Maya Cho (赵)

Maya Cho (赵)
The 11-year-old whimsical explorer

Basics

Place of Birth: Bristol, southwest England
Age: 11 (20 Jan 2013)
Nationality: British-Chinese
Languages: English, Cantonese
Zodiac: Aquarius (Year of the Snake)
House: Ravenclaw
School Year: 1st Year
Species: Human
Wand: 13" walnut wood and unicorn hair. Intricately designed and personalized with traditional Chinese logographs reading out 'Wisdom'. Often described as firm, yet responsive.

Descriptors

Physical: Maya is a striking young witch with long, silky black hair that cascades down her back, often garnished with a blue bow. Her dark, monolid-shaped eyes are both expressive and observant, often bouncing around with curiosity, while the bridge of her nose is dotted with light freckles. She stands at an average height with a slender build.

Mental: Maya is a curious and introspective young witch, always eager to learn and explore new ideas -- as long as her social battery is compatible with the situation. Despite this, she thrives in social settings and doesn't necessarily have an issue with making friends. As far as her studies are concerned, Maya prefers to follow her own academic whims, diving deep into subjects that capture her interest while neglecting those that don't.

Whenever Maya is deep in thought, she has a curious habit of humming quietly to herself. More often than not, the tune varies with her mood - an upbeat melody when excitement bubbles within her, and a softer, more contemplative hum when she is mulling over something serious. An unconscious habit, one that often betrayed her in the past.

Herstory

Born in the Year of the Snake into a loving family, Maya grew up in a standard middle-class household in Bristol, a picturesque city in southwest England. Her mother, of Chinese descent, was a talented Charms professor in a specialized school with a deep appreciation for conjuration and transfiguration in general; that is, until she settled down with Peter, her Muggle husband, who was quite the handyman as a civil engineer. The couple has been blessed with Maya and her younger brother, Leo, with whom she shares a strong sibling bond and common interests, with a hint of occasional mischief. Although he has yet to exhibit signs of magical ability, the two share an unspoken pact to protect each other's secrets; a friendship for life.

The Cho (or Zhao) family owns a small historic townhouse on the outskirts of Bristol with a small yet charming garden. As with anyone else in her family, Maya leans into her maternal heritage as she celebrates a mix of British and Chinese traditions; something her mother often enhances with a magical touch.

Maya is bilingual (though her Cantonese could always use some work!) and a half-blood. As such, she often finds herself trapped in the middle of these two vastly contrasting worlds. Despite any presumptions that come with magic-wielders, Maya's father is often praised in the family's immediate circle for being open-minded, and has been supportive of his daughter's unique abilities.

For one of her primary school photos at the age of 6, Maya had gotten herself a haircut that she was quite fond of; shorter than usual, draped down to shoulder-length and decorated with a classic blue bow. However, this didn't last longer than two nights, as it almost immediately grew back to its natural extent. Since then she has not been able to replicate this particular yet strange occurrence, whether knowingly or otherwise.

Since those instances, Maya's academic experience became increasingly complex, and attending a Muggle school had definitely been a key contributor to that. In order to protect the secrecy of a world beyond, she was to avoid situations where her powers might inadvertently be exposed at all costs. This consistent vigilance created a sense of isolation, as Maya felt unable to fully express herself. As such, she found solace in unorthodox hobbies, including sketching enchanted scenes from her dreams.

Learning about the existence of a secondary school dedicated to special students like herself, Maya was ecstatic to be able to rid herself of constraints that held her back from expressing herself.

Trivia

This section is meant to give the reader very small tidbits, nuggets of information to better understand certain aspects of this character, or simply just things that I find interesting enough to share. As such, I've made this collapsible. Bear with me!