| “ | People wish for things like fame, fortune, or power. I seek knowledge, so I will have all three. | „ |
| ~ Gwen Ferox |
Gwenaderin "Gwen" Violet Ferox (née Grimm) was an English half-blood witch, the younger half-sister of wanted criminal Benton Atanase Ferox, older half-sister of Kettia Ferox (née Woodhouse), cousin of Lia Ferox, and daughter of Kadmus Ferox. She was raised in the London Borough of Camden by her Muggle parents, mother Grace Grimm (née Gaines) and step-father Thomas Grimm.
Gwen learned she was a witch through her Muggle grandmother, Rose Marie Gaines, after a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry arrived for her. She began attending Hogwarts in 2019 and was Sorted into Ravenclaw house.
Biography[]
Family lineage[]
| “ | Gwen is a Ferox. She must be a pureblood, but I've heard it said that she announced herself a half-blood in Muggle Studies once. I think she's lying to try and kiss up to the Muggle-borns. Her father was a hero, but her brother... Now that is an unfortunate story. He's wanted, you know. | „ |
| ~ Hogwarts student |
The Ferox family was a respected upper-class pure-blood family, descended from long lines from all over Europe. While the family line had non-magical ancestors in its distant history, many Feroxs maintained the delusion that they were one of few truly pure-blood families, but had been robbed of their spot within The Sacred Twenty-Eight. The family was well-connected, with a history of having hands in various wizarding businesses and governments. Scandal took a toll on the United Kingdom based branch of the family, but Nordic counterparts continued to thrive.
Kadmus Ferox, believed to have been named after Cadmus Peverell, was the first Ferox to openly marry a Muggle without being stricken from the Ferox family tree. It is speculated that the leniency granted him was only given because he already had an heir from a previous relationship with a reputable witch, presented as a pure-blood son, Benton Atanase Ferox. Gwen was his second child and the first tolerated known Ferox half-blood, paving the way for half-bloods Kettia and Lia Ferox.
After the dissolution of her parent's marriage, Gwen was raised by her Muggle mother and a Muggle step-father, alongside four younger half-siblings. They kept Gwen in the dark about her wizarding family and rejected all requests by the Ferox family to be involved in Gwen's upbringing. Unknown to her, Gwen's biological father was killed in a duel not long after Gwen turned seven years of age.
The prestigious Ferox family turned the fatal consequence of reckless pride into a heroic farce. Kadmus was defeated after drunkenly challenging a recently released Azkaban convict for insulting his hair. The absurd event was twisted into a tale of pureblood propaganda in which Kadmus Ferox prevented Muggle-born convict Cyrus Crane from using Unforgivable Curses on children. Cyrus Crane had previously served time in Azkaban for illegal ownership of a dangerous creature, but he was sentenced to life in Azkaban after the death of Kadmus. The Ferox-hired "witnesses" against Crane were very well paid and the outcome served to elevate the Ferox family and their prejudices against Muggle-borns.
Several years Gwen's elder, Benton Ferox became an accomplished Hit Wizard within the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement after his graduation from Hogwarts, where he had been Sorted into Gryffindor House. However brief his career, he was showered in accolades for the duration. As Gwen was learning of her lineage, Benton was busy learning the truth of his family's desecration of justice. While his motives were known only to him, Benton went rogue and left the Ministry.
Early life (2007-2019)[]
Gwen was born in 2007 to wizard Kadmus Ferox and Muggle Grace Gaines. Their relationship dissolved soon after Gwen's birth, following arguments about whether to bring her up within the Muggle world or wizarding world. Kadmus disappeared entirely from Gwen's life and memories, due partly to irresponsibility and partly to threats from her mother. She was raised as if a Muggle and without any awareness that she had a different biological father than her four half-sisters.
While smarter than her siblings, she was also the black sheep far more taken with daydreaming and imagination—something her family hardly thought practical or productive. Gwen was happiest when ignored and left to bury herself in books. Gwen's mother was a teacher while her step-father was an insurance agent. Their home was far too small for the family of eight, including her grandmother who was one of few to show her kindness. Her step-father had moved to Camden to work in the music industry, but his spirit was crushed over time and he joined his wife's condescension of creativity. Living in such a place had its effects on the young girl, who became all the more eccentric and was infused with a fiery spirit.
A late bloomer in regard to magic, Gwen's first memorable display of magic occurred between the ages of eight and nine after her half-sisters teamed up in bullying her. Alexandra bit Gwen hard enough to draw blood, but when Alexandra pulled away, her tongue was firmly stuck to the roof of her mouth. This was a likely example of an accidental wandless casting of the Langlock jinx.
From that point on, Grace was suspicious and scared—enough so to forcibly teach Gwen to never defend herself. Gwen was unfortunately not a late bloomer in regard to physical and mental growth. Her above average intelligence and height made her a prime target for bullying in and out of her home, but she'd been instilled with a deep fear that she was an extreme threat to others.
Years later, after Gwen turned eleven, a letter arrived for her inviting her to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her grandmother, Rose Marie Gaines, found it first. Rose Marie sat Gwen down and told her of her true paternity and half-blood status. Grace was adamantly opposed to Gwen attending Hogwarts and would have done anything in her power to prevent Gwen's attendance. Fortunately, Rose Marie was able to contact Tyrisia Ferox, Kadmus's younger sister. Rose Marie and Tyrisia were able to concoct a complex charade about Gwen attending Woldingham, a renowned all-girls boarding school, on a scholarship. Unable to resist the potential to brag and inflate her own social standing through her daughter, Grace accepted the lie and Gwen went to live with her aunt Tyrisia to attend Hogwarts.
Hogwarts years (2019-2026)[]
First year[]
Gwen spent the summer before school living with her father's sister, Aunt Tyrisia, and her newly discovered half-sister Kettia Ferox, the product of Kadmus and yet another Muggle wife. Tyrisia did not stand by the Ferox family's opinions on non pure-bloods, though she did not openly oppose those views either. She rebelled more passively by refusing to marry or continue the pure Ferox bloodline, but Gwen and Kettia became her chance at a family of her own.
