Entry tags:

harry potter, penelope clearwater, postwar, rpg, second war

Harry Potter; Post-DH

[name/nicknames] Penelope Rebecca Clearwater. Penny, Pen, Clearwater, Peneloupe (like cantaloupe)
[birthday] 20 April 1976
[bloodline] Muggle-born
[allegiance] Penny was attacked by the basilisk in May of 1993. Otherwise her involvement of the war was completely neutral.
[occupation] Reporter for the Daily Prophet
[school/house/years] Hogwarts, Gryffindor, 1988-1995
[owl/newt scores] Ancient Runes O/O. Arithmancy O/E. Astronomy O/E. Charms E/E. DADA E/O. Herbology E/drop. HoM E/A. Potions E/A. Transfiguration E/A.

[wand] Maple Wood, 10 inches, unicorn mane hair
[boggart] Darkness so black she (and anyone in the room) cannot see her hand in front of her face. It doesn't represent actual darkness, she isn't afraid of the dark. Penelope is afraid of the unknown, of the things she cannot research and learn.
[patronus] Penelope has never successfully created (or needed to create) a patronus. But if she were to, it would be in the form of a book, something akin to the books represented in the movie The Pagemaster.
[in mirror of erised] Herself in the Head Editor's desk of the Daily Prophet.
[special abilities] Penelope's ability to detach from a situation is a strength and a weakness, but for the most part it helps her to resist defeat. She gets over her disappointments fairly quickly and moves on. Her ability to reason is also a great ability. In fact, she reasons better than most people she knows. Her current boyfriends family (the wizarding ones) all attribute it to the ability to see the future, they call her a seer. Although Penelope just attributes it to good sense and her intelligence.

[build/height/weight] Medium build, a bit smallish in height but definitely not short, and of average to diminishing weight. She looks healthy, mostly because of the way she eats, but really she's a bit on the thin side.
[hair/eyes] Dark brown and curly hair, often left a mess or just tied back. And pretty clear blue eyes.
[identifying marks] None at all. She is completely plain in appearance. She pretty, but only if you actually take the time to look at her. Penelope is, as someone in literature once described the Devil's human form, a perfectly forgettable appearance, average in every way. If you hadn't spoken directly to her, you'd have never noticed she was there.
[style] Convenient. Penelope dresses for convenience. She wears her hair for convenience. She rarely bothers with make-up or jewelry because it's inconvenient. Slacks and a business shirt are her work attire. Flats, never heels. And during her off days, she wears comfortable jeans and t-shirts or tank-tops depending on the weather. She always has with her a grey sweater, something that will go with any outfit, in case it's chilly. And around her wrist Penelope always carries a black hair-tie to pull back her curls when she needs to.
[appearance] Penelope is rather mediocre in appearance. She's average height, standing just about five and a half feet. And, of course, she has an average build. She wouldn't be considered thin, but she's certainly not chunky either. She's got a lovely hourglass shape with a size 12 waist and a c bra size. Her hips and thighs are a bit wide (her family has always made fun of her for having birthing hips... and are now adding in that they're about useless considering she's 23 and married to her work). She has pretty blue eyes that are rather frequently hidden beneath wispy curls, and are off-set by slightly tanned skin. She's not really dark-skinned, but she's not really pale either. And all this set off by the fact that she is completely unassuming in appearance and looks painfully plain on a normal basis. Really Penny very rarely feels beautiful or outstanding, and that's only when she's dressed up for some formal special occasion. Speaking of, Penny very rarely gets dressed up. She's rather conservative (a very Aries trait) and dresses only in what is comfortable and convenient. She usually only wears either dark colored trousers and a white button-up, especially when she's working. However, when she's feeling lazy (a rarity) or particularly casual, she'll wear jeans. She does, however, have a habit of stealing her boyfriend's t-shirts and boxers when she's sleeping over or he is. Of course, there have only been two boyfriends she's had the opportunity to do that with. Percy and the current one (a bloke by the name of Gerard).

