InsaneJournal

NAME: Francis Edward Wilkes (that's Frahncis not Francis, thanks). Fran, Franny, and Fanny are all perfectly acceptable if you'd like to lose a limb. 'Wilkes' is preferred.
AGE/BIRTHDAY: April 20th, 1959
BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood
FORMER HOUSE: Slytherin. Class of 1977.
OCCUPATION: Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

FAMILY: Not looking for them to be played but for the sake of explanation:

FRANCIS EDWARD WILKES. [January 17, 1939] Father. Imagine for a minute your father is the guy who invented the snuggie or mop shoe. Wilkes' dad is pretty much the wizarding world equivalent. He's an entrepreneur who works misc. jobs dealing with charms on the side. While Francis cares about his father, he isn't as close to him or his family as he is to his mother and her side of the family. There's also a slight underlying resentment about his father's family and career choice. While the Wilkes are a pureblood family (with some exceptions) and very proud of this fact, they probably rank just above the Weasley family when it comes to wealth. Besides this, there's the humiliation of constantly having to confess that, yes, his father is the genius behind screaming socks and a number of other less than useful inventions, the most of which gather dust on store shelves. Worst of all, his father seems entirely unfazed by what people seem to think of him.

MARILYN ANNE WILKES. [May 3, 1935] Mother. Bakery owner, cake decorator, bringer home of bacon, and wearer of pants. Marilyn comes from an affluent, old money family and one look at her would leave most people wondering how she ended up with someone like Francis' father. Francis is closest to her and her side of the family although he's never exactly fit in with them. While Marilyn would like to assure Francis things like status and wealth aren't important (they obviously weren't a factor in her marriage or career, after all), she often finds herself wishing for her former life and trying to urge Francis towards it before she can stop herself.

ANNE BLANCHEFLEUR BLISHWICK. [August 7, 1913] Grandmother on his mother's side (although she'd much rather Wilkes call her Mrs. Blishwick instead of something that makes her feel so old) and snotty rich purist. Since he was little, Anne has taken Wilkes under her wing in hopes of making up for the disaster she's let become of her daughter's life. Although fond of Wilkes, she can't help often looking down on him because she feels he's a bit too much like his parents. Wilkes often feels she expects too much of him, is condescending, and that she's a bit too snobby, but he's always wanted her approval. Every time he's had enough of her and is on the verge of putting his foot down, he's been lured back with praise and her generosity when it comes to gifts.

DAISY AOIFE HOOKUM. [March 15, 1960] Yes, that Daisy Hookum. Cousin and arguably the embodiment of everything he hates in life. She's loud and obnoxious (surely, nothing he is or has ever been), obscene, makes his entire family look like they were raised by mentally challenged wolves, probably a lesbian, and she has that weird obsession with blenders. Always manages to bring out his worst side.

SEXUALITY: Homosexual. I imagine Wilkes has always known he liked men. When the other boys were eyeing girls in class or pulling their hair, he was watching them or desperately trying to gain their approval and attention (which made him more than a little annoying). However, the issue's never been that he liked men (it was, for a long time, really just something he thought about sometimes) so much as questioning his masculinity.

He's never really felt or considered himself gay (and, deep down, is probably frightened of being considered it). On top of the extremes (gays lusting after children and all that -- none of which he buys), being gay entails exaggerated femininity (the lisp and perhaps some urge to be a woman) or hypomasculinity (like a chiseled chest). While far from the most masculine guy in existence (which is something he's forever worrying over), he's not exactly effeminate either. He takes care of himself (worries over clothes and has a morning skin care routine) because people like his mother and grandmother have assured him that's what everyone in society expects (and what women want -- what woman wants a man with spots?).

And Wilkes does try with women (especially when his anxieties about his sexuality get the better of him), putting all his charm into pursuing them and rarely really hitting it off (more or less) with one or two. However, he's always been unquestionably attracted to and at ease around men. This caused some concern during his early years at Hogwarts. He worried it would quickly become apparent he was gay, which caused him to latch onto a girlfriend.

