FULL NAME: Holland Antoniette Graves
NICKNAMES: Nope!
AGE/DOB: June 18th (Gemini) | 17
YEAR: Senior
BLOOD STATUS: Halfblood
GENDER/PRONOUNS: Female | she/her/hers
SEXUALITY: Purebloods!! Please!! Purebloods!! Marry her!!!! She doesn't need the money, but she does need the status! Assumed heterosexual, but lord knows what's really going on.
HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL
APPEARANCE:Holland is put together, because good lord does she spend absolutely insane amounts of time getting ready in the morning. She gets up about the time early morning runners do, but that's because she's got a
routine and she'll be damned if she's not sticking to it. She's got a million products to apply, probably a wayward eyebrow hair to pluck, and beautiful brunette locks that needs to be very very
very delicately handled to prevent any breakage. Magic is her friend in making herself have that extra bit of glow, but Holland knows the power of a bit of elbow grease, and she's not afraid to put that to use on her face, her hair, and her clothes. A skirt pleat is never warped, hair is never out of place, and jesus christ, is that a piece of fuzz?? Give her a moment to compose herself, she's very sorry you had to see her like this. She's not so much vain as she is terrified of looking unpresentable in front of others.
Holland tends towards the more conservative but fashionable articles of clothing, and she tends to lean rather feminine. Jewelry is a staple, as are headbands, and she prefers skirts and dresses to pants. Heels and booties are her preferred footwear, and magic has helped her keep everything she owns looking almost brand new, even when it's not. She has the money to buy things, but, well, a good girl is practical! She's almost never seen without french tip nails, as a pianist's hands should always look their best.
HEIGHT: 5'2"
BUILD: Petite.
PB: Leighton Meester
INSPO: Pinterest Holland tries to come off as regal, put together, and benevolent, and while in some ways she is those things, this veneer of perfection comes crashing down pretty quickly once you spend any extended amount of time with her. Really, Holland is desperate to be loved and accepted, and while she
thinks that she stops herself from projecting that out into the world, she's, uh, not actually too great at it. At times it can be pretty obvious that much of her life is colored by this need. Even though she's technically got a strong personality and opinions she's willing to share, she never pushes back too hard with most people. She wants to go to dinner in town!! Oh, you don't want to? Well, uh, she guesses you can stay in. Changes to her decisions often come under the guise of her just being sweetly accommodating, but it's really just striving to not rock the boat and hopefully win some points. Her parents taught her it's good to go for what you want in life, but it's hard for her to reconcile that with this need to fit in. In the end, Holland can often be pushed and pulled in directions that aren't true to herself. She's the kind of girl that isn't a mean girl on her own generally, but can easily be roped into it in her quest to be accepted. Similarly, she won't break rules on her own, but will if she thinks she needs to to gain approval of others.
Appearances are everything to Holland. She's near neurotic about how she appears to others - that's what drives her. That's why she tries so hard to act ladylike, that's why she tries so hard on her appearance, that's why she takes failures as absolute disasters. Even her handwriting has been perfected, with practice, for the singular purpose of projecting a particular image. She spends a lot of time trying to catch herself from making faces or being
too opinionated; she can get a little sassy or I-told-you-so-y with classmates, especially those she's comfortable with, but she often regrets this after the fact. What if people stop liking her?? Best not to test things. Playing piano is also tied up in her desire to always seem at her best, but luckily she views poetry and painting as personal and casual so she's a little less obsessive about those things being perfect. Still, everything else needs to be well-manicured. Indeed, she rarely lets loose except during cheer or girly sleepovers (and parties, but she'll claim she doesn't), because otherwise she's expected to be a proper society girl, you know?
Holland's need for appearances to be just-so can often bleed into others - catch her at dances fixing her classmate's ties, adjusting where the ladle in the punch is resting so it's the most aesthetically pleasing (and hygienic!), and busting out a tiny bag of bobby pins to fix wayward strands for others. She can also be particular about what she eats and drinks - she tries to avoid an unhealthy diet, and generally tries to nurse a single drink all night long, half for appearances and peer pressure. Holland is often horrified by what others eat and drink. Also being drunk is tacky so she's definitely not going to do that ever.
EVER, ok? (She has absolutely done this on more than one occasion thanks to peer pressure).
