House: Ravenclaw
Year: 4th year
Wand: ash, 10in, pliable, phoenix tail feather core
Bloodline: muggle born
Birthday: Feb 21st
Pet/Familiar: Eurasian Eagle Owl named Rache
Physical Description:
Vanyels appearance tends to draw the attention of others quiet often, though whether that is good or bad depends on why he drew the persons eyes and how they feel about his looks. One thing that usually causes gazes to turn toward Van is his height. Though hardly towering over the other students, he is taller than the average boy his age, which usually causes his head to bob above everybody elses in his class. Thankfully he is still short enough, due to his age, that he can be lost like all the other lower years when mixed in the throng of upperclassmen. Unfortunately, Van doesnt have the strong body to go with his height. His limbs, from his legs to his fingers, are long and thin, giving him an almost delicate appearance.
When in the presence of others, Vanyel walks with his head held high and an air of confidence around him that sometimes causes some to mistake him for an arrogant jerk. Though his gaze is always raised, he is constantly watching for anything that might trip him or make him stumble. However, as soon as he is alone, he slouches in a way that suggests he would like to simply curl up on himself rather than parade around like the trophy he was brought up to be. Over the years he has gained an incredible ability to squeeze quite far into corners and other small spaces, though he is slowly getting out of the habit of doing so the longer he attends Hogwarts.
Whether it is a gift or curse, Van is a very pretty boy. Some might consider him handsome, but beautiful or pretty are the words more often associated with him, whether he likes it or not. His face is long, with high, prominent cheekbones and a thin chin. Full lips lie beneath a long, straight nose leading to soft gray/green eyes that, even when he tries to look strong and confident, hold a sense of vulnerability to them. A high forehead leads to shoulder length, sleek black hair that is always kept back in a small bun, not in a tail or down like he would wish. Vanyels milky white skin contrasts quite startlingly with his dark hair. The over all effect gives him a very feminine and young appearance.
Personality Description:
Vanyel is not a big people person, as much as he would like to be. He received very little parental affection due to the fact that he was seen as nothing but a trophy by his parents all his life, and it has affected his ability to socialize, despite having had friends to help him open up a bit in the past few years. When he meets new people, it is always with almost stiff politeness, his drilled in manners tending to take over any ability he might otherwise have to genuinely introduce himself. If something in the introduction goes wrong- from a mistake on his part or irritation or confusion from the other- or he accidentally offends someone through conversation, he tends to grow nervous quite rapidly, as though he expects his parents to whip around the corner and berate him for his stupidity.
Once he gets to know a person though, Vanyel calms and lets himself relax a bit, though he probably will never become as laid back as most teenagers. He is quiet, shy, and more likely to be the person sitting quietly with a group and simply enjoying their company instead of really joining in, though he will talk when spoken to. When it comes to dating experience, well Van has none. He cant flirt to save his life and will most defiantly blush and stutter like a fool when flirted with. His quiet nature hasnt been brining on the potential girlfriends either, but he isnt as discouraged as one would think. Having not seen much intimacy between his parents or the other adults he spent his childhood with, Van is pretty sure he wouldnt know what to do with a girl if he got one. At the moment, it would be better for his reputation if he simply tried to learn instead of dive right in.
Van is a very trustworthy person, especially once someone takes the time out to get to know him. Since he has had few friends during his life, he views any he gains as beyond precious. Hed do anything for them, which can be a good or a bad thing depending on how one views it. Though it means that he will be completely trustworthy and always there when you need him, it also means that he might keep a friends secret even if it is something he shouldnt. Unfortunately, because of his fear of losing friends or even simple acquaintances, he is very susceptible to peer pressure.
There is one thing that Vanyel has always enjoyed doing and that is playing the piano, even if the lessons were somewhat forced on him and it was used as a way to show him off. Regardless, something about the music soothes him no matter how nervous or angry he is. Though he isnt gifted in composing, he is quite skilled at feeling the music and putting his soul into it, something his audiences have quite admired.
Before anyone complains about him being a genius, hes not. He is extremely talented at the piano, that is true, but when it comes to academic standards, he is relatively normal. He was seen as a child prodigy when he was little because most of his time was spent with tutors who drilled information into head until he simply was forced to know more than most his age- and a few years older- would know, making him appear overly smart. When introduced to a new subject, however, he will digest the information at a normal pace like all the other students, even struggling with some ideas. Unfortunately, he cant help but try as hard as he can to be incredibly good, perfect even, at anything presented to him, sports excluded. His parents pressured him to be good at everything so they could impress others, and that mindset hasnt left him yet. Sometimes that can be good, but plenty of times it can be harmful, like when he stresses himself to the point of pulling his hair out when trying to master something.