Coming to terms (more or less) with his sexuality since then has been easier although he's far from open about it given the time period and organization he's involved with. If no one else, he's at least come out to Evan Rosier. Upon finding he wasn't immediately treated like a leper about it, he's found it easier to distance his homosexuality as being a defining characteristic and instead write it off as just an odd sexual attraction rather than something wrong with him. In his mind it's more of a kink, really -- something to be indulged (and he does deserve it) on occasion because there are much more important things to be worrying about.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Usually has a girlfriend in tow every couple of months because he doesn't want anyone to think something's wrong with him. A couple of months is how long said girlfriends usually last, too.
CHILDREN: Maybe in the futur Honestly, he's probably too selfish to have children. He loves children in small doses and will fawn over other people's... at least until they start bawling, look ready to hurl, or his arms get tired from holding them. Then, they're shoved right back into their parents' arms. Besides that, the idea of getting trapped with his own is more than a little horrifying. He likes having the freedom to go out at night on a whim or potentially leave the country for months at a time should he decide to switch careers. Plus there's that issue of getting a wife to begin with.

LOYALTY/ALLIANCE: Death Eaters.

ROLE IN THE WAR: In general, Wilkes is a capable duelist; talented with charms, curses, and defensive magic; and able to find ways to make himself useful. However, there’s nothing especially notable about Wilkes as a Death Eater. Wilkes isn’t a leader. He isn’t the voice of reason (usually whatever he wants to add has already been said). He has a stubborn streak, but he isn't the person who rushes in with guns blazing. Instead, he's an eager follower although it takes a while to fully earn his respect and loyalty. Once a person has it, however, he can be an extremely valuable asset to whoever is in charge and his loyalty is extremely hard to erase. He's the person that whoever is in charge can always turn to in order to make sure what needs to be done actually gets done. He's too stubborn to let his own work go unfinished -- or even poorly finished. He's the guy who's mentally going down the established agenda doing what already hasn't been done himself.

POLITICAL VIEWS: ...is there an "it's complicated" option like on facebook? Wilkes and his parents aren't purists. They don't have issues with different degrees of blood purity. They don’t share extremist sentiments that muggles are stealing magic or inferior. They don’t even necessarily have a problem with most muggleborns -- in fact, they even believes that there are (occasionally) a few extremely talented, perfectly lovely muggleborns who are as worth their time as any wizard. Instead, their issues primarily lie with muggles.

Wilkes' parents don't (and have never had) occupations that would afford them the luxury of bigotry towards halfbloods or muggleborns. Because of this, they've grown to accept and make friendships (genuine ones, even) with non-purebloods out of necessity and convenience rather than any real attempt at tolerance. His father's side of his family (and perhaps even his mother alone, depending on the person) could begrudgingly tolerate having a half-blood in the family (maybe, under the rarest of circumstances, even a muggleborn if they were distanced from their muggle relatives). However, these relationships are the exception rather than the rule and don’t necessarily leave these individuals without their own biases.

Like his mother, Wilkes has always had a certain unease about muggleborns. Wilkes believes muggleborns are wizards – and rightfully so. However, they aren’t part of the culture – they’re part of muggles’ (muggle being a word that, in his mind, is often associated with the very worst and most barbaric side of human nature, ranking just below werewolves and vampires). For this reason, Wilkes often finds himself viewing muggleborns not unlike tamed bears, capable of all manner of intelligence and circus tricks. However, like most really dangerous animals, you still don't typically invite them to live with you. After all, who knows what kind of bloodthirsty beasts they might turn into at their worst.

And that’s just the thing -- most muggleborns are just as frightened by magic as muggles despite their abilities. What’s worse is that the ministry tries to accommodate them, causing wizards to lose their rights. As a result, more and more magical practices and items are prohibited (deemed “dark magic”). More and more people go between both worlds, putting the wizarding world in danger by threatening the statute of secrecy. The more muggles are integrated into the wizarding world alongside them, the more that happens. And those aren’t the only consequences.

The more the worlds integrate, the more it becomes okay to marry muggles, which dilute the bloodlines (if not always immediately – thus squibs) and creates unstable marriages . Wilkes believes it's detrimental to the happiness of both parties and that there's no way the relationship wouldn't be strained, especially if the couple has children. Muggles are practically handicap in the wizarding world, like squibs, and would inevitably feel left out and jealous of their partner's abilities - and who knows what that could lead to. Wizards can't live up to their full potential having to hide their abilities, will likewise feel left out (especially if their children lack magical ability), and risk breaking the statute of secrecy. And that’s even if they have children with magical ability. Pretty soon, there probably won’t be any wizards left because people keep marrying muggles and muggleborns.

