Application for Gargleblasted
OOC:
Name: Yam
Are you over 16?: Yes!
Personal LJ: helikon
Email: n o r i s i s [at] gmail [dot] com (minus spaces, etc)
Timezone: GMT+8
Other contact: I'm also at AIM as virteoushumour, but I've not logged into that in months email is the best way to contact me.
Characters already in the game: None! Yet?
How did you find us?: Word of mouth!
IC:
Character name: Ginny / Ginevra Molly Weasley
Fandom: Harry Potter
Timeline: The end of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince.
Age: 15
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths:
Being a witch of the Harry Potter variety, Ginny has some magic in her. Mostly she needs her wand to channel it into anything productive, but in times of great emotion, wizards and witches can perform inadvertent acts of wandless magic (e.g. Harry blowing up his Aunt Marge). Ginny is no exception to this, though she's had five or so years of training at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry that means she tends to express her magic in creative ways. She's competent in Defensive magic, and is semi-decent in everything else. She seems to favour a spell called the "Bat-Bogey Hex". We never find out the nature of this curse - though onevictim is described having "his whole face was covered in the great flapping things" - but it's frequently used as an example to show how Ginny is a talented and formidable witch in her own right.
Ms. Weasley is also a very good broomstick flyer.
How would they use their abilities?:
Ginny has known to hex people who persist in irritating her. She would also, most certainly use her abilities to give her an edge in small everyday situations (winning games, getting rid of pests, etc). However, as far as actually seriously harming people goes*, that's reserved for the likes of Death Eaters i.e. scum.
* It seems like the Bat-Bogey Hex is not so much harmful as it is... extremely uncomfortable. XD
Appearance: Ginny is rather small-sized (short & petite), and is described as being "nice-looking", with long flaming red hair and chestnut-brown eyes.
Background/Personality:
Ginny was born on 11th August, 1981, to Arthur and Molly Weasley, a pair of "pure-blooded" wizards. She was their seventh child, and only daughter. It was a time of unrest in the wizarding world of Britain, with the dark wizard Voldemort leading a reign of terror along with his Death Eater followers. However, not long after Ginny's birth, an infant by the name of Harry Potter apparently destroyed the Dark Lord. There was peace in the years that followed, and Ginny got to grow up in the quiet village of Ottery St. Catchpole (most likely in Devon, England) not knowing any better.
Over the years, though, each of Ginny's brothers shipped off to wizarding school, including Ron (the youngest after her). While dropping Ron & Co off at the train station, Ginny caught a glimpse of Harry Potter. Not longer after, Harry went on to defeat the Dark Lord a second time, and Ginny developed a strong crush/infatuation towards him.
A few months later, on her 11th birthday, Ginny received her own letter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once there, she was sorted into Gryffindor House (as all the Weasley children inevitably were). For all that it was a big hallmark moment, though, being a wee little firstie in a big ol' magical castle was still rather intimidating. Ginny took to writing in a diary that had been nestled amongst her school books. It was dated for almost half-a-decade prior, but since many of Ginny's things were secondhand, this didn't seem odd to her. It was odd when the book actually wrote back to her, calling itself "Tom", even, but Ginny did not think much of it. In fact, it was rather nice to have a secret friend that she could spill her thoughts too... thoughts that included one Harry Potter.
Unforutnately, "Tom" happened to be a piece of Voldemort's soul. :O! The diary had belonged to Voldemort during his schooldays, and he later used it as a conduit for a piece of sundered soul (called a Horcrux). Of course, dark lords can't have bits of their souls lying around in plain sight, so the diary had been given to Lucius Malfoy (a Voldie cronie) for safe-keeping. Lucius Malfoy had snuck this diary into Ginny's schoolthings during a brawl with Ginny's father.
Of course, Ginny knew none of this, and continued to pour herself into the diary - and all the while, it was pouring itself back into her, intrigued in particular by this "Harry Potter" she kept talking about. And that was when things started getting strange. Hours of her life became complete blanks. Strange things were happening around the school: there was talk that a monster had been unleashed from the legendary "Chamber of Secrets". People - Muggle-borns (students born to non-magical parents), a cat, and even a ghost - were getting hurt. It didn't take long for Ginny to realise that the blanks in her memory, and the strange events, were connected. And that her "diary" had something to do with it all. Ginny tried to rid herself of the dodgy object by flushing it down the toilet. But not long after, she saw it again in the hands of none other than Harry Potter. Fearful that all her secrets would be revealed - not just of her feelings for Harry, but also the truth about who had been behind the attacks at school - Ginny stole the diary from Harry's rooms. For all her intentions of getting rid of it, the Horcrux was back in her possession.
