Character Info--
Age: 28
Graduation: 2008
OWLs/NEWTs:

OWLs:
Astronomy – A
Charms – A
Divination – EE
DADA – A
Herbology – P
History of Magic – O
Muggle Studies - O
Potions – T
Transfiguration – EE

NEWTs:
Charms – A
Divination – P
History of Magic – O
Muggle Studies – EE
Transfiguration – A

History: Dermont was raised by ogres middle class, halfblooded parents in a muggle neighborhood in Brighton, East Sussex. Quinn and Andrea Walmsley thought it important to give their son a modern upbringing, rich in both magical and muggle culture, even going so far as to enroll Dermont in muggle primary school (where he excelled tremendously) until he received his letter from Hogwarts. He read, wrote, and spoke well above his peers, leading his teachers to believe that he was exceptionally intelligent, creating a strong sense of entitlement and superiority in the young Dermont Walmsley.

At Hogwarts, Dermont continued to impress both his fellow Gryffandors and his professors with his communicative skills; he wrote lovely essays and possessed a keen analysis for social issues which propelled him to the top of his History of Magic and Muggle Studies classes, but lacked the organizational skill and attention span to excel in Potions and Herbology. Elsewhere, he was a fairly mediocre student... the sort who could do well, but not without the considerable effort which he absolutely refused to put forward. Socially, however, Dermont was a smashing success, easily one of the most popular students in his year. This popularity became more of a hindrance to his academic performance as he grew older, particularly once dances and dating became a staple of his social appetite, leading him to perform well below his potential on his OWLs and NEWTs, even to the point where he actually failed his Potions exam.

Dermont's piss poor test scores and lackluster academic record proved tremendously injurious to his employment potential after his seventh year. He was repeatedly offered jobs based on his interviews, only to find the offers withdrawn upon review of his resume. Finally, however, he found work as a political speech writer and managed to build himself a strong body of work, spanning the top ranks of the ministry of magic.

After five years of coining propaganda for Ministry drones, Dermont's natural sense of entitlement led him to seek direct recognition for his work. He wanted his words to be associated with his name, not politicians, so he applied for a position on the Daily Prophet (for the second time, as they had rejected him five years prior) and was offered a low-level reporting position.

As a reporter for The Prophet, Dermont quickly gained notoriety for his casual wit and user-friendly rhetoric. He was an enormous hit with the readers, even though his maverick behavior in the office and unbridled procrastination raised eyebrows (and occasionally tempers) at headquarters. Regardless, he rose quickly to an iconic status as a purveyor of moving and readable political analysis. His most redeeming feature amongst the editorial staff, however, was his unflinching willingness to write passionately on literally any issue and from any viewpoint. This apparent lack of personal sensibilities made him as pliable a journalist as he was marketable, a lethal tool of mass manipulation.

To date, Dermont doesn't mind his status as the prophet's go-to man for blow softening and fact spinning. It furnishes him with the public recognition he lives for and supports a comfortable, if not particularly opulent, lifestyle. It buys him expensive tee shirts and nice furniture, allows for a thriving social life, and, occasionally, gets him laid, which is really all this reporter has ever hoped to get out of life.

Personality: Dermont is, on face, a perfectly affable sort of fellow. He's clean, witty, and even willing to shut up when it suits the occasion. He's actually a very good friend as well and will readily lend a wand for a move or a hand on the shoulder or whatever. Unfortunately, he is perhaps a bit too willing to ingratiate himself...

What began as an incessant need to surround himself with friends at any cost has coupled with an overwhelming propensity for objectivity to form in Dermont Walmsley an almost pandering tendency to be innocuous in any company. He used to suppress his own opinions in conversation, preferring to listen to and support the thoughts of others rather than venture to his own. Now, however, his own opinions have atrophied from constant neglect and he has become an ideological chameleon, genuinely accepting the beliefs of those around him, supporting them, exploring them, and if need be, destroying them for a good story.

Likewise, Dermont has very few moral scruples when it comes to what he will and will not put in print. Lies, misrepresentations, and manipulations of truth have long since failed to phase him, although the former Gryffandor in him still refuses to expose a true friend. His loyalty, however, does not extend to his place of work. Dermont will occasionally choose to supplement his Prophet income by publishing articles with their competitors under pen names and with a somewhat altered style.

He has also been known to translate the rough outlines of failed romantic liaisons into a line of muggle romance novels published under the pen name “Harvey Harding” (his publisher wouldn't let him use “Hardman” as a surname...), a habit which has rather enraged an ex-girlfriend or ten.

Appearance: Standing at a painfully average 172 centimeters (about 5'8”) and possessing the build of a mildly narcissistic scholar (read: a perceptible dose of muscle tone obscured by the slight pudge of a man who thrives entirely on food from a box), Dermont is hardly the sort of man to avoid in a dark alley. Granted, he doesn't look quite as helpless as the stereotypical writer, but that's more due to his tendency to move with an overwhelming confidence than because of any sort of obvious physical presence. Even when he has no idea where he is, his olive-colored eyes retain a mischievous glint which, when accompanied by an affable smirk, lends him an air of perpetual good humor.

Everything about Dermont's style, from the “straight out of bed plus some gel and a good noogie” hair he wears to pretty much every day to his wardrobe (which exists almost entirely in shades of faded denim), reeks of meticulously constructed neglect. He would love for general consensus to assume that everything about him is entirely natural, but in reality, his complexion is controlled by a strict crepuscular regimen of expensive potions, his hair kept glossy by an unending barrage of after-shower conditioners. In fact, the only facet of his appearance that is precisely as natural as he would have everyone think is his weak chin.

OOC Info--
Name & Contact Information: I'm Steph. Feel free to IM me on AIM as lenisvox or on YIM as punjabberwocky. I think I have an msn dealie too, but I'm not entirely sure how to work it, so PM me or something if that's all you've got and I'll figure it out ^_^ You can also catch me by email at punjabberwocky@gmail.com, but know that I check it sort of erratically, so a PM is probably your best bet if you're averse to instant messaging.
Previous Roleplay Experience: I've rped very infrequently for a few years and co-adminned a site for almost two more.