Obviously, the fact that so much of her self-worth is determined by others suggests some self-esteem issues are at work. Holland often wonders about how others really see her, and where she actually belongs in the world. Will she ever be good enough? Will anyone good enough want her? She tries to avoid discussing this with others, of course, and often uses this distress as creative inspiration, but mulling privately over her worries can often drive her to tears. And jeeze does poor Holland cry a lot, though mostly alone. While she can definitely be brought to tears in public, especially out of frustration, it's less than desirable given the kind of message this sends to others. Being in a boarding school setting means she's become surprisingly skilled at holding it in and dashing off with a decent excuse to sob in private. Thank god all of her make-up is waterproof.
Though a lot of her can be smoke and mirrors, Holland is genuine in her kindness, at least. She's very generous, and likely would be even if she wasn't trying to win people over - she's got a lot of love to give. She wants to help those around her, sometimes to the point of being a little too nosy, but it's coming from a good place. And while it might
seem like she wants to be the gossip queen because she wants to know everything about everyone, this isn't for any sinister reason. She genuinely cares about others, and she'd never use something someone told her in confidence against them. Backstabbing is not a pretty look. It does help that she also feels like if she's a confidant to everyone, they'll surely all like her, right? She has a few confidants of her own, but they're few and far between, and she hesitates to cry in front of them or say too much on her worries about fitting in. Sometimes the floodgates are thrown open, though.
While Holland typically quick to cave, a few things can draw out her opinions in a strong and lasting way. She definitely judges for poor manners of her own accord, and she
will say something if you're being impolite in public. That's not how anyone should carry themselves. She's also willing to stand up to bullies... as long as the bullies aren't her friends. There's also more force to her in situations where she has some leadership. As cheer captain, she expects a lot of her team including enthusiasm, punctuality, and acting appropriate in general. Their actions reflect on Deeplurk, but also on her as far as she's concerned, and she won't tolerate anything that makes her look bad. In Student Council, too, she's much more decisive and forward. Deeplurk is counting on her!!
Fitting in and being liked is all well and good, but Holland's real ambition in life is climbing the social ladder to solid Pureblood status, and while this doesn't taint her friendships, it certainly taints her thoughts about dating. Despite that, though, Holland is absolutely a romantic at heart - her parents married for love, and she wants to too. She's just convinced that love will come in the form of a Pureblood. Probably. Right? Her mother gives her conflicting advice on this conundrum - marry someone you love but marry up, please. Holland is trying her hardest to be in love with a Pureblood boy, and she very well might convince herself she is. Even if she isn't. Even if he's definitely not the right person for her.
FUN FACTS:
LIKES: Playing piano, singing along while playing piano, reading and writing poetry, painting, hosting parties, girl talk, peanut butter, headbands, nice clothes, skincare products, champagne, receiving flowers (especially peonies), cheerleading, lambs
DISLIKES: Slimy things, looking unkempt, crying in public, too much sun (bad for your skin), falling out of someone's good graces, anything she does that looks like a mistake, tardiness, too much champagne, cheap beer, greasy food, being drunk or out of control, wound :( care :(
Sees peanut butter as her 'one vice' even though it's not a vice and she definitely has others. When she was a child it was the only thing she'd willingly eat. She tries to act like she wasn't weird about it, but she was.
Her mother calls her "mon biquet," which means my lamb, so she's got a soft spot for lambs
Is very distantly related to Gondulphus Graves, one of the original twelve Aurors of MACUSA. This hasn't had any affect on her life except that her father used it as part of his running platform to great success (Graves are well-known in politics), and she uses it as one of her selling points to potential suitors.
Is a massive sucker for any and all romantic gestures, private or public. She's got no shame as long as it seems ritzy enough. Please don't propose to her on the jumbotron, but you could propose to her on a white horse in the middle of a park while dozens of dancers throw flower petals and sing a love ballad. She'll take small gestures too, though - even a single flower shows you care.
LANGUAGES: English and French.
