Poppy "Red" McLoughlin

Backstory

Being a Muggleborn with no magical connections and a talent for breaking things, I certainly didn't expect a letter from a faraway fancy boarding school asking me to enrol there to be a witch! I always thought witches were monsters, horrible old ladies with green skin and warts who make potions with animal parts...I've not seen anyone with green skin yet.

I've been reading up on the wizarding world, though, and all of the witchards I've met so far seem nice! I was kind of surprised when the Sorting Hat made me a Ravenclaw, though - I guess I'm pretty bright but I think I would have made a better Hufflepuff. Slytherins and Gryffindors can save the day whilst I read up on how to protect myself, thanks! Not that I wouldn't use my magic to help someone if they needed it. My mum says I'm too helpful for my own good, in fact. I'd just rather do interesting things with spells than fight other wizards. Told you I could be a Hufflepuff!

At least I have Leonie. That's the best little tortoiseshell in the whole world, and I swear she understands you when you talk. She met a unicorn once and it got all flustered, and I'm starting to think she's a little magical. I talk to her sometimes, when nobody else is around. She's a good listener. She even listens to me whine about Potions, and doesn't mind too much when I turn her into things. I think she quite liked being a squirrel that one time, to be honest.

Maybe if I train hard enough, I'll be a Magical Creature Trainer one day! Well, Leonie's not magical, but those Bowtruckles sure seemed to like me. I don't even mind the Thestrals too much. They smell of petrichor, and if you watch closely you can see their footprints. They're sweet, in a way.