General
Name: Alexandre Bran de Vyns
Nickname: BB
Age: 37
Sex: Male
Race: Human
D.O.B.: January 1st, 1960
Star Sign: Aquarius
Wand: 9 ¾ rowan wand with a core of sphinx hair
House: Ravenclaw
Family: Bran de Vyns (father, deceased), Alicia de Vyns (neé Potter, mother, deceased), Sasha de Vyns (sister, whereabouts?), Haley de Vyns (brother, whereabouts?), Joshua de Vyns (brother, became a Buddhist monk at a small temple in Tibet), Morgan de Vyns (sister, whereabouts?), Gina Potter (aunt, deceased), James Potter (first cousin, deceased), Leiko de Vyns (neé Matsushita, wife), Daichi Reginald de Vyns (son), Kenshin Alexandre de Vyns (son), Sora Branwen de Vyns (daughter), Harry Potter (second cousin)
Family History: The de Vyns are one the oldest native families Europe. While they are the oldest, they have always been liberal and progressive in their political stance and maintain their own family code which makes them believe that they are, ultimately, responsible for their family and that they alone are answerable to no one. Within the family itself, the children always answer to the mother and father or whichever parent had more of a presence in the child/children upbringing. The family’s beginnings are documented from the 11th century with the family founder, Constantius de Vyns, a Celtic wizard of some Germanic extraction (ten generations back). Born in Tintagel c.958, his family moved to Avalon where Constantius found he had a talent for breeding horses, winged and non-winged. He married a Welsh witch at the age 45 and created his surname to honour his recently deceased mother, Devyns, and relocated to Salisbury, he was becoming a widely respected breeder in both Wizarding and Muggle communities. By the time he died in 1158 at the age of 200, he had founded the family castle (1098) on a rather deserted moor, had a sizeable family and amassed enough of a fortune to set up the beginnings of the de Vyns house. Over the years the family branched out from horses and dealt with all sorts of animals, becoming the foremost experts on beasts, both magical and non-magical while other members found careers more suited to their tastes. The family grew over time, weathering the cataclysms and revolutions that the Wizarding and Muggle world went through. Their castle was razed and rebuilt no fewer than 6 times. When it was razed for the 7th time during the 17th century, a manor house was built instead and warded very thoroughly with traps, dungeons (which were rarely used) and every ‘modern’ accruement of the time. The witch hunts through England proved to be very trying to the family and when three of the de Vyns children were caught and burned without the proper trial by Muggles, the family withdrew from the Muggle world permanently. Only a few months later, the manor house was burnt down under the accusation that the entire family was witches. This actually necessitated the family burning their own house down from within and faking overly dramatic shrieks of pain. Once the charred ruins were cool enough, illusionary charms were cast around the area and construction of the new manor began immediately. The 7th razing of the house was due to the manor housing a large scale battle between two opposing forces. It has stood ever since and was renamed Whytemoor Manor since construction finished in December and the family came back to find their house covered in snow. Many notable de Vyns have contributed to history but the two most remembered is Malforda de Vyns (c.1728), purveyor of the first magical sex shop in England and Hotchkin de Vyns (c.1845), the only referee to suffer the Killing Curse during a Quidditch match.
Appearance
Height: 6’2’
Build: Tall with a lean but muscular build
Hair Colour: Black
Hair Style: Bound back with a leather thong
Eye Colour: Green
Eye Shape: Slightly slanted and roundish
Skin Colour: Tanned
Personality
Relationships: Alexandre had a very close connection to his parents and missing siblings; even to this day he does his best to find his missing siblings, Sasha, Haley and Morgan. When he can, he goes to visit Joshua. With Leiko, he had a very good relationship until their very different ideals as well as parenting methods and some of Leiko’s more… ruthless methods drove a very deep divide between them. He is best friends with Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy and has been for 18 years even when their reputations became tarnished by their supposed involvement with Lord Voldemort; he even named Severus Snape as Sora’s godfather, and encouraged her to speak to Lucius if he or Severus didn’t have an answer to a question. His relationship with Harry is still developing but they get along quite well at the moment. He also knows Oleander Beecham but not as well as he would like due to the different paths their lives have taken but he still considers her a very good friend. He is very protective of the people that he has truly accepted as friends.
