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Aphelion Inscriptions ~ Ivy for Ophelia

Deirdre Burke

Created on 2006-03-25 08:27:46 (#9872507), last updated 2007-03-01

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Basic Info

Name:	Deirdre Burke
Birthdate:	08-27
Location:	United Kingdom

Bio

The Basics

Character Name: Deirdre Ivy Ophelia Burke
PB: Olivia Wilde

Age: 35
Birthday: June 27th, 1965
Wand: Yew (Associated with both death and rebirth. Known to enhance magical and perceptive abilities and is especially suited to spells of transfiguration. The user of this wand must be extremely careful of its innate destructive workings.), 12 inches; core consists of a dragon heartstring (particularly effective in hexing) and a strand from a Kelpie mane (superb for all-around spell casting).

House in School:Ravenclaw

Bloodline: Pureblood, Burke family by name, although she is also related to the Black family through her grandmother. Deirdre is the great granddaughter of Belvina Black and Herbert Burke, and the great great granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black, who was, in Sirius Black’s words, the least popular headmaster Hogwarts ever had.

Political View: Deirdre’s political views are somewhat ambivalent; she has certainly run the gamut of opinions concerning governmental policy in her time and often retains two conflicting ideas about it simultaneously. Raised as a traditional pureblood, Deirdre’s beliefs until her school days at Hogwarts were a perfect mirror of her supremacist parents’. Although none in her family openly supported Voldemort’s reign of darkness—the Burkes were cunning enough to keep their options open in the event of the Dark Lord’s fall—they surreptitiously assisted His rise to power, managing to straddle a precarious divide between the façade they presented to the Ministry and their true intentions. Deirdre, as a child with few outside influences besides those of her family, began to think in much the same way as her dubious role models.

Nonetheless, her days in Hogwarts and her subsequent exposure to a more complete version of the truth more or less reversed her political views. For the most part, Deirdre’s support of the liberal movement began as yet another manifestation of her rebellion against her parents. However, in a classic display of moral growth, she eventually came to judge events on a scale beyond anything that that law or family connections could encapsulate. Being on the receiving end of active bigotry can quickly make one realize that assigning status to an individual based on their family tree is not, to put it lightly, an intelligent way to form one’s opinions. Her “awakening” fueled her own nihilism and served to form a belief that there is little about truth that is objective. It was then that Deirdre began to recognize the inherent ludicrousness of the discrimination Voldemort proposed: Muggle-borns, Half-Bloods, and Purebloods are all, as a rule, equally idiotic.

Appearance

Height: 5' 8.5''
Weight: 9 stone (126 lbs).
Eyes: Gray-green, very pale
Hair: Dark brown
Build: Extremely slim, but naturally so. What little fat survives on her frame serves to create a modest version of the curvaceous silhouette so unique to females. By no means, however, is she what could be classified as a “bombshell” by even the most generous of raconteurs. Her cleavage and hips are apparent and lovely enough, but of normal size; the hourglass of Deirdre’s lithe figure is understated at most. One might classify her as having the agile build characteristic of an athlete were it not that Deirdre’s various flirtations with sports and exercise have been so short-lived that they might as well be nonexistent. The body Deirdre resides in is thanks almost entirely to her metabolism and her near-perpetual state of concentration on things other than food.

Dress Style: In general, her preferences are alternately (and often simultaneously) classic, professional, and/or practical.

Since the beginning of her estrangement from her family, Deirdre has garnered a taste for Muggle clothing in addition to traditional Wizarding garb (occasionally, she combines the two). Also, she has begun exploring slightly more feminine outfits, adding the occasional creative venture in her perpetual independence. Her dress style varies according to her mood and desires, but is always well suited to her figure and appropriate for the situation. Over time—and after a certain period of embarrassing trial and error, given the lack of input she received from any sort of parental figure—Deirdre has developed a definite sense of what looks good on her, be it an evening gown, a skirt, or something entirely different. If there is any measure of consistency in Deirdre’s wardrobe, it is that her clothing is entirely lacking in anything glittery, flashy, or bright, as she associates those adjectives with females that use their bodies and clothing—as opposed to any charisma or intellect—to attract attention. Also, she detests glittery and flashy things. So there you are.

