Casper Kim - YEAR TWO

[casperkim]

GENERAL

NAME: Casper Jay Kim
NICKNAMES: None. Will tolerate 'Cas' or 'Kim'.
AGE/DOB: Eighteen / May 10th (Taurus)
BLOOD STATUS: Half-blood
GENDER/PRONOUNS: Male & He/Him
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual. Mostly. Casper has experienced mild curiosity about and interest in other boys at times but he's predominantly attracted to girls and he's only ever had serious relationships (whether physical or emotional) with girls.
HOMETOWN: San Diego, California + Los Angeles, California

Casper spent the first few years of his life with his mother in San Diego, living among Muggles. While he attended a wizarding school during the day from the age of five, this proximity to non-magical people left him with a good understanding of Muggle culture and technology when compared to many of his peers. When he was nine, he permanently relocated to Los Angeles to live with his aunt. Here, he resided in Elysian Fields, a wizard-only neighborhood that he immediately found...odd.

He attended Portiuncula Preparatory Wizardry School prior to coming to Gooseberry Alternative High School.

CONCEPT: Parselmouth prefect with a surly disposition and aspirations of being an Auror.

PHYSICAL

APPEARANCE: Naturally athletic and disciplined enough to adhere to a (very) strict workout regimen, Casper has more defined muscle and a more impressive physique than his lean frame might initially suggest. Even when his body is completely covered, though, it's obvious from the way he moves that he's quite fit.

When not wearing his uniform, Casper has a No-Maj aesthetic with a bent toward punk. He consistently dresses in dark fitted jeans and t-shirts, often layered under a leather jacket or a bomber jacket in some dark or dull color, along with black sneakers and simple accessories like studded bracelets or wallet chains. While he dislikes the school uniform and pushed back against wearing it during most of his time at Gooseberry, only tucking in his shirt and wearing his cross tie when prodded to do so, his renewed dedication to his role as a prefect has made him resist the urge to do this quite so blatantly or frequently. Whether in the school uniform or out of it, he almost always keeps his iPod and earbuds (which he loops through buttonholes or tucks into pockets) with him. In case of an emergency.

While not always angry, Casper radiates an air of wanting to be left alone with his sharp expressions and closed off body language. Those that know him well enough often ignore this but he still comes across as intimidating to many. Or, at least, unpleasant enough that he's not worth engaging.

HEIGHT: 5'9"

PB: Lee Hyun Jae

PERSONALITY

LIKES: Control. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Dueling. Running. Swimming. Quidditch/Quodpot. Physical exertion in general. Loud + raucous music. Playing the drums. Concerts. Muggle technology. Spotify. Urban environments. Anonymity in crowds. Cats. Snakes. Clear nights. Street food. The beach (a lake is not an acceptable substitute).

DISLIKES: The wilderness. People who try to talk to him when he's got his headphones on. Losing his temper. Dark Wizards/Witches. People thinking he's a Dark Wizard. Getting attached. Pity and platitudes. Nicknames. The absence of Wi-Fi. Snobs. Wizards that look down on Muggles. Sweets (he has a well-known dislike of chocolate and other sweet foods).

PERSONALITY:

Casper isn't a very happy fellow. Prone to expect the worst, he faces the world with his guard raised and a sarcastic, surly disposition that allows him to keep his distance from other people without too much difficulty. He considers himself to be a realist, but his outlook is unrelentingly negative and he rarely holds back when he feels the urge to complain, critique, or otherwise make his opinions known. At this point, it's almost a reflex for him to distract from the silver lining and point toward the cloud, even if his thoughts on a given matter aren't particularly strong or even entirely genuine. Though he is clever enough that these observations can come across as wit, the general sincerity of his pessimism is usually obvious. He can and does take pleasure in things, but he rarely ever seems entirely happy and even his occasional moments of enthusiasm seem to be bittersweet. While he isn't totally anti-social, he doesn't require as much interaction as others and doesn't mind being alone.

