Where does the stress go in 'Horcrux'?
Name: Rosaria
Age: 18
Gender: Female
1. What is/was your favorite subject in school and why? That's a difficult choice. Probably Philosophy because I enjoyed all the interaction with other classmates. A lot of the discussions got really heated but that was half the fun, especially since I knew that however much we yelled at each other over some 'deep and meaningful' problem, we were still friends. I find it fascinating to nut out the sort of problems that you can never really solve. Also, a lot of what we studied in the political philosophy units was applicable to what I studied in my Legal Studies class.
2. What would be your favorite subject at Hogwarts and why? Defence Against the Dark Arts, because practical lessons would feel like an adventure. It would also make me feel more dependent and able to look after myself. I'm not very physically strong so having defensive spells up my sleeve would be a help.
3. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I'd like to be able to let go of things easily. When someone disappoints me or makes me angry I tend to angst over it for a while and let it consume me. I'd like to be able to just cut people out of my life and move on without much emotion over the past. I also tend to bitch a lot about people who have made me angry, and that doesn't help with moving on.
4. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? Rather than go for the biggies like world peace, global perspective, enrivonment etc, I'll choose another thing I'd like changed: I'd make sex something that people don't talk about like they do sport. It's discussed too freely in my opinion. I don't think people should feel like they can't talk about it at all because that's hardly healthy, but it should be talked about with respect. I hate sitting on the bus listening to guys on the back seat talking loudly and in great detail about last weekend's conquest. And I mean great detail. The whole bus does not want to know.
5. Which Harry Potter character can you relate to the most and why? Hermione, because she doesn't seem to have a girl best friend on her side. I have a lot of female friends but a lot of the time it's my male best friends that I feel are the most steady and loyal.
6. Which non-Harry Potter character can you relate to the most and why?
Rose from Titanic, and her lack of satisfaction with the life she was leading before she met Jack on the Titanic. She'd been living that very narrow life which revolved around money and social status. Marrying to secure a good fortune would be a sort of seal on that lifestyle and ensure she couldn't escape. Likewise, I wouldn't want to fall into a regular pattern that was going to be the rest of my life, and then secure that routine at so young an age.
7. Pick one quality from each of the four houses that you possess and explain why.
Slytherin - Cunning. I have a knack for knowing when some revelation (a break up, deceit, spark of sexual tension) has arisen in my social group even if I haven't seen any of my friends for a while. I just get an idea that won't go away. Then I'm pretty good at getting the details out of people by making it sound like I've already heard it from someone else.
Ravenclaw - Thirst for knowledge. I have a habit of going to the non-fiction section of a library, suddenly wanting to learn about something completely new and taking out heaps of books on that subject. Applying for Universities has been really frustrating as I can't imagine narrowing down to just a few subjects. I'd like to be an expert on everything.
Hufflepuff - Hard work. If something's worth doing it's worth doing well. I like to be kept busy, and I get depressed when I've been idle for a long time. I'd rather be in a job that kept me on my toes and mildly stressed than a job that allowed me to sit around waiting for something to happen.
Griffindor - Chilvalry. I don't just mean thinking men should be chilvarous to women, but that women should be chivalrous in return by allowing men to do the old fashioned things - holding doors, paying for meals - and not make them feel that they've done the wrong thing or somehow robbed them of the right to being an independent woman.
8. Which house do you think you belong in and why?
I hope it's okay to put two here. Sometimes when all my focus is on my studies, I feel like a Ravenclaw because my priority is learning as much as possible and applying it to a wise life, helping others. Other times I get insanely ambitious and think feverisly about success, and that becomes the aim of learning things, rather than gaining knowledge that I could use to help others. At those times I feel more like a Slytherin.
9. Which house do you feel you'll never belong in and why?
I don't think there's any house I'd never fit into. They've all got their good qualities and I can think of reasons I'd be sorted into any of the houses. I'd probably be most surprised at being sorted into Hufflepuff because I think of Hufflepuffs as very compassionate to everyone, and my compassion wears thin when dolled out too much to people who bring misery upon themselves.
10. Which Harry Potter book do you like the best and why? The Goblet of Fire, because of the mix of humour and angst. The humour lies in the dramatic love triangles (Harry/Cho/Cedric and Ron/Hermione/Viktor). I love how the threesome is growing up and feeling the pangs of unrequited love! The Unexpected Task is particularly amusing. Then in the end the book is very sad. Good balance. The later books have too much of the angst, I feel. (Although I do understand that it has to be that way.)
11. Which Harry Potter movie do you like the best and why? Not a big fan of any of the movies, but I enjoy them as sort of illustrations to the movies. I think the best made one was the Prisoner of Azkaban. It didnt seem to jump around so much as the others. I also love the soundtrack, especially the track that went with Harry thinking about his parents, I think it was called Window to the Past? Another reason I liked this film is because I thought they portrayed Harry having to deal with a deeper understanding of his parents' deaths very well. And the sound of Lily's screams sent chills up my spine!