Deirdre is not one to spend Galleons when she does not have them, and, taking into account her occasionally tenuous financial situation, it follows that she rarely shops for clothes. The days of the recent war, especially, when she was forced to get by on what meager savings she had set aside, marked a time when she was focused on things far more important than fashion. Thus, even as she regains the comfort of a steady income, she makes her purchases carefully and sparingly, slowly accruing a wardrobe that reflects her tastes without damaging her savings. As Polonius warned Laertes in one of Ms. Burke’s favorite works, “Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, / But not expressed in fancy (rich, not gaudy), / For the apparel oft proclaims the man”

Basic Physical Description: Deirdre’s appearance has changed markedly since first she arrived at Hogwarts. Most notable of the changes is her skin tone: once an almost translucent alabaster (a shade her parents had carefully cultivated by keeping her inside the house and away from direct sunlight as much as possible), it has now deepened slightly to its natural hue.

Deirdre has thin, almost angular shoulders, but they are rarely rounded in a slouch. The rest of her body is exceptionally slim as well, though, as mentioned, what little fat she possesses goes somewhat towards softening her silhouette. This trend of barely-reined-in-cadaverousness continues right down to the tips of her long, nimble fingers.

Her hair is stick straight, a bit lank, and anything but extraordinary. Nonetheless, it can be passably elegant and even a bit lustrous when she makes an effort (i.e. charms it to the extent of her abilities as a highly-trained witch, i.e. as good as never). The locks extend a few inches beyond her shoulder blades.

Lips hide a line of straight, white teeth (all the Burke children saw a specialist upon the emergence of their first pearly white to make quite sure of this); a toothy smile, not to mention an all-out laugh, is hardly ever glimpsed passing across her visage, even momentarily. Granted, when such a rarity does occur, it is always sincere. Deirdre differs from many females in her capacity to avoid social dissembling and manipulation. She experienced far too much of it as a child.

For the most part, the only truly striking features Deirdre possesses are her eyes, and even they are nothing supernatural. They are a very light shade of gray-green.

Defining Marks: Miss Burke is hardly an innocent when it comes to life’s hardships, but in no way do her experiences compare to those of the Order, for instance. Her scarring has been minimal thus far.

Perhaps her most unique mark is the one on her upper left thigh, a starburst of sorts about an inch in diameter, with spidery tracings spreading imperceptibly outward from a central point. A year ago, in the time of escalation before the final battle, she was caught in the crossfire between the two sides, and received a glancing blow from a curse directed at a Death Eater. The scarring resulted from a delay of proper treatment.

In the whole of her epidermis, Deirdre has only a few other marks worth mentioning. There are two nicks hiding just beneath the sharp shadow of her jaw on her left side, denoting where the rings her father was wearing at the time cut her. The slaps she received on that day silenced any insolence she was inclined to emit for over three years; she did not speak audaciously to her parents again until she was thirteen, and in the midst of straying from everything she had been taught. This renewed flippancy earned her a kick, the force of which sent her tumbling down to the landing between the first and second floors of the Burke household. Her father was wearing boots with intermittent spiking on the soles at the time; she still bears a faint scattering of white pinpricks over her right hip.

Personality

Deirdre displays many traits that one would associate with the Slytherin House, despite the fact that (to her initial chagrin), she was sorted into Ravenclaw. In nearly all her waking hours, she is bitingly and aptly sarcastic, dangerously clever, subtly arrogant, and icy. There is little that galls her more than incompetence—a state she seems to view as a conscious choice on the fumbler’s part, and thus doubly pathetic. Although she has not purposefully identified it as the first priority for respect, Deirdre likely values intelligence above all. A grasp of language, adept or inept, is often the thing by which she judges new acquaintances.

