ooc // 001
Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability
Name: Ella Lynn Montgomery.
Gender: Female.
Date of birth: 12/31/80.
House/Year: Slytherin, 1992-1999.
Blood status: Pureblood - their father is a second generation pureblood, while their mother is a fifth generation pureblood.
Sexuality: Heterosexual.
PB: Arielle Kebbel with long brown hair.
Physical characteristics: There was a reason Ella and Emma were so easily confused - they are identical twins. The same roundish face, the same brown eyes - the same height, the same slender frame. The most telling difference is their hair: Ella wears her hair long and brown, while her younger sister wears her hair much shorter and in their natural shade of blonde. There are smaller differences, as well, although less useful: Ella has a thick, round scar the size of a penny on her left hip, from a nail that was sticking out from a wall in the attic (she and Emma were playing hide and seek when they were six) and a thin, nearly invisible scar in the skin between her thumb and forefinger on her right hand, among others. Few people know to look for these markers, however, and so it is the hair they look for (if they know the Montgomery twins at all).
In terms of dress Ella is fashionable, although not to the extent of following every trend. She has a distinct liking for more feminine clothes; skirts and dresses are the norm for her, and she's fond of bright colours and flowery patterns, although she does, thankfully, have enough taste that they look nice. She usually has jewelry and shoes to match what she wears; while Ella does not, by any means, have a ridiculously large wardrobe, it works for her - and if nothing else, she can borrow something of Emma's, as they are the same size in everything and anything (although their tastes occasionally differ).
Distant History: Caroline Ollivander (niece to that Mr. Ollivander, through his younger brother) was a talented witch and Gryffindor who was Head Girl in her day, three years prior to Lily Evans. After finishing Hogwarts, she went to work for the Ministry in the Muggle Relations office - due to a fascination with Muggles and Muggle Studdies in her school years - and was promoted to deputy head by the age of thirty.
She met her husband, Edward Montgomery (a former Ravenclaw) through the Ministry - he was a well-respected lawyer for the International Magical Office of Law (a division of the Ministry Department of International Magical Cooperation). He was called in to consult on a particular case, and late nights over files with horrible Ministry coffee to keep them (almost) awake turned into late nights at one or the other's home, with better coffee, which led to mornings out in coffee shops, and so on. By the end of the case, Caroline and Edward found more than an answer, and were quite seriously dating.
The two were married September 10th, 1978, and bought a place of their own (where?). They did not start a family immediately; instead they readied themselves for the prospect, making certain they were secure in their relationship and careers before taking the next step in the family life.
On the very last day of December, 1980, nearing midnight, their first child was born: a daughter, Ella Lynn Montgomery. Seventeen minutes later, on the first of January, 1981, their second daughter was born: Emma Leigh Montgomery. Though they were twins, Ella could say (technically truthfully) that she was, in fact, a year older than Emma - and she was the older twin, even if it was only, in actual fact, by seventeen minutes.
They lived a happy enough childhood - their family was privileged, with both their parents having respectable, influential jobs as well as family money (on their father's side, with a suitable amount from their mother's). Their parents did not get them everything they asked for, not in the least, and they were expected to share a great many things (the one thing Ella truly minded sharing, without feeling bad about arguing afterwards, was their birthday - neither twin has managed to convince their parents to this day that their birthdays are quite different and should be celebrated on their respective days) - but they never went wanting for food or clothes or toys, even if their parents were often away. They were, for the most part, left in the care of their nanny, Amy, whom the twins adored - among many other things, she could tell them apart, and never once confused the two girls, though they were perfect copies when their mother dressed them as a matching set.
Ella, for her part, was not given to thinking this meant her parents did not love her and her sister: Caroline and Edward had quite carefully explained that though they were busy, they loved the twins very much, and she believed them. They did not miss a birthday, or Christmas, and when either girl was sick - although the other usually fell sick quickly after - they would drop everything to come home. And if her parents were not always there, her sister always was.
Ella and Emma did not always get on. Usually they did - they were nowhere near the Weasley twins in terms of dependence and two halves of one whole, no, but Ella would call her sister her closest friend, if pressed. She was willing to pin the blame on Emma, of course, if they got into trouble (and there was no one else around to pin it on, as someone who wasn't Ella and Emma was more likely to get the blame if there was such a person about to blame), and they fought, but usually they got on. Their fights were, really, a sign of closeness: no one in the world knew how to press Ella's buttons like Emma, or how to drive her mad so precisely. It was a knack only a sister (only a twin) could pick up on.
A few months before the girls left for Hogwarts, Edward Montgomery, Jr., or (more often) 'Eddie' was born - when Caroline had found herself pregnant a second time, it had been a surprise to all of the Montgomerys - and while the twins had been told, they were ambivalent (on Ella's part) and torn (or Emma's) until they actually got to meet their little brother. Ella, for her part, spent some time after her introduction to her new little brother staring into his crib, contemplative. He was very small, and very fragile - Emma was 'younger' than her, yes, but she wasn't really for most of the time - not like Eddie was. When he began to gurgle at the twins her opinion, slow and solid, had already decided upon 'adoration'. It was hard to get angry with Eddie (he was just a baby!) as she did with Emma, and even as he got older this remained - where Ella would go stubborn as rock if Emma tried to budge her in an argument, she'd often waver or allow things she normally wouldn't if Eddie asked.
Her only problem was that he was born just before they had to leave. It was Hogwarts, of course, and she was excited - usually calm, Ella was nearly bouncing with excitement when she and Emma were ushered into Great-Uncle Ollivander's wand shop, hours before the store opened to the public. She could almost forget their impending parting, as he put yet another wand into her hands, watching the twins as they flicked and swished and were chosen by the wand that was made for them.
Recent History: There was no helping the sadness on the platform - although Ella kept her chin firm and didn't shed a tear, as she was 'older'. And if her eyes were wet, well. Only her family would notice. Emma was there, after all - it wasn't as though they were alone, as some of the other students were. They didn't have any family at Hogwarts - not close family, although one or two distant cousins attended - no, but they had one another, which was a start. And if they stuck more closely together than usual on the train, well. They were allowed.
Ella was sorted first, as was only proper, in her eyes: she had been born first, after all. Secretly, she was relieved she didn't have to go after Emma - it would be easier to ignore a separate sorting if she went first, if it was Emma who didn't follow her.
