OOC: This took me an hour to write, but I've finally finished!
Melanie Jane Black
Then: Melanie was originally intended just to be that kind, loving teacher whom everyone loved. She was supposed to have the name Black but not be part of the Black family. When I signed her up I made a teacher only because I didn't think I'd be on much and I wanted to have a way to force me to get involved/still be able to post because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up. The basis of her character originated when I read the HP series for the first time (2010) as a Hogwarts student, and stayed that way until I imagined her as an adult a few weeks before the sign ups for this thread. Coincidence? I think not. This being said, all I knew about her was that she was kind and loving and (originally) taught transfiguration. I cannot tell you how happy I am now that that class was already taken.
Now: All I can say is wow. I've never had a character that was so developed so much I knew how she would react in any given situation. In fact, all my past characters I've created for things have not really developed at all. She has grown so much as a character, yet she's still got the personality and possibly a bigger heart than I originally imagined. Linus really forced me to look into her childhood, which helped a lot. I imagine that as a little girl at Hogwarts she was soft and caring and sweet and loved everyone. She's got a way of doing things when she's having a certain emotion that no one can tell the significance of unless they really know her, such as her curling up in her chair only when she's upset. She also doesn't explain things well when she's upset, either. She looks people in the eyes occasionally to get something across that only they need to know or she can't handle telling. They're little things, but they're what make her her. Also, she does like more muggle things than most because she grew up acting like one up until her mother's death. That, of course, really was the basis for everything that's happened to her. Nessie said Mel was a strong character-that made me really happy, as I thought everyone would view her as the opposite (which I do not. I agree she is strong). And I really like the whole protection spell thing because it really does make sense. She can't bare killing anyone or harming them at all, so instead she is a very strong fighter who can cast a wickedly strong protection spell. She's also a lot more damaged than I originally imagined and is part of the Black family because she seemed to fit so well, with everyone being death eaters and such and her family all dying young. Her grandfather is the one who Sirius talks about in book 5 (he gave him gold when he ran away from home). That provided a place in the right generation where there was a burn so we couldn't see if he had any kids. That worked out perfectly, but it also means that Draco is her 2nd cousin and Bellatrix is her first once removed, as well as Sirius and Andromeda. She also has family responsibilities purely because I didn't want to make her aunt up myself (which, of course, I eventually did as another aunt, whom I tried to follow the constellation theme for the Black family but couldn't find anything I liked) so I chose Freya. That's what started that. Corbin is a miracle for Mel, because I never thought she would have someone. I also really have always liked the relationship she has with Evan. And if I were Wings I'd blame myself only, purely because it is my fault. I remember the moment I started this: they were in Jay's office and everyone knew something was up with Linus and Mel. Brandon and I had been plotting Azkaban and I didn't think she would go willingly (because she didn't trust him) without a back up plan, and with that I needed another teacher. Immediately Evan came to mind, probably because I knew he was only a year older than her. But really all that started it was her looking at him and saying his name after Jackson died the first time, and all this happened. And then Georgie came along and a whole bunch of other things happened with her. I will tell you one thing, though. There was a moment in the first thread (first battle I believe) where I felt as of she could go to ways concerning Evan. Either she could have a sibling bond or she could love them; both I could see clearly. However, I thought some more and decided to keep going the sibling path that we had already started to take and avoid that possibly heartbreaking drama. And I know I killed her. I did, and I'm sorry. But, for those of you who I haven't told, I chose how she died and her murderer for a reason. She died saving Luke. If you guys remember the beginning of the first thread, Linus threatened Luke, and Mel has been worried about him the whole time. So she would die saving him (a student, as I always imagined she would), someone who she loved and was fond of, by her aunt which just fits I guess. But, as my signature says, there is all the difference in the world that she died willingly, seeing the spell coming, rather than being hit unknowingly or by accident.
Holly Stokes
Then: She was created merely because I wanted a student. She was supposed to be that character who had very strong opinions on everything.
Now: Well, she's much more calm now and, apparently, is "always right," according to Lucas and Jackson. I can see her hanging out with not only her friends who are girls but being able to talk to boys unawkwardly and unflirtingly and just be friends. I like that about her. She's also very knowledgeable, even though not nearly as bad as Hermione with over achieving.
William Aldridge
Then: Well, he's still sort of new but I created him so that we could have a student who puts everyone at ease with his humor. Notice it's only humor and not pranks. He's a Hufflepuff because we didn't have many.
Now: Still the same, but he's a lot less geeky with his humor than at first. I like him.
