Arden Victor

Full name: Arden Victor Crabbe Birthday: 27th of December of 1949 Zodiac sign: Capricorn Wand: Pine, thestrall tail hair, and solid. Patronus: Failed to produce a corporeal one during Hogwarts and hasn't tried again, scared of trying again for what it might show him. Occupation: Formerly an Unspeakable, now a spell consultant and occasional inventor Education: Hogwarts (slytherin), Masters and Doctorate Degree in Astrophysics; Gender & Pronouns: Cis man; he/him Sexuality: Demisexual, demiromantic Blood status: Pureblood Family: Martin Crabbe (father), Alma Crabbe (mother) & sibling(s). Marital status: Better not ask

Background

tw: strained family relationships, life-altering injuries, hunger and starvation used as a metaphor

Firstborn of his generation Arden Victor's name was both a curse and a blessing, on his mother side, every letter picked had been woven with intricate magic dictating the freedom to be the best person he could be, on his father side it was a demand, to win or be nothing. 

It was safe to say that his father wasn't very proud of him. 

He had failed at being the heir at the tender age of eight, when he mistakenly acted like a child. It was frivolous, stupid, such a thing that Arden couldn't recall what he had done, but he remembered vividly his father's words when he declared that the Crabbe name would be better if passed along to Arden's sibling. His mother wouldn't have it. Alma was prodigious with charms, in an alternative life maybe she wouldn't have ever had her children, would never have married and solely focused on her career. But that was the life she led now, these were the cards she was dealt. 

She was his best tutor, the moment Arden first manifested his magic, Alma was on his case to hone it the best he could, she was getting him to know the basics beforehand so he could focus on more advanced things the moment he stepped in school. In school, Arden was often at the library, his extracurricular pursuits were often inclined towards academics, he was hopeless for Quidditch, any of his duel skills came with extensive research attached to it, he needed to know more, he needed to know everything his heart ever desired. He would've made it as a great Ravenclaw, had he not had that hunger that moved him reach any goal he set. He thrived while starving, he never got fully satisfied, and he wouldn't know how. 

His trajectory took an unexpected turn, for a pureblood heir, supposed to follow his father's footsteps, someone so entrenched to magic old and new, Arden had gotten the wisp of information that muggles knew different ways of seeing the pillars of the world, and that infuriated him, it lit a fire under him, got him in a program to apply for a muggle university, eventually got accepted into it. 

He lied all throughout his studies, told the vast majority of his family and friends that he was taking an apprenticeship overseas, while he wasn't very far at all. Lying to muggles was as easy as breathing. Lying to the ones that mattered actually proved to be an important skill when he got a job as an Unspeakable.

With his reckless pace, the general disregard towards the notion that there was reason behind rules, he was bound to make a mistake eventually, and the more specialised he got, the more his ego grew and the less careful he became. Until it all blew out of proportion for him, a sloppily calculated enchantment turned into his ruin, almost destroying the room he worked in for good. He survived, but it wasn't without its cost. Arden never fully recovered from it. There wasn't a lot that could be done when his body held magic that should've never left the Department of Mysteries. He was granted a leave, but the moment he stepped back into the Space Room once again, he couldn't handle it anymore. Things had been stained by the constant pain, by the memory of the astounding mistake. 

He was going to fast and life found a way to stop him. But he was still starving. 

He had put himself under a secrecy spell for the Unspeakables; the price of leaving his job was being physically unable to mention it again. He had months of phantasmagorically wandering the halls of Crabbe Manor, renovating the place, learning spells he never thought he'd ever touch, aching from the hunger. He found a way to continue doing what he was doing, to unite his knowledge painstakingly acquired through the years and sleepless nights (and allegedly stolen time-turners, but there was not a soul that could confirm it). He was working only for himself now, helping people with complicated, intricate spells, assisting specialists work out the kinks in a new spell, and occasionally working on getting something for himself done. 

He wasn't as hungry, but he wasn't burning up from passion anymore. 

Headcanons 

tw: Injury, chronic pain. 

