’t a terribly interesting person. Harry Potter, Boy Savior. Whoop dee do. He has a bit of a Messiah Complex, which is annoying in itself (This is why Batman is always more interesting than Superman). He’s gifted, he’s suddenly a wizard, his friends are brill at school work and chess. He can even stand on his head! He’s destined, and I hate fatalists and the idea that life can be controlled or planned out that way.
I really hated him in the fifth book, however. Poor JK’s capslock/shift keys must have been oh so abused.
11. What do you consider the key qualities of the four Hogwarts houses? (Describe why you think this and elaborate!)
Slytherin: (First because it’s green.) The buzzword for Slytherin is ‘ambition’. Another is ‘subtle’ and ‘cunning’ even. I’d like to add ‘vision’. A Slytherin can see where they’re going, not only see where they are going but see how to get there. A Slytherin can see several options of how to get there and determine which is better. Also, they can see where others are going, which is helpful. If you want to be top of the class you don’t just look at your marks, but other people’s as well.
Conversely, there might be an ego attached.
Ravenclaw (Because it’s blue.) Supposedly ‘intelligent’. Canonically almost nothing is given to the reader about exactly what makes a Ravenclaw. It is hard to sum up in a word what it is that describes them. I would say that the way Ravenclaws view life would probably be best. The ability to turn an object around in one’s head, or approach a problem from a different angle. The things that people who are ‘intelligent’ can do, or choose to do, to take things apart, or put them back together. Perhaps Ravenclaws are artists, or physicists, but I could never see them at a paper pushing job (filing and the like) and being happy with it. Unless of course they looked in the files, then there could be some fun had.
Some Claws might be more detached than people would like (with reality or otherwise).
Gryffindor (Red after Blue.) ‘Courage’ and ‘passion’ are what goes into a Gryffindor. Courage in applying one’s self to tasks, whether it be in Quidditch, studying, saving the world or protecting one’s friends. Courage to know your fear and face it directly. This would be the hero archetype.
Of course with this comes rashness and jumping without looking.
Hufflepuff (Best for last!) Hufflepuffs get dumped on a lot, for ‘taking the rest’. A Hufflepuff is fair and just, not necessarily in the traditional sense of ‘this is bad and this is good’, however. A Huff might approach a task with giving both sides of a thing or a person. A Huff can take a step back and be an impartial judge if need be. Loyalty isn’t just to people and it isn’t always blind. There’s loyalty to beliefs and loyalty to things. Maybe their strength is in a group, but that also makes them good team players, and rulers or CEOs wouldn’t get jack done without them. Huffs are well rounded and tolerant because of the diversity in their ‘taking the rest’ House.
On the other hand Huffs can be judgmental, hold a nasty grudge and when you get a pack of pissed Huffs on your tail… a bulldozer might help more than a shotgun.
12. Where and how would you like to see yourself (job, country) in a few years time?
I’ll probably still be in school, hopefully in four years I’ll have graduated from college and be at a Grad school. Hopefully at either University of Michigan or an East Coast school. I’d like to get a PhD in something, or possibly become an author. I like writing, so I’d like to do that, however due to the massive salary authors earn (har har) I’ll be working on a backup plan, like being either an ER doctor or a psychologist. An ER doctor because you impact people’s lives, you save them, but you don’t have to deal with being their doctor over years. (Yes, their salary isn’t huge either, but eh)
13. If you were a teacher at Hogwarts, which subject would you teach and why? (Extra thumbs up for original submissions - feel free to invent your own magical subject!)
Cooking. Muggle and wizard variants.
It’s a little like potions, isn’t it?
I enjoy cooking, it’s relaxing and there’s a certain rhythm to a kitchen. You have to wonder how all these students graduate and go on in life without knowing how to make food. In a kitchen you get to know the people you’re cooking with, and the product is usually satisfying.
14. Would you be a Muggleborn (Mudblood?), Halfblood or Pureblood, based on your own personality? Give original reasons for this calculation excluding specific House Traits.
Halfblood, or mudblood.
I’m an adopted Korean-American, and there is a certain feeling if displacement I have always had. My parents are as white as something really pasty, so it is a unique experience when we go out into society. I’ve always felt the need to prove that I’m just as good as the white kids, just as good as other families who have biological families.
Also, blood ties mean nothing to me, so the Pureblood mentality wouldn’t really sail my ship. Friends and the family you create are always more important than the one you’re dealt.
15. What improvements would you follow through if you were Minister of Magic?
Currently in the Harry Potter world as we are aware of in between sixth and seventh books? Well, I’d curse Fudge for being an incompetent moron, for one. Secondly making sure not to spread myself (and my people) too thin would be important. Going through the members close to me and seeing who is loyal and who is a possible traitor would be important. Compartmentalizing the Ministry so as not to have information leaks and work on a better way to keep the whole world from crumbling down at my feet.
The training of aurors would probably be on my mind as well as the placement of aurors in key locations. PR would be important. In a time like this letting rumors run and everything run higgledy piggledy is never good. Not to project false hope, but rather give the facts as gently as we can with reassurance.
If the world wasn’t attempting to end, the changing of the power structure would be nice. Having a Minister of Magic instead of a cabinet, triad or other such larger number seems a bit foolish. Especially because incompetents like Fudge can make such a royal mess of things.
16. What do you consider your most prominent qualities, either good or bad and why?
Bad (because worst first is best.):
Self deprecation I love to hate myself. I can see all my flaws and it is all too apparent to me what I fail miserably at. Sometimes this gets in the way of motivating myself to do things, what is the point if I just fail?
Apathy It isn’t that I’m not empathetic, but I can step so far back from a situation I don’t care anymore. When I see people on the news I don’t really feel bad for them. I remove myself things.
High Self Monitoring I am all too aware of social situations and how people wish me to act. At times I change myself for the situation to either appease people or to not be dislike. I have a horrible fear of being rejection and ostracized.
Good:
Creative I think outside the box, at times there isn’t even a box. I can approach something from a different angle and write off the top of my head easily.
High Self Monitoring I can adapt to situations because of this. Despite my fear of being rejected I’m well aware that giving into that fear would only make me shrink in other people’s eyes so I can ignore it for the time being. I can improve and I can be friendly if I want to. I can control my emotions or not, depending on the situation.
17. If you could change something of the Harry Potter series, what would you want to change?
The books themselves? I’d make Voldemort more interesting, and Harry less boring. I’d like to see a darker Harry Potter, I think. There’s a clear split between books one, two and three versus four, five and six, tone wise. I like the idea that Harry Potter is darker (though Book Five had be in convulsions) and I wish she’d go a little darker. I know that they’re kids books, but maybe I’d like to see Harry Potter, the non-kids version.
Or a Slytherin!Harry who still saves the world. That’d be rightly interesting.
18. Do you feel you can and will contribute to this community in an original way?
I do both graphics and writing at Hogwarts_elite. I like to do them and would love to do them here as well. I am willing to both offer opinions and listen to opinions, discuss and rant.
19. How did you hear of this community? I do believe rosacrouch before I left Lumos.
20. Now is your chance: choose a house you would prefer not to be sorted into. (Include rational arguments, though.)
Gryffindor. I am not a terribly passionate person, nor am I particularly brave. My Gryffindor traits, if I have any, come from my own self-motivation, self-love or loyalty to some ambiguous ideal I hold. I’m adverse to the idea (probably) more for my irrational dislike of hero archetypes, and the color scheme of the house. I’ve never been a Gryffindor in the four of five sorting communities I’ve joined, so I feel confident in saying I would not fit in there.