[quirks] She likes everything to have a logical explanation. And if it doesn't, she searches until she finds one. Penny isn't really prying or nosy, but if a subject needs taken care of, she will do what she has to. Usually, though, this has nothing to do with other people's lives, so she couldn't possibly be considered meddling. In fact, insofar as she is able, Penelope is antisocial. It's easier to work when she's alone. She prefers solitude or spending quality time with one person rather than being in a big group. The only time she ventures out in public is when she has to. She avoids social functions unless required to attend by work or nagged into it by her mother. We're Penny to analyze herself (something she pretends to do, but really never actually does) she would realize that she is not as happy as she pretends to be living for her work. And perhaps that it wasn't worth it to give up on her and Percy and all her fanciful girly dreams just because of her need to focus on her career. (And, very likely, because she's a commitment-phobe.)

[hobbies] Reading is really Penelope's only hobby. If she wasn't so dedicated to the gathering of information, she might take to cooking. Penelope has never really had any problem in the kitchen and has found, on the few occasions she's done it at length, that she enjoys cooking. But so dedicated is she to learning that Penelope only does the things which teach her and help develop her mind.
[pet peeves] Any small noises when she's trying to focus. A parade could go by outside her very window and she could easily block out the noise. However, the ticking of a clock, the sound of a distant car alarm, or the buzz of a nearby bee drive her absolutely mad. She can't focus when small noises are around. It irritates her to the point of tracking it down and ending it.
[first impression] If you actually notice Penelope, which is rare, the first impression is much like her appearance. Penelope is plain. She is simple. She is congenial and polite. No one, upon first meeting, has ever mentioned anything extraordinary about her, either good or bad. People have been known to say things like "She's nice" or "she's likeable", things they say when they really have no opinion one way or another.
[likes/dislikes] Penelope likes solitude. She likes quiet and calm. She likes organization and order. It's kind of an OCD tendency in her. She's also rather fond of fall. It's chilly, and everything is colorful and beautiful. She has a fondness for sitting outside and reading when it's nice outside. She likes Quidditch, but not to an obsessive extent. She's also partial to red-headed men, but she hasn't dated since Percy. Penelope hates extremes. Too hot, too cold, too quiet, too loud, too bright, too dull, too anything. She likes the grey areas of life. She also dislikes vegetables. She eats mostly sweets (chocolate). And she severely dislikes ignorance.
[personality] As a child, Penelope found out the one piece of information that has fueled her fire for her entire life. Curiosity, in fact, did not actually kill the cat. There was no proof to it. In fact, as a child she investigated it. Curious people became famous scientists. They were astronomers and astronauts of great renown. Explorers like Columbus and Magellan had found whole new continents based on their curiosity. People didn't die from curiosity. It made them famous. It made them stronger. It made them more intelligent. Penelope has striven her whole life to achieve what she is certain curiosity does provide. Strength and intelligence. Renown she could deal with, but it has never been in the forefront of her mind. What Penelope has always sought was knowledge. She wanted to know the truth about everything. She was the child who would never accept the never ending answer that the sky was blue because it reflected the sea and the sea was blue because it reflected the sky. The grass wasn't just green. It was chemicals. A rainbow wasn't just pretty and magical, it was light reflecting through the water. And magic? Well, she's certain it's a part of the brain that muggles don't have access to. Afterall, people in general only use ten percent of their brain. Wizarding kind, she has assumed (and researched) must be using some of the unused 90 percent.

Curiosity isn't the only piece that makes up Penelope Clearwater, though. She is studious, that's not to be argued. But she is also organized. She is determined. She is very involved in the things that make up her life. You couldn't exactly call her obsessive, but she is definitely dedicated. That, she has concluded after some months of thinking, is what drove her and Percy apart. And, she has further reasoned in her late night thinkings, that is also what has kept her such a loner for the rest of her life. She just doesn't put much stock into people, so illogical, so untrustworthy. Why waste her time when she has so many other things to focus on? She is, of course, cordial. She's friendly. She is talkative when appropriate. And the few people who do earn her loyalty are let into a world that no one else can even glance. But for the most part Penelope focuses on her work. Whether it be school, when she was younger, or research when she was an intern at the Daily Prophet. And now, through channels which may be dangerous, it is her reporting. Penelope is a one-track minded individual.

