Graphic by BanaBatGirl
Alistaire Firth
{BASICS}
Name: Alistaire Fergus Douglas Firth
Nickname: goes by Alistaire or Ali, but
not Al
Age: 38
Born: April 14, 2042
POB: outside of Edinburgh, Scotland
Current residence: Inverness, Scotland
Attended Hogwarts: 2053-2060
Former House: Gryffindor
Blood status: Halfblood
Relationship status: single
Wand: English oak, unicorn hair, 13 ¼” long, reasonably pliable
Patronus: stag
{APPEARANCE}
Hair: dark brown
Eyes: blue-green
Height: 6' 1"
{FAMILY BACKGROUND}
Father: Lorne Firth, 72
Mother: Ava Firth (neé Douglas), 69
Brothers: Iain Firth, 45 and Ciaran Firth, 43 (estranged)
{PETS}
Alistaire brings with him two pets that he adores, one male and one female, both highland cattle. Their names are Broc and Bonny.
{HOBBIES AND INTERESTS}
Besides Broc and Bonny, Alistaire loves all things to do with nature. His idea of a great day would be waking up early, hiking through the Highlands, then spending the afternoon skipping rocks into a loch. He can often be found sitting outside his hut, dressed in full Douglas clan tartan, playing a tune on his bagpipes. Other interests include anything that involves working with one's hands, such as whittling or bow hunting.
{PERSONALITY}
Alistaire Fergus (AL-i-stayr FAYR-gus) Douglas Firth is an atypical youngest child. The Sorting Hat spent a grand total of six minutes and fourty-two seconds on Alistaire, making him a clear Hatstall. In the end the Hat chose Gryffindor for Alistaire’s penchant towards chivalry, but Hufflepuff was a close second for his laid-back demeanor. His gentlemanly tendencies, along with rugged good looks, have gained him many female admirers over the years, but he has yet to find the right one. If you visit his hut, you will find him more than willing to let you help him with his latest project, whether it’s binding a bowtruckle leg or grooming the Quiddich Pitch. But be careful not to get on his bad side — he has a full-blooded Scottish temper!
{BACKGROUND}
The youngest of three boys, Alistaire was born just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. His mother and father were both Muggleborns, so he attended a Muggle primary school on the Royal Mile for several years before starting at Hogwarts. Shortly before his first year there, Lorne and Ava moved the family residence to a small village deep in the Scottish Highlands. It was in this quaint home that Alistaire’s deep sense of Scottish national pride and thick accent were fostered.
Alistaire started at Hogwarts in 2053. While there, he excelled in Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Charms. He was a member of the Charms and Gobstones Clubs during his tenure, but spent as much of his spare time out on the Grounds as possible, preferring the fresh air to the stuffiness of the castle.
After graduation, Alistaire moved to the northern English city of Berwick-upon-Tweed, where he worked in the Muggle world studying modifications to the canola plant crop. Though the scenery was beautiful, he quickly lost interest in this and relocated far north to Inverness within a few years. Alistaire’s wealthy grandfather died a month later, leaving the young wizard with a considerable amount of Muggle money.
Newly rich, Alistaire used the money to buy a substantial plot of land outside of the city. Along with his older brother Ciaran, he tended the land and built a house. Alistaire was hired by the Muggle government to work in the Borders region of Scotland as part of their project to re-forest the area after devastating forest fires. As befitting for a wizard in a Muggle profession, his superiors were amazed with Alistaire’s remarkable ‘green thumb,’ for every tree he planted seemed to grow twice as fast as any other.
It was through this job that he met Ruby. The young people fell desperately in love. Alistaire looked forward to weekends when he was back home and could have her round for dinner. Ten months later, after a romantic hike and a stargazing session, Alistaire asked Ruby to marry him. Unfortunately, his brother, Ciaran, found Ruby appealing as well. Only a month into the engagement, Alistaire returned home for the weekend to find a note from Ciaran explaining that he and Ruby has eloped.
Grief-ridden and desiring to get away, Alistaire quit his job and left for a lengthy trip abroad. Using his grandfather’s inheritance money, he spent a year traveling, visiting places such as Iceland, Russia, Romania, and Ireland. It was in this time of travel and distress that Alistaire heard of the opening for Hogwarts Groundskeeper. Eager for a change of venue and a fresh start, he submitted his name and gladly accepted the invitation.
Ali spent two rewarding years at Hogwarts as Groundskeeper. In his second year, he developed a close relationship with new staff member Peyton Barlow, Care of Magical Creatures Professor. However, he never worked up the courage to ask her out, as the effects of dementors lurking in the forest near his hut all year dampened his spirits. This mood carried with him through the end of the year when the dementors invaded the castle during Lafay's Potions ice cream toppings party. With soul-sucking creatures bearing down on him and coworker Ivy Knox, neither could muster the strength to produce a Patronus. Alistaire's last act was one of self-sacrificing bravery, as any Gryffindor would desire. The dementor performed the Kiss on Ali, but this left enough time for Erik Vinteren to save Ivy. Ali is now kept in a permanent ward in St. Mungo's.