Dexter is the senior press liaison for the Regulators. Once all the flowery language is stripped away this means he manhandles media types until they bend to his will. It is rumoured that he does not have a heart and that Seren Fawcett not only removed it but keeps it in a jar. It is said to be nearly black until held up in the light which reveals its red and purple hues.
Dexter Ryan Cadwallader[]
Nicknames: Dex, Cad, D.C.
Alias: The Sphinx
Age: 26
Date of Birth: December 22, 1982
Sexual Orientation: Homosexual
Marital Status: Single, though currently having super secret sex sessions with Draco Malfoy
Blood: Half-blood
Alumni: Hufflepuff '00
Wand: 11 3/4", Elder, Ashwinder Ash core, rigid
Occupation: Dexter is the Senior Press Liaison for the Regulators. If anything is leaked to the press, something is caught by the papers before the group, there is some scandal within the department, or something needs to be reported to some degree, it comes to Dexter. He is the best at what he does and loves every minute of it. With a charming smile and soft spoken tone, he has reporters where he wants them, and often has them moving off without any of the information they came for. He is excellent at creating stories and sticking by them on the spot.
Additional Occupation: Dexter also is a member of the criminal group known as the Network, working as an Information Broker. Going by the codename the Sphinx, he provides insider information on both the Regulators and the Ministry to any willing to pay for it.
Home: A spacious studio flat; Elgin Crescent, Notting Hill, London
Finances: Upper Class, though appears to live Upper Middle Class
Household: Dexter lives alone without any pets or visitors.
Family[]
Mother: Elisabeth Anne Byrne; muggle; Irish
Father: Campbell Calvin Cadwallader, III; halfblood; English
Siblings: None
Pets: None
Relationships with each: Dexter's relationship with his parents is more than a little bit complicated. When he was three, his parents got a divorce because they fought all the time and generally hated each other's guts. And through the joys of joint custody, they made sure to use their son as a weapon against one another as he grew older. Each spoiled the boy rotten, giving him whatever he wanted and taking him where he wanted to go. Their constant buying of gifts and clothes taught him vanity, and their attempt to turn him against one another taught him how to lie flawlessly.
Over the years, he grew closer and closer to his father, who was a master at manipulating people to feel like he wanted them to. When it soon became apparent Dexter would follow after his father and be a wizard and after his mother and he got into an auto accident, his father applied for sole custody, having his son lie in order to stay with just him. Dexter never considered how wrong it was to do so, and as much as he knew his father was hiding things from him, he knew his father could provide him with a better life materially. His mother never did forgive him for the injustice, and eventually she remarried and has two children with her new husband and now lives in Ireland. His father has his own place in Liverpool, and watches the paper for reports from his son often.
Dexter doesn't keep in touch with either parent and hasn't for years, since he never really felt an emotional attachment to either. He was a tool they used to hurt one another and he knew that, and over the years he was able to recognize when they lied to him. When asked about his family, he'll always make up some story of both his parents getting in some accident and never making it.
External[]
Appearance: Dexter was always an attractive young man. His parents had both been quite the lookers as long as he knew them, and clearly he took after them--he had the eyes and lips of his mother, and the rest clearly marked him as his father's child. Over the years, vanity has made him even more attractive. He is always dressed to the nines, his hair is always purposely rakish and shinier than most girls can achieve, and he almost always is clean shaven. It is apparent he looks to impress, but he gives an air that it is all really effortless. He takes great care of his body, working out every morning before heading to work, and tans when he can. To him, he has nothing without his looks--so he makes sure they are the best.
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 12 stone 5 pounds
Distinguishing Marks: He has a scar running down the shin of his left leg, and another on the outside of his left thigh from when his mother got them into an auto accident when he was younger.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Style of Dress: Dexter is almost always dressed up--Oxford shirts, blazers and suit jackets, dress shoes. Sometimes he'll wear dress pants, sometimes jeans in combination. He has somewhat flashy dress robes in rich colours and fabric. Only when he's in his flat alone will he only wear a pair of simple jeans and t-shirts. Otherwise, he is a right peacock. He wears expensive looking clothes and carefully selects everything. Also, he never wears shorts because of the scars on his left leg. They ruin the perfection he finds the rest of his body to be.
