Herbert

This character is on the Roster. If you are interested in playing this character, refer to +roster in game and follow the instructions on how to claim a Roster character.

Character Information
Portrayed by Robert Knepper
Name: Herbert Burke
Aliases: Herb
Birthday: May 6th, 1886
Position: Magical Law Enforcement
Auror Office
Superintendent
Lineage: Pure-Blood

Description

Tall and lean, this man has the high forehead and hollow cheeks of an aesthete. His nose is long and aquiline, with a scar across its bridge. It runs beneath his left eye, thin and pale, almost a wrinkle. He has dark eyes, sunk beneath narrow brows. Exceedingly high cheekbones shadow them even further, making it hard to even see his near-black irises. His dark hair is beginning to recede, leaving a sharp widow's peak, and begins to show streaks of silver. Despite his descent into middle age, he possesses a wiry musculature that implies a graceful sort of power.

He dresses in subfusc grays and whites. A gray double-breasted suit with pale pinstrips matches his snap-brim fedora perfectly. He wears a pair of two-tone wingtips, black and white. His dress shirt is sharply-pressed and starched, with onyx cufflinks.

Background

Herbert Burke was born on May 6, 1886, a bloody hot night in St. Mungo's Hospital to Caratacus Burke I and Winnifred Burke nee Rashley. Caracterus Burke the First (I) was a Pure-Blood who taught at Hogwarts for a living, and eventually became headmaster. Winnifred Burke was a Pure-Blooded witch who spent her life rearing her children. They were harsh parents to Herbert and childhood for him was a series of strict ordeals and rules. Since the family was wealthy, he had access to all of the best activities and, of course, schools. A few of his favorite hobbies growing up were reading, bug collecting and boxing. The Burke and Rashley families are both extremely Purist and vocal in their beliefs, and Herbert's relationship with all of them is strained, to say the least.

When at Hogwarts, he wasn't popular with his fellow students due to his cynical and abrasive nature. Herbert began at Hogwarts in 1904 where he was sorted into House Gryffindor and graduated in 1911. Dueling, Athletics and Chess were some of Herbert's extra-curriculars. Third Year was the year that Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes were taken on along with the core classes. O.W.L.s in these classes were both Outstanding. Upon returning to Hogwarts 6th year, Herbert began N.E.W.T. classes of Potions, Defense Against Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration. After doing Outstanding in these classes he graduated with the class of 1904.

After graduating he immediately entered into Auror training at The Ministry of Magic. Herbert was a superb Auror, to the chagrin of his family. He solved several high profile cases as a young man, risking his life and very soul in duels with dark wizards, and was promoted to Special Auror. He allowed his mother to arrange a marriage with Belvina Black as soon as he graduated, and they had three children: Caractacus, Tasciovanus, and Boudica. Being a Special Auror and being the patriarch of a family that traditionally specializes in Dark Arts leads Herbert to be a bit of a heavy drinker to help handle the strain and he often crashes at the Auror Office in a holding cell. Now that the children are grown he and Belvina have had more time to get to know each other in their empty nest. After all these years there's an actual relationship blooming.

Quirks

Burke_Arms.png
  • Dog After a Bone
  • Wealth: Well-To-Do
  • Code of Conduct
  • Courageous

RP Hooks

  • Patriarch of Burke Family - With Herbert's father dead, it leaves him as the patriarch of the family. Which isn't easy as he is the odd man out as an Auror in a family that is typically at least dabbling a pinky toe into dark waters so to speak.
  • Special Auror: Do you need an Auror to solve a case?
  • Imbiber: Herbert's coping mechanism for decades of hard work at the M.L.E., a loveless marriage and being the white sheep in a family of black woolies is drinking.
  • Pure-Blood: Herbert is not what some would call a purist. He believes in the strength of Blood Purity. But is not about to go killing or demeaning anyone else because of their birth. Herbert really understands that you can't help who your parents are.

Logs

Logs featuring Herbert Logs that refer to Herbert

Relationships

Belvina

Belvina
Wife: (b. ) Pure-Blood. There was no romantic love between them, they are partners, truly equals in the decisions in the family and their household. They have the utmost respect for each other and they share a love for their children. Now that the children are all grown and moved on, it's created a new dynamic between them. Being alone now they are getting to know themselves again and getting to know each other again as well. With it being just the two of them they have had moments, gazes, smiles… could they be falling in love after all this time?

Caractacus

Caractacus
Eldest Son: (b. ) Pure-Blood. When Herbert first held Car the baby wailed and cried. When Herbert's father took his son from him the boy instantly went quiet and reached for his grandfather's face. It was in that instant that Herbert knew that he had given his father the son he always wanted. That is why they named Car for his grandfather. Since that day Herbert has been a guardian over his son, but nothing that could deserve the title of father. That title belongs to his namesake. They were inseparable and Herbert spent all of his son's life hearing how he'd 'tell grandfather about this' if he so much tried to discipline or guide Caractacus. When Herbert's father died, he thought it might be his chance, but it was too late. When Herbert looked at the young man his son had become, all he saw was his Caractacus Sr.

Tasciovanus

Tasciovanus
Second Son: (b. ) Pure-Blood. Tasciovanus, his second-born, is far more like Herbert than the rest of the family and is, unabashedly, his favorite child.

Boudica

Boudica
Daughter: (b. ) Pure-Blood. Boudica, his daughter, holds a special place in his heart — as any daughter will, to a Father — but he worries that she sees him in the same way Caracterus does.

Gallery

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