[Application: Cadoc Phillips]
your name: Thalia
age: 24 going on 50
aim: ph34r teh snark
email: thalia.kendall@gmail.com
cdj: swarthy_git
timezone: EST
previous RP experience: Plenty. Same as before.
character name: Cadoc Tristan Phillips. Call him Cadoc. Phillips, if you absolutely must. Please, please do not call him by his full name unless he has behaved particularly badly. Particularly the Tristan bit. He is not a knight, and he is not infatuated with any Irish princesses betrothed to favourite uncles madly in love with Iseult Finnigan for more than her wondrous name okay?? (okay, joking), and so on and so forth. Thank you!
age and birthday: 17, 29 September 2004
bloodline: Muggleborn
home residence: Cardiff, Wales
house and year: 7th year Ravenclaw
current classes: Ancient Runes, Charms, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, Transfiguration
sexuality: Yes, please, he'd say, but it'd be more in a facetious manner. Cadoc is straight, rather fond of flirting, and thinks that females are charming creatures. That being said, growing up amidst a family of girls, he does also comprehend all too well the 'other' side of it-- emotional upheavals, tears, spazzing over outfits, etc., and treats most females of his acquaintance with a democratically humouring, friendly and non-flirt-flirting demeanor.
appearance: Cadoc is somewhat taller than medium height, and rather slim and wiry. He's rather young-looking for a seventh year, with curling blond hair and a ready grin most of the time. His family is comfortably middle-class, and both parents are employed in decent if not spectacular paying jobs. Being Muggleborn, when out of school robes he likely favours casual, somewhat preppy Muggle clothing as opposed to the wizarding variety, and on Hogsmeade weekends and the like could probably pass for a perambulating Abercrombie and Fitch ad. He does not do this intentionally, however, and will blithely admit that he leaves clothes shopping to the experts-- i.e. the female family members, and is quite happy that it is a matter tidily taken out of his hands.
Cadoc is surprisingly energetic and rather belies the mental image of a studious bookworm type for a Ravenclaw Prefect. Though he's not a Quidditch player, he's a fairly decent football player (forward), and goes jogging at least three times a week to work off excess energy. He's also one of those infuriating people who eat like starving hippogryffs and never seem to gain an ounce, though he attributes this to the fact that laughing burns calories at an enormous rate, and there's always something to laugh over.
played by: Jamie Johnston ( pictured here ).
descriptive personality: Cadoc is an extrovert, sociable and talkative, and when one meets him for the first time, gives a definite impression of a friendly bloke who loves having fun and has an eye for the ladies. It may first be a bit of a mystery how precisely a fellow like him managed to Sort Ravenclaw, and indeed how in the world he was appointed Prefect, because nothing about him would initially suggest a bookish or serious disposition. He would point out, however, that there are indeed different types of 'smart', and solemnity is not an indication of responsibility. That is, if he weren't laughing along with others who disgruntledly wonder about what in the world the Headmaster was smoking when he sent Cadoc that badge in fifth year.
There is more than meets the eye to him, however. Females who manage to bypass the flirtatious remarks would find him a sympathetic confidant to their woes, regardless of how petty. He probably keeps younger years in stitches with anecdotes of his own mishaps when he first started Hogwarts, which he'd tell in a laughing-at-himself, casual sort of way so as to illustrate how not knowing how to transfigure a beetle into a button on the first go is not a big deal, really, in comparison to say... tripping over someone's cat en route to the Ravenclaw Common Room, falling headlong down the stairs, and crash-landing in a heap at the feet of the incumbent Head Girl, thereby causing her to drop all her belongings, including but not limited to a full inkwell which of course cracks open on his head and stains a good section of his hair purplish blue. And his jibes and witticisms are more of the Oscar Wilde than the Adam Sandler calibre, and unlike some others, he does seem to be capable of laughing at himself at least as often as he may laugh at others.
On the subject of the fairer sex, Cadoc has a reputation for being a flirt, which is deserved in that he will vociferously extoll the charms and features of any given female on a frequent basis, regardless of public opinion on said female. It is more friendly than serious, however, and flirting with everyone is the same as flirting with no one. Girls can always look to him for compliments when they're feeling down, of course, which makes him quite the useful individual to have around. That being said, he's not too much of a serious relationship type, at least at this point. Perhaps it is due to the fact that he realistically understands that most relationships of people his age are not serious in nature and therefore does not believe in making things out to be something that they aren't. Perhaps it is due to the fact that he's holding out for the one true, but isn't adverse to enjoying his life in the meantime.