The hat didn't spend overly long on Ella. Ambition - she had ambition. Hogwarts was just a stop in the road of life for her. She knew what she wanted to do - had known it since she'd walked into Great-Uncle [?] Ollivander's shop. Ella Montgomery would make wands - and while she did not carry her mother's maiden name, she would be as well-known as any Ollivander by the time her life was through - more well-known, even. It was not a loud, brash ambition - rather, it was the quiet, patient sort, the kind that had to be watched even more closely. She would study at Hogwarts for seven years and then she would study the making of wands for the rest of her life - and before she died she would become better than her Great-Uncle, love him though she did. She'd never mentioned this to anyone - not really. She'd said she wanted to make wands, in a determined, decided voice at that first visit to the shop, when she was five, but no one but Emma had really taken her seriously.
Cunning? Well. If the twins occasionally resorted to blaming one another when they got into trouble, they more often managed to get out of it - or to never get into it in the first place. Not from lack of breaking rules, but rather from the ability to talk their way out of and around things, or to cover their tracks. Ella in particular was better at thinking of ways of doing things so that people wouldn't notice - she would never take more than a cookie from the jar, because who would think to check if one or two cookies were missing? And crumbs, those needed to be cleaned up. And the chair and jar had to be just how they had been before the twins scampered off again. Emma was best at distracting their parents with a well-placed fit - Ella managed to tidy away evidence of wrong-doing more than once while her sister acted the part of a brat (which she was, admittedly, something of in truth).
So to Slytherin she went. And Emma followed her a few minutes later - less than seventeen, less than those minutes they'd been apart at birth, and Ella smiled as her sister took the seat by her side.
Their first year would have been far more sour than it was had they not been purebloods - the Chamber was opened, and muggleborns and halfbloods were being targeted - the atmosphere towards Slytherins was not in the least positive. It was more negative than it had been even in their parents' day - not the least because of their louder, more opinionated housemates. The girls made few friends outside of Slytherin because of it, as few were willing to associate with 'snakes', even if the snakes in question did not seem much inclined to start much of anything. Ella gave a blank, bored gaze to anyone who attempted to start a fight with her for the colour of her tie - it was disconcerting to most, if nothing else. She was unfailingly polite with each and every partner she had in classes, no matter their house - it wasn't a point of interest to her - and did her best to keep out of the way of those who seemed to be fighting the war of the houses - that was to say, the Gryffindors and Slytherins the year above the twins. It was hard to do: Slytherin had not been particularly liked by other houses to begin with - since Harry Potter started classes, this feeling only increased - there was little choice in the matter of not being close to their housemates.
Fourth year was hard, with Umbridge, although the girls managed to stay, for the most part, firmly out of the woman's way. It was a talent, on Ella's part - she was highly unlikely to be involved in anything that was liable to end badly (Umbridge paying attention of any kind to one did not seem liable to end well, to Ella), and she was good at keeping her head down and making herself quite unthreatening if she thought it would get people to leave her be. She willingly parroted whatever Umbridge wanted them to say - she did not, after all, have to believe any of it. Not really, not so long as she simply did what was necessary to make others think she was being a good little girl, so that they would stop watching her and she could go on as she had been.
She could not understand Harry Potter's insistence on being so...loud about things. He was only making things worse: educational decree after educational decree came down on the students, and her opinion of the Boy Who Lived only worsened. It had never been exactly good, as Harry did not treat Slytherins well, and had, as far as Ella could see, only caused mass chaos. That he was now making life harder for her personally (and everyone, really) was just the tipping of the scales necessary for her to build a quiet, firm dislike.
Easter break of fourth year Ella had reached her limit with being confused for Emma. It had not truly bothered her overly much when Umbridge confused them, only mildly irritated her. She hadn't liked how their dormmates confused them, no - four years of living with one another and they still called her Emma, or 'Montgomery' (as if they were interchangeable!).
When Eddie, little Eddie, got their names wrong, however, she couldn't stand it any longer. Without discussing it with Emma, she dyed her hair brown - it was something that could be undone if it truly bothered her sister, although Ella got the feeling Emma disliked the way people would call them 'Montgomery' simply because they couldn't be bothered to learn which was which.
And then Emma burst into Ella's room, her formerly long hair quite short - and the twins stared at one another.
And then laughed.
Ella could have let her hair go back to her natural blonde, since Emma seemed pleased with her hair kept short, but preferred the dark shade; she didn't seem inclined to chop it all off in addition, either, preferring the long hair they'd had for most of their lives. No one had any further reason to mix the two up - and if their parents were a bit startled by the fact that their daughters had both drastically changed their hairstyles a day into Easter break, well. The twins seemed quite pleased with themselves, all in all.
In fifth year their lives went wrong.
Their mother's illustrious career was marred when, at age forty, she was approached by fellow Ministry member and Death Eater Yaxley with a request to use her considerable clout to veto a pro-Muggle bill. She didn't agree, of course, but mostly she worried that saying yes would open the door to more yeses and perhaps even put her family in situations such as that. Unfortunately, saying no wasn't the right decision, either. Upon her refusal, Fenrir Greyback was sent by Voldemort to attack Eddie. Both the Montgomery parents were working at the time - only little Eddie and the nanny, Amy, were home. Amy was killed near instantly - Eddie was not so lucky.
The girls were pulled from school with leave to go to Mungo's - they were at their little brother's side when he died, though the Healers hadn't wanted them there. Ella doesn't know exactly how she feels about that - being there. She couldn't say 'no' when her little brother just wanted to see them, to hold their hands, although how would she know if that was so? He only screamed, really, as he was dying there, slowly. Painfully.
She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for not being there for him in that sad, too-late way, when she hadn't been there when he needed her.
Stricken by the tragedy, Caroline demoted herself. The Montgomery family spent more time together consecutively than they ever had since the girls were very, very small - an irony none of them appreciated. After some weeks Edward roused himself, however, and sent the girls back to Hogwarts, so they could take their OWLs.
Students were nice to them. Despite their green-and-silver uniforms. Their mother had said 'no', their brother had died - idealistic, insensitive children thought this made them brave, made them part of the 'right' side - Ella just wanted them to leave herself and Emma be, to their grief. She gave her most unnerving stare to those who wouldn't take the hint to leave them be. Those who ignored Ella's silent warnings were met with Emma's words.
