Personal Information
Full NameMatthieu Jacque Valois
Birthday21st of May
Age22 y/o
Zodiac SignBoth Taurus and Gemini
Sex / GenderMale / Male
SpeciesWizard
NationalityFrench
EthnicityCaucasian
Sexual OrientationBisexual
Romantic Orientationpanromantic
Relationship StatusSingle
AccentFrench
BirthplaceParis, France
Living SituationThe Boleyn castle
Languages SpokenEnglish / French
Magical Information
Blood StatusPureblood
Wand Wood
Wand Core
Wand Length
Patronus
Boggart
Exotic?No
Personality
Matthieu is an introvert and doesn't think this is much of a flaw. He likes being by himself, he likes time to think and extensive social interactions can tend to tire him out. However, he isn't rude and is quite the gentleman. Raised a prince, Matthieu knows how to interact with people, knows how to be charming a polite and knows how different actions could be interpreted. Matthieu is very social aware, he just needs time to recharge after a while. Though he dos like to help people, and loves to make a person's day just a little bit better, Matthieu tends to feel like an outsider, especially in the magical world and resents when he has to tell people that he's a squib. A part of him does believe what people said about him–that it made him weak, an embarrassment. Though he doesn't believe many people would call him that, he still fears people would judge him for his lack of magic.
Matthieu is a rigid sort of person and struggles to let go of his own ideas. Matthieu has a very solid set of morals and habits and one struggles to convince him to ease on these ideals. Matthieu can't be described as laid back and is always on alert to the world around him. His posture is always stiff and he takes a moment to figure out humour. He does get humour, it just flies over his head a lot of the times. Matthieu can be incredibly impatient though and waiting isn't his strong point. He loves punctuality. Matthieu is never impressed when someone is late, making him wait. He simply interprets it as the other person doesn't value his time and thinks it's rather disrespectful. Matthieu can be rather strict that way. He expects a lot of things from people. Punctuality, communication, kindness. A lot of things that he believes the people around him lack. Matthieu is a family man, though, which made his abdication and subsequent move difficult for him. He still hurts about how he was separated from his siblings and parents. He misses them lots. Obviously, it goes without saying that Matthieu is a loyal person. But his loyal is conditional. He has to believe that the other person is putting in the same amount of effort. He'll meet people half way and won't overcompensate when the other person won't value his effort.
Matthieu is incredibly hygienic and clean. He's always chewing gum (discreetly, he can't stand it when people chew their gum loudly) and cleans as he works. Matthieu can be very thrown off and struggles to work when surrounded by a mess. As he works in a cafe, Matthieu can make the best hot drinks in Magical England (or he'll say anyway) but he himself prefers tea. Tea calms him down whilst coffee tends to send him anxious. If anything, he'll have his coffee decaf. He's actually rather shy and Matthieu struggles to go up to someone and introduce someone. The most interactions he has with someone is through work. In other topics, he can seem apathetic. Like politics. He doesn't like discussing it and can shrug it off easily. Seeing his existence can be seen as political, he does his best to avoid that topic.
Matthieu is religious but not strictly religious. He believes that there are bigger forces out there. Matthieu tends to cherry pick what parts of Religion he follows and acknowledges there are parts that he doesn't believe in and he doesn't agree with. He does believe things happen for a reason. Matthieu tends to be a bit of a martyr and constantly places the guilt onto himself, even believing it and can be self destructive. When things get tough, Matthieu's first reaction is to punish himself through cutting himself off from the world around him.
History
For as long as wizardkind can remember, the French monarchies, muggle and otherwise, coexisted in peace. They exerted equal control over the populace, often interchanging as one of the pure-blooded royals ascended to the throne. On the horizon approached an age of struggle, though. As the 18th century drew to a close, France's expensive involvement in the American revolution - coupled with the extravagant spending by King Louis XVI - left the country on the brink of bankruptcy. Royal coffers depleted, two decades of poor harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread priced had kindled unrest among peasants. Many expressed desperation and resentment towards the monarchy, who imposed heavy taxes without providing relief, by the means of looting, rioting and striking.