The situation was initially strained, and Gwen was not overly fond of her new family during that first summer. Tyrisia had no experience with children and, given Gwen's young age and Muggle upbringing, Gwen did not understand her aunt's situation. Gwen received a sizable inheritance from her late father Kadmus as well as an account opened for her by her missing half-brother Benton, which was still receiving anonymous contributions. Tyrisia was conservator of the accounts until Gwen graduated from Hogwarts, which made Gwen all the more bitter toward her aunt. However, Gwen elected to take the Ferox name as her own.
Gwen during her first year at Hogwarts.
| “ | Pine. Eleven and three-quarter inch length. Dragon heartstring core. Unyielding. It will not protest to experimentation and nonverbal magic, and it is not so unlike your brother's. He too was creative and independent. His wand, however, was far more flexible. Unyielding—now that is intriguing. | „ |
| ~ Wandmaker on Gwen's wand |
Diagon Alley became Gwen's first major leap into the wizarding world. Most importantly, she happened upon another first-year witch named Charlotte Abney outside of Ollivanders. While Charlotte found her wand after just a couple of tries, Gwen was both astounded and disappointed after testing six with poor results. She was unaware of the tradition behind Ollivanders wands, and this sparked a worry that she would not be able to find her place within the wizarding world. The seventh time was the charm, as Gwen was chosen by an eleven and three quarters inch pine wand of unyielding flexibility with a dragon heartstring core. It was also during her interaction with the wandmaker that Gwen became aware of the existence of her brother, having found a match in a wand very similar to his.
Gwen heard enough on the Hogwarts Express to worry about which house she would be Sorted into. The Sorting Hat mentioned the other houses briefly, but it was far from a hatstall, as the Sorting Hat assigned her to Ravenclaw house with confidence.
| “ | Very interesting, but hardly difficult. Daring, cunning, ambitious, but most of all creative and clever. While you may possess qualities of other houses, at your core, you are a Ravenclaw. | „ |
| ~ The Sorting Hat to Gwen while Sorting her |
Within her first year, Gwen faced troll and banshee attacks, the death of an admired professor, whispered gossip about her brother, the disappearance of the Headmistress, and Headmistress Hawthorne's return and attack of Hogwarts. Hogwarts had launched into a full revolt, but Gwen was a scared first-year who took the opportunity to escape to Diagon Alley with two professors rather than stay and fight.
Second year[]
Gwen became isolated and avoidant, filled with regret over being so passive the previous year. The only exception to this was Charlotte, who was also Sorted into Ravenclaw, and Kettia, who was Sorted into Hufflepuff house. Gwen developed insomnia, perhaps because of or contributing more to the heavy burden of guilt. She also dropped Muggle Studies and began a trend of abandoning classes that she felt did not suit her, beginning with Muggle Studies which reminded her of her mother and had been her least favorite class during her first year.
Gwen did not attend any non-academic function or club she could avoid, but she did break from her studies to spend time with Charlotte. Late at night past curfew, the two would sneak out of their dormitory to explore. At first, Charlotte protested, but Gwen was convincing and her free spirit began rubbing off on her best friend. They quickly developed a tradition of using the Clock Tower stairs to avoid their rule breaking being exposed by very vocal portraits between Ravenclaw Tower and the Grand Staircase.
Most often, their late night adventures involved taking part in normal activities that Gwen would not participate in when others were involved. These included slipping off to Hogsmeade when it wasn't teeming with students on the weekends, exploring around the castle grounds, playing in snow during the winter, and wandering into the kitchen to eat after Gwen avoided the day's meals in the busy Great Hall. The excursions were a large comfort and allowed Gwen to freely enjoy the castle without encountering other students.
Gwen enjoyed the Triwizard Tournament, even though Durmstrang triumphed over her home school. She dreamed of one day being well-rounded enough to participate and win, someday. The wind was taken out of her sails, however, with Headmistress Fischer's disappearance.
Fearing a repeat of her first year, Gwen finally began religiously reading the Owl Post, Daily Prophet, and any other sources of information available. While her second year concluded less traumatically than her first, there was the series of events with Professor Oswalt Digby, acting Headmaster Oreyn Fox, a dark wizard, and magic-nullifying Golden Frogs that kept Gwen on alert.
Third year[]
During Gwen's third year, Buzz about the Hag of Crowskeep kept the drama alive at Hogwarts. When Headmistress Fischer returned, Gwen was relieved and hoped that it would lead to the beginning of some Headmaster stability for Hogwarts. When Zimelda Zemeckis took over teaching potions, Gwen's love for the subject only increased. While rumors spread about Zemeckis, Gwen began to wonder if some witches and wizards who were labeled wicked were simply just too ahead of their time, revolutionary, or misunderstood.
Her brother, Benton Ferox, was declared a wanted criminal by certain corrupt individuals rising through the ranks of the Ministry. Gwen and others were easily convinced that he was a Dark Wizard working for a shadowy organization, furthering Gwen's wonders about Dark Wixen. Gwen's goals and studies became significantly more utilitarian, as she took to learning as much about theoretical and practical use of standard magic and darker magic as she could. During her third year, Gwen also both began and abandoned Arithmancy.
It was only when attempts by the Ministry of Magic to take control of Hogwarts became apparent that Gwen truly realized Zemeckis's betrayal. When Headmistress Fischer and Zimelda Zemeckis had their confrontation in the middle courtyard and it was revealed that Zemeckis was a former Death Eater, Gwen began to more seriously reevaluate standard morality. Despite Gwen's internal conflict, she publicly took the side of Fischer.
The whole ordeal launched the school into another period of darkness, fear, and confusion. Gwen's trust, which was always hard-earned, became doubly so. While she did not return to isolation, she did resolve to remain guarded and independent. She also developed a deep dislike of the Ministry of Magic, forming several conspiracy theories in her mind that never faded.
It was a good time for Gwen to face her fears, which became clear to her upon learning about boggarts in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Gwen wasn't sure of exactly what her deepest fear was until she faced a boggart for the first time. It quickly took the form of a cloaked, ominous and dark figure with no face. She froze in fear of the unknown, terrified of what it could be. Her reeling mind considered it could be Benton, Zemeckis, a Dementor, or Death itself, but her true fear was the unknown. Gwen most feared anything she did not know for certain. When she recovered from initial shock, her Riddikulus spell turned the figure into a pile of success and knowledge such as books, exams with Outstanding marks, and the Triwizard Cup.
