Full Name: Athena Genevieve Ward
Age: 45
Birthdate: October 10, 1959
Profession: Minister for Magic
History (2-4 paragraphs or more):
Athena was born during a terrible thunderstorm on October 10, 1959 to Mordecai and Persephone Ward. Following her mother's penchant for naming her children after Greek deities, she was given the name Athena for putting up a good fight when it was found that she some common health conditions prone to newborns, none of which were permanent. Athena spent a week under the care of the healers at St. Mungo's before going home.
Life in the Ward household was typical of any wizarding family except her father, Mordecai, would go periods up to about two weeks away from home. He was a Witch Watcher for the Ministry -- a person whose job was to be stationed in areas to hunt down fugitive witches and wizards. It was a dangerous job, but Athena was fascinated by all the stories he told when he finally returned home. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be like him and work for the Ministry of Magic, particularly as an Auror.
Athena began attending Hogwarts in 1971 where she was sorted into Gryffindor, just like her father. Her brother was sorted into Hufflepuff and, later, her sister into Ravenclaw. The three had a friendly rivalry over the years despite all being in different years. Athena took in everything Hogwarts had to offer, but loved Defense Against the Dark Arts the most. As a first year, she let it be known to all of her professors how she wanted to be an Auror when she grew up and studied hard to ensure her success. When she was a third year, Athena tried out for the Quidditch team and became a Beater, enjoying the thrill of the hunt with Bludgers. She also participated in Duelling Club. In her third year, Athena took Divination and nearly failed the course due to her complete inability to grasp the subject. She dealt best in finite, tangible evidence than looking at a pile of tea leaves in the bottom of a cup or staring blankly at a crystal ball, though it did make a nice decoration. Instead, she later pursued Magical Theory and the Study of Ancient Runes. In her fifth year, Athena was appointed Prefect in which she served dutifully over the years. In her Seventh Year, Athena obtained Head Girl.
Upon graduating in 1978, she followed her dreams and joined the Aurors. The first three years of her training was when Athena took on training in both legilimency and occlumency and began the process of becoming an animagus. The trainings were rigorous on top of the traditional subjects such as Best-Laid Plans, Duelling in the Dark, History of Dark arts, and The Auror Advantage. Her extra studies helped her further herself in concealment, stealth, and interrogations. By the end of 1981, Athena was a full-fledged Auror. She was tasked with tracking down residual Dark Witches and Wizards after the end of the First Wizarding War. Over time, she became one of the lead interrogators with her abilities as a trained legilimens.
In 1989, Athena led a team of seven other Aurors to a small, dilapidated house on a cliff by the ocean where it was believed a notorious Dark Witch had been hiding. While she wasn't a known follower of Voldemort, her targeting of muggle-born wizardkin had many drawing connections. A rather large scale battle broke out, with two Aurors dying. A duel came down to the Dark Witch and Athena and lasted for nearly an hour. Her remaining team mates were injured and trying to fend off the cronies that had arrived when Athena finally cast the stunning blow. With the Dark Witch in custody, the team was able to arrest the remaining cronies and have them sent to Azkaban.
While not the head of the Aurors, Athena spent several more years with the them, investigating scenes, tracking down Dark Witches and Wizards, and fighting when she needed to. When Scrimgeour was appointed Minister for Magic in 1996, Athena was selected to head a private detail which was meant to provide security and investigations for the Minister. In 1 August, 1997, Athena had been out on an investigation when news broke that Scrimgeour had been assassinated, and upon her return, she was reassigned as an Auror back within her department.
Athena did her best to keep her head down and only performed the duties necessary for her job. In 1998, when word of Harry Potter's return to Hogwarts made its way through the Auror's Office, Athena learned of the new Minister, Pius Thicknesse, and the Head Auror, Corban Yaxley's participation in the Battle of Hogwarts, albeit with the former under the Dark Lord's control. She helped defend the school and fight back against the evil forces. Upon the Dark Lord's defeat, Athena assumed temporary control as Minister for Magic, immediately calling for a general election amidst the chaos that ensued. She was elected to remain in the position.
