Appeal

[vampirereverie.livejournal.com]

Name: Allison

Age:18 (soon to be 19)

House you were sorted into: Hufflepuff

Link to original application: Link

Are there any questions you would like to elaborate on?

If you could teach one class at Hogwarts, what would it be and why? I said in my original application that I would like to teach Arithmancy because it is not a required course, so everyone who took it would have to want to be there, and because it's fairly obscure but also takes a great deal of thought. The reason I said this is that I always wanted to learn about pretty much anything, and a great deal of things interest me. I always got very angry at those who said things like "Why do we need to take so many math classes? We'll never use half of the things we learn in math." Does it really matter? What's wrong with learning something just for the sake of learning it? I felt that Arithmancy was the best manifestation of something like that in the Wizarding world. It's not really necessary to the wizarding education, but it's good to know and is very interesting, like higher math classes are in the muggle world.

What HP character do you identify with most and why? I originally said that it was a tie between Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Luna Lovegood. I'd like to elaborate on each one a bit, and add a forth. Sirius: He's probably the least like me of the three, but I can still relate to him on many levels. I know what it's like to loose a good friend. I know what it's like to be incredibly lonely. And I know what it's like to be in the middle of some huge war and be completely unable to do anything to help. Remus: I've often felt like an outcast, like I'm some sort of alien who got trapped here by mistake. I know the pain that he feels when he's shunned because of something that he has no control over. Luna: The moment we were first introduced to Luna Lovegood, I immediately thought that this girl and I could be very good friends (if only she weren't a fictional character). She's definitely the most like me in the series. Like Luna, I have been ridiculed for some of the things that I believe. Many people have been very mean and sometimes downright cruel to me, just like they were to Luna. Now, don't get me wrong - I love science, but I believe that there are many things that just cannot be explained away by science. And the reason - I just have no reason not to believe. I've always felt like Luna took the same approach to things. And the new one: I didn't used to think this, but now that I think on it I'm actually a bit like Hermione as well. We both love to read and learn, we both spend the majority of our time with boys, and we are both in love with our best friends.

What do you look for in a friend? I originally said trustworthiness, loyalty, and good listening. I should have added that I like friends to have enough common interests with me so that we always have something to talk about, but enough differences that we never get bored with each other. I also like when a friend knows when you need someone to talk to, when you need someone to just be with you but not say anything, and when you need to be alone.

What would you see in the Mirror of Erised?

I would see myself standing beside my best friend, who would be my husband, and we would have four beautiful, healthy children standing around us. My right hand would be holding my husband's left hand, and my left would be holding a magnificent flute. I would be the principle flutist of a professional full-time symphony orchestra. Three of our children would be holding instruments, the other would be a singer. We would be standing in front of a roomy house, but not too large, with a puppy and kitten for each child playing in the rather spacious yard. We would be a happy, close family who loves God and serves him to the best of our ability.

Pick one or two canon qualities from each of the four houses that you possess and explain why you picked them:

Gryffindor: Courage and loyalty. My definition of courage is different than most. I believe that the shyest, most private person can also be one of the world's most courageous people. I keep to myself most of the time, and I certainly don't go looking for ways to risk my life. But when I HAVE to do something, when my life or someone else's depends on it, I'll do absolutely anything I have to to keep myself or someone else safe. Loyalty, however, is something that speaks for itself. I am unwaveringly loyal to my family and friends, and I am loyal to God. I love all of them with all my heart, and if it is in my power to support or help them in any way, I'll do it.

Hufflepuff: Honesty and good work ethics. I try to be honest in all that I do. Whenever I have to lie about anything, even something of little consequence, I feel terrible about it for ages. Sometimes I'll go to a concert or something, and think, "There was no one taking tickets at the door. I could have just snuck in." But then I'll feel horrible for even thinking of it. I have always been very afraid of people considering me to be lazy, so I've always tried to do everything in my power to prove them wrong. . . even when no one mentions anything at all about me being lazy. I believe that you can accomplish anything you wish to accomplish with enough hard work.