While it’s not something he’s ever fully realized, deep down Wilkes is terrified of muggles and finds something innately savage about them. A lot of this goes back to his parents’ open distain for them. Wilkes couldn't count the number of times his mother and father have complained about muggles or uttered the words "Well, that's a mudblood for you". Anything that goes wrong with the government according to his parents is usually muggles' fault and probably wouldn't have been an issue to begin with if things didn't have to be hidden from muggles. Tacked on to these discussions are comments about the persecution of wizards, muggles’ abuse of wizards' powers for their own gain, and individuals’ abuse by muggle relatives.

Accompanying these discussions is his mother's discomfort around muggles. The rare times Wilkes happened to encounter a muggle as a child (or more accurately, realize he encountered one), his mother’s shoulders would stiffen. He would be pulled close or, if they were in the bakery – where a majority of these encounters occurred, shooed into a back room until they left.

Ideally, Wilkes would like to live in a world without muggles or at least rid the wizarding world of them. As neither options are likely plausible, he’d be content just for stronger separation between both worlds -- which seems to be happening less and less -- and bringing back those freedoms that seem to be slipping away.

This probably makes Wilkes one of the more liberal Death Eaters. This isn’t, however, something he flaunts. Instead, he’s prone to worry over his opinions and deem them too sympathetic towards others’ faults (which often goes back to trying to make excuses for his own, like his sexuality).

APPEARANCE: Wilkes would like to come off like his mother as a refined, perhaps intimidating figure – one who regularly rubs elbows with the elite but can still get his hands dirty. At first glance, most people might even be fooled into thinking he is. He's typically well-dressed, well-mannered, tall at 6’2, articulate, and poised. His clothes are never stained or wrinkled. His ties are always straight. If his bank account will allow it, he is clad in the latest fashions (knock off or no) although his preference (admittedly for show) is a simple sweater or button up shirt and rolled up sleeves. He has even mastered the mocking half-smile, stride, and bored expression he associates with the upperclass.

Further inspection, however, reveals it's all for show. He's never had quite enough money to dress well enough to be considered part of the elite, and he always comes off as a bit too well off despite his best efforts to dress down. Though well-dressed, he tends to wear the same expensive clothes over and over again and has the tendency to overdress. Here and there, one will encounter him in a shirt with a frayed sleeve or collar. While he puts forward his best effort at confidence, he sometimes forgets himself and falls into the nervous habit of pulling his lower lip into his mouth to roll between his teeth. Simple button up shirts have been pressed just to wear around the house in case he has company and nothing in his closet is exactly cheap.

Still, Wilkes doesn’t want to seem like he’s trying too hard. Instead, he prefers to claim he’s making himself look presentable enough to get by. The Received Pronunciation accent he often plays up around those he wants to impress is often exchanged for an Estuary one at work. The recently released coat he's wearing might be the result of saving for months, but he’d sooner claim it’s a gift from a wealthy relative. This saves him face as his budget doesn't quite allow him to spend a terrible lot on the sort of clothes he likes. It doesn't help that his weight... fluctuates (to put it nicely) between pudgy cheeks and tighter clothes from spending too much time around his mother eating shaven off pieces of cakes and sneaking frosting to a lean build from work and devoting too much of his paycheck to indulgences like clothes.

WAND: Fourteen inches of aspen with a core of dragon heart string. Aspen wood is white and soft to the touch but fairly strong. The leaves of aspen trees are able to twist and bend and are thought to help protect the trees from severe winds.
BOGGART: ...Food stamps? But no, honestly, there are plenty of things Wilkes isn't particularly fond of and make his shoulders go tense - muggles, the idea of all his friends turning on him, the Death Eaters deciding his has no place in their organization, it coming out that he's gay, and especially large storms (which is what his boggart would most likely mimic). They all share the characteristic of being beyond his control although, if he watches himself well enough and stays prepared in case it starts to happen, he could do something to prevent them - or turning out terribly badly. It's all about losing control of things in his life.
PATRONUS: The amazing Tetraodontidae, the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. ...Also known as the Pufferfish - and less embarrassingly (not by much), the blowfish.

