Sorting:Ailsa Callaghan

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TakeMeToTheHole

~~***Multiple Choice Quiz (Optional)***~~
~~1) Would you rather:~~

~~A) Hunt~~
~~B) Heal~~
~~2) Which would you choose if you could only have one?~~

~~A) The power to change one day in your future~~
~~B) The power to change one day in your past~~
~~C) The power to make one person impervious to harm~~
~~D) The power to bring one person back from the dead~~
~~E) The power to cure one illness worldwide~~
~~F) The power to eradicate one quality from all humans~~
~~G) The power to know the answer to any single question~~
~~3) If I could, I would never feel...~~

~~A) Pain~~
~~B) Fear~~
~~C) Regret~~
~~D) Shame~~
~~4) My Magic Is...~~

~~A) Inborn~~
~~B) In need of work~~
~~C) Unique~~
~~C) Powerful~~
~~5) I often think...~~

~~A) Why did I do that?~~
~~B) Why can't I do that?~~
~~C) wish I had done that~~
~~D) I wonder whether I should do that~~
~~6) I am strongest when....~~

~~A) I know I am right~~
~~B) With my comrades~~
~~C) Enthusiastic~~
~~D) Awake~~
~~E) Alone~~
~~7) You can rescue a baby or the only bottle of a potion that could save 1000 lives. Which do you save?~~

~~A) The baby. The bottle MIGHT only save 1000 lives.~~
~~B) The chance to save 1000 lives is too hard to pass up~~

***Character Information***
1) Please write out your character's biography. Mention their parents, any siblings they may have, how old they were when they showed signs of magic, and how they reacted. Please make sure it's 3 paragraphs, 7 sentences each.

Ailsa Mhairi Callaghan was born in New York, but raised in London for her early years. Her mother, a New Yorker, her father, a Londoner. And it seemed like nothing could go wrong. Haven't we all heard this story before? Yes, but humour me, and pretend we don't all know how it's going to end. Because we don't know, not really, because her story is not yet finished being written. Ailsa had one older brother by three years. His name was Alistair, and he was as boisterous as she would soon be, to the point he often wasn't allowed to hold her during the early days because they were scared he would break her by pulling her about. Neither of her parents were Scottish, but his name was Scottish, too, and the simple explanation for this was that Emilia and Maximilian were both *Scotland aficionados.*
'Wish I was born there, but I wasn't' kind of aficionados; I'm telling you they wouldve moved there if it was convenient to the kind of area they wanted their kids to grow up in. They loved Scotland, but wanted their kids to grow up in an English suburban environment. Odd, right? *Odd*. However, the reason for this is clear. They lived in an apartment not far off Diagon Alley, and they lived there because of the magical community that surrounded them, and several whispers of moving to Godric's Hollow were debated before hastily being put to bed.
And for the first four years of her life Ailsa thrived. They had her on a toy broomstick as soon as she could toddle, and being tugged around by Maximilian turned to rough-and-tumble she could partake in, even if her parents didn't particularly approve of the activity. She thrived still, even if she did accidentally set her bedroom curtains on fire in a burst of rage because her brother ate her ice cream. Ailsa's magical ability was no surprise of course, her brother was (though his first sign had been decidedly more subdued) and they were a pure-blood family. The issue was that they were too excited about seeing it for certain to remember that you shouldn't award rage. ( She got replacement ice cream, and extras. )
However, shortly after Ailsa's birthday the marriage of her parents collapsed in a rather distressing manner. They had differing views on how their children should be raised, not least their approach to the fairly temperamental Ailsa, who would fight something were she physically able to (and would, on occasion, attempt this regardless. ) It came to light, too, that Emilia believed Maximilian had been cheating, and in the face of this accusation, he began to, so after some short months the pair were divorced, and thus Ailsa Callaghan's double life began. A job offer for Emilia in a New York legal firm was finalised after it was settled, and thus, she moved back to the States, taking Ailsa with her. Alistair remained behind at first, and they would switch places, occasionally spending time in the other's company. And for the years in between her first magical sign and her eleventh birthday, this was the way it was, this cautious dance, though she wasn't particularly cautious about it. She would often blurt out whatever one of the parents had said about the other and turn bad into worse.
However, on her eleventh birthday, she was offered a choice. Ilvermorny or Hogwarts? Emilia had a new step-family with whom she got on well, and Ailsa related more personally to her mother, so she chose to stay in America and attend Ilvermorny. There, she was chosen by three houses, all excluding Pukwudgie, and, slightly bemused, she chose her mother's house, Wampus. ( Callaghan is her mother's maiden name. She used it then, she uses it now. ) She would spend much of the holidays in Britain, often missing out on time spent with her Ilvermorny compatriots over summer, but her new-found friends Julian and Michelangelo didn't seem to mind too much. They were in Horned Serpent and Pukwudgie respectively, and Ailsa liked to remark that since Thunderbird chose her, too, they had all four.
That wasn't technically how it worked, but she didn't much care. During her time at Ilvermorny she found her calling, Defense Against The Dark Arts. She wasn't much for book smarts. In fact, she was one of those students people loathed, the ones with the ability to coast, get by sans great effort by bluffing. 'Coasting' got her a life as an Auror. Ailsa also played Quodpot, and was greatly appeased when bludgers were introduced into the game, because she wasn't a good chaser whatsoever but a beater? That she could do. Anger, coming out again! She persisted in visiting Britain until she came of age, when her father had found a new family of which she wanted no part and which didn't want her. At that point, she moved to America permanently, and moved in with Julian and Michelangelo. Speaking of Julian and Michelangelo, she had come to a rather problematic conclusion in sixth year, that not only did she like them, she liked them both. Eleven years later she still has not resolved this conundrum. Get on with it, Ailsa.
Post-graduation she became an Auror, dedicated to a fault. For some eight years she threw herself into the job, fighting to ensure dark witches and wizards were confined to the cells they rightfully belonged in. Until one day, her persistence and lack of regard for her own safety, her tendency to overwork, came to an ugly head in her slowly bleeding out over a marble floor. That incident, her recklessness, nearly cost the then twenty-four year old Ailsa her life, and it was the wake-up call her friends needed to get her out of that job. Her own wake-up call would take a while longer, until after she was out at their insistence. Three years ago, she took the job at Ilvermorny School of Magic. Two years ago, she became Head of Wampus, and she's been both happier and safer since. She feels as though this was the job she was always meant to have, and it's a bonus that her two best friends are here to share in her joy with her.
2) Please write out your character's personality. Are they curious? Are they kind? Please make sure it is 2 paragraphs, 7 sentences each.