As far as academics go, Cadoc genuinely enjoys learning for the most part, though he has a tendency to be easily bored. He's a good student in that he will gladly and cheerfully participate in class, read the books, do the homework, and explore alternate points of view AND look up outside sources when doing essays. He's not such a great student in the sense of decorous and follow-the-books-to-the-letter behaviour IN class all the time, however, and tends to do better therefore in subjects where the professors are more open-minded and less likely to get angry if he engages them in friendly debate over theory or point out some minor contradiction in the textbook. It is therefore probably not unexpected for him to particularly enjoy both Charms and Transfiguration, where not only is there something constantly going on in class, but the professors are encouraging, enthusiastic individuals who seem genuinely glad to be there and share their expertise. Potions too, to a lesser extent as he lacks the patience to be truly excellent at it. Muggle Studies he finds to be a breeze, being a Muggleborn and more often than not entertained by the way wizarding culture views his own heritage.
It may seem odd, therefore, that he continues to take both Ancient Runes and History of Magic, where neither professor seems personable or particularly inviting, but Cadoc would say that Professor Brun's dour demeanor does not detract from how pretty she is, and that regardless of how many points she may take, the subject matter is still interesting enough to hold his interest. And while he really can say nothing positive about Professor Binns' methods of teaching, he's rather fond of exploring the... well, less-explored aspects of wizarding history, and often his essays for that class will not only cover the notable timelines in regards to innovations in self-stirring cauldrons, but probably detail the juicier aspects of the lives of the inventors of said items as well.
Cadoc pretends to be a slacker, somewhat in contrast to fellow Prefect Starla Makenna, and many may express surprise that he's taking as many NEWTs as he is. However, it isn't that he does not study at all, even though he's seen more often socialising in the Common Room after dinner than hitting the books. It simply is that he does not study at set hours in a regimented way that his more bookish contemporaries might. Perhaps between the hours of eight and ten he's engaged in a dozen chess games with a housemate, but after everyone else has gone to bed, he'll likely do his homework in a blessedly empty and quiet Common Room.
As a Prefect, Cadoc is definitely the 'good cop' to Starla Makenna's 'bad cop', and he happily leaves the disciplining and berating of miscreants to her 'expertise' (his term, not mine). He's not above breaking a few rules himself now and again, and typically looks the other way if, say, the Ravenclaws throw a party after a Quidditch win and someone breaks out a bottle of Firewhiskey (he may, in fact, toast the captain himself and join in the chorus when the Ravenclaw fight song gets belted out by exuberant, celebratory housemates). As far as he's concerned, there are small rules and big rules, and the seventh years having a bit of a tipple now and again isn't going to harm anyone. There's no point in losing sight of the forest for the trees, and people are more likely to listen to him when it truly matters if he doesn't sweat the small stuff. He has a point to an extent, because when he DOES tell someone to stop doing something, they immediately get the impression that it's a serious matter because it's such a departure from his blithe acceptance of minor peccadilloes.
Cadoc's biggest flaw is probably his lack of focus and direction. He's making good marks in his classes, but he doesn't really know what to do with them, or have any set plans on what he wants to do with his life. He's friendly and flirtatious with all the girls, but doesn't seem to actually have more than a passing interest in anyone in particular. He's not very ambitious, and doesn't really care if he or one of the other male 7th year Prefects gets Head Boy. Unless something inspires him, after Hogwarts he's liable to drift around for a while working odd jobs that he's overqualified for (i.e. dishwasher for the Leaky Cauldron, etc.), maybe for years, before he settles on a long-term career option.
family:
Cadoc is the son of two Welsh Muggles, and knows of no wizarding kin amongst his ancestors. He is, however, not the first member of his family to attend Hogwarts.
His mother, Aelis Morgan, grew up in the same apartment complex as his father, Gavin Phillips. The two were friends since their primary school days, when Gavin used to 'defend' Aelis from schoolyard bullies and Aelis used to share her mum's scrumptious chocolate cupcakes with Gavin during lunch. It was somewhat inevitable that the two would start dating in their late teens, and after securing steady jobs (her working in one of the local banks, him working at one of the numerous shops in Cardiff's St David's Centre), marry in their early twenties. Neither of them were involved in the war, and in fact knew nothing of it aside from perhaps reading about some "accidents" noted in Muggle newspapers.
