Post by Ulysses Holland on Aug 20, 2017 15:54:50 GMT -5
Name: The Right Honorable Lord Ulysses Alastor Antigonus Klaus Holland IV, Order of Merlin First Class and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot; his acquaintances call him Ulysses, but his friends call him Klaus.
Age: 84
Birthdate/place: December 20th, 1954. Oxford, England.
Species: Wizard
Gender: Male
Family: Ulysses is of half-blood origin, with a muggle English, old-money family on his father's side and a wizarding equivalent on his mother's.
Lord Ulysses Holland III - Father, deceased at 94.
Olivia Holland (née Prince) - Mother, deceased at 112.
Argos Holland - younger brother, deceased at 9.
Matthias Holland - younger brother, deceased at 67.
Althea Holland - younger sister, 71.
Ulysses is a widower as well, having lost his wife years ago to a sudden sickness. He was never close with his children, and doesn't stay in contact with either of them. He may or may not have grandchildren; he neither knows nor cares.
Martha Holland (née Burke) - Wife, deceased at 69.
Ulysses "Henry" Holland V - Son, 47.
Matthew Holland - Son, 33.
Appearance:
Hair: A dark silver, Ulysses's hair is a medium length for a man, though it swoops upward rather than fall.
Eyes: A light, slightly clouded blue.
Build/height- Ulysses carries himself with the rigid posture of a man who was once very physically fit. His tall demeanor gives him the power his 5"7' frame doesn't. His steps are heavy as he is a heavy man: Ulysses is a bit ouf-of-shape, though he still has quite a bit of his old strength in him.
General Description- Ulysses has a worn, wrinkled face, with grizzled eyebrows framing his clear blue eyes. His skin is an ivory color, though not pallid. His light skintone makes the silvery color of his scruffy beard shine like silver in the right light, as Ulysses is constantly battling his growing beard.
The old man wears strictly wizarding robes with long sleeves, to cover the scarred over skull-and-snake marking on his arm from his Death Eater days. And, though he doesn't remark on it, Ulysses still wears his wedding ring.
Possessions- Ulysses is the only inhabitant of a large estate in Oxford, called the Tunstead. He inherited it from his father's muggle side of the family. He has a host of house-elves to tend to him and a few associates who visit, but is largely alone and prefers it that way.
Personality:
Temperment/Mental Attributes-Ulysses Holland is a strange, conflicted man. Much of his troubles stem from the fact that he has always been very distant. His emotions are different than those of regular people; he doesn't feel things strongly, and has no thoughts of others around him or relationships. He has a philosophical understanding of others' emotions, but hasn't experienced them himself. When something hurts him, he's most likely to blame another or focus vengeful anger on an outside source. He is egocentric and selfish, only looking to better himself. He is cold inside, unfeeling and uncaring for anyone but himself.
The one emotion Ulysses is familiar with is anger. He has a fiery temper and a violent fury, and no remorse for those he hurts. when he is wronged he never puts blame on himself, only on those around him and his retribution will be painful. His anger is long-lasting, as well; a slight against him will not be forgotten.
This lack of empathy is nearly invisible on the surface, however. Superficially, Ulysses is charming and witty, with a kind smile and a warm laugh. Being able to objectively view others' emotions makes it easy for him to manipulate them, which makes him a rather popular man. His charm is infamous, everywhere from the Ministry all the way to Hogwarts. He never lets others close enough to see through his facade, and its a rare few who can.
Holland's ease with manipulation manifests in nearly pathological lying. He is an excellent liar, his talents going from simple lies to extravagant, intricate fallacies he has to support later. His lies intertwine so often its difficult for him to keep track. It is easiest to see Ulysses's charming facade fall away when he is caught in his own web of lies. Though it's a rare occurrence, its a trouble he is constantly maintaining.
Ulysses is a very patient man. He sees himself as a grand puppetmaster of the world around him, the center of interlocking cogs all working for him. He has a thirst for power, but no need for notoriety. He may not be the Minister for Magic, but he has the Minister's ear and power over the wizarding underworld that equates to much more than a paltry political position.
Alliance- Himself.
Alignment- Lawful Evil
Employment&Education:
-Adults-
Former House- Slytherin
Job- Chief Advisor to the Minister for Magic
Employer- the Ministry of Magic
OWLs/NEWTs- Ulysses was an excellent student in his day, earning O's and E's exclusively.
Other:
Magical Skills- The customary Occlumency and Legilimency needed to work in a political environment like the Minister's office. Ulysses was also a decorated duelist in his day.