LIKES: The things Wilkes likes all have their place inside an elaborate reward system in his head. The fact that he goes through the trials of getting out of bed each morning more than justifies his subscription to the Prophet and too expensive tea (typically ruined by too much sugar). And of course if he's going to have to make tea (which is a noble pursuit, done so he can do his job properly and everything... it's all very selfless, really), he should have a nice kettle to make it in -- and a nice stove, of course. And if he's going to be be reading the Prophet and doing the crossword every morning (all but an obligation to keep him at the height of his mental capacity, really), he should have a nice table or recliner.

Needless to say, his means his tastes can get a bit extravagant. However, in Wilkes' mind he's only appreciating what he believes to be every day luxuries (everyone else has them, right?) and making the mediocrities of life more tolerable. Besides, one pays for quality. It's more than justified in the end. ...at least until he gets sick of what he has after a month. And he's been working so hard so of course he deserves a little splurge on a new tea kettle or whatever item. And it's such a little thing...

Still, Wilkes is able to appreciate the little things in life. Tea with mom and dinner with both his parents (which can sometimes be a rarity as his parents tend to get busy -- especially his father) have always been at the top of his list, especially since there aren't things many of his friend have the privilege of indulging in. Food has more than a few pleasant memories and associations in his mind (especially with his mother) and it should be no surprise because of this that he's fond of, and often indulges too much in, it (especially chocolate and other sweets).

Wilkes doesn't have the innate understanding of the arts and related areas that really classy people, such as his mother, seem to. This leaves him with the misguided impression he isn't... dumb per se. But he's not exactly intelligent, either. To alleviate such feelings, he's constantly consuming things he thinks scream intelligence and class (the Prophet crossword, arts, etc). How genuinely he actually enjoys most of them is questionable (especially where most the arts are concerned, like staring at most paintings for more than a moment or enduring something like ballet -- all areas of art he's never properly learned to appreciate) is questionable. Sure, he can appreciate the majority of them for short period of times, but he quickly loses interest. More often that not, he's fonder of the idea of doing things (going to a museum, having art -- which will obviously lead to some sort of epiphany about the pieces) than when he actually does them.

Instead, he likes things that are more straightforward, provide instant gratification, or make an impression right away (whether it's shock, excitement, or otherwise) and occupy his hands. He doesn't like analyzing things. He likes ideas and patterns he can put together and try right away, history, odd knick knacks and crazy modern art (which are so much more interesting than classic paintings), and facts are all things he adores. He also likes to know why things work and loves dissecting things like charms and curses -- and sure, he's not above grouping people in with that. A little petty gossip never killed anyone.

But more than that, he likes being able to use his hands and the rush of being part of the action.

Wilkes is a lot smarter than a lot of people would peg him, full of useless facts. History, politics, and the... well, strange (he has more than a few gruesome books on curses and worrying belonging lying around) are are all things he could go on about forever. So, while he isn't someone who could easily translate Shakespeare (not that he won't pretend he regularly reads Shakespeare thank you very much or struggle through it to make a point), he isn't exactly stupid either.

A lot of those interests and knowledge (especially the more questionable bits) are kept to himself, however, as he desperately wants to be liked.

DISLIKES: Honestly, he could (and often does) find something about everything to complain about. But near the top of his list are: Muggles (and if he was honest with himself, you might even find he's slightly terrified of them). Having his time wasted (which quickly tries his patience -- and there is nothing that bothers him like those people who whine at everything, tell you their life story, or take themselves too seriously... despite being guilty of doing it himself). The idea of turning into his father (who is the very embodiment of working class). Being along (he isn't the sort of person who could stay at home for more than a couple of days without going utterly mad).

STRENGTHS: Tends to put his all into things and is nothing if not devoted (near to a fault) with the people he cares about and have earned it in his mind. Not to mention that he can be surprisingly selfless when it comes to them. He's excellent at cooking, charms, and potions. He's courteous and well-mannered. Tries to make sure to be modest, humorous, and otherwise charming because he knows it gets him attention. Has a great ability to tell a story (although he's prone to exaggeration). Happy to do people favors -- but it has to be his favor or he feels bullied into it and resentful.

