Post by Carolyn Porter on Dec 26, 2008 14:03:55 GMT -5
CAROLYN PORTER
BEHIND THE CHARACTER
NAME :: Amber
AGE :: 17
EXPERIENCE :: 3 years (6 May, 2006 - present)
GENERAL
FULL NAME :: Carolyn Lydia Danielle Porter
AGE :: 56
GENDER :: Female
YEAR/OCCUPATION :: Mistress of Magic
HOUSE :: Ravenclaw (when in school)
APPEARANCE&&PERSONLAITY
DESCRIPTION ::
HAIR;;
In her youth, Carolyn had brown-blonde hair. She used to wear it extremely long with its natural waves, simply because she couldn't have cared less what people thought about her at the time. Now that she's older, Carolyn has shorter hair, reaching barely to the nape of her neck, and it's gray/white, whichever color it appears to be on any given day. She tends not to make her hair extremely extravagant, mostly because she is not trying to impress anyone, not even her colleagues or people who may judge her harshly. As long as she likes her hair, she really could care less about what people say about her.
Usually she wears her hair in simply styles, usually parted to the side with a slight wave about it. This style falls almost naturally for her because that's how she's worn it for such a long time. The natural wave was always there, but the part has changed over her many years of life. When she wakes and brushes her hair, it just falls into place.
When it comes to formal events and getting all dolled up, Carolyn will fix her hair up nicely, possibly straighten it and make it look like someone did it professionally. Since her hair is short, there really isn't much she can do with it. But she does what she can, which tends not to be a lot. Again, she's not trying to impress anyone, so why worry? Hair is only hair, after all. Her life is not dependent upon it.
EYES;;
If you dare look into the eyes of Carolyn Porter, you will find that her eyes are not the least bit inviting or welcoming. Her hazel gaze is piercing, frightening, and dangerous. Anyone who dares to look into her eyes will find themselves being greeted with the harshest and most serious of gazes. It is obvious that Carolyn is a no-nonsense woman and that she takes things very seriously.
A simple gaze around a room can silence anyone within in. Carolyn has this attribute about her. She demands silence and attention and can command a room with her eyes. Not many people can do this; Carolyn is one of those selected few. This is a good thing, since she needs to be the center of attention most of the time. Her job calls for it.
Many people say that a person's emotions can be seen within his or her eyes. While this is true for many people, it is not really true for Carolyn Porter. Her eyes are absent of any and all emotion, aside from seriousness. She never allows her problems to be reflected in her eyes, unless someone gets on a touchy topic that breaks down the outer defense that she has. Her eyes have a sternness about them, never an emotional sort of gaze. If there is emotion showing in her eyes except for the usual, it is obvious that something is wrong.
Carolyn also wears glasses to help her see. The glasses are not all that large, and they match her face and personality perfectly. When she stares at you with a raised brow over the top of her glasses, you know you're in trouble.
MOUTH;;
Very rarely can a smile be seen upon this woman's face, unless she is being humored or sarcastic, which mean almost the same thing to her. She maintains that sense of seriousness that the rest of her possesses, and she rarely tries to show people otherwise. Her mouth is usually straight and has little to no curve about it. When she smiles, which can't really be considered a smile, only the corners of her lips turn upwards, and it's barely even then. She always seems to look like she's angry about something, or like something's bothering her. That may be true, but it is not proven.
Her lips are wide and of an average size. They are not too thin, nor are they too full. Her lips can oftentimes be seen with a faint pink lipstick about them, but it's oftentimes very little. On rare occasions will she put on anything darker than a natural color for her lips; those are the times when dressing up and looking nice are necessary, which is rare for her since she doesn’t tend to join in on festivities. When she joins festivities, she remains in the dark and out of sight, or at least she tries to.
Behind her nothing-more-or-less-than-average lips is a set of mostly white teeth. She has never smoked a day in her life, nor does she want to, so her teeth are white in color. They're not spotlessly and perfectly white, simply because she goes a day or two without brushing her teeth, or at least she did when she was younger and had nothing to worry about. It was then and there that the perfection of her teeth was ruined. She doesn't really care, though, just as long as she maintains good dental hygiene and brushes and flosses everyday, and she does.