They'd lost Eddie. It wasn't brave or right. And she could not accept pity from children who had never known their little brother, children who had, until Eddie died, treated Emma and Ella as Slytherins were treated at Hogwarts during their school years: as evil.
Amy's death, too, was a blow. Two of the people she loved most were just...gone. At least with Eddie she had been able to be there, for the end, even if that hurt, carving a hole in her chest where all her love for him (was) had been. They weren't even permitted to see her body - it was too gruesome.
Ella did not change as much as Emma - not outwardly, at least. Emma was the one most aware of how she had changed. Ella did not fall asleep easily, and woke up with a silent scream lodged in her throat quite often when she did. She was not fine at all - but she tried not to let anyone know that, tried to be the 'strong' one for Emma, who was breaking before her eyes. Her own opinions were different, while alike: werewolves had never been excellent in her eyes, but she would never, ever be able to look at a person who was a werewolf in a positive light, after. She could not support either side of the war: one had gotten her brother killed for her mother's belief; the other had ordered her brother's death.
Sixth year was worse. Aside from the thestrals they could now see - Ella went rigid at the sight, at the knowledge as to why she could see them, reaching for Emma's hand without thought - it was hard.
For pureblood Slytherins this shouldn't have been the case - and it was true that they were more well-treated than other students. However, one wrong move would send them sprawling down to the bottom of the chain - it was clear the Carrows thought them likely to be blood traitors, like their mother. Neither twin could speak out against the Death Eaters, or any of it, or fight - not if they wanted to stay alive, stay safe. And they did. It was a hard year, a quiet year, and it bound them more tightly together, because who could they trust?
Partway through the year they received word that their mother had been imprisoned at Azkaban - apparently the Death Eaters thought holding her might convince her uncle to reveal what Voldemort wished to know about wands. Ella tried not to think of it - she was losing the people she loved far too quickly. Far too much. She barely let Emma out of her sight, nearing the end of the year, when students from other houses and lineages took refuge elsewhere in the castle. They slept in the same bed, curtains warded as strongly as the two could manage.
As soon as Slytherins were called to leave before that last battle, the twins stood and left. It took one look to know what they'd do - their parents had already lost one child. Their mother might be lost, as well - and Ella would not risk losing Emma, or herself, to the bargain. There was too great a chance that one or both of them would not make it - and Ella could not accept that risk, nor could Emma.
Everyone knew what happened next: Harry Potter won. The war was over. There was celebration, happiness - and their brother's name, on a memorial that made Ella's skin crawl.
For that final year in Hogwarts their mother was offered the position of Muggle Studies Professor - as if that would make up for Azkaban, for her son, for all the things the Ministry had allowed to happen to them. She accepted, and continues to hold the position to this day. A more introspective and less hotheaded Gryffindor than the norm, she's a strict but warm-hearted teacher who will assign long essays, but typically on interesting topics. It was, in essence, a political move: granting the position to a pureblood would hopefully ease backlash from purebloods in general, while the school could be secure in the fact that Caroline would be fair (to their thinking) about the class.
The girls graduated from Hogwarts and continued to live at home - mostly because their of their parents. With their mother at Hogwarts for the most part, their father would have been alone - and both of their parents, honestly, were a bit broken by the lost of Eddie. Their father had needed them. Their mother had needed them.
Ella went to work at her Great-Uncle's shop right out of Hogwarts, and continues to study with him. Emma took a bit longer to find her path - she did eventually, however, and is very good at what she does. Both girls eventually came to the same conclusion: their parents would never truly be able to get over Eddie, not really, and they could not stay close forever to staunch the hurt. Not if they wanted to live (and Ella did, despite the way she'd wake up in the middle of the night, Eddie's shrieks and Amy's silence, Amy's empty memory in her nightmares). So they pooled their resources, applied for an apartment, and informed their parents of what they were doing. And the rest isn't history quite yet.
Current employment status: Apprentice to her Great-Uncle Ollivander, of Ollivander's. Ella has been officially employed as such since leaving Hogwarts, although she had received training over the summers from fourteen onwards (although not during her sixth year, when he was...away). The creation of wands is a long, involved process, and it takes a patient soul: some of the wands Mr. Ollivander makes will not be sold in his lifetime, but will go to wizards and witches not yet born - this is true for every wandmaker. Ella's own wand - and Emma's - was crafted by a Great-Great-Great Grandmother - their core came from the same source, as well as the same witch - who died long before she was ever born. Her own Great-Uncle is still studying the art - one never stops perfecting and expanding on wandmaking. Ella knows this, and chose the path all the same.
She prepares the base elements for the wands (assistant work, in essence), and occasionally buys or gathers it, and also has been known to clerk at the shop more recently. Finding the right wand is also a knack required for her chosen path - one she thankfully shows promise in, which her Great-Uncle says her mother's blood is responsible for. Ella has spent countless hours (days, weeks, months really) learning the wands within the store - and while she can cite a great many of them, and has the feel for those, she has not learned them all as Great-Uncle Ollivander has. She is trying, however, and he often sets her to drifting through the stacks.
Ella has yet to actually craft a wand to be added to the store. Rather than her Great-Uncle deciding this, it will be the wood, or the wand, that will determine it: a wand asks to be created, Great-Uncle says, and while Ella is stumbling towards that first creation, she has not yet made it to that point. She has, however, matched wands to wizards and witches from the last school year - it is a point of pride for her.
Her position in the store is fairly secure: she will eventually own and operate the shop, when Great-Uncle Ollivander passes on or hands it over to her. He did not have any children himself, and her mother, grandfather and Emma show no signs of interest in the craft - and Ollivander family secrets for the craft are meant to stay in the family. The shop will retain the name it has carried for generations, and Great-Uncle Ollivander has been suggesting that Ella change her own name. As she is the only other employee - aside from their suppliers - to the most popular wandshop in Britain, it is safe to say Ella is financially secure: it was the Ollivander fortune that kept her childhood happy and secure, and now it does as much for her adulthood.
