First and Last Name: Wilhemina “Mina’ Schwartz
Bloodline: Pureblood
Hair Color: Blond
Eye Color: Blue
General Build: Petite
Height: Short
Birthplace: Inishmore, Ireland
Brief Childhood History: Mina is the only child of Elise and Wilhelm Schwartz. Wilhelm was born in Hamburg Germany and lived there for only a few short years before his family relocated to Ireland following the fall of Grindewald. Opting to attend Durmstang, Wilhelm spent little time in his new home country and became a cursebreaker with Gringotts after graduation. The Schwartz family is traditionally neutral in the public though they may sympathize with a cause. At a Christmas party for like minded families he found himself enchanted by the much younger Elise. The quiet Ravenclaw was bright and charming, and Wilhelm found that he was not willing to lose her to some little boy. She was only days out of Hogwarts when they began courting and were married shortly before the New Year. Elise works part-time as a potions master at Saint Mungo's and Wilhelm stays in country now, managing the family estate and doing the occasional warding job as a favor to friends.
Mina inherited her parents’ thirst for knowledge and spent many days in the family library, curled up in front of the fire in a child sized arm chair, a miniaturized replica of her father’s own chair, devouring books on linguistics and history. Under the tutelage of both her parents she was raised speaking German alongside English. She has dreams of working for Gringotts, following in her father’s steps, or perhaps working with the Department of International Cooperation. Not just a bookworm, Mina values practical knowledge as much as book knowledge and spent much of her childhood prowling the family home and grounds to see what others were doing. With family spread out all over Europe, Mina traveled frequently in her childhood and dreams of touring the world one day.
Not without friends, Mina grew up surrounded by cousins and found plenty of time to be a kid. Swimming and picnics filled her summer days while the winter brought snow ball fights and sledding. Between her blood family and the children of her father’s associates, Mina never lacked playmates her own age. Mina is a little nervous to leave them all behind for Hogwarts. Most of her cousins are currently or will be attending Durmstrang and those who will be following her into Hogwarts are two years her junior. She’s never had to make friends on her own before and part of her regrets not taking up her Uncle’s offer to stay with them in Dresden and going to Durmstrang.
Strengths (Including Personality and Academic): Curious but sly, Mina is a consummate planner. She would never jump into a situation without knowing as much as possible and having a fail-safe in place. Mina is fiercely loyal to her family and friends and cares very deeply about them. She would gladly do whatever was necessary to help a friend and will be their most vocal supporters. Mina does not give up, and won’t quit even in the face of certain defeat. While a bit dry, Mina is friendly with everyone, knowing that alienating potential future allies is silly. She understands that being the right hand man is just as good if not better than being the figurehead and is not jealous of the achievements of her friends. She knows she’s smart but she doesn’t rub anyone’s face in it as it would be poor form to be a braggart.
Academically, DADA, Arithmancy and History of Magic will be her best subjects. Mina firmly believes the saying that “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” While her mother wanted to limit her access to children’s history books, her father encouraged her development and gave her access to dryer but more informative tomes. She will be content with the self-study atmosphere created by the dull specter professor, able to move at a much faster pass she will not need to worry about class work and can devote the time to more interesting historical material. She recognizes DADA and Arithmancy as integral to a cursebreaking career and will focus any spare time she has into practicing and revising for these classes.
Weaknesses (Including Personality and Academic): Mina plays her cards close to her chest and has never had to deal with anyone outside the ‘family’ before. New kids will be foreign to her and will mean research before friendship can be offered. She wouldn’t want to get close to the wrong sort. Approaching a perfect stranger is just intimidating. She has never been alone before and will be unlikely to form many close friendships on the train, at the feast or even in her first couple months.
Mina’s need to plan and be in control makes her poor on the fly. She can get overwhelmed when trying to improvise and being overwhelmed leads to angry tears until she can pull herself together. Mina does not know how to relax and just be. If she isn’t doing something she feels a bit lost and has to find something immediately to do to keep her occupied. Even at night she lays in bed thinking things over until her brain finally shuts down into sleep mode. A closet neurotic, OWLS and NEWTS will be a nightmare; her need to excel coupled with her fear of disappointing her father and her intense privacy is going to result in many owls home for calming draughts and sleep potions. There are good odds on Mina having the breakdown of the year during 5th and 7th year testing. Heck, Mina will likely worry so much over just that happening that it will probably be what pushes her over the edge into said breakdowns.
Potions will be dropped like a bad habit post OWLs. Mina has no interest in potions and they have no interest in her if her ability to explode boiling water is any indication. While the theory seems sound the practical just does not compute. In the end Mina is hopeless, and a bit dangerous, behind a cauldron to her mother’s disappointment.
What House You Feel Your Character Belongs In and Why:Mina is a Syltherin with Ravenclaw tendencies or vice versa. She understands that knowledge is a powerful tool, and she isn't sure whether it's her ambition or her thirst for knowledge that is her most defining trait. In the end, her intelligence fuels her resourcefulness and she greatly values her ability to discretely observe the world around her.
