Cassius Hirano : Second Year : Slytherin

subject focus unknown
specialities unknown (tba)
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Though little used to the gifts of his magical heritage, Cassius has a natural affinity for magic that eases the weight of Hogwarts' expectations. He's a quick learner, albeit one who requires structured guidance, and retains an early preference towards water-based spellwork. More practice is advised before subject categorisation.

Reputation=====================

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WIP.

Approachability

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WIP.

Prologue====================================

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Cassius’ existence may have been a mistake, but at least it was not a true scandal. His parents begrudgingly tolerated each other for duty’s sake, and, even considering their differences, there was nothing more humiliating to them than physical evidence of a failed marriage. It’d be a slight against both of their reputations and that of their families, who had orchestrated their marriage to secure long-term alliances across each other’s societal circles.

His mother, Hirano Saori, proudly hailed from a respected pureblood clan whose Meiji-era courtly roots still left them highly influential in wizarding Japan. Privilege, politics and long-forgotten traditions dominated the Hirano family. An ambitious socialite and astronomer of many talents, Saori already had two fine heirs in her eldest sons and often left her youngest to her husband’s influence. Truthfully, Song Hyun-woo—Charles Song to his fellow Cambridge alumni— preferred her grand lack of interest. As executive vice president of his family’s own company, it was not difficult to compensate for his wife’s disregard by doing the same to his middle child and declaring Cassius his new heir.

Once part of the Yangban gentry under the former Joseon dynasty, the Song family have since established itself as undoubtedly chaebol with multiple specialisations in the manufacturing sector. From military ventures to fine textiles, South Korea’s rapid industrialisation worked directly in their favour. Their flourishing success extended beyond the country’s borders. Though muggle to a fault, they excelled at making connections with different companies and families, distinguishing themselves as one of the closest things South Korea had to old money. These very connections led to Charles and Saori’s arranged marriage two decades ago and drove Cassius’s chairman grandfather to introduce an English branch in Windsor.

Tainted by technicality alone, Charles’ Muggle blood meant relatively little considering their children’s evident talent. Half-blood though they were, the Hirano children enjoyed exceptional privilege from their “purer” lineage in the overseas wizarding world. As the product of double-dosed generational wealth, there were advantages to be had despite blood mixing. Even a page could pass as princely with enough grit, gilt and mannerly ambition, after all. Gabriel and Evander, Cassius’ estranged brothers, were raised in Japan alongside their mother’s family. As the spare son to the spare heir, Cassius’s role within the greater sphere of attention was comparably unenviable. Five and six years his brothers’ junior, both siblings had been well-established within Mahoutokoro’s educational structure long before he was born. Between the three, his overseas brothers had long dominated their mother’s attention and usurping Evander’s title as Song heir did him little favours in their familial Cold War. Never exactly as favoured and offered the responsibilities of neither brother, Cassius looked towards his father for guidance.

Between attending galas, dinner parties, and other social events, the King family became the obvious solution to their issues. Close since their Cambridge days, Charles and James King had grown from roommates to business partners to best friends, and it was natural that their respective families did the same. Charles encouraged his son’s participation in the same way he expected respect and, without a great need to compete for attention, Cassius grew up in the King's household as much as his own. He shared nearly every accomplishment with their two sons. In Mercy King, he found his very own best friend, and in Theory, the terribly cool older brother he’d never had.

Balancing the silver plate of privilege proved to be a harder task than expected, however. Cassius’ grandfather still operated most of the company in South Korea as the Song patriarch and often demanded great results from his children stationed overseas. Cassius was a sweet but often underfoot child, and so Charles believed it best to board his youngest in America at his former alma mater, The Blackbourne Academy. There, Cassius would be well-educated and taken care of without being needlessly dragged to board meetings and business appointments. Of course, Cassius hated the idea of leaving his father’s side, and it was only after frequent assurances that he acquiesced. His only saving grace was Mercy, who remained ever hand-in-hand on this several-year-long international adventure. Together, they experienced all the first-world struggles of a childhood spent at a private boys' school, including the horrors of times tables, overpitched lacrosse balls and international postage.

It was with his Hogwarts acceptance letter that his future days at Blackbourne Academy came to an end. Though Mercy surely didn’t realise exactly why Cassius needed to return his mother’s attention, the two were accompanied back to Windsor. With Hogwarts on the horizon, it was evident that some things needed to change. His father’s reputation served him well in Muggle circles. Yet, considering a shrinking high society of restrictive, traditional purism, only the notoriety of his mother’s surname guaranteed the same privileges elsewhere. Song Cassius—introducing himself in English as Cassius Hirano— aims only to succeed where he’d always been disregarded, using the tools and talents of his upbringing to strive closer not towards harmonious co-existence, but the acknowledgement that had never been offered to him.

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FioM: For as long as he had been capable of doing so, Cassius had always displayed a strong desire to help others, even at the expense of being unnecessarily underfoot. He was nearly 7 years old, accompanied by an indulgent nanny and pure child-like determination when he’d first taken it upon himself to assist with his mother’s afternoon tea. Even while visiting her husband’s estate in Windsor, Saori Hirano often hosted guests in her private drawing room. Complete with sweet fruits and prettily stamped higashi, such social calls were, according to his mother, a staple of polite interaction.