Personality: Until her younger brother died and the news was splashed across the papers, Ella was not much of a blip on the collective Hogwarts radars. It said a lot about her as a person that the most people knew about her was that her parents had good jobs, she was Ollivander's niece (and they only knew that because Emma spoke up more than Ella did) and she was one of the Montgomery twins (which became 'sisters' after their hairstyles changed and their general reactions to 'twin 1' & 'twin 2 became known). She did well in school, although she didn't speak up much in class unless called on, and never did anything that was, by the standards of Hogwarts, particularly interesting.
Ella preferred people not notice her, on the whole. Being noticed, as far as she could tell, only brought one a great deal of trouble (which later life events would only cement in her mind). It was so much better to be the quiet one, the one who, when people asked about her, would elicit such comments as "oh, she's...nice" for lack of anything else coming to mind, or "isn't she Emma's twin?" Someday she would be noticed for her skills at making wands (and she was firm on that); until then, however, she preferred to pass through life easily, quickly, getting through the parts that were between her and her ambitions.
She is, keeping that desire to live a quiet life in mind, very polite. She was well brought up, yes, but her manners go beyond the 'please and thank you' her parents instilled in their children. Ella realizes that politeness goes further than being rude does: people are more inclined to do things for you when you're polite, or less inclined to be anything other than polite back. 'More bees with honey' is a rule to live by, as far as Ella is concerned. It has nothing to do with her being a nice person, the way she treats others: it has everything to do with the fact that people are more inclined to be helpful and less inclined to deter her from doing as she likes.
Ella was a very good student; she's quick at picking up on things to begin with (although she would never be compared to Hermione Granger - who would be?), and she put in the study time without a second thought. Her chosen career path will never end, in terms of learning and studying; so of course she is not the sort of person who would shrink at the thought. She's extremely organized: she likes to make lists and to label things, and it's very odd to find something of hers out of place (unless Emma has moved something). She usually does not appear bothered when someone messes with her system, even if she is (bees with honey, after all); truthfully, only Emma can get away with it in her heart of hearts. Eddie could, as could Amy, but they can't any longer.
Ella always tries to appear in control of herself; she hates to seem anything less than put together, and the only person who is permitted to see her like that is Emma - and she doesn't even really like that to happen. She's the "older" one - she's supposed to be there for Emma, not the other way around. Sometimes she does go to Emma - really, Emma is the only person she will ask for help - at night, after one of her nightmares, but she tries not to talk about the whys, or to directly admit she needs help. And she very, very rarely talks about these events afterward.
She doesn't really talk about anything that she feels that is less than pleasant. Ella either tries to avoid the topic or just states that she is fine, thanks so much, whether or not it is at all convincing. She works, she cleans, she organizes, she rearranges furniture - she does anything at all but confront the problem, or admit to it. Ella goes quieter than usual, and slightly more organizationally crazy, whenever Eddie's birthday (as well as the day he died) comes around.
Despite her stubborn refusal to discuss her own feelings (when they are negative or even when they are about other people romantically, which has too much potential for pain), Ella is fairly in tune with the emotions of others - Emma's in particular, of course, but others as well. It is something of her habitual politeness and her interest in staying out of the way/out of sight. Knowing how people are feeling can only be a good thing, so far as planning one's actions is concerned: her emotional antenna (or, rather, very good observational skills) kept her and Emma out of the line of fire in sixth year more than once. She usually will not confront people about their emotions, although she will offer polite words on them, unless they are Emma or her parents, or among the few close friends she has.
Despite her desire to always be composed, and her logical manner of thinking (Ella prefers to analyze all options before making decisions, and rarely makes snap decisions), Ella is a passionate person. This is, in part, why she tries to hard to keep herself in control. As a child she was very tempermental - as she grew older she realized that the reactions she received for it were rarely good, and reacted accordingly, training herself to not react so much as she had. It doesn't always hold. If she and Emma really, truly get into it she will give as good as she gets, control all but forgotten - and if someone brings up her little brother, it's hard. Threats to Emma make it easy - control doesn't even factor into reactions to those.
Ella is quite efficient at anything she puts her mind to. She doesn't see the point in wasting time in getting things done: chores and homework were always done on time, and well. She's responsible, as well; Ella has gotten into trouble, and still does things that might be considered 'up to no good' (usually in conjunction with Emma), but she can be relied upon, and will never do less than her word.
Some information on how your character feels about and deals with others would be appreciated.
Ella is usually polite to everyone, regardless of what they say to her. Her politeness only gets cold in response to rudeness - if she's insulting someone, it will be with pretty words. She is considerate of others, for the most part, and does her best to avoid confrontations. The only times she actively attempts to involve herself in a negative way would be when someone is arguing with Emma, or someone else she considers herself close to.
What sort of person do you see getting along the best with your character?
Intellectuals. Those with manners. Probably most, if not all, Slytherins, as they were usually shoved together with little chance of interhouse friendships. Emma's friends are usually treated very well. Ella prefers to get along with everyone, really, so anyone who doesn't impede this will be fine.
Conversely, what are some traits in others that they have limited tolerance for and tick them off?
She's not a fan of combative or argumentative people. Those who cause a great deal of chaos (Harry Potter, what) are equally aggravating. She doesn't see any reason to air ones' problems with others publicly (and this will bother her when it happens) and doesn't really approve of rudeness. Messy natures bother her a bit, but she tries not to say anything about it.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of having your character as a flatmate?
Ella will definitely do her share of the chores (possibly more in shared areas, since she neatens compulsively) and she's very considerate; if she wants to change something, she will make certain everyone agrees. She attempts to avoid problems with others, so she will usually go a little out of the way (so long as it is easier in the long run; if it requires a lot out of her way, she will firmly, if politely, protest). She doesn't bring people back to the flat ever, mostly because she systematically avoids romantic entanglements (and anything non-romantic is conducted outside of her home).
She's an insomniac, however, and often has odd hours due to her work - her Great-Uncle often keeps her late or calls her over late in order to help him - and would likely give others the cold, polite treatment (which involves not speaking unless spoken to, and then speaking as little as possible) if her flatmates annoyed her. She's fairly passive-aggressive (polite post-it notes or roundabout observations), which can be troubling to others, although Emma can swap Ella's switch to full-blown aggressive. Ella will also, generally, side with Emma on any argument: their third (or third and fourth) flatmate will likely never win a vote between the group because of it.