Patronus- Horned Toad
Wand- Yew, 12 inches, dragon heartstring core.
Goals/Aspirations- The Holland name holds power in a wide variety of positions after years of building an empire. Any wrongs committed, his tracks will be covered. He is a puppet-master unlike others seen before. Instead of Dark Magic, Ulysses uses people's own fears. Ulysses is a powerful man, and a patient one. He has been waiting since the fall of Lord Voldemort for his plans to finally fall together as they have, and will protect his underworld organization at any cost.
History-
The Holland name is not of pureblooded descent, but of high-born muggle. Ulysses Holland III, his father, was the heir to an aristocratic fortune. He married Olivia Prince, of an old pureblood name who turned to the only man who could support her lifestyle after the Prince family fell from grace. The two married just after the Second World War, however, and Ulysses had returned shell-shocked and numb. He had no love for his high-born wife, and she had none to give him. Olivia was a cold woman, and Ulysses III was too distracted by his nightmares to care when his first son was born.
Ulysses was the fourth of his name, as the first son of his Holland generation. His inattentive parents didn't see him often, only for a daily viewing. Ulysses spent much of his childhood in the company of nannies in the big Tunstead, and, later, in the company of his siblings. It was when Argos, Matthias and Athena were around that Ulysses realized he was different; he didn't interact and feel the way his brothers and sisters did. It hurt him, as he couldn't connect with his family or even his caretakers like his siblings did.
The children were always excited to see their parents in their daily viewing, but the parents cared for none other than Ulysses's younger brother by a year, Argos. Argos was a bright and charming child, gifted with social skills and a sharp mind. The only times Ulysses saw his mother smile, it was when she was with Argos. Ulysses had a deep-seated jealousy of his younger brother and his infectious personality, and over his young childhood, that rivalry turned to a dark hatred for his brother that he shared in passive-aggression.
That passive-aggression reached a breaking point when Ulysses was nine years old. The family took a trip south, to a home on the cliffs of St. Bride's Bay in Wales. One afternoon, the children were going to the beach with their nanny. They ran ahead, so she couldn't see them; somewhere in that time, Argos lost his footing on the cliffs and fell to his death on the beach below. It isn't known for sure what happened to Argos Holland that day, but questioning eyes have been turned to young Ulysses Holland, who did not shed a tear for his brother's death.
Olivia was never the same after Argos's death; she died the day he fell, and whenever the remaining children were brought to see her she had a faint odor of firewhiskey about her, masked by perfume. Ulysses III didn't bother coming to the viewings at all, by that point.
Ulysses was anxious to leave for Hogwarts once his letter arrived. He left his family behind for the Hogwarts train, where he was swiftly sorted into Slytherin. His cunning was already quite well-developed by then, there wasn't any other choice for one such as he.
In Ulysses's first few years of schooling, he was a quiet genius. He was brilliant in his studies, but did not speak up with the other students. Instead, he was observing. He understood in his first few years what people wanted, what they needed, and how to manipulate them to get them to like him. He already had a bit of a magnetic personality, but pulling what he learned and combining it with what he'd observed from Argos, he became quite popular.
The later years of Ulysses's time at Hogwarts went very well; he was Head Boy and easily one of the most popular in the school. He charmed both students and teachers alike, with his brilliant mind and finely-tuned social skills. He made many friends at Hogwarts, many he keeps to this day.
Immediately upon graduation Ulysses was hired by the Ministry's Department of International Magical Cooperation. He worked alongside Barty Crouch, Sr. at a young age, his superior people-skills putting him quickly just below the Head in position. He worked specifically in charity and philanthropy work for the Ministry, earning respect as a good man from his peers and eventually a position in the Order of Merlin, First Class. It was with his close working relationship with Barty Crouch, Sr. that he befriended Barty's son, Barty Crouch, Jr.
Barty also shared Ulysses numb feelings, and his hatred for others for apparently not reason. The two became very good friends, and it was through Barty that Ulysses became a Death Eater. He joined just before Voldemort's rise to true notoriety, in the early 1970's. He did not widely advertise his participation in Dark Magic, not wanting to cut ties with any of his contacts who would be offended by it. His quiet participation soon became impossible as the Order of the Phoenix stood to oppose the Death Eaters, and a true war was at hand. Ulysses proved his worth to the Dark Lord in many ways beyond duelling, though he was excellent at that as well; his inner knowledge of the structure of government and his many contacts proved useful to Lord Voldemort. Much of Ulysses information helped Voldemort infiltrate the Ministry, giving him more power over the wizarding world during his first rise to power.
