Monty Pendleton

[Monty Pendleton]

montgomery pendleton
some days while they felt meaningless, were victory enough. simply for the fact i
was not alone. when people gather in the name of love something magical
happens. whether it be in twos or threes or thousands.

we are all we have, sweet ones. i ask of you not to forget your solitude, but more
so not to forget how incredibly important people are. i live in a world where
the only name that exists is harmony.

this is a theoretical interview of
professor monty pendleton. if you would like
to ask any more questions, they would be very
much appreciated and welcomed!
thank you!

history approval id: 30083257
ic interview date: 29th december 2045.
ooc last updated:02/03/2018.

personal questions​

what is your real, birth name? what name do you use? 
"i was born richard layton, then at the age of six became richard pender, as a result of my mother's divorce; then at eight years old, when my mother remarried, i became richard hewitt - still with me? excellent! when i left home at fourteen, i changed my name to montgomery pendleton, which i legalised as soon as i became an adult."

do you have a nickname? what is it, and where did you get it?
"a close friend and old colleague of mine, ava, likes to call me 'monts.' otherwise, i'm mostly referred to as monty, i think. who knows what people call me behind my back!"

what's your real birth date?
"it is the 2nd january, 1999. goodness, now i feel old."

what one word best describes you?
"studious. no, happy. optimistic? how about indecisive?"

what is your most prized possession? why do you value it so much?
"that would be the pocket watch my mother gave me for my fourteenth birthday. it was the last gift i ever received from her, and i've always treasured it dearly."

what do you bring with you everywhere you go?
"a smile! mm... that sounded much less corny in my head. could i answer again?"

what's the most useful thing you own?
"probably my wand."

what's your good luck charm?
"i don't have one, actually."

what do you like about yourself?
"oh, er..." (he takes some time to think about this) "you know, you wouldn't believe what a difficult question that is to answer. sorry. i suppose i like to think i'm quite patient and understanding."

what don't you like about yourself?
(he laughs) "how long do we have? no - if i had to give one serious answer, i'd say i most dislike my tendency to become paralysed in the face of fear."

what's the biggest realisation you had about yourself?
"the realisation that i was capable. i spent quite a long time as a child believing that i wouldn't amount to anything, so it was a revelation when i suddenly thought to myself one day, 'actually, i am intelligent, and i am worthwhile.' it's a powerful feeling i shan't forget."

what do you need help with most often?
"i'm a bit high maintenance when it comes to emotional support. i rely on my friends a little too much to pick me up, rather than learning to cope with the situation myself."

what's something nobody knows about you?
"i'm scared to death of dogs."</SIZE></FONT></COLOR>

appearance​

what do you look like? be as descriptive as possible
"erm... i... look like me? i don't think there's anyone else out there who has my face. if there is, they have my sincerest condolences."

how do you dress most of the time?
"i actually have rather a large collection of vintage clothing, so that tends to be what i wear on a daily basis. clothing from the victorian era is a particular weakness of mine! before i discovered i was a wizard, i was quite fascinated by a popular genre of science fiction in the muggle world called steampunk. that style always made me feel... right. as if i could only be comfortable, and i could only truly express myself, through it."

how do you 'dress up'?
"i don't think i ever 'dress down'!"

how do you 'dress down'?
"i... take my tie off." (he laughs)

if you didn't care at all what people thought of you, what would you wear?
"precisely the ensemble i'm wearing at the moment. interestingly, fashion is one of the only things i've never felt self-conscious about."

do you care about fashion?
"i care about self-expression, yes; and i care about looking presentable. i've no real interest in fashion as a subject, though."

does fashion help society in any way?
"if it brings people joy, then yes, absolutely. it's a sort of art form, isn't it? it has the potential to bring people together to share ideas and passion, which can't ever be detrimental to society."

what is the most embarrassing piece of clothing you own?
"though she wouldn't like to hear me say it, that would have to be the sparkly pink jacket ava bought me for a bit of a joke at christmas."

what do you wear when you go to sleep?
"i tend to wear long, loose-fitting pyjamas."

do you wear any jewellery?
"i do not."

in your opinion, what is your best feature?
"physically? i'm not sure i have one, i'm afraid. i'm rather plain, as you can see."

how would you like to look?
"a few years younger!"

lifestyle​

where do you live? describe it: is it messy, neat, avant-garde, sparse, etc.?
"well! for many years my house was quite unkempt. i tend to find things more easily amongst clutter. but after a slight firework accident blew up the roof... and the walls... and most of my furniture... a few wonderful friends of mine reconstructed the place for me without my knowledge. now it's a beautiful gothic house. i couldn't be more grateful."

what is the best room in your house? why?
"most definitely the attic. it's my 'inventor's workshop'! admittedly, it hasn't seen much traffic of late, but it remains my favourite place to be."

where do you get most of the decorations for your home?
"antique fairs, mostly. i don't buy very many decorations new."

where is the most beautiful place near where you live?
"the streets of eastleigh themselves are very beautiful, i think. it's a picturesque town."

do you like things to be carefully planned or do you just go with the flow?
"oh, i'm a careful planner - almost to a hindering degree! i don't function very well without a plan at all."

do you own any pets? if not, would you like to?
"i have an owl; she lives at the school where i work. unfortunately i'm deathly allergic to most animals, so even if i wanted a pet, owning one would be an awful hassle."

what would be your perfect weekend?
"one spent as far from all human life as possible - preferably with a library nearby."

are you a very organised person?
"i don't look it, but i am, yes. i can work myself into an awful funk when i'm not, so i take great care to be."

how often do you stay up past 3 a.m.?
"several times a week, i'd say. i suffer chronically with insomnia."