WEAKNESSES: Hypocritical. Can be more than a little childish. Has a tendency to grow impatient when bored or around people who grate on his nerves. Often uptight. Picky. Holds himself to a high standard (which often makes him critical of others) and can be a bit high strung and anxious because of it (not to mention go through a good pack of cigarettes as a result). Can't keep his opinions to himself if he can get away with it. Frustrations often get the better of him. Often hedonistic (he deserves it, after all!) Alternates between being a workaholic and sloth without finding a good balance. Petty. Spiteful. Vain. Often shallow. Stubborn. Can be a bit of a bully. Manipulative/Deceitful (no more than most people, really). Terrible at finding a balance between the things in his life. Self-centered. Indecisive and picky(especially since he's not exactly sure what he wants out of life). Sometimes too cautious with personal affairs. Impatient. Argumentative - often gets in arguments without realizing it. Has a tendency to brag when he forgets himself. Dissects things (people, ideas, how things work).

KNOWN INFORMATION: Wilkes' father is an inventor and the rare person might find the last name vaguely familiar. If someone brings it up he'll more often than ignore the question or (if he can get away with it) flat out lie and claim it must be some other Wilkes. His mother, meanwhile, owns a bakery where he used to work during summers, which would be more widely known.

Wilkes is rather vocal about his dislike of muggles and can occasionally be rather vicious towards muggleborns. Given this and his friends, it might be a fair assumption to think he would be sympathetic to people like the Death Eaters. At the same time, he's related to Daisy Hookum, his flatmate's a halfblood, and he's not exactly the sort of guy who looks like he goes out and tortures muggles.

His sexuality is only known by his IDKBFF Evan Rosier.

DETAILED PERSONALITY: This best metaphor for Wilkes is where he lives. While he’s usually gone (work, friends, and family take up a large portion of his time), Wilkes can often be found in the more public areas of the flat, like the livingroom and kitchen – mostly because he likes having someone around while he completes his morning routine (and god help the person who interrupts it). Like his public life, these are areas he wants to look respectable and has put a lot of time and effort into making look attractive – enough so that if he had company over, it wouldn’t be embarrassing. He insists on the furniture being well-kept and to look expensive even if it isn’t. The walls are dotted with the odd painting or photography (often for show rather than the fact that he finds the works interesting) and a bookshelf (filled with books he has no interest in reading and classical music he’ll never listen to) to class things up – but really it just makes it look like he’s trying too hard.

While he’s content to let Georgia do the majority of the decorating outside of these touches (it’s only fair, really, seeing as it was her place first and all), the kitchen is an area he’s claimed as his own. Frankly, he believes Georgia should never be allowed there without his accompaniment except to grab a snack and read his post-it reminders to pick up milk least something goes up in flame. He’s even willing to make her breakfast and dinner most days to prevent it. That and because he genuinely likes being able to do something for her outside of leaving a tin of biscuits or something his mother has sent over out to share. On top of changing out the pots and pans, he’s laid claim to a seat near the window with tea stains mostly charmed away (that he mentally blames Georgia for although he now puts down a coaster) where he does the Prophet crossword every morning.

His room is like his private life. Only his closest friends are allowed into it – and usually only briefly after a quick clean else they make the wrong assumptions about him. When you enter his room, it seems like Wilkes has tried to continue what he considers respectability from the rest of the house. His bed is meticulously made and decorated by sheets he’s splurged on but there’s usually a crochet blanket his mother made peeking out from underneath them or (rarely) folded up on the foot of the bed. In other areas of his room, like his walls and shelves and bookcase, it seems like at some point he just said fuck it. On his bookshelves there are books he has every intention of one day reading (but never will) – Shakespearean classics and plays like Hélas, Je me suis Transfiguré mes Pieds – or references for work like A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions (which often finds its way on his nightstand). However, it’s overwhelmingly been crowded out by the things he actually reads, enough to push a number of these books into boxes in the closet next to black robes near the back – books on everything from bizarre deaths, fetishes, and experiments, serial killers, cannibalism, wars and the accompanying (often overly graphic) descriptions and photographs, and all manner of non-fiction and popular fiction like Lockhart’s books. More embarrassing are the cookbooks -- One Minute Feasts - It's Magic!-- and bodice rippers like Incendio Sheets – previously knicked from his mother to later be returned. Those, however, are most often shoved under his bed alongside the occasional Play Witch (also previously knicked off his mother).