Name: Ella Lynn Montgomery.
Gender: Female.
Date of birth: 12/31/80.
House/Year: Slytherin, 1992-1999.
Blood status: Pureblood - their father is a second generation pureblood, while their mother is a fifth generation pureblood.
Sexuality: Heterosexual.
PB: Arielle Kebbel with long brown hair.
Physical characteristics: There was a reason Ella and Emma were so easily confused - they are identical twins. The same roundish face, the same brown eyes - the same height, the same slender frame. The most telling difference is their hair: Ella wears her hair long and brown, while her younger sister wears her hair much shorter and in their natural shade of blonde. There are smaller differences, as well, although less useful: Ella has a thick, round scar the size of a penny on her left hip, from a nail that was sticking out from a wall in the attic (she and Emma were playing hide and seek when they were six) and a thin, nearly invisible scar in the skin between her thumb and forefinger on her right hand, among others. Few people know to look for these markers, however, and so it is the hair they look for (if they know the Montgomery twins at all).
In terms of dress Ella is fashionable, although not to the extent of following every trend. She has a distinct liking for more feminine clothes; skirts and dresses are the norm for her, and she's fond of bright colours and flowery patterns, although she does, thankfully, have enough taste that they look nice. She usually has jewelry and shoes to match what she wears; while Ella does not, by any means, have a ridiculously large wardrobe, it works for her - and if nothing else, she can borrow something of Emma's, as they are the same size in everything and anything (although their tastes occasionally differ).
Distant History: Caroline Ollivander (niece to that Mr. Ollivander, through his younger brother) was a talented witch and Gryffindor who was Head Girl in her day, three years prior to Lily Evans. After finishing Hogwarts, she went to work for the Ministry in the Muggle Relations office - due to a fascination with Muggles and Muggle Studdies in her school years - and was promoted to deputy head by the age of thirty.
She met her husband, Edward Montgomery (a former Ravenclaw) through the Ministry - he was a well-respected lawyer for the International Magical Office of Law (a division of the Ministry Department of International Magical Cooperation). He was called in to consult on a particular case, and late nights over files with horrible Ministry coffee to keep them (almost) awake turned into late nights at one or the other's home, with better coffee, which led to mornings out in coffee shops, and so on. By the end of the case, Caroline and Edward found more than an answer, and were quite seriously dating.
The two were married September 10th, 1978, and bought a place of their own (where?). They did not start a family immediately; instead they readied themselves for the prospect, making certain they were secure in their relationship and careers before taking the next step in the family life.
On the very last day of December, 1980, nearing midnight, their first child was born: a daughter, Ella Lynn Montgomery. Seventeen minutes later, on the first of January, 1981, their second daughter was born: Emma Leigh Montgomery. Though they were twins, Ella could say (technically truthfully) that she was, in fact, a year older than Emma - and she was the older twin, even if it was only, in actual fact, by seventeen minutes.
They lived a happy enough childhood - their family was privileged, with both their parents having respectable, influential jobs as well as family money (on their father's side, with a suitable amount from their mother's). Their parents did not get them everything they asked for, not in the least, and they were expected to share a great many things (the one thing Ella truly minded sharing, without feeling bad about arguing afterwards, was their birthday - neither twin has managed to convince their parents to this day that their birthdays are quite different and should be celebrated on their respective days) - but they never went wanting for food or clothes or toys, even if their parents were often away. They were, for the most part, left in the care of their nanny, Amy, whom the twins adored - among many other things, she could tell them apart, and never once confused the two girls, though they were perfect copies when their mother dressed them as a matching set.
Ella, for her part, was not given to thinking this meant her parents did not love her and her sister: Caroline and Edward had quite carefully explained that though they were busy, they loved the twins very much, and she believed them. They did not miss a birthday, or Christmas, and when either girl was sick - although the other usually fell sick quickly after - they would drop everything to come home. And if her parents were not always there, her sister always was.
Ella and Emma did not always get on. Usually they did - they were nowhere near the Weasley twins in terms of dependence and two halves of one whole, no, but Ella would call her sister her closest friend, if pressed. She was willing to pin the blame on Emma, of course, if they got into trouble (and there was no one else around to pin it on, as someone who wasn't Ella and Emma was more likely to get the blame if there was such a person about to blame), and they fought, but usually they got on. Their fights were, really, a sign of closeness: no one in the world knew how to press Ella's buttons like Emma, or how to drive her mad so precisely. It was a knack only a sister (only a twin) could pick up on.
A few months before the girls left for Hogwarts, Edward Montgomery, Jr., or (more often) 'Eddie' was born - when Caroline had found herself pregnant a second time, it had been a surprise to all of the Montgomerys - and while the twins had been told, they were ambivalent (on Ella's part) and torn (or Emma's) until they actually got to meet their little brother. Ella, for her part, spent some time after her introduction to her new little brother staring into his crib, contemplative. He was very small, and very fragile - Emma was 'younger' than her, yes, but she wasn't really for most of the time - not like Eddie was. When he began to gurgle at the twins her opinion, slow and solid, had already decided upon 'adoration'. It was hard to get angry with Eddie (he was just a baby!) as she did with Emma, and even as he got older this remained - where Ella would go stubborn as rock if Emma tried to budge her in an argument, she'd often waver or allow things she normally wouldn't if Eddie asked.
Her only problem was that he was born just before they had to leave. It was Hogwarts, of course, and she was excited - usually calm, Ella was nearly bouncing with excitement when she and Emma were ushered into Great-Uncle Ollivander's wand shop, hours before the store opened to the public. She could almost forget their impending parting, as he put yet another wand into her hands, watching the twins as they flicked and swished and were chosen by the wand that was made for them.
Recent History: There was no helping the sadness on the platform - although Ella kept her chin firm and didn't shed a tear, as she was 'older'. And if her eyes were wet, well. Only her family would notice. Emma was there, after all - it wasn't as though they were alone, as some of the other students were. They didn't have any family at Hogwarts - not close family, although one or two distant cousins attended - no, but they had one another, which was a start. And if they stuck more closely together than usual on the train, well. They were allowed.
Ella was sorted first, as was only proper, in her eyes: she had been born first, after all. Secretly, she was relieved she didn't have to go after Emma - it would be easier to ignore a separate sorting if she went first, if it was Emma who didn't follow her.