While Casper isn't constantly angry, there is a wellspring of emotional tension that's never far from the surface and he has a notoriously bad temper. He has been dealing with this aspect of himself for a long time, though, and can typically disengage when he feels his hackles beginning to rise. He'll push down everything and lapse into a sort of seething emotional torpor until he has a productive outlet for his anger. He vents his pent up feelings playing Quidditch (where he is an immensely aggressive beater), Dueling, running himself into exhaustion (while blasting loud punk rock in his headphones), or playing the drums. This strategy doesn't always work, though, and when he loses his composure he can be incredibly sharp-tongued and cruel. Even physical violence isn't entirely impossible for him, though the last physical altercation he took part in (in which he beat a younger classmate black and blue) has left him more resistant to such outbursts than ever. He isn't proud of this aspect of himself and regrets these outbursts once they're over, even if the other guy did have it coming. He has difficulty forgiving and forgetting, so once his ire is earned, repairing the damage is unlikely. In an attempt to control his temper, he can sometimes turn his more destructive impulses inward instead and push himself beyond his limits for days at a time if those around him fail to notice.

Casper has a strong will and is intensely passionate when motivated, though there are relatively few things that actually do motivate him. He doesn't care about esteem or popularity or competition (much to the surprise of those that have seen how viciously he plays Quidditch). He doesn't even care that much about self-preservation. Once he finds a cause, however, he is completely devoted and there is little that he wouldn't do to see his aims through to the end. He is willing to work hard, capable of intense focus, and able to hold to his fervor no matter how distant any real progress might be. Independent and confident, he will pursue what he wants with or without the support of others and doesn't require validation from anyone to keep going. While admirable in a certain light, this stubborn and single-minded nature can cause him to lose perspective and to be dismissive toward priorities that are different from his own. He doesn't understand being obsessed with sports or driven by art or wanting to be liked and considers such aims to be a waste of time. He can be persuaded to care about these 'less important' aims for the sake of his friends, though, and will work hard to help them see these goals through too. Even if he doesn't understand them.

Despite his (very) prickly exterior, Casper has a defined moral compass and his motivations are fundamentally good. He is concerned with the well-being of others, even if he seems to dislike most people individually, and can be softened considerably when faced with genuine need. He is inclined to protect those that can't protect themselves and can usually be counted on to come to the aid of someone that needs help. This is particularly true of his friends (especially his roommates) and girls in general, whom he has a tendency to view as damsels in distress. He despises anyone that would take advantage of others, intentionally hurt others, or abuse magic and, of course, anyone that practices the Dark Arts. While he doesn't take rules about things like uniforms or curfews particularly seriously, he is quick to wield his authority as a prefect against those that go against these moral tenets. While he understands that actions have consequences, he isn't as willing to let people make their own mistakes as he once was and he sometimes tries to protect people from themselves, especially when he cares for them or feels responsible for them. Unfortunately, this can come off as pushy, arrogant, or controlling because he has difficulty speaking candidly of his feelings and concerns. Once he has formed a connection with someone, however reluctantly, he is a fiercely loyal, protective, and caring friend, though his actions are still likely to be dressed up in exasperation or annoyance.

While Casper is confident in his abilities and his potential, he is nevertheless prone to be overly critical of himself. He takes failure hard and can spend hours determining just how and where and when he faltered. This may help him to improve and to keep from making the same mistakes twice, but it also leaves him with many regrets and he has difficulty letting go of any of them. A failed spell or a missed opportunity is likely to keep him up at night and periodically resurface in his mind days or weeks or months later. He is similarly unable to move forward from the past and has a tendency to dwell and brood.

SKILLS

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Casper only speaks English. While he's picked up a small amount of Korean from his late mother and his aunt -- things like Hello (안녕하세요) or Goodbye (안녕) or Cheers (건배) -- he couldn't hold any kind of conversation in Korean. He doesn't have any real interest in learning more.

PATRONUS: Previously a lynx. Currently a bear. Bears are associated with strength, confidence, action, leadership, standing against adversity, protection, healing (both of the self and others), and solitude. There's additional symbolism for Casper because he's an Ebonhide and because of his close relationship with Ms. Rhee (whose Animagus form is a bear).

Casper can cast a full Patronus.