There is a reason why young, eleven year old Ailsa Callaghan was chosen by three houses, and that's simply because she has so many priorities, so many goals that she wishes to achieve in her life. Let's go over the reasons why each house would think that the young witch had promise within the halls of their house. Let's start with Horned Serpent. Now, it should be noted that she was never a scholar in the typical sense, not caring particularly for book-smarts or grades on paper, but she had ideas with promise. Ideas on how to bridge gaps that had previously seemed insurmountable. And when the subject fell on something that could truly capture her interest, her eyes would light up and it'd be nearly impossible to prevent her from talking. ( See: the entirety of Defense Against The Dark Arts. If you'd known her then, it wouldn't be difficult to see how or why she ended up teaching it – there was true passion. )
Now onto Thunderbird. This one is simpler. Ailsa Mhairi Callaghan simply had a sheer thirst for life, and for adventure, being raised between two countries for much of her earlier life, something that would continue throughout her later education. She'd never be intimidated by change, this truly sociable creature who would dip her toe into just about any pond if asked to. Her carefree humour, beaming smile, and the way the wind takes hold of her hair when she's stood outside; the easy slinging of her arm about the shoulders of her friends; the desire to keep those friends around. The desire to travel with them someday, although she never would. Or at least hasn't yet. Her easy, snarky sense of humour that rolls off her tongue like it's breathing.
Wampus – the house she elected to choose in the end – why did the house of the warriors desire to have Ailsa Callaghan within its ranks? Even as she selected it, the house she had wanted, just like her mother, she barely understood why the carving had roared. The fact of the matter is that Ailsa has had a very rocky life, and had done right from the very beginning, but she always stood up, always persisted. She'd spit in the face of adversity (she had – once – the face of adversity, in this case, was her stepmother) and tell it to try harder, even to the point of fault. Consistently she would place herself between others and situations that threatened to harm them. This tendency, and also the extremes of it, would become far more evident as she became older. Her faults were most evident here too, her anger, her stubbornness, her recklessness ( although recklessness could also be placed in the 'lust for life' category. )
She took on a warrior's job, as an Auror, pushed herself to her limits, giving up the travel and adventure she had once craved but never acted on. So determined to make the world better, the lives of others better, her friends' lives, her life better, that she forgot she needed to preserve herself. Ailsa simply kept pushing until it was the care of Michaelangelo (his inner Pukwudgie) and the very unique wisdom of Julian (Horned Serpent) in his own way, that dragged her away from the fray. And even then giving up wasn't an option, she kept fighting a different battle by helping to arm the little warriors of the future. That is why Wampus chose Ailsa Callaghan, her willingness to fight any fight however small if she thought it was good, and her ability to persist.
But Pukwudgie – why was it the only house that didn't choose her? The truth is, Ailsa's courage doesn't stretch to matters of the heart. If given the choice she will never show vulnerability, even if it will do her better, she will keep her insecurities close to her chest. She doesn't know how to deal with others' problems unless she can fight them, and emotional problems of her own will simply be ignored because they get in the way of her life and what she wants to be doing, and only those who know her the best will be able to see she is suffering before she breaks down.
3) What is your character's blood status? How does this define who they are, as a person?