BODY;;
Many oftentimes question--not to her face--how she has managed to keep her body in such nice shape. Standing at no more than 5'6" without shoes and weighing roughly 124 pounds, Carolyn has a nicely shaped body for a woman of her age. She was always thin, especially in her younger years when she was active and ran around all the time. She has gained some weight over the years, especially during her pregnancies, but she managed to somehow lose a lot of it, which was a relief.
Even though she has a nice shape to her body, she possesses none of the curves a man searches for. Her chest is there but barely visible, and she has little to no hips and backside. She doesn't care, though, because she is not searching for a man, nor is she expecting attention from men. She knows that she is out of her prime and no longer a woman "for sale" to men. Besides, she's married.
CLOTHES;;
Many would think that a woman like Carolyn would wear witches robes and witches hats, but that's not the case. She will wear them if absolutely necessary, but she doesn't particularly take fondness to it. She grew up in the home with both magical and Muggle aspects of life, so she had the best of both worlds. She was raised wearing Muggle clothes, wore magical clothes while at school, and alternated between the two after having graduated and gone out to live on her own.
At work, Carolyn wears Muggle clothes, usually a suit and heeled shoes. She knows that she probably seems like a poor excuse for a witch, but she remains professional and modest when dressing for work. She has an assortment of suits, both skirt and pants, and she wears whatever she feels like wearing. She tends to wear her skirt suits, though, because they seem to be more professional and feminine. Besides, she has fairly decent legs, why not show them off? Why not flaunt if it you've got it, right? Her suits tend to be black or dark in color, but there are occasions where she will wear one of color, but it's not that often you'll see this woman wearing something other than her black or dark gray suits.
PLAYED BY :: Meryl Streep
PERSONALITY ::
People say that appearances can be deceiving. This is both true and false for Carolyn Porter. When you give the woman a simple glance, you will see nothing less than a strict and stern woman, which is true; what you fail to see is the well-hidden kindness in her eyes and caring disposition that she very rarely displays.
RUDE;;
It seems that the only words coming from her mouth are rude ones. She tends to insult people for no apparent reason and say things she doesn't necessarily mean to say. They just come out too quickly for her to catch. A lot of the things she said pertain to the way people act and behave, mostly because she wants to prove a point and show that the behavior needs to be changed. She tends to point out the wrong things people do instead of nodding or praising the correct things. This agitates many people, probably because they're not used to being commented upon negatively. When you're around Carolyn, the best thing to do is be 'perfect' because she dislikes imperfection, even though she knows that it's a way of life.
She also comments on the way people dress. To her, the ensemble is a very important part of who you are. If you dress yourself poorly, people will think poorly of you. If you dress yourself like she dresses, they will know who you are and what your job is. That is why she walks with such an air about her when she enters a room. Hearing her name makes people go into a tizzy, they want everything to be perfect. When she enters the room, a silence falls. People do what they can to please her, because they know that she refuses anything less than the utmost respect.
STRICT;;
Don't try and cross Carolyn Porter. She isn't one to take things lightly. When it comes to laying down the law, Carolyn is definitely a woman to do that. She doesn't allow people to get away with anything, nor will she settle for misbehavior or disrespect. If you test her to see how far she will go, you will find that she tends to have a very short temper and will snap at any given moment. I suppose it's safe to say that if you cross her the wrong way, you'll die. She is a rule maker, not a rule breaker. This is obvious, as are many of her more "negative" traits, and people know better than to tell her something other than what she wants to hear.
When she tells you to do something, she expects it done, regardless of who you are. She expects everyone to follow what she does and to set an example. Those who do not hear from her, and it oftentimes comes in the form of a very long, boring lecture or a pink slip to fire you. Do what she says, and there will be no problems.
Another thing about Carolyn that is strict is her schedule. If she says you need to be there by 9:04, you need to be there by 9:04, not a second before or a second after. Being early is always a plus, but being late is never an option. It doesn't impress her at all, and she refuses to let people get away with being late. She is a no-nonsense woman and will not be seen as one.
