○ Your name: JJ. ○ Time zone: EST. ○ Roleplaying Experience: starsandsigns, pointygit, niceasymptote. All other pertinent experience can be found at my CDJ, faeriexlights! ○ Character you are applying for: Mariel Davies. ○ A minimum two-hundred words on their parents, then and now: Ever since his early days at Hogwarts, Roger Davies had been known for his suave personality, his debonair looks, and his irresistible smile. Eternally jovial and always on the hunt for a good time, it was unsurprising that he managed to attract many a woman in his younger days, the pinnacle of his conquests being, of course, one hauntingly beautiful Fleur Delacour. However, being from a fairly Pure family, Roger was incessantly hounded from the moment he left Hogwarts to find a girl of good standing and settle down. While Roger had never quite been the sort for stable relationships and was seemingly immune to the pleas of his parents, an incident of the utmost gravity did indeed force him into a marriage that he did not want or remotely desire. Sheba Fawcett had been in the same House as Roger during her time at Hogwarts and, although she was two years younger, they'd had quite the whirlwind romance back in the day. Although the break-up had been volatile, since Sheba was a woman prone to fits of extreme temper tantrums, they'd somehow managed to once again "find" each other - although their relationship was more physical than anything else, it was this very fact that resulted in their soon-to-be permanently-intertwined lives. During the beginning of their second officially unofficial relationship, which had started soon after Sheba left Hogwarts, she discovered some devastating (at least, in her view) news: she was pregnant. Although both Roger and his parents were horrified at this development, him because of his noncommittal ways, and them because of Sheba's less than upstanding lineage, his parents for one final time to interfere in their son's romantic entanglements - and this time, they wouldn't take no for an answer when they demanded that he marry the girl he'd managed to knock up. Although it took quite a bit of persuasive pleading, crying, and even a bit of bellowing, to convince Roger to agree, he did at last, and the two were married at a speedy and hastened wedding. Although it has now been nearly two decades since Sheba and Roger married, the volatility of their relationship has not waned. While the two of them strive to present a picture-perfect family image to the rest of the world, the truth is far from such: the Davies household is often characterised by frequent fights and bouts of yelling; and it is in this environment that Mariel has grown up in. Ironically, although both Sheba and Roger are hardly the epitome of Pureblood perfection (unsurprising, considering the fact that Sheba herself is barely more than a Muggleborn in terms of lineage), they have strived to teach their daughter to be exactly this - Mariel has, since she was young, been dressed up as a doll, taught the innerworkings of etiquette in polite society, and scolded for any breach of this that she may have committed, however inadvertently. Thus, the Davies household is far from a stable one, but this is a fact that very few know, a secret divulged only to immediate family members, close friends, and observant servants. ○ Answer five questions of your choosing (1-3 paragraphs each): • What or who is the greatest love of your character's life? "Are we speaking of materialistic things, actual people, or are intangible loves acceptable, as well? The honest truth is, the only thing I really do adore, at least right now, is art - my art. I'm not very talented, I'll admit, and painting is incredibly messy, but I suppose I find it to be relaxing, to be able to express on a piece of canvas what I refuse to let show in my day-to-day life. I don't show anyone my work, and I don't let people know that I do love art in all its forms, but it's there. I'm certainly not aspiring to make an actual career out of it - Lord knows what my parents would think - but, well, I find it to be calming." • What is your character's greatest fear? "Being 'found out,' I suppose. Having someone discover that I'm not actually the perfect little debutante I try to be, that I'm not this picturesque model of Pureblood perfection. I've tried to downplay the fact that my mother is - well, that she's barely even a Halfblood, because that's the sort of thing that can honestly get you killed in Slytherin, but it's not actually all that difficult a fact to find out, is it? I honestly can't stand having to act prim and proper half the time, because the dresses are constricting and all that smiling can really start to become painful after a while, but all the same, I keep it up for a reason. I hate the thought of disappointing my parents, as ludicrous as that may seem, but even more importantly, I detest the idea of someone being able to manipulate me the way I attempt to manipulate others. That - well, that's horrifying." • What is the trait your character most deplores in others? "Bluntness. Now, honestly, what's the use? All you're doing by being outspoken, by telling the world what you really think, is allowing everyone to know just how to tick you off, how to manipulate you to do their bidding. It isn't safe, and it certainly isn't practical. Not only that, but really, it breaches any and all rules of etiquette - and if you're disliked by the people around you, well, there isn't anywhere for you to go, any ladder of ambition for you to climb. You need to be able to read people to get anywhere in