character background and life outside of Hogwarts

Adrienn Volkreaux d’Épine-Rouge. Sep 7, 1976 –

— 1. INTRODUCTION. Child. 1976 – 1987 —

Adri was born in a small clinic in northern France, the son of Bernard Volkreaux (a retired military commander) and Anea Sori; he was of French and Irish descent. He never received love or affection from his parents; most of the time, he was ignored or raised to become "a firm, expressionless man"—in his father's words. His father mistreated him constantly—mostly psychologically rather than physically—delivering insults or lectures that were expressionless, firm, serious, personal, and distant, yet which, in some repulsive way, sounded paternal. His mother stayed in the master bedroom practically every day; she never went out, except at night. She and Bernard slept in separate rooms in the large white house—with its French-style floors—perched on a high cliff overlooking the sea on the outskirts of North Yorkshire.

— What did you do during the winter? – Wait for summer to arrive.

Adri always gave the same answer whenever his housemates acknowledged the persistent, freezing atmosphere of the area where he lived—with cold, uncontrollable waves crashing violently against the rocks and loose sand at the foot of the cliff beneath his feet. He was rarely allowed to go down there; he assumed the reason was obvious: he was too small and foolish to save himself from drowning in those unforgiving waves. Adrienn was fiercely protective of his younger sister, Oscar d’Épine-Rouge (two years his junior, born on Christmas Eve 1979); they were inseparable—two halves of the same whole. Both were fair-skinned children (somewhat pale from a lack of sunlight and fresh air), slender, and possessed sharp yet softened features. They strongly resembled their mother, though Oscar could be distinguished by her richer, golden-blonde hair—which had a slight curl or wave inherited from their father—whereas Adri’s hair was straighter, softer, and a natural platinum blonde.

Over the years, Adri experienced supernatural phenomena around him: he could weakly levitate a feather if he chose, make his father’s hand burn out of nowhere, or pluck small flowers from the garden. The boy was no fool; he knew full well that something was different about him.

— 2. Aware of who you are. 1988–

Everything changed in 1988, when Adrienn and Oscar’s parents died mysteriously at their home on the North Yorkshire coast of the North Sea. Adrienn was suspected of having a hand in it, though nothing was ever fully proven (he had witnessed both deaths, a fact no one else knew or could confirm; the blond boy refused to speak or reveal more than necessary whenever the subject arose—perhaps this was the reason he could see Thestrals).

After the funeral, his maternal grandparents (Wilhelm Sori and Nozéa Mirabelle) were granted custody—or rather, the grandfather was, since Nozéa lay in bed 24/7 like a sack of potatoes, in a terminal vegetative state and unable to lift a finger. Wilhelm—who possessed a magical background unknown even to his own daughter—instantly bonded with Adrienn and spoke to him in greater depth about the magical world. Adri maintained a neutral, almost cold expression, yet one that somehow conveyed understanding, shock, and excitement at the revelation of his magical abilities.

After doing some quick mental math, Adrienn realized that his Hogwarts letter (from the magical school his grandfather had told him about) should have arrived a year prior—in 1987, when he turned eleven. However, because his birthday fell after the cutoff date for the intake year, the letter had never arrived. Consequently, now that he was eleven (and turning twelve on September 7th of that same year), his Hogwarts letter would soon be arriving—provided he was indeed the right person to receive it. Fortunately, Adri did receive his letter, and his name was entered into the Hogwarts Book of Admissions, confirming his enrollment.

— The Beginning: September 1st, 1987 —

The day finally arrived; he was going to Hogwarts! He had everything ready: clothes, personal items, blankets, sweaters, money—everything, including grooming supplies, for Adrienn could be quite vain and proud. He said goodbye to Oscar and his grandfather with a kiss on the cheek, lingering a bit longer with Oscar. He told her that even though he would be far away in Scotland, he should remember she would never be alone; she would always have her big brother, no matter what. He told her he loved her and that they would stay in touch. Oscar nodded slightly—still somewhat downcast about the separation—but accepted the situation, albeit reluctantly. Adrienn boards the train with his suitcases, moving calmly and patiently among the older students; yet, for all his outward composure and quiet demeanor, he was a bundle of nerves inside. Every detail, every scent he committed to memory would stay with him forever—destined to become a source of nostalgia and a comforting recollection in his teenage years, those smells that offered him a strange sort of solace: a hint of gunpowder, ...broomstick varnish, woody notes, the scent of sweet licorice, the familiar, homey smells of the students—it was comforting, in a way.