Ravenclaw: Wit and intelligence. I realize that I probably sound really stuck-up for saying this, but I promise I don't mean it that way. Wit is something that I really don't think about much, but I do have it. I was always good at coming up with clever come-backs at the drop of a hat, come-backs which those attempting to make fun of me usually had to sit and think about for awhile. I've always had a witty sense of humour; nothing makes me happier than a good intellectual joke. :) Intelligence is something that I was gifted with, and I treasure it very much. Knowledge and wisdom is something that you can never have too much of, and no one can ever take it from you. It is the most important thing that you can possibly possess, with one exception: faith. I have a photographic memory, and learn things very quickly. If I read it once, I'll probably remember at least aspects of it forever. I was always able to process things quickly. But, more importantly, I have a resourcefulness that goes hand-in-hand with intelligence. Intelligence isn't always what you know, but knowing how to find out what you wish to know.

Slytherin: Ambition and resourcefulness. I've always been very competitive, and up until somewhat recently I always wanted to be the best at everything. A couple years ago, though, I learned to accept the fact that it would be very difficult to be the best at anything at all, much less the best at everything. Be that as it may, I'm still quite ambitious, especially in regards to my career. I talked a little bit about resourcefulness in the Ravenclaw section, but it applies here as well. Go house unity! But anyway, resourcefulness is, I believe, the most important thing that I inherited from my beloved great-grandfather. He only had a sixth grade education, but he could fix anything and make anything. If he didn't have something and didn't have money to buy it, he made his own. I've always had a very similar philosophy. When I'm in a bad situation, I always find something to help me get out of it.

Explain why you feel misplaced in your current house:

I just feel like I don't have anything in common with anyone in my house. I've been in Hufflepuff for 8 months, and I haven't really made any friends. I've participated in friending memes and discussions in the common room, but I've only ever made one friend during my eight-month tenure there. I even waited several months after I originally filed to put in an appeal, just to see if anything would change, but it didn't. I really feel like an outsider, like I don't belong. Everyone's been very nice, of course, but we just don't have a lot of things in common (see the "what do you look for in a friend" question above). I think I'd feel more comfortable elsewhere.

Comments

[slyfoxesq.livejournal.com]

Sorry if these questions are difficult or harsh, but they're all relevant, I swear. :)

1. If you, for whatever reason, had to choose between your successful career and your ideal family, which would you pick and why?

2. What appeals to you most about your ideal career? The fame, money, reverence, skill/accomplishment, or something else?

3. If you could (or had to) switch lives with someone in the HP canon, who would you choose to be (and why)?

4. Briefly, could you explain why faith is more important than knowledge?

5. Could you give some examples of your resourcefulness?

Thanks!

[vampirereverie.livejournal.com]

1. I would choose my family, hands down. I love music and music will always be a part of my life, no matter what, but I want my own family so much. I'm about to turn 19, but already so many of my friends are married, engaged, pregnant even. . . I feel so alone and left out, like the last kid to be picked for the dodge ball team in gym class. My boyfriend of three years and I broke up a couple months ago, right when I needed him most, and I've felt so very lonely ever since. I want to be a good mother and a good wife, I want to take care of my husband and my children for the rest of my life. I want that more than anything.

2. I never wanted fame or glory. And I'm certainly not in it for the money. I am a musician because music can express every emotion known to man better than words, and it can influence emotions just well as it expresses them. Music can comfort, enlighten, entertain and empower. Music is in every aspect in our life, and it brings joy to everyone. Music is life, and music is love. I think of my career as a service industry, because we live to serve the composer, the listener, and the creator of both. We live to bring happiness in some form - that's why I love what I do.

3. I would love to be Molly Weasley. She has everything that I want - a loving husband, beautiful, talented children, and bravery and intelligence as well. She is a wonderful example of someone who is brave when she need to be, even when she usually seem meek (at times; I realize that Molly is by no means a push-over).

4. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is literally the reason that I live. I've seen so many people who were uneducated and poor rise to become very well-off in every aspect of their lives because of their faith. My beloved great-grandfather was one of them. God can do so many amazing things; I've seen him heal people who were closer to being dead than alive, and make the town drunk an upstanding member of the community. And God will give you wisdom and knowledge if you ask for it. Solomon did, and became the wisest man to ever live.

5. I used to have this beautiful pair of jeans that looked very nice on me. However, they would not stay zipped. No matter what I did, they always came undone. I didn't wear them for a long time, and then found them again one day and decided to wear them. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about their little problem until it was too late. I was in the restroom trying to find some way to make them stay zipped when I looked down at my wallet and came up with my most brilliant idea to date (which probably isn't saying a whole lot, lol). I took the keyring off of my wallet, looped it through the zipper-pull, zipped them up, hooked the keyring on the button, and then buttoned the pants. I was able to wear those pants for a long time after that. :)

[slyfoxesq.livejournal.com]

Now I am desperately curious to see you answer the other judges asking you where yout hink you belong, because honestly, all of these answers really just scream Puff at me.

1b. Okay, let's assume you can keep the family. Which would you rather have: the fabulous music career with a very quiet, predictable life, or a life full of travel, adventure, and surprises but without one constant/stable career?

4b. I don't want to get into a semantic or theological thing, but I see faith as being sort of opposed to the ideals of Ravenclaw, since it's basically believing without proof, whereas Ravenclaw stresses learning and curiosity and always seeking new knowledge. Obviously I'm not suggesting that no Claws are religious (Agent Scully springs immediately to mind), but how do you reconcile these ideas? If this is too personal or something, feel free to skip it. I just think it's relevant because in my experience very religious people tend to be Hufflepuffs more than any other house, so I'm curious on your feelings.

Last question, I swear:
6. Let's say a friend approaches you with a very delicate, complicated problem which is upsetting them greatly, and asks you to help solve it. How do you respond? If you do decide to try to find a solution (rather than just offer comfort), how do you go about it?

[vampirereverie.livejournal.com]

1b. I would choose the stable career. Traveling is something I enjoy, but I wouldn't want to do it all the time because it would loose its appeal to me. I really want a nice, stable, at least half-way normal family life. I would play in a symphony or two, maybe teach at the local university if I get the chance, and have a private studio, but even then I should be able to have plenty of time for my family. Honestly, a music career is not as glamorous as it's often made out to be. It's a lot of hard work and near-sleepless nights, but I still wouldn't trade it for anything. Usually. ;)

4b. Faith and science go hand-in-hand. Why should faith restrict learning? The same God that created man also created calculus and physics. The same God that sent his Son to die for my sins also sent us great scientists like Newton, Galileo, and Einstein. The Bible is full of science - there is evidence of Pangaea in Genesis, and Solomon talked about knowledge being "marrow to thy bones." I've always been very irritated with Christians who speak badly of scientists, or any educated person for that matter. God gave us the ability to think for ourselves for a reason; he doesn't want us to be ignorant.

6. I would do everything in my power to find out the source of the problem, and would do everything in my power to fix it as well as giving them emotional support. I actually have an example of this. . . My half-sisters were kept from having a relationship with my father by their mother. After they were already divorced, she accused my father of doing something terrible to get him thrown in prison. Of course, he never was. . . There was no evidence whatsoever, even the prosecuting attorney said that there was no way he could have done it. My father would never have done anything like that. But anyway, one of my sisters and I recently started talking, and I found out from her other half sister (her mother's other daughter) that she was afraid to have a relationship with my dad because of what her mother told her that he did. So, I'm now in the process of finding the old records from the indictment hearing to prove to her that there was no way that he could have done what he was accused of. I figure that if the prosecuting attorney, whose job it was to build a case against my father, said that he couldn't have done it, it aught to be enough to convince her.