SKILLS:
Athlete: Casper is an athletic young man that spends a good amount of time focusing on his physical abilities. He runs and lifts daily, swims, and, plays Quidditch (Beater). As a result, he's very physically fit and has strength, speed, and stamina that's well above average for someone of his age and stature. He's also got good aim and good hand-eye coordination.

Duelist: With the desire to become an Auror fueling his dedication, Casper puts a lot of time and effort into being a formidable duelist. And he is one. He's far more proficient at attacking than defending and, if given the chance, can often overcome opponents with sheer force. Going in fast and hard seems to be his preferred method, but he's attempting to find a better balance this year.

DADA & Occlumency: As with dueling, Casper's aspiration to be an Auror has pushed him to work hard at Defense Against the Dark Arts and Occlumency and he's quite skilled in both. While he struggled with Occlumency during his junior year, both because of his temper and because junior year was emotionally turbulent, additional instruction from one of his roommates (Jonathan Wilde) and from one of his mother's former colleagues have helped him to improve considerably. For someone as young as he is, he has a strong foundational knowledge of the Dark Arts, dark creatures, and the sorts of spells that a wizard might use to defend against them. After the strange events with the entities in the forest last year, though, he's keenly aware that there's much more he needs to learn.

Musician: Drumming started as yet another outlet for Casper's anger and, while not an especially gifted musician, he's been playing for a long time and he's a very competent drummer. He can't compose music but he can keep a steady beat and play complex solos and is generally pretty good. Somewhere along the line it became more than just hitting things.

Parselmouth: Casper is a Parselmouth, a wizard with the innate ability to communicate with snakes and other serpentine creatures, such as runespoors and basilisks. While he can't control them outright, he can influence their behavior and snakes seem to have a certain kinship with him, never acting immediately aggressive toward him and sometimes even seeking him out. He used to hate this part of himself, but thanks to certain experiences during his junior year and the influences of certain friends and teachers, he's started to accept this unusual talent. He even has a snake familiar now!

HISTORY

FAMILY MEMBERS:

✦Caroline Kim (Mother) - Half-blood - Former Auror - Deceased: Caroline Kim was an Auror of considerable esteem until an unknown Dark Wizard overpowered her and inflicted a powerful curse on her. While still technically alive, she was almost entirely unresponsive to external stimuli, didn't talk, and had to be taken care of by her sister and her son for several years. During the incident that left her cursed, her left hand was cut off at the wrist; nobody is entirely certain why.

After years enduring her condition, her health began to decline and she passed away during Casper's junior year.

✦Henry Park (Father) - Muggle - Nurse: Casper has never met his father. Because the relationship between Caroline and Henry was a brief, one-time occurrence, she never sought him out to tell him about their child or brought him into the wizarding world. All that Casper knows about Henry came from his mother's memory and from looking the man up online. While he has considered approaching his father, he thinks that allowing him to remain blissfully ignorant is probably the kindest thing that he can do. Given how things have turned out.

✦Eva Kim (Aunt) - Half-blood - Librarian: Eva Kim works at one of the largest magical libraries in the United States, the Elysian Archives in Los Angeles, and has access to some fascinating reading material. She has taken care of Casper and Caroline for several years.

✦Petunia & Begonia - Cats: Eva Kim's nearly identical Pixie-bob cats. Both are startlingly old and clever, leading Casper to wonder if they might have some Kneazle in them. Petunia is very affectionate toward him, but Begonia is prone to hiss and hide when he's in the room.

HISTORY:

Casper Kim was born and raised in San Diego, the product of a one-night stand between an Auror mother and a Muggle father that never crossed paths again. While Caroline's work kept her busy and frequently took her far away from California, she nevertheless maintained a close relationship with her son and Casper loved and idolized his mother from an early age. Long before he fully understood what Aurors did or how dangerous being an Auror could be. Despite her absence, though, his life was mostly normal. He went the Portiuncula Preparatory Wizardry School where, bright and energetic and just a bit too forceful at times, he thrived being around other kids and embraced the challenges of education and learning magic. He attended after school programs and played sports. He had a good relationship with the nanny that watched him while Caroline was gone. Unfortunately, this happy and uncomplicated childhood didn't last.

