| “ | Nina had been her friend first and then her girlfriend… and then what? They'd broken up, and she had done her best to pretend that Nina Bulstrode had never been a part of her life. | ” |
–Samira's thoughts on Athena post-break-up. | ||
Athena Thelma Bulstrode (b. 29 March 2006), is a pureblood English witch, the only child of Calliope and Theo Bulstrode Sr. Though originally born in Athens, Greece, the young witch quickly was moved to the England after her father was caught and trialed, ultimately ending up in Azkaban. Her mother, unable to provide solly for her daughter, decided to move to England to live with Theo and Annie Bulstrode, her paternal grandparents.
Athena attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 2017-2024, a year beneath the Purifier leader, Elaine Dupree. It was in 2018 that Athena would eventually befriend a younger student, Samira Warsame, and the two would begin to date by 2021. However, it was during the 2022 school year, with the rise of the Purifiers, that would eventually claim the life of Athena. Lured to the winning side, Athena would join the Purifiers as a way to survive, believing that it was her cause due to her blood status. Though, it would be Ondina Weasley, her best friend, that would ultimately put the nail in the coffin. Ondina was the one that made it seem as if Athena was a cheater, and ultimately, in 2023, Samira and Athena's relationship would be no more.
For the next few years, Athena would be part of the Purifiers cause, which would led her to become an intern at the Ministry. By 2024, Athena had become an Unspeakable in the Hall of Prophecies. And by the summer of 2025, her entire world would change once more, as her mother died at the hands of the Purifiers, ultimately, making Athena question her loyalties.
History[]
Early Life (2006-2017)[]
| “ | As a young babe and toddler, whenever Nina was hungry, her hair would turn a pink color, whenever she was happy it would turn yellow, angry would be red, and sad would be blue. It also happened whenever she was cold or hot, the color red and blue being darker than her emotional ones. It helped me realize what my baby needed, and it also meant that Nina was a somewhat quiet baby. At first, Theo and I feared that Nina wouldn’t learn the same as others because she communicated through her ability, but we were lucky in the long run. | ” |
–Calliope's reflection on baby Nina's silence. | ||
The start of Athena Bulstrode's story starts with her mother and father. Theo and Calliope met when they were young children walking the halls of Hogwarts for the first time. Theo, having always lived in London, and Calliope, a native of Greece, instantly became friends as young children. Over the years, they have grown closer and closer, at least, until the world went to shit with the whole went to shit with everything that dealt with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Theo's father had been a Death Eater, and he was to follow in his footstep, having joined the cause when he was just a teenager. However, he had yet to get the tattoo before the guy was defeated, and the world went back to normal. After that, his father went to Azkaban, his mother died, and he fled to Athens, where Calliope had returned after graduating and the end of the battle.
Once they ran into each other again, a passion overtook them, they both were alive and well and celebrated. One thing led to another, and before they knew it, Callie was pregnant with their child. With only months to spare, the two quickly eloped and remained within Egypt to raise their daughter, Athena. Her mother was a Dragonologist, while her father worked for some shady business, but her mother never questioned him. He brought home money, and that was all that mattered to her. But the time she was four. However, her father was caught after having murdered someone. He tried to get his family to move to London to escape the law and everything, but it was too late. Right before her eyes, her father was sent to Azkaban, where he would forever live out his days.
From that moment on, Athena's life had changed. Her mother did all she could to raise her daughter, but quickly realized she needed help. Thus, she moved back to England, where Theo's parents resided and gave up her job as a Dragonologist to be there for her daughter. With time, the two of them had their place and help from her paternal grandparents, who were quite rich, to begin with. By the time she was eleven, Athena was accepted into Hogwarts, where both her parents had attended when they were younger. Callie seemed to rejoice that her daughter had been accepted, meaning that she would be away from the toxic conversations that were her father, and thus, prepared her for the journey ahead. One that led to a train, then to a boat ride, and then to sit on a stool with an old talking hat placed upon her head.
