Jul 05, 2012 11:54
- What sort of profession in the wizarding world would you choose and why?
I'd like to be someone like Olivander - making wands and all of that.
Why? Because there's just so much that goes into wandlore, it seems - didn't Olivander tell Harry that wandlore is extremely complex, and that not even the most skilled fully understand it? There's just so much to know when it comes to wandlore - why do some wandmakers prefer this core over that core? This wood over that wood? How does a wand truly choose its owner?
So much goes into the study of making wands, it's just fully incredible.
- You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one Harry Potter character other than Hagrid and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you'd want with you.
There must be a lot of people who pick this character, and probably for similar reasons, but I'll go with Hermione. I doubt we're nipping off for a cup of tea if we're going into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night, so someone as well-read as Hermione would know the plants that we could and could not eat, and what creatures are and aren't friendly. (Okay, I doubt there are very many friendly creatures in the Forbidden Forest, but I don't know - that's why I'm taking Hermione!). She also seems extremely levelheaded, and probably won't go into a panic if we come across Aragog or his (her?) babies.
As for an object, I'd probably take a Herbology book, just encase we come across a plant that Hermione doesn't know, so I could find out if it'd be harmful to the pair of us.
- If you had the opportunity to live forever, but your family and friends did not, what would you choose? And if you did choose to live forever, what would you do with eternity?
I absolutely would live forever. Who knows how much time I have on this planet? There's so much I want to see and do and learn about the world that I hardly believe I could fit it into a mortal life. I'm from Finland, and have only been in Helsinki and a really tiny town in Texas, so I have this...hunger, let's say, to get out and see everything the world has to offer. I want to travel, go everywhere. And I'm desperate to see how the world will unfold - if we have things like iPads and such now, can you imagine what we'll have 100 years from now?
The universe has so much potential, and it's such an honest shame that I won't be able to see everything it'll offer.
And, hey, who knows, maybe in 1000 years they'll find a way to bring the dead back to life, so I can have my loved ones by my side again.
- If you could travel back in time to one point, when and where would you go? Why?
Thanks a lot to my uncle, who knows more about History than anybody I know (probably because he's a History professor at Texas A&M), and thanks a lot to the incredible number of parallels between Voldemort and Hitler, I earned a love of the Second World War. Okay, well, maybe love is the wrong word, so I'll go with "I earned a passion for the Second World War". That's better.
7 December 1941 - a day that will live in infamy. The attack on Pearl Harbor is singularly my favorite part of WWII (okay, again, maybe not the best choice of words, but, you know). I'm still in the process of learning all I can about it, but I'd really love to go back to that day, or maybe a few days earlier, so how about 1 December. I'd like to be around Pearl Harbor, to see all the ships in their glory, and then I'd love to see what everything was like during the attack - given I could make it to 8 December alive, of course! I want to see the chaos during the attacks, I want to hear the people talk about it days after, and I want to feel the emotions that everyone was feeling that day.
But, until that day, I'll just watch the Pearl Harbor movie to get the feel for it.
- What HP character do you identify with most and why?
Percy Weasley - how often do you guys see that one? No, sadly, I feel I very much identify with Percy.
When I was a teenager, the rules were everything. The rules were my handbook to living. I had to follow the rules to the letter, or I'd have a panic attack. No, I'm not kidding. I'd do whatever I could to stick to the rules and make sure that the people around me did so as well - if somebody put a foot out of line, I'd make damn sure they knew about it, and would personally steer them back onto the right track. Getting to the top was very important to me - I didn't care who or what I stepped on to get to that point. To put it not-so-lightly, I basically had a stick up my ass.
Maybe it's just my own headcanon, but I like to think that, after the Battle of Hogwarts, and watching his brother die, Percy had a major change - that he learned to just stop worrying so damn much about being perfect. That he learned to enjoy life because it's too damn short to devote your life to the rules.
I had a similar drastic change a couple of years ago (this could get a bit triggery, so read at your own caution) - I lived with my older sister, and had left her and the US to go back to Finland. I love my older sister like you wouldn't believe, and it was an extremely difficult choice to leave her, but I made that choice. A couple of months after that happened, somebody broke into the house we shared, and they raped my sister. She's as okay as she could be now, but she's nothing like she once was. I felt like it was my fault, that if I had stayed, it wouldn't have happened, and still today I feel that.
That event changed me how I feel watching Fred die changed Percy.
- What would you see if you looked into the Mirror of Erised?
I thought I'd be explaining the situation with my sister in this question, but since it came sooner than I anticipated, I'll just pick off from there.
If I looked into the mirror, I'd see my sister, how she was before what happened - she was just so happy and loved life and everyone in it. I don't believe she ever truly thought things like that actually happened in the world. It kills me to see her as she is now - so closed off and suspicious of people, and I'd give anything to see her bubbly and full of life again.
- Do you believe that moral actions should be judged by the intentions behind them, or by the consequences they create?
This is a question I'm directly in the middle of. If somebody kills someone because they killed somebody they loved - well, an eye for an eye, right? The intentions may be genuine, but the outcome is bad: that person is dead (let's not mention that I think it's pointless, because killing them isn't going to bring that person's loved one back, but that's another story).