Although she is not without her softer edges, Deirdre is, in general, an individual that is difficult to impress, and she often inspires insecurity in those around her with no deliberate effort. Aside from her years of extreme introversion, her strange brand of magnetism attracted a wide circle of “friends,” although she indifferently noted their likely insincerity of feeling in anything besides fear.

Given her darker personality, it is odd that this member of the Burke family devoted much of her time studying the occasionally “touchy feely” (not literally, of course) subject of psychology. In her hands, it becomes what it was intended to be: a science. However, although her years of delving into the matter—both at the Muggle and Wizarding level—have made her an adept diagnostician, she is both incapable and wary of turning the glass around and examining many of her own psychological walls.

Deirdre is also a talented conversationalist, when the topic of discussion is of interest (By her own admission, this is a rare event). Barring that, she is a quietly sardonic observer.

Tendencies: Ms. Burke is deft, calculating, and professional in nearly all her exploits. She feels, especially when dealing with humans, that coldness is a far less messy approach than empathy. Deirdre also has a habit of being fair—well, according to her. She does not extend equal kindness to those who insist on behaving like imbeciles, but most others are judged on the same plane.

Ms. Burke says what she means, and means what she says. She is not at all averse to paying compliments where compliments are due. Note: Deirdre is the only one who decides where compliments are due.

Deirdre has a knack for wry understatement, and usually takes one-sided news with a grain of salt.

Strengths/arguable virtues: Deirdre is articulate, insightful (though not about her own psyche), and capable; in short, she is highly intelligent. She possesses an extremely polished façade, and when something is emotionally hurtful, Deirdre is very practiced at retreating behind it to maintain her composure. If this shield is broken, the wisest choice is to retreat as quickly as possible: she is more than capable of defending herself, although any lashing out that ensues has probably been inspired by something that has brought her acute sorrow or pain.

Ms. Burke is also a skilled witch, especially in the areas of Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Another result of her tumultuous school days is her lingering talent for dueling.

Weaknesses/bad habits: Deirdre is not what one might call an open book. Although she has studied the human mind beyond the level of most of her contemporaries, she still maintains a series of considerably unhealthy emotional walls and personal issues for which she would not take assistance even if it was offered. She enjoys sex, but seldom has allowed anyone emotionally close enough to develop even the vestiges of what could be called a “relationship.” Add this to her decided lack of familial support, and it follows that Ms. Burke goes through much of her life alone. Gaining her respect is a relatively quick process if one possesses the attributes she deems necessary; gaining her trust is a horse of an entirely different color.

Deirdre has a devastating capability for cruelty, and, often when she feels threatened, her perceptiveness allows her to cut deeply into another’s psyche with just a handful of words. Granted, what began as a defense mechanism eventually became habit. The only thing that can restrain her is the memory of the injustice she herself endured, and even has served as a motivation to seek revenge during a few of her Hogwarts years.

In some part, the source of her drive for excellence comes from the great difficulty she has with admitting she is wrong.

Likes: Music (of nearly all kinds. Classical is a standout; she has a particular fondness for Rachmaninoff. Also, Requiems). Challenging, personally rewarding work. Debate. Intelligent conversation with her mental equal or a superior. Literature, of both the Muggle and Magical variety—Faulkner and Woolf are among her favorite non-magical authors. Dueling, though she’d never admit it. Tea, copious amounts of it, especially when the tea in question is Black Darjeeling. Organization. Attempting to play passably at the violin. Her plants. A steady income, as it is a necessary component of her independence. Solitude, interspersed with worthy (according to her) companionship. Leather (she wouldn’t confess to it to save her own life).

Deirdre also has an inexplicable love of cinnamon raisin bagels, a Muggle creation she first encountered during her time in America after graduating from Hogwarts. She eats them unheated, typically, and sans any spread.

The topic of Hamlet is one of the few that will incite easy conversation with Deirdre.