Gait: His movements are more akin to a strut than a walk. His head is always held high, shoulders squared, spine straight. He walks like he owns the place, every step confident and deliberate. However, if one ever looks close enough, they'd notice that there's a slight hitch in his left leg caused by an auto accident he had as a child. He struts more than walks because it hides it better.
Stance: When just standing around, he almost always has at least one hand in his pocket, often looking like he's posing--like a model from the muggle GQ magazine.
Manner of speech: Rather soft spoken, he makes everyone listen. If they don't they'll miss what he has to say. In that way, he often can have people hanging on his every word in an effort to catch them all. He often seems to amble through his words, slow and sure, never rushed and never clipped short. If he gets agitated or upset, he'll often revert to Gaelic, though even then his tone is even and easy.
Posture: He never, ever slouches. He always sits up straight, and things it exudes the confident and superior attitude he likes to achieve.
Typical scent: Soap, cocoa butter, furnisher polish, and very faintly of sweat
First Impression: A rather attractive and charming peacock--spends too much money on clothes but they definitely suit him, and it seems like he gets ready in only a few minutes.
Internal[]
Personality: Dexter is two extremes trapped inside one body. He can be incredibly charming, and kind, and has a compliment ready for almost everyone. He is the ultimate at twisting negative things and making them positive if it means making certain people happy, and also means furthering his own image.
At the same time, he can often come off as incredibly vain, shallow, and quite a jerk. A lot of the kind things he does often tie back to himself. And he sometimes gives off this feeling of superiority because of his confidence in himself. He feels he is the best at his job and certainly a fantastic looking person, and he can't bother himself to be modest. He also is a natural leader in his own eyes, and figures he knows the best way to handle things and consequently can come off as a bit bossy. He has a sharp wit and a sharper tongue if he finds someone he doesn't like or offers him no gain in this world.
He is always wearing a mask of some kind, and it is rare for someone to see him as he truly is. He changes who is is and how he acts depending on the person he's talking to. If they are powerful and can gain him something, he can be the kindest, sweetest person. If they're beneath him and with nothing to offer, he can be disdainful and cruel. He doesn't have friends because he's incapable of truly connecting with people, and it would take a lot for someone to break though to him.
However, even his barbs can be covered in charm. He often cuts someone down with a smile still in place, disarming and confusing all in one. He's hard to shake and trip up. Not a lot gets him mad or upset--he's not nearly that connected to his emotions right now since he never had anyone to show him how to be. He can seem charming, but cold because of that. He also is a flawless liar. He has a creative edge that makes it incredibly easy to think of a story on his feet and always seems to remember it later if it comes up again.
He is very aware and astute when it comes to people. He often tries to tell them that they want to hear, and keep them happy. Because if they're happy, then they see him a certain way and that's all he wants. He is all about his image and how he appears to everyone else. He takes often will be seen out at night with someone, man or woman or both, and then seen going off with them. But he never goes home with them, because he thinks that all relationships are poisonous. He watched his parents together and knew that he didn't want to be involved with people that way, so he keeps his emotions closed off. And that is what keeps him from figuring out just truly who he'd like to be.
Political Views: During the war, Dexter was a firm supporter of the Light and it wasn't because he particularly felt their views were the better. He just felt that they would come out victorious, and it was the safer decision to make. His views remain more on the liberal side now. He finds it seems to be a cultural trend to be more open with their views and with his job being closed minded can make things rather difficult.
Quirks/Habits: Constantly running a hand through his hair, whistling when he's bored, doing a visual sweep of any room to see who exactly is there, and know which stories and lies he needs to remember, compulsive lying, running every morning, never wearing shorts because of his scars, spinning a coin through his fingers when talking to people, keeping a hand in his pocket, dislikes chicken, always uses magic to make his meals even though he knows how to cook like a muggle, tends to lean on sarcasm a great deal.
Magical Strengths: Great at protection and defensive spells, strong in runes , astronomy, and arithmancy.
Magical Weaknesses: Terrible at offensive spells and therefore not a great dueler, lacking proficiency in Transfiguring objects properly, hates Divination.