The school year ended with Gwen taking the last of her time to try and uncover any unknown factors about Ministry motives, plans, and actions. Though Gwen wanted to go to Brighton Bay during the summer, Gwen returned to her aunt's home to avoid whispers of her brother.
Fourth year[]
Gwen and Char together during their fourth year.
Gwen's fourth year started off strong and Gwen's skills flourished. She decided not to take Study of Ancient Runes after attending it during her third year, instead choosing to begin taking Care of Magical Creatures. She began playing Quidditch as a Ravenclaw Chaser. Attacks on Ravenclaw students set Gwen on edge and Headmistress Fischer's decline in health at the hands of Zemeckis's Rescendio Vitae curse, cast during their confrontation during the previous year, made the year begin with a bang of scandal, rumors, and more opportunities for Gwen to seek the greatness and knowledge she craved.
After the appearance of an ouroboros symbol in the Owl Post after winter break, Gwen took the symbol to heart and applied it to many of her lessons—especially Golpalott's Third Law learned in potions under the new professor and Ravenclaw Head of House, Professor Juniper Green. The symbol, and the on-goings of the year, began to put Gwen on edge. Paranoia led to a developed interest in forming a secret "study group" for select individuals she deemed worthy, with various skills that complimented those of other members.
Gwen's friend circle finally grew after a misunderstanding with a fellow fourth year Ravenclaw, Aryiana Novelli. Mistakenly linked by Ary to the shenanigans and mischief of a group she didn't know, Gwen connected with the group, including younger Slytherin Persephone Hyland. This event also sparked a long history of Gwen believing Aryiana disliked her, fearing Aryiana, and wondering whether the Sorting Hat had made a mistake by Sorting Gwen into Ravenclaw House.
Gwen partook in her first date and school dance at February's Hearty Party. She attended with Persephone, with whom she developed a somewhat rocky relationship. The event was interrupted by Judy Dorchester and her team of Ministry cronies, who promptly took control of Hogwarts. This led to the transformation of Gwen's informal study group into L.U.N.A., an acronym for "Luminaries United for Necessary Action." L.U.N.A. functioned using a system of secret numerical codes for arranging meetings. Unity was not long lived, however, as Charlotte was pulled from school by her family. Gwen recoiled to her studies and her dorm room, rarely to be seen.
This aloofness only grew, despite the return of the Headmistress and departure of the Ministry goons, when she visited her Muggle family over the summer holidays. Her beloved grandmother had fallen ill, forcing Gwen to stay with the mother she loathed in order to spend time with her grandmother. Gwen and her mother spent the summer at each other's throats as Gwen fretted over her grandmother's declining health.
Fifth year[]
Gwen during her fifth year at Hogwarts.
After a stormy summer, Gwen's return to Hogwarts was unenthusiastic. She continued her pattern of dropping certain classes by no longer taking Ghoul Studies, but she did begin attending some Muggle Music classes for fun during her fifth year only. She spent most of her time stowed away in her room studying. She avoided Persephone, wordlessly ending their relationship with her inattentiveness, and even failed to tend to her own sister. She stopped going to Quidditch practice and lost her spot on the team.
The winter holidays brought no relief. When Gwen arrived at her mother's to visit her grandmother once more, she was met with fury. Her mother had learned of Gwen's deception when she tried contacting Woldingham Boarding School. Her grandmother had passed, her mother called the school she was pretending to attend, and the truth came out. Her mother began rummaging through her trunk, destroying everything magic related she could find and even injuring Gwen's pet owl, Valor. Gwen spent the winter stranded there, nearly unable to return to Hogwarts, until Aunt Tyrisia arrived to retrieve Gwen after every letter sent to her niece went unanswered.
Once back at Hogwarts, Gwen threw herself into her studies like never before, especially potions and transfiguration. She weighted herself with the monumental task of achieving O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in all of her favorite subjects in order to keep wizarding career options broad and plenty. While she spoke of a respectable future with The Ministry of Magic, Gwen confided in some that she wanted to be a writer.
Gwen became desperate for excitement and human companionship by the time the Hearty Party rolled around once more. In the end, it was a particular Owl Post horoscope that pulled her from her slump. "It’s time to move on from the past. This reoccurring nightmare will not pass unless you let it. Clear out the darkness from your mind and only fill it with good. Think of it as casting a Patronus on your mind to finally free yourself." She took this horoscope deeply to heart.
Gwen briefly developed a misguided relationship with an older Gryffindor boy, Teival Aiken. He was one of the first people to take issue with Gwen's intense lingering loyalty to Persephone Vitrac, and he often commanded Gwen's attention through orchestrating arguments. Gwen became resentful of his bitterness and began to take offense to his habit of controlling aspects of Gwen such as her hair style. She also was displeased with his plans to leave Hogwarts early to become a Muggle lawyer, something Gwen felt beneath a wizard of his talents. When he attempted to kiss her, she punched him and ended their relationship. Gwen was quickly pursued by friend and Gryffindor Sahian Drago, trying to capitalize on Gwen's breakup.
Gwen regained her stride and began making new friends, dueling with Gryffindors, studying for her O.W.L.s, and practicing Quidditch. Gwen donned the penname "The Unseen One" to write conspiracy theory articles, in addition to her usual Weekly Wand column about various students' and staffs' wands, after a group of Ravenclaws began wearing oversized hats and formed a study group similar to the beginnings of L.U.N.A. After she caught them collecting her hair in her sleep, she became convinced they were a shady organization that she called "The Ravenclaw Hat Cult," and those who wished to cruelly stoke Gwen's paranoia attributed the group to Aryiana Novelli.
Gwen became exceptionally defensive regarding her tight-knit group of friends, unaware of external perception. What their group saw as closeness, support, and protectiveness, others saw as a clique of bullies. This clash of views and blind faith in her friends and sister often had Gwen unwittingly on the wrong side of conflict, only serving to deepen her loyalty and fuel her paranoia about outsiders.