When Casper was nine years old, his mother was struck down by a powerful curse while investigating the activity of a Dark Wizard. This curse left her technically alive, but physically and mentally unresponsive apart from occasional gasps and moans and movements of her eyes that no one was able to put any meaning to. She spent six months in St. Dymphna Hospital for Magical Afflictions in Portland with no improvement before being released into the care of her sister, Eva. Excused from school during this difficult time, Casper spent those six months at his mother's bedside, devastated by what had happened to her and by the fact that he couldn't do anything to help her. While his aunt tried to comfort him, the boy withdrew into his grief and, once the three of them returned to California (now settling in Los Angeles where his aunt lived), he only got worse. He pushed Eva away, ignored correspondences from his friends, and initially refused to return to school at all. This, of course, wasn't an option. His prolonged absence did mean that he wouldn't be moving on to the next grade level, but he still had to go back when the next term began.

By the time Casper did return, though, he was unrecognizable to many of his friends. Still unable to purge himself of his grief and struggling to cope, he lashed out angrily when people tried to talk to him about what had happened or comfort him or question his distant behavior. He even got into a fight with one of his more persistent friends. While he hadn't drawn his wand, which would have been worse, he did break the other boy's nose before a teacher was able to pull them apart. There was talk of expulsion, but the headmaster agreed to give Casper a second chance because of the recent events and arranged for the boy to take weekly meetings with the school counselor.

This actually helped. Some. The counselor wasn't able to get Casper deal with his feelings, but she was able to convince him that getting kicked out of school wouldn't help and that he needed to find better ways to cope. She encouraged him to keep busy, to focus on his friends and his studies and activities that could help him work off some of his restless energy. So he did. He worked harder at school, he started running and swimming, and he joined the Quodpot team. Every day he worked until he was mentally and physically exhausted and pushing down what he felt became easier, though his grief and his anger never actually went away and he never found his way back to the person he'd been. Few of Casper's friendships survived this and, as he got older, he became more of a loner. But this was all right because it left him more time for his developing interest in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which he'd resolved to excel in. Because he wanted to help his mother and fight back against Dark Wizards and Witches. He wanted to become an Auror.

Focused on this purpose, Casper grew from an angry child into an intense (and still angry) pre-teen with considerable talent. Disillusioned with the wizarding world, still estranged from many of his peers, and disliking the closed-off nature of the wizard-only neighborhood where he now lived, he also spent more time than many young wizards in the Muggle world. Here he developed a taste for punk rock music (preferring anything fast and hard-edged), urban environments, and technology. His aunt took this behavior in stride and supported Casper as well as she could, considering most of this to be part of a 'phase'. By the time Casper was fourteen, his talents had become impressive and he received an invitation to Gooseberry Alternative High School directly from Celena Lilywhite, a former Auror and a friend of his mother. Back when his mother had still been capable of having friends. Encouraged by this, he quickly agreed to begin his freshman year there rather than returning to Port Prep.

Unfortunately, Gooseberry wasn't an easy fit for Casper. He was unaccustomed to the great outdoors and immediately hated it; between the the bugs, the lack of Wi-Fi, and the surrounding nowhere, he didn't think there was much for anyone to like. An encounter with a large snake on one of the trails also forced him to acknowledge an unwelcome truth about himself: he was a Parselmouth. A trait widely associated with Dark Wizards, he didn't like or trust or want this newfound ability. The rumors and the gossip started almost immediately, whispers that they should've guessed what he was given how he talked and dressed and how obsessed he was with the Dark Arts. He even had a blackthorn wand. This infuriated Casper and, not long after, he lost his temper very publicly at a number of his fellow students. Taken aside by Asher Guthrie before the situation could escalate, the older boy let him rage until his anger burned out and managed to calm him down, talking him through the worst of his doubts. The two formed a close friendship after that and, gradually, the rumors were overshadowed by newer scandals and were forgotten.

The remainder of Casper's freshman year was uneventful; he focused on his studies and his extracurriculars (especially Dueling and Quidditch), kept his head down, and tried to keep the snakes out of his cabin until the school year ended and he could return home. The next year was better. Beginning with the inexplicable decision to make him a prefect and his move to a first-string position on the Quidditch team and the absence of rumors, he found it easier to let his guard down (a little) and become less of an outsider. He even made a few friends apart from Asher, most notably his roommates and Leo (his Beater partner on the Quidditch team) and Nia (his fellow-prefect).

