Statistics[]
Full name: Justin Elijah Finch-Fletchley
Codename: Gryphon (while working with the Wizarding Underground)
Age: 24
Date of birth: June 14, 1980
Blood: Muggleborn
Wand: Cherry, Unicorn hair, 10 and ½”
Alumni: Hufflepuff
Affiliation: Justin is affiliated with the Ministry of Magic – insofar as a guy who sells sandwiches to Aurors and police officers (as well as other works and anyone else) can be. He owns a shop near Headquarters that caters to pretty much anyone’s tastes and, despite the fact that his parents aren’t necessarily thrilled with his choice of work (they wanted him to go into politics), he’s happy enough that they don’t give him a hard time about it. His shop is called Hillel’s Halfwich (though they certainly serve more than halfwiches there).
As a further note, he works with the Wizarding Underground when necessary and was particularly active with them during the war. Seeing as he's Muggleborn, the 'disappearance' of so many Muggles hit quite close to home and he was more than willing to offer his assistance, whether it was passing along needed information from one person to another, giving tips about things he'd heard in the shop to the people that needed them, or actually helping out on missions. There's a room off the left-hand wall in the shop's basement that was sometimes used to hide Muggles or Wizards who needed somewhere to recover from injuries sustained during the war/in camps/on rescues. He preferred to stay out of the limelight, as it were, and so didn't go on very many of the actual missions.
Home Life[]
Mother: Ann Finch-Fletchley (Countess of Aylesford, stay-at-home mother/socialite, aged 48)
Father: Robert Finch-Fletchley (Sixteenth Earl of Aylesford, barrister, aged 53)
Siblings:
Brother: Nathanial Finch-Fletchley (age 26, he’s followed in their father’s footsteps and became a barrister, even taking offices within the same chambers as their father)
Brother: Tobias Finch-Fletchley (age 20, he’s attending Cambridge University)
Sister: Camilla Finch-Fletchley (age 12, she’s going to a boarding school for girls in Wiltshire – she was an accident, too)
Other family: Justin’s grandparents on both sides managed to survive the war, though his grandfather on his mother’s side passed away in his sleep in early 2003. He has an uncle (father’s younger brother) named Alexander who’s something of a rake and has, therefore, not started a family of his own yet – Alexander can often be found at the Finch-Fletchley family home, typically in the kitchen, teasing the maids and nipping food from the pantries. Alex is 33 (he was sort of an accident). Robert also has a sister named Beatrix Williams, who married a stock-broker called Niall, and is aged 42 – she has three children (Lauren – 22, Arnold – 18, and Rebecca – 15).
Relationships with each: Parents: Justin gets on incredibly well with both his parents – being one of the elder two, he helped keep track of Toby and Cami when they were growing up, but he’s glad he doesn’t have to worry about that now that he’s out on his own. During the war, he worried about them incessantly and still doesn’t believe that the threat to Muggles and Muggleborn Wizards in general has dissipated, despite the fact that the war is officially over.
Nathaniel: He and Nat get along well enough, though there was always the tension between them, growing up, of who could do better – Justin’s letter to Hogwarts changed that irrevocably and, while there’s no grudge held on either of their parts, there is a feeling of sorts that somehow Justin managed to one-up Nat.
Tobias: Justin likes Toby a lot, despite the fact that he’s basically started to imitate their uncle Collin. It doesn’t bother Justin – he and Toby still enjoy pulling pranks on their parents and other family members – and he will pretty much always think of Toby as his baby brother, no matter how old they get.
Camilla: Being the baby of the family, she’s rather spoiled – and Justin doesn’t really help with this. He gives her random gifts and presents, when he travels, and always sticks up for her when there’s a dispute. Essentially, she could get away with murder and the whole family would either look the other way or agree that she’d been perfectly in the right to kill whoever it was.
Father’s Parents: Gerard and Augusta Finch-Fletchley. Justin is fond of his father’s parents, though his grandfather disapproves of his current (and really only) relationship. It doesn’t cause much trouble, though, because if nothing else, disputes amongst family members is bad for appearances and his grandparents are very conscious of their social/public personas.
Mother’s Mother: Lenora Kensington. She dotes on Justin – he’s her favorite of her grandchildren because he takes after her side of the family, rather than his father’s. She used to do things like make him quilts when he was younger – in fact, he’s still got the last one she made him before her arthritis progressed to a point where she couldn’t hold a needle any longer. She’s cheerful and kind, which is where Justin gets a lot of his personality from.
Uncle Alexander: Justin is on amicable terms with his uncle, but he’s frustrated that the man doesn’t seem to have a life outside the family home. He believes that, if he’s managed to get a job, then his uncle should have been able to, too.
Aunt Beatrix: He doesn’t really see his aunt very often, outside of family gatherings – like Christmas and Easter – but he likes her well enough. She’s not particularly on board with his relationship, but she, too, is overly conscious of social appearances and since it’s currently the fad to be tolerant of alternative lifestyles, she keeps her mouth shut.