Gwen was invited to be a part of Professor O'Keeffe's academic club where she received special tutelage in wandmaking alongside some other members of her friend group. She also reconnected with Persephone but learned that the feisty Slytherin Quidditch Captain had been attacked and infected by lycanthropy during a late night walk, contemplating their relationship while Gwen was in her isolated state. Blaming herself, Gwen was driven to finish her most challenging academic goal to date—Gwen was determined to become an Animagus, partly to keep Persephone company during full moons. With the help of professors Arianna von DracheBlume and Salem Montgomery, as well as close friends Hayden Thruston and Sahian, Gwen progressed through the many steps to become a full-fledged Animagus in March of the school year. Despite fears that she would become a dung beetle, she was relieved to end up a raven.
Following attacks and threats by an unknown entity known as Ouroboros, as well as speculation about Umbrae, there were renewed requests to revive L.U.N.A. With the help of Professor Danica Priaulx, L.U.N.A. donned the façade of an astronomy club to investigate Ouroboros and Umbra. Gwen was also offered the title of prefect by Ravenclaw Head of House Cassand Eidolon to begin looking into Ravenclaw's troubles with Ouroboros.
Perhaps it was Gwen's involvement in the investigation that drew Ouroboros to her next. A stone engraved with a symbol of a snake consuming its own tail was left in the Ravenclaw Common Room in a package with a note that said "To Gwenaderin Ferox" in a neat, slanting handwriting. Due to Gwen's concerns about Aryiana and the Ravenclaw Hat Cult and staff's concerns about the Ouoroboros stone being a threat against Gwen, Professor Eidolon saw to it that Gwen rested more easily in the comfort of heavy protection and wards in the Divination Tower. Several of her friends joined her for occasional Divination Tower slumber parties.
The stone quickly drew Gwen's interest and not long after took hold, making Gwen extremely possessive of it to the point that she began guarding it from even her friends, whom she began rapidly losing for choosing her obsession with the mystery of Ouroboros over everyone else. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Gwen herself, a curse began transforming her, making Gwen the very thing she was obsessed with hunting.
The curse took hold and caused Gwen to act upon her darkest prejudices. Gwen began secretly attacking those she felt were more trouble than help, be that due to laziness or interference. Biased against people who did not share her focus or whom became obstacles, Gwen's cursed subconscious began dealing with them in extreme ways, while Gwen woke up tired and unaware after her blackouts.
During this time, Gwen's friends' negative traits finally being directed at each other. The group began fracturing over matters that largely remained unknown to Gwen, causing her to blame herself at times. When Kettia ran away from Hogwarts without planning to tell Gwen, Gwen began falling apart and distracted herself by fixating on her investigations even more. She took it even harder when many of her graduating friends left early alongside Kettia, never fully recovering.
She carried out the year in a tired and paranoid state. She dreaded summer and having to stay with sad Aunt Tyrisia and the hole left by Kettia. Her only friend from the end of her fifth year onward was Gryffindor Hayden Thruston. She had invited him to stay in a vacation home over the summer with their friend group, but with only the two of them remaining, they simply visited each other. Tyrisia spent much of the summer embroiled in a custody battle with Grace Grimm over Gwen, which was only resolved through the use of Memory Charms of Gwen's Muggle family. Gwen only emerged from her aunt's home to attend the wedding of Saffron Foxclaw and George Macauley.
Sixth year[]
Gwen Ferox during her sixth year in the Hogwarts Clocktower.
Gwen obtained seven O.W.L.s: 'Outstanding' marks in Charms, Defence against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Potions; 'Exceeds Expectations' in Herbology and Astronomy; and 'Acceptable' in Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. She did not take the tests for electives she didn't attend: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies. While she was qualified to take more, she went on to take N.E.W.T level classes only for Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration.
Most of Gwen's sixth year was spent focused on wandmaking, the Owl Post, L.U.N.A., and Ouroboros. When the stone was taken from her by the person she trusted most, Gwen began to unravel even further. She decided that her obsessions and secret projects had cost her friendships, her prefect badge, her Quidditch team spot, her sister, and so many other important things. Another side, perhaps one corrupted by what the curse had brought out in her, felt betrayed, vengeful, unappreciated, and distrusted.
Gwen was forced to reevaluate herself, her life, and her mindset. Upon beginning to accept that she had unwillingly become like the very evils she was fixated on fighting, she resorted to burying herself in her typical isolation, trust issues, conspiracy theories, and personal goals. Conflict with other students and once beloved friends made Gwen consider the same sorts of shifted morals that undoubtedly bred many Dark Wizards and Witches.
As summer approached, she left Hogwarts confused, afraid of herself, and uncertain if she should return. Gwen believed that the only people who truly still cared about her were gone. She'd also been overcome with a sense of warped egotism having carried out her guiltiest impulses and gotten away with it.
Seventh year[]
Gwen begrudgingly attended the start of her seventh year, but it felt empty with Kettia gone, Persephone seemingly moved on, and so many graduated friends. She stopped attending O'Keeffe's advanced learning club, leaving another hole in her usual activities. Maybe, she thought, Hogwarts didn't have anything to offer her anymore. She spottily attended N.E.W.T level Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration classes while dropping or not pursuing N.E.W.T. level in Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, and Divination. She rushed through much of the material for her seventh year and did not attend the formal Hogwarts graduation, a regret that stuck with her. She achieved N.E.W.T.s in all five subjects she sat, refusing to take other exams even though they could have furthered her career opportunities after Hogwarts.
After Hogwarts (2026-Present)[]
Travel to America[]
Gwen spent her time after Hogwarts looking for her sister, Kettia Ferox, and the truth about her brother, Benton Ferox. Her travels around the world were also a chance to deal with her conflicted feelings and thoughts about morality, events, and herself. While she did manage to learn surprising truths about her brother, such as him being framed for crimes while working against Ministry corruption, her quest to find Kettia was fruitless.
Gwen during her apprenticeship with an American wandmaker.
Gwen rushed into a marriage of convenience with a Slytherin alumnus in pursuit of a quiet, normal life. While she poured everything she could into her marriage, the relationship remained formal, platonic, and long distance. The two maintained separate overseas employment that kept space and estrangement.