how do you make yourself fall asleep when you can't seem to get to sleep?
"usually i'll write in my diary, or do some work - something to tire myself out a little. it isn't always constructive, but it helps sometimes."

where do you spend most of your free time / day?
"i live at the school, so when i'm not teaching, i'm usually in my office or out in the gardens."

can you apparate? how do you prefer to get around?
"i can apparate, yes; i'd say it's my preferred mode of transport. the floo system would be next. i wouldn't imagine travelling by broomstick or car to be particularly practical."

do you tend to save or spend your money? why?
"generally, i think i lean toward spending; i'm a terrible hoarder, especially of books, clothes, and antiques. i do, however, keep money in reserve for emergencies. that's a mistake you will only ever make once, i can tell you."

what are some red flags to look out for in daily life?
"if you find yourself repeating the thought, 'i'll do it tomorrow,' that indicates to me a need for change."

family​

what was your family like?
"as far of families go, it wasn't much of one. i was an only child, and rarely ever saw any grandparents or aunts or uncles, so it was only me, my mother, and my father. then of course it became me and my mother, and then me, my mother, and my stepfather. we never had that sort of warm, familial bond you get with some families. i didn't even realise such a family existed until arvo introduced me to his. i think we were all struggling individually, and never quite found the courage to unite against our problems as a whole."

who was your father, and what was he like?
"my father left when i was six, so my memories of him are fairly limited - but i do recall spending many an evening down in his work-shed at the bottom of our garden. he ran a clock repair and restoration shop, and i used to marvel over all the miniature tools and cogs and other pieces of clockwork while he worked. i suppose i wanted to be like him. he was very kind, and patient, and soft. i think i am rather a lot like him, whether i meant to be or not. my stepfather, richard, was, in my opinion, a horrible sycophant. i didn't trust him at all, even before he started to call me derogatory names, and..." (monty seems lost in thought for a second) "yes, no - i didn't like him. unfortunately, i believed my mother did, so i never raised my discomfort both for fear of being dismissed, and of taking away the one good thing that had happened to her since my father left."

who was your mother, and what was she like?
"my mother suffered from depression, so the image i formed of her as a child was cold and inaccurate. she was a bright, kind woman, before the divorce, but i suppose even then she must have struggled - only, she'd had stephen's support to lift her. once he left, she fell into an awful period of depression that lasted the better part of two years, during which time i cared both for her and myself. it was a constant struggle hiding this secret from my friend philip, and from my teachers, but the fear that i would be taken from her instilled determination in me. after a while, i grew to resent her. i couldn't have understood at the time the burdens she was carrying, and i feel terrible for it now, but i did - i resented her deeply. even more so when she met richard, and sprung up as if some spell had been lifted. i constantly asked myself what it was about richard that made her happy in a way i couldn't. sorry - this isn't very cheerful, is it?"

what was your parents' marriage like? were they married?
"i don't remember much of my biological father's marriage to my mother, so i'll talk a little about richard's. they were, as far as my naive, eight-year-old self could see, perfectly enthralled with each other; my mother had never been happier, and richard claimed neither had he. they had that sort of sappy, romantic relationship many of aspire to. but it was all on the surface - superficial. i didn't discover this until recently, when i got in touch with my mother again. it transpired she had only married him in an effort to give me the family she thought i deserved. she was happy to feel loved, yes, but she wasn't happy. i was completely oblivious to how hard she was trying for me. i suppose that's why i regret my resentment so much."

what were your siblings' names? what were they like?
"i didn't have any siblings, sadly. part of me wishes i had, so that i wouldn't have been so lonely, but the other part is relieved i didn't; nobody ought to have to endure what i did. i'd rather have done it alone than share my suffering."

when's the last time you saw any member of your family? where are they now?
"just earlier this morning, as a matter of fact. my niece, margo, is a fourth year at school, so i see her on a regular basis."

did you ever meet any other family members? who were they? what did you think of them?
"my mother was estranged from her parents, just as i eventually became estranged from mine, and she had no siblings to speak of. i expect my father's parents tried to keep in contact with me after the divorce, but my mother wanted nothing to do with them. i had no real family besides my mother to speak of."

what was the biggest holiday for your family?
"we didn't celebrate holidays enthusiastically - or if once we did, i was too young to recall it. having little family made christmas and birthdays rather unexciting."

childhood​

what is your first memory?
"i remember sitting in my push chair, beneath the transparent rain cover. i must have been two or three. i enjoyed watching the droplets of rain dribble down the cover, and i can still recall the plasticy smell when it was warm."

what was your favourite toy?
"probably my playstation - er, a muggle contraption of sorts."

what was your favourite game?
"philip and i used to invent the most ridiculous playground games, though we thought them perfectly wonderful at the time. my favourite must have been 'window whispering,' which involved, rather embarrassingly, now that i think of it, crouching beneath open classroom windows and seeing how loudly we could say the teacher's name before he or she noticed and came to tell us off."

who was your best friend when you were growing up?
"philip, undoubtedly. we had an unusual friendship; he and i were about as different as could be, except in that neither of us were very good at making friends. we bonded over mutual clumsiness and a desire to relieve our boredom. our friendship came to an end when, after helping him build a bonfire out of his brother's possessions, philip's mother came over to tell mine we had very nearly set fire to her house. i thought my mother might rebuke me, but instead she simply burst into tears. i felt so guilty for what i had done, i resolved never to speak to philip again, and i didn't."

