InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "listen oh deaf one!!!!"

shoot you in the head is my rob zombie cover band (zombiephile) wrote,
@ 2008-06-23 11:42:00

Entry tags:

application: completed, game: the last year

Isla Ketteridge for thelastyear

ooc information
Player Name: Brandi
Age: 24
E-mail: garnet.sunrise@gmail.com
AIM: brandied plum
CDJ:

zombiephile
Prior Experience: Complete listing of past and present characters
Desired Character Journal:

observes | observes
Did you hold? Yes, I did, using my CDJ.

ic information
Character Name: Isla Greer Ketteridge
Birthdate & Age: 15 / 7 January, 1982
House & Year: Ravenclaw 5th year
Bloodline: Halfblood. Her father comes from a long line of wizards (in fact, her great-something Aunt Elladora Ketteridge discovered the properties of gillyweed), but her mother is a muggleborn.
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Affiliation: Although her father is pressuring her to side with the Ministry, Isla finds herself more wanting to side with Harry Potter. At the moment, she is keeping her head down and her back to the wall while she observes everyone else around her, to see which way the ball will fall.
Place of Birth: Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
Current Location: Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Appearance: Isla is slight-figured, standing at only 5'2" and weighing only 107 lbs (thanks to amazing metabolism, she seems to burn off everything she eats as soon as she eats it). She has brown eyes and thick, dark brown hair that falls just past her shoulders; generally more or less straight (with a bit of natural wave), she sometimes curls it for special occasions. Her complexion is a warm creamy tan with rosy cheeks, which she attributes to her mother's side of the family (her mother, Demi, is part Greek). Being so short, Isla is fond of wearing shoes with at least two- or three-inch heels. And ever since she learned that "Accio book!" is a really stupid thing to try in a library, she often finds herself either having to drag a chair over or finding a taller student to help her to get a book off a high shelf. Perhaps it is the way she carries herself, despite her small stature, but Isla sometimes seems to be older than she actually is, like she is a sixth or seventh year, perhaps.
Played-By: Laura Breckenridge (icons + [the second link is friendslocked, but the first isn't])

Personality: More than anything else, Isla is a watcher. When not studying, she is often to be found sitting somewhere, watching everyone around her. Rather than acting herself, Isla prefers watching others act, gauging the perceived and actual consequences (both positive and negative) for their actions. If she could make a career out of simply observing people and drawing conclusions based upon her observations, she would be quite happy indeed (psychology, perhaps).

She often takes a while before drawing conclusions, however. She prefers to have as much of the facts as possible and work them all out as much as possible before coming to as well-thought-out of a conclusion as possible. As a result, she is not generally quick to speak up in class, but her essays are clear, cohesive, coherent, and thorough, as well as being full of acute observations.

Isla loves knowledge for its own sake, which placed her quite at home in Ravenclaw, but she also believes that knowledge without implementation is worthless; it is best to gather as much knowledge as possible and then to use it for a greater purpose. Admittedly, she would not be above using her gathered knowledge to gain prestige or authority, or to further her own means. There is perhaps a bit of Slytherin in her, though she is most definitely more Ravenclaw than Slytherin.
Likes: Knowledge, studying, watching people, books, heels, pretty clothes, her hair, Hogsmeade weekends, butterbeer, chocolate frogs, jelly slugs, pumpkin biscuits, tea with honey and milk.
Dislikes: Plain tea, peppermint, being considered stupid or ignorant, people who speak without thinking, people who act without thinking, people who discriminate against her because of her mother's muggle roots, people who come to decisions without having all of the necessary facts.

OWL Results: As Isla is a fifth year student, she has not yet taken the O.W.L.s, though she is somewhat looking forward to them at the end of this year. Her class line-up, and abilities within those classes (as well as what she expects to earn on the respective O.W.L.s) is as follows:
Ancient Runes: Quite adept, though could use improvement. Expected score: E
Arithmancy: Quite adept, though could use improvement. Expected score: E
Astronomy: Passable, improvement is definitely needed. Expected score: A
Care of Magical Creatures: Not adept at all, worst class. Expected score: P
Charms: Quite adept, though could use improvement. Expected score: E
(Defense Against the) Dark Arts: Passable, improvement is definitely needed. Expected score: A
Herbology: Very skilled, best class. Expected score: O
History of Magic: Passable, improvement is definitely needed. Expected score: A
Muggle Studies: Quite adept, though could use improvement. Expected score: E
Potions: Very skilled, second-best class. Expected score: O
Transfiguration: Not quite passable, improvement is needed, second-worst class. Expected score: A (if she improves over the course of the year)