Gwen secured an apprenticeship with an American wandmaker, but she had a hard time fitting in thanks to her unconventional ideas, conspiracy theories, and dark curiosities. During a trip through the South United States to spend time with several independent wandmakers, an encounter with Jean-Baptiste Leclerc in New Orleans, Louisiana led her to a particularly informative wandmaker who taught Gwen about crafting wands with rougarou hair.
Gwen had obtained a vial of werewolf hair from Persephone during her fifth year that she'd always intended to test as a wand core. Once she'd learned a method for using rougarou hair, she began working toward using werewolf hair as a core for her own new wand. Unfortunately, rougarou hair was believed to have an affinity for the Dark Arts and her use of werewolf hair was viewed as even more worrisome.
During her time in America, Gwen began receiving evidence from an unknown source that her brother Benton was innocent and not involved with The Umbrae that unfortunately added to her troubles, as the evidence began making her room look like she had ties to several Dark Wixen. Given her gray philosophies, friendship with Jean-Baptiste, experimentations with werewolf hair, and seeming ties to Dark Wixen, she lost her apprenticeship due to her dark leanings.
Return to Europe[]
Gwen returned to London after failing to find her future in America, though time would tell that she had returned with a watchful shadow, keeping an eye on her since her time in America and following her back home. Her toxic marriage, loss of friends and family, and time spent cursed left a lasting mark. Gwen took an unfulfilling contract job transcribing and editing research notes about wood lice in an attempt to avoid power that she feared might tempt her toward a darker path.
Toward the end of 2027, Gwen was unknowingly tipped off by her hidden protector via anonymously mailed photos, addresses, and bills that much of her inheritance and the account steadily grown by Tyrisia and Benton Ferox had been emptied by her husband to fund a secret project and purchase housing for a mistress. When she uncovered the location, she arrived to find her husband and his secret lover in the midst of immoral, criminal, and unspeakable acts involving illegal hopes breeding serpentine dark creatures and attempts at the creation of Inferi. She used their own wands to transfigure her husband into a snake and his lover into a rat, forged signs of departure and letters of a plan to flee the country to be together, and left the two as animals somewhere in Australia.
Gwen then attempted to reform her life. She was nominated for a Golden Quill Award for a piece she wrote about her findings and time in the United States while studying wandmaking and was offered a permanent position continuing her work with wood lice that would require relocating to the United States again. Before leaving for America, Gwen showed up at Persephone's New Year's Eve party in Godric's Hollow with the intent of being her old flame's New Year's kiss. She ended up abandoning her selfish goal, however, hoping to let go of Persephone so the girl could live happily without her. Persephone encouraged Gwen to apply for a position at Ollivanders instead, but Gwen was hesitant due to her previous troubles during her wandmaking apprenticeship.
A new hope[]
| “ | All I can tell you is that, even not really knowing you, what you're doing now isn't working out for you. Maybe it's time to challenge yourself and do some re-invention. | „ |
| ~ Bonnie Nishi |
While drinking and thinking at The Three Broomsticks, Gwen was approached by another guest she'd met at Persephone's New Year's Eve party, Bonnie Nishi. The relatable and wise Ravenclaw alumnus recommended she apply for a job with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Such work, especially after the scandal of Benton Ferox and with Gwen's distaste for the Ministry of Magic, had never been a consideration to Gwen, but Bonnie seemed to know exactly which buttons to press and Gwen was under the influence of enough firewhisky to agree and apply. Gwen soon entered the employment of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's Patrol Squad under the command of Aleksandr Metel.
Shortly after obtaining employment, a young wizard from America named Wyatt Maddux also joined the department, but Gwen did not have much energy for getting better acquainted with her coworkers. She was distracted with the political climate between goblins and wizards, attempts to recruit her into a shadowy organization, and the legal battles over The Ferox Estate. She struggled to find her place within the department and began playing a misguided cat-and-mouse game with Bonnie, often upsetting her superior and pushing Gwen further toward the side of herself she was desperately avoiding.
It was finally decided that The Ferox Estate was to be controlled by an administrator appointed by Benton Ferox, the true inheritor, in his absence. Some of the more avaricious relatives of the UK Feroxs, Gwen's husband's family, and others had tried to challenge Benton's ownership of the estate due to his disappearance. Gwen was relieved, but disappointed that her brother couldn't claim it himself. Days later, Wyatt Maddux revealed himself to Gwen to be Benton's administrator and Gwen's shadow, tailing and investigating her at Benton's request. He'd also been responsible for Gwen learning the truth about her husband and learning of Benton's innocence. Gwen moved into Ferox Manor alongside Wyatt.
Physical appearance[]
| “ | She was perched like a gargoyle atop the chair with her lips pursed in thought. One porcelain hand reached up to run through her wild black hair, pushing aside the unkempt and uneven chunks that hung like a curtain of vines over her blue eyes. | „ |
| ~ Description of Gwen seated in the Ravenclaw Common Room |
Gwen's black hair was artfully disheveled and kept short, aside from her youth and a brief period of Teival Aiken altering her hair during her fifth year at Hogwarts. Her eyes were blue with tinges of gray and gold and were accented by long, thick lashes. Her face was round with a ski slope nose and full lips often painted black. She was tall and lanky with a habit of wearing alternative modern clothes or vintage formal fashion, usually all in black. She often sat and stood in abnormal positions, but she walked with confident purpose and earnestness. Her raven Animagus form featured her same eyes and messy hair taking the form of ruffled feathers.
Personality and traits[]
| “ | I'm ever the devil on your shoulder, Char, but not all answers come from books. | „ |
| ~ Gwen to Charlotte Abney while sneaking out of Ravenclaw Tower |
Gwen was mostly Machiavellian and an ethical consequentialist. While she did have friends and a desire to impress, her own interests and goals came first. She sought answers and new information at almost any cost, believing knowledge was the ultimate power and that the ends justify the means. She had many controversial thoughts she felt compelled to keep to herself, robbing her of proper moral guidance and clarity.
Gwen was highly intelligent but impatient and quirky; she was the sort to prefer instant gratification, constant thought, and clear results. When bored, she redirected her attention by plotting conflict and how she could solve it. It became more and more enticing to create challenges for herself, regardless of traditional morality, which she viewed as flexible if for beneficial reasons. This need for constant activity sometimes manifested in the form of conspiracy theories, but it was unclear if Gwen actually believed her own wild ramblings, rants, and accusations or if she was simply causing problems to ponder and solve.