CONCEITED;;
When people compliment Carolyn, she merely nods her head and tells people to tell her things she doesn't already know. She knows that she's intelligent and beautiful and won't try to hide the fact that she does. She isn't afraid to "strut her stuff" and show that she's everything people say she is. If someone sarcastically comments on her, she merely turns it around and makes herself look good. That's just how she is and who she is, and nothing and no one can ever change that.
AUTHORITY;;
Take one look at Carolyn, and you know that she expects and demands attention. The look upon her face and the way she carries herself make this obvious. There's no doubt about it that she is a woman of authority. And she doesn't joke around with her authority positions, either. What she says goes, and rarely will she allow anyone any say-so. She makes sure that people know not to argue with her and that she is the one in charge and not someone else, even if she isn't the one in charge.
When it comes to disciplining people, Carolyn is definitely one to do just that. She doesn't care who you are, she will put you in your place. She makes sure people respect her and know their place around her. Anyone who goes outside of what she thinks or believes will hear a mouthful of words. She takes things seriously and doesn't let even the simplest things slide. She knows how to put people in their place, and she knows how to make people know she's in charge.
PERFECTIONIST;;
Even though she knows nothing is perfect, Carolyn thinks that things have room for perfection. She does everything to the best of her ability and never settles for anything less than perfect. He does her absolute best to make sure things are done to the best of her ability. She also enforces people to do the same. If they don't try their best, she will not accept the work. She hates when people don't try and put forth their best efforts.
SAD;;
Two divorces have left Carolyn shattered, and her third marriage is slowly falling apart and breaking her down even more than her other two did. There is a well-hidden sadness in her eyes that many people fail to recognize because of her hard outer shell. She hates the fact that she can't keep a marriage intact.
DECISIVE;;
When she makes a decision, there is no changing her mind. Very rarely is it possible to sway Carolyn. She makes her decisions quickly, seemingly without thought, and she lays down the law quite plainly. She doesn’t allow exceptions, nor does she allow a person to sway her into making a different decision. When it comes time to choose between two or more things, she always chooses the best one and never seems to make a wrong choice, at least not in her opinion. She never takes forever to make choices, big or small, and she is never one to really find herself at loss with her decisions.
INTELLIGENT;;
Many think that you discover your quirks and habits by attending school. For Carolyn, her intelligence was never a question. Before she even knew about her magical abilities, she was reading and learning things that many magical children wouldn't usually learn. She always had a passion to learn and tended to pick up on things quickly. When she went off to school, her tendency to read and learn only grew. It is obvious that she was definitely a Ravenclaw during her years in school.
She doesn't even have to say anything, the way she walks makes it obvious that she is intelligent. She walks with a stride of an intelligent woman. When she does speak, it only proves that she is intelligent and that she is well-educated. Everything she says is extremely resourceful and information-filled. She proves nothing less than a perfect answer to almost any question; everything she says is detailed and true--for the most part.
CARING;;
Carolyn, like many people, has a few of her rarely seen sides. One of them is the fact that she is caring. On the outside, she is tough and makes sure that people see her as some sort of b!tch, but that's not entirely who she is. Though she acts like she doesn't, she cares about people, especially younger people and people who make a difference. She wishes only the best for people, nothing bad.
Very rarely will she show this side of her. When she does, it shows that you have broken down her tough barriers and managed to open her up a bit. She doesn't act like this towards everyone, only a select few people. Allowing her kind and caring side to be seen shows that you have earned her trust and that you have managed to get to know her in now way that anyone else has.
It is hard to break down that tough outer shell around her, and it's obvious. She doesn't let people into too easily, mostly because of the loss of her husband and how amazingly tragic that was to her. She doesn't want anyone to get too close in fear of losing them. She's been trying to work on it, but she can't seem to let people in like she wants to.
MOTHERLY;;
Carolyn does not seem maternal at all when you talk to her. It seems like she hates children and would never have them. But she has two children of her own, twin girls, and she is a very good mother. She takes food care of them, makes sure they have everything they want and need. When it comes to being around people, she has those motherly tendencies. Sometimes she will wipe your face off or take things into her own hands to make sure that nothing goes wrong. That's just who she is.