Uncle & Cousins: Justin really only sees this branch of his family at the gatherings he happens to see his aunt at, but he’s on good terms with them, generally speaking.
Home: He shared a small cottage with Ernie Macmillan on the coast – in Penzance, Cornwall for several years before their long-term relationship came to an end. He now rents the flat above Hillel's Halfwich in London. He visits his family’s traditional home – Aylesford – for holidays and the like, though he can usually find his father and brother in their London residences more readily.
Finances: Running the shop brings in a decent amount of money which allows him to keep his flat – and quite comfortably. He also has a rather large inheritance – and technically a parcel of land somewhere in Yorkshire – but he’s not particularly interested in managing any of that at the moment, so he lets his father handle it.
Personal Life[]
Personality: Justin is nice to pretty much everyone, though he can be rather sharp if you’re rude to one of his friends. By ‘sharp,’ I mean he’s likely to say something pointed – he’s aristocratic, after all, and is therefore capable of giving someone the ‘social cut,’ even if he doesn’t usually do that sort of thing.
He’s friendly and open, not really shy about his sexuality, but he doesn’t flaunt it, either. He doesn’t fear any backlash, which is probably way too naïve of him, but really, he’s never had any negative experiences. His family’s social standing (as well as the respect it affords them) kept nasty rumors and mean-spirited things away from him when he was growing up and he’s since learned to take most of what people say with a grain of salt – but he’s always willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt.
He’s cheerful and helpful, sometimes to a fault. He’s dedicated to his work/job and thoroughly enjoys it where, sometimes, his friends don’t, and he’s not afraid to ask for help if he needs it. He’s not afraid of talking to people he’s never really met before – for example, in CoS, when he’s working with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Herbology, he jumps right in with introduction/chatter:
(Canon: CoS) Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but had never spoken to.
“Justin Finch-Fletchley,” he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. “Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter….And you’re Hermione Granger --- always top in everything” (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) “---and Ron Weasley. Wasn’t that your flying car?”
Ron didn’t smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind.
“That Lockhart’s something, isn’t he?” said Justin happily as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. “Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I’d have died of fear if I’d been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and --- zap --- just fantastic.
“My name was down for Eton, you know. I can’t tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart’s books, I think shes’ begun to see how useful it’ll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family….” (/Canon)
He’s sort of a drama queen in that he sometimes blows his problems out of proportion or drags everyone into them with him. He also has a tendency to retreat from the world and be very quiet if he’s been ‘hurt’ by someone, which has sort of lent credence to the ‘drama-queen’ thing. He’s not loud or flamboyant – definitely not that sort of drama-queen – but more the kind that people think overreacts. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen very often.
Some people probably view Justin as slightly ridiculous (which sort of goes along with the drama-queen thing), as shown by this:
(Canon: CoS) After a hurried lunch, (Harry) went upstairs to meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned abruptly and sped off in the opposite direction.
(…)
Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him...
"Dunno why you care, I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron... "All that rubbish about Lockhart being so great -" (/Canon)
So Ron thinking him an idiot is likely a fairly wide-spread perception that hasn't necessarily changed since he left Hogwarts. However, he's mellowed a bit since then - responsibility and a stable relationship has kept him more even than he was in school. He can also be prideful/uppity, as shown by this exchange:
(Canon: GoF) The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold toward the whole lot of them. One Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that Harry had stolen their champion's glory; a feeling exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the few who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch. Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley, with whom Harry normally got on very well, did not talk to him even though they were repotting Bouncing Bulbs at the same tray - though they did laugh rather unpleasantly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled free from Harry's grip and smacked him hard in the face. (/Canon)
Marital Status: Justin isn't married and will probably never, ever be. He's just broken off a nine-year relationship with Ernie Macmillan and so isn't looking to start up anything, necessarily.
Sexual Orientation: Homosexual
Strengths: Patient, generous, kind, laid-back, clever.
Weaknesses: Finds it hard to say ‘no,’ gullible, untidy, can grow complacent, can be stubborn, used to his comforts.
Boggart: Justin’s Boggart would be a snake rather like the one that almost attacked him in CoS during the Dueling Club, but that was quite a bit larger, as he was very affected by the Basilisk attack and reptiles in general have become his worst phobia.
Patronus: A gryphon, because there are gryphons on his family’s crest and, while he doesn’t stand on his family’s name, I think their history is important to him
Mirror of Erised: Himself and his family, all happy, successful, and safe. He also sees a significant other along with a child, but the image is wavery and undefined.
Amortentia Potion: Snickerdoodles, cut grass, sweat, and just a hint of smoke.
Aesthetics[]
Appearance: Justin is what many would consider small. He’s not weak, but he’s short and thin, which often causes people to think he’s frail. This annoys him to no end, but he’s learned to deal with it over the years. He’s got black hair, blue eyes, and a slight olive complexion, all courtesy of his mother’s side of the family – his brothers and sister range from brown to dirty blonde and while they’ve got the same tint to their complexions, it’s most noticeable with Justin.