Their first child, Morwenna Aderyn, was born a year after their marriage, and pretty much from the first loud and angry bawl she emitted as she was brought into the world, was destined to be the most vocal and attention-grabbing of the Phillips siblings. A mere year and a half later, Angharad Meredith was brought into the world, and Morwenna quite resented the new baby, who seemed to have supplanted her role as the centre of her parents' attention. Of course, bullying Angharad was out of the question under the watchful eyes of mum and dad, but the two girls grew up to be just about as different as two siblings close in age from one family could possibly be. While Angharad was a tomboy and gravitated towards shooting marbles and climbing trees with the lads of the neighbourhood, Morwenna learnt to sing and dance the ballet, and would often spend hours primping and preening in the morning. After studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Morwenna managed to cajole and warble her way into a modestly successful career as an understudy to the prima donna soprano for the Welsh National Opera, and when not on stage performing, visits back often, filling the Phillips household with lots of presence and noise.
Morwenna exhibited no signs of magic, but seven-year-old Angharad, after being dared into climbing onto a rooftop, lost her footing on a loose shingle and would've fallen to her death were it not for the fact that SOMEHOW, the jacket she wore billowed out and grew in volume like a parachute, slowing her descent. Rather than being properly terrified after such a close encounter, Angharad thought it was the coolest thing she'd ever experienced. Perhaps it was inevitable, then, after her Hogwarts letter had arrived, that she'd end up in Gryffindor and play for the house team as Seeker for the last three years of her Hogwarts career. After Hogwarts, Angharad found work at Quality Quidditch Supplies, and quite gleefully does test runs on all the new brooms in stock (looking for defects, of course).
Maybe it was due to the work involved in bringing up two different but rambunctious girls, but after Angharad, Aelis and Gavin would wait another five years before having another baby. Cadoc Tristan was born in autumn of 2004, and from the start, was a sunny-natured, cheerful child of a far more easygoing temperament than his sisters. Cannily, he never participated in the disagreements of his older sisters, and split his time placating and admiring the interests and hobbies of both. As such, he has both an interest in the arts and in athletics, though in both cases, not to the level of either of his sisters. Growing up with two older sisters of strong personalities and wills, he inevitably learnt tact and what questions not to ask at an early age, and is very good at listening to their rants and problems, regardless of how insignificant.
His youngest sibling, Rhoswyn Gwyneth, was born three years after him, and unlike the other Phillips girls, is a quiet, cool-headed creature of deliberation rather than impulse. Unlike Morwenna, who always clamoured for attention, or Angharad, who inevitably GOT attention by getting herself into scrapes, Rhoswyn quickly and efficiently got both parents in her pocket by being obedient about all the little things, thus enabling her to gain far more freedom than her more loud and unruly sisters. Rhoswyn's first sign of magic was causing Morwenna to lose her voice as the latter was arguing loudly on the telephone with her then-boyfriend while the six-year-old Rhoswyn was trying to sleep. Rhoswyn is currently a Hogwarts fourth-year in Slytherin House, but mostly keeps a low profile, undoubtedly for her own benefit.
detailed history: Cadoc Tristan Phillips was born to a middle-class Welsh couple, the third of four children and the only boy. At the time of his birth, his parents were both in their late twenties and fairly stable in both their household and their respective jobs (his mother works as a bank teller and his father manages a jewellery shop in one of Cardiff's three main shopping arcades). Perhaps these factors contributed to him being of a relatively more easygoing and less rowdy temperament than his older sisters. Learning at a young age to be positive and to spread his interests across a broad range of subject matter, Cadoc had a fairly untroubled childhood, where he (a mere BOY and a boy who paid flattering amounts of attention at that) was not deemed a threat to either sister's ego.
By the time he was old enough to remember things, he was already semi-aware of magic. Angharad, his second sister, was exhibiting uncontrolled instances of it, typically when engaging in more reckless shenanigans, and while the family wasn't quite aware of what it all meant, they knew that something was special about the girl, and no one was really surprised when she got a letter from Hogwarts. Cadoc remembers his eldest sister, then twelve, having a tantrum over it-- Morwenna did NOT appreciate Angharad receiving something new and exciting in the post that SHE did not-- but of course Cadoc provided the ruffled Morwenna a listening ear to rant at about the matter, but such little spats happened frequently in the Phillips household.
With his mother's interest in maths, his father's interest in people, one sister's interest in music and another sister's interest in sports, Cadoc grew up learning bits and pieces of quite an eclectic selection of information indeed. Perhaps in an unconscious effort to impress both Angharad and Morwenna, his first instance of magic happened when he was about five, when he caused for Morwenna's metronom to spring off the top of the piano and land, miraculously unbroken, on the bench.
When he started Hogwarts, he was Sorted into Ravenclaw within a mere few seconds, and was at first momentarily distressed-- Angharad (then already a NEWT student) had told him that Ravenclaw was full of dull, nerdy folk who did nothing but read and study all the time. This distress wasn't shown on his face, however, and furthermore, was short-lived. The fact that he had to answer a riddle to access his Common Room struck him as quite clever and amusing, much more interesting than some boring old password like his sister had to remember, and he took to his house and his classes for the most part like a duck takes to water.