HOBBIES: Writing poetry, reading poetry, reading fiction (primarily romance/Regency novels), playing piano and singing, painting, figuring out new, exciting, and complicated skincare routines, trying to get Pureblood boys to notice her
SKILLS:
MUSIC: Holland has been playing piano since she was a small child, and prefers classical pieces, especially ones that have some impact to them. She has a gentle touch when necessary, of course, and always plays expressively. If she's playing something that has words she'll sing along - her voice is soft, sweet, and surprisingly rich. She tends to avoid belting, and generally dislikes singing unless she's playing piano. She's pretty much concert-level, at this point, but remains surprisingly modest about it. Holland is also working towards becoming just as accomplished of a harp player, but she only started a few years ago so, while skillful, there's work to be done!
POETRY: Oh how Holland loves poetry - it's romantic, it's imaginative, it's freeing. She's an avid reader, and writer, of all things poetry, and while her writings aren't necessarily amazing, she never shares anything that's terrible or overly dramatic. Even when her poems are reflective of her own feelings or life, she often claims that she's just been inspired by things she's read.
PAINTING: Holland looks like some rich Austenian heroine when she paints with the way she casually applies her brush and spends a lot of time leaning back, tilting her head, and examining. While it is something of a casual hobby, Holland is pretty good, particularly at portraits and landscapes. Other artistic mediums generally elude her.
HOSTESSING: Holland can organize a party like nobody's business, and while she's not someone who can actually cook or bake to the standards that a party requires, she knows how to plan a menu, tell whoever is helping out what to do where, and knows how to make the most of what's available. Expect to see her flitting around parties, making quick, easy, giggle-filled small talk, refilling drinks, and fixing anything that's been moved slightly askew. Her talents are limited, though; she knows how to throw nice parties, not ragers. She's also good at writing really thoughtful thank you cards.
GIRL TALK: Need advice on clothes? Hair? Boys? The best way to make your skin look dewy as hell? Holland is here for you! She generally has a way of making people feel comfortable and not judged when asking for advice or help with something, and while sometimes she'll steer you wrong because she has some incorrect ideas about the world, she'll be there to pat you on the back and try to come up with a new game plan if needed.
HANDWRITING: Every fancy girl needs fancy handwriting, and Holland is no exception! Her standard handwriting is flowing, beautiful cursive, and she's got enough basic calligraphy down that she can address invitations like a (one trick pony) professional would.
FAMILY:Ivan Graves | Father | Newly elected MACUSA rep of Illinois
A self-made man who was previously CEO of Pantheon Automobiles, the premiere magical cars in the Midwest, a company he built up from the brink of bankruptcy. Now he's turning that keen eye to politics, selling himself as the forgotten Graves who pulled himself and his company up by his bootstraps, proof that he's an effective leader. Ivan is kind-hearted but that can be overridden by his need to succeed. From a poor, large wizarding family that couldn't give him much of anything when he was growing up, he values hard work. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want an easy path for his daughter.
Odette Deschamps Graves | Mother | Ivan's campaign manager
A high society girl from France who married for love despite it estranging her from her family. While she hasn't looked back, damn does she want to be running in those high society circles again. She loves her husband and daughter, but much like Ivan, she can often be blinded by ambition. She just wants the best for them, and what's best for Holland is a life surrounded by wealth, prestige, and, naturally, Purebloods. Before becoming Ivan's campaign manager she spent most of her time on the boards of various cultural institutions in Chicago like museums and the opera, as well as philanthropic groups at hospitals (like the one where Holland was a candy striper for a summer).
BACKGROUND:Ivan was the youngest in a large, relatively poor wizarding family from Elkhart, Indiana, so nothing in life was ever handed to him. Still, he was ambitious, smart, and ready to take risks; working from a young age at a local struggling magical automobile company, Ivan graduated from high school and threw himself into his work. With great ideas and a new perspective, he took the company from failing to flourishing by the time he was in his early 30s. With newfound wealth and a desire to keep rising to the top, Ivan moved the central offices of Pantheon to Chicago and continued to innovate and grow the business. Dating was never a priority for him, or even something that came to mind... until he set eyes on Odette Deschamps, a French socialite witch in town over the summer with her cousins. The two met at a bar, and it was love at first sight; so much so, that Odette refused to go home at the end of the summer, cut herself off from her family (and their wealth), and married Ivan by the winter.