There are also knick knacks everywhere– enough to make most hoarders and old women jealous – and typically picked just because he likes the way they look. Shrunken heads, leering masks, tarot cards and a crystal ball with a book or two on the subject (not that he was ever able to take it having taken Ancient Runes as he fancied himself going into cursebreaking), figurines and a doll he found hilarious and brought for laughs are just a few. Mixed in with these are photos of friends and family wedged into the mirror and bookshelf. Some spill over onto his nightstand, seated precariously next to the alarm clock he does battle with every morning, skull mask, and dog-eared charm books with an ashtray filled to the brim on top.

FAMILY HISTORY: After graduating Hogwarts, Wilkes' mother landed a job at a local bakery to work towards her goal of eventually owning one her own. It was there that she met Edward, who had just received an offer to market one of his inventions, and they hit it off immediately. Two years of dating later, and after the popularity of one of Edward's inventions (socks that screamed when they got too dirty) had skyrocketed, Edward proposed and they brought an extravagant house just outside of London. Their marriage was begrudgingly accepted by Marilyn's mother (if with a fair share of snide remarks and numerous attempts to convince Marilyn to marry someone – anyone – better).

CHILDHOOD: For the most part, Wilkes was hardly at want for attention from his parents. Both worked at home the majority of his childhood and, despite being busy with their separate projects, always found time for him. Some of his earliest, and fondest, memories include sitting to his mother's side at the kitchen table. There, she gossiped about their family and the neighbors or told him bits about wizarding history and what she was reading (especially the gory bits once he got older). He listened eagerly while squeezing balls of fondant into awkward shapes he proudly deemed dinosaurs for her to enchant to stomp around the table or, on Sundays, "helped" her with the Prophet crossword.

When Wilkes was seven, his mother put her savings into buying a bakery in Diagon Alley. This later became a major source of their income and where he found employment over summers, which were primarily spent helping her to decorate cakes while they listened to the wireless.

His father, meanwhile, was usually holed away in the garage but could usually be counted on to begrudgingly spare a couple hours for his son, even if he was forever on the brink of a breakthrough. After all, no son of his was going to know more about baking than proper subjects like quidditch and charms.

Like his mother, Wilkes always had a fascination with the peculiar, though not to such a degree that he began to be avoided or it interfered with his life (mainly because his mother put a stop to it). Sure, there was a dug up dead cat at one point when he was younger (followed by him getting beaten so hard with one of his mother's wooden spoons he couldn't sit properly), but his interests developed into more productive, acceptable curiosities like curses, what they could do and how to stop them before it actually happened. (Still, it was learning about deformed muggle skeletons in Egyptian tombs that sealed the deal for what he believed would be his future career: cursebreaking.)

Edward, meanwhile, tried to get Wilkes interested in what he was doing and succeeded to some extent, dull lectures aside, although more often than not they were butting heads. Edward didn't have the patience to babysit Wilkes while he was working and spent more time scolding him than actually spending time with him. As they got older, he switched to complaining that Wilkes couldn't do anything right. The attempts ended when the tables turned and Wilkes was the one pointing out mistakes. That was when Edward would say what he was doing was fine and Wilkes needed to put a sock in it - he was the one with experience in these matters, after all.

While it didn't bring them any closer together, it did help Francis discover he was good at dissecting things - how spells worked, people, puzzles, what have you. But unlike his father, he lacked the creativity to take the problems he found and improve on them. He could fix charms, sure, just not make them much better, which made him start to contemplate a career with the Magical Reversal Squad.

When Francis was nine, Edward stumbled on a brilliant idea after numerous failed attempts: a charmed sponge that made its way around the house scrubbing windows. He took an extra loan to promote the product and remodel the house. However, sales quickly plummeted after a rival, muggleborn competitor perfected the invention (why just focus on windows?), leaving the family in financial ruin. The house was sold to pay off the family's debts and they moved into a quaint (if considerably smaller) house in Norfolk.