Almost as soon as she officially assumed her role as Minister for Magic, a push began to repair Hogwarts and re-open it. With her experience as an Auror, she refused to make a move for the following academic year, but agreed to rebuild it as the charms cast on the school to present a different image of it to Muggles was broken along with its barriers. She did not want to involve the children by placing them in a structure that was falling apart, visible to muggles, and had so many secret passages that a Dark Wizard or two could still be hiding out. After a year of repairs and scanning, though perhaps as useless at it was, Athena agreed to allow the school to open. A problem faced the Ministry -- no one would take on the role as Headteacher. With the Ministry running out of options, she turned to her former school mate and Head Boy of her year, Julian Rossi to take on the role, not knowing of his own personal struggles over the years since they were in school together.
With the school re-opening, Athena made it clear that she would shut it right back down if any students were placed in major danger. As both a façade to the community and for her own sanity, Athena ordered the Auror's Office to station Aurors at the school for the students' protection. The school slowly and steadily began to grow in attendance as parents were gaining confidence in its staff and safety. Minor incidents were being reported directly to her as she kept tabs on the school, though nothing seemed out of the ordinary. As a whole, wizarding community in Great Britain was slowly getting itself back on track. Athena was determined to restore the Ministry to its former glory, and all that was left was to make sure Hogwarts didn't mess that up.
Personality (1-2 paragraphs or more):
Athena, in the most basic sense, is a warrior. From her father's influence as a child through adulthood, she has always wanted to help keep the peace among others. Calm, cool, and collected, she always thinks things through before acting. Her greatest strength is her analytical nature. Body language is often a giveaway for others when she's trying to get information in a sly way. As Minister for Magic, Athena gives of a kind, confident demeanor, and makes sure that the rest of Wizardkin know the progress and strides her administration is making to restore peace in a post-Dark Lord world.
She is woman who doesn't take nonsense and runs a very tight ship. While she has her department heads, she's typically one step ahead of them when it comes to information they may report. She wants the right people in the right place, and knows it's her reputation on the line. Failure for her is simply not an option.
Face Claim: Angela Bassett
Basics:
Birthplace: St. Mungo's
Hometown: London, United Kingdom
Residence: London, United Kingdom
Relationship status: Divorced
Blood status: Half-blood
Pet: Kneazle named Astraea
Wand: Blackthorn, Dragon heartstring, 13", Solid
Patronus: Black cat
Boggart: Devil's Snare
Broom: Nimbus 2001
Certifications/skills: Apparition, Legilimency, Occlumency, nonverbal magic (basic duelling spells), Registered Animagus
Animagus Form: Black Cat
Family Members:
Parents:
- Mordecai Ward, 70, Witch Watcher (retired)
- Persephone Ward (née Pritchard), 69, Administrative Registration Department (retired)
- Brother - Caerus Ward, 46, International Magical Office of Law, Educational Office
- Sister - Calliope Ward, 42, Musician (Piano)
- Wyatt Edmundson, 47, Journalist at the Daily Prophet
- Liam Edmundson, 17, Student at Hogwarts
- Gabriella (Gabi) Edmundson, 15, Student at Hogwarts
House: Gryffindor
Years attended: 1971-1978
Quidditch team position: Beater
Best class: Defense Against the Dark Arts
Worst class: Divination
Favourite class: Defense Against the Dark Arts
Least favourite class: Divination
O.W.L. results:
Transfiguration: O
Charms: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
Potions: O
Herbology: O
History of Magic: O
Astronomy: O
Ancient Runes: O
Magical Theory: O
Care of Magical Creatures: O
N.E.W.T. results:
Transfiguration: O
Charms: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
Potions: O
Herbology: O
History of Magic: O
Astronomy: O
Ancient Runes: O
Magical Theory: O
Care of Magical Creatures: O
Appearance
Height/build: 5'7" Athletic build
Hair/eye colour: Black hair/brown eyes
OOC information:
OOC username: Blue
Preferred means of contact: Discord at SopranoBlues#7777