Brief History:
Vanyel did not live the carefree life that most children were able to experience, something he regrets every day even though it was always out of his hands. He was born to Claus and Katarine Aldridge in Dresden, Germany fourteen years ago. His family has forever been muggles- as far as he knows at least- and always been wealthy. Van wasnt sure how it started, he never really cared enough to ask, but unfortunately it remained even during his life. Claus was a very influential politician like his father, causing their family to be quite well known throughout their country. Despite their true, snobby nature, both parents had the reputation of being kind, cheerful people that the wealthy simply could not have a gathering without.
It is unfortunate that Vaneyl got to see first hand what they were really like. Claus and Katarine did not have him so they could enjoy raising a child together like most other couples. Van was conceived for three reasons and three reasons only. The family line of course needed a male heir to carry on the family name and reputation, leading to him having no siblings since he, as a boy, met that criteria quite well. There were also many people who didnt feel they could connect with the young couple since they had not experienced what having a family of their own was; having a child would connect them with the populous. Once he was born, Vanyel also served another crucial purpose.
From the moment it was confirmed that Katarine was pregnant, the couple began plans on creating the perfect child, one everyone else would envy and admire them for. They both knew that if they started working on the child as soon as possible, they could mold a perfectly obedient kid, perhaps he might even prove to get gifted in something, a blessing that would bring their status even higher if they used it right. Before he was even born, Vanyels future was planned for him.
His parents found ways to make sure he got the training they wanted without them having to do much of the child rearing themselves. As he grew up, most of Vanyels time was spent with nannies and tutors who drilled proper behavior into his mind from the moment he could comprehend what they were doing and saying. His parents only really spoke to him when they wished so see how his progress was going. He was taught to call his mother and father maam and sir at all times, only calling them mom and dad when he was alone. Playing in the mud, running around with others his age- socializing in general- and simply relaxing and having fun were alien ideas to him, for his early years at least, though things did, thankfully, perk up a bit later on. The only reason he didnt turn out to be as snobby as his parents were was because they lived in a neighborhood that allowed him to view how other parents treated their kids. Despite the fact that his own family had more money, Vanyel envied the other children, so the thought of being better than them never entered his head.
As he got older, two unexpected things happened. It was obvious at quiet an early age that Vanyel was going to grow up to be very beautiful. Even though it made him look more like a girl than a boy, the Aldridges had him grow his hair out and pull it back; apparently they believed it gave him a sophisticated appearance. His looks gained him quite a lot of attention and, as they had planned, his parents were complimented for producing such a lovely child. What brought him real fame, however, was his ability to play the piano. When he was little, his parents signed him up for all sorts of lessons to test him for any gifts. It wasnt long before they realized that he had a knack for music and he began daily lessons on the piano. He was a natural at it; surpassing most adults by the time he was eight. Luckily, he liked playing as well, so he had one joy in life.
Whenever possible, his parents paraded him around like the trophy he was. Dinners, galas, picnics, anything that brought attention to their family he was dragged to. At most parties, he played the piano- it was always his favorite part of the evening since it was actually entertaining to him- for a while. When he wasnt playing, he was introduced to endless amounts of people and forced to follow his smiling parents everywhere or stand somewhere, bored out of his mind. Though not naturally an overly bright student, the endless tutors had filled his head with enough information to make it appear as though he was quite brilliant.
Vanyel hated all of it. The attention was fake in his opinion. Even though the people he met honestly admired his gift at the piano, his intelligence and his intriguing looks, they didnt like him for who he was; he wasnt even really allowed to show his own personality around others. Van was actually quite lonely. Very rarely were there others his age at the different gatherings and the ones that were there tended to ignore him, no doubt irritated that they werent getting complimented and patted on the head every five seconds. It wasnt until they moved to England- when he was nine- that someone finally befriended him. Dierks parents were similar to Vanyels in status, so both families ended up being invited to many of the same gatherings. At first, things were quiet between them, both being rather shy and unsure what the other would think of them. However, once they began talking, they instantly became friends and, when Vans parents allowed it, spent most of their time together.