Strengths: Excellent imagination, well liked, very charming, flawless liar, his smile, devilishly handsome, knowledgeable in both wizarding and muggle affairs, adaptable to situations, hard to upset/anger/fluster, patient, determined, realist, disciplined, excellent with money, initiative, opportunism, cunning, witty.
Weaknesses: Vain, self-centered, egotistical, detached from emotions, in the dark about his parents' lives, feeling of superiority, bossiness, materialistic, snob, manipulative.
Phobias: Philophobia (the fear of being in love), Gerascophobia (the fear of growing old), and Atelophobia (the fear of imperfection)
Philias: Aeroacrophilia (love of high, open places), Anuptophilia (love of staying single), Aphenophilia (love of riches and wealth), and Bibliophilia (love of books).
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, studying folklore and myth, stargazing, working out, football, Quidditch, writing, making up stories.
Favorite Belongings: A beat-up, hard cover first edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the ring that hangs hidden around his neck, his wand, the special green tea he gets, and the ever growing collection of photos of him and famous celebrities--both wizard and muggle.
Boggart: A Dorian Gray-esque painting of himself
Patronus: A peacock
Mirror of Erised: Everything as it is now
Amortentia Potion: ink, old books, money, clean air, and rain
Favorite Places:
- The attic in his father's home: quiet, drafty, and full of old junk asking to have stories made about them.
- The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch: full of great memories, a place where he naturally excelled, and gave the thrill of being free.
- Library, any library: Books provide comfort, stories, and facts that can be used to his advantage.
- His Flat: solitude, peace, and a place to relax for just a little while.
- An Observatory: looking at the stars brings peace.
Secrets:
- He stole his parents' wedding rings and let them think the other stole it and sold it. His mother's he keeps tucked in the back of his desk drawer at home, and he wears his father's wedding band around his neck on a leather cord, hidden by his shirts.
- You'll just have to wait and see. . .
History[]
To say Dexter was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and lived a privileged life wouldn't quite cover things. From the start, Dexter was born to a couple that should have never married, and hated each other from the start. When he was an infant, surprisingly he was the quiet one at first and they were the ones crying and yelling. Gradually though, he began to see what crying and tantrums could get him--attention. His parents would try to spend more time with him, individually, than they wanted to spend time together. Of course, since it was more out of avoidance for each other than a particular closeness to their son, the true familial bond seemed faulty.
When Dexter was 3, his parents decided to finally get a divorce, and agreed upon joint custody--Elisabeth because she wanted to keep Dexter from his father, and Campbell because he wanted to be able to get out if Dexter turned out to be a muggle like his mother.
As the years went on, Dexter was spoiled rotten. He received fine clothes, the best toys, first edition books, was allowed candy and desert at all hours, and was basically treated like a little prince. His parents used him as just another extension of their image--their handsome boy was better than any trendy dog could prove to be. His father was particularly pleased to notice that when Dexter didn't get his way, weird things often happened: breaking of class without touching it, slamming of doors, mini tornadoes of paper.
When he turned 8, his mother decided to take a vacation with him. As she was driving to the waterfront to catch their cruise ship, she lost control of the vehicle, and swerved into the other lane, another auto smashing into the passenger side and crumpling the car in against Dexter. The jagged metal cut deep into his leg and even broke the bone, also leaving him with a good deal of minor injuries besides. They both were taken to a muggle hospital to be treated even though Elisabeth's injuries were very minor, and Campbell was livid. He saw Dexter as a way to get more money in the future, to have his son care for him the same way he had cared for his son but that couldn't very well happen if he were killed. He also was displeased to see his son being cared for by muggles, when he knew the boy would be healed and out if he were at St. Mungo's. As it were, Dexter was stitched up and put into a cast, his skin scarring unattractively down his leg.
And as soon as he was released from the hospital, his father filed for sole custody, using the pain of the accident and the distrust he felt toward both his parents to convince Dexter to twist his words and be placed in his father's care. His mother never stood a chance, not when both her son and her husband flawlessly lied and painted her as a lying, dangerous whore. Custody was easily granted to Campbell, and Dexter jut shut down any emotions he felt, never allowing himself to feel guilt or remorse over lying as he did.
