Apeal. Apple. A peel. I'll peal your apple. Oh yeah.

[shann]

Name: Shannon
Age: 23
House you were sorted into: Hufflepuff
Link to original application: Here
Are there any questions you would like to elaborate on? First of all, I'd like to say that my cautious personality has undergone some serious changes in the past year. I was not the level-headed person I thought I was. Rather, I wanted heavily to experience all there is in life, but had stigmatized some things so heavily in my own head that I was ashamed to admit that I wanted very badly to experience them. Since that time I have: been to many, many wild college parties, finding I've enjoyed them; shot a gun; gotten blind drunk, tried drugs; broken into a hotel pool and skinny dipped; gone on a random road trip and lived out of my car for a week (I'd tried to go to France, actually, but got caught at the last minute, so I drove to Miami instead); bought a puppy... well, that's to name a few things. I really was that wild, risk-taking person I never thought I was. I was simply repressing myself. I've found that letting myself out has made me a much happier person.

But on to the questions!

What sort of profession in the wizarding world would you choose and why? I said in the original app that I'd do something with magical creatures, like Charlie Weasley, or be a professor at the school. I do love animals, but it isn't because they're cute and cuddly. I like them because they're interesting, and actually prefer the ones that are absolutely bizarre (and ferocious... likely Hagrid and I would get along on that one). I like the idea of what Charlie does because not only does he work with the most dangerous of magical creatures; his job seems like it is never boring, something I despise. Repetitive, "safe" work is the bane of my existence. I am currently employed at a dog daycare, which seems like something I would love because I am an "animal person" (cue eyeroll), but I absolutely hate it there because it is so boring. I took the job because I was desperate for employment, it was my last resort. I was fired from my former job for mouthing off to my supervisor when I felt I was unjustly accused of something, if that might help the sorting any. As for the Hogwarts thing, I do value camaraderie among co-workers, but I'd also love the excitement. Like I said... the more exploding cauldrons, the better.

If you could teach one class at Hogwarts, what would it be and why? Care of Magical Creatures still stands. But again, I don't think I'd spend too much time on the chapter about unicorns. I'd be just as bad as Hagrid, having students spend weeks on Blast-ended skrewts... I'm a little more sadistic than he is, though, and would spend a lot of time laughing at their blunders :DD; I'd probably run some sort of extracurricular activities to keep things from getting too dull (if you're used to magic, it wouldn't be as interesting), and encourage the headmaster to consider more field trips than Hogsmeade. It always affronted me that there was such a lack of field trips in the book (hopefully this was due to snakeface aka voldiepants). There have to be some very interesting places for students to visit that are way, way beyond what muggle students experience that could greatly supplement their education meaning an excuse to get out of the castle and experience some mayhem >:3. Muggle studies would still be interesting subject, too. Or at least I'd make it interesting.

This year, The TriWizard Tournament is being held once again and you're of age. Do you put your name in the Goblet? Why or why not? I retract my former answer. I think I might do it. I doubt that I'd get picked (I'm tiny and not at all athletic), but I think I might regret it if I didn't at least try. If by some bizarre reason I was called, I'd likely be terrified, but... it's just one of those things where you go ahead anyway, like taking an exam you're not sure you're prepared for, only on a larger scale. A LOT LARGER (lol). I don't retract my statement about a friend that was interested; I'd likely still worry myself sick over them... but more internally, I think. If they had made up their mind I'd want them to be as confident as possible. I no longer bug my friends to death about stuff just because it worries me; I've learned that only alienates and annoys people.

If you could choose your animagus form, what would it be and why? I don't think I would change too much about this question except that I'd think about why I was becoming an animagus, too. Would it be to spy on others? Keep a friend company (like the marauders)? Slink around unnoticed? For protection? It sounds like it'd be a hard, long process, and I wouldn't want to fudge it up. I'd still probably end up a ferret-like creature if I didn't have a choice, but having a choice changes everything. If I was applying it to a need I have in my own life, I'd want it to be something big and scary. I don't have a need to slip around unnoticed like a housecat. I'm harmless-looking, tiny, and inconspicuous enough as it is. But if I could turn into a tiger or something, that would definitely help me protect myself and my friends. I'm generally a little too overconfident at times when it comes to walking around at night or in bad areas of town, and this would be... much more helpful. I was thinking of it before in terms of the actual HP universe and spying on Death Eaters or something, idk.

