Character Name: Ian Wallace
House: Ravenclaw
Blood Type: Halfblood (his parents are both muggleborn)
Gender: Male
Age/Year: 16, 6th year
Family Information: His mother, Ellen, is a nurse at St. Mungo's, and his father, Gregory, is magical engineer. He also has brother named Mark, who is two years older than him.
Hometown: North Hertfordshire
Wand: 7 inches, elm, dragon scale
Pet(s): None
Broom: None

Physical Description: He has dark wavy hair that always hangs in the way of his blue eyes because he's usually got his head bent down to read or write. His skintone is in the medium-to-light range, but sometimes looks lighter because of his hair. He's somewhat tall since he seems to be trying to push past the six foot mark, and has a build that's nicely proportioned to his height, if a little on the thin side at times. His overall style of dress is usually very casual when he's not wearing his robes, but even when dressed in those or something more formal he still manages to look sloppy.


Personality

Personality: Ian is very quiet and introverted, but that doesn't mean he doesn't open up to people. It only means that he's more of a thinker than a speaker. He prefers to observe and listen more than anything, and may be more prone to acting on something instead of responding verbally. For instance, if he's asked to do something, and doesn't see any reason not to do it, he'll simply go ahead with it instead of discussing it further. If he has questions about something though, he will ask them in abundance until he understands perfectly.

He can be very curious, and often likes to pick people, things, and situations apart in order to break them down analytically. Often times, he'll be found fiddling with some magical gadget or other, putting it to pieces so she can see how it was originally constructed. The same could be said for the people he meets or the situations he finds himself in, but in a figurative way.

He's a true problem solver, with the philosophy that there is always an answer, and always a way of finding it. Sometimes, it simply takes more time and effort to get to it, but he'd never back from any kind of challenge. He's always amusing himself with something that fuels his thoughtful curiosity, and most of the time, it's something that others would find distractingly strange, sometimes even disturbing.

Relationships and Social Skills: He takes a keen interest in figuring people out, and learning what makes them tick. The more of a puzzle a person is, the more likely it will be that he'll take an unwavering interest in them. However, his shrewd observation skills sometimes make it too easy for him to figure someone out, which is why he often prefers to keep to himself and ponder the more complicated things in life. He wouldn't pass up the chance to spend time with a person though, no matter how dull or uninteresting he found them, but he could seem a little distracted or distant, depending on his level of interest in them.

He can also be diplomatic when there's a need. He's a bit of a pacifist, preferring to find a middle ground instead of taking swings at a person. However, it is not in him to back down from a fight or argument if he knows he's right. This is especially true if the other person is being an utter prat about it, but he rarely shows his anger, other than when he acts on it. He always remains outwardly apathetic, even if he's seething on the inside.

Weaknesses: He has several failings. The first is the fact that he can sometimes be too analytical, and end up getting bogged down in the details while losing sight of the bigger picture. He can also be rather critical at times, which always has the potential of costing him his friendships. He has a tendency to forget that not everyone is ignorant, too, which may cause him to insult a person's intelligence. He doesn't do any of this on purpose; however, it is part of his personality. He also has a problem admitting when he's wrong, which speaks for itself.

Strengths: His biggest strength is probably his ability to look at a problem, break it down, and study it until he comes up with a plausible solution. This doesn't necessarily apply only to academics either. If he or a friend has a problem, he'll find an answer or solution if it's the last thing he does. It all reverts back to his philosophy in life. Another strength might be his diplomacy, as it usually defuses a potentially volatile situation or argument.


Past, Present, and Future

History: Gregory and Ellen were living in a flat in London when their first child was born, but moved away from the busy life to a quieter place in Hertfordshire when Ian arrived two years later. They are very good parents, so their children rarely wanted for anything, and Ian, at least, was always a devoted son.

However, things were not as harmonious between the two boys. Mark was more active and athletic than Ian, who was always shy and bookish. They didn't get along very well because of their different personalities. Mark would always tease Ian about being wimpy, and Ian would always lash back with something that would go over his older brother's head. While Mark was at Hogwarts, Ian kept to himself, preferring to be alone and invisible by choice, rather than stand in his brother's shadow. Knowing how Mark was, his large group of friends probably didn't even know he had a younger brother, and Ian would never introduce himself as such either. To say they disliked one another would have been an understatement. Mark saw Ian as an embarassment, and Ian saw Mark as a burly, mindless oaf.

Here and Now: Currently, Ian is having to slowly come out of hiding. He's been at Hogwarts since he was 11, so he's not new to the castle even though he might be unfamiliar to those he meets. He's made a point to be invisible until now, and will be crawling out from under his rock in many different ways.

Without the overshadowing presence of his brother at the school, he plans to branch out, meet new people, and openly explore various interests. He may even cut loose and try walking along the edge of life instead of the straight and narrow path he's forced himself to stay on until now. The possibilities are really endless and widely varying now that he's free from having to avoid his brother's footsteps, but he's ready to get started.

He will also be struggling to rid himself of the lack of confidence that's been instilled in him by his brother since childhood. No matter how smart he is, or how much he accomplishes, Mark will always be better, because he's more friendly, more outgoing, better looking, and physically stronger due to his athletic lifestyle.

Long-term Outlook: Ian will no doubt go on to pursue something that utilizes his intelligence and problem-solving skills. He may end up a magical engineer like his father, but that's not guaranteed, given the number of other careers that are equally as challenging on a intellectual level. It's also easy to see him becoming the person everyone who knows him will turn to when they have a problem, but that's only if he makes any lasting friendships.

Special Request: None for now.
Reason: N/A