what is your fondest childhood memory?
"we had a second-hand book shop in our town which was run by a kindly old lady called cathy. i used to delight in visiting to give her my review of the last book i had read, and in return she would recommend me the next. something i didn't realise at the time was that she always gave me books ever so slightly beyond my reading level - almost as if to challenge me. i spent hours researching definitions in the dictionary, and always felt as if i had undergone some mental change after every book i finished. if i could return to any period of my childhood, it would be that one."

what is your worst childhood memory?
"probably the countless days i spent trying, without success, to rouse my mother from sleep."

what's your most embarrassing childhood memory?
"i, er - used to wet the bed quite frequently. in itself, that wasn't so humiliating as my stepfather mocking me for it."

what did you believe for way too long as a child?
"that i was responsible for my mother's depression."

what did you like / dislike about where you grew up?
"i grew up in abingdon, oxfordshire, and i was always fond of playing by the river thames, and feeding the ducks. actually, there wasn't anything significant i disliked about it. i was fortunate to be raised there."

as a child, what did you think would be awesome about being an adult that turned out not to be?
"as far as i recall, i wanted to perpetuate my childhood as long as possible. the prospect of becoming an adult, and its attached responsibilities, terrified me. i was forced to grow up very quickly, and got the sense from an early age, i think, that adulthood was difficult and unjust. conversely, when i did become an adult, i realised suddenly i had the freedom to make my own decisions - something my stepfather robbed me of as a child."

what were you really into when you were a child?
"steampunk. i remember begging my mother to take me to the festivals held occasionally in the area - and once or twice, she did. i'm not sure she approved of my fascination with it, but she was kind enough not to say."

if you could travel back in time, what piece of advice would you give your 10-year-old self?
"it isn't your fault."

adolescence​

it is common for one's view of authority to develop in their adolescent years. what is your view of authority, and what event most affected it?
"as a teenager, i harboured a deep resentment for authority. most every adult in my life had treated me poorly in some way, and i began to see my professors as obstacles, set to hinder me, rather than to help me. fortunately, i never had the courage to express my contempt, and eventually, as i grew older, and realised that my experiences were not representative of all authority, i let go of my bitterness. i don't think there was any defining change, or catalyst. it happened gradually, by degrees."

what were you like in high school?
"withdrawn - very withdrawn, and anxious. i desperately needed somebody to talk to, but no matter what i did, nobody paid me much attention. i immersed myself in books and extracurricular activities to escape the chaos in my mind, but it was all very temporary, and i was never truly at peace. my professors often patronised me, and i was largely ignored by my peers, except for when i lashed out or broke down, which wasn't the sort of attention i wanted. when i think back to my school years, i often wonder how i made it through at all. things did fractionally improve from my fifth year onward, when i met and became friends with a boy called ermolai vetrov, and discovered my passion for inventing, but i didn't fully come out of my shell until many years later."

what were your high school goals?
"until i was fifteen or sixteen, i didn't have the faintest idea what i wanted to do, so my goals were short-term and capricious. i wanted to do well, and to pass with outstanding grades, but mostly i just wanted not to feel as if i were surrounded by thick, dark fog."

who was your idol growing up?
"i aspired to be like the inventors i had read about in history books. i didn't believe i would ever do anything notable, but i hoped that i would."

what is your favourite memory from adolescence?
"my fond memories from this period are few and far between, but i did share some excellent moments with ermolai. one yule ball in my seventh year we hid fireworks around the great hall and set them all off simultaneously; it was a terrific display, if i may say so." (he laughs) "we had to clean the hall afterwards by hand, but we didn't regret it for a moment."

what is your worst memory from adolescence?
"i..." (he hesitates, looking agitated) "to be quite honest with you, i don't think i could pick."

what still makes you cringe when you think back on it?
"there was a lovely girl in my year, angelina, about whom rumours were spread that i had a crush. to this day i cannot fathom why, but she decided to resolve this by kissing me in front of the entire ravenclaw table. i was mortified, and, instead of calmly explaining that the rumours were false, turned on my heel and ran, leaving her stood alone, and humiliated. countless times i have wished i could rewind to that moment, just to spare her the mortification. i cringe to think how silly i was."

who had the biggest impact on the person you have become?
"mm - ermolai, i think. we lost contact some time after graduation, but i owe him a great deal. he provided the spark that taught me how to burn. i wouldn't be where i am today if it weren't for him, encouraging me to pursue my ambitions."

if you could travel back in time, what piece of advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
"it's ok. you're ok. you're doing what you need to do to survive, and one day, these failures and catastrophes will teach you to be kind."

wants, ambitions, & fears​

how ambitious are you?
"what a broad question! i don't aspire for greatness, but i've always been ambitious. if i haven't a goal to strive toward, i lose sense of what it means to be human."

what is the craziest, most outrageous thing you want to achieve?
"perhaps it isn't the most outrageous goal, but i'd like to be the headmaster at hogwarts one day. not yet - goodness, not yet - but when i'm old, and no longer fulfilled by teaching alone. who knows? it may never happen. i'm not counting on it."

what are some goals you have already achieved?
"my goals are really quite personal, and set for my own satisfaction, so they wouldn't sound like much to say, but they mean a great deal to me. in terms of more recognised achievements, over the last couple of years i have taught myself french, and sign language - the latter i've always wanted to learn, but had no cause to start until i had a deaf pupil in my class. yes - as i say, my goals are mostly personal to me."

what do you hope to achieve in your professional life?
"teaching is one of those odd careers in which one repeats themselves more frequently than they progress. the sense of achievement, for me, comes from helping individual students realise their potential. there's nothing else i want - only for the students to be happy, and to succeed."