Height: 5’4" (on a good day)
Weight: 8 Stone (roughly 110 pounds)
Hair: Black.
Eyes: Blue.
Style of dress: Justin prefers Muggle clothing to robes, just because it’s what he grew up with, and when wearing Muggle clothing, he likes t-shirts and jeans – everything else just feels too stiff to him. Formal-wear is alright, but only for special occasions.
History[]
Justin is Muggleborn and his family has a rather interesting past. (I looked up various British aristocrats to figure this out…) His father, Robert, is the sixteenth Earl of Aylesford, descending from the Finch family and related to the Finch-Hattons (that being the Earl of Nottingham and Winchilsea). The additional surname – Fletchley – was added in 1764 by one of the late Earls under the will of an aunt and it’s been used in his particular line ever since. His father and mother met rather early in their childhoods and were married after both of them had completed their university studies and after Robert had finished his barrister-pupilage. They spaced the births of their children so that they’d be able to give them one-on-one attention, as opposed to passing them off to nannies/servants.
Despite the fact that his name was down for Eton before he got his Hogwarts letter, which is pretty good evidence that his family is aristocratic, he’s not snobbish. Even though he freely mentions being down for Eton, he never spoke of his family’s wealth, their properties, or any of that other stuff when talking with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
He has three siblings – one older brother, one younger brother, and a younger sister – if he’d been the first-born son, it’s far less likely that he’d have been allowed to attend Hogwarts, even despite the fact that his parents are obviously okay with the idea of having a Wizard in the family. Justin said that his mother was ‘disappointed’ he chose to go to Hogwarts instead of Eton, but the fact that his parents let him make the choice and then didn’t try to interfere speaks well of them.
Justin’s close to his brother, Tobias, if only because he’s closest in age to him – and, as younger sons of an aristocratic family they bonded over making fun of how stodgy high society can be. Toby doesn’t really know what he’s going to do with himself, but Justin’s Wizardry has set him apart. He gets along pretty well with Nathanial, but his oldest brother has always seemed rather stiff. And he dotes on his little sister – but then, the whole family does.
His parents never actually asked about Justin’s sexuality, but after he got seriously involved with Ernie during their fifth year, things progressed to a point where it was simply obvious. Neither of his parents mind his choices/preferences and they certainly never exclude Justin or Ernie from family gatherings, but sometimes wading through the mostly-hidden disapproval can be tricky for them.
His relationship with Ernie was an incredibly important part of his life – from day one at Hogwarts they were great friends despite their differences and it was with Ernie’s help that he managed to acclimate into the Wizarding world. He was terrified, upon first entering Hogwarts, but Ernie’s presence made it easier for him to fit in. They were thick as thieves during their first two years at school, sitting together in every class and sharing adjacent beds, and even becoming so familiar that they were able to finish one another’s sentences.
During the summer between his third and fourth years at Hogwarts, Justin was approached by a Muggle boy at a party his mother dragged him to, which instigated an elicit relationship of sorts that didn’t last through Justin’s return to school. During the following year, he found himself trailing after Ernie as his friend withdrew from their general circle of friends. He tried to tempt the other boy into laughing or smiling and, in the process, managed to tempt himself into a minor infatuation that slowly turned into something more.
He didn’t know what to do about how he felt, though, and so it was a monumental relief when Ernie actually brought the matter up over the summer before their fifth year. Things moved slowly from there, clumsily, but they were inseparable and their relationship grew to be even more intense than it had been before. Justin thought it would be a fantastic idea to give himself to Ernie as a birthday present, which is how he lost his virginity – there were other presents involved, of course, just in case Plan A didn’t go through.
After leaving Hogwarts, many of the ideas and plans that they’d thought they could see through were tossed out the window and they moved to Cornwall in Southern England, and they’ve remained their to date. They participated in the fight against Voldemort in England despite their move away from the thick of things - Justin even went so far as to being assisting his friend Michelle Moon with the Wizarding Underground. He worked with Michelle to help bring Wizards and Muggles to safety throughout the war, not really caring about their status or station in life, so long as they were ultimately safe. The fact that Muggles were specifically targeted hit him hard, as he was constantly worrying about his family, given their high profile in the Muggle world as aristocracy.
His involvement with the Underground isn't something he talks about a lot, as that would be rather foolish, but he does enjoy spending time with the friends he made through that association - especially Michelle Moon. Once things were more stable, he opened Hillel's Halfwich - his sandwich shop - and made sure that there was a room in the basement (well-hidden) that could be used for anything the Underground needed.
Sadly, as of early September 2004, Justin's relationship with Ernie came to an end. This saw them agreeing to sell the house in Penzance. Justin then moved into the flat above Hillel's Halfwich, taking the St. Bernard (Wendy) he and Ernie had adopted a few years earlier with him.
Current Activities[]
Bringer of joy, glee and ecstasy via sandwich.
Meta[]
Player: Cai
PB: Teddy Geiger