It was more dangerous, but also far more impressive for him to be carrying the tea rather than the deliberately placed snacks. The kitchen staff had fussed greatly at the intrusion, but it was ultimately easier to attend to dinner plans while coordinating the matter with his mother’s servants. They, at the very least, were very familiar with their lady’s routine. Supervised by his nanny, he’d been fitted with a silver tray, a lighter china set than usual and a destination to reach. Unfortunately, despite his careful navigation, the tray proved too unwieldy without practised handling. Turned slightly too quickly around a corner, the ceramic pot slid to burn his hand and, startled by the sudden pain, he dropped the entire vessel and its tray. Down came beautifully glazed porcelain and, with it, a childish pride in his own ability. That should have been the end of it, yet the crashing aftermath revealed that the hot water meant to scald his front and feet had inexplicably frozen into ice mid-fall, shattering over the floor instead. 6 years old amid a glittering mess of dropped silver and newfound potential, it was no surprise that he’d immediately turned towards hysterics. His nanny had swiftly repaired the pot with a single spell, and with his burn tended to, the matter seemed smoothed over before it could be further revealed. Saori, of course, was informed later that night, but even a quick, flawless cover-up still couldn't prevent this frozen display of magic from being recorded in the Book of Admissions.

2014 - 2025

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08.01.2025 | Ye of Little Faith
PV (Mercy King), Windsor. Mercy's Hogwarts acceptance letter, misunderstandings and discussion about school transfers.

2025 - 2026

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09.01.2025 | I'm Counting Stitches, You're Pouring the Right Amount
PV (Mercy King), Slytherin Boys' Dorms. Long-term Dorm Thread, continually updated.

2026 - 2027

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Currently Active Threads (last updated 08/31/2025)
09.01.2025 - Graduation | I'm Counting Stitches, You're Pouring the Right Amount
PV (Mercy King), Slytherin Boys' Dorms. Long-term Dorm Thread, continually updated.

08.01.2025 | Ye of Little Faith
PV (Mercy King), Windsor. Mercy's Hogwarts acceptance letter, misunderstandings and discussion about school transfers.

Plot Hooks (Always available, updated 12/01/2025)
01. The Preservation of Fire (Duellist's Playbook) [PV or Group]

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Description: It wasn’t long after his sorting that Cassius was named duelling co-captain. He has big shoes to fill after three of Slytherin’s powerhouses graduated, and he aims to become the best moderator he can. There’s only one problem: he has, unfortunately and quite critically, never duelled a day in his life.

To supplement his lacking knowledge, he has started a pocketbook of spellwork and situations (modelled after existing Quidditch playbooks). He wishes to collect as much information as possible. This means periodically sitting in on practices—scribbling away, walking around, and generally observing good conduct. He might even ask questions if the duellists don’t seem too busy or annoyed.

Criteria/Further Information:

• Open to Duellists of all houses, especially experienced ones on the active roster, or those interested in duelling.
• Feel free to give advice, act confused, annoyed and/or answer questions. He’s not looking for team secrets, but could be perceived as such.

Currently Interested [TBC]

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• Ara Villa (Pre-discussion stage)
• Archer Duncan (Pre-discussion stage)
• Hanako Tone (Pre-discussion stage)
• Violence Bloodthorn (Pre-discussion stage)

02. A Bruise of Honour (Lacrosse / Sports) [PV, multiple slots]

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Description: Alongside Mercy, Cassius was once an active member of the Blackbourne Academy's junior lacrosse team, playing well enough to join the U-14 division at age 10. Hogwarts' foreign sports, grounds, and peers may have paused his games, but it has not stopped his investment. From drills and wallball to ready conversation, his appreciation for the sport is clear. Strike up a conversation, read some books together, spectate/participate in practices (any sport), etc. Anything is fair game.

Criteria/Additional Information:

• Open to anyone, whether athletic or not.
• Extremely flexible idea. Can be inside or outside, with equipment or without, and IC knowledge/experience is not required. Cassius may act as a teacher, a fellow player, or in any manner of interaction.
• Alternative: Perfect Quidditch-specific opportunity?

03. Unspecified Idea (Contact me!)

01. Mercy King (Best Friend Forever, Twin Flame, 2-for-1 Deal)
His oldest, dearest friend and absolute favourite person his age. There has never been a time when they weren’t close, and Cassius hopes there will never be in the future. He values their friendship the most out of all other dynamics, working hard to cater towards and compensate for his friend’s dramatics. Even if Mercy often bears the brunt of Cassius’s little-voiced (and dearly-needed) judgment, the two are practically joined at the hip for most every social function. If Cassius is to be understood, so must Mercy.

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Dorm | You're Counting Stitches, I'm Pouring the Right Amount
08.01.2025 | Ye of Little Faith
00.00.00 | [Thread Title]

02. Atreus Im-Desjardins (Childhood Friend)
An infrequently met friend forged in long-distance letters, shared dinner parties and magical expectation. Considered 'good influences' on each other, mostly due to their similarly calm and somewhat nervous demeanours, Cassius and Atreus grew up in each other's general vicinity only at large events. Although separated by distance, they had compensated for a lack of interaction with frequent letters, postcards, and an understanding of each other's introversion.