life, to tell them the things they want to hear, and how on earth can a person manage that if they're mouthing off about every little thing that irks them? It's ridiculous. You shouldn't exhibit your emotions, your feelings,in public - leave that sort of thing for your private moments...personally, I've found that a knife and a pillow can work wonders when I'm feeling enraged." • On what occasions does your character lie? On all occasions. As I've mentioned before, telling the truth just isn't practical - why bother, really, when you could formulate a perfectly acceptable lie? I've also found that people are more apt to believe lies and fantasies, that they prefer them over cold, hard facts when it comes right down to it. Telling someone the truth, letting them see the real you, well, that just puts you in a really vulnerable position, doesn't it? Instead, if they think you're something else, perhaps if they think you're less intelligent than you really are, less ambitious, they're more likely to underestimate you, and they'll be caught that much more off-guard when you prove them wrong. I suppose I do tell the truth about small things, like what I've eaten for breakfast, or what colour varnish I've decided to use on my nails - but the truly important things, such as how much I love my parents, or whether or not I actually want to do something with my life once I've left Hogwarts? Well, I don't want to share my dreams and aspirations if they'll be scoffed at - as I said, people really do prefer lies to the truth, and I've learned that it's honestly much simpler to give people what they want, even if it isn't necessarily what they need. After all, they'll find out on their own, eventually, won't they?" • What is your character's motto? "This one is fairly simple, actually. I've always gone by the dictum "win or die," simply because I honestly don't believe there are any other choices. People are often hailed and applauded for their ability to see the world in shades of grey - personally, I think that's utter shite. There really aren't any colours except black or white, right or wrong, win or die. After all, if you win, you've won, you've come out on top and there isn't anyone who can defeat you, not at that particular point in time. But if you lose? Honestly, you might as well be dead, because there's just no hope left, none at all, really. I'm not what I'd call a competitive person, because I don't seek out fights and arguments - and I'm not a Gryffindor - but I do like to think I have more than enough ambition needed to thrive in this world. The thing is, you know, losing indicates weakness, and weakness? Well, that's entirely unacceptable. If you must know, I come from - well, I come from a rather volatile background, I suppose that would be the most elegant way of putting things. I loathe the ever-present instability at home, and I guess that's the reason that I strive so hard for security and certainty in my own life, the life that doesn't include my parents. And, I personally think this is a bit obvious, but not many people seem to realise it - for things to really be stable, you can't have someone else in charge of your life, of your decisions! You have to control them, all of them, and the only way to do that is to win the right to do so. So, as I said before, it's simple, really. Win or die, nothing else." ○ In-character first-person entry (2-3 paragraphs): Back at Hogwarts already! It seems as though the days really do fly by when you're having fun (or, at least, when you're simply not doing homework), don't they? I'm not at all sure how I feel about the new first-years, as they seemed to be quite rowdy during the Welcoming Feast, but all the same, I was rather put off by something I overheard one of the fifth years mentioning during dinner. Honestly, I'd swear I heard little Yassie mention something about wanting to eat seven first years while sacrificing virgin lepers in hell? Of course, I may simply have misheard, but I do like to think that my hearing, amongst other things, is rather impeccable. If this is the case, I suggest that the school's prefects keep a weather eye out for the wee ones during these next few weeks! I dare say that cannibalism would cause quite the scandal: after all, no matter how wearisome the first years may be, I doubt anyone wants them dead! In other perhaps more immediately important news, I seem to have misplaced my Jimmy Floos! Has anyone seen them? A girl without her expensive shoes isn't a girl at all, you know! ○ In-character third-person entry (2-3 paragraphs): Had Potions always been this dull? Mariel couldn't remember a time when she'd been so mind-numbingly bored - at least in History of Magic, there was usually something intriguing to peer out at through the windows. But here, in the dank dungeons (although she'd never admit it, not to a single soul, Mariel quite loathed the location of the Slytherin dormitories - how depressing they were!), there were simply no windows at all to gaze through. Staring down at her potion, which seemed to be simmering in accordance with the textbook's instructions, Mariel placed her chin upon her hand with a little sigh, making sure to look exceedingly put-upon. Was she just supposed to sit here until the potion decided it was time to change colour? How ridiculous, honestly! As if she didn't have better things to do than cater to the whimsical whims of an inanimate - and quite questionable, really - liquid. Oh, Mariel Davies thought to herself, my life is just so difficult!. ○ Played-by: Must have imdb.com profile. ○ Journal for use: </td></tr>