What HP character do you identify with most and why? I still feel a connection with Luna, but re-thinking things, I'd probably be a mixture of her and the Weasley twins, or maybe book7!Neville: starting off as a mild-mannered, cautious, screw-up of a person and progressing into the risk-taking, outspoken, and rebellious (in the face of injustice!) kid he became. I don't usually mouth off unless I feel like something's unfair, but when I do... the sh*t hits the fan. This isn't so much of a recent development, however. It gets me into a whole lot of trouble but I can't quite control myself when I'm faced with that kind of thing; it's more like I facepalm about it after the fact. I relate to Luna because we're both sort of... off personality-wise, and I can say things that make absolutely no sense/have some outright strange habits and interests, and this has been true for me most of my life. As for the twins, I am rarely very serious, and I love playing jokes on people (though somewhat more indirectly) and appreciate the value of humor at all times. Some people say I never take anything seriously, including school and work. I've done school projects on everything from sad eskimos to eating cheese sandwiches (and somehow tied them into the assignment), I celebrate April Fool's every year (I wore my underwear outside of my pants all day this year, including to class and while running errands), and I've drawn a large mustache on myself and lipsynched to (loud) opera music during work. It... keeps things interesting for me. What amuses me most about people is they sometimes do not even question or notice when I do these things. Pay attention to your surroundings, people! :)

What would you see in the Mirror of Erised? So, what do I desire? I think the nostalgia would be more or less based on my mood (I was probably feeling nostalgic when I filled out the original app!), but thinking about what I really, truly desire... I think I would re-live a lot of my life. I skipped out on a lot because I felt I was "above" it, like going to my prom and dating. I played it safe my whole life up until recently. Yeah, I was always weird, hot-headed, hated injustice, lazy (read: procrastination, ♥sleep), silly... but daring, no. I think I always had it in me, but a lot of crap I went through in my past made me stigmatize certain things. I should have played a sport, run for office, gone to parties, snuck out of the house (lol I did this once but went to the Public Library by myself, I know so hardcore). I missed a whole lot. I always got in trouble for such ridiculous things, like sleeping in and missing the bus. Maybe my mother would have realized what a good kid she really had if I was off living the life that most teenagers were living? Yeah haha RESENTMENT MUCH but maybe I'm just in another mood right now and I'd give you a completely different answer in an hour. Lol I just realized my answers slowly progressed from doing preppy things to being an omgREBEL. I dunno, I'd probably just see Raffi in there singing songs to me, esp. "Down by the Bay" which was a childhood favorite and more hardcore than Lil Wayne. Then a giant nose would suck him in and sneeze him out because it's allergic to Raffi, and I would clap and giggle in delight.

If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it? Honestly? I'd probably blow it all in a few weeks. I am terrible with money. I was given $4,000 in college loans a few months ago, and it should have lasted me four months. But what did I do with it? I impulsively BOUGHT A PUPPY because I'd never had one as a child and was obviously DEPRIVED. And after his shots and buying toys and supplies and heart worm prevention and flea control and huge bags of premium dog food and replacing about $500 of stuff he's chewed up, about half of that was gone. And I spent about $1,000 more on the randomest crap ever. So that $4,000 lasted me like a month and I had to beg my g/f to move in with me so I didn't end up completely homeless (she's been so cool about it, too ;__;). So while I'd set out with the best intentions it would be GONE in no time at all. So maybe I'd get lucky and end up with a house, and maybe get rid of mine and my family's debt, the WORLD TRAVEL would likely not happen and if it did I'd probably be in Africa somewhere and buy a Papaya and run out of money and be like... OHCRAP.

What was your ideal job as a kid? Has that changed? What is your ideal job now? Like my brain does at times (notice how this started out seriously and is slowly getting more... degraded), I have wanted to be a million different things. Right now I'm considering LAWYER because it would be exciting and maybe I could do it for activist purposes and whatnot. Besides any science major requires SO MUCH MATH it is ridiculous, so being a field biologist is out of the question unless I make some real good friends in the industry (is that even considered an industry?) and they like me enough to let me frolick around with them in wilds without a related degree. Of course I am likely doing this program at my college where you major in two fields and can minor in up to three others, so I can do a bit of everything. I love science and history and the arts and actually just about everything BUT math, and yeah this is deviating heavily from the question so YES my mind has changed like a million times. But as long as what I do is exciting and interesting and makes a difference I am all for it. Whatever it is :x

If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it, and what would you call it? I can't elaborate on this further because it is still so true. I make impulsive decisions (unless the decision I'm making takes a lot of work and thus forces me to think about it more) and my mind races a hell of a lot, so the spell I invented in my original app would still hold true.

If you were to face a boggart, what would it turn into? And what does it turn into when you throw the counter-spell, Riddikulus? Same for this question. I fear most losing the people I care about and being hated and/or failing something important. And being hated because of that failure. I absolutely lose it when I think someone hates me that I'm forced to spend a lot of time around... say, co-workers. And I get ridiculously defensive of myself when I'm confronted with criticism. But yeah if we're talking about SCARY CREATURES here I am still frightened of killer phantom dogs, probably because I've always seen dogs as friendly, familiar, loving animals and that's the ultimate twisting of their true nature. Same goes for evil clowns and stuff :/ Clowns are supposed to be amusing!

