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Juniper Irving
Status:
Muggle-born
Nationality:
Scottish
Residence:
Stonehaven, Scotland
Function:
Third year, Gryffindor
Wand:
32,5 cm walnut wood and snallygaster heartstring
Juniper is a quiet and contemplative child. Outwardly, she is entirely average and forgettable, with a prominent nose, dull brown hair, pale complexion, and large, observant eyes.

She's had a peaceful, idyllic childhood, raised by her muggle mother in a small stone cottage on their employer's farm in Scotland. Her mother has worked as cook, gardener and housekeeper for Mrs. McGriff, a wealthy old landowner, since before Juniper was born. Juniper has been raised with an unusual amount of responsibility and free-reign; she's helped her mother with every aspect of her work on the farm and spent much of her free time in the outdoors, exploring. She reads any and every book she can, but has a special affinity for stories of magic and fantasy.

She's never known her father and has cautiously never inquired about him, out of a sense of loyalty and admiration for her mother.

Juniper's earliest memory is waking up in her loft bed as a 5-year old, folding her legs, and casually hovering to the floor. This "memory" made little sense to her later on, and she attributed it to her over-active imagination, or possibly a dream. Still, she's always had a lingering sense that it really happened. Although she was raised with no knowledge of the magical world, she has always felt secretly that such things existed and always held onto a sliver of hope in her own abilities.

She has a quiet confidence in her own courage, resilience and strength, which she knows are there, but have rarely been tested.

Within the past few years, her mother underwent a sudden and disturbing change. Normally confident, competent and happy-go-lucky, she suddenly seemed confused and forgetful. She had a series of bitter outbursts at her daughter and Mrs. McGriff. Still in her early 30's, Juniper was horrified when her mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Her mother was soon moved into hospice care, and Juniper's entire life was abruptly uprooted.

Then came the letter from Hogwarts. Juniper was once more blindsided. Ms. McGriff, her only confidant in the matter, seemed suspiciously un-phased (although, hardly anything ever shocked the old woman). She assured Juniper she'd look out for her mother and encouraged her to accept. Still reeling from her mother's diagnosis and all the related upheaval, Juniper found herself momentarily unable to act. She couldn't imagine leaving at a time like this, but then again, her mother was almost already gone. She couldn't imagine staying, either.

As soon as she made the decision to go, Juniper felt a small thrill - a spark of ambition that brightened the otherwise tragic trajectory her life had just taken. Here was an opportunity she never knew existed and yet somehow felt she'd always been waiting for.