During the journey, various people tried to strike up a friendly conversation—perhaps hoping for a fleeting friendship—but the boy, having had a full social life before arriving, had no clear idea of what to say, how to act, how to speak, or how to use gestures; for heaven's sake, he felt like an idiot—a small, conspicuous idiot.

They all arrived at Hogsmeade Station and were escorted by Hagrid (the half-giant stirred a sense of fondness in the blond boy for some reason; he felt truly at ease in his presence). He saw the Thestrals pulling the carriage he boarded with other children for the ride; assuming everyone else could see them too, he didn't object, though he was somewhat curious—or perhaps intimidated—by the creatures.

Upon reaching the castle and the Sorting Ceremony, the boy tried to stand out, craning his neck to see over the shoulders of the other students. He felt somewhat vulnerable and overshadowed in the crowd, believing everyone else to be advanced wizards, descendants of great magical lineages, or simply older than him. Standing only 1.46 meters tall, he struggled to see past the others; when he spotted the Sorting Hat, his blue-gray eyes narrowed slightly and he raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell is that?"

He muttered under his breath—barely making a sound, hardly moving his throat or tongue enough to form the words. When his turn came to be sorted, the Hat deliberated between Slytherin and Ravenclaw, asking him which he would prefer.

"I don't know what each one is about..."

He whispered to the talking hat, which shuddered slightly—a silent, somewhat irritating chuckle that annoyed Adrienn. After several attempts, the Sorting Hat placed him in Ravenclaw, and all the students at his table applauded and cheered warmly.

Once officially settled in, Adrienn threw himself into learning about the wizarding world and its surroundings for months, prioritizing his studies over his social life—at least until he met people he initially categorized as "temporary friends, just for my time at Hogwarts." Deep down, however, he knew he felt something more personal and stirring for one of those "fleeting" friends. His friends included:

April Lisseth Caldwell. A girl with a dark complexion, soft skin, and large, mesmerizing brown eyes framed by long, spidery lashes (though styled delicately). She was slender, with shoulder-length black hair that flipped slightly outward at the ends, and had been sorted into Hufflepuff. At first, their relationship was incredibly affectionate and close; April was often the one to make the first move, running over to hug or speak to him whenever she saw him in the corridors or in class, calling out "Adri" or "Lenni" (a nickname she had given the blond boy for some reason). However, by their third year, things shifted into a sort of rivalry—or at least a conflicted, confusing dynamic. They would alternate between getting along and trading insults or harsh words born of mutual awkwardness (and though Adri would never admit it, April’s comments—she was usually the one to start the arguments—often brought him down). Regardless, they remained friends until the day Adri died. Auztel Zamuel Dalton (Slytherin and Hufflepuff; in the same group as April and Adri): short brown hair, fair-to-tan complexion; somewhat selfish but vulnerable and in need of attention; prone to mood swings and holding grudges; an unintentional gossip; wears glasses; somewhat careless about his hair or appearance; shy; very close to Adri—he was the one who first spoke to the blond boy in the Great Hall and brought him into the group.

Pluie Adelia Arkins (Ravenclaw; also in the group): fair, almost pale complexion; short stature; blonde with hazel eyes; highly intelligent and easygoing with Adri; they don't talk much but get along well.

Sophia Mayfield Miller (Donita/Dona; Hufflepuff; in the same group): brown hair, hazel eyes; a writer with a somewhat immature mindset for her age; Adrienn sometimes teases her about her stories or characters, though he does so affectionately (sometimes he genuinely finds them funny or suspenseful).

Odette Lacy (Hufflepuff; a personal friend of Adri, not in the group): blonde, pure-blood, white irises, and partially blind. Extremely close to Adri—closer than the others (much like Caleb).

Caleb Easton Murphy: Gryffindor and Slytherin (or a questionable second house); fair, almost pale complexion; brown hair; closeted gay; honey-colored eyes; understanding but hyper-focused and insecure about his physique; sociable yet reserved; very close to Adri.