The last really important part of Penelope's personality is the secret part. This is the part of her that as few as a handful of people have been let into. Percy, female friends from her house and year at Hogwarts, and now a colleague from work and her current boyfriend have seen that part of her. This is the part of Penelope that is a hopeless romantic. The part that sees the logic in a man who takes the time to actually know his girl's likes and dislikes and will put thought and effort into surprising her. She likes flowers and plants, as botany is a secret love as well. But jewelry is seen as a waste to her. She never wears it. Well, almost never. It is rare for her to dress fancy, after all. And chocolate is her secret vice, as well as the books she adored in her youth. She could sit by the fire and read for days if it were practical. Some of the most comfortable times in her life have been sitting with close friends in complete silence while she read. Penelope is closed off in general, but those lucky enough to see her undone are held dear to her. Penelope can't be said to be complicated, but she is certainly something she would consider worth studying, were she not herself of course.

[family/pets] Barn Owl called Brownie. Muggle parents Stanley and Janice. Otherwise her family are Muggles she rarely sees.
[childhood/current residence] Currently she has a residence in Charring Cross, quite close to work. She grew up, however, in a rural area just outside of London. She was close enough to have visited the city once or twice a year, but not so close that anyone she knew worked there.
[finances] Penelope has a way with organization and paperwork, so her finances are in good order. Her bills come out of her account automatically (magically) every month. She has a set amount for food allowance. She makes allowance for clothing and other things that might be needed. And for the most part, Penelope is living comfortable. She puts away at least ten percent of her earnings every month in an interest gaining account. And Penelope also has money saved in a muggle bank. She isn't rich, she is, in fact, rather middle class. However, she isn't the hand-to-mouth, living paycheck to paycheck, kind of middle-class.
[friends/enemies] No friends, really. Everyone she knows is an acquaintance. She's never really been a social creature. She was close to Percy in school. She had a few friends from her own year and her own house, a few from other houses (mostly Gryffindor). But for the most part Pen has lost contact with them over the years. Penny isn't social enough to have enemies. For the sake of work she tries to be unseen and unheard, so no one really has any reason to dislike her because people either don't notice she's there, or don't have any reason to dislike her. Of course, once her articles get front page status, she'll probably have some enemies at the Ministry.
[sexuality/exes] Hetero. Penny's never really thought much about the matter, she's just always accepted that she's straight. She's never had a desire for or an attraction to women. She dated and will always love Percy Weasley. But their mutual dedication to their work made a relationship illogical for them. She's currently dating a Muggle bloke that her parents set her up with (Gerard).
[turn ons/offs] Intelligence is a must in Penelope's companions, either friendly or romantic. And, speaking of, romance is key, though she'd never admit so. She also is attracted to men who are organized and have a business-oriented mind. Her current boyfriend is interning in a law-firm in London, which she is quite proud of. And, furthermore, Penelope enjoys the company of someone who is cultured. She likes to debate the fairy tales and stories she enjoyed in her youth, as well as the deep writings of Dickens and the Bronte sisters, not to mention some of the more obscure wizarding writings.

[history] Penelope Rebecca Clearwater was born April 20 1976 to Stanley and Janice Clearwater. They were a young married couple and everything about them was a proper and boring as a Sunday brunch with your least favorite relatives. They waited the customary year before getting pregnant. Jan was just finishing up nursing school. Stan was in a dead end job at an automobile factory (and still is). And while the arrival of bouncing blonde and blue-eyed Penelope brightened their life, as babies are known to do, it hardly changed the course of their daily lives. There was, of course, one more mouth to feed. There were sleepless nights. There were endless weeks of potty training and teaching their girl to read and ride a bike and all the other things that normal families do. But that was just it. They were normal. Normal and mediocre. And while Penelope was comfortable in her normal, mediocre, dry as a desert life, she couldn't help but feel and inkling that there was something else out there. And so she searched. From the time she was six Penny spent much of her free time outdoors searching under toadstools, digging through the bushes, and otherwise being nosy to the point of insanity. Looking. Looking for proof that her dreams were more than dreams. But she gave up the search, right about age ten, when she found out that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy weren't real. All thanks to Charles Schultz. When Penelope realized that Linus would never see the Great Pumpkin, she realized why. And the Aries nature in her convinced her that her dreams of something else were merely fantasy.