— Arden went to a Muggle university for Astrophysics, and worked through a doctorate he regrets sorely nowadays, aside from the time it cost him, the toll on his health to get it as he worked full-time with the Unspeakables, he hated to have contributed to Muggle academics in any aspect of it. His work nowadays is more of a penitence, when he's using his blessing of magic and a brain that can work it on advanced levels for wixenfolk. 

— The accident took a lot from him, and Arden can never perform certain spells as before; he struggles with things that never were a big issue before, apparating, broom rides, and portkeys are simply unthinkable for him. He refuses to get his cane, but it does exist somewhere in his home. There are better days, but normally, he exists within a manageable amount of pain that people won't ever hear him complain about. 

— Paranoid, Arden does not trust owls to convey his messages safely; he still hasn't gotten the guts to try the patronus again, so he relies on giving all his messages in person. If he must write a letter, it will be spelled to all nine hells for protection. 

— Arden has a standard Schnauzer named Ursa he got during his medical leave, before he knew he wouldn't return to work. Ursa is a permanent fixture at Arden's side, he rarely leaves the house without his loyal companion. 

— His allegiance to the Death Eaters is purely circumstantial, driven out of fear rather than values, if he would make the choice himself and there was nothing at stake, or loved ones to think of, Arden wouldn't be anywhere near any type of conflict. 

Skills

Elemental, gravitational, light, cosmic, thermal, electrical etc.: Arden may regret getting his doctorate, but the degree and masters did wonders for his understanding of how magic works, a fresh new perspective on magic. 

Duelling: Arden approached every duel like one would practice a book-learned skill, using it to test things he had only read about. Arden wasn't fond of spontaneous duels, always making sure he was more than prepared for it whenever time came. Mostly a sport when Arden is involved, rather than a necessity. 

Muggle studies: A means to an end, he always saw it more as a tool than an actual interest of his. However, the knowledge is there regardless.

Wizard chess: A favorite of his, Arden attended several competitions as a child and continued so during his time at school. Even if the frequency had dwindled, there was always a solo game going on slowly inside his study. 

Potions and healing: Arden has a basic understanding of it normal Hogwarts education can grant one person. He mostly relies on others to brew his potions, as it is time-consuming and he'd rather spend that time working. 

Flying and quidditch: Although nowhere near the best or safest flyers when he would dare hop on a broom, Arden was passable enough. The vastness of the world both mesmerised and terrified him. The kick he got at reaching hand-trembling heights would get his blood pumping when he felt like no more than a ghost. The game itself is something he doesn't think too much of, he will watch and be excited about if he's on the stands or it's the World Cup, but otherwise he doesn't go out of his way to keep up with the season. 

Relationships

All connections here are flexible to whatever change is wanted for the sake of plot. Hopefully, more shall be added. 

Replaceable — (Younger sibling) There was everything there for them to have a good, loving relationship. In the beginning, things were good. But things got weird after their father constantly talked about replacing Arden with them for years. This person might have the ambition to take over Arden's position, or have no interest in it and it's all Martin Crabbe's drivel, but Arden feels like all his life could be easily erased when he looks at his sibling.

The one who saved his life — (Unspeakable, 00/01) Arden didn't drag himself out of the department of mysteries. He owes a life debt to this person, and he'll see that it is paid for, whatever it takes. 

Partners in crime — (01/02) Arden and this person went through a lot of life together, even stuck in the library, Arden knew the rules were a flexible thing for him to play with, and this person had stuck with him through all that, equally sharing the role of being the head of their madness in lulls of boredom. 

Clients, specialists, and peers — (00/??) It's been past two years since he started this new career, Arden has never worked in community with other before, and now he's building it all up from zero. Well, maybe there's a lot of built-in connections from being a Crabbed. But regardless, for him it's from the ground up. 

Even good things have to end — (Pureblood, 00/01) They had a good deal, to have a fake engagement as to keep away unwanted arranged marriages. But there were plenty of reasons that they could've ended it, after all, it had an expiration date from the beginning, it just wasn't set in stone. For everyone else, they were exes with the longest engagement anyone would bear. It was fun while it lasted, all the scheming and ridiculous scenarios of the past built a friendship to be taken for the rest of their lives. This person knows more about Arden than he would like, he can't let them get away with it.