have your parents influenced what goals you have?
"i've never set overly ambitious goals, which might have been caused by my stepfather's conditioning that i would never achieve anything, coupled perhaps with my mother's lack of interest in my hobbies. i wouldn't say that's a terrible bad thing, though. setting unrealistic goals can be a setup for disappointment - especially if, like me, you have a tendency to be discouraged by failure. still, i do sometimes wonder if i might have aspired to do something more, had i only been encouraged to do so."

do you usually achieve goals you set? why or why not?
"i tend to achieve academic goals, such as learning a new skill, or finishing a book or a course, with more success than emotional goals, such as befriending a colleague with whom i've yet to talk, or being kind to myself instead of berating my every little mistake. i suppose with academics, there's a tangible goal - something to stay focused on when the journey becomes difficult - whereas emotional goals exist to for us to transcend our emotions. the rewards are abstract, and difficult to keep sight of. it's especially difficult when habit is added to the equation."

what is the best way to stay motivated and complete goals?
"keeping track of your progress can be an excellent motivator. when you can see how far you've come, you're far less likely, in my experience, to quit. humans hate wasting time, and giving up half way to the finish line is unproductive, and unappealing."

what are some goals you have failed to accomplish?
"before my inventions were destroyed in a fire, i always told myself i would try to release one or two of them to the public. i was afraid to be ridiculed, or scoffed at; i thought they were useless and inadequate. when my house burned down, i lost the culmination of a life's work, and yet, as well as being distraught, i was relieved; i no longer had to feel guilty for my inaction. but i've still every chance to complete that goal, if i decide i'd like to. at the moment, i still attach to that hobby almost twenty-five years of living in isolation and fear."

what are your goals for the next two years?
"well! the ravenclaw head of house position has recently reopened, and i have every intention to apply. i'm also in the process of revising my potions curriculum, so that it is as good as it can be. and i'd like to learn another language - perhaps russian, if i dare. lastly, i've plans to redecorate my house over the next year. it lost much of its character in the fire, and i'm financially fit now to think about reclaiming it."

how have your goals changed over your life?
"i used to set goals which, once achieved, would bring immediate, short-term satisfaction, but which did nothing to better the quality of my life in the long run. i try now to think a little further ahead, and to set goals which will not only benefit myself, but those around me as well. i've also learned that it's quite all right to have silly, personal goals; not everything you do in life has to be for a great purpose. sometimes our goals exist for the purpose of enjoyment."

what are you currently worried about?
"my daughter saveli wants to move to a farm with her boyfriend, reuben. i know i needn't worry - saveli doesn't need to be babied - but it's difficult to keep my concerns from influencing the advice i give her. i have to remind myself that i can't protect her forever, and that her struggles will ultimately become her strengths, but sometimes all i want to do is freeze this moment in time and never let anything change."

when was the last time you felt you had a new lease on life?
"this morning. every day that i wake up, i am given a new lease on life."

what languages do you wish you could speak?
"russian, as i mentioned, and possibly german or japanese. not for any particular reason; i just like they way they sound."

what would the box with all your hopes and dreams inside look like?
"it would be... small, but packed full to the brim."

what is the silliest fear you have?
"i hate walking down stairs at night. i have this irrational fear that a hand will come through the banister and grab my ankles."

what makes you nervous?
(he laughs) "everything. in particular, i'd say not being able to interpret somebody's feelings. i might wonder if i've upset them, for instance, but if there's no visible clues either way, i feel very anxious until i have clarification."

what kind of things embarrass you? why?
"i worry terribly what people think of me, so the embarrassment of an awkward social encounter will often linger for days, if not weeks, or months!"

in what situations do you wish you could put on an invisibility cloak and disappear?
"any and all social gatherings."

what do you fear is hiding in the dark?
"i'll never have the opportunity to know; i still sleep with a light."

interests & hobbies​

what hobbies do you have?
"er - i like to read, and write, and invent a little - but as i say, i haven't done very much of that lately. i also like to walk. i don't lead the most thrilling life, as you can tell. but it suits me."

what are some misconceptions about your hobbies?
"i think that when somebody hears i'm an inventor - and i don't make a habit of telling people for this very reason - they imagine they might see one of my inventions in the shops, whereas in reality, they won't. i suppose that's my fault; you wouldn't call yourself an author if you'd written books, but never published them. ah, well."

what do you find most relaxing? (not as in stress relief, but as something that actually calms you down)
"i find walking in nature very relaxing. just being in the open outdoors calms me down - especially if it's cool, and breezy."

what are you interested in that most people aren't?
"it isn't really one specific thing, but i suppose i have a sort of fascination for facts and knowledge that some people would consider unusual. i'm interested in everything. even the subjects generally recognised as boring, or overly-complicated."

what do you think you are much better at than you actually are?
"mm - psychology, perhaps. though i don't really overestimate my skill, even then. i'm quite aware i know little about it. i have a habit of trying to 'fix' people, though, in which situations i often forget that everybody is different, and that what works for me may not be beneficial to somebody else."

where do you get your news?
"from the daily prophet!"

what outdoor activity haven't you tried, but you'd like to?
"gosh, erm... i like to think that when i want to do something, i do it. there isn't much i want to do but haven't tried."

what's your secret talent?
"i am secretly very talented at blowing everything out of proportion."

what topic could you spend hours talking about?
"the english language."

are you very active or do you prefer to relax in your free time?
"i try to keep fit, but i do it out of necessity more than enjoyment. i play quidditch occasionally, and take walks every morning, but as a rule i'd take sitting with a book over playing sport."

what is your guilty pleasure?
"uh, thinking up sarcastic responses to my students."