Thankfully, Dierk and Vans parents wished to have good relations with the other, due mostly to politics. Because of that, Dierk and Van were allowed to go to each others houses multiple times each week. Their friendship was the only thing keeping Vanyel happy. Because of his parents strictness, they spent most of their time at Dierks house. There, Vanyel was able to be more like the child he was; he even got really dirty a couple of times, though he made sure he was clean before his parents came to pick him up.
Though his parents had planned on continuing to educate him through tutors, around his eleventh year, they considered sending him to the school Dierk was attending. However, something rather unexpected happened. Vanyel received a letter that at first completely baffled the family. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry apparently wished for him to attend their school. It seemed like a practical joke to him, but continuous letters- delivered by owls no less- finally started to sway them. Once they believed what was happening, Vanyels parents actually grew rather excited. He had thought at first that they would be angry since it would take him away from the kinds of schools that would make them look good. However, they of course saw it as another opportunity to impress; they would simply impress a different group of people.
When the start of the school year arrived, Vanyel had all the supplies he needed, all expensive much to his embarrassment. The young boy hadnt been able to stop himself from hoping that he might be able to act a bit more normal at this school, but it seemed his parents were going to do whatever they could to stop that thought. Unfortunately, he had the feeling he would need to continue to act like he always did, just in case they managed to find a way to check up on him. Despite that, however, he was excited about two things. First, his parents got him his first pet, a Eurasian Eagle Owl that he named Rache. The animal was very friendly and Van instantly fell in love. Also, despite his worries about how he would have to act, he was thrilled about being able to go somewhere where his name wasnt known. It would be nice to be just another face in the crowd for once. The only thing that he didnt like was that he wouldnt be going to school with Dierk.
Finally the day arrived and he traveled to the train station like everyone else. His parents dropped him off out front, but thanks to detailed directions- that they had requested- he was able to find the general area he had to go. From there he simply followed the other people that appeared to be destined for the same place. Once the train arrived, he boarded and found himself outside the school a few hours later. Van lined up with the other first years and found himself sorted into Ravenclaw, something he wasnt surprised about. Though he hadnt been able to bring himself to introduce himself to anyone on the ride over, he had heard a few students talking about the different houses. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had been the two he had figured he would be put into.
Over the four years after that, Vanyel, slowly, very slowly, began to lighten up. He still acted how his parents had taught him most of the time, he had been trained in it for too long for him to simply change overnight, though he occasionally let himself go and did rather innocent things that they still would have considered poor behavior. The German also made a few friends that he was able to relax around.
Important Relationships: (Ill add his character friends later)
*Mother and Father- Van actually doesnt have much of a relationship with either of them. Both are more like strangers to him despite the fact that they are his parents. Any information he knows about them was either told to him by tutors or were bits of information he picked up when they talked about themselves at social gatherings. He has been to many parties and picnics with them- hes actually spent more time around them than most children- but more often then not he was either told to shadow them and prance around like a trophy when they were around someone important, or he was left to himself.
There is a small bit of love between them, as twisted as it is. Van does care about his parents because they are, essentially, his parents. Even when he is cursing the way they treat him, he still finds himself wanting to make them proud. He would never be able to stand by and let someone hurt them. As for his parents, they also feel a bit of like- love is too strong a word- toward him. They want to make sure he has a good life, occasionally believing that they want it as much for him as for themselves. They care enough about him that if something were to happen to him, they would worry, just nowhere near the extent of another parent.
*Dierk- He is still Vanyels best friend and probably always will be since they are still able to see each other during breaks. The two saved each other from the deadly boredom of their parents parties and get along wonderfully. Like all friends, they have their fights, but they come few, very far between, and any anger they hold is small and short lived. Dierk did Van a great favor as they were growing up; he helped him fight off depression and live as happily as his living situation would allow. For that alone Vanyel would do anything he could for his friend.
Likes: piano, outdoors, astronomy, having friends
Dislikes: fancy social gatherings
Loyalties - Personal and Family:
Supports muggle/muggle born rights, though he is too quiet to really speak up against them at the moment.
Class sign-ups: DADA, Potions, Transfig, Hist. of Magic, Herbology, Astronomy, and Charms, Arithmancy, CoMC
PB/Avatar to be used: Andis Geste
ALL other ezboard IDs you use on PI, including the names of the characters you play on EACH: This is only if you're already on our board. **DID YOU DO YOUR WORKSHOPS FOR EACH CHARACTER?? I do check. ONLY FOR CURRENT PLAYERS. Not for new players.**
I only use Zel Waryk. I play Kyle Reed and Kyrian Valerius