Ulysses's good favor with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters changed all in one terrible night. The night the Lestranges were captured after torturing the Longbottom aurors into insanity, very few knew that the Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastian, and Barty were there. The other aurors were able to get there in time to apprehend the Lestrange family, stepping in at a curiously perfect time. One of the only others who knew, one of the few people who might, possibly, let the information of the Longbottom torture slip away, was Barty Crouch Jr.'s dearest friend - Ulysses Holland.
It was assumed that Holland had ratted out the Longbottoms, and Ulysses paid dearly for it whether or not it was true. The ordeal severed ties between Ulysses and Barty, as Barty was one who made Ulysses pay most dearly for his alleged crimes. In order to redeem himself in the eyes of the Dark Lord, Ulysses did a rare bit of field work as a Death Eater: He was one of the Death Eaters to accompany Lord Voldemort to Godric's Hollow the night of October 31st, 1981. Holland stood watch with Peter Pettigrew outside the Potter family home the night Lily and James Potter were killed, and a young child vanquished his Dark Lord.
After the Dark Lord's fall, Ulysses was one of the first to claim he was under the Imperius Curse. There were few to protest him; Ulysses had many friends on both sides of the war, and if Barty Crouch, Jr. wanted to negate his claim that would mean admitting to involvement himself. Ulysses was cleared of all charges without problem and resumed his position in the Ministry.
With the war ended, the Ministry was in disarray and new positions were created. One of those new positions was that of undersecretary to the Minister for Magic at the time, Millicent Bagnold. That position was taken by a pretty young witch, fresh from Hogwarts. 17-year-old Martha Burke caught the eyes of Ulysses, despite being ten years her senior.
Martha was the only other person besides his friend Barty (who, at that time, was in Azkaban) to ever get through to Ulysses and have him care for her. He felt an affection for Martha that he hadn't felt for anyone else before. In 1983 the two were married, combining Ulysses' large muggle fortune and half-pure blood with Martha's large Borgin & Burke's heiress fortune. Though the couple didn't need to work, they continued; Ulysses needed the attention work paid him, as his wife's adoration wasn't enough for his often narcissistic ways. Through the Ministry Ulysses had friends in every position of every department, and by night he was rekindling friendships with old Death Eaters, earning their loyalty as well.
Martha became pregnant in 1988 and their first son, Ulysses V, was born. As was custom in the Holland family, Ulysses went by the middle name he was given individually, Henry. Ulysses felt nothing for Henry from the moment he was born. He did not care for children, for their silly games and quests for attention. Henry was a constant disappointment to Ulysses, and as he had been in the past, Henry was largely taken care of by nannies.
It was at this time that past traumas with Martha were wearing on her. She had been tortured quite harshly during the first rise of Voldemort, and the scars and memories damaged her mentally. She turned to alcohol and eventually couldn't hold down her job at the Ministry, instead living between the Tunstead and St. Mungo's mental ward. She left the Mental Ward for a long stretch just in time to join her husband with the Death Eaters, with the Second Rise of Lord Voldemort looming before them.
Though Martha participated in the Death Eaters' battles, Ulysses once again worked behind the scenes. Intent on keeping his position at the Ministry, Ulysses coordinated attacks and pulled strings inside the Ministry to make Voldemort's takeover of the government come more easily. Ulysses was present at the Battle of the Ministry that killed Rufus Scrimgeour; some say they saw Ulysses throw the curse that killed the Minister himself, but that could never be proven.
Ulysses was not present at the Battle of Hogwarts until he received word of the Dark Lord's now permanent death. He was there only for a moment, apparating in for only a second to collect his mentally ill wife and return her to the Tunstead before anyone could recognize her. Ulysses claimed that Martha was in St. Mungo's the entire time, leaving nothing to implicate the Holland family in the second war.
Soon after the fall of Voldemort, Ulysses found a new vocation: with the Dark Lord out of the way, the wizarding underworld needed another to lead them. The totalitarian role of an all-powerful wizard didn't work, Voldemort had shown that and others, as the Masked Lady Mosrael, after him did as well. The underworld needed one like them, one they could relate to and love: after all, Satan was in Hell alongside with his demons, as any Dark Lord should be.
Ulysses was not present for the birth of his son Matthew in 2002, as the Wizengamot was in session. Ulysses rarely visited the Tunstead after the Second Wizarding War, and wouldn't return until his sons were out and his wife was committed. Through Henry's entire journey through Hogwarts, he and his father didn't interact. After Martha regressed, Ulysses began severing all ties with his family in preparation for losing her.