what do you do to improve your mood when you're in a bad mood?
"either go for a walk, or perhaps write in my diary. i don't think i'm very often in a 'bad mood.'"

what are you best at?
"overthinking everything."

experiences​

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what's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?
"that would have to be my granddaughter, ainmere."

what's the funniest thing you've seen a child do?
"i didn't see it, but i was once in the same house as a young boy who attempted to flush himself down the toilet. apparently his mother told him this was how she got to the ministry. he misunderstood."

when did something start out badly for you, but in the end it was great?
"i'd say burning my house down. it was terrible at the time, of course, but it led me here, to the school, and so i wouldn't change it for anything."

what did you think was going to be amazing, but turned out to be horrible?
"being an auror. i completed two years of training before i realised the work wasn't for me. there's a sort of appeal in the idea of catching dark wizards, but it isn't as satisfying as it sounds. well - it wasn't for me, at least."

what's the best / worst practical joke you've played on someone, or someone has played on you?
"one afternoon i tried to surprise my friend arvo by jumping out of his cupboard while he was drinking tea. unfortunately, i was standing on my own shoelaces, so i sort of... fell out, and hit the floor face-first. to get me back, he pretended he was having a heart attack. i almost finished him myself."

what's the most ironic thing you've seen happen?
"i saw a salt-gritting truck slide off the icy road. the driver was fine, by the way."

what's the funniest thing you've done or had happen while your mind was wandering?
(he looks deep in thought for a few seconds) "sorry?" (he laughs at his own joke)

when was a time you acted nonchalant but were going crazy inside?
"i remember once at school a boy called dennis hexed me in the courtyard. there were plenty of eye-witnesses, but - you know - they stood around, and watched. when dennis finally let me go, i was absolutely furious - not just at him, but at the bystanders for not intervening - but i stood up and walked away as if it hadn't happened. i did get dennis back, actually; the following year ermolai and i jinxed his broom so that it left pink smoke-trails behind him in the air."

what's the most awkward thing that happens to you on a regular basis?
"i open my mouth."

what's a common experience for many people that you've never experienced?
"i don't think i've ever been in love - sad is it is to say. perhaps one day."

what's the most anxiety inducing thing you do on a regular basis?
"teach!"

when was the most inappropriate time you burst out laughing?
"ermolai and i had a terrible case of the giggles once during a owl exam. i can't for the life of me remember why, now, but i clearly recall the professor failing us both."

what story you've heard has stayed with you and always disturbs you when you think about it?
"i'm not sure i'll ever stop feeling disturbed by the story of how avie mitchell, a student here, passed away. i stlil blame myself a little that i didn't tell him to be careful swimming in the lake. perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference. it's awful, though."

when was the last time you stayed up through the entire night?
"this happens to me more frequently than i'd like. the last time was probably about two weeks ago."

what's the most physically painful thing you've experienced?
(monty shakes his head) "sorry; i'd rather not answer that."

what's the most emotionally painful thing you've experienced?
"i became very depressed, and isolated, when i ran away from home. i'd never been so afraid in my life. i had no idea where i was going, or what would become of me; i just took the first train leaving abingdon and hoped that it would take me as far away as possible. it was a terrifying experience. i was scared, and cold, and very much alone."

what was the most amazing magical feat you've ever managed to pull off?
"er... for a little while, i had a bit of an obsession with challenging my magical abilities. i can't perform magic very well when i'm anxious, see, but under the right conditions, i think i can cast most spells wandlessly."

where is the most uncomfortable place you have slept?
"on a park bench, i think. i was homeless for a little while."

where and when was the most amazing sunset you've ever seen?
"i saw a very beautiful sunset from the owlery at hogwarts. the sky was dark with clouds, and the setting sun made it look as if the horizon were on fire."

where is the the worst place you have been stuck for a long time?
"at home."

has anyone ever saved your life?
"yes."

what was the best time period of your life? what do you think will be the best time period of your life?
"i think i'm in it at the moment. or - i think i will be, soon."

 

[Monty Pendleton]

opinion​

what annoys you more than anything else?
"knowing that i am responsible for the anxious thoughts in my head, yet being unable still to control them."

what habit that others have annoys you most?
"i like to think i'm quite tolerant, but a lack of common courtesy and respect does irritate me."

what makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?
"the phrase, 'sorry i'm late, sir.'"

how do you judge a person?
"by the way they treat others. nothing says more about you than that."

what social stigma does society need to get over?
"lycanthropism. absolutely. it baffles me that it's still considered taboo."

what's something people don't worry about, but really should?
"overcoming the social stigma of lycathropism." (he laughs)

what's the silliest thing you've seen someone get upset about?
"sorry to skirt the question - i am a nuisance - but personally i've never thought anybody silly for being upset. it doesn't have to be a valid reason in my own eyes; if it's a cause of distress for somebody else, it should be taken seriously, and respected."

what's the most annoying noise?
"teeth against cutlery." (he shudders)

what odd smell do you really enjoy?
(he takes a sip of water) "nothing outrageous, i don't think. i've heard of people enjoying the smell of bubotuber pus. no. absolutely not. it's made me gag on more than one occasion."

what's something that everybody knows is true, but nobody likes to admit?
"kalif styx has fabulous hair."

what's something that people think makes them look cool, but actually has the opposite effect?
"being unkind. it's terrible that bullying is often seen as the 'cool' thing to do among peers. it puts pressure on otherwise kind individuals to behave in a way not reflective of their principles."

what were you completely certain of until you found out you were wrong?
"i convinced myself for nearly three decades that i preferred my own company, and that i was happy to live alone. it wasn't until i came to hogwarts, and fostered saveli, that i realised how very mistaken i was."

