Post by nagana on Apr 16, 2018 11:19:31 GMT -5
Name: Galen Herrera
Age: 23
Occupation/House: Ravenclaw Graduate, Resident Healer at St. Mungo's
Wand: Unicorn hair - Walnut - 15 inches
Patronus: Lynx
Boggart: His little sister dying
Physical Description: Galen is quite tall, standing at six feet and five inches. As an avid gym-goer, his body is muscular and lean, although he does not flaunt this and prefers to wear more loose-fitting clothing. He has broad shoulders and a very square jaw, making him appear very sharp and intense. His ice-blue eyes only enhance the intensity, which can be very intimidating at times. His dirty blonde hair is styled to be longer on top and shorter on the sides--practical yet classy. His body language is often reserved, with crossed arms or hands in his pockets, and his gaze is often very focused and intent. He is very still unless he is exercising, and exudes calmness.
Personality: Galen is definitely what you would call the “strong and silent” type. He is a man of few words, and views the opportunity for silence as one for observation. Some may see him as shy, but he is actually quite an outgoing people-person, provided they are the correct people. His voice is deep and sure, emphasizing the few words he has as being important and prominent. Due to his watchful ways, Galen is also known for being quite intuitive and receptive, and is a strong advocate for the well-being of those close to him. He is very understanding and open, but also firm in his own beliefs. He appreciates honesty and the real, raw passion of emotion, and is someone who definitely isn’t afraid to “get dirty” to figure things out. Galen is the type of person who knows who he is and what he wants, and works diligently toward his goals with direction and sometimes stubbornness.
On a good day, Galen is involved and driven, emitting a sense of purpose and engagement. He is a reassuring presence when in a good space, and does not allow the emotions of others to break down his solid wall of perseverance. On a bad day, he is unfocused and “zoned out.” When not feeling rock-solid, his mind is easily overtaken by churning thoughts, and he does not have the energy to calm it. Galen is less dependable emotionally when experiencing this, and much more reserved in general. When considering his strengths, one would definitely coin him as someone who has endearing strength of mind and self, as well as a steadfast and logical approach to the people he loves. He sees things through, and has a mindset of responsibility that places his maturity beyond his years. As far as weaknesses, Galen has a real issue with being wrong. Morally, logically, or just factually, he enjoys being firm and correct, and a sense of pride prevents him from gracefully handling not being right. Additionally, he tends to be overassertive when his integrity or the integrity of his loved ones is threatened. He portrays a sense of dangerous dominance when intimidated, and is extremely protective in these areas.
Some of Galen’s favorite things in life are reading for pleasure, enjoying a trip to the gym or an afternoon run, and spending quality time with his friends and family. He is an independent man at heart, but finds a certain warmth in the company of his loved ones. On the flip side, he dislikes loneliness, injustice, and conflict, all of which create a certain level of anxiety within him. Although extremely capable of dealing with these things, he prefers to remain neutral and at peace.
Galen takes his relationships very seriously. As an older brother, he is especially protective over smaller female presences in his life, and takes every measure to ensure his friends and family relationships are protected and respected in every way possible. He is a person who has few but true friends, although is widely liked as someone who is cool and collected. He is open to love and affection, although thus far has not experienced this realm in full.
Galen respects himself, because he knows he is able. His life has built him to be capable enough and mindful enough to know that he is a logical and intelligent individual who stands up for what is right, and therefore he is generally very at peace with himself and his choices. He is the kind of person who is true to his actions, and does not change very much between the everyday appearance and what occurs behind closed doors. He is a man of honesty through and through, and exudes wisdom in his everyday actions.
History: Mallory and Ricardo met in their fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcaft and Wizardry. Mallory hailed from the house of red and gold, prideful and brash, and classed delicately with the sturdy and steadfast intelligence of her newfound Ravenclaw friend. They began being exclusive in their fifth year, and continued dating throughout their Hogwarts experience. After school, they parted ways for several years, speaking only occasionally and never at length. Ricardo accepted a career offer at St. Mungo's, where he rose quickly through the ladder of positions and soon became a top Healer in his department, which specialized in injuries induced by magical creatures. They were reunited after seven years of not seeing each other when Mallory was admitted to the hospital with severe bites after engaging in an expedition to subdue a nundu--which was ultimately unsuccessful. She had taken on a career of on-site wildlife research, traveling the world to see and experience the wide variety of magical wildlife in the world. After being in his care, Mallory fell in love with Ricardo all over again, and within a year they were married and expecting their first child, Galen.
Galen was raised as a pureblood wizard, engaging in the magical world from a young age. He was always quick to learn and advanced through the stages of his life with ease, just as easily adventuring in the woods with his mother as sifting through volumes in his home library with his father. He always enjoyed learning and experiencing life, and was more than ready to embark on his Hogwarts journey years before his letter came. He lived in a large house on a huge plot of land, with many acres of forest and field to run around in and explore.
Galen grew up in a large family, as his father has six brothers and sisters, and his mother had three. Nearly all of his aunts and uncles had children, and family gatherings were often and large, filled with magical touches and lots of love and laughter. He was blessed with many different cousins with extremely differing personalities, which allowed him to learn and experience a wide range of people and therefore learn from them. He used these opportunities to grow and understand the world, as well as having wild adventures on children's broomsticks or exploring the forests surrounding the family's property.
When Galen was seven, he was gifted by his parents a younger sister. Moira Herrera entered the world wide-eyed and curious, and Galen was more than eager to educate her and show her the ways of the world. They were best friends throughout their childhood, and Galen accepted the role as "third parent" with joy.
When Moira was six, she was assaulted while traveling with their mother, which left her with permanent scaring across her back and ribs. Moira was always a quietly curious child. She did not often speak, and preferred to figure things out on her own. She loved to explore and adventure with her older brother, and often sought his counsel when she needed help. One of her favorite things to do in her early childhood was accompany her mother on expeditions around the world as she researched magical wildlife. However, when she was six years old, one of these expeditions went terribly wrong. Her mother was studying the acromantula. She had decided to let Moira come out into the field with her, as she was certain that the nest they would be looking at was abandoned. At first, it seemed to be so--the whole nest was silent and seemed to be the perfect place to quietly study and gather information. However, when they started looking around, Mrs. Herrera was proven terribly wrong. Moira was snatched by one of the spiders. She was badly hurt and bears scars across her back from the incident due to the venom secreted into her body during the attack. Although the talented Mallory was able to retrieve her from the accident, the time it took to get her the medical attention she needed resulted in permanent scarring from the attack. She was in the hospital for several weeks after this incident, and has suffered long-term mental health consequences because of it. This event shook Galen's world, driving him to become more diligent and protective of his loved ones. Although this event took place completely out of his hands, Galen was smothered by guilt, as well as resent for his mother. He became much closer to his father through this, as he felt isolated from his mother and her reckless behavior. Galen's strengthened relationship with his father allowed him to gain a logical perspective about the world, and helped to shape him into someone who values intellect and intuitiveness as core qualities of himself. He was extremely relieved when Moira was able to join him at school, and quickly took on the role of overbearing older brother. This allowed Galen to exercise forgiveness for his mother while re-taking on the responsibility of his sister, and therefore he was able to grow through the experience.
Galen was a model student at Hogwarts, always at the top of his class and working diligently yet modestly in his studies. He tutored many peers throughout his time at Hogwarts in a variety of subjects. When he entered his sixth year and his sister joined him at school, Voldemort was at large again, which only enhanced his already protective attitude over his sister. During the battle of Hogwarts, he did not stay and fight as his main responsibility was to get his sister to safety. His mother and father went to fight, and his father was killed in the battle. Galen was devastated--his father was his role model and confidant, and his grief was enormous. He and his sister celebrated with the rest of the school when they returned to Hogwarts, but both remained solemn.
When Galen had graduated from Hogwarts, he knew immediately that he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a healer. Especially after experiencing the health concerns of his younger sister and the death of his father, he knew he wanted to be able to make a difference in the lives of others. He applied to many of the healer training schools available and ultimately decided to go to The Dilys Derwent School for Healing. He studies there now in hopes of one day becoming a full-fledged healer at St. Mungo's.
Relationships: Sister: Moira Herrera, 16, Ravenclaw sixth year
Mother: Mallory McGloughlin, 42, halfblood, researcher and photographer of magical creatures
Father: Ricardo Herrera, 43, pureblood, Healer