More than ever, Voldemort's bit of soul was itching to get out into the world proper. Ginny was a convenient way to do just that. "Tom" forced her to write her own farewell/death note, and then to proceed down to the Chamber of Secrets one last time. Once there, Tom Riddle - Voldemort - used her life force to materialise... leaving Ginny on the verge of death. Before all was lost, though, Harry Potter did his whole saving the day shebang. He destroyed both the evil diary, and the monster that was wrecking havoc across Hogwarts, and saved Ginny. Thanks to the compassion of Dumbledore, Ginny was not blamed or punished for her role in the events of the year. After all, she'd been possessed by the Dark Lord himself. But there's no doubt tghat Ginny would always carry the horror and trauma of the entire experience with her.
After that horrid first year, Ginny's second year at Hogwarts was quite uneventful. As was third year, for the most part, except for the bit where Voldemort returned for real. Oops.
Fourth year got interesting. Ginny started going out with Michael Corner (a Ravenclaw), and was also introduced to the Order of the Phoenix, and to Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. Fourth year was also the year of Dumbledore's Army. This was a secret society formed by the students, as a rebellion against incursions into Hogwarts by the Ministry of Magic. Ginny also joined the Quidditch team, and proved herself to be a competent athlete on the pitch. It was proving to be a very eventful year, indeed - and the climax came at the very end, when she joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, on an excursion to the Ministry of Magic to rescue Sirius Black. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an ambush, and the six students found themselves having to use the knowledge & experience gained from their time in Dumbledore's Army to fight off a large group of adult Dark Wizards. Except for Harry, all the kids were injured (Ginny broke her leg). And Sirius Black was murdered by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. Still, the students came out of it alive, bonded by their shared battle experience. Just in time for the end of term - which led straight into a summer of Phlegm. Or, um, Fleur, her sister-in-law to be. It was also a summer of fear, as the wizarding world cames to openly accept the return of Lord Voldemort. (Oh yes, and Ginny had a new boyfriend: Dean Thomas, the classmate of Harry, Ron and Hermione.)
On the train back to Hogwarts for fifth year, Ginny was spotted by Professor Horace Slughorn, the new Potions teacher. He decided that her demonstration of the Bat-Bogey Hex on a fellow student showed verve and talent, and invited her to join the Slug Club. Ginny got back into the Quidditch team, but eventually broke up with Dean Thomas. Not long after, she shared a passionate snog with Harry Potter in the Gryffindor Common Room. After all the years of unrequited like, Ginny Weasley was dating Harry.
... And then Draco Malfoy went and brought Death Eaters into Hogwarts, Snape killed Dumbledore, and everything went to pot. Fff. The second wizarding war took a turn for the worst, needless to say. Meanwhile, Harry broke up with Ginny, and everyone went home for the summer, wondering what the next few months would bring.
~*~*~*~*~
"Yeah, size is no guarantee of power," said George. "Look at Ginny."
"What d' you mean?" said Harry.
"You've never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey Hexes, have you?"
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Vivacious - that's Ginny to a T. She can hold her own in a party, having a sharp sense of humour and no qualms about speaking up. She doesn't bother hiding her anger or irritation, and certainly not towards the people who provoke it. It doesn't matter if it's family/friends, authority figures, and certainly not enemies - if you're being stupid (in Ginny's eyes, anyway), she will call you out on it. What does she see as stupidity? Blaise Zabini's vanity, Ron's superficiality (especially in his crush on Fleur), Zacharias Smith's arrogance, Fleur's (apparent) vapidity, etc. Ginny has been known to hex people who get her goat, but her words can be just as vicious, if only because they are based on truth. Even Harry - who Ginny secretly still fancies in her fourth & fifth years, though only Hermione knows this - gets a little telling off or two from Ginny when he's acting particularly martyr-ish or silly.