The hat didn't spend overly long on Ella. Ambition - she had ambition. Hogwarts was just a stop in the road of life for her. She knew what she wanted to do - had known it since she'd walked into Great-Uncle [?] Ollivander's shop. Ella Montgomery would make wands - and while she did not carry her mother's maiden name, she would be as well-known as any Ollivander by the time her life was through - more well-known, even. It was not a loud, brash ambition - rather, it was the quiet, patient sort, the kind that had to be watched even more closely. She would study at Hogwarts for seven years and then she would study the making of wands for the rest of her life - and before she died she would become better than her Great-Uncle, love him though she did. She'd never mentioned this to anyone - not really. She'd said she wanted to make wands, in a determined, decided voice at that first visit to the shop, when she was five, but no one but Emma had really taken her seriously.
Cunning? Well. If the twins occasionally resorted to blaming one another when they got into trouble, they more often managed to get out of it - or to never get into it in the first place. Not from lack of breaking rules, but rather from the ability to talk their way out of and around things, or to cover their tracks. Ella in particular was better at thinking of ways of doing things so that people wouldn't notice - she would never take more than a cookie from the jar, because who would think to check if one or two cookies were missing? And crumbs, those needed to be cleaned up. And the chair and jar had to be just how they had been before the twins scampered off again. Emma was best at distracting their parents with a well-placed fit - Ella managed to tidy away evidence of wrong-doing more than once while her sister acted the part of a brat (which she was, admittedly, something of in truth).
So to Slytherin she went. And Emma followed her a few minutes later - less than seventeen, less than those minutes they'd been apart at birth, and Ella smiled as her sister took the seat by her side.
Their first year would have been far more sour than it was had they not been purebloods - the Chamber was opened, and muggleborns and halfbloods were being targeted - the atmosphere towards Slytherins was not in the least positive. It was more negative than it had been even in their parents' day - not the least because of their louder, more opinionated housemates. The girls made few friends outside of Slytherin because of it, as few were willing to associate with 'snakes', even if the snakes in question did not seem much inclined to start much of anything. Ella gave a blank, bored gaze to anyone who attempted to start a fight with her for the colour of her tie - it was disconcerting to most, if nothing else. She was unfailingly polite with each and every partner she had in classes, no matter their house - it wasn't a point of interest to her - and did her best to keep out of the way of those who seemed to be fighting the war of the houses - that was to say, the Gryffindors and Slytherins the year above the twins. It was hard to do: Slytherin had not been particularly liked by other houses to begin with - since Harry Potter started classes, this feeling only increased - there was little choice in the matter of not being close to their housemates.
Fourth year was hard, with Umbridge, although the girls managed to stay, for the most part, firmly out of the woman's way. It was a talent, on Ella's part - she was highly unlikely to be involved in anything that was liable to end badly (Umbridge paying attention of any kind to one did not seem liable to end well, to Ella), and she was good at keeping her head down and making herself quite unthreatening if she thought it would get people to leave her be. She willingly parroted whatever Umbridge wanted them to say - she did not, after all, have to believe any of it. Not really, not so long as she simply did what was necessary to make others think she was being a good little girl, so that they would stop watching her and she could go on as she had been.
She could not understand Harry Potter's insistence on being so...loud about things. He was only making things worse: educational decree after educational decree came down on the students, and her opinion of the Boy Who Lived only worsened. It had never been exactly good, as Harry did not treat Slytherins well, and had, as far as Ella could see, only caused mass chaos. That he was now making life harder for her personally (and everyone, really) was just the tipping of the scales necessary for her to build a quiet, firm dislike.
Easter break of fourth year Ella had reached her limit with being confused for Emma. It had not truly bothered her overly much when Umbridge confused them, only mildly irritated her. She hadn't liked how their dormmates confused them, no - four years of living with one another and they still called her Emma, or 'Montgomery' (as if they were interchangeable!).
When Eddie, little Eddie, got their names wrong, however, she couldn't stand it any longer. Without discussing it with Emma, she dyed her hair brown - it was something that could be undone if it truly bothered her sister, although Ella got the feeling Emma disliked the way people would call them 'Montgomery' simply because they couldn't be bothered to learn which was which.
And then Emma burst into Ella's room, her formerly long hair quite short - and the twins stared at one another.
And then laughed.
Ella could have let her hair go back to her natural blonde, since Emma seemed pleased with her hair kept short, but preferred the dark shade; she didn't seem inclined to chop it all off in addition, either, preferring the long hair they'd had for most of their lives. No one had any further reason to mix the two up - and if their parents were a bit startled by the fact that their daughters had both drastically changed their hairstyles a day into Easter break, well. The twins seemed quite pleased with themselves, all in all.
In fifth year their lives went wrong.
Their mother's illustrious career was marred when, at age forty, she was approached by fellow Ministry member and Death Eater Yaxley with a request to use her considerable clout to veto a pro-Muggle bill. She didn't agree, of course, but mostly she worried that saying yes would open the door to more yeses and perhaps even put her family in situations such as that. Unfortunately, saying no wasn't the right decision, either. Upon her refusal, Fenrir Greyback was sent by Voldemort to attack Eddie. Both the Montgomery parents were working at the time - only little Eddie and the nanny, Amy, were home. Amy was killed near instantly - Eddie was not so lucky.
The girls were pulled from school with leave to go to Mungo's - they were at their little brother's side when he died, though the Healers hadn't wanted them there. Ella doesn't know exactly how she feels about that - being there. She couldn't say 'no' when her little brother just wanted to see them, to hold their hands, although how would she know if that was so? He only screamed, really, as he was dying there, slowly. Painfully.
She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for not being there for him in that sad, too-late way, when she hadn't been there when he needed her.
Stricken by the tragedy, Caroline demoted herself. The Montgomery family spent more time together consecutively than they ever had since the girls were very, very small - an irony none of them appreciated. After some weeks Edward roused himself, however, and sent the girls back to Hogwarts, so they could take their OWLs.
Students were nice to them. Despite their green-and-silver uniforms. Their mother had said 'no', their brother had died - idealistic, insensitive children thought this made them brave, made them part of the 'right' side - Ella just wanted them to leave herself and Emma be, to their grief. She gave her most unnerving stare to those who wouldn't take the hint to leave them be. Those who ignored Ella's silent warnings were met with Emma's words.