YEAR ONE

Junior year was difficult for Casper. While it started off well, with him forging an unexpected kinship and romance with Katya Ivanova and getting roped into playing with a band (The Holy Rosicrucians), everything soon went south.

Just before the winter break, Casper received a letter from his aunt telling him that his mother's condition had taken a turn for the worse and that he needed to remain at school instead of coming home. He didn't take this well and withdrew from everyone, dreading what would happen and letting himself get angrier and more restless with each passing day. He spent too much time alone and too much time pushing himself to his physical limits in an attempt to dull his feelings and avoid thinking. He didn't sleep enough. He didn't eat enough. And, when pushed too far by a well-intentioned underclassman, he lost his temper and attacked the boy. He beat him black and blue before fellow-prefect Rafael Ramirez intervened and separated them. Much to his surprise, Rafael supported him afterward, trying to talk to him and checking in on him for the remainder of the break. So did Ms. Rhee, allowing him to remain a prefect despite what had happened because of the stress he was under. Disgusted with himself and feeling guilty, he tried hard to do better. He wanted to be worthy of Rafael's friendship and of Ms. Rhee's trust and of his position. While this resolve did give him direction and focus, he was still dealing with a lot as his mother's health declined and the strain of this situation caused him to break up with Katya. In the months that followed, he depended a lot on his friends. Especially when his mother finally passed away. While he'd been able to see her shortly before this happened, leaving him with the sense that he'd been able to say goodbye and help her let go even if he hadn't known it was happening at the time, this loss was devastating.

While all of this was going on, strange things were also happening at Gooseberry. Already prone to be distrustful and overprotective, Casper's guard went up early on as the entities in the woods began to interact with students more directly and he had more than his fair share of incidents as the year progressed. On multiple occasions, sometimes when he was alone and sometimes when he was with others, one of the entities tried to manipulate him emotionally or lead him into the woods or trap him in the woods. The worst by far, though, was when Ulysses Quayle (one of his roommates) went missing and emerged from the woods a day later without knowing what had happened to him. But none of this prepared Casper for the end of the year and the abductions of dozens of students or the ghostly world that they had to force their way through to get them back. Along with Wilde, Iliya, and Kenzie, he made it through dangerous otherworldly encounters and rescued several students (including Asher and his remaining cabin mates). He was also part of the group that Brother brought together to find his heart, forcing them to wander through abandoned mines, face an entity that laid their flaws and doubts and fears out before all the others, and endure other trials before they could finally find the heart and return to the real world.

While this experience was a lot to deal with and he's still coming to terms with it, he didn't let that derail him from his summer plans. Once back in Los Angeles, he returned to his studies and practiced Occlumency with one of his mother's former colleagues in an attempt to improve his understanding and execution of the discipline. He also spent time with various friends (the few that came to visit him and the fewer that he went to visit), went to the beach as much as he could, and attended the Quidditch World Cup for the first time. He also earned some money by filling in for the drummer of a local punk band called Bad Rabbit. And, once a week, he went to visit his mother's grave. It was a busy summer and, in some ways, a restorative summer. But now Casper's ready to get back to school.

SCHOOL

YEAR: Senior (Grade 12)
HOUSE: Ebonhide
SORTING: While Casper has a temper and a confidence that might seem more at home among the Coppertales, he was ultimately sorted into Ebonhide. Because of his intense determination to understand and conquer the Dark Arts (a goal which could easily become an obsession), his perfectionist's tendency to dwell on failures and shortcomings, and his preoccupation with the past, though, this wasn't surprising. Overall, his sorting only took a few moments.
WAND: Blackthorn, Dragon Heartstring core, 10", Rigid
FAMILIAR: A western hognose snake named Nell. She's a relatively docile snake even when Casper isn't there but is even more mellow and sociable with humans and with animals when her Parselmouth friend is around. Almost anyone can handle Nell without much difficulty. Even when irritated, she's unlikely to do more than hiss and posture but even if she does her bite is non-venomous and would cause only mild swelling and itching.