HOGWARTS: At eleven, Wilkes was accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Wilkes was an average student starting out at Hogwarts. It wasn't that he lacked the intelligence or drive to succeed but because he got distracted. Unlike the majority of pureblood students entering Hogwarts, Wilkes knew very few people aside from a handful of cousins scattered throughout the years. Having friends of his own choosing and getting to see them more than once or twice per year was a new experience for him and he wanted dearly to be liked. Being the class nerd wasn't exactly the way to accomplish that. So, while schoolwork came easy to him, it was often overlooked in favor of seeking out others' company and approval. Besides, who wanted to do herbology homework when someone was willing to discuss more important topics like quidditch with them?

However, Wilkes' grades improved as what he wanted to do in life became clearer and he settled comfortably into a clique of Slytherins that included Severus Snape. When he was old enough to really care about such things, Wilkes found this group more or less shared his political views about the separation between muggles and wizards and how vital it was that it existed. So, when the subject of joining Voldemort's movement came up between them he began to put his mind towards joining instead of pursuing other plans.

POST-HOGWARTS: While Wilkes would have been well suited to help his father, eventually take over his mother's bakery, or otherwise he had other plans. His first choice was working somewhere like Gringott's performing cursebreaking abroad - a job he imagined would be spent somewhere between acting like the wizarding world equivalent of Indiana Jones and spending on a beach holding a coconut with a straw in it. Besides that, he liked the idea of having something like that to talk about when he returned home.

Ultimately, however, the choice came down between this or joining the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters not exactly being the sort of people you decline and family and friends pushing him in that direction, he instead put his skills to working for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad.

He's currently just finished training for the Magical Reversal Squad, celebrating his one year anniversary sharing a flat with Georgia Jones, and has thrown himself into work for the Death Eaters despite his initial reservations enough to earn the dark mark.

FIVE THINGS:

• Muggles & Muggleborns. I always imagine that were Wilkes not raised the way he was, he probably would have embraced muggle culture with the enthusiasm of people like his cousin and Arthur Weasley. Can you imagine him discovering shit like a television (it's a radio you can fucking watch!) and cinema? He would be totally confused why he didn't hate it and it didn't function as weapon or something (as that's clearly the only thing muggles focus on). He'd discover Elvis and be like "Who is that?" and then go "...oh" all disappoint when he discovered he was a muggle. It would be like something telling him Elvis was a mass murderer. And just imagine tolerable muggles and muggleborns. He would be fucking confused.

• The Boring Bits. It takes me like three times longer than it should to write everything because I get on google search adventures over some insignificant detail. I live for those boring character details. Smoking habits and how they originated. His morning routine and the products he might have in his bathroom. Strange knick-knacks he might own or buy. How he eats. What he cooks. But I guess that's everyone. So alternatively: what it's like to have the family he does (father who invented screaming socks, Daisy Hookum, who wrote My Life as a Muggle).

• Becoming his own person. I personally find it fascinating to play a character who is unwaveringly devoted to his family and closest friends (even if it's often out of obligation and sometimes accompanied by his usual bitching and moaning). He's the guy who will have tea with his grandmother every single weekend just because she's his grandmother, even if she might use the meeting as an opportunity to endlessly criticize him.

While being this devoted to the people he cares about is one of his more redeeming qualities, I also think it's one of his biggest crutches. This devotion stems from how much he relies on those individuals - for approval and as people to turn to when he needs help or something goes wrong. And the thing is, he's not incapable of getting on without them. He's just never had to do it, which has some major disadvantages.

I think the main reason he's constantly so unhappy with himself is because he feels like the person he is (someone who could really care less about old paintings, for example) isn't someone the individuals he surrounds himself with would respect. So, over the course of the game, I really want to see him become more independent from those individuals or grow more into himself with them, which would enable him to become more at ease with who he is (rather than playing up qualities he thinks other people would like as he desperately wants to be liked by the people he cares about) although I think it's something he'll always struggle with.

• Finally feeling like one of the boys. I've always found it fascinating to play Wilkes as gay -- especially since he already isn't the world's most masculine guy ever. It's not because I want to play him constantly angsting over it (and he doesn't because, as said above, it's really just one of those things he sometimes thinks about) or because I think all gay dudes secretly love to cook and read shitty romance novels. And it's not because I'm going "MAN, THE GAYS ARE SO HOT AND HE NEEDS A COCK IN HIS MOUTH AND TO SHAG ON EVERY AVAILABLE SURFACE RIGHT THE FUCK NOW". Rather, it's because I think that his sexuality is one of -- if not the main -- motivating factors pushing him to try and be more masculine. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't mind being seen as a little feminine because if nothing else he would be secure in his sexuality and probably have a banging wife.