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Liked

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01. FirstName LastName (Relationship)
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02. FirstName LastName (Relationship)
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Neutral

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Disliked==========

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Assertiveness
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Cooperativeness
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Compassion
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Diligence
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Genuineness
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Alignment: Neutral Good
Enneagram: 2w3 (The Host)
MBTI: INFJ-T (The Advocate)

Immediate Family (Updated 10/29/25)

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o1. Song Hyun-woo / Charles Song (Father, Muggle.)

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Executive vice president of the English branch of Inswaegi Group, a multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in South Korea and controlled by the Song family. Considered chaebol by birth and internationally-minded, Hyun-woo once attended the Blackbourne Academy in America before going on to graduate from the University of Cambridge. It was here that he met and became close with James King, a friendship that would last decades and cross generations. Not long after, Hyun-woo and Saori's wedding had been arranged by their families, and the two begrudgingly tolerate each other for duty's sake. They live and raise their children separately, with Cassius remaining with his father in Windsor, Berkshire.

Hyun-woo is described by many as a traditionalist, but also as a serious, sensible man with a good eye for calculations. He appreciates discipline and espouses self-reliance, considering reputation one of the most important means of achieving order within his sector of society. Logic drives him, but so does a privileged sense of moral responsibility—something he'd always aimed to instil in his soft-spoken and sensitive youngest son. In Cassius's eyes, there has never been a more reliable man, though Hyun-woo had truthfully always been a businessman first and a family man second. Forced into surrendering all three of his children to a magical education, Hyun-woo has by now accepted the position of a respected but uninvolved father. As long as he retains at least one heir to inherit his company, which he aims to maintain for many more years to come, he'd prefer not to complicate logistics with wizarding affairs.

02. Hirano Saori (Mother, Pureblood.)

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Astronomer, socialite and influential member of pureblood politics in Japan. Saori was born into prosperity, attended Mahoutokoro in her youth and graduated with golden robes before embarking on an illustrious career. This pattern of success still characterises her legitimacy in guiding her eldest sons through their educational years.

She's highly ambitious and just as traditional as her husband, though, unlike Hyun-woo, she has never been one to deny herself opportunity for conformity's sake. The truth is that Saori indiscriminately lacks patience for the everyday incompetencies of most people, wizards and Muggles alike. From her perspective, saving face is equivalent to saving a life, and a life lacking accomplishment did not qualify as living at all.

In a near-paternalistic manner befitting her highborn status, it is her word that dictates Cassius's immediate family, with both of her elder sons taking counsel and her husband only willing to defer to her for magical affairs. Despite her cold and somewhat unsentimental attitude, or perhaps because of it, it is within the intricate confines of pureblood politics that her dedication is most apparent. She has high expectations for her personal favourites, and there exists no reality in which she'd extend her favour to others without specific conditions detailing their contribution to her family's success. Unfortunately, these excluded 'others' may also contradictorily include members of her family, as evidenced by Cassius's continued desire to prove himself worthy of her approval.

03. Hirano Gabriel (b. 2008, Brother, Half-blood)

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Aspiring alchemist and six years Cassius' senior. He and his brother had grown up in Japan under the care of his maternal family, and, with the vested support of their mother, Gabriel had been graciously raised as heir to the Hirano clan's main branch. Though he undoubtedly has the weakest connection with their father, having grown up without tangible ties abroad, he has nonetheless grown into a polite and well-spoken man with a strong sense of responsibility, precisely the type of son both their parents had always wanted.

It is said that Gabriel may one day lead their clan's generation, though the absence of potential seers in the past few decades limits his impact on their elders and advisors. He aims to pursue an alchemy post-graduation from Mahoutokoro and does not seem inclined to stray from his privileged position. Cassius has never met him in person.

04. Hirano Evander (b. 2009, Brother, Half-blood)

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Only a year younger than Gabriel and described as Saori's 'proudest son by far', Evander had always desired to become his brother's best advisor, second only to their own mother. It was hard not to be when the two brothers considered each other their closest confidants.

Yet, despite being gifted with a shrewd and informed interest in the intricacies of pureblood politics, Evander once envisioned himself on a different path. Before Cassius had become their father's reluctant favourite, he'd once been heir presumptive to Inswaegi Group's English branch. It was he who had accompanied their mother on her infrequent trips westward and aimed to interact more with their international peers. Being essentially usurped from his stable (if not somewhat contradictory) position as a far-flung protégé strained his relationship with their father. Slighted, Evander turns ever closer towards the wizarding world's separate community.

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Extended Family (Song)

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Extended Family (Hirano)

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The King Family

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o1. James King

02. Elizabeth King (née Li)

03. Othierinn "Theory" King

Though not technically related to one another, the Kings have always been old family friends, business partners, neighbours and confidants to Charles Song. Cassius grew up alongside both King sons and considers the family practically kin.