Gwen's deepest fears included things she did not or could not know for certain, to include what others were truly thinking, the outcome of relationships, and especially death. This caused her to either make educated guesses and take them as fact or fixate on the matter. It also made her prone to occasional fits of paranoia when progress could not be made.
Gwen was known to be somewhat flirtatious when trying to form beneficial connections but drew the line at anyone trying to condescend her. While seemingly possessing the ability to be charming, her genuine romantic actions were clumsy and awkward whenever she had genuine interest in someone. Though she did have periods alongside wizards, her romantic history conveyed a preference for the companionship of talented and passionate witches.
Gwen enjoyed much of the Muggle world, but she preferred her magical life and detested her Muggle mother. She resented being a half-blood and half her mother's daughter, so she enjoyed rumors that she was a pureblood. She also believed she may have been better suited for Slytherin; that feeling grew alongside her irritation with Ravenclaw housemates during her time at Hogwarts.
She was very interested in music, writing, and drawing. Gwen focused on potions, charms, and transfiguration primarily, believing that they were the most challenging and productive, but she had a special fondness for care of magical creatures and divination. While she wanted to obtain O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in most subjects to secure a respectable Ministry future, she actually wanted to be a wandmaker.
Magical abilities and skills[]
| “ | A dark shape formed in her mind, taking over. At first, it was just a wispy shadow that felt as if it was defending her from the pain. It was its heartbeat that she could feel in addition to her own. When the raven opened its eyes and spread its wings, she felt her worry fade. It felt like meeting something that had always been there. | „ |
| ~ Gwen's first Animagus transformation |
Gwen was a natural with transfiguration, favoring transformation transfiguration, which allowed her to become an Animagus. She took the form of a common raven with her blue eyes and disheveled hair in feather form as her identifying marks. While she planned to register as an Animagus, forms were lost between school years when professors were shuffled around, much to Gwen's delight.
Gwen began showing skill with nonverbal magic during her sixth year at Hogwarts and her pine wand aided that natural talent. It also enhanced her abilities as a duelist. Gwen was a ruthless duelist who excelled in using both charms and transfiguration in fights. Her primary tactic was beginning with basic spells to allow herself early defensive focus. Once her opponent was hindered, she utilized painful spells and transfigurations to finish the duel. During informal fights, she was known to disable an opponent before firing hexes.
Gwen tutored Hayden Thurston in potions and many members of L.U.N.A. in charms, transfiguration, and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Teaching helped her memorize information and benefitted her own knowledge in those subjects. She also spent most of her free time in the Divination Tower or the Astronomy Tower for L.U.N.A. meetings under the guise of an astronomy club where she often did extra work of studying divination and astronomy, helping her pass higher level exams for each.
While not a magical ability, Gwen dabbled in the performance and traditional arts. She loved to create caricatures of friends, professors, and even the occasional stranger. She was a tolerable poet, with most written content using heavy symbolism and themes of ancient mythology. Her poetry lended heavily to her skills as a proficient rap battler. She was the winner of the informal Hogwarts Rap Battle of 2024 and was known to sometimes sling lyrical roasts alongside spells during duels.
Possessions[]
Gwen's wand
| “ | Unyielding, so they're likely not particularly prone to change or adapting. The sort of person who clings to the past or their established beliefs. Pine and dragon heartstring for this one. That owner's probably a loner, independent, does their own thing while everyone else is trying figure out what the hell they're on about. Pine tends to adapt pretty well, at least to new spells and ways of casting, so the owner might be able to adapt a little bit, if it's framed creatively and interestingly enough. Probably talented with nonverbal spells and eager to try new ones, but they aren't the flashy sort. They don't want to be the center of attention. If we're talking a criminal, they probably were suspect from a young age—keeping to themselves, talking conspiracies, and mistrusting authority. | „ |
| ~ Wand shop staff Jinxara Twigg reading Gwen's wand |
- Wand: Gwen's most prized possession was her wand. It was both the same wood and core type as her brother's, but hers was longer and unyielding. She obtained it from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley with Charlotte Abney and Jasmine Poletti. During her fourth year at Hogwarts, she finally earned her wand, realizing that she needed to stop bending to appease others. She stopped caring for house points, detentions, or changing herself and her ways to cater to others, becoming as unyielding as her wand.
- Moonstone ring: A milky moonstone set in bright silver metal was always worn on Gwen's right index or ring finger. It was obtained during her fourth year to send messages between L.U.N.A. members. She kept it on even when she slept. It was purchased in Hogsmeade, specially protean charmed, and closely matched several others made for top members.
- Camera: Gwen's vintage Olympia camera was gifted to her during her fifth year by Sahian Drago. It was one of her most prized possessions and its rose print strap rarely left her neck. While the body was an old Muggle camera from a flea market, Sahian's mother enchanted it to take magical pictures. It had no electronic parts required for usage, which allowed it to function at Hogwarts.
- Owls: Gwen's beloved pet was a barred owl gifted to her by her aunt before her first year. She named him Valor and the two grew very fond of one another. He delivered all of Gwen's letters for her and visited her nightly while at Hogwarts. Valor was injured by Gwen's mother during winter holiday of her fifth year. He recovered, but Gwen became more protective of him than ever. During her divorce in 2027, Valor was stolen and hidden from Gwen in an attempt to extort her. She got a new screech owl in 2028 named Hades out of necessity, named in reference to Persephone.
- Ferox Estate: The UK branch of the Ferox Family largely settled in a place that became known as the Ferox Estate in Ilkley, Yorkshire, England. The land and large home that sits upon it, Ferox Manor, last belonged to Benton Ferox but fell into Gwen's use in 2028. The estate was home to Ferox Birds of Prey, an aviary that bred and sold a variety of companion birds. It was also home to the rebuilt Ferox Manor which burned down in the early 1900s and was rebuilt in a more modern style immediately after. The manor was once home to Benton Ferox under the care of Kadmus Ferox before becoming the home of Gwen Ferox and Wyatt Maddux, alongside permanent residents including the long time family house elf called Willee, a non-corporeal poltergeist, and the ghost of Galfridus Ferox.
