Ilyas Khleifi

Ilyas isn’t a happy sorcerer, but it was the card dealt to him, so he must have a purpose. It all started with his muggle mother and father, Palestinians who made their way to Abu Dhabi in the hopes of sparing his life. They had been activists for the Palestinian cause, one on the ground and the other actively providing funds to fight back, but knew it was no place to raise a child. If they wanted to give him a shot in life without a target on his back, they would have to leave. Naturally, they made a promise to come back once he was grown.

He was born within the barriers of the capital, and as he grew, so did his father’s real estate empire. His parents taught him all about his home to make sure he would never forget where he came from and who he was. Part of his education created him into a devout follower of Muhammed, at least in the early days. This is why when his first bout of magic happened, he grew deathly afraid. Magic is forbidden by the Quran.

It had been a simple sunny day. A little too sunny. He was about six and didn’t know any better. “I wish it would snow.” Maybe he believed too hard. Light speckles coated his hair like dandruff, forming a mound. It had started snowing indeed. He at first believed it to be Allah, but when he noticed the snow would only fall on him, lessons of the Quran flashed before him. This couldn’t be happening. He was young enough to believe it was magic. He tried to suppress it, increase his faith. Most importantly, he hid it away from his parents and society as best he could. If anyone found out, he could be subject to Sharia law.

This forced him to become closed off, even distant with the parents he loved. Slowly but surely, without his knowledge, he was forming an obscurus.

Ilyas could have been another statistic in a repressed country where such statistics were less uncommon. Luckily, he was saved by a shift in perspectives. All of his family was welcomed to celebrate his seventh birthday, so that’s how he spent his day, opening presents and eating cake. One of his uncles, the one that lived in America, had left before everyone else. He was one of Ilyas preferred uncles, so of course, he snuck after him as he did so. What he found shocked him. There, in the hallway of their overpriced apartment floor, was his father and uncle in a full out argument. Ilyas didn't’ understand it until he saw the man behind his uncle, the one holding his hand. “You can’t bring him. He isn’t welcome.” His ears wrung to the steps of them walking away.

“Wait!”

He’d run after him. “Why?” His uncle only sighed, then patted his shoulder. “You can’t always conform to things, so why should you?” The words stuck with him, even if he didn’t understand them. Shyly, he greeted his uncle’s boyfriend.

After this encounter, he let his magic be free, while his parents attributed to the odd happenings to God and jins. When they received his letter for the far-off school of Mahoutokoro that same year, they denied the existence of such a school. They couldn’t believe in this evil. A man he’ sen for a few months following presented himself to his parents. He explained that if their child did not go to school, he could cause great harms in society. He had been recruiting Ilyas for his own school. Ilyas managed to convince his parents to let him go by promising he'd do as the Quran had said he could- he would learn magic in order to get rid of magic. He would try to eradicate magic, and perhaps that is what Allah had intended for him.

Ilyas lived with the stranger for a few years, learning about the magical world in the process. The man explained he had seen Ilyas using magic, but knew that with the society he lived in, there was a possible risk in it, and felt obliged to save him. Surprisingly, when he turned 11, he went to Durmstrang, where this now not so stranger taught. Normally, muggle borns aren’t allowed in, but the man lied about Ilyas’ origins, saying he was the son of a half blood friend who died. He met pushback for his origins and didn’t make as many friends as he might have because of who he was. His parents intentionally treated him differently, unsure how to accept him completely as a sorcerer. He questioned his beliefs more and more, especially as he grew.

In his fourth year, he elected to sign up for a foreign exchange student program that would send him to Hogwarts or his fifth year.

Ilyas is a serious person who was raised and still holds some beliefs that are not progressive. He is weaker at magic than other people because of his insecurity on what he wants to do with it, whether it be accept it entirely or use it to end it entirely in some way. He’d consider himself to be a strict muslim, although he fails here and there especially with his discovery of being a teenager.

As serious as he is, he isn’t unfunny, although his classmates would be surprised he can crack and take a joke. Ilyas is loyal to his friends, even if some of the friends he has made are a bit scandalous, and he judges them and criticizes them for it. He isn’t a saint, but he’s a traditionalist.

Ilyas is unafraid of voicing his opinions to people, which sometimes draws enemies. He’s unafraid of debate even if 9 times out of ten he hasn’t even considered actually listening to his opponent. He is smart, but not wordly, so he’ll get good grades but isn’t fluent in street.