Cadoc was decidedly not among the uber-academic set in Ravenclaw, and it was a bit of a surprise that he got appointed Prefect in fifth year. He will gladly and cheerfully agree with any fellow students who wonder if the powers that be were smoking gillyweed when they chose him for the position, and for the most part does not make a big deal over the issue. He's patient with others and a sympathetic listener, however, and possessing both a sense of humour and a sense of perspective, is good at tutoring struggling younger years and encouraging them to improve their marks in their classes.
This is his final year at Hogwarts, however, and the fun and games are probably at an end. That is to say, Cadoc will have to make his entrance into the "real world", where decisions count and there aren't people around who provide him with a bit of a safety net of guidance and direction. Cadoc is privately rather worried, or he would be, were he not more likely to be distracted by other and more interesting matters. He is genuinely interested in a lot of different TOPICS and SUBJECTS and ACTIVITIES (how Ravenclaw), but the idea of being stuck in a job that he'll have to do for the next fifty-or-so-odd years is a less likable notion. He isn't sure what he wants out of life, or what he wants to do with life, so unless some vital change were to take place which will assist him in making a decision, he will with increasing probability end up one of those grossly over-educated and over-qualified drifters going through a series of odd and low-level jobs while he's trying to "find himself".
A significant childhood memory:
Once upon a time, when Cadoc was about three, he spent a day at his father's workplace, as his mum had a hospital check-up and no sitter could be arranged. Young Cadoc was perfectly content to mill about the jewellery shop, standing on tiptoe to look at all the pretty gemstones in the display cases and being cooed at by misty-eyed women (many of them recently engaged) over how "adorable" he was.
Then all of the sudden, in came an exceptionally fashionable-looking woman with a haughty expression and her mouth screwed up like a raisin, followed by a harried-looking fellow with a hangdog look on his face.
"They come very highly recommended, madam. The store has an impeccable reputation for being honest, and for carrying diamonds of the highest quality. Yes, I know you've spent the last three HOURS trying to find that perfect pair of earrings, but do give them a chance, Miss Markley."
The woman called Miss Markley stomped in on high heels and nearly tripped over Cadoc, who was seated on the floor by one of the display cases playing with a toy truck. Her expression, if possible, worsened, and she loudly hollered for management. Cadoc's father, who was boxing up a purchase for someone else, hurried over.
The woman introduced herself as a Miss Cornelia Markley, as though her name in and of itself should inspire fear and awe, and launched into a tirade as to what sort of establishment this was to allow 'filthy little brats' to 'run about underfoot'. She went on in this vein for about five minutes, and Cadoc, who couldn't understand half of what she said and didn't understand what was going on except that he had somehow made the lady mad, timidly shuffled up to her and offered her a lolly out of his pocket. She would have none of it, however, and loudly berated him on his lack of manners and declared that he had no business being in the shop.
Cadoc's father, a friendly, genial man whom his son had never before seen angry (even at the worst of his sister's shenanigans), drew himself up to his full height and the frosty look in his eyes more than matched the snobby expression on the woman's face, and he told her quite clearly that SHE was the one who had no manners and no business being in the shop. Miss Cornelia Markley stalked out in high dudgeon, and Cadoc, highly agitated, wrapped his arms around his father's legs and asked what was the matter, what did he do wrong?
Gavin Phillips sighed, and then squatted down to be eye-level with his son. He set his hands down on Cadoc's shoulders, and spoke quietly but seriously.
"It's not much of a matter if you're rich or successful in life, what you do, or what you have. Never do wrong by others, that's what is important. Because if you do, then no matter what else you have, you'll be poor in spirit forever."
To this day, Cadoc tries to live by this, and considers it one of the most important lessons he'd ever learnt.
third person 'RP' sample:
"Ugh, I really can't understand why anyone would ever want to go up to the bloody ASTRONOMY TOWER of all places to engage in relations with their significant other." There were Prefects who were more laid-back, and then there were Prefects who did their utmost to follow and uphold the rules down to every precisely-written letter. Eleanor Prentice of the fifth year contingent was decidedly among the latter group. The angular, sharp-featured brunette shook her head dubiously. "I do realise that Professor Walker tends to be more oblivious than not, but I daresay that even SHE would notice such invasions upon her domain. One would THINK that she'd put a stop to such matters!"