Relationships[]
Family[]
Grimm Family[]
Gwen had a poor relationship with her mother, Grace Grimm. This isolated her from her step-father, Thomas Grimm, and her four half-sisters. Gwen recognized Grace for the manipulative and polar bully that she was, but refused to acknowledge her own, though far less prominent, manipulative and polar nature. Rose Marie Gaines, Gwen's maternal grandmother, was the sole light in most of Gwen's childhood. Gwen completely separated from her Muggle family after Rose Marie passed away and Grace discovered that Gwen was attending Hogwarts in 2024. Her paternal aunt, Tyrisia Ferox, was forced to use Memory Charms on the Grimms to avoid a Muggle custody battle.
Ferox Family[]
Gwen was closest to her paternal aunt, Tyrisia Ferox and her witch half-sister, Kettia. She lived with her aunt and Kettia when not at Hogwarts. Her relationship with Tyrisia began shakily, but it improved greatly over the years. Gwen's eventual idolization and love for Tyrisia caused Gwen to take the Ferox name and try to reclaim her heritage and revamp the Ferox family. The two reverted to a strained and distant relationship when Kettia ran away, but they forever maintained immense love and admiration for each other and fondness for the years they spent together.
Gwen looked down on her father, having heard the true story of his death. She did not fault the Ferox family for their cover up, actually somewhat admiring their cleverness and power in regard to the matter. She felt that Kadmus Ferox was an idle wastrel, though, and that his death was perhaps for the best. Her time at Ferox Manor and further uncovering of details about her father highlighted his belligerence, philandering ways, misogyny, and aggressively short fuse. She resented Kadmus for his ways in life as well as his idiotic and unnecessary demise.
As far as her elder brother, Benton, Gwen was afraid of him when she did not know the truth behind him going rogue. She feared not only the danger of her brother, but also retaliation aimed at her and the damage he could do to her reputation. Whenever a Dark Witch or Wizard had an impact on Hogwarts, she worried that the next could very well be Benton Ferox, or that he was somehow involved. He, on the other hand, opened and frequently contributed to an account at Gringotts in her name, ensuring she was provided for. He also hired his best friend, a private investigator named Wyatt Maddux, to keep watch over her after she graduated from Hogwarts and to informally transfer Benton's inheritance, the Ferox Estate, to Gwen. She grew to both admire Benton and resent him for staying away. Deep down, she mourned the connection such immediate family could have brought.
Kettia Ferox[]
Gwen's younger half-sister, Kettia Ferox, came into Gwen's life when they were ten and eleven years of age, respectively. Another half-blood Ferox from hedonistic and wild Kadmus, she was the product of a trist that ended poorly, as did all of Kadmus's relationships. She was kept secret from Kadmus, and thus the Ferox family by extension, for a time. Shortly after Gwen went to live with Tyrisia, Kettia came along after the death of her mother. A year later, she began attending Hogwarts with Gwen. Despite their different houses, Gwen grew to love her younger sister dearly. At the end of Gwen's fifth year, Kettia left Hogwarts with a group of older graduated friends, never to return. Gwen only learned of the impending departure when she ran into Kettia in the Three Broomsticks, preparing to leave. Kettia's withdrawal, the abruptness, and lack of intention to tell Gwen fueled much of Gwen's pain and frequent desires to remain a loner. She often spent weeks at a time searching for Kettia once her sister dropped out of Hogwarts.
Charlotte Abney[]
Gwen met Charlotte "Char" Abney just before her first year at Hogwarts, outside of Ollivanders in Diagon Alley. They purchased their wands together and had been joined at the hip since, up until their fourth year when Charlotte was pulled from school during the Ministry takeover. Gwen had fully intended to pull Charlotte up the ladder to greatness alongside herself, but she wasn't quite the same her fifth year without Char. The two eventually fell out of contact entirely after Gwen got married and Charlotte engaged. Charlotte was the first major catalyst for Gwen's hatred of the Ministry, abandonment issues, and isolative tendencies.
Essa Nazari[]
A member of L.U.N.A. and frequent co-conspirator of Gwen's, younger Ravenclaw Essa Nazari was one of few not to too heavily fault Gwen for her isolative ways. Gwen saw her like a very capable sister and often viewed her as one of her most valuable allies.
Saffron Foxclaw[]
Saffron Foxclaw, an older Ravenclaw part Veela, was Gwen's first crush and frequent idol. Many of Gwen's professional and practical habits were the result of imitating Saffron's politeness, professionalism, and ingenuity. Most noticeably, Gwen began tucking her wand in her hair after seeing Saffron do so. Gwen was frequently fixated on smelling Saffron's hair. One of Gwen's fondest memories and biggest honors was attending the wedding of Saffron Foxclaw and George Macauley, even if George never remembered her.
Persephone Vitrac[]
Persephone Hyland, later known as Persephone Vitrac, was Gwen's first girlfriend and long time love. Persephone brought out confidence, passion, and fire in Gwen, things desperately needed for the girl to progress happily in life. Their relationships had its ups and downs, and Gwen had no idea how to properly express herself or handle difficulty in romance. The two ran L.U.N.A. together and maintained a hot and cold connection over the years, largely due to Gwen's sugar and ice personality paired with Persephone's frequent hot-headed suitors. In keeping with Persephone's mythological name, Gwen was often referred to as Hades by Persephone. Persephone was the physical counterpart to Gwen's preferred mental subterfuge, making it difficult for Gwen to understand the younger Slytherin girl, no matter how complimentary a pair they made. They frequently fought during their younger years until Persephone became infected by lycanthropy. She was the primary source of Gwen's guilt complex and therefore was the driving force behind Gwen's efforts toward self improvement and to be a repentant protector at times. It was a promise to Persephone that further sealed Gwen's future as an Animagus.
Sila Warrington[]
Gwen first met Sila Warrington in 2022, but they did not become close until Gwen's fifth year. Sila was a few years younger than Gwen, and she saw them like a sibling. The two bonded over their abilities and their struggles with the graduations of their older friends.
