Garnet Gem

Backstory

Garnet Gem comes from a pureblood family residing in rural Ireland. Though their family had money, they saved and invested most of it, deciding to instead live in a modest family farmhouse on the outskirts of Lismore. Garnet grew up with sheep and goats, exploring the wilds around the mountains with their two older brothers, Simon and Calvin. 

The family was very tight-knit, choosing to stay isolated from others, so Garnet never had many friends. Their father, Franklin Gem, spent most of his time in his study, reading any book he came across. Their mother, Carol Gem, was quick-witted and cast spells with an ease others envied. They raised their children to be the best, homeschooling them to give them a headstart at Hogwarts. Simon, the eldest, was four years older than Garnet. He and Garnet often played Wizards Chess, at which both were skilled. Calvin, a mere 18 months older, was a tornado of chaos, constantly getting in trouble with their parents and often neglecting his schoolwork. Calvin and Garnet were not very close, with Garnet seeing Calvin as a layabout with no discipline.

When Garnet was six years old, their first manifestation of magic occurred. They played with their older brothers in the yard, spraying each other with a garden hose to cool down from the midsummer heat. Without realizing it, Simon sprayed a hornet's nest, and, being the closest to the nest, Garnet was swarmed with wasps. They screamed in pain as the hornets began to sting them, but suddenly, the loud sound of the swarm muted, and the stings stopped. Uncovering their face, Garnet saw they were surrounded by a translucent blue bubble, keeping the stinging hornets at bay. They quickly ran into the house with their brothers, where their mother treated the stings and removed the stingers from Garnet's skin. 

Upon learning that Garnet had manifested their first magic, the family celebrated. It was a tradition in the family to celebrate the first magical occurrence, and the next day, Garnet was treated to a party and gifts. One of the boxes had a few holes and shook every so often. Their mother gently picked up the box and handed it to Garnet, their tiny hands gripping it tightly. They gently placed the box in front of them and opened the lid. Inside was a small bundle of fur, barely the size of a tennis ball. Garnet gasped as two tiny green eyes met theirs and they gently picked up the furball. In their hands was a little white kitten with short legs and long fur. It looked up, let out a quiet squeak of a meow, and reached out a small paw towards Garnet. From that day forward, the kitten Garnet named Snow would become their constant companion.

Five years later, Garnet was ready to begin their adventures at Hogwarts. Leaving their parents behind was hard for the eleven-year-old, as they had hardly ever spent time apart from them, but Garnet had their brothers to keep them company, and they had high hopes to make friends for the first time in their life. With Snow in their lap, Garnet rode the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts for the first time, excitedly chatting with Simon and Calvin about what to expect and the dos and don'ts of Hogwarts life.