During fall of 1786, Charles Alexandre de Calonne, proposed a financial reform package that included a universal land tax from which the privileged classes would no longer be exempt. To garner support for these measures and forestall a growing aristocratic revolt, the king summoned les états généraux - an assembly representing France’s clergy, nobility and middle class. The meeting was scheduled for May 5, 1789; in the meantime, delegates of the three estates from each locality would compile cahiers de doléances to present to the king. Moreover, in the lead-up to the May 5 meeting, the Third Estate began to mobilize support for equal representation and the abolishment of the noble veto – in other words, they wanted voting by head and not by status.
While all of the orders shared a common desire for fiscal and judicial reform as well as a more representative form of government, the nobles in particular were loath to give up the privileges they enjoyed under the traditional system. On June 12, as the National Assembly continued to meet at Versailles, fear and violence consumed the capital. Though enthusiastic about the recent breakdown of royal power, Parisians grew panicked as rumors of an impending military coup began to circulate. A popular insurgency culminated on July 14 when rioters stormed the Bastille fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution.
Few royals foresaw the events leading and following the storming of Bastille, but those that did went into hiding, seeking safety from the wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria that quickly swept the country of France. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the seigniorial elite. Known as la Grande peur, the rural insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from the country and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789.
As they bore witness to the rising tensions in the country, the royals of magical blood fled muggle land. They needed a new place to call 'home' - the muggle world was a losing fight, they knew, and thus poured their efforts into a new, unexplored world; one befitting wizardkind.
For as long as they had known, French wizards coexisted peacefully with their moldus counterparts, but this had begun to change, their relationships evolving in unison with the growing discomfort towards the French crown. In what is now known as the magical sector of France, hidden behind a statue in Paris, a select group of wizards tried founding what would have been known as the Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France, based on a motto akin to their moldus siblings': Incanté, Envouté, Conjuré. Unfortunately, the government was structurally weak and had little support. Not long before it was established, it collapsed in itself, as the populace were unable to thrive under a government clouded by uncertainty. This led to the implementation of the French Monarchy, under King Charles XI.
Wanting to make it clear their rule would be nothing like their counterpart, which found itself in shambles at the time, Charles declared the Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen a general - very loose, as well, solely to fit the idea of a Monarchy - basis for their ideals. In what modern-day historians argue was a highly controversial thing to do, however, the King extended these human rights to everyone - man, woman and child. Furthermore, certain attributes of the muggle crown remained in place - a council of twelve noble families, selected from the pure-blooded population, each with a specific task to oversee. While the council has evolved over time, the general idea has transcended time. While it was something French wizards weren't initially keen on, they recognised it was better than the turmoil in the non-magical world.
Over time, the magical crown distanced itself further and further from the non-magical world. There came a point where, while not outright prohibited, many wizards found it 'taboo' to interact with molduses, making their community one of the purest out of all magical societies. Furthermore, now living in an era of prosperity under King Louis XVII, they've become much more inclusive, and has become more common to see their own marrying into moldus families and living in their world.
Matthieu never really had a chance at the throne. He was the youngest child of Louis and was had when he was rather old. So his oldest nephew of his eldest sibling was actually quite near in age. However, he was the pride and joy of Louis. He was the favourite son and was adored by everyone in the family. How could they not? Matthieu's heart was bigger than his small body could hold. Even as a child, he was always looking on how to help those less fortunate than him, always looking to help and make someone else smile. Kind, empathetic and sweet, Matthieu barely had a mean bone in his body. He was the type of child to go put himself into time out when he broke a rule, no matter how minuscule it was.
However, everything shifted when he began to age. By the time he was eleven, the age where he was meant to attend Beauxbatons, he still hadn't had his magical incident to tell his family that he was a wizard. At first, his parents were dedicated to the belief that he had had it and that no one was around to notice it and that maybe Matthieu hadn't realised that it had happened. However, when he was ten, and the family waited and waited for that acceptance letter, it became clear that Matthieu had never had any form of magical occurrences and, when he was eleven, they were forced too accept he was nothing but a squib. A muggle born into a magical family. And, to the press and public, the shame of the royal family. For the next seven years, the press ripped Matthieu apart. Making fun of him, shaming him, calling him a muggle, and eventually Matthieu rarely made any public appearances, just to make sure their hurtful words were kept to a minimum. Plus, if he was never seen, then they would run out of something to talk about and the public would get bored.