12. What would you see if you looked into the Mirror of Erised? There's a certain person I don't see or speak to anymore who I care about very deeply, and if I looked into the Mirror I'd see myself with them, friends again, communication restored, no bitterness between us and happy in each other's company.
13. If you came across a boggart, what would it transform into? The above person, dead before we get the chance to get to know each other again. No further detail is required.
14. Which Harry Potter character is your least favorite and why? Pansy Parkinson. She makes me so irritated. She needs to get a grip! Way too obsessed with Draco Malfoy. He may allow her to worship him but in the end he knows that he has bigger fish to fry. Also she's way too focused on enjoying Hermione's miseries and last I checked, the only thing Hermione has done to offend Pansy (apart from be a Griffindor) was to be friends with Harry who is Draco's enemy. So once again, she needs to get over Draco.
15. If you were in the Harry Potter universe, what would be your stance on Muggle-born wizards practicing magic? I think I'd be more curious than anything else. Where on earth do they get the power from? It's a bit suspicious really. If a Muggle-born was a good friend I'd be interested finding out more about their lineage, to see if they had a forgotten wizard in the family. Apart from that, if they have the same powers as any other wizard, why treat them differently, as they need the same protection from other wizards from muggles who may want to persecute them.
16. What kind of qualities do you look for in a friend? First of all, someone who I can have a flowing conversation with. I don't like to have to be the one to keep reviving the chat. Good chemistry can ensure that sort of rapport. Also, someone who will introduce me to some fun thing I haven't tried, and who will check out something I enjoy. On a deeper level, I look for people I can trust not to laugh if I tell them something embarrassing, and who will also trust me enough to let me know what bothers them and what their dreams are. Clingy is bad.
17. What is your favorite quote from the series and why? "And Harry realised, with a shock so huge it seemed to root him to the spot, that Malfoy was crying - actually cring - tears streaming down his pale face into the grimy basin." The first time I read this I whooped with triumph because I love Draco and I always knew he was a human being deep down, no matter what anyone else said, and they couldn't deny it anymore! Also I think this moment is a huge turning point in the way Harry views Draco.
18. What is your favorite quote that is not related to Harry Potter and why?
"But the purpose of University is to find a suitable husband. Rose has already done that." - Rose's mother, Titanic.
This line always makes me laugh, especially recently as I've had to choose between going to University this year or taking a year off to work and save up lots of money. One of my reasons for choosing to go straight into studies - apart from wanting to learn - is to make new and useful connections. I'm so sick of a lot of my school friends and would love to meet lots of new people asap. And people includes boys. Possibly potential husbands, why not?
19. Who is one person, real or fictional, that inspires you and why?
My older brother. He doesn't care what people think about him and he follows whatever whims he has. He's not afraid to take risks to see if an idea would work. He makes his own luck rather than relying on other people and then complaining that he's been let down. You'd never hear him whinging that he's not successful/not rich/not healthy because of someone else, because he takes everything into his own hands.
20. List your top five priorities in life. Why are these things so important to you?
In no particular order, as it changes from day to day:
1. Getting married and having children. My family is split up all over the country, indeed the world. I long to have a well established family that sticks together and does family things. Might have to marry into a huge, stable family.
2. Wordly pleasures such as going to parties, dancing the night away, and looking good for the occasion. Every opportunity always feels like the last opportunity to me. I hate turning down invitations.
3. Studying - the unexplainable thirst for knowledge.
3. Meeting fascinating people and learning new things from them. It's also a priority not to sound like a fool, so having a lot of obscure knowledge to share with them is a benefit.
5. Making a difference somehow. I'd like to be remembered for something good well after I die. I'll aim to do something that's worth getting in my school's old scholars newsletter. :)
21. You see both a Muggle and a wizard in trouble. You have the chance to help only one. Would you help one of them or ignore the situation? If you chose to help one of them, which would you help and why?
I'd help the wizard. There are less magical people in the world than muggles and we should be like family. It's the same difference as between helping a stranger or a relative.
22. Under what circumstances would you use an Unforgivable Curse?
Probably in a moment of extreme jealousy, to inflict harm on the person causing it. It wouldn't be a thought out revenge plan. Thinking would mellow me up a bit. I'd be acting on a pure whim and feel terrible about it afterwards.
23. Under what circumstances would you work for Voldemort?
If Voldemort was holding captive someone very important to me and torturing them continuously/threatening to kill them, I think I would work for Voldemort if it meant my friend/loved one was let free. Unless of course the job he gave me involved directly hurting someone else important to me. Not that you can trust Voldemort, but if I had no other choice I'd probably take the chance.
24. If you happened upon a Time Turner, how would you use it?
Sometimes I wonder if my memories have changed with "overuse". A Time Turner would allow me to go back in time and watch things in much better detail than I can remember them. That probably wouldn't be healthy, but it would be so tempting.
25. Will you remain an active member of the community?
Yes, I like participating in communities and making new friends. It's more fun if you're a regular and you start getting to know the people.
Thanks for reading everyone. To be honest, I have no idea where you lot will put me based on this. I'm quite afraid I'll get muggled! If you need more information on any of the questions, please let me know!