Parents: Neil Murray Ketteridge (father; Ravenclaw 1975; works in the International Magical Office of Law under the Department of International Magical Cooperation) and Demi Sophia Ketteridge neé Anderson (mother; Hufflepuff 1975; works at the WWN as a writer).
Siblings: Alexander Conall Ketteridge (brother; b. 8 December, 1982; d. 10 December, 1982); Fiona Isabel Ketteridge (sister; b. 15 May, 1985; second year Slytherin)
Family Dynamics: Besides being actually the man of the house (with only two daughters and no living sons, Neil has only the two male dogs for "masculine company"), Neil is most definitely the Man Of The House, the One Who Wears The Pants. All familial decisions are made only after consultation with Neil, and it is his vote that ultimately matters, despite whatever his wife or daughters might prefer. Neil allows Demi to work outside of the home, now that the girls are both off at school, especially since there are house elves to handle such household duties as cooking and cleaning, but if one of the house elves fails in a duty or even simply does not perform it up to the standards that Neil expects, it is Demi's fault. Isla and Fiona are daughters who should have been sons, so as to carry on the family name, so they are more or less dismissed and ignored by their father.
Pets: At home, the family has two laborador retreivers, Archibald (Archie) and Cailean. At school, Isla has a Northern Hawk Owl named Alsi.

History: Neil Ketteridge and Demi Anderson met at Hogwarts. They were in the same year but different houses, though they had several classes together throughout their seven years. Demi was attracted to Neil because he was a leader-type, and she was more of a follower herself. They began dating in their seventh year and were married in 1977, two years after finishing school. Demi immediately became pregnant -- with what Neil was positive would be a boy -- but miscarried after only four months. Within a year, she was pregnant again, but this pregnancy also resulted in a miscarriage. In 1981, Demi was pregnant for a third time, and the healers advised that she remain bedridden, to prevent another miscarriage. This pregnancy was carried to term and, on the seventh of January, 1982, daughter Isla Greer was born.

Isla was the daughter who should have been a son, because a daughter could not be a proper heir to the Ketteridge name, so while her mother loved and adored her, her father was distant. He still wanted a son, and it was only a few months after Isla was born that her mother was pregnant for a fourth time. This baby, a boy that was named Alexander Conall, was born two months early, in early December, 1982. He was a weak one, though, and died after only two days. A third miscarriage followed in late 1983, and when Demi was pregnant for a sixth time in 1984, Demi and Neil both held their breaths in fear and anticipation. Daughter Fiona Isabel was born (full-term) on the fifteenth of May, 1985, and she was as healthy and hardy as her sister, who was three by now. The healers vehemently advised against Demi becoming pregnant again, so Neil was forced to be content with only two daughters.

Because she was so young, Isla has no memories of either her brother or her mother's miscarriage between Alexander's and Fiona's births. When she was ten, however, her mother sat her down and told Isla about Alexander and about her miscarriages, even bringing the young girl to visit Alexander's grave. Beyond that, however, Isla had a relatively quiet childhood. Having been born after Voldemort's fall, she was able to grow up in a time of relative peace and happiness. Isla and Fiona played together as they both grew up, but as soon as Isla learned to read, she found herself more attracted to the books in her father's study than the toys in her and Fiona's playroom.

As the girls grew older, their interests started to differ. Fiona loved dressing her dolls up in pretty dresses and dressing herself up in pretty dresses and playing with their mother's makeup, while Isla preferred spending time with books and learning everything she could. It was no surprise, then, that in 1993, when Isla went off to Hogwarts, she was sorted into Ravenclaw. Although Neil was still disappointed in the fact that he would have no son to follow in his footsteps, he was still proud of his oldest daughter for being sorted into his former house. Demi was a bit worried about Isla going off to school, after what had happened in the previous year, with the muggleborn students being petrified, but she was still happy for her daughter.

At school, Isla immediately took to Herbology and Potions, and she did quite well in them. Despite her love of knowledge and learning, she found that she was not very good in History of Magic; the way that Professor Binns droned on throughout the class made it hard for Isla to stay awake, as much as she wanted to. Isla liked Professor Lupin as a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but she was shocked to find out at the end of the year that he was a werewolf. Demi tried to convince Neil to pull Isla out of school after that was revealed, but Neil was insistent that Isla remain at Hogwarts. In her second year, she was fascinated by the visiting students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and although she was by far much too young to participate in the Tournament, she was excited for it and cheered for Cedric Diggory, though she did not believe that Harry Potter had entered his own name into the Goblet, considering the age line and everything. Of course, she was unable to provide a reasonable hypothesis for what actually happened, without all the facts.

The death of Cedric Diggory and the supposed return of Voldemort shook the Ketteridge family, and Demi again plead with her husband to keep their daughter at home the following year. Despite her pleas, however, Isla returned for her third year. Again, she refused to believe anything about Voldemort's return without all the facts, and there seemed to be very few facts to be had, only one boy's word and the fact that the headmaster trusted that boy's word. That year, Isla added Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures to her class schedule, though she immediately began having problems with Care of Magical Creatures. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Umbridge, was actually somewhat beneficial to Isla's preferred method of learning (that being reading), though she felt taht the class was rather useless that year, as they spent the whole time reading and it felt like they weren't really learning much. She did not join Harry Potter's D.A., mostly because it was just a study group (or so she thought), and she was doing fine in the class on her own.