By 2029, Ulysses had climbed the ranks of the Ministry, supporting the right candidate during each campaign to grow his political sway. Everyone knew and loved him. That same year, however, his successes wouldn't mean much to him; in her hospital bed at St. Mungo's, Martha Holland breathed her last breath. As Ulysses's mother died at Argos's death, Ulysses felt himself depart with his wife. It was the first time Ulysses felt a real, true, emotion: pain. Though he won't admit it, he still mourns his wife.
Rather than deal with the pain of losing the only soul he cared for Ulysses focussed his time and attention into growing his shadow empire, connecting different Dark Magic business entities with each other to form an all-powerful network that he profited from greatly. Not a single knut moves through the Wizarding underground without Ulysses Holland's knowledge; he affectionately refers to his extracurricular activities as his 'accounting practice', in lieu of an official title. Besides to those at the very top of organized Wizarding crime he is entirely anonymous; he would never deign to dirty his hands after his close call with the Death Eaters decades ago.
With his worlds in the shadows and the light evening out and gaining him power, Ulysses has a lot to look forward too even at eighty-four. When something turns sour in his daytime life, he can always turn to the shadows to help him; if a hitwizard needs to be bribed in Holland's favor, the money will appear. If the Headmaster of Hogwarts bucks the conventions set upon him by the Ministry, perhaps he turns suddenly ill. He has a network of friends and acquaintances to do his bidding, but very few people know him closely. He forges ahead, as he always has, alone.
Age: 84
Birthdate/place: December 20th, 1954. Oxford, England.
Species: Wizard
Gender: Male
Family: Ulysses is of half-blood origin, with a muggle English, old-money family on his father's side and a wizarding equivalent on his mother's.
Lord Ulysses Holland III - Father, deceased at 94.
Olivia Holland (née Prince) - Mother, deceased at 112.
Argos Holland - younger brother, deceased at 9.
Matthias Holland - younger brother, deceased at 67.
Althea Holland - younger sister, 71.
Ulysses is a widower as well, having lost his wife years ago to a sudden sickness. He was never close with his children, and doesn't stay in contact with either of them. He may or may not have grandchildren; he neither knows nor cares.
Martha Holland (née Burke) - Wife, deceased at 69.
Ulysses "Henry" Holland V - Son, 47.
Matthew Holland - Son, 33.
Appearance:
Hair: A dark silver, Ulysses's hair is a medium length for a man, though it swoops upward rather than fall.
Eyes: A light, slightly clouded blue.
Build/height- Ulysses carries himself with the rigid posture of a man who was once very physically fit. His tall demeanor gives him the power his 5"7' frame doesn't. His steps are heavy as he is a heavy man: Ulysses is a bit ouf-of-shape, though he still has quite a bit of his old strength in him.
General Description- Ulysses has a worn, wrinkled face, with grizzled eyebrows framing his clear blue eyes. His skin is an ivory color, though not pallid. His light skintone makes the silvery color of his scruffy beard shine like silver in the right light, as Ulysses is constantly battling his growing beard.
The old man wears strictly wizarding robes with long sleeves, to cover the scarred over skull-and-snake marking on his arm from his Death Eater days. And, though he doesn't remark on it, Ulysses still wears his wedding ring.
Possessions- Ulysses is the only inhabitant of a large estate in Oxford, called the Tunstead. He inherited it from his father's muggle side of the family. He has a host of house-elves to tend to him and a few associates who visit, but is largely alone and prefers it that way.
Personality:
Temperment/Mental Attributes-Ulysses Holland is a strange, conflicted man. Much of his troubles stem from the fact that he has always been very distant. His emotions are different than those of regular people; he doesn't feel things strongly, and has no thoughts of others around him or relationships. He has a philosophical understanding of others' emotions, but hasn't experienced them himself. When something hurts him, he's most likely to blame another or focus vengeful anger on an outside source. He is egocentric and selfish, only looking to better himself. He is cold inside, unfeeling and uncaring for anyone but himself.
The one emotion Ulysses is familiar with is anger. He has a fiery temper and a violent fury, and no remorse for those he hurts. when he is wronged he never puts blame on himself, only on those around him and his retribution will be painful. His anger is long-lasting, as well; a slight against him will not be forgotten.
This lack of empathy is nearly invisible on the surface, however. Superficially, Ulysses is charming and witty, with a kind smile and a warm laugh. Being able to objectively view others' emotions makes it easy for him to manipulate them, which makes him a rather popular man. His charm is infamous, everywhere from the Ministry all the way to Hogwarts. He never lets others close enough to see through his facade, and its a rare few who can.
