ILGB: Aurelia Bancroft

    Her father was an avid insect collector  but the women of the household took no part of his "scoutings" to his disappointment (though his collection became quite big that it filled a room from floor to ceiling on all four walls). Instead, the daughter took after her mother with her enthusiasm for quidditch. Her mother was a member of the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Games and Sports. With that advantage, Aurelia almost never missed a quidditch game and her love for the sport grew and grew.

    Homeschooling had started at the age of four in their massive library her parents had invested in over the years. Books of old and new were stacked much taller than her own height and it was Aurelia's Garden of Eden. She inhaled books like air and as a few years passed, the girl longed for the sceneries her books described: soft, viridian meadows and never-ending, deep-blue oceans. The young, precocious girl rarely requested her own desires so her parents began to travel to quench their daughter's thirst (probably also an excuse for their dad to collect more unique insects) for knowledge - Aurelia loved every minute of it.

    The environment, the people, the culture was ever so shocking and ever so splendid. The food smelled different everywhere the young witch went and the scenery was always spectacular. Aurelia began to take an interest in archaeology after their trip to Easter Island. Their world trips began to point towards popular, muggle archaeology sites and the girl's hobby emerged. Ancient muggle civilizations and their history were so very interesting to the young witch although her parents thought it quite strange.

    The family moved back to their mansion in Britain when Aurelia showed signs of her magical ability - they couldn't hide the mysterious accidents that kept happening around their daughter. At the age of ten, she finally met her paternal cousins, Hikaru and Arisa Bancroft. Her paternal grandmother had forbidden from the two families meeting for many years due to her pureblood uncle marrying a muggle; that was taboo in their grandmother's eyes and it had ruined their bloodline. Nevertheless, her grandmother had somehow eased up to her Japanese aunt and once again, family was united.

    Aurelia had so many questions for her aunt and uncle! "Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?" She enjoyed the company of her relatives but her cousins were a whole different matter. From the very beginning, Hikaru had pointed out something that was "incorrect" about the young witch's facts. What did her cousin know? She was a brainless clutz! And that started their intense competition of just about everything: who would grow taller in a week, who could do the stork stand the longest, who could colour better, who could eat the fastest, who could ride the bike slowest without losing balance, and on it went. It was over trivial things that they argued and debated over.

    One day, they had a swimming race on a hot, summer day. Who could swim the fastest from this end to the other? Off they went. The results were the same after multiple competitions. "Alright, this will be the final one! Prepare yourself, Aurelia!" Both witches scoffed at each other and they started again. However, Aurelia was tired. They had already raced seven times and it was getting harder and harder to swim; despite her short breaths, she would not admit she was tired. Her pride was on the line - and so she endured...until she could. A severe cramp handicapped the girl in the middle of the pool and she sank. Her vision became a dark tunnel and past memories flashed in and out.

    After that incident, her fear of swimming and large bodies of water became apparent - that was the end of a hazy summer. Her parents gave her a pet cat on her eleventh birthday and no sooner had she blown out her birthday candles, her Hogwarts letter came in through the door's mail slot. Excited and anxious, Aurelia patiently waited for the next September to come around.

    With all her luggage and her sidekick, Artemis, she was ready to roll. Of course, Hikaru enrolled into Hogwarts as well. She hoped that they wouldn't be in the same house and to her relief, her cousin was named Gryffindor and she was named Ravenclaw, just like her father. Her first, second, and third year was all about beating Hikaru in everything she could. History of Magic, Astronomy, Herbology, and Potions were her specialty; her spellwork leaned towards the defensive side. To Aurelia's dismay, she lost to her cousin in Charms and Transfiguration (by only a little!) It wasn't until fourth year that they made a mutual truce and their competition over their studies ended.

    Aurelia didn't make too many friends, if any, due to spending most of her leisure time in the library with her head in the books and misunderstandings with her outward appearance. Her parents have convinced her to go out of her comfort zone and try to be more friendly; she doesn't exactly understand why she needs to try when she has her books but she's compliant and has been going out of her way to say awkward greetings--

• Felix Bancroft: Father and Part of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad (Pureblood - Ravenclaw)
• Eva Arrington: Mother and Part of the Department of Magical Games and Sports (Pureblood - Gryffindor)
• Isaac Bancroft - Uncle and Part of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad (Pureblood - Gryffindor)         
• Ayumi Takahashi - Aunt and Architect/Inventor (Muggle)
  
• Charlotte Bancroft - Grandmother (Pureblood - Ravenclaw)
  
• Arisa Bancroft - Cousin (Squib)
• Hikaru Bancroft - Cousin (Half-Blood - Gryffindor)