FLAWS ::
stubborn, vain/conceited, quick temper, rude, perfectionist
LIKES ::
respect, maturity, organization, cleanliness, punctuality, perfection, her job, silence, understanding, listening, orchestrated music, independence, white roses, apples, water, cooking, children, reading, writing, speaking, heeled shoes, business suits, professionalism, spending time with her daughters, getting to the point, intelligent conversation, getting things done quickly and efficiently, being alone, being in charge
DISLIKES ::
pureblood mania, disrespect, immaturity, stubbornness, disorganization, tardiness, loud noise, snobbish people, crying, forgetting things, make-up, being around a lot of people, arguing, fighting, yelling, divination, potions, people hiding things from her, procrastination, her ex-husbands, incompetence, lack of professionalism, being called Mrs. Porter, excuses
LIFE&&HISTORY
HISTORY ::
Surprise! Surprise! Eleven years after the arrival of what they thought would be their last child, Harold and Lydia welcomed into their home a baby girl, which they named Carolyn. For years they had tried for a little boy; when they finally got what they wanted, they had decided they would stop. But when Carolyn was born and brought into the world, they weren't any less happy than they had been before. Harold and Lydia were on top of the world; they couldn't have been happier.
Carolyn had a normal childhood, with the exception of brothers and sisters to play with. By the time she came around, her siblings were already in their teenage years and didn't really think much of her. They thought she was cute and helped their mother take care of her when they were home from school, but they took no further interest in her aside from that. Her mother was her primary caregiver and spent a lot of time raising her and trying to make her have one of the best childhoods a kid could ever wish for. Of course, Carolyn was raised as virtually an only child, and she really didn't seem any different even when her siblings were home. They mostly stayed to themselves or had summer jobs to work; they were rarely home even when they were home.
Her mother was the one that taught her to read and really got her interested in books. Since the day she could read even the smallest of words, Carolyn was running around reading everything she could get her hands on and trying to get as much knowledge as she could. She mostly stayed to herself, reading in the living room floor or at the kitchen table while her mother cooked. She was overall a very quiet child and tended to have a lot of insightful and intelligent things to say.
When she received her letter from Hogwarts, it came as no surprise to her parents. They took her to Diagon Alley just like they had done the other five children and bought her all of her supplies. When she was sent off to school, she was sorted into Ravenclaw, which came as no surprise to her mother or her father, what with the excessive reading she did.
At school, Carolyn did well in most of her subjects. She studied a lot and had a lot of really good grades, especially in Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures. Her best score, by far, was Charms. She managed to maintain the highest score in her entire class. And when it came time to graduate, she had the highest scores out of her class, with the exception of three other people, who received higher than she did. She was amazed at how well she had done, but she had not necessarily expected to get anything less than what she got.
While she was away at the university, Carolyn met the man that would be her first husband. The two of them had several of the same classes, mostly because they both had similar ideas in mind. Carolyn wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic, eventually working her way up to one of the highest positions in the Ministry, if not the highest. Daniel, the man who she met, had similar ideas.
During their years in the university, the two of them became really close and eventually started dating. Their relationship was a strange one built on competition about who was uppermost in class and petty arguments. Somehow their relationship thrived, eventually leading into marriage a year after they both graduated. Much like their relationship while dating, their marriage was also based on competition.
Carolyn and Daniel, after their honeymoon, both found jobs at the Ministry. Carolyn worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation as a secretary. Daniel worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The two competed over who would get the better, higher job, but they eventually found that it was stupid. That didn't stop them for trying to see who would get promoted first, though. They both worked long hours at the Ministry, in different departments and in around the same position, until their marriage finally fell apart about three year after they had married. They had discussed trying to work less hours, and both had agreed on it but never really kept their word. So, they divorced.
Having been left shattered by her divorce, Carolyn just continued to work. She came in before hours and stayed after for long periods of time. She said nothing to anybody. Many of her colleagues saw her as a workaholic, or perhaps someone that just wanted to get ahead. Both were true, but that didn't stop her from working her butt off. She couldn't care less about what people called her or said about her. She wanted to make it to the top, and she wanted to look good doing it.
After having worked as a secretary for about a year or two, she got promoted to an assistant ambassador. She tagged along with the various ambassadors and went to countries to settle disputes and help create ideas. She took notes for the lead ambassadors and helped keep their schedules in order. She liked being able to travel and actually met her second husband while she was traveling, three years into her job as the ambassador assistant.