Dislikes: Ineptitude, purposeful ignorance, ignorance, and self-righteousness. She detests depending on someone else for…well, anything, really, although it particularly irritates her to depend on another for safety and/or money. People that insist on wasting her time. Society has also garnered her disgust.

As mentioned earlier, Deirdre does not much care for the typical habits of women. Her study of psychology has led her to put some of their exhibitionistic emotional tendencies down to the ingrained pressures of society, but this small measure of leniency is as far as her kindness extends. She cannot stand the manipulative capabilities many women possess, and the idea of consciously doing something false in order to elicit a desired emotional response from another—especially in the realm of romance—disgusts her. Additionally, she is always left bewildered and annoyed by the volatility and capriciousness she has observed among those with two x chromosomes. At one moment, madly in love; the next, sobbing with….well, Deirdre doesn’t usually stick around to find out the details.

Granted, her studies have also led her to believe that men unhealthily suppress their emotions for propriety’s sake. Thus, it would perhaps be more apt to label Deirdre a misanthropist, rather than a misogynist. She has not yet been able to admit to herself that she is at all emotionally stunted, nor does she plan to do so.

Psychology

Extrovert/Introvert:As with most aspects of her personality, Ms. Burke has undergone a great deal of change in this area, most stemming from the sudden obligation in her youth to “grow up”—on her own, and as quickly as possible. The year-opening feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry found an eleven-year-old Deirdre behaving in a distinctly extroverted way: as long as it involved families worth socializing with, she was supremely outgoing, confident, and altogether appealing to those around her (to be fair, most of those around her were future Snakelets). However, after the “incident,” as her parents refer to it, Deirdre was veritably transformed. She withdrew from any form of social contact and began paying no mind to her appearance—and little else, for that matter. Certainly, she did not seem to focus on much besides her studies.

Today, Deirdre has yet again morphed into someone different. Although she is not particularly outgoing, she is now capable of being sociable, even captivatingly charming, should she put her mind to the task. She can even manage to feign interest at the mundane (an adjective that describes the majority of all interactions she is forced to partake in), to a certain extent. If she has regained anything, it is her self-confidence; At this point, Deirdre has no need to prove anything to anyone but herself (although that tab, to be sure, is considerable). In any event, if she can manage to rein in her sarcasm—and even on those lovely occasions when she fails—, Deirdre Burke has discovered her own, albeit unorthodox, version of charisma. Granted, the only time she actually enjoys the entire social experience is when her partner in conversation is intrigued by the unpleasant intellectual barbs others would rather she suppress.

Boggart Would Be: Her father, Barnabas Burke. Despite the fact that she is a fully-grown woman, perfectly capable of defending herself and her point of view, Deirdre is still frightened by her father. Not only that, but the very fact that he frightens her frightens her. Barnabas—with the compliance and aid of his wife Cecily—shaped the mind of his child with the sort of teachings that led Deirdre to believe all ways but their own were not only folly, but also insults to everything right and good. Deirdre was groomed and polished to a physical and mental ideal, even before she could comprehend what that ideal was. At Hogwarts, she was cut adrift in a foreign land…the thought of displeasing her family by committing some sort of irrevocable sin paralyzed her for two years, placing her in an emotional and social limbo. Although she emerged more or less intact—certainly colder and stronger—she still retains an unspoken fear of (and anger towards) the family that retained such control over her for so long.

Nearly as horrifying to Deirdre is the idea that anyone should discover this clandestine anxiety. She lives as one relatively imperturbable; to think that her father can reduce her innards to liquid frost is mortifying enough when no one knows of it but herself. Indeed, Deirdre feels the only thing that allows her to stand up to Barnabas—whom she has only seen in person three times in the past score years—is the fact that none know of this fear.