Because Casper has no desire to feed Nell the toads and frogs and lizards she would prefer to eat, he instead feeds her artificial reptile foods like Reptilinks. It's just easier, okay?


CLASSES:
✦Core: Charms, Hermeticism, History of Magic, Potions, Transfiguration
✦Electives: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy
✦Advanced: Occlumency
ADVANCED STUDY: Occlumency

Casper has aspirations of being an Auror and wants to study Occlumency to protect himself from the dark magic and dark creatures this will inevitably bring him into contact with. After being so easily manipulated by the entities in the woods last year, he's more motivated to excel in this class than ever.
SENIOR PROJECT: TBD. Casper's senior project will be related to either Defense Against the Dark Arts or Occlumency since these subjects are his focus, but he has yet to pin down a specific objective. He'll likely do this early in the year.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: Casper has always been a gifted wizard with a lot of raw power and enough skill to control it. Since his mother fell ill, however, he has worked exceptionally hard to learn how to combat the Dark Arts. This, and potentially his mother's friendship with Ms. Lilywhite, is what got him into Gooseberry.

He excels in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms because of his powerful will and magical aptitude but struggles in Hermeticism because he lacks finesse. During his junior year he also struggled with Occlumency because of his temper and because he was under a lot of emotional strain because of his mother's failing health and death, but he's on more solid ground this year and spent part of the summer studying Occlumency. His teachers and classmates will notice considerable improvement.

EXTRACURRICULARS:
Prefect: Casper takes his role as a prefect seriously. While he doesn't follow every school rule to the letter and will bend the rules that the prefects have collectively agreed to bend, he sees protecting the other students as his responsibility and is willing to be a hard-ass or make unpopular calls to do that. Given that his prefect-senpai was Rafael Ramirez, this isn't surprising.

Quidditch: Beater. Casper has been on the Ebonhide Quidditch team since his freshman year and he played Quodpot at Portiuncula Preparatory Wizardry School, so he's got a considerable amount of experience with the game and with flying. He's a skilled and notoriously aggressive player that isn't afraid to get in the middle of things or take a hit or go after other players hard, though he does have a sense of fair play that would prevent him from edging too close to breaking the rules or other unsportsmanlike behavior. He hits very, very hard and his Bludgers are likely among the worst to be on the receiving end of. He's a decent but not outstanding tactician and, unlike in life, he'd rather follow than lead in Quidditch. This is partially because he spent three years playing with Leo and became accustomed to following the other boy's lead. He may struggle with having a sophomore as the team's second Beater but he'll try to step up.

Dueling: Casper takes dueling seriously and, therefore, takes the Dueling Club seriously. He's present for every meeting and practices independently to sharpen his already considerable skills as much as he can. During his junior year, he was one of the club members that got to battle Ms. Lilywhite one-on-one and it didn't go well for him; this year, he's hoping to improve and get another chance to show her what he's made of. He has little patience for people that treat dueling like a hobby or a game and can be a little rough, though he's willing to work with less experienced students that actually want to improve.

Boating: Casper has much more interest in swimming than boating or fishing and he doesn't always attend this club reliably but he likes having the option open to him. Besides, rowing is excellent exercise.

Gardening: Casper only attends this club to support his roommate, Jonathan Wilde. He isn't in Herbology and he doesn't know much about gardening. He'll try not to kill everything.

OOC

NAME: Katie
EMAIL: ollinsong@gmail.com
CDJ: ollinsong
OTHER PREFERRED CONTACT: N/A
TIME ZONE: CST

Comments

CHANGES

[casperkim]

GENERAL
- Nicknames
- Sexuality
- Concept
PHYSICAL
- Appearance
PERSONALITY
- Likes (added: Snakes)
- Dislikes (removed: Snakes, added: Sweets)
- Personality (minor revisions throughout)
SKILLS
- All
HISTORY
- Family (updated Caroline Kim)
- History (added Y1 history, revised verbiage/cleaned up previous history)
SCHOOL
- Familiar
- Advanced Study
- Academic Performance
- Extracurriculars