what do you think you do better than 90% of people?
"aw, no. nobody ought to compare themselves to anybody."</SIZE>

social​

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who is your oldest friend? where did you meet them?
"well, i don't see ermolai any more, so that would have to be arvo. he and i came to hogwarts in the same year, and we hit it off immediately. he's a dear friend to me, now. not always the most sensitive fellow, but always there in times of need."

who is your closest friend? describe them and how you relate to them
"again, that would be arvo. he and i share a rather mischievous sense of humour; we've an ongoing prank war that's managed to endure seven years, so far. he's a kind man - very wise, and humble. he seems to know what's best for me before i know it myself. all right, he isn't that humble - he's an arrogant little swine - but that's why i love him."

who is your worst enemy? describe them and why you don't get along
"i generally aspire to avoid making enemies."

what types of places do you hang out in with your friends?
"we mostly spend time in each other's offices, or at each other's houses, though occasionally we'll go out for a drink or two."

what qualities do all your friends have in common?
"besides that they're all lovely people, i don't think share any particular quality, really. i try to make friends with everybody, so naturally, there's a diverse range of traits among them."

what benefit do you bring to the group when you hang out with friends?
"i prevent anybody from feeling as if they're the most awkward, socially anxious person in the room."

what nicknames do you have for people in your life?
"i've never been one to use nicknames, to be quite honest. the only one i can think of is carrot, which is what saveli and i have taken to calling ainmere."

what's the craziest conversation you've overheard?
"i overheard a man confess, under the effects of veritaserum, that he had murdered my friend's daughter."

how comfortable are you speaking in front of large groups of people?
"this is a bit of an odd one; i'll be very anxious beforehand, but once i've started, as long as i feign enough confidence, i'm usually all right. the satisfaction of teaching outweighs the discomfort ten-fold, for me."

who do you wish you could get back into contact with?
"ermolai. i probably never will. i bumped into him some years back, and he isn't the man he used to be, sadly."

who did you once look up to, but they screwed up and you lost faith in them?
"my dad."

who is the most manipulative person you've met?
"a boy by the name of gabriel fletcher. i shudder to think my daughter might have ended up with him. i don't say this of people often, but he really was a horrible boy."

what are some of your pavlovian responses?
"'i'm so sorry - yes, absolutely - really, i'm fine!'"

what in your life brings you the most joy?
"my family, shortly followed by my work."

morality​

what one act in your past are you most ashamed of?
"i'm ashamed of... of many things. i'm ashamed for not speaking up when i needed to. i'm ashamed for not staying in touch with ermolai. i'm ashamed for allowing myself to be treated poorly for so long."

what one act in your past are you most proud of?
"my proudest act is that i've made it this far and still know how to smile."

what was the last argument you were in? with whom, over what, and who won?
"i last argued with vex over the bucket of slime he left balanced on the top of my office door. i told him the slime was perfectly acceptable, if not an excellent prank, but the metal bucket that nearly knocked me unconscious would have to go. er - he won the argument."

what's the dumbest thing someone has argued with you about?
"the spelling of the word 'sandwich'."

have you ever been in a real duel before? with whom, over what, and who won?
"yes - actually, i ended up in a duel with the man i mentioned earlier - the one who killed my friend's daughter. he'd managed to escape the auror i'd accompanied to the bar, so i did what i had to do to immobilise him. it was a frightening experience."

what do you feel most strongly about?
"i feel very strongly about child welfare. it's something i would fight for without hesitation."

what values are most important to you?
"honesty, and kindness, and acceptance."

what do you pretend to feel strongly about, just to impress people?
"i don't think i pretend to feel strongly about anything, really."

who do you go out of your way to be nice to?
"i try to treat everybody equally, whether i love them, loathe them, or feel indifferently toward them. i won't go out of my way to do somebody a favour if i dislike them, but in most cases, i don't feel a person's behaviour ought to determine what kindness they deserve. the people who need kindness the most often ask for it in unloving ways."

how often do you help others? who do you help? how do you help?
"i'm a bit of a pushover, really; i struggle to say no if somebody asks something of me. but i like to help others. i think most teachers do. helping somebody else gives you far greater satisfaction than helping yourself - though that is equally important to do, of course."

what trait do you find most admirable, and how often to you find it?
"bravery. and i see it every single day at hogwarts. it's inspiring."

do you have any feelings in general that you are disturbed by? why do they disturb you?
"plenty, but i find it easiest not to think about them. mostly i know they're irrational, and dwelling on them too long only causes unnecessary worry."

what's the worst thing that can be done to a person? why?
"taking away their right to feel safe. we need to feel safe as much as we need food and water. robbing somebody of that right is too easy, and a terrible thing to do."

what's the worst thing you could actually do to someone you hated?
"certainly nothing very aggressive. perhaps write them a stern letter of disapproval."

are you a better leader or follower? why do you think that?
"neither, really. i don't consider myself a leader, but i don't mindlessly follow, either; i'm happy to do my own thing, and what anybody has to say about it doesn't concern me in the least. not if it makes me happy."

what is your responsibility to the world, if any? why do you think that?
"i think i would need an awfully inflated opinion of myself to believe i had a responsibility to the world. i aspire to share my knowledge, and to help others, but it isn't much, in the grand scheme of things."

what do you do to make the world a better place?
"one act of kindness can begin a chain reaction that lasts indefinitely. i know i cannot significantly change the world, but if i can change one person's world, just a little, i'm happy."

is it okay for you to cry? when was the last time you cried?
"i'm learning that vulnerability isn't a weakness. i know that i cry often, but it isn't something i feel ashamed of. we're only human, after all."