"Ah, but Ellie, if she did, wouldn't that give you less to do?" Cadoc Phillips was of the more laid-back group of Prefects, and he personally found the whole situation far more humourous than his housemate and patrol partner did. Treading down the hallway at a leisurely pace, he gave a sidelong glance to the younger girl and grinned widely. "Tis good practice for you, I'm sure, and besides, I've the definite impression that Professor Walker wouldn't notice or mind as long as they didn't do anything so adventurous as to break any of the equipment in here."
Eleanor scowled, the expression making her look much older than her fifteen years. She would never understand how it was that Cadoc Phillips, who ARGUED with professors in class and was more often found chattering away with others rather than studying in the Common Room after dinner and once was seen PIGGY-BACKING his sister around Hogsmeade was appointed Prefect. It was terribly unprofessional, but then again, Professor Hookum, their Head of House, was slightly on the crazy side. "You sound as though you're condoning their behaviour! That it's a funny matter, and that it's not a big deal that they're out past curfew doing Merlin-knows-what up here in a CLASSROOM!"
"It IS rather more humourous than dire," Cadoc said evenly, ignoring his patrol partner's outraged look. Eleanor meant well, but eventually she would have to learn not to treat every little infraction as a full-on rebellion against authority. "They're old enough to know better, and took a chance, and were caught. I daresay that that lecture you gave them should suffice to warn them sufficiently against further infractions, at least for this week. In the grand scheme of things, hardly a big deal. They weren't harming anyone, and if the lad isn't humiliated enough by being seen by outsiders with his boxer shorts on his head, I doubt anything you or I could do would put a stopper to things." Eleanor still looked distinctly peeved, and he lightened his tone to a teasing one. "Now, certainly picking the Astronomy Tower was an ill-judged decision. It's quite possibly the draughtiest place in the castle, and surely being scantily clad up here in the open like that will do no good for his health. They'll be drinking Pepper-Up all night now, poor folks."
"Hmph." His points, rather to Eleanor's bewilderment, DID make sense in an odd sort of way, even if SHE definitely would never treat any violations of school rules with such levity. She didn't want to concede his points, however, and so switched onto something else to harp upon. "I dislike being called 'Ellie'. My name is Eleanor. If you please."
"Taking a leaf out of the book of that Montague girl, are you?" Cadoc grinned. "No need for either of you to be so serious all the time, you know. But as you wish, pretty Eleanor."
"And I'm not pretty," Eleanor snipped.
"Sure you are, if I'm saying so," Cadoc contradicted her cheerfully. "Take it as a compliment and remember not to frown so much." They reached one of the staircases of the school that had a predilection for shifting whenever someone stepped onto it, which Eleanor, who had a mild fear of heights to begin with, hated. Cadoc held out a hand in a manner that was almost courtly. "All right, then. Fearlessly onward, my partner in something that decidedly isn't crime?"
She frowned again, but took his hand anyway, and together they stepped onto the stair.
journal entry sample (to be written in first person):
Binns' lesson today can be summarised in fourteen lines, methinks. Fascinating lesson, less fascinating delivery. But never fear, thou nappers and doubters who populate the class! C. T. Phillips to the rescue of both your NEWT scores and your sanity! The great Taliesin I am not, but us Welsh are known for our poetry and song.
Oh Clytemnestra, witch of deadly charm,
Thy beauteous face hides wicked, fiery lust,
A bath of poison, warm and scented harm,
A death for death, the price of betrayed trust.
Sure, thou art known for thy transforming spells
A swan, a witch, one single soul of grace
But the nicer side of thee doth not tell
The darker secrets behind the fair face
A husband's lack of faith, a hateful life
A daughter dead, through badly misplaced pride,
No love, no loyalty, a straying wife
Thou art, but troth, most all would take thy side.
So taint the tub, with venom and with gall,
Behold, history, not boring at all!
Eh, so they're not all in perfect iambs, but hey, it's an easier way to remember the more important and entertaining details this way, right?
What? I'm easily bored and easily amused. It's a great existence.
Next week on poetry corner, a haiku on the contemplation of the great and breathtaking Professor Brun's non-smile! It's a one-of-a-kind non-smile.
~*~
journal: TBD
date of birth: 29 September 2004
house: 7th year Ravenclaw
classes: Ancient Runes, Charms, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, Transfiguration
bloodline: Muggleborn
parents: Aelis Morgan and Gavin Phillips were childhood sweethearts, and after having two rambunctious daughters, brought Cadoc into the world. The third of four children and the only son, Cadoc is a sociable, genial-natured Muggleborn who Sorted Ravenclaw at Hogwarts. Perhaps due to experience gained from having three sisters, he always seems to have something nice to say to the fairer sex.