Likes: pieces by Beethoven, Abraxan horses, riding, golden delicious apples, the monthly journal, Best of Beasts, German chocolate cake, looking after the animals in his stables, people who try their very best, mystery/thriller fiction, sleeping in.
Hates: people who don’t even try at all, cold rainy days, pudding of any sort, early mornings, boring whiney people, non-fiction (makes the rare exception for the odd book that catches his interest), bad haircuts.
Qualities: As a very sociable person, Alexandre has many friends but he’s close to only a select few, despite what others may think. He tends to only see the good in people first, but is very quick to notice the nasty tendencies in people when they surface for the first time around him. This same sociable aspect of him is what draws people to him and proves to be very useful; if he should ever find himself in a sticky spot, there is almost always someone who can help him out in some manner. As well, it provides him with a great network; there is very little that occurs in the Wizarding world that he doesn’t know about. While he knows much, he doesn’t divulge it unless forced by situation or his own morals. As he is quite agreeable, he is very forgiving by nature up until a certain point where nothing will dissuade him. Should you truly provoke and enrage him, you won’t know it until it hits you and hits you very hard.
Flaws: Alexandre can be very hasty and rushed when he gets excited or worked up about something. He also has a habit of chewing on his fingernails when he’s thinking over something. When he sits down for dinner, he has to separate out everything before he can start to eat.
Quirks: As a very late sleeper by nature, Alexandre tends to stay up until the wee hours of the morning before grabbing a few hours sleep and then waking up for work. As well, he continually munches on Bernie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans… regardless of whatever flavour he gets. If he sees a Lethifold!Boggart, he tends to shriek like a little girl and bolt from the room.
What is his problem?: Alexandre can be too sociable sometimes and because of this, finds himself overbooked for different things and with barely enough time to spend with his family. Also, he can be a sucker case for philanthropic causes and finds himself opening up his pocketbook unless one of his children or Lucius or Severus is there to fend off the ‘vultures’. As well, he sometimes can’t resist teasing someone about some amusing thing about them.
History
Childhood: Alexandre grew up in privileged household. Despite this, this father made him work hard and taught him everything that he had learned about beasts. His childhood was frenetic and fast paced with four other siblings and one cousin that was visiting constantly with his aunt. He started learning spells from the age of 6 and by the time he was 11, ready to attend Hogwarts, he had theoretically learned all the charms up to third year. Once he actually got his wand, he spent August hexing and jinxing his siblings and cousin leading up to the family reunion in the last few days of August. It was during this same family reunion that Alexandre shattered his shoulder while playing with James. His shoulder was so badly damaged that the crushed bone had to be removed and new bone grown in over the course of a month, followed by a month and a half of therapy to gain back full use of it and he started Hogwarts in November rather than September.
Teenage: Alexandre’s teenage years were occupied by two things mainly: Hogwarts and life at home. This was during the rise of Voldemort power and he felt even more compelled to learn about the threat at this time. This eventually brought him to Lucius Malfoy and the beginnings of his fascination of the Dark Arts during his first year there. As well, this introduced him to Severus Snape. James frowned upon his continued involvement with Lucius and Severus (especially Severus) and severed most of his connections to Alexandre. A bit confused and slightly hurt, Alexandre turned to Lucius, Severus and their studies a bit more. This continued for a year or so, even when Lucius graduated, until Alexandre was in fifth year and he started to notice Oleander Beecham as did Remus Lupin. This caused a sore spot with Severus as he clearly thought that Remus had no good intentions at all and because of his dislike for Oleander Beecham. This continued on for almost two years when, approaching graduations, Oleander finally left Hogwarts on a scholarship offer from Mtuba Academia in Africa. This furthered the gap between James and Alexandre as James felt that Alexandre had caused his friend’s crush to flee while Alexandre thought that it was all Remus’ fault. He graduated with top marks from Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, Charms, Advanced Transfiguration and a few other subjects. Once he officially graduated, he applied for a post in the Spirit Division in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