if you couldn't be convicted of any one kind of crime, which criminal charge would you like to be immune to?
(he laughs) "i don't think i've ever wished to be immune to criminal charges. what are you trying to suggest?"

when was the last time you were snooping, and found something you wished you hadn't?
"when i was six, i discovered the text messages on my father's phone from the woman with whom he was having an affair. i didn't realise until many, many years later that they weren't from my mother."

when was the last time you yelled at someone?
"that must have been... odette harper. i caught her posting malicious flyers around the school, and immediately lost my temper."

how often do you curse?
"never when i'm sober... ocassionally when i'm drunk."

what was your most recent lie?
"oh, it was about... five or six questions ago. goodness, that makes me sound like a compulsive liar. it was something to do with feeling ashamed of crying. i do feel ashamed. i always have."

when was the last time you immediately regretted something you said?
"this is a daily occurrence."

what are some of your vices and bad habits? which would be the hardest to give up?
"if catastrophising is a bad habit, which it undoubtedly is, then i'd say this was the hardest to give up."

what habit do you have now that you wish you started much earlier?
"carefully organising paperwork."

what's your best example of fake it til you make it?
"i am horribly shy. paralysingly, cripplingly, devastatingly shy. i have, however, gained confidence in myself pretending otherwise."

have you ever saved an animal's life? what about a person's life?
"not an animal, but a person, yes. well - he might have been all right. i wouldn't have liked to have risked it. i was walking alone just outside obsidian harbour one morning when i saw a man crumpled at the side of the road, his body covered in horrible gashes. i managed to get him to his home, where i tended his wounds and administered blood-replenishing potions. fortunately, he was all right."

what is your definition of evil?
"i don't know. it's not a word i've much considered."

relationships & romance​

how old were you when you went on your first date?
"forty-three, or so? and only then because ava practically forced me to go speed-dating. i've never been on a real date, though."

would you consider yourself straight, gay, bi, or something else? why?
"i'm not sure. i'm a little confused, at the moment."

have you ever had a same-sex experience? who with, what was it like, and how did it go?
"i don't... i don't think so. no. no, i haven't."

do you currently have a lover? what is their name, and what is your relationship like? what are they like? Why are you attracted to them?
"no, i am single."

what is the perfect romantic date?
"i would have to go on one to be sure."

describe the perfect romantic partner for you
"honestly, i've never really envisioned myself with anyone."

do you ever want to get married and have children? when do you see this happening?
"well, i already have a child, saveli, whom i adopted. marriage is... again, not something i've thought very much about."

what is more important - sex or intimacy? why?
"probably intimacy."

what was your most recent relationship like? who was it with?
"i have never been in a relationship."

what's the weirdest crush you've had?
(he blushes) "um - i've never had a 'weird' crush."

what about the opposite sex confuses you the most?
"just... just everything, really. i have some wonderful female friends, but... i don't know."

what's the worst thing you've done to someone you loved?
"sorry - could we please move on?"

work & education​

what was the best thing about your school?
"there were plenty of broom cupboards to hide in."

what or who has taught you most of the information you use on a regular basis?
"i think i taught most of it to myself. books - books, that's what taught me."

do you have a job? what is it? do you like it? if no job, where does your money come from?
"at the moment i am the lower-years potions professor at hogwarts new zealand. i enjoy it very much, yes; i couldn't see myself doing anything else, now."

what is your boss or employer like?
"the headmistress, professor alicastell, has some excellent visions for the school. she's quite uncompromising, but from what i understand, fair and well-meaning. i'm looking forward to seeing how the school grows under her guidance."

what are your co-workers like? do you get along with them? which ones don't you get along with?
"oh, yes - they're lovely. i get along with most of my co-workers. there's a few i've never really spoken to, but i certainly don't dislike any of them. we're all quite driven, and eager to help; it makes for a splendid working environment, and sets a good example for the children."

what is something you had to learn that you hated?
"i've actually tutored children for twenty years, but only in a one on one environment. keeping an entire room full of children in check was something that I had to learn, and it took a bit of adapting to. shyness doesn't go down well with the youngsters, so it's important that I exude confidence wherever I go!"

what's the weirdest thing that has happened to you while working at your job?
"i started to enjoy myself! when i applied for the job, it was only because i had nowhere to live and needed the accommodation. i intended to quit after just a semester or two. after nearly seven years, i've still no desire to leave."

what's the best thing about your work?
"it's really a wonderful feeling when you finally see a struggling student succeed. that is what i teach for."

what's the hardest you've ever worked?
"there was a week a couple of years ago during which i had about 6 cumulative hours of sleep, and had to teach every morning. i did call a substitute for one lesson, but i try not to make a habit of that, or i'd be doing it every time i felt under the weather."

when was the last time you worked incredibly hard?
(he laughs) "teaching is quite hard work all of the time."

when do you want to retire? what do you want to do when you retire?
"not until i can't climb the stairs! i can't see myself retiring; i wouldn't know what to do with all my free time."

philosophy​

what is your personal philosophy?
"be thick-skinned and soft-hearted."

what does it mean to live a good life?
"i think it means something different to each of us individually. what satisfies me in life may not satisfy somebody else, and that's ok. ultimately, we all strive to be happy, but i think the best way to achieve that is to see happiness as the journey, rather than the destination. if you think of it as a destination, you'll be forever waiting for some emotional revelation - for a switch to flick - but the switch is an illusion; it doesn't exist. we have to look for the good things in every day - even the ones that seem bleak and hopeless. they're there; and if we can focus on them, and pay more attention to what's right than what is wrong, we can be happy even in the most difficult of times. a good life is one spent appreciating every day for what it is, as well as what you want it to be, whilst ever striving to make tomorrow a better one. we're more in control of our happiness than we're led to think. don't be passive. just... do. it's the inaction we most regret."