Then again, if a person goes into a building with the intent to blow it up and everyone in it, but actually causes something that saves everyone in that building, they shouldn't be rewarded. They intended to kill everybody, even if the outcome saved everyone.
This isn't a black-and-white question - there are so many shades of gray that make this impossible for me to pick a side. So I'm going to stand steadfast in the middle.
- What was your ideal job as a kid? Has that changed? What is your ideal job now?
I wanted to learn and teach other people languages - maybe I could work as a dialect coach, or a translator for a foreign person who doesn't speak English, or something. That hasn't changed, I still desperately want to do that.
First and foremost, I want to learn to speak just about every language there is. Realistically, I know that's very wishful thinking, but I'm going to try! I'm currently relearning how to speak Finnish, considering I really should remember how to speak it, and I want to move onto Swedish and Norwegian next. Eventually, I want to go on and be able to teach these languages to other people - nothing like spreading a little knowledge, eh?
- 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?
If this doesn't already exist in wizarding world, I'd like to create a potion that could help a person retain memories/information they really want or need to keep. Additionally, the potion would help recall memories that the drinker just can't quite remember - like when something's on the tip of your tongue? Because that's bloody annoying, when you know you know something, but you just can't remember it.
I'd probably just name it Muistaa, which is 'remember' in Finnish, because I'm extremely unoriginal.
- 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?
I wish I could give you a deep, meaningful answer to this, but I'm going to give it to you straight - I am absolutely fucking terrified of sharks. I can't go too far into the ocean (which basically means I only go in about knee deep) because I'm scared as hell that I'm going to get attacked by a shark. So, yeah, my boggart would be a shark. The biggest Great White you've ever seen, showing its many rows of teeth, fully ready to rip off my limbs and leave me bleeding for his great big sharky friends to snack on later - can't sharks smell blood even from a really far distance?
Riddikulus!
The shark exploded into a really pretty fireworks display, because I like fireworks.
- What do you look for in a friend?
Really just somebody who isn't afraid to give their opinions, somebody who isn't afraid to speak up and be bold and be themselves. This may sound awful, but people who are timid kind of annoy me, though I understand that maybe they have a valid reason for being timid - like years of abuse or whatever. I want my friends to be able to give their opinions in a conversation, to challenge my own and to help me see things from their views. I never disregard somebody's opinion - instead, I listen to what they have to say and try to look at it is a chance to learn more about the way my friends think. Which I try to do really often.
And if you have a good sense of humour, that doesn't hurt either!
But I just really look for someone who's very open about their opinions.
- What trait most annoys you about other people?
I just really can't stand when people complain about things they could easily change. Actually, I really can't stand when people complain, in general.
But if it's something you can change, stop complaining about it, and get up and make a change! Don't look for excuses, don't look for something to blame it on, don't blame your problems on the world - if something bothers you that much, change it if it's in your power! You're an independent, strong person, I'm sure you can do it!
...Heh, sorry.
- What do you think are your top five abilities or qualities?
1. I have a desire to learn everything I can about, well, everything. I just want to know things. The world is so much bigger than me, and there's so much out there.
2. I'm a very passionate person - if I have an opinion, I will make very sure that people understand my position.
3. If you have me as a friend, I'll be that way for life, (unless you screw me over). Think like a Golden Retriever, I'll always be there by your side.
4. I want to see things from so many different sides of the spectrum - so much so that I feel like I go around begging people to argue their side of the conversation so I can understand it.
5. I'm extremely adaptable. I adjust to different places so quickly it'd make your head spin.
- What do you think are your top five weaknesses or worst qualities?
1. I'm painfully cynical - just suspicious of people in general.
2. I can be quite self-indulgent at times.
3. Since I no longer live my life all RULES RULES MUST FOLLOW RULES, I've become rather impulsive - I don't really look before I jump anymore. If something sounds good, I'll go right into it.
4. I have passing fancies. Quickly passing fancies. I'll become very interested in something, and unless I stick to that interest and want to learn more, I'll lose interest quickly.
5. I'm an existentialist. The bad part of this is that I don't understand human existence, I don't know why we're here - I don't think people have a real reason for being on this planet other than to ultimately die. It's not a good way to look at life, really.
(And a bonus! I use '-' way too damn much)
- Define in your own words the following key traits:
- Courage: Being able to follow through on what you believe, even if other people think it's a terrible decision/mock you for it. You're being true to you, and I think that's what courage truly is.
- Loyalty: Standing by someone who shares your beliefs/somebody you truly care about, even if you fight with them or if they're going through a rough patch.
- Intelligence: I think true intelligence isn't just knowing things - it's experiencing them, seeing for yourself what it is about the things you're learning/reading.
- Ambition: What drives a person to accomplish something. Too much, and you have, well, a Voldemort. Not enough, and you can never hope to accomplish your goals.
- Name: Nyx
- Age: 20
- Where did you find out about us? Searching for HP communities
- Do you plan on being active in the communities once you are sorted? I certainly do!
sorted: slytherin,
term xxiii