Patronus Would Be: Deirdre was not able to produce anything even resembling a Patronus until the end of her fifth year, when she was finally displaying enthusiasm about her independence, and even then it was merely a load of mist. However, plenty of peace over the summer holiday allowed her to finally manage a corporeal manifestation. Her Patronus takes the form of a mature Gyrfalcon, a species of raptor with coloring loosely similar to that of a snowy owl. This form represents its owner’s quiet willingness to follow her own moral compass above that of her family or even the law. Also, the falcon signifies the potential for destruction Deirdre possesses despite her (usually) tranquil veneer. Although the bird seems almost innocuous at rest, and although it is breathtaking to look at, its full wingspan is immense and it has a wrath to match.

Sexuality

Deirdre is of the belief that one’s enduring sexual preference is an innate, biological part of oneself, rather than a conscious choice. Of course, experimentation happens: many are unsure of just how they feel, and use this method to find out. That said, Ms. Burke is heterosexual. After making a complete break from her family, she questioned this alignment deeply in order to ascertain whether or not her “straightness” was artificial, drilled into her just as firmly as everything else had been during her formative years. It did not take long, however, to reaffirm the notion that she simply prefers men, sexually, emotionally, and usually intellectually. This preference is likely underscored by Deirdre’s perpetual dislike of females (not an all-encompassing hatred, mind you, just a general aversion).

And, on a reasonable basis, Deirdre exercises this preference. Indeed, contrary to her upbringing, her misanthropic tendencies, and everything else one might imagine would stand between her and a healthy sex life, Deirdre enjoys the act. She thinks of it as a fairly basic human right, and fails to acknowledge any drivel that labels a sexually active man a sort of masculine hero and a similarly inclined woman a harlot (just because she is irritated by those of her own gender does not mean she isn’t a feminist). Granted, even in this, Deirdre goes about things in an incongruous way: she is initially attracted to a fascinating mind, one with a love of learning and intellectualism to match her own (no one ever claimed she wasn’t a tetch arrogant). Deprive Deirdre of this, and she will gladly live in absolute isolation, no matter how great the physical beauty in question might be.

Lifestyle

Occupation:Her official duties at the Ministry of Magic entail profiling, diagnosing, and researching the mental workings of various members of the Wizarding community. Psychology is her field of expertise, although she has on occasion flirted with becoming an Auror or a Healer (the second was ruled out due to her abominable bedside manner). Briefly, she even worked as a traditional Muggle therapist.

Unfortunately (in her eyes), in the aftermath of the war, Deirdre has been assigned to a task as degrading as they come: reinforcing the new wand registry law. Although she is related to both the Burkes and the Blacks, Deirdre was considered ineligible for the registry due to the common knowledge of her familial estrangement. Ergo, she is now stuck complying with a piece of legislation she would as soon spit on (granted, she would metaphorically spit on most things connected with the patronizing Ministry; her disdain for the institution is collective, and not at all polite). Given Deirdre’s need for personal freedom and privacy, the fact that she is now forced to impose restrictions on others is particularly ironic, not to mention insulting.

Residence:A practical—albeit quirky—home in one of the older, quieter boroughs on the West End, on a cobbled road. If she has one indulgence, financially, it is books; one need only glance in her residence to discern as much. The house is neat, and relatively spare, although there is a wall hanging or two to allow the space a bit of color. The furnishings look somewhat harsh, but the chairs are ridiculously, irresistibly comfortable, as is the bed.

She bought the house five years ago, the result of a need to have a place that was unequivocally hers. It took her years to save the money necessary to purchase the residence, and the decision set her back considerably. She has never regretted it.

Financial Status:Slowly improving. Needless to say, she is lucky that her parents “cut her off” during her third year instead of, say, at her graduation; she was able to effectively save what she had left, and various bouts of student jobs during the holidays allowed her enough funds to survive with some measure of comfort after her seventh year. Deirdre’s travels while researching her particular field depleted her bank accounts, as did her relative unemployment during the recent war. Nonetheless, her frugal nature is by now ingrained, and her modest living expenses combined with her current steady—if not impressive—income are finally giving her room to breathe. Plus, due to a bit of—perhaps not altogether innocent—maneuvering on her part, the Ministry now pays her research expenses.