Adjusting to a life where she was new money, with a husband from a poor family, was difficult at times, but Odette was in love, and quickly after their marriage she found out she was pregnant. Holland was born happy, healthy, and with two devoted parents. Ivan was busy with the company, and Odette was busy trying to break into the upper echelons of wizarding society in Chicago, but they spared time, love, and things for their sweet baby girl. Holland was sent to the elite wizarding school Wolf Point when she was of age, and was given all she could want. Of course, being given all she could want from her parents didn't mean she had everything she could want.
Though loving, Ivan and Odette asked for things from Holland as well - perfection, poise, and a drive that they both were harboring to rise in the ranks and knock elbows with America's Purebloods. From a young age, it was instilled in her to do her best to become a perfect young society lady, and to always aim higher status-wise for her friends and potential mates. Holland was encouraged to explore things she was interested in... as long as she also excelled in the right classes, had the right hobbies, and kept the company of the right students. Luckily, she felt no desire to push back - her parents were looking out for her, and everything they told her to be interested in she
was interested in, and most of the people they wanted her to socialize with were acceptably nice. There was some distain for her new money and her half-disgraced mother, but... well, they were just jealous, probably. Her family's successes and their technically famous name spoke for themselves.
Thus Holland grew up obedient, pampered but not spoiled, and a vision of old world femininity. Her primary friend group was made up of Pureblood girls and other well-placed students, just like her parents wanted, and everything seemed to be going perfectly. Sure, some of her friends were a little mean to other students, and sometimes to her, but that was just school. Much of her time was taken up by high society events and piano, but she always carved out time for this group of friends - something her parents supported whole-heartedly.
While continuing on at Wolf Point was technically an option, most students (or, at least, most wealthy students) left for high school, leaving Holland with a conundrum: should she go? And if so, where? She consulted with her parents (and classmates), and decided on trying to get into Beauxbatons, hoping that her mother's lineage would gain her access. Holland sent a letter requesting to attend, and was heartbroken when it was rejected. It wasn't even that she particularly
wanted to go there, but it
seemed like something she should want. While accepted to a few small, elite private institutions, Beauxbatons felt like a big enough slap in the face that Holland was despondent. There was a lot of crying. In the end, she decided to attend Izatrix Academy, an all girl's school in New York City.
A few of her other friends were also going to be attending, so she tried to take comfort in that, but it was obvious she was still upset. In an attempt to cheer her up, her friends decided a pick-me-up was in order. And what better pick-me-up than making someone else miserable? Holland was convinced to make the locker of a girl her friend's didn't like overflow with squonks. It was a horrible mess, ruining everything inside, and while no one was hurt (and no squonks were, either!), Holland was turned over by her friends almost immediately and got into some trouble. Once again, she was a mess.
Begging for forgiveness from the girl she'd wronged meant that the headmaster didn't reprimand her beyond detention, but that didn't mean external repercussions weren't coming. Ivan and Odette, concerned about this group of friends, forbade Holland from attending Izatrix with them next year, and thought it best if she stayed close to home. They wouldn't make her stay at Wolf Point, but Peckenpaugh was acceptably close. And Purebloods
did go there, despite its, uh, interesting locale. Holland agreed with minimal fuss, wanting to win back her parents' trust.
Peckenpaugh certainly wasn't Beauxbaton or Izatrix, but Holland found that there were enough kids like her (and enough eligible Pureblood boys) that she didn't feel
so bad about her lot in life. Plus, she'd have more room to stand out here as dateable! She settled in with less trouble than she or her parents had expected, and has been (mostly) happy ever since she moved in.
WAND: Vine, 12.25", White River Monster spine. Surprisingly flexible but resilient - she can snap someone with it without it breaking. It's a fairly plain wand, stained a rich burgundy, but on the flat end of the hilt a large emerald with a 'G' carved into it has been embedded.
FAMILIAR: A Bengal cat named
Cleopatra. Holland has cried into her fur more times than she can count. Cleo is a very gentle cat, but seems mistrustful of others initially before warming up to them.
CAREER GOALS: Housewife to a charming Pureblood boy who will surely go on to do great things!!! If she doesn't already have this lined up by the time she graduates high school, she'll be a nurse, maybe, or a poetry-writing, painting, accomplished pianist socialite back home until she can lock someone down. But surely she'll have that lined up by the time she graduates high school.