They'd lost Eddie. It wasn't brave or right. And she could not accept pity from children who had never known their little brother, children who had, until Eddie died, treated Emma and Ella as Slytherins were treated at Hogwarts during their school years: as evil.
Amy's death, too, was a blow. Two of the people she loved most were just...gone. At least with Eddie she had been able to be there, for the end, even if that hurt, carving a hole in her chest where all her love for him (was) had been. They weren't even permitted to see her body - it was too gruesome.
Ella did not change as much as Emma - not outwardly, at least. Emma was the one most aware of how she had changed. Ella did not fall asleep easily, and woke up with a silent scream lodged in her throat quite often when she did. She was not fine at all - but she tried not to let anyone know that, tried to be the 'strong' one for Emma, who was breaking before her eyes. Her own opinions were different, while alike: werewolves had never been excellent in her eyes, but she would never, ever be able to look at a person who was a werewolf in a positive light, after. She could not support either side of the war: one had gotten her brother killed for her mother's belief; the other had ordered her brother's death.
Sixth year was worse. Aside from the thestrals they could now see - Ella went rigid at the sight, at the knowledge as to why she could see them, reaching for Emma's hand without thought - it was hard.
For pureblood Slytherins this shouldn't have been the case - and it was true that they were more well-treated than other students. However, one wrong move would send them sprawling down to the bottom of the chain - it was clear the Carrows thought them likely to be blood traitors, like their mother. Neither twin could speak out against the Death Eaters, or any of it, or fight - not if they wanted to stay alive, stay safe. And they did. It was a hard year, a quiet year, and it bound them more tightly together, because who could they trust?
Partway through the year they received word that their mother had been imprisoned at Azkaban - apparently the Death Eaters thought holding her might convince her uncle to reveal what Voldemort wished to know about wands. Ella tried not to think of it - she was losing the people she loved far too quickly. Far too much. She barely let Emma out of her sight, nearing the end of the year, when students from other houses and lineages took refuge elsewhere in the castle. They slept in the same bed, curtains warded as strongly as the two could manage.
As soon as Slytherins were called to leave before that last battle, the twins stood and left. It took one look to know what they'd do - their parents had already lost one child. Their mother might be lost, as well - and Ella would not risk losing Emma, or herself, to the bargain. There was too great a chance that one or both of them would not make it - and Ella could not accept that risk, nor could Emma.
Everyone knew what happened next: Harry Potter won. The war was over. There was celebration, happiness - and their brother's name, on a memorial that made Ella's skin crawl.
For that final year in Hogwarts their mother was offered the position of Muggle Studies Professor - as if that would make up for Azkaban, for her son, for all the things the Ministry had allowed to happen to them. She accepted, and continues to hold the position to this day. A more introspective and less hotheaded Gryffindor than the norm, she's a strict but warm-hearted teacher who will assign long essays, but typically on interesting topics. It was, in essence, a political move: granting the position to a pureblood would hopefully ease backlash from purebloods in general, while the school could be secure in the fact that Caroline would be fair (to their thinking) about the class.
The girls graduated from Hogwarts and continued to live at home - mostly because their of their parents. With their mother at Hogwarts for the most part, their father would have been alone - and both of their parents, honestly, were a bit broken by the lost of Eddie. Their father had needed them. Their mother had needed them.
Ella went to work at her Great-Uncle's shop right out of Hogwarts, and continues to study with him. Emma took a bit longer to find her path - she did eventually, however, and is very good at what she does. Both girls eventually came to the same conclusion: their parents would never truly be able to get over Eddie, not really, and they could not stay close forever to staunch the hurt. Not if they wanted to live (and Ella did, despite the way she'd wake up in the middle of the night, Eddie's shrieks and Amy's silence, Amy's empty memory in her nightmares). So they pooled their resources, applied for an apartment, and informed their parents of what they were doing. And the rest isn't history quite yet.
Current employment status: Apprentice to her Great-Uncle Ollivander, of Ollivander's. Ella has been officially employed as such since leaving Hogwarts, although she had received training over the summers from fourteen onwards (although not during her sixth year, when he was...away). The creation of wands is a long, involved process, and it takes a patient soul: some of the wands Mr. Ollivander makes will not be sold in his lifetime, but will go to wizards and witches not yet born - this is true for every wandmaker. Ella's own wand - and Emma's - was crafted by a Great-Great-Great Grandmother - their core came from the same source, as well as the same witch - who died long before she was ever born. Her own Great-Uncle is still studying the art - one never stops perfecting and expanding on wandmaking. Ella knows this, and chose the path all the same.
She prepares the base elements for the wands (assistant work, in essence), and occasionally buys or gathers it, and also has been known to clerk at the shop more recently. Finding the right wand is also a knack required for her chosen path - one she thankfully shows promise in, which her Great-Uncle says her mother's blood is responsible for. Ella has spent countless hours (days, weeks, months really) learning the wands within the store - and while she can cite a great many of them, and has the feel for those, she has not learned them all as Great-Uncle Ollivander has. She is trying, however, and he often sets her to drifting through the stacks.
Ella has yet to actually craft a wand to be added to the store. Rather than her Great-Uncle deciding this, it will be the wood, or the wand, that will determine it: a wand asks to be created, Great-Uncle says, and while Ella is stumbling towards that first creation, she has not yet made it to that point. She has, however, matched wands to wizards and witches from the last school year - it is a point of pride for her.
Her position in the store is fairly secure: she will eventually own and operate the shop, when Great-Uncle Ollivander passes on or hands it over to her. He did not have any children himself, and her mother, grandfather and Emma show no signs of interest in the craft - and Ollivander family secrets for the craft are meant to stay in the family. The shop will retain the name it has carried for generations, and Great-Uncle Ollivander has been suggesting that Ella change her own name. As she is the only other employee - aside from their suppliers - to the most popular wandshop in Britain, it is safe to say Ella is financially secure: it was the Ollivander fortune that kept her childhood happy and secure, and now it does as much for her adulthood.