Carolyn met Marshall Webster on a trip to the United States. Marshall had been the ambassador for the States and was up speaking, giving ideas and such for use by other countries as well as reasons and ways by which the States' administration had been successful. Carolyn had been taking notes like it was the last thing on earth. Afterwards, there was a small luncheon to which she went. She stayed alone in the corner, drinking a small glass of wine, and looking over her notes. Being the guy that Marshall was, friendly and respectful, he went and talked to her. The two of them seemed to hit if off, but they didn't really discuss much more than business.
Their discussions meant nothing to Carolyn aside from the fact that they were discussing business. They had barely talked about each other. The only thing they knew was each other's names, occupations, and ages. Marshall was only a few years older than Carolyn, who, at the time, was thirty-three. The conference ended a few days later, and Carolyn went back to England with the English ambassadors.
About a year later, Marshall appeared in the Ministry of Magic at England. Carolyn was surprised to see him and wondered whether or not he had transferred to the English Minister or whether he was there on business. But in all truth, he was actually there to see Carolyn, who really wasn't interested in relationships at the time. He had told her that, and she was surprised by such news. But she couldn't believe that he had come all the way to England just to see her. But she had sent him back to the States, only to have him transfer to the English Ministry.
"Seems to me like you're desperate."
"Maybe I am."
And it was then that Carolyn agreed to go out to dinner with Marshall. The two hit it off great and really got to know each other. The two talked and had a great time, followed by follow-up meals and other small get-togethers. After only fifth months, Marshall proposed. Carolyn, though hesitant, accepted the proposal. Despite the fact that they were engaged, they didn't marry for another three years, because Carolyn said she wanted to make sure it would last that long enough.
And it had. The two of them managed to stay together for a while with minimum arguments. When they both felt ready, they got married. They didn't go on a honeymoon because they had to work and didn't want to take off. So they just worked regular hours and spent time together at home when they weren't.
Two years after having married, Carolyn was pregnant with twins. And about nine months later, she gave birth to twin girls, identical in appearance. Carolyn named them, one Hope and one Faith. Though she had a reason for naming them what she named them, she never told anybody. She gave the Faith to one because she had faith that her relationship would last, and Hope because she hoped it would. But, that was all just wishful thinking apparently.
Despite the fact that she had children and a husband at home, Carolyn found herself taking more and more time to work. A position had opened up, and she wanted it. She could be the ambassador if she worked hard enough. And, eventually she did get the position. She was in charge of almost all of the foreign relations they had and had to attend all of the conferences, if that was at all possible.
She eventually spent more time away in other countries or at the Ministry that it started to cause problems within her marriage and among the family. The twins wanted their mother home, but she had to continually be at work or away on trips. She and Marshall eventually got a divorce, when the twins were only three years old. Carolyn was left with the children, because she asked to have them.
Many questioned her reasoning for wanting her girls, because she spent a lot of time away and tended to leave them with the sitter. She didn't answer the questions anyone asked her, mostly because it was none of their business. She tried to keep her personal life personal and tried to keep work at the Ministry, but it never turned out like that. She always brought work home.
Not even three years after her second divorce, Carolyn was marrying again. But this time she wasn't planning on taking her husband's last name. It was just a waste of time. She wasn't marrying for herself, though. She was marrying for the sake of her daughters. She didn't want them to grow up without a father-figure in their lives. Besides, she had been put in the position as Deputy Mistress of Magic, which meant that she would be in the spotlight more often. She wanted to look like she had a perfect family, specially molded and managed, the seemingly perfect family that everyone dreamed of having. But all of the perfection her family seemed to give off was splashed across the front page of the Daily Prophet two years after she had married.
Thomas Carson, her third husband, had been having an affair. Carolyn found out when she happened to come home on time and found him having an evening rendezvous with the woman he was cheating on her with. His excuse had been that she worked entirely too much for his liking. He felt deprived in more ways than one. Carolyn knew better than to keep a man who couldn't even be faithful. So she let him go. She had much more important things to deal with anyway, like the fact that she was about to become the new Mistress of Magic, since the previous Minister was stepping off his pedestal.