Family

Parents: Barnabas Ezekiel and Cecily Elladora Burke
Siblings: A sister, twelve years her junior: Aislin ( which means "vision," or "dream") Irisa Burke.

Deirdre and her family have, in gentle terms, fallen out. Before her adolescent rebellion, she and her parents got along famously (not that such a feat is massively difficult when each member of the family shares the same opinions). However, Deirdre’s burgeoning independence marked a split from her parents in more ways than one. When it became obvious that their firstborn was not growing up to be the perfect heir they had hoped—associating with Half-Bloods and Mudbloods in school, failing to exhibit full compliance with their wishes, etc.—Deirdre was disowned, emotionally and financially.

Not that the firstborn Burke was an entirely helpless victim. After a disastrous Christmas vacation home during her third year in Hogwarts, Deirdre began actively taking part in goings-on merely because they were sure to disgrace her parental units. She antagonized Pureblood supremacists from Slytherin, and made it her personal mission to “bring them down a notch.” At one point, she even charmed her naturally dark hair platinum blonde, and kept it thus for two months, despite the fact that it made her look like an American Californian.

Presently, Deirdre is no longer spurred to action by whether or not said action will infuriate her family. Instead, she judges each choice she makes by her own (admittedly off-kilter) moral compass, and makes every effort to make her decisions independent of her family’s influence. Nonetheless, the fact that she has no intention of apologizing, nor of changing her political stances ensures that a reconciliation is about as likely as a chilly day in Hell. The damage has been done.

History from student days at Hogwarts to the present time

As a pure blooded member of a deeply-rooted wizarding family (the Burke family, to be precise), eleven-year-old Deirdre Ivy Ophelia Burke was expected to carry on the family status quo, unwaveringly promoting pure blood supremacy, graduating a proud Slytherin, and marrying accordingly. Upon her acceptance day into Hogwarts, she had been raised in a manner similar to most children of prominent wizarding families and groomed impeccably for her inheritance and fate. She was appallingly spoiled, and possessed an inflated opinion of herself and her family; in short, she was rather well prepared for her role. However, a decided kink in these well-laid plans interrupted her cushioned existence: she was unexpectedly sorted (with only a modicum of hesitation on the Sorting Hat's part) into Ravenclaw House.

At first horrified at what had to be some sort of nightmarish mistake, Deirdre contacted her parents that same evening with the expectation that they would strong-arm the administration into changing the verdict of the Hat. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Burke stretched every favor they were owed in an attempt to perform some damage control, but the administration was adamant and there was nothing they could do to put their daughter in Slytherin. The news spread quickly enough. To think, a member of the Burke family sorted into a house other than Slytherin? Was this truly the bloodline of Caractacus Burke, the man who had once employed Tom Riddle? In the upper echelons of their society, this was nothing short of an unmitigated, inexcusable disaster.

School was hell for a time. The child's friends were suddenly sworn enemies, their shock at the fall of their privileged acquaintance failing to temper their wild amusement at said acquaintance's expense. The only solace from the torment of the Snakelets she could find was in her studies; although her social life was nothing short of scarring, Deirdre certainly earned excellent marks in her classes. Not that this helped matters any on the bullying front. She began extracurricular reading merely to avoid looking anyone in the eye.

Try as she might to shrug off the association of Ravenclaw with her name, Deirdre began to (inwardly, grudgingly) acknowledge that (perhaps) the Hat had been quite right in its decision. Conceivably utilizing her inborn capability for cruelty, she began to "strike back," as it were, at her aggressors, and eventually garnered a wide circle of new friends, most of them inspired to claim allegiance more because of a fear of her quick annoyance, dangerous passion, and decidedly creative retributions than any genuine "like." Miss Burke was, for all intents and purposes, a changed girl. No longer cowering, but commanding. No longer the tormented, but the tormentor. She still saw her family during the summer and winter, but the silences were frosty. When she finally began to speak up about how, shockingly enough, those with less than pure blood were just as competent as the next batch of wizards, things in the Burke household turned ugly. During Deirdre’s third year, home on her Christmas break, the injury she sustained due to her disgraceful insolence inspired her to walk out of the house. She has never passed the threshold of that abode since.