CLASSES: Holland would describe herself as a very average student, someone who is engaged in the classes she really cares about, but otherwise is just trying to pass so she can graduate. That's what she says, anyway, and in some ways that's what she believes. In truth though, she does try hard in her classes and is pretty intelligent, leaving her with good grades and a pretty solid workload for someone that's just "average." She DID drop Transfiguration this year because she kind of hated it and had other things she was more interested in, though.
CHARMS (H): As far as Holland is concerned, this is the most important class literally anyone can take in their lives
ever. Charms help her look her best, help her keep parties running smoothly, and help make life sooo much easier in general, you know? She's obnoxiously engaged in this class.
POTIONS: Lord almighty, Holland hates this class. She's terrified something is going to explode and burn off her hair, and while that's fixable, she'd look
horrible and other people would see her and, oh, what a nightmare??? But she has to take it, so, sigh.
HERBOLOGY: Taken just for the sake of Pre-Healer studies. Holland likes plants, especially flowers, but some of the more stressful magical plants (uh, mandrakes?) can go die.
DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: Ok, ok, so this class is maybe a little outside of what Holland would normally pick, but she wants to play up the whole 'related to one of the original twelve' thing, so she suffers through it even though it's not super interesting to her. She tries pretty hard and actually does pretty well, surprisingly.
ASTRONOMY: SO romantic. She hates the math and science parts of it on principle (she, uh, maybe didn't anticipate that, even though she should've known better), but Mr. Hobgood is such a saint that Holland has never run out of this class crying.
MUSIC: An accomplished pianist, Holland enjoys learning about music on a deeper level than just being able to play, so she's very engaged in this class. She started learning to play harp when she started at Peckenpaugh, and is having fun improving her skills on a different instrument.
WIZARD LIT: A well-read girl is a girl who can dabble in lots of little conversations across a party, and also, maybe, Holland likes to read fiction quite a bit. Escapism is fun, especially when it comes to romance or heroines who throw off the trappings of expectation. A tiny part of her thinks they really should be spending more time on classics.
PRE-HEALER STUDIES: Isn't it kind of romantic to think about yourself as a nurse on the front lines? Maybe that time in history has passed, but Holland sees healing as a useful skill that somehow makes her feel like a feminine savior, or something. There was a summer before coming to Peckenpaugh when she was a candy striper, too, so, you know, she's got experience. She is a MASSIVE wuss about wound care, though, so that's going to take a bit of work this year. Can she close her eyes while she heals that gash, please?
EXTRA-CURRICULARS: CHEER: 1) Physical activity is good for the mind and body, 2) being a part of something bigger than yourself is good for the soul, 3) it's so nice to let loose and be crazy sometimes. Rah rah rah!!! Maybe her future husband will see her being adorable on the sidelines? One of the only times she's ever authoritative and vocal about her thoughts is when she's captaining.
CONCERT BAND: Marching Band sounds like
such a bad time to Holland, so she's happily situated in concert band. This year she's trying to focus on further improving her harp skills so that's what she generally plays, but she's always happy to play piano if needed.
CREATIVE WRITING/BOOK CLUB: A lady is well-read and well-written, and Holland just loves to write romantic nonsense and expand her reading horizons. Poetry is her main forte here, but she can produce short stories with only a bit of a struggle. She'll happily read anything and everything, but prefers something with a bit of romance.
PRINT & YEARBOOK: Holland primarily does layouts, but she also writes a 'Society' column that's essentially just like a nice gossip column combined with compliments like pointing out cute outfits classmates wore or gushing over sweet couples that are public knowledge.
STUDENT COUNCIL: As Deeplurk's representative, Holland is committed to making sure her house's voices are heard, and also that she's in student government because that will leave her more equipped to be a politician's wife, if that's what her Pureblood husband is headed for. Another case where she actually lets her voice and opinions shine through.
SORTING?: Holland found something to love in each of the houses, but at the end of the day she was drawn to the creativity and open-ended-ness of Deeplurk. Maybe because her own life isn't very open-ended in her eyes. Or maybe because she feels like she's carving her own path upwards in society.
NAME: Rin
EMAIL: See
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TIMEZONE: CST (JST from 4 Oct to 7 Nov)
ADDITIONAL HISTORY