Holland's ease with manipulation manifests in nearly pathological lying. He is an excellent liar, his talents going from simple lies to extravagant, intricate fallacies he has to support later. His lies intertwine so often its difficult for him to keep track. It is easiest to see Ulysses's charming facade fall away when he is caught in his own web of lies. Though it's a rare occurrence, its a trouble he is constantly maintaining.
Ulysses is a very patient man. He sees himself as a grand puppetmaster of the world around him, the center of interlocking cogs all working for him. He has a thirst for power, but no need for notoriety. He may not be the Minister for Magic, but he has the Minister's ear and power over the wizarding underworld that equates to much more than a paltry political position.
Alliance- Himself.
Alignment- Lawful Evil
Employment&Education:
-Adults-
Former House- Slytherin
Job- Chief Advisor to the Minister for Magic
Employer- the Ministry of Magic
OWLs/NEWTs- Ulysses was an excellent student in his day, earning O's and E's exclusively.
Other:
Magical Skills- The customary Occlumency and Legilimency needed to work in a political environment like the Minister's office. Ulysses was also a decorated duelist in his day.
Patronus- Horned Toad
Wand- Yew, 12 inches, dragon heartstring core.
Goals/Aspirations- The Holland name holds power in a wide variety of positions after years of building an empire. Any wrongs committed, his tracks will be covered. He is a puppet-master unlike others seen before. Instead of Dark Magic, Ulysses uses people's own fears. Ulysses is a powerful man, and a patient one. He has been waiting since the fall of Lord Voldemort for his plans to finally fall together as they have, and will protect his underworld organization at any cost.
History-
The Holland name is not of pureblooded descent, but of high-born muggle. Ulysses Holland III, his father, was the heir to an aristocratic fortune. He married Olivia Prince, of an old pureblood name who turned to the only man who could support her lifestyle after the Prince family fell from grace. The two married just after the Second World War, however, and Ulysses had returned shell-shocked and numb. He had no love for his high-born wife, and she had none to give him. Olivia was a cold woman, and Ulysses III was too distracted by his nightmares to care when his first son was born.
Ulysses was the fourth of his name, as the first son of his Holland generation. His inattentive parents didn't see him often, only for a daily viewing. Ulysses spent much of his childhood in the company of nannies in the big Tunstead, and, later, in the company of his siblings. It was when Argos, Matthias and Athena were around that Ulysses realized he was different; he didn't interact and feel the way his brothers and sisters did. It hurt him, as he couldn't connect with his family or even his caretakers like his siblings did.
The children were always excited to see their parents in their daily viewing, but the parents cared for none other than Ulysses's younger brother by a year, Argos. Argos was a bright and charming child, gifted with social skills and a sharp mind. The only times Ulysses saw his mother smile, it was when she was with Argos. Ulysses had a deep-seated jealousy of his younger brother and his infectious personality, and over his young childhood, that rivalry turned to a dark hatred for his brother that he shared in passive-aggression.
That passive-aggression reached a breaking point when Ulysses was nine years old. The family took a trip south, to a home on the cliffs of St. Bride's Bay in Wales. One afternoon, the children were going to the beach with their nanny. They ran ahead, so she couldn't see them; somewhere in that time, Argos lost his footing on the cliffs and fell to his death on the beach below. It isn't known for sure what happened to Argos Holland that day, but questioning eyes have been turned to young Ulysses Holland, who did not shed a tear for his brother's death.
Olivia was never the same after Argos's death; she died the day he fell, and whenever the remaining children were brought to see her she had a faint odor of firewhiskey about her, masked by perfume. Ulysses III didn't bother coming to the viewings at all, by that point.
Ulysses was anxious to leave for Hogwarts once his letter arrived. He left his family behind for the Hogwarts train, where he was swiftly sorted into Slytherin. His cunning was already quite well-developed by then, there wasn't any other choice for one such as he.
In Ulysses's first few years of schooling, he was a quiet genius. He was brilliant in his studies, but did not speak up with the other students. Instead, he was observing. He understood in his first few years what people wanted, what they needed, and how to manipulate them to get them to like him. He already had a bit of a magnetic personality, but pulling what he learned and combining it with what he'd observed from Argos, he became quite popular.
The later years of Ulysses's time at Hogwarts went very well; he was Head Boy and easily one of the most popular in the school. He charmed both students and teachers alike, with his brilliant mind and finely-tuned social skills. He made many friends at Hogwarts, many he keeps to this day.