Ailsa is a **pure-blood**, but I genuinely don't think that has impacted on her all too greatly as a person – she certainly doesn't feel superior about it – simply because it has never truly occurred to her that this is something that *matters*to people.
4) What is your character's occupation?

Ailsa is the **Defense Against the Dark Arts** Professor at Ilverrmorny, as well as the sitting Head of Wampus, her former house.
5) What does your character look like? Do they have a specific faceclaim? If so, please list the faceclaim's name here with a picture of them!

Ailsa's face claim is **Hayley Atwell**.

6) Is this your first character? If not, how many do you have? How many of them are exotic? (Remember, neither of your first two characters can be exotic!)

This is my **first** character – thus, none of them are exotic.

***Open Ended Questions***
1) A wand says a lot about its owner's self. What is your character's wand made of? Why does it answer to them?

Ailsa's wand is made of **dogwood**, has a **phoenix feather**core, and is **eleven and three-quarter** inches in length.
This wand answers to Ailsa *because*she has the same quirky, mischievous temperament (although, there is also her fierceness to speak of) as wands made of dogwood, and can offer it the tendency toward excitement it craves. Those who know her would also note its leaning toward the loud and **dramatic**. **(** She's also just as fickle as the phoenix feather, though she'd never admit it. **)**
2) A sorcerer's patronus speaks volumes of the kind of person they truly are within. What if your character's patronus? Why?

Ailsa's patronus is a **polecat**. Again, as with her wand wood this speaks volumes to her playful nature – and the fact that she might be fairly small in stature, but has a fierce temperament contained within a small frame. Her patronus is also symbolic of the fact that she knows where her home truly is, even if she has not ***acted*** upon that knowledge just yet.
3) Has your character's life played out how they wanted? Why or why not? What will they do in order to make their lives better?

For the most part, Ailsa's life has gone the way she wanted, or at least the parts she can control. Now, she's in the best job she could think of to have with her two best schoolfriends at her side; for what more could she possibly ask? ( ~~For confirmation that they both like her, too, of cours~~~~e~~. )
If she had the opportunity to mend the relationship of her parents, she wonders sometimes if she would take it, or if that change would only lead to bigger changes that would make her a different person than she is now. However, there's no question that she would take the accident out of her history if the chance was offered her, so that her friends might worry about her less, so that it will cease to disturb her dreams. However, she wouldn't change a damn *thing* about her time at Ilvermorny.
What will she do in order to make her life better? Oddly for someone who was placed in the house of the warriors, Ailsa needs to be a little braver. She needs to broach the subject of her feelings with her friends, no matter how scared she is to go down that road for fear of rejection, and she needs to continue persisting in her efforts to contact her brother, despite the fact his continued non-response is crushing.
4) If your character could change anything about the wizarding world, what would they change? Why?

Ailsa would probably attempt to close what feels like the **wide gaping chasm** between the culture of the American wizarding world and that of Europe, where she was born. This is simply because, having been raised between America and England for most of her childhood before deciding to settle in the former when her family life in the latter became virtually non-existent, she can see the benefits of both magical systems, and thinks if they came together, both could likely be improved.
5) Your character has landed in an island with no way out. However, there's a sandbox with a mysterious chest there, carrying **one** item. What does your character want to be in there?

Quite honestly, Ailsa would have the urge to exploit the several possible meanings of the word 'item' and have both her ~~boy~~friends, **Julian** and **Michelangelo**, in the box, because technically, they are an 'item' in the sense of 'couple.'
However, if she had to take the question literally, she would probably want the box to contain a **picture** of the three of them – taken on the last day of Ilvermorny. Julian with his dopey grin, Michelangelo with his arms about their shoulders, and Ailsa herself with her head thrown back, laughing in response to a joke they'd just told. The most perfect moment she could possibly carry with her.

Alisa Callaghan has been approved. Congratulations!