As she grew up, Penelope's magic really didn't show up too often. Not often enough to be noticed, anyway. When things were missing, they would turn up if Penelope went looking for them. If she was cold, all she had to do was think about fire and Penny would be warm again. Sometimes the weather where she was at the moment seemed to match her mood instead of the weather ten feet from her and if she moved it followed her. Every now and again when she would get angry things would break. But all in all it seemed as normal and mediocre as the rest of her life. So it was something of a surprise when she woke up the summer after her eleventh birthday with the familiar tingle of "something more" all over her flesh. Sitting at the lunch table reading Charles Dickens (one Charles that she knew would never let her down!) while her mother made lunch, Penelope closed her book, hopped up from the table and went to the door. Her mother asked what was wrong and she said that someone was at the door. Her mother argued, but by the time Penelope reached the door, the bell was ringing. No one was as surprised as the Clearwaters to have a witch in the family. But it seemed that all Penelope's childhood suspicions were correct. And from that moment on she was determined to dig and search and logic everything to find the truth in things, even if no one else believed her instincts. This was just proof that she should trust them more.

Hogwarts was a completely new world to Penelope. And yet, it was oddly familiar. She had given up fairy tales and mythical stories when she was about nine. But being at Hogwarts brought them all back. And, determined to fit in, she took to studying every little thing about the castle. Then she started on the Wizarding World in general. She wanted to understand the world that she was supposed to be a part of before entering it. It didn't seem intelligent to just jump into something because she had magical powers. This, of course, had her placed in Ravenclaw. And she found she rather liked it there. She could get along with the other students, have intelligent discussions with them, and there were quite a few who could relate to her conundrum. It wasn't the Ravenclaw blokes who caught her eye, however. It was during a session in study hall during her fourth year that Penelope first noticed Percy Weasley. But, often being hidden behind her books, Penelope had no idea how to approach a bloke. A problem that was solved, somewhat, thanks to the attack by the basilisk the following year. Percy was around quite a bit during the whole Chamber of Secrets affair. His brother's best friend being in the ward as well as Ginny being captured. And apparently he noticed her.

With a bit of prioritizing, Penny managed to juggle classes and having a boyfriend for the first time rather well. She got top scores on her NEWTS, of course. And before she knew it, offers for internships were coming her way. However, Penny was as focused on her goal as Percy was on the Ministry. Penelope wanted to be a reporter. She always had a flair for words. And her critical mind and deep probing questions had all the makings of a great reporter. So she did her best to find a way to squeeze into a Daily Prophet internship. And for the first few years she was nothing more than a gopher. They let her write an article or two every now and again, but it was never anything more interesting than local votes on the garbage system or something equally as drab. However, it was a job she loved and was willing to work for. And it was when she started really throwing herself into work that she realized something was wrong with her and Percy's relationship. They were both too focused on their work. They never saw each other. And things were moving at the speed of molasses. Breaking up only seemed logical, despite the fact that the idea rather tore her up inside. She wouldn't admit it, because Penelope didn't like the "L" word, but she loved him. Things just weren't working out with them both so focused on their careers.

In the past few years, Penelope has been given more and more articles to write. Real ones. Articles that require actually reporting. Some that require actually digging around for the facts. She's started dating a bloke by the name of Gerard, a muggle her parents set her up with. He has some Wizarding family, so wasn't surprised that Penny was a witch. Nor does he care. He's a bit jealous at times, but romantic and patient with Penny's dedication to her work. For the most part anyway. And she's content. She isn't happy, but she's at least content with her life.

[timeline] 1976-April: Penelope Rebecca Clearwater is born to Stanley and Janice Clearwater.
1985-October: Penelope has her great epiphany about Santa Claus, the Great Pumpkin, and fairy tales.
1987-August: Penelope recieves her Hogwarts letter.
1993-May: Penelope is petrified by the Basilisk & then revived.
....-September: Penelope & Percy begin dating.
1994:-May: Penelope graduates Hogwarts.
....-June: Penelope takes up an internship at the Daily Prophet.
1996:-August: Penelope & Percy break up.
....-September: Penelope gets her own flat on Charing Cross Road.
1999:-December: Penelope starts dating Gerard.

[journal/thread sample]

RAVENCLAW { wear }