As a Death Eater, I see him feeling a bit on the outside of the organization at first because of his political views and the above. So, there would be a constant feeling that he needs to push himself (and prove himself a la someone like Bellatrix might) to be like everyone else, even if it makes him uncomfortable or might not entirely align with his beliefs. And unlike school there would be really no avoiding it. In school if he wanted to be one of those guys who was ace at quidditch (what was in his mind probably the embodiment of masculinity), it simply wouldn't have been something he pushed himself to do. While this would shove Wilkes considerably out of his comfort zone, I also think it would be one of the first times where he genuinely starts to feel - and probably even properly act - like one of the guys (unlike the awkwardness of coming of age and finding men attractive ). Thus why he would embrace the Death Eaters so strongly despite probably being hesitant about joining at first.

• Conflict about what he wants. Wilkes is ambitious and really driven but at the same time has no idea what he wants in life. And honestly, there isn't much he needs. Wilkes is comfortably middle class. He has a doting mom and dad (at least when his father isn't busy). He has close friends. He even has a great job. So, I think he's constantly coming up with imaginary crises to explain his dissatisfaction. His life isn't exciting enough. He doesn't have enough money. There's nothing he's passion enough about. Etc, etc.

While the Death Eaters doesn't entirely satisfy that want, it comes close and serves as a nice distraction. Risking his life and being part of this large, powerful vehicle for change (that, like Obama might say, he can believe in) gives him a sense of importance as well as somewhere to focus his abundance of energy. However, there's still that dissatisfaction under the surface.

What I'd like to see is whether he actually ends up genuinely figuring out what he wants out of life, learning to appreciate how fortunate he is, or just continues on the same path he's on.

STRANDED:

Your character is stranded on a deserted island. Which three items would your character would take with him/herself of personal value/ couldn't they couldn't live without and why? What one person would they pick to be stranded with? And alternatively, what would make this island their personal hell?

Well, first off, Wilkes would like to know why you only get to take three things. That's such an arbitrary number. If a person got stranded on a desert island, they'd probably at least have a suitcase. Inside that suitcase... well, there are plenty of things that would be nice to have (except photos -- those would just make him nostalgic, lonely, and miserable). You know, something to read -- oh, or maybe a book of crosswords which might keep him busy for a while. A packed lunch from his mother. Cigarettes -- he could not possibly survive without cigarettes. Any form of communication (an owl, journal, smoke signals, anything?) although that kind of defeats the purpose of being trapped on a desert island. A radio -- because honestly he needs some form of sound and entertainment or he'll go insane. Practical things like a wand. Warm clothes. A knife and cooking supplies. You know. Any of those. But honestly, what does it matter what he wants there (aside from cigarettes -- he fucking needs those)? If he brought something like a book, he'd be through with it by day three (at the most, he might add) as there would be nothing to do. And then what's he expected to do? Re-read it? Memorize it? Use it to kindle a fire? Please.

He'd pick his mom or Evan to be stranded with him (are you sure he can't have both?). And honestly, he would be selfish enough to actually want them to be there, equally miserable with him, because like hell he's enduring that alone. His dad... well, he'd be happier with him left at home. Otherwise, he'd probably to make some fucked up kind of radio out of a coconut and walk around naked and can you imagine if someone rescued you like that? It would be embarrassing. Plus his mother would probably be able to make something to eat out of all manner of sea creature and coconut. Evan would probably be out there with a spear hunting down a wild boar or something. And both of them would have a sense of humor about it. But really. He needs someone who 1) doesn't like him very much to begin with and 2) is unarmed and he can easily overpower. Otherwise, he and the other person would hate one another and he'd end up dead by the end of the week because he would never stop complaining.

His personal hell would be... well, the response honestly changes based on what day you catch him on but a few include: any of his relatives outside his mother, Rookwood, Voldemort, the whole Travers clan, etc. etc. And outside of that it would be ...oh, maybe being trapped on a bloody island with nothing to bloody do.