how should success be measured? by that measurement, who is the most successful person you know?
"again, i think the measurement of success varies in each individual. i might consider myself successful, as i have a job that i love, and a family, but somebody else in the same position could feel unfulfilled. success is an odd term. it encourages us to compare ourselves to others. that isn't a good thing to do."

where does your self-worth come from?
"from within myself, usually - which is why it's so often fleeting. it's certainly not easy to self-praise, especially if you were conditioned as a child that you were inadequate, but we are the only person who can provide ourselves with an inexhaustible wealth of love and kindness. i frequently fall into the habit of scolding myself, but i do try to be kind when i can. we scarcely realise sometimes that we treat ourselves so terribly, it's almost harassment. if we teach the voice in our head to treat us the way we would a friend, we never have to rely on anybody or anything else for self-worth."

where do you find meaning in life?
"in not worrying too much about whether i'm here for some great purpose. if we dwell on the meaning of life, wondering whether we'll ever truly solve our unanimous existential crisis, we invariably reach the same conclusion: there is no meaning. there is no purpose. but that's quite liberating, when you think about it. we have the freedom to do whatever we want to do, without needing there to be a 'point'."

is suffering a necessary part of the human condition? what would people who never suffered be like?
"i think we all suffer, to a certain degree. we have... different tolerance levels to suffering, depending on the sort of life we've lived, but we each suffer all the same. though i wouldn't wish pain on anybody, it certainly does teach us to be kind, and sympathetic. pain and suffering unites us, though it shouldn't rule us."

would you want to know if you were going to die beforehand, or die without warning?
"hmm - without warning, i think. i won't mind very much about anything when i'm dead, so i can't possibly regret not knowing i ought to appreciated my final days a little more."

if you had to guess, what do you think would be the most likely way you'll die?
"this is very morbid! i can't say what's most likely, but i'd like to go out with a sort of bang. none of that peacefully-in-your-sleep kind of business."

is it important to help yourself, help your family, help society, or help the world?
"i think we should strive to help everybody, but make ourselves the overarching priority. we're no good to anybody else if we haven't taken care of our own needs, first."

how replaceable are you?
(he thinks for some time about this, clearly never having considered it) "none of us are replaceable."

does knowledge have intrinsic value or does it need to have a practical use to be practical to have value?
"in my case, at least, the intrinsic value in knowledge is the self-satisfaction it brings me. of course, it's much more useful to share that knowledge with others, but if you enjoy learning simply for the sake of learning, then that's value enough."

are intelligence and happiness tied together in any way? if you are highly intelligent, is it more likely that you'll be more, or less happy?
"no, I wouldn't say that you're more likely to be happy. in fact, quite the opposite. intelligence can be detrimental to one's happiness. many intelligent people are chronically depressed. perhaps we should simply learn what we want to learn, and not worry too much about how intelligent it makes us appear."

what right does every human have?
"the right to feel safe."

what's the difference between justice and revenge?
"one sounds more forgivable!"

random​

what would a world populate by clones of you look like?
"hideous." (he starts laughing) "and probably very barren. we'd all be hiding away in fear of running into one another and having to make conversation."

if someone narrated your life, who would you want to be the narrator?
"arvo. i know i could rely on him to narrate it as judgmentally as possible."

what's the funniest joke you know by heart?
"what's the difference between a good joke and a bad joke timing."

if you were a ghost and could possess people, what would you make them do?
"whatever it was that scared them."

if animals could talk, which animal would be the most annoying?
"dogs, i would imagine."

what's fine in small numbers but terrifying in large numbers?
"mathematical equations?"

which way should toilet paper hang, over or under?
(he laughs) "what?"

what's the cutest thing you can imagine? something so cute it's almost painful
"uhh - a baby hedgehog in boots."

what would be the most unsettling thing to keep finding around your house?
"insects."

what's the most boring superhero you can come up with?
"ph... photosynthesis man."

time freezes for everyone but you for a day. what do you do?
"book myself into the nearest psychiatric ward."

you have to relive one day of your life forever. which day do you choose?
"any of them, as long as i'd had more than eight hours of sleep."

a portal to another world opens in front of you. you don't know how long it will stay open or if you'll be able to get back after you go through. what do you do?
"send arvo in first."

if you were on the run for a crime you didn't commit, where would you go?
"to nether wallop, because it isn't far from where i live but nobody would believe you if you told them it was a real place."

future​

when you are old, what do you think children will ask you to tell stories about?
"that is a good question, and i don't know the answer. i can't imagine they'd be particularly interested to hear about the 200,000 pieces of homework i marked, but i'll be more than happy to regale them if they are."

what near future predictions do you have?
"i'm predicting that this upcoming year will be an eventful one. i can't say why - i just... feel as if i'm on the verge of something. you know?"

how much do you plan / prepare for the future?
"i try to plan and prepare for possible contingencies, but i don't have much set in stone. if i decided next year i'd had enough of teaching, i wouldn't stay on simply because it didn't match my five-year vision. life would be too stifling that way."

if you had to change your name, what would your new name be?
"well, it took me some time to think of montgomery pendleton, so i wouldn't be very happy to have to think of another."

if you could learn the answer to one question about your future, what would it be?
(he thinks for a moment, then smiles) "there isn't anything i'd need to know."

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this character interview was compiled by claire using questions from here, here, and here. feel free to use and edit it, but please leave the credit!

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