Catch The Snitch

Basic
Full Name: Diether Enzo Metz
Age: 27-28 (as of 2005)
Birthdate: 13th October 1977
Hometown: Grindelwald, Switzerland
Residence: London, England
Blood: Half-blood
Wand: Alder with unicorn hair core, 11¾″, slightly springy
Patronus: Magpie
Boggart: A horde of blood-red butterflies
Certifications: Apparition
Skills: Occlumency, non-verbal and wandless magic, curse-breaking

Occupation: Curse-Breaker (1996–present)

Appearance
Height/build: 1.84m (6′) / Lean
Hair/eye colour: Brown / Blue-green

Family
Father: Josef Metz, 59, train driver
Mother: Clementina Di Mercurio, 58, potioneer
Wife: Hilda Ziegler, deceased (2003, aged 30), Curse-Breaker

Education
School: Durmstrang Institute
Years: 1989–1996


History

Family, Early Life and Durmstrang
The only child of a Muggle train driver and a half-blood potioneer, Diether had a peaceful and unremarkable childhood. His parents were simple folk who taught Diether to appreciate the smallest things in life. He learnt to find magic in… well, almost everything around him. His parents encouraged him to read widely as well, and that further fuelled his rich imagination and gave him a glimpse at the wider world beyond his little mountainside hometown.

When Diether was of age he enrolled at Durmstrang Institute, where his curiosity, creativity and attention to details helped him do well in his studies. His whimsical nature earned him a small but tight-knit group of friends as well who took it upon themselves to protect their dreamy and somewhat naive friend from the harsh realities of the world. Not that Diether needed to be mollycoddled – he was simply an earnest and optimistic boy who was eager to seize any opportunities that came his way, and never dwelt too long on his negative emotions whenever he was disheartened or tasted failure.

Becoming a Curse-Breaker
When it was time for Diether to decide on his future profession, the boy already knew what he wanted to be: a Curse-Breaker. The opportunity to travel and see the world was a huge part of the draw, and on top of that Diether had proven himself to be skilled at identifying and countering curses and other kinds of dark magic. To prepare himself for the job, he took up an internship and came to know Hilda Ziegler, a fledgling Curse-Breaker who was a few years his senior. They became quite close, although Hilda explicitly told him that they should remain only as friends, and they continued to contact each other even after Diether’s internship ended.

Upon his graduation, Diether successfully applied for and became a Curse-Breaker. He reunited with Hilda as colleagues, and the two of them were often paired up for assignments.

Hilda’s Revelation
While Hilda insisted that she and Diether should never fall in love with each other, his persistence eventually made her reconsider her stance, but not before revealing her secret – and the reason behind her initial reluctance – to him. Many years ago, she had stumbled upon a cursed artifact and accidentally triggered the dark spell that protected it, causing a crimson butterfly to emerge from the object and nick her arm. That small cut was all it took for her to fall under the artifact’s dark curse.

That was the reason why she chose to became a Curse-Breaker herself: she wanted to find a way to lift the curse that afflicted her before she finally met her bloody doom. And it was the knowledge that her fate was most likely sealed that she chose not to fall in love with anyone, for she didn’t want to break her partner’s heart when she finally succumbed to her curse.

At the same time, it was precisely because her days were numbered that she decided to break that promise to herself, for she realised that she loved Diether deeply and wanted nothing more than to spend her final days to the fullest with him by her side. Though the revelation came as a shock for Diether, it strengthened his resolve to stand by her and help her find a way to break her curse. After a few months of courtship, they wedded and started a new chapter of their lives together.

The Inevitable Fate
For a few years the couple were able to enjoy a blissful life together, but ultimately fate was not kind to them. in 2003, Hilda suddenly fell violently ill, and two nights later, the inevitable happened. Unable to find a way to lift the curse in time, Hilda finally met her untimely demise as her body dissolved into a horde of blood-red butterflies. As the swarm took wing, they swirled around Diether and one of them brushed against his arm, making a small cut and thus afflicting him with the same curse that claimed the life of his beloved.

For the next few months he mourned and grieved, unable to pull himself out of his despair. One morning he awoke to a sharp pain in his arm, and saw a butterfly-shaped patch of skin tearing away and turning into a blood-red butterfly, before fluttering off into the distance and vanishing from view. That was the first time the effect of the curse manifested since he was first afflicted by it. The pain, while unpleasant and a grim reminder of his mortality, was proof that he yet lived. Resolving to live the rest of his days to the fullest to honour Hilda’s memory, he was finally able to pull himself together and get his life back on track.

Arrival at the UK
Two years later, Diether received a letter from an acquaintance who was looking for an experienced Curse-Breaker to assist in several matters of great importance. Along with that request was a contract from Gringotts Wizarding Bank that offered a massive pay rise – no doubt the work of said acquaintance who had pulled some strings to sweeten the deal he wanted to strike with Diether.

As there was nothing to lose and everything to gain from this unexpected opportunity, he gratefully accepted the offer and arrived at wizarding London, eager to see what would become of this new adventure.


Personality

The first thing people tend to notice about Diether is that he’s a rather quirky and sensitive guy who still retains a certain childlike wonder and fascination with the world in spite of what he’s been through. That’s not to say that he perpetually has his head in the clouds; he’s practical and grounded especially about serious matters such as his job, but he displays a more peculiar and wacky side when he’s with his friends and loved ones. He’s also not embarrassed to do something absolutely outlandish if it’s fun and delights those around him.

What motivates and drives Diether is his wish to experience all that the world has to offer, and to share that experience with those around him. There’s too much sadness and negativity in the world, and he wants to encourage people to face their challenges more bravely by knowing that there is much to live for and that one should never give up even if one’s struggles seem insurmountable.


Face Claim: Thomas Prenn