In home, it wasn't quite okay. The family was never ashamed of him. They still loved him. But Matthieu could tell, at least with his parents, that something was different. That their love had changed. In truth, his parents, especially his father, was disappointed. They wanted all their children to be magical, to prosper in French society, and Matthieu...broke that dream. Unintentionally, but he did. And Matthieu could feel it. Could feel it when they hugged him, he could feel it when they said 'I love you'. They said it in this resigned manner that just made him feel nothing but sadness. Matthieu wasn't the golden child any longer. They hired private tutors for him as he aged, putting him through the equivalent of high school and he graduated as one of the top students in France. When he was of age, though, Matthieu made a decision. He was going too abdicate. Matthieu knew if he stayed in the royal line, in France, then he would lose himself. Matthieu had already began to suffer from depression (though he was going through therapy for it) and was almost a recluse by then. He wanted to see the world, he wanted to walk down the street without someone sneering at him. Matthieu believed that he was dragging his own family down so he left. He left to London. Where he was barely recognised. Why would he? They were so caught up in their own royal line that barely any of them had time for a foreign royal family, even if they were just over the channel.
Prince Matthieu Paul Louis Alexander of Valois simply became Matthieu Valois when he moved into Diagon alley, even dropping all of his middle names. He was eighteen years old and wanted a fresh start. He even considered changing his surname to something else. But he didn't. He also considered muggle London but he decided to try the magical society first. Matthieu was still being financed by his family, though. They felt bad about his lot in life and so, when he declared to them what he was planning to do, they persuaded him to let them fund his way forward. Or at least until he can lead a comfortable life without their support. Matthieu worked in a cafe for the first few years and was happy. He had a few friends, a few girlfriends here and there, and is now living a a quiet life.
Appearance
Face ClaimTyler Hoechlin
Eye ColourGreen
Hair ColourBlack
Height6'0
Weight
Voice TypeLight
Blood TypeB positive
Distinguishing MarksN/A
Body StyleAthletic
Tattoos1
PiercingsNone
ScentSmells like coffee
Family Information
FatherKing Louis XX of (magical) France
MotherQueen Antoinette of France
Full SiblingsA few
Half SiblingsN/A
Guardian(s)N/A
SpouseN/A
ChildrenNone
Other Relatives
Relationships
Significant Other(s)None
Best Friend(s)None
FriendsNone
EnemiesN/A
OtherN/A
Name Etymology
Given [ Matthieu ]gift of the Lord
Middle [ Jacque ]one that takes by the heel
Surname [ Valois ]N/A
Trivia
Nickname(s)Matt (doesn't like being nicknamed)
Favourite ColourCrimson
Favourite MovieVenom
Favourite Songback to life by Zayn Malik
Favourite FoodEclairs
Favourite DrinkOrange and Mango fizzy drink
LikesVinyls / Video Games / Tea / Cars
DislikesDancing
Loves
Loathes
First KissWhen he was 17
First CrushNone
First LoveNone
First TimeWhen he was 19
Pet(s)None
OccupationBarista
Sports PlayedHe knows how to play tennis
Instruments PlayedNone
SmokerYes
DrinkerNo
AddictionsN/A
GoalsFind something worthwhile to commit his life too
AchievementsNone
Biggest HopeThat he can return home without being criticized
Biggest RegretMaybe not speaking out against the media's treatment of him
Best MemoriesAnything before finding out he was a squib
Worst MemoriesHis abdication
Mental IllnessesNone
Criminal RecordNone
Medical RecordNone
Custom Trivia
- Into old video games and arcades
- Has a collection of old vinyls
- always falls asleep in a movie
Images