A few years later, in 1993, Dexter found himself at Hogwarts and was sorted into Hufflepuff. He'd been confusing to the hat, who thought his cunning made him ripe for Slytherin, and yet his love of learning great for Ravenclaw. In the end though, his ambition and hard work, as well as his charm got him placed in Hufflepuff. His first year was spent making connections and showing off. He was the type to modify his standard black dress robes to make himself stand out, and then used the attention, his charm, and his ability to lie his pants off to charm his way into people's lives. These connections helped him make it through the rest of his years, and his social nature--however false--easily overshadowed and hid the amount of work he put into studying.
His second year, he tried out and made the house Quidditch team. As a reward, his father sent him the best broom that money could buy. He was a Chaster, and often tried to throw out orders as though he was captain, believing he was better and more knowledgeable than most. The others on the team couldn't really fault him, since he was skilled in what he did, but Dexter realized that if he wanted to keep their like, he'd have to tone it down. His second year was also the first year weird things started happening because it marked the arrival of Harry Potter.
The rest of his time was filled with Chambers of Secrets, Dementors, and a host of other dangerous and weird events that he mostly slept the night through. He'd read the papers, especially the column of that Skeeter woman, and marvel at the stories they created while at the same time wondering how someone could let themselves get tripped up enough to say such detrimental things--it was all a matter of having full control over language.
As the war started to grow and the power of Voldemort was returning, Dexter could see his father was lying to him more and more, hiding something big. It was bigger than the lies in the past and it pushed him even further from his father. Before he was even out of school and beginning his work as a Junior Press Liaison for the Ministry, he used his money to help support the side of the Light, and pledged allegiance though never fought. He offered a safe place in his flat, well protected by wards and the like, but he never went to battle because he lacked proper skills and motivation. He was on the side of Light for the protection, and because he was sure despite how it seemed, they were going to win. He taught younger ones proper protection spells before they went to battle, but never did check later to see whether they lived or died. And he never gave the war a thought while he was in school the remaining parts of the year.
Once the Death Eaters and Voldemort were defeated, Dexter felt vindicated in his choice. He was one without having tainted anything by having joined the wrong side. His image was still flawless and perfect. After only after a year and a half, in 2002, Dexter moved his way up to the Senior Press Liaison for the Ministry, but was unhappy there. With the war no longer going on, most stories to the press centered on policy and the like and barely interested him. So after the Regulators were established for a few years, in 2004, he went to fill the same position there, finding the topic of unknown mythic creatures and supernatural phenomena fascinating--and began to read all he could find, building his wealth of knowledge so he could create entertaining but somewhat accurate stories, just as he continues to do today.
However, after only a year of working there, he wasn't that thrilled with the Ministry, or the Regulators. He believed everyone he works with was incompetent, and still does. And since he never created ties with anyone at either job--friends are a mythic thing to him--he continued to just not care about what happened at either place. The summer of 2005, his father sent him an urgent owl. The only reason Dexter went was because he thought his father's heart was finally going, and he wanted to make sure he kept his inheritance. When he arrived though, his father pleaded for his help, wanted him to drop something off to someone--a poor counterfeit artifact. He explained he was in a group called the Network, and he needed it delivered but he couldn't do it himself, for fear of the man killing him over poor product. Using a strong glamour, Dexter did, though he told the man he was meeting not to buy the piece. He didn't care what it meant for his father, because he was given an opportunity to outsmart and outdo the man finally. Instead, he asked the man if he knew anyone who'd be interested in information, from inside the Ministry.
He began using his job to find interesting facts from other Press Liaisons within the Ministry, their gossip full of more important information than any of their press releases could be. He didn't care who the secrets harmed, what problems they may have brought. He only cared that he was making money, and gaining some power over those he worked with. As far as he was concerned, it showed his superiority at being able to go over their heads and sell off their secrets to those willing to pay.
He still works as the Senior Press Liaison for the Regulators, and also is a Liaison to the Ministry for the Regulators, which makes his access to information for the Network that much easier.
Meta[]
Journal: bestfaceforward
PB: Taylor Kitsch
Player: Ashley