Personality: Until her younger brother died and the news was splashed across the papers, Ella was not much of a blip on the collective Hogwarts radars. It said a lot about her as a person that the most people knew about her was that her parents had good jobs, she was Ollivander's niece (and they only knew that because Emma spoke up more than Ella did) and she was one of the Montgomery twins (which became 'sisters' after their hairstyles changed and their general reactions to 'twin 1' & 'twin 2 became known). She did well in school, although she didn't speak up much in class unless called on, and never did anything that was, by the standards of Hogwarts, particularly interesting.
Ella preferred people not notice her, on the whole. Being noticed, as far as she could tell, only brought one a great deal of trouble (which later life events would only cement in her mind). It was so much better to be the quiet one, the one who, when people asked about her, would elicit such comments as "oh, she's...nice" for lack of anything else coming to mind, or "isn't she Emma's twin?" Someday she would be noticed for her skills at making wands (and she was firm on that); until then, however, she preferred to pass through life easily, quickly, getting through the parts that were between her and her ambitions.
She is, keeping that desire to live a quiet life in mind, very polite. She was well brought up, yes, but her manners go beyond the 'please and thank you' her parents instilled in their children. Ella realizes that politeness goes further than being rude does: people are more inclined to do things for you when you're polite, or less inclined to be anything other than polite back. 'More bees with honey' is a rule to live by, as far as Ella is concerned. It has nothing to do with her being a nice person, the way she treats others: it has everything to do with the fact that people are more inclined to be helpful and less inclined to deter her from doing as she likes.
Ella was a very good student; she's quick at picking up on things to begin with (although she would never be compared to Hermione Granger - who would be?), and she put in the study time without a second thought. Her chosen career path will never end, in terms of learning and studying; so of course she is not the sort of person who would shrink at the thought. She's extremely organized: she likes to make lists and to label things, and it's very odd to find something of hers out of place (unless Emma has moved something). She usually does not appear bothered when someone messes with her system, even if she is (bees with honey, after all); truthfully, only Emma can get away with it in her heart of hearts. Eddie could, as could Amy, but they can't any longer.
Ella always tries to appear in control of herself; she hates to seem anything less than put together, and the only person who is permitted to see her like that is Emma - and she doesn't even really like that to happen. She's the "older" one - she's supposed to be there for Emma, not the other way around. Sometimes she does go to Emma - really, Emma is the only person she will ask for help - at night, after one of her nightmares, but she tries not to talk about the whys, or to directly admit she needs help. And she very, very rarely talks about these events afterward.
She doesn't really talk about anything that she feels that is less than pleasant. Ella either tries to avoid the topic or just states that she is fine, thanks so much, whether or not it is at all convincing. She works, she cleans, she organizes, she rearranges furniture - she does anything at all but confront the problem, or admit to it. Ella goes quieter than usual, and slightly more organizationally crazy, whenever Eddie's birthday (as well as the day he died) comes around.
Despite her stubborn refusal to discuss her own feelings (when they are negative or even when they are about other people romantically, which has too much potential for pain), Ella is fairly in tune with the emotions of others - Emma's in particular, of course, but others as well. It is something of her habitual politeness and her interest in staying out of the way/out of sight. Knowing how people are feeling can only be a good thing, so far as planning one's actions is concerned: her emotional antenna (or, rather, very good observational skills) kept her and Emma out of the line of fire in sixth year more than once. She usually will not confront people about their emotions, although she will offer polite words on them, unless they are Emma or her parents, or among the few close friends she has.
Despite her desire to always be composed, and her logical manner of thinking (Ella prefers to analyze all options before making decisions, and rarely makes snap decisions), Ella is a passionate person. This is, in part, why she tries to hard to keep herself in control. As a child she was very tempermental - as she grew older she realized that the reactions she received for it were rarely good, and reacted accordingly, training herself to not react so much as she had. It doesn't always hold. If she and Emma really, truly get into it she will give as good as she gets, control all but forgotten - and if someone brings up her little brother, it's hard. Threats to Emma make it easy - control doesn't even factor into reactions to those.
Ella is quite efficient at anything she puts her mind to. She doesn't see the point in wasting time in getting things done: chores and homework were always done on time, and well. She's responsible, as well; Ella has gotten into trouble, and still does things that might be considered 'up to no good' (usually in conjunction with Emma), but she can be relied upon, and will never do less than her word.
Some information on how your character feels about and deals with others would be appreciated.
Ella is usually polite to everyone, regardless of what they say to her. Her politeness only gets cold in response to rudeness - if she's insulting someone, it will be with pretty words. She is considerate of others, for the most part, and does her best to avoid confrontations. The only times she actively attempts to involve herself in a negative way would be when someone is arguing with Emma, or someone else she considers herself close to.
What sort of person do you see getting along the best with your character?
Intellectuals. Those with manners. Probably most, if not all, Slytherins, as they were usually shoved together with little chance of interhouse friendships. Emma's friends are usually treated very well. Ella prefers to get along with everyone, really, so anyone who doesn't impede this will be fine.
Conversely, what are some traits in others that they have limited tolerance for and tick them off?
She's not a fan of combative or argumentative people. Those who cause a great deal of chaos (Harry Potter, what) are equally aggravating. She doesn't see any reason to air ones' problems with others publicly (and this will bother her when it happens) and doesn't really approve of rudeness. Messy natures bother her a bit, but she tries not to say anything about it.
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of having your character as a flatmate?
Ella will definitely do her share of the chores (possibly more in shared areas, since she neatens compulsively) and she's very considerate; if she wants to change something, she will make certain everyone agrees. She attempts to avoid problems with others, so she will usually go a little out of the way (so long as it is easier in the long run; if it requires a lot out of her way, she will firmly, if politely, protest). She doesn't bring people back to the flat ever, mostly because she systematically avoids romantic entanglements (and anything non-romantic is conducted outside of her home).
She's an insomniac, however, and often has odd hours due to her work - her Great-Uncle often keeps her late or calls her over late in order to help him - and would likely give others the cold, polite treatment (which involves not speaking unless spoken to, and then speaking as little as possible) if her flatmates annoyed her. She's fairly passive-aggressive (polite post-it notes or roundabout observations), which can be troubling to others, although Emma can swap Ella's switch to full-blown aggressive. Ella will also, generally, side with Emma on any argument: their third (or third and fourth) flatmate will likely never win a vote between the group because of it.