The year after the divorce, Carolyn took the position with the least amount of hesitation. She couldn't help but laugh to herself when she thought about her first husband. The two had fought over who would be in the highest position. She had beat him to it, and it made her feel good.
Shortly after being put into the position as Mistress of Magic, quite a few men came in search of a woman with money. Carolyn wasn't stupid, and she knew that was the reason. But for some strange reason, it didn't really bother her. She wasn't desperate for a man, but she was desperate for someone to be there for her daughters and make her family look complete and perfect. Being in the spotlight really made Carolyn strive to look perfect. She was a perfectionist after all. But, again, she wasn't in search of a man for herself, just for her reputation and for her girls--at least that's what she said. (Though deep down she knows that she needs someone in her life who can be there for her when she needs him to be.)
Most magical children started showing magical abilities at early stages, around the ages of seven and after. Carolyn's daughters were nine, almost ten, and they had yet to show such abilities. And they actually never did. Her daughters turned out to be Muggles, possessing no magical abilities whatsoever.
Carolyn refused to marry again, finally realizing that it was a pointless waste of time. She knew that it would only end in a divorce, because she "worked too much," as all of her ex-husbands said. She didn't think she worked too much, but she did. She just failed to realize it, no matter how many people told her that she worked too much, including her daughters.
Where she is now: She is 56. She is Mistress of Magic and has been for 6 years. Her daughters are 15 and non-magical. She is not married and doesn't plan to get married anytime soon.
FAMILY ::
FATHER: Harold Porter
MOTHER: Lydia (Carmichael) Porter
SIBLINGS: Marion Gladden, Paulette James, Lynn Mason, Cynthia Wilson, Patrick Porter
OTHER(S): Faith and Hope Webster (daughters, 15)
Daniel Carlton (ex-husband)
Marshall Webster (ex-husband)
Thomas Carson (ex-husband)
EVERYTHING ELSE
COLOR :: [pink]blue[/pink]
Custom Title :: [red]hell[/red] on heels[red][i]hell[/i][/red] on [u]heels[/u]
RP SAMPLE ::
(from another site)
While students danced to the music and chatted with their friends, Carolyn remained hidden in the darkness of the corners of the Great Hall and the shadows of other people. The fact that she was wearing a black dress helped the entire situation; she was able to blend into the darkness more. What didn't help her hide was the fact that her hair was a radiant white color, which tended to stand out amongst the darkness as well as the other students and professors whose hair colors were still intact. She tried to avoid the lighting, just in case it tried to reflect upon her hair. The last thing she wanted was attention, because then she'd probably be the talk of the school: Mrs. Porter and how she came to the holiday ball and decided to actually dress up. That was really the last thing Carolyn wanted.
The sixty-three-year-old professor always dressed nicely in her Muggle suits and heeled shoes. She always carried herself accordingly and never seemed to falter even when things seemed bad. So seeing her nicely dressed was definitely not a strange happening; of course, seeing her dressed seemingly as royalty--as many people at the ball were--was a strange occurrence. She didn't walk around in floor-length dresses, or with her hair straightened for that matter. Usually she wore her suits and had her hair just parted lightly to the sight, natural curls remaining. But she knew how to get dressed up and how to look nice when necessary.
Because she was the school disciplinarian, he had requested her presence. As much as she would have liked to turn it down, he had almost begged her. She finally gave in, simply to hear silence and so that he would leave her alone. Before he had left, though, he had made sure she knew that he didn't want her to come in a suit. And, because Carolyn was professional and wanted to keep her job, she had decided to go buy herself a dress. She hadn't bothered getting a new pair of shoes; she just wore a pair that she had had for a while but never decided to show anyone. They were basically brand new.
Carolyn stood alone. Most of the other professors were across the room chattering. The students were dancing and running around, having fun. Carolyn didn't really mind being alone. It made her job simpler. All she had to do was stand and watch them as they walked around and danced, pointing out and punishing those who broke the rules. With no one around, she didn't have to try and make conversation to be polite. She didn't have to worry about someone asking her to dance. And that's the way she wanted it to be. So far, so good.