Aryiana Novelli[]
| “ | Truthfully, the only version of you I ever knew was the distorted perception or lies of those around me. Either way, I won't judge you on your past. However, I'd be honored to have the opportunity to get to know you. | „ |
| ~ Gwen to Aryiana Novelli |
Among Gwen's dormmates was Aryiana Novelli, a fellow Ravenclaw whom Gwen had little trouble with until her fourth year. After Aryiana reported Gwen during a large misunderstanding, Gwen began to believe rumours regarding Aryiana, including that the Ary had a vendetta against Gwen, and Gwen began to doubt her place within Ravenclaw House. At every turn, she disapproved of Aryiana, even if it was sometimes just for the sake of it, largely because of Gwen's paranoia, anxiety, and fragile ego. Misunderstandings, rumours, and unfortunate coincidences seem to have a way of fueling Gwen's fears and avoidance while Aryiana remained oblivious. Thankfully, by 2028 when both worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's Patrol Squad, Gwen ran into Aryiana at The Thirsty Dragon in Godric's Hollow and finally addressed the issue. To her surprise, Aryiana had been almost entirely unaware of Gwen but shared life changing information with Gwen that finally solved a major mystery of her school years, relieved Gwen of her fear of Aryiana, and shook Gwen's perception of her closest Hogwarts friends.
Sahian Drago[]
Sahian Drago was Gwen's friend and the gifter of her much beloved camera during her fifth year. Both emotionally entangled with Persephone, they met one night on the Clock Tower staircase and became fast friends over a shared love of photography and drawing as well as a slew of father troubles. It was Sahian that most encouraged Gwen to pursue journalism, photography, and all of her artistic desires. Sahian was there through all of the Animagus process, including Gwen's first transformation. Unfortunately, Sahian started acting possessive of Gwen around Teival Aiken and then Persephone Vitrac, so their relationship ended.
Hayden Thruston[]
Hayden Thruston and Gwen became close friends after an argument in the Great Hall ended with Hayden tending to her friends during her fifth year. He mentored Gwen in herbology on exchange for her help with potions. He began aiding in her research toward becoming an Animagus. He was a favourite person of Gwen's for being one of very few people to ever support her with no ulterior motive or possessive tendencies. They fell out of touch after Hayden's health issues left him frequently hospitalized.
Michel St. Jours[]
Michel St. Jours began a friend of Gwen's sister, Kettia, but quickly became a key member of L.U.N.A. and a good friend to Gwen. The two often plotted, taught, and discussed matters of the heart together. He was key in creating much of the structure of L.U.N.A., such as their code words and alert systems. The older Hufflepuff was like the brother Gwen always wished she could have had in Bento Ferox, and he often advised her and helped her find clearer perspective. He was one of her favorite confidants of all time, and she loved investigating and going over clues with him. The two had a very playfully teasing friendship that only faded once Michel graduated. Thanks to Michel, Gwen was finally able to conjure a Patronus.
Haneul Park[]
An unfortunate misunderstanding combined with both Han's and Gwen's personalities led to Slytherin Haneul Park becoming Gwen's primary enemy from her fifth year onward. She frequently accused him of being Ouroboros, and he was always her first suspect in any attacks on Ravenclaw students, herself, or her friends.
Jean-Baptiste Leclerc[]
After graduating Hogwarts, Gwen's time in America led her to make the acquaintanceship of New Orleans native Jean-Baptiste Leclerc. He was responsible for introducing her to a wandmaker who shared their knowledge of alternate wand cores. The two developed an almost familial relationship during Gwen's time in the States, but Jean-Baptiste's mysterious reputation and Gwen learning how to use rougarou hair as a wand core contributed to Gwen losing her wandmaking apprenticeship.
Jean-Baptiste arrived in Hogsmeade in 2028 seeking new opportunities shortly after Gwen joined the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The two reconnected by chance in the Hogsmeade Speakeasy, The Crimson Fang.
Bonnie Nishi[]
While Gwen had first noticed Bonnie Nishi during Bonnie's Sorting hatstall, she didn't properly meet the younger fellow Ravenclaw until after they'd both graduated and were attending Persephone's New Year's party on the first of January, 2028. A serendipitous encounter a week later at The Three Broomsticks led to Gwen's employment with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement under Patrol Quartermaster Bonnie Nishi. Bonnie was also an extremely talented duelist who served Gwen her first formal defeat, earning Gwen's admiration and respect.
Wyatt Maddux[]
Both new hires within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Gwen first formally met Wyatt Maddux at the department's social event held at The Crimson Fang. She had informally met the Hit Wizard at a few bars in America prior, something that became clearer when she learned Wyatt had been hired to watch and aid her. Evidence Gwen had been given of Benton's innocence and incriminating evidence of Gwen's husband's misdeeds all came from Wyatt. The best friend of her old brother, Benton Ferox, Wyatt was an American private investigator who became Gwen's shadow guardian and the legal administrator of the Ferox Estate and Ferox Manor before finally revealing himself to Gwen.
Rumors[]
- "A lot of Ravenclaws say she disappeared after curfew and slept between classes during the day instead. She'd been doing it for years, and I think she's a vampire or something."
- "I've heard she slept in the Divination Tower to avoid her housemates during her time at Hogwarts. How strange!"
- "She was such a promising witch, but no Ferox can stay clean of scandal for long. I heard she got into some shady drama in the States, came back disgraced, and ended up crashing one of Persephone Vitrac's parties. It's pitiful how she continues to pine after Vitrac after all these years."
- "She must have been such a terrible wife for her husband to entirely disappear just to get away. No one's heard from him in a while, but they say he ran off with another woman."
Behind the scenes[]
- "Gwenaderin Ferox" is a character portrayed by Violetile Resident in the virtual world Second Life® at Mischief Managed, a devotional sim created by Anya Ohmai and voluntarily maintained by various creative administrators and players. You can find out more information here: http://mischiefmanagedsl.net
- Gwenaderin's name is based on two Welsh words. Gwyn is Welsh for "white" and aderyn means "bird." The two combined are a direct reference to The Little White Bird, a British novel that first introduced the character known as Peter Pan.
Tropes[]
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SugarAndIcePersonality
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FallenHero
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ByronicHero
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AntiVillain
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GuiltComplex
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BrokenBird
- https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ReluctantRuler