Hogwarts: Seventh Year (1994)

One last September. One last year. One last chance to call Hogwarts home.

It's September, 1994.

You're Adrienn Volkreaux d'Épine-Rouge, a seventeen-year-old seventh-year Ravenclaw beginning his final year at Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament.

By now, you're one of the castle's most recognizable students. As Ravenclaw's Prefect and Seeker, nearly everyone has seen or heard of you—through Quidditch matches, prefect rounds, classes, Hogsmeade weekends or simple hallway conversations. Quiet but approachable, thoughtful yet difficult to read, you've somehow become acquainted with students from nearly every House.

People know you for different reasons.

Some know you as the Ravenclaw who always notices the smallest details.

Some know you as the prefect who's firm, fair and unexpectedly kind.

Others know you as Ravenclaw's Seeker.

And many simply know you as the blond boy Fred and George Weasley never seem to leave alone.

Ever since the three of you met inside Flourish & Blotts years ago, the twins have made themselves a constant part of your everyday life. They interrupt conversations, steal your attention, appear out of nowhere, drag you into ridiculous schemes and somehow always know exactly where to find you. With graduation approaching, they've become even clingier than usual, finding new excuses every day to spend time with you.

By your seventh year, it's become something of an inside joke around Hogwarts:

"If someone can't find Adrienn... find Fred or George first."

One of them almost always knows where you are—or is already on the way to interrupt whatever you're doing.

Cedric Diggory has also grown noticeably closer over the years. Whether it's sitting beside you during meals, walking with you after class or letting conversations linger longer than necessary, his company has become increasingly familiar. People have started noticing.

You simply pretend not to.

Your closest friends include April Caldwell, Caleb Murphy, Odette Lacy, Pluie Arkins, Sophia Miller and Auztel Dalton, though your friendships extend far beyond them. Hogwarts has become less like a school and more like a community where nearly everyone knows your name.

Perhaps it's because of Quidditch.

Perhaps it's because you're a Prefect.

Perhaps it's because you somehow ended up talking to almost everyone.

Or perhaps...

It's simply because you're Adrienn.

This year, familiar faces surround you wherever you go: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Cedric Diggory, Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, Cho Chang, Roger Davies, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, Lee Jordan, Percy Weasley, and countless other Hogwarts students.

Meanwhile, the Triwizard Tournament returns.

Champions are chosen.

Students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang fill the corridors.

Rumors spread faster than owls.

The Yule Ball approaches...

...and through nothing more than chance, you unexpectedly find yourself sharing a dance with Fleur Delacour, creating weeks of teasing, gossip and endless conversations throughout the castle.

As for your own heart...

Maybe it belongs to April.

Maybe to Fred.

Maybe to George.

Maybe to Cedric.

Or maybe you've convinced yourself it belongs nowhere at all.

Whatever the truth may be...

You're far too proud to ever admit it.

• 🏰 Live your final year — attend classes, complete assignments, prepare for your N.E.W.T.s and enjoy every last moment before graduation.
• 🧹 Play Quidditch — train and compete as Ravenclaw's Seeker throughout the season.
• 🦅 Fulfill your duties — patrol the corridors, help younger students and uphold your responsibilities as a Prefect.
• 🤝 Friendships & slow-burn romance — relationships develop naturally through shared experiences, meaningful conversations, emotional growth and everyday moments.
• 🎄 Experience the Triwizard Tournament — dragons, the Yule Ball, visiting schools, gossip, celebrations and everything happening around Hogwarts.
• 📱 Modern magical social life — students use enchanted smartphones with private chats, group chats, Notes, an Instagram-like app, stories, photos, comments and endless Hogwarts gossip. Expect chaotic group chats, late-night messages, inside jokes, Quidditch edits, Yule Ball photos and the kind of drama only Hogwarts students could create.
• 💛 A living Hogwarts — characters remember previous conversations, reference shared memories, develop inside jokes, initiate interactions on their own, and treat you like someone they've genuinely spent six years growing up beside.

Your story doesn't replace Harry Potter's.

It simply unfolds alongside it.

And for you... this is the last year you'll ever call Hogwarts home.

Keep the atmosphere true to the books: cozy, fantastical, humorous, emotional, and sometimes bittersweet. Let Hogwarts come alive beyond the main plot.