Adult: The early stages of Alexandre’s career are marked by an almost ludicrous amount of work, which caused him to rise up through the ranks very quickly in the space of one year. But he discovered that he was to be a father, he started to ease up on his workload and assure that there was plenty of free time in his daily schedule. He was thrilled when Leiko delivered two children, but more than puzzled as she told him she was expecting only one child. It wasn’t until he did some digging that Leiko had suspended the development of the first foetus and by accident had become pregnant with another child which forced the other foetus to develop as well once they reached the same stage. He didn’t comment on this, understanding that she would to work on her career first before having a child. Once he saw that she did not stop working, leaving him to deal with the brunt of the childcare, but waited to see if she will change. When she simply continues on, he confronts her about it, causing their first major argument. Alexandre is shocked by Leiko’s blasé attitude concerning her own children and continues to raise them by himself, figuring that her attitude might gave a negative impact on his children. Leiko attempted to reconcile with him in February of 1980 and they ended up sleeping together. Later on that year Sora was born and Alexandre once again found himself in the same situation that he had been in with Kenshin and Daichi. Alexandre names Severus Snape as Sora’s godfather and finds himself booking more and more time off from work. At his wits end, he sets up a home office across the hall from the children’s playroom in order to keep an eye on them and get some work done at the same time. A year later, when the Potters are killed, Alexandre finds out a few days later from a friend that James’ son, Harry Potter is still alive. Alexandre, though swamped with work and looking after a one year old Sora and four year old Kenshin and Daichi, files adoption papers for Harry and goes through all the hoops that the Ministry of Magic Adoption Agency sets down, only to never hear from them once more. Once Leiko finds out, she confronts him about it causing another row that estranges them from one another completely. Alexandre continues to raise his children and teach them while working, until Kenshin and Daichi go off to study in Beauxbatons. Alexandre finally takes all of his vacations and sick days that he never took in all his years of working for his department and lumps them all together into a one year leave in order to spend more time with Sora, using the time to teach her everything that his father taught him in depth and expand on what she already knows. It wasn’t until of early July that he finally heard back from the Adoption Agency that he was given custody of Harry Potter and immediately went over with Sora to collect him.
Survey
1. So what’s your OC’s name, to begin with?: Alexandre Bran de Vyns
2. What’s their starsign?: Aquarius
3. What Hogwarts house were they/are they/would be in?: Ravenclaw
4. Appearance?: Tall at 6’2’ and somewhat built but lean. He has slightly slanted roundish eyes and wears his hair bound back with a leather thong.
5. The BEDP Test – what’s their Boggart (worst fear), Erised (utmost desire), Dementor (worst memory) and Patronus?: Boggart – Lethifold, Erised – Oleander, Dementor – finding his parents dead in their bedroom, Patronus – a winged horse.
6. Favourite Hogwarts school subject?: DADA
7. Favourite Muggle school subject?: History
8. Are they right or left handed?: Left handed.
9. Their preferred Muggle music?: Classical
10. Who do they love most? (maximum three people): Oleander Beecham, Morgan and Haley.
11. They’re left in an empty room for three hours. They can magically get anything they want – except people. When you come back to them, what are they doing?: Sitting in a chair with an ottoman by a nice crackling fire with a good mystery/thriller fiction novel and a glass of red wine.
12. Would they make a good teacher? Why or why not?: Alexandre would make an excellent teacher; he likes to explain things to people and will help them through it until they understand it to the best of their ability.
13. If they had to fight, what weapon would they choose? Why?: Money and politics; that way, he could effectively neutralize his enemy until they had absolutely no where to go and nothing to survive off.
14.What (if any) jewellery do they wear?: None.
15. Would they keep an online journal if they had access to a computer?: No.
16. If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?: To not be so rash when he shouldn’t be.
17. They walk into a crowded room, and everyone looks up at them. What do they do?: Smile and wave to everyone before saying ‘Hi!’.
18. What kind of sense of humour do they have?: Witty but general enough.
19. Do they swear a lot?: Only when provoked.
20. Have they ever broken a bone? If yes then why and when?: Yes. While playing Quidditch at a family get-together in the August of 1971 and shattered his shoulder as James pulls a Wronski Feint and Alexandre couldn’t pull out in time.
21. And finally: if they had an online journal, what would their username be?: beastboy