Returning to school, the firstborn Burke became immensely self-demanding and self-analytic, and began to ponder a few potential truths: although she undoubtedly demonstrated traditionally Slytherin tendencies (ambition, perfectionism, and ruthlessness among them), she reasoned that these might be due more to her antagonistic situation than to any innate propensity for such. Additionally, she had discovered an intense and all-consuming love of learning that was more than a little congruent with her fellow Ravenclaws. She was exceedingly intelligent, and utilized this both to the advantage of her studies and her shadier pursuits. Most notably, however, she began to understand the true nature of bigotry. The humiliation for her parents, it seemed, had only just begun, as she took it upon herself to carry out activities that were deemed scandalous among not only the purebloods, but also the student body as a whole.

Deirdre most notably excelled in Herbology and DADA, although the latter was little more an exercise in self-preservation against the many cruel hexes sent her way during her first few years of school. With literally nothing taking up her time besides studying, sleeping, and the occasional bout with eating, the young Miss Burke understandably performed quite well in the realm of academia. When she emerged from her social vacuum at the end of her third year, Deirdre’s scholarly habits had become customary enough that it was not exceedingly difficult to keep up her grades.

Her most illuminating experience at Hogwarts, as far as she is concerned, was an encounter with the young Severus Snape. Deirdre, as a second year to his seventh, had never met the man while he was attending school; she was fifteen when he first began teaching Potions. At first, she was disdainful of the thought that she would be instructed by an individual scarcely older than she, convinced that the class would be a ridiculous excuse for learning. It did not take long for Deirdre to discover just how abysmally mistaken she was. Her first day in class opened her eyes to her own level of complacency when it came to the subtle art. Previously, she had been content to do only the amount of work necessary to receive a top mark, and she subsequently only learned as much as the last Professor deemed necessary. Professor Snape was a decided shift from this method. The first week of the term found her struggling where she had glided, and she was utterly disgusted with herself and the time she had wasted over the past years. It took only a few days of this class, more demanding than any subject she had ever encountered, for Deirdre to redouble her efforts. Many a late night found her working in the student labs, attempting to refine her technique in compensation for the time spent “settling.” Oddly enough, Professor Snape’s visits to the working labs often coincided with her own, and he seemed willing enough to answer her numerous questions. She never gave the phenomenon much thought until she noted the trend repeating with other students willing to make a jot of extra effort for the expertise he provided. For all his cantankerousness (or, as she has often suspected, because of it), Snape was a brilliant teacher.

The demanding Potions courses not only pushed Deirdre to realize that there was far more to learn about witchcraft than what was offered in a classroom, but also to never settle for anything less than perfection. Although she has retained her arrogance, Miss Burke has never again made the mistake of thinking she has mastered all there is to learn.

After graduation, when it was apparent that Deirdre had few options open to her in light of her financial situation, the administration (namely, Albus Dumbledore) at Hogwarts was kind enough to allow the young woman a chance to grow raw plant materials for the Potions classes. This let Deirdre amass a bit of money while simultaneously working on her craft. After a few months of this allowed her to regain her footing, she left Hogwarts for an extended bout of traveling. Eventually, she returned to the United Kingdom to claim a job with the Ministry of Magic, and began steadily rising through the bureaucratic ranks. That is, until the war. Caught off-guard due to their own willful blindness, the Ministry was suddenly scrambling to be anything but ineffectual. They had little use for anything as experimental as psychology, and Deirdre was more or less cast out in the cold. The war found her attempting to make a living and generally stay afloat. She only took part in one battle, although it was inadvertently. Quite literally caught in the middle of a skirmish, Deirdre was forced to resurrect her old passion for dueling to escape. Aside from this, however, Deirdre lived as normally as she could manage during the years of conflict…which, admittedly, wasn’t very.

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