Despite proof, finally, that Voldemort had returned, Isla and Fiona, who was now eleven and old enough to join her sister at Hogwarts, returned to school in 1996, because Neil said that Hogwarts was the safest place for the girls to be, and Demi grudgingly agreed. Fiona was sorted into Slytherin, to the surprise of the whole family. The year passed seemingly uneventful: despite worrying about the safety of their parents, particularly their mother, who is a muggleborn, Isla and Fiona were fine at school, until the end of the year when Death Eaters showed up inside Hogwarts and Dumbledore died. Both girls were safe from the fighting, but they were also both shaken by the death of the Headmaster, supposedly at the wand of Professor Snape.

Now, on the brink of Isla's fifth year and Fiona's second, Demi again wants to keep her daughters home, but Neil still insists that they are safest at school, and that they should try to go on as though everything is normal and fine. Isla cannot help but to ponder what will happen in the coming year.

Character’s Ambitions: With regards to the war, Isla sees herself more as an observer than a fighter. She has yet to gather enough information on each side to fully affiliate herself with any and when (or if) she decides to affiliate with any group, she wants it to be an informed decision based upon all the facts. Isla wants to do well in school and learn as much as she can, and after finishing school, she wants to work in a position where she can spend her days gathering knowledge and applying it.

Would you be willing to have your character die in the Final Battle? Can I answer "maybe" now and give you a definite answer later? I'm not entirely positive, at this moment in time, whether she would stay and fight or help take the younger students to safety.

How do you intend to contribute to plot? How does your character fit into Deathly Hallows? Well, with a father who works in the ministry and a mother who is muggleborn, she will definitely feel the changes personally when Voldemort and the Death Eaters start taking over the Ministry. I'm happy to offer up her mother to "disappear" and for her father to be under investigation (or just close watch, because he can trace his wizarding lineage back a long way .. but he did marry a muggleborn, after all). I would even be willing to say that her father is probably either a Death Eater or, if not, a Death Eater supporter. Her sister can be used, as well, by the older Slytherins. Little Fiona would do anything to make them happy if there was promise of pretty things as a result.

writing samples
First Person Sample:
It is almost time for another year at Hogwarts. Mother is as nervous this year as she has every other year and is once again appealing to Father for Fiona and myself to stay home. Father will never agree to that, of course. He never does, and he always sends me, and now Fiona, off for another year at Hogwarts. It is really no use, trying to reason with Father about it, as he is absolutely insistent.

Fiona keeps having nightmares, though I have to admit that I have not had entirely sweet dreams myself. Archie and Cailean have been sleeping in her room most nights this summer. I am worried about her, and Mother and I have been trying to keep her mind off of things all summer. She does not want to return to school this year, she would rather stay at home with Mother. I hope that, once we do return to school and she is back with her friends, she will feel better about it.

Myself, I am quite intrigued by this journal. I had never thought that we would have a journal as a requirement, though it does provide me with a new place to write down my own thoughts and observations. I always seemed to be running out of space in my old journals.

Third Person Sample:
The Ketteridge family stood on platform 9 3/4, about to send the girls off to Hogwarts. Neil was dressed in plain black robes, not a hair on his head out of place. His arm was wrapped very firmly around his wife's shoulders, as she seemed to be having problems remaining calm. Her pale blue robes only served to make her look fragile and helpless. "I want you girls to owl me as soon as you can. Stay safe, don't go poking around where you don't belong. Fiona, mind your sister and listen to the Prefects. Isla, be a good girl and watch out for your sister," Demi plead, reaching out and taking her daughters' hands in her own.

"We'll be fine, Ma," Isla assured her mother, kissing Demi's cheek and squeezing her hand. "I'll write often, I promise. And we'll see you in just a few months, for Christmas." Fiona looked up at her sister, then at her mother, then threw herself at Demi, wrapping her arms around her mother. Isla gently reached down and pried her sister away from their mother. "Don't worry, Fiona. We'll be just fine at school, and Ma and Da will be just fine here."

"Do us proud, girls," Neil said, his face betraying no emotions. He was as still as a statue and offered his daughters neither hug nor kiss. Demi's lip quivered, and she quickly kissed her daughters' cheeks.

"See you at Christmas, Da, Ma," Isla said, gently steering her sister toward the train. "Come on, Fiona. Let's hurry up and get you a window seat." With a last glance at and wave to their parents, Isla and Fiona boarded the train and went in search of a compartment.