What do you look for in a friend? How about I simplify this and just say "a friend"? If you're good, genuine, and don't seem like an ass, everything else doesn't matter. I used to be so picky and judgmental. It was ridiculous. Now I have a lot more friends and all of them are wonderful people.

What trait most annoys you about other people? Being a big fat meanie liar pants. And being inconsiderate. But these traits do just annoy me. If people have enough positive traits to make up for it, or seem very open to change (like it's an innate part of their personality and they aren't usually aware of what they're doing), I can overlook that stuff. But it probably will not stop me from complaining about it and getting pissed off and in huge fights or whatever. It only means I rarely outright hate people and forgive when I see change, even if it's really. Slow. Progress. Also it annoys me when people ignore me like at the store and stuff they think I'm a kid when I'm in line and try to SERVE THE PERSON BEHIND ME omg people I EXIST.

What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities? I guess the same ones in my old app apply, but looking back on them I'm a little amused at how much I was sort of... tooting my own horn I guess. I mean I am awesome and all but some of them were a bit too sappy. Like yeah lol I'm devoted and loyal but those are kind of the same thing and I seem to have failed to mention all the huge rip-roarin' fights I've gotten into with my friends and family to the point where I've isolated myself completely from them for a long ass time but yeah. I think it helps with the whole forgiveness thing that I've lived in the same area and known the same people for years so it's hard to avoid them and somewhat easier to make peace than stay angry... it's just, less tiring I guess? So it's not just all sappy lovey dovey stuff. Some of it's just plain practical. I mean I love these people but I'm just not the forgiving angel I sometimes make myself out to be. And since I've lumped two qualities together I'll throw in another good quality, which is recovery. I bounce back from the biggest emotional disasters in the whole wide world. Like... I'll whine and cry and bemoan my very existence for days and then... I'll be like hi guys, what's up. And everyone is like what the hell just happened. Don't know how I do it but sometimes I just wake up and get tired of feeling pity for myself.

What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities? All of these are pretty much the same except I don't really isolate myself anymore and I've been better about blowing up at people. Well, a little better. I'm not so much as fearful about taking action either. I'm not even sure why that was even on there except that maybe at the time I was fearful about taking action about something. I mean I used to be cautious and felt I was above some things but I've always been kind of impulsive lol. Like I'd say no to stuff I didn't want at all but if I wanted something badly I would not even stop to think about the consequences. So I guess I'd flip that quality right around to being way too impulsive (gosh I have no idea if that makes any sense). I'm still kind of told I'm quiet sometimes as far as the "isolation" thing but usually it's because a situation is kind of boring and I have no comment on it, or I'm not drunk enough because things SURE DO BECOME FUN THEN. I definitely still procrastinate and I am definitely still impatient. And I guess I'd replace isolation with the impression people get of my being a quiet person or whatever but usually I'm just tired, bored, or out of it. People that know me well say I never shut up.

Pick one or two canon qualities from each of the four houses that you possess and explain why you picked them: For Gryffindor I'd say I'm definitely bold, I speak my mind even to authority figures. And I've gotten into a lot of trouble for it, too. I've always had the nerve and courage in me, though up until recently it had been much more innate. If it feels right to me, nothing anyone else can say will make me back down, and I would never run away from a challenge; I couldn't deal with the guilt if I backed down. For Hufflepuff, loyalty is important to me, though unquestioning loyalty is little irritating. Fairness is important too, and my sense of justice might play into that. I definitely don't have any of these traits to the degree that I'm supposed to, though, and hard work... no way. I skirt by in everything that has anything at all to do with work. For Ravenclaw, I can be a bit of a bookworm at times, and I do possess creativity. I'm an idea person, for sure. Study habits, not so much. For Slytherin, I guess I can say I can be cunning at times, and resourceful when need be. Ambitious, no, witty... lol I probably wish but I am much more silly.

Explain why you feel misplaced in your current house: Well, personality clashes, for one. Everytime I open my mouth (keyboard?), I wonder when the hounds will be released. A lot of the activity I see there is way too cutesy for my tastes. I haven't made any friends. And I've thought from the beginning that the sorting was incorrect. I gave it a try, though, almost a whole years' try. But as I become more and more inactive, I think it just might be my sense of alienation from my own house. I was randomly massaged by some people from another house I feel I'd be much more comfortable in, and they encouraged me to appeal. So, here I am.

Let the interrogation begin!