Ginny's loudness and slight temper are due in a large part to being the youngest, and the only girl, in a very large family. With six other mostly rambunctious brothers, Ginny had to learn to stand up for herself and make her voice heard. More often than not, they didn't allow her to join their activities. Ginny resented this, but learned to deal with it in her own way. When the boys didn't let her play Quidditch with them, she just broke into the broomshed and secretly took their broomsticks out flying. (And became damn good at it, too.) There's no doubt Ginny's toughness was very much thanks to growing up with so many brothers. It came through most strongly when Harry broke up with her after Dumbledore's funeral - Ginny didn't shed any tears over it, and even expected it to a point.
The toughness and sharpness is balanced out by her kindness and lack of judgement over others. She is compassionate, we see this often with respect to people who are misjudged by others: e.g. she doesn't allow Neville Longbottom to dismiss himself as "nobody", and tells off people who try to bully Luna Lovegood by calling her "Loony".
Ginny is a pretty good friend to have, actually - on top of being a laugh and fun to hang out with, she is loyal to those she loves, and brave enough to stand up to those who belittle or oppose them, and certainly doesn't let them go alone into a fight if she can help it. Even as an 'ickle firstie, she didn't hesitate to tell off Draco Malfoy for picking on Harry Potter - if there's anything she lacks in, courage is certainly not it. She doesn't think twice about joining Dumbledore's Army, and in fact, suggested it be named that rather than just the "Defense Association".
Growing up in a poor family, Ginny is used to living rather humbly. She didn't have it as bad as Ron, if only because she didn't have to wear hand-me-down clothes (not having anyone to be handed witch's robes & the like from). Still, Ginny is never particularly bothered about it, and we don't really see her as being interested in the usual materials things that girls are into. Rather, she favours things like spending her time in the outdoors, playing Quidditch, etc. Though she does have a weakness for small, adorable (and fluffy) things, going so far as to ask her mum to buy her a Pygmy Puff. (Ginny also has a questionable tastes in naming things - the Pygmy Puff became Arnold, and Ron's owl became Pigwidgeon. But we can't all be perfect.)
Have you read up on how the game works?: Yep! The FlamingFerret is the Guide plug-in that allows characters to communicate with each other. Characters can earn money on the ship by going on missions, taking on freelance work... failing that, they freeload off of friends.
1st person sample:
[On your screen is a flame-haired young girl. She may or may not be holding a long wooden stick in one hand, and is somewhat torn between tension and bemusement.]
Well - hello. This is all a bit mad, really, I can't say I expected this particular end to the summer. I don't suppose there's anybody about from er, Earth? Any gingers from Ottery St. Catchpole, even? Anybody?
[pause] It'd be nice to know if there was anyone from home, but I don't suppose it matters too much. Especially if you're a Slytherin or something like that, don't bother saying hi. I'm not that bothered. [Sparks can be seens, possibly shooting out from the wand she may or may not be carrying - a warning for Slytherins, Death Eaters and annoying people to keep off. To know anyone like that's survived the end of the world while her family and friends haven't might just test her patience.]
Everyone else is welcome to say hi, though. My name is Ginny, and if anyone has any ideas on interesting things to do around here, I'd love to hear them. I guess Quidditch would be out of the question.
3rd person sample:
Ginny didn't trust objects that seemed to have brains of their own; her father had taught her as much, and her experience with Tom Riddle's diary had only served to emphasise the importance of that suspicion. If she hadn't noticed other people using their "Guides", Ginny might have attacked hers with a Reductor curse before even stepping near it. (To be fair, she was still contemplating it.) It did seem more like a bizarre Muggle contraption than a sinister magical book, though whether that was any better, was entirely another matter...
Still, it did seem more informative and a tool for communicating with other real people, than a contraption with a soul of its own, and in this strange new world - or "spaceship", as they called it - information would be just as important as any weapon. If only so Ginny didn't offend any of the unusual creatures walking around. Certainly the Vogons were rather unpleasant, but it seemed mean to ogle at all the others, if only because they surely thought her just as bizarre. A couple of them had even politely greeted her in the corridors, which was more polite than some of the humans she'd known. And anyway, now that she was alone and without her friends or family, a tool for communication seemed more valuable than anything.
Of course, if she started having gaps in her memory, or strange things began occuring on the S.S. Thor (well, stranger of the Petryifying people variety, etcetera etcetera), Ginny was chucking the thing into space.
Questions?: Nay!
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: I will do!