Hogwarts Years (2017 - 2024)[]
First Year[]
| “ | Hm. Where to put you...there is ambition there, but something softer beneath it all. SLYTHERIN! | ” |
–The Sorting Hat placing Nina in Slytherin. | ||
Athena didn't care much for where she was sorted, just wanted off the blasted thing. Her mother had been in Ravenclaw, her father in Slytherin, so undoubtedly, one of the two would be her place. When the hat called out the house that her father had once walked among, she wasn't surprised—she knew she was more like her father in personality. When people commented on her looks or her eyes, it was her mother that they recalled. But when it came to her ambitious nature and her cunning demeanor, her father gained all the praise. The moment she walked to her new house, their screams of happiness, filling her ears, that her life would change forever. During the feast, she met Ondina Weasley, a girl that would later be her untimely downfall.
Athena and Ondina grew closer and closer, and it was the ginger witch that introduced Athena to the other Purebloods. Athena had found herself interested in the other witch, a slow crush that spread within her. Ondina was everything she thought she wanted in a girl, at least, at the time she believed she was what she wanted. Athena even got into Quidditch, having played as a beater for her Slytherin team from the moment she was allowed to. She enjoyed hitting the bat against the flying balls, enjoyed hurting other people when aiming it at them to get the balls for her team and stopping the other team's seeker from catching that golden snitch. She was known as the Bloody Beater, and she held that name with pride. Especially when the person she beat was someone of tainted blood.
Second Year - Fifth Year[]
| “ | I'm still your friend Ondina, what does my relationship with Sam have to do with us? Just because she's a halfblood? Is that it? | ” |
–Nina confronts Ondina's teasing about her relationship with Samira. | ||
However, her life would change a year later, when she would meet a first-year named Samira Warsame. She had been a half-blood and a Gryffindor, a younger student who joined during her second year. Sam pulled her away from the darkness that was Ondina and led the other witch to tease her whenever she came back to the Slytherin common rooms after spending time with Samira. Of course, Ondina remained her friend, even if she didn't enjoy the fact that she was spending time with someone that wasn't of pureblood. The two grew closer and closer for the next coming years, enough so that Athena had changed completely from who she was before. She no longer found enjoyment in being known as the Bloody Beater, but she continued to help her team win. Slowly she drew away from Ondina and the rest. In her fifth year, her life had been turned around for the better - Sam expressed her interest in Athena. At the time, Athena hadn't realized how much she had fallen for the younger student, forgetting about her crush on Ondina over the time she spent with Sam. And without even a thought, she expressed the same interest. It didn't take long for the two girls to eventually begin dating—though; they attempted to keep it on the down-low in fear of the rumors.
Sixth Year - Seventh Year[]
| “ | I'm worried about you, be careful. I know the attacks seemed centered on muggleborns, but you never know the horrors that walk those halls. | ” |
–Calliope's letter to Nina after Muggleborns went missing. | ||
By the time her sixth year came around, a new group had formed. They were just whispers really, ruled by a ruthless person that brought about vicious attacks and kidnappings. She had heard hints that they were people that believed in the purity of blood, but no one knew who they were. And with them came the Phoenix Rising group, rounding about people that wanted to haunt the mass murderer or murders down. It was Ondina that had come to her, swaying her hips and sweet-talking her, which resulted in a change in Athena. Even though she was dating Samira, she had fallen down the hole that was Ondina Weasley. And thus, Athena joined the Purifiers, though, at the time, they didn't exactly have a name. It was later on that the world would know the truth that was Elaine Dupree, a fellow Slytherin that had confessed to the muggle-born murders and kidnappings of fellow students, the leader of a group that would later be called, The Purifiers. Athena knew the attack plan, and much like any good warrior, she knew that sides needed to be taken. Thus, favoring life for herself and the possibility of a better future that Elaine promised anyone that joined her, the young witch claimed the side of higher blood. Many of Nina's friends had turned towards one side or the other, though a vast majority of it had gone to the Purifiers. It meant that was where she was meant to be, so many had done so. She even knew of Dupree, having met her once or twice through some friends. She wouldn't call her a great role model, but she was a damn good leader.
But with Elaine's graduation from Hogwarts, her graceful descent among the Wizarding and Muggle world left Athena with one last year at Hogwarts. She had returned after the summer, different than she had been in years. It was like the girl she had been during her first, and some of her second year had appeared once more. It was Ondina to blame, having brought the darkness back into her life. And thus, she started avoiding her girlfriend, the very girl that she felt like she was in love with. But it was Ondina that broke the camels back, making Athena seem like the cheater that Samira thought she was. And thus, Samira and Athena were no more. They spent the rest of the year, avoiding each other, not making eye contact. She drew closer and closer to Ondina, old feelings resurfacing as if they had never left.
Later Life (2024 - 2026)[]
| “ | I...I'm sorry. If it's worth anything...I'm sorry. | ” |
–Athena apologizing to Samira. | ||
And with her graduation, Nina found herself an intern at the department of mysteries. Simultaneously, she had rather followed her mother's footsteps with working with dragons; she believed that a job within that department would help Elaine and Co in the long run. And she was happy to be the pawn in that game; she knew the play, she knew how to survive.
Time went on from then on out, things seemed to be looking rather slow and everything, but soon word got around that Harry Potter's wand had been found, and now instead of deemed missing, he was thought to be dead. Athena believed this news would bring strife within the order, making them come packing with more vengeance than ever before. Athena feared that her life was in the danger zone, but she believed that Elaine would protect them, and she hoped that the woman would. But not only was that the head of news, but the attack on Ilvermorny made its way around the community, and not only were they unable to stay in American, but they would be coming to Hogwarts with the new term starting.
And then...the Purifiers decided to target Azkaban, of course, Athena had stayed away from the place that gave her great fear. But learning that many of the prisoners had escaped, she grew cautious. Had her father gotten out? Was he going to come looking for them? She grew fearful of what the Purifiers were doing, but she remained loyal in fear of being killed like all others. She swallowed her fear and continued life in the world that she had created with each other. Even Ondina couldn't keep the fear from covering the darkness that she had put there—and then, the attack on the Quidditch Pitch during the finals had supposedly been orchestrated by the Purifiers. Athena was supposed to be there, but she had been running late...and by the time she got there, the place had been destroyed by "firework malfunction." And her mother? Well...she was dead.
This death rocked her world, and a part of her felt like the Purifier's mission in the world was wrong, was something that she shouldn't want. Did they not care who they had killed? She had so many questions, so many doubts, and yet, she remained for her own selfish reasons—to survive.
Personality[]
| “ | Father wanted me to learn this, I’m going to finish this once and for all. | ” |
–Nina learns occlumency. | ||
Born in a world of darkness and decay, was not something that the Bulstrode’s wanted for their only daughter. But that was something they had to work with, and that world shaped her into the young woman she became years before. From the moment that Athena was produced into this world, her future looked bright. She was an intelligent young lady, a woman that was taught to think with her mind and not her thought. Thus, her ambitious nature was fueled from a young age, something that came from her father’s personality around her. But much like her mother, Nina became a caring and loyal young flower, one that blossomed in her love for others.
However, her life was flipped upside down when her father was convicted of murder and use of the dark arts. She had only been a young girl at the time, one that didn't exactly understand what was happening. Slowly, that young and innocent young girl bloomed into the woman she is today. The young girls’ entire demeanor changed. The world wasn’t a nice place, and nice people finished last. Thus, her manipulative and cunning nature was born, fueled by her ambitious nature and filled her resourcefulness. The young girl even grew lonely, something that bloomed from feeling like she didn’t fit in with her family nor her friends.
It was her attendance to Hogwarts, that she fell into the young crowd. She had befriended Ondina Weasley, and the two grew closer and closer - it was through her that she hung out with more purebloods than anything. However, it was a year later, at the start of her second year - that she met Samira. She was different, and she wasn't as stuck up as the purebloods and other Slytherins she found herself affiliated with. She brought out the sweet side that had been long since forgotten within the young girl. It took three more years, when she was in her fifth and Sam was in her fourth, that feelings were brought forth. Athena found herself smitten by the young girl, and the two started to date. More and more, she seemed to pull away from the darkness that had befell her life. And then...the darkness pulled back.
It was Ondina that brought it all back, and the fact the Purifiers started to make a name for themselves within the walls of Hogwarts. Fearing for her own life, she pulled back from the friendly and caring demeanor that she had displayed since meeting Sam, since dating her. She grew bitter and somewhat stand-offish. She became quite brittle, her tongue like a snake and her wrathful nature appeared slowly but surely. She became slightly judgmental towards others, even following the thoughts and mottos that Elaine brought to the Purifier group. But underneath it all, she was just scared little girl that rather live to see another day than to be killed along with the rest.
But with the lies that circle around her head, the thought of a better life one filled with a balance of nature, there isn’t a thought in her mind that tells her to abandon ship, at least, not one that would bring about her turning her back on those that she calls family.
Relationships[]
to come