Maura
Natalie2.jpg
Portrayed By Natalie Portman
House Hufflepuff
Year Graduated
Position Healer, Linguist
Sex Female
Race Pureblood
Age 29
Place of Birth Jerusalem
Date of Birth Jun 4 1971
Mother Ambassador Rachel Zehavi
Father Levi Zehavi
Siblings Gideon (Half-Brother)
Marital Status
Children None
First Appearance Caged in Shadow
Last Appearance

Character History:

Born to an Israeli Diplomat and her husband, Maura was nonetheless raised in Britain as her mother served as a a Wizardess Embassador from the Middle East to the Ministry of Magic. So she has grown up with all of the local culture and flavor and fit in normally, even amongst the nobility - it's just that her blood is from an *extremely* old pure blooded line from the 'cradle of life' region.

She was sorted into Hufflepuff House on her first day at Hogwarts and by all accounts led a rather charmed existence there. She went largely unnoticed by her peers because much of her free time was spent assisting in the infirmary due to an apparent affiliation with the healing arts that isn't really part of the normal school curriculum.

It was after her last year at Hogwarts that things went downhill, really. Though it caught her completely by surprise. She was embarking on a tour of the other wizard hospitals - one in America and one in France - for a year each before taking up residence at st. Mungo's, when her trip went horribly awry. Shadow, having studied her family history and lineage, knew that he would be able to trigger a disease called Leigh Syndrome by injecting her with a magical RNA sequence.

Without need to go into great detail, it was a rather arduous time. The disease didn't progress normally or she never would have survived at all. But rather would stop and start in fits, confounding Shadow and making him irrationally angry, thereby throwing her to Bellatrix LeStrange to toy with. But she would gladly have just stayed and endured it, healing herself when able, to have saved Siobhan from being captured and forced into experimentation herself by the same man.

But that was not to be, of course. In the first rescue effort to free Siobhan, it was Maura who wound up saved while the Slytherin woman remained behind. Deloused, debriefed, and dunked right into the midst of what seemed like a building war gave her something to grasp onto though. And she aided Morgan Securities in any way possible to get Siobhan back. In the time since then, she has grappled with re-learning to speak, re-gaining her eye-hand coordination, using a service dog to be mobile, and apply herself with zeal to additional study so she can be useful to M-Sec and Hogwarts now that things have truly gone to hell in a handbasket.

For some reason, her grasp on linguistics has improved to the nth degree, and during the past five years she's studied up to thirty different languages both magical and mundane, and can assist in research of nearly any topic because of it. In addition, she keeps her healing spells and skills top notch, including muggle medicine just in case.

Personality

Obviously, she has a will of steel. It's doubtful someone with less than that could survive 10 months of what Shadow put her through. And she continues to prove it out by trying whatever means are at her disposal to live as normal a life as possible now that she's free. Despite the need to speak slowly and carefully, she's also quite intelligent; her current studies include advanced linguistics, advanced runic studies, and the beginnings of genome based medical treatments.

She will go out of her way to help anyone she thinks is in need, be it a kind word, a hot meal, a warm jacket, or the use of her medical ability. She gives of herself as much as possible; too much, some would no doubt caution. But having been given a second chance at life, she is neither going to waste it or let a chance go by to maybe help another person have the same opportunity.

Relationships

Siobhan: If she had a sister, this is who Maura would have wanted right from the get-go. They bonded in Shadow's dungeon (because who doesn't bond when in the same dungeon cell amirite?), and have been close since then. She would do anything for Siobhan; she owes the woman her life and is well aware of it.

Jack: Yep, she went and fell head over heels for Siobhan's brother. This could either be really, really, good. Or, well. The opposite. Being the optimist that she is, she has her bets placed on really good. She really does adore him; it's totally diabetic inducing levels of sweet.

Jethro: She can't turn to her father because she doesn't remember him, so Jet's been nominated as the kind-of stand in. Or at least someone she can vent her frustrations out on. When she has them. It doesn't happen very often. And, she feels safe around him.

Snape: It is all kinds of levels of weird, surely, how much respect she shows to the former Headmaster. What most people don't know is that she'd seen him several times during her captivity. And it was his small acts of actual kindness (instead of head games) that helped her endure.

Gideon: She didn't even KNOW she had a big brother until he arrived on the scene to join her security detail. The only biological family she'd been able to know and connect with for over a year, because she'd never been told about him while growing up. So it didn't mess with the curse that had everything else locked up tight.

Bellatrix LeStrange: Look out, people. Maura don't know Shadow by sight. But she does know what this batshit crazy bitch looks like. And you can bet that it will take -every single ounce- of her willpower not to try and kill the woman the first time she sees her.

Zinny: The house elf that Maura's parents ceded to her control. Not that you would know it, since it seems more like Zinny has Maura under more control than the opposite. Zinny's human will at all times be well fed, perfectly dressed, and properly cared for. Or else. It doesn't sound menacing, but have you ever seen an angry house elf brandishing a wooden spoon?

Other Information

Maura was held captive by Shadow before appearing on the grid. During that time she was tortured both by the use of pain curses (and Bellatrix' taking out her anger with a whip), and some magical concoction that injected her with something designed to magically rearrange just a tiny but of her DNA. One single genome that, because of her family, would instigate the onset of Leigh Syndrome. So while it will not pass to her children, and she is now protected from further deterioration… the extent that the disease ate at her is clear. She lacks the ability to walk unaided because she has no sense of balance, and must make use of a service dog to get around. Or, a cane, walker, wheelchair, strong arm, etc. Her speech is a bit on the slow side, but clearly enunciated, unless she is under duress or extreme emotional stress/surprise.

Trivia and Notes:

Maura's Magic:

Because she is of an ancient Jewish line of healers and protectors, there are two spells she remembers that were drilled into her relentlessly by family. This, along with several other healing spells she can cast without the use of a wand.

Shamar: Pieces of paper with the Shield of David inscribled on them in blue ink. When activated by the release word 'Shamar', the paper flares to life and releases a shield spell similar to 'protega', a glowing blue flame sigil in the same shape as the drawing briefly appearing in front of the caster to protect them from magic or mundane projectiles and elemental spells. (Does not require a wand)

Rapha: Unable to be used on oneself, Rapha can only be used to heal others. The left hand (closest to the heart) is to be placed hovering above the affected area and the release word used in order to seal the deepest of wounds and draw away pain. It can be used to entirely heal a wound, from small cuts and bruises to life-threatening injuries Unfortunately, it takes a toll on the person using it - as they feel the same pain their patient does during the time the spell is being cast. Only those who specialize in emergency medicine make use of it because of that. And, because it often requires someone to 'spot' them during the more painful and fatal wound healings; the connection between patient and healer must be broken once the healer has no more energy give. (Does not require a wand)

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