Elysia is the mother of Flora Helen, and the Professor of Wandlore. She/ they live in Godric’s Hollow when not at Hogwarts, and approaches wandlore with a heavy emphasis on self-reflection. Other than work, she enjoys quidditch, astronomy, and buddhist philosophy.
xxx∴BASICS∵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PRONUNCIATION properly el-EE-see-ah, but even she pronounces it EL-see-ah around sometimes.
NICKNAMES Elys, Elsie, Aunt Elly (Aidene)
GENDER female or nonbinary (she/her or they/them pronouns are both accepted)
SEXUAL ORIENTATION Aromantic asexual
AGE 47
BIRTHDAY May 2nd, 2010 -- Taurus
LANGUAGES English, Irish Gaelic, some sutras in Sanskrit and Buddhist Chinese, basic inklings of Python and C++
BLOOD STATUS pureblood
WAND Acacia wood and unicorn hair, 11.75 inches, reasonably supple. Carved hallow handle with hollow spirals, and runes for "Question and Reflect" painted into the shaft of the the wand. Appearance
PATRONUS Elephant
FACECLAIM Jennifer Connelly
black hair, gray eyes.
HEIGHT 5 ft 9 in (175.3 cm)
WEIGHT 155 lbs (70 kg)
APPEARANCE Hair is usually braided back, with a resin ring tied into the end.
xxx∴SCHOOL AND CAREER∵xxxxxxxxxxxx
ATTENDED Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry)
HOUSE Gryffindor
CLASS OF 2028
CLUBS
■ Art of the Sword (yr 6-7)
■ Quidditch-- reserve beater (yr 4-7), reserve keeper (yr 1-3)
unofficially:
■ Astronomy/ Philosophy “club”
■ Daily Dragon--roughly once a semester she’d write a photo essay or philosophical column for the editors to run whenever desired.
O.W.L. SCORES
Astronomy ~ E
Charms ~ A
Defense Against the Dark Arts ~ E
Herbology ~ A
History of Magic ~ A
Potions ~ E
Transfiguration ~ A
Arithmancy ~ O
Healing ~ E
Muggle Studies ~ E
Study of Ancient Runes ~ O
Wandless Magic ~ O
Wandlore ~ O
Wizard Law ~ E
N.E.W.T. SCORES
Astronomy ~ E
Defense Against the Dark Arts ~ O
Potions ~ E
Arithmancy ~ E
Healing ~ E
Muggle Studies ~ E
Study of Ancient Runes ~ O
Wandless Magic ~ O
Wandlore ~ O
Wizard Law ~ E
Other Electives
Advanced Flying: (year 2/3) Advanced. Elysia was a natural flyer and loved Quidditch, and additional flying classes only cemented that. While her flying style is pretty simple and straightforward, her confidence, flexibility, and adaptability in the air are unquestionable.
Apparition: (year 6) Proficient.
DREAM JOB We are where we are in life and I am content with that.
OCCUPATION Professor of Wandlore at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
■ By occasional commission: broom / wand design consultant
■ Formerly: Beater for the Kenmare Kestrels (2039 - 2053)
■ Formerly: Assistant Designer for Wolfe Wands (and various North American-based wandmakers and broom designers)
■ Formerly: Beater for United States Quidditch team (2028 - 2039)
xxx∴PERSONALITY∵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
COMPOSED Elysia has always carried herself with the composure of someone who knows exactly what they’re about and the confidence to be that person. Despite her mistakes and shortcomings, Elsie has always faced herself honestly and head-on, and as a result, her outward demeanor has consistently been one of unflappable poise and calm assuredness.
STRAIGHTFORWARD Elysia has a preference for keeping things as organized, methodical, rational, and succinct as possible, which is very fortunate because of her penchant for asking complex and confusing philosophical and ethical questions. She enjoys intricate game strategy as much as she does academic research methods, and communicates both in her characteristic direct and concise manner. Be it game plans, existential questions, or wand-wizard relationship hypotheses, Elysia speaks in as simple language as possible to succinctly carry her thoughts.
CONTEMPLATIVE Elysia is generally a person of terse replies, existential questions, and highly cerebral discourse--really that means she likes having deep conversations about almost anything-- feelings, Quidditch, religion, philosophy, wand design, life. She regularly spends her breaks in meditation at nearby Buddhist temples, contemplating and studying.
NURTURING All of Elysia’s questions come back to nurturing people to be more comfortable with themselves and better equipped to improve on themselves. Her contemplations are as much social as they are solitary, and her most ambitious goals revolve around inspiring people to think and accept themselves through questioning. She used to challenge people constantly: Who are you? What’s your center? Her own self-confidence and self-acceptance have afforded her the grace to respect other people’s conclusions even when at odds with her own, and so long as no one is hurting someone else, Elsie supports this diversity of perspective with multiple, coexisting personal realities.
EASY GOING Despite her usual serious affect, intense conversations, and diligence with her work and herself, Elysia is a surprisingly easy-going person of simple tastes in everything but conversation and contemplation. She has a particular affection for wry humor and dry wit. She thrives under the pressure of an intense Quidditch match but most enjoys a casual gathering of friends talking under the stars; she maintains a disciplined routine, but this routine is so designed to keep her adaptable and facilitate her best thinking.
∴∵HOBBIES
■ Quidditch-- practice, watching, strategy, and strength training
■ Philosophical debate and musing
■ Studying wand and broom design
∴LIKES
■ Dry wit and humor
■ Video games-- primarily watching and listening, but she’ll play with her brother and niece. She has a great respect for shoutcasters and announcers.
■ Swordfights -- mostly watching, although she has dabbled
■ Clear stargazing nights
■ The philosophical part of 3am philosophical conversations
∵DISLIKES
■ Melodrama and theatrics
■ Dishonesty or deliberate misdirection
■ Indecision or constant insecurity
■ Instant noodles -- this was her life for a while
■ The 3am part of 3am philosophical conversations
∴STRENGTHS
■ Self-awareness that offers good insight on herself and others.
■ Keen mind and diligence that always points her to learning and self-improvement
∵WEAKNESSES
■ Confusing -- Elysia talks in a lot of questions, and prefers to answer questions herself as succinctly as possible. It’s an irony she’s aware of, but would rather be asked to clarify than muddle anyone’s life with needless clarifications. Plus if a confusing answer inspired someone else to think of their own conclusions, so much the better!
■ Stoic -- Elysia doesn’t emote very well, and despite what she might be thinking or feeling and efforts to change this, she always seems to look upset, condescending, or bored--ironic, because she rarely is any of these.
∴DREAMS
■ Making a profound difference in individuals’ lives. Martin and Aidene count, but doesn't mean Elsie doesn’t also hope to do more.
■ Getting a gaming laptop what works around magic
∵FEARS
■ Becoming incomprehensible -- the Tongue-typing hex is like a tiny taste. Wernicke’s Aphasia is more terrifying than death.
■ Aidene or Martin falling down a path of revenge or stagnation
xxx∴BACKSTORY∵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
∴∵EARLY CHILDHOOD Elysia was born in Cork, Ireland, when her parents, Jaime and Zion, were 20 and still acclimating to their careers. Zion had suffered a concussion that messed with his sense of balance--not enough to prevent him from flying, but enough to ruin his hopes for playing seeker professionally. Still, whenever he could, Zion took Martin and Elysia to fly and watch Quidditch, emphasizing safety as much as fun and strategy. Zion was friendly and amicable with seemingly perfect control over his temperament, and Jaime was hardworking, disciplined and sweet if shy. As a young child, Elysia tried to emulate the best of her parents, who were always very straightforward about their strengths and shortcomings. Her grandparents praised her for her clever remarks and questions, and her parents encouraged her introspection. Her and Martin’s primary education was through homeschool by their parents or grandparents, supplemented by trips to the Wizarding Library and learning from people in their community.
Their grandparent’s affections and support vanished when Martin’s squib status was confirmed. When Elsie was nine, the family moved to Godric’s Hollow, England where Jaime’s auror partner and best friend lived. Elysia got along pretty well with Delia, the Chance’s daughter her age. In their new muggle schooling, Elysia did better than Martin, which probably didn’t help his confidence, but he never let her feel guilty about it. She and Martin had a close relationship, and it wasn’t unusual or uncomfortable for them to be playing and talking together all hours one day and then be doing their own things the next. Their letters continued the same way once Elysia and Delia started at Hogwarts.
∴∵SCHOOL YEARS
Elysia started at Hogwarts as a quite solitary student, but she grew close to her roommates Delia Chance and Celestina Hyur, and even found a group of friends who enjoyed talking about stars and debating wizarding ethics or existential issues late at night on the Astronomy Tower. The group was never an officially listed club, but they did welcome new faces and met every week on Saturdays for a few hours with tacit, if not overt prefect and professor acknowledgement and approval.
During a Quidditch practice in Elsie’s second year, one of her team’s beaters suffered a horrifying injury and fall. Watching a teammate save the player’s life--much less ability to play--with quick thinking and healing inspired Elysia to take healing the next year. Even though she was always a reserve, Elsie always practiced as hard as any other team member and was prepared on game day.
In her fifth year, Jaime and her partner Vera Chance were killed while confronting a suspected dark wizard. A few months later, a devastated Zion commit suicide. Delia and Elysia mourned together. Cleaning out their possessions, Martin found and sent Zion’s old broom to Elsie, but she never quite connected with the broom the same way she had the first broom Zion bought for her. This, along with her interest in wandlore, sparked a broader curiosity in how a witch's tools affected and reflected their person and work. It was also during this time that Elysia, inspired by Nari Choi, an older Ravenclaw student, got into Buddhist scriptures and philosophies. Elysia expanded her interest towards other theologies, finding in the words solace for grief, guidance for introspection, and motivation for self-improvement.
Aside from excellence in Wandlore, Ancient Runes, and Wandless magic, Elysia was generally a non-nonsense, straight-E student: She paid attention in class, did the homework, and performed exactly according to what was taught or covered in class. She often applied her academic knowledge to existential or ethical debates, particularly captured by the relationship between a person and their materials: the wand-wizard relationship, how different brooms and players built familiarity, and how the properties of magical (or even nonmagical) materials affected and reflected on their users.
∴∵POST-GRADUATION:
After graduation, Elysia studied wandlore in the United States under a famed North American wandmaker. She had a particular fascination for the wand-wizard relationship, and traveled widely to learn from different wandmakers' understandings of wandlore. Martin was making a tidy sum as a professional gamer in London, but in order not to strain their precarious financial situation, Elsie signed on to play beater for one of the U.S. Quidditch teams in the meanwhile. She made her first brooms during her eleven years there, custom-crafting and building every player’s broom from woods that reflected their personalities and shapes that supplemented their flying styles. Elysia eventually made the international U.S. team.
In July 2039 she transferred to the Kenmare Kestrels in Ireland-- the team Zion had always wanted to play for. Her last game in the States was U.S. vs Ireland, and even though everyone already knew she was switching teams, she played hard, helped the U.S. win the championship, and left with nothing but good sentiments. Back in Ireland she lived for a few years in Cork, reconciling with her estranged grandparents but maintaining a distant relationship. She visited Martin and Aidene whenever possible, and found the challenge of simplifying things for Aidene’s young and imaginative thought processes a worthwhile task. She didn’t consider herself a wandmaker so much as a design consultant and researcher, and continued to gather and share insights from european wandmakers. Most of her studies have been documented in personal journals and published with academic research on wandlore.
Elsie finally convinced her brother to end his marriage: Celestina, Elysia wanted to believe, wasn’t a bad person, but her disregard for her husband or child was not fair to them. In July 2043 the three Kierans met Celestina in St. Petersburg. Celestina tried to pitch an idyllic scenario where their family was together and living on some self-sustaining farm. Elysia questioned her sudden repentance, and although she didn’t mean to provoke Celeste, the discussion turned to drawn wands. Elysia was struck and injured, but managed to apparate Martin and Aidene away before the fight could escalate further. She splinched herself in the process and spent a few weeks at St. Mungo’s for healing and later physical therapy. A few months later Martin was granted a divorce on grounds of desertion. Later in 2044, Elsie moved in with Martin and Elysia at their remodeled Godric’s Hollow home.
For the next few years, Elysia’s life was a stable combination of Quidditch training, meditations at temples, and the occasional wandlore research project or design consultation. Then 2049 happened: in October, the Knapp House burned down, killing young Deepak Knapp; in December, Celestina kidnapped Aidene from a funeral and left her for dead. Elysia and Martin searched desperately, but hours later, Aidene returned to them as a vampire. The next few years were spend adjusting to that vampirism. In August 2051, Martin and Della were married after much teasing from their kids. Although they lived right down the street and visited often, this left the carefully shuttered Keiran Cottage mostly to Elysia and Aidene’s use.
After retiring from professional Quidditch in Summer of 2053, Elysia applied for an opening as Hogwarts’s Professor of Wandlore-- she hadn’t been sure she would be what they wanted, approaching Wandlore more from an academic and philosophical perspective than a crafting one. But so began her professorship and learning to teach. With Aidene often away from home, either travelling or at her Clan's headquarters in Clifton Hall, Elysia later adopted Flora Helen Norris, a young student she befriended after much confusion and strife with the adoption process.
xxx∴RELATIONSHIPS∵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
FAMILY
■ Daughter Flora Helen Kieran, Ravenclaw student (halfblood)
■ Brother and Sister-in-Law/ Best Friend Martin Kieran, MagiScouts camp counselor (pureblood squib); Delia Chance, astronomer (pureblood)
■ Nieces and Nephews: Orion, Jonah, and Rhea Lane (halfblood); Lizzie Spektor (pureblood); Aidene Azura Kieran, (pureblood vampire)
■ Parents Jamie Adra Kieran, nee Kyson; auror (pureblood); Zion Emmett Kieran, Unspeakable, Love Chamber, Department of Mysteries (pureblood) + grandparents
■ Pets Intana (tawny owl)
FRIENDS
■ The Knapp and Lane families.
■ Lyall Thompson, the healer who took care of her.
■ Lore, Aidene’s vampiric sire
■ Insert people here.
■ Kenmare Kestrels Quidditch team, Quidditch players in the British-Irish league or North American league
■ Wandmakers, Broommakers, and wandlore scholars in North America and Europe.
ENEMY Celestina Hyur, ex-sister-in-law and her niece’s attacker (halfblood)
xxx∴UPDATES∵xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CREATED 28 November 2018
UPDATED 02 October 2022
UPDATES MADE
■ minor edits. Dream job, some grammatical things. Updated family and backstory elements.
■ (recent update)
■ (recent update)
CREATED 28 November 2018
UPDATED 02 October 2022
UPDATES MADE
■ minor edits. Dream job, some grammatical things. Updated family and backstory elements.
■ (recent update)
■ (recent update)
ACCEPTED BY 🕱 мנ ѕρσσкѕ 🕱 [17 MAY 2021]
RECENT UPDATES ACCEPTED BY (do not touch this)
RECENT UPDATES ACCEPTED BY (do not touch this)