Maria is an 10 year old English girl, standing at about 1.5m tall. She has bright ginger hair that her mother cuts short to keep it low maintenance. She is fond of jewelry and always wears something, however dresses plain and practical as she is always outside.

Her personality emulates her father's; she is determined, empathetic and practical. Her love of animals and life in the countryside tends to get in the way of her people skills, but that doesn't stop her from being vivaciously social. Where her and her family values differ is her ambition for scholarship. She is eager to learn anything and everything about the world and feels trapped at home.

The Maiwen family consists of Pete (30, father), Margarete (32, mother), Mary (5, younger sister), and herding dog Charlie. They live in the countryside and are relatively secluded with a very relaxed family life. Most of Maria's challenges at home come with finding a good education, her determination stemming from teaching herself most things. Her and her father tend to sheep while her mother uses magic to weave special thread and textiles. The family business takes up much of her time, thus her time at Hogwarts feels like a vacation to her.

Maria was a magical 'late bloomer'. When her baby sister was born. Maria was so excited she began running around the room, eventually running up to walls and onto the ceiling! (Her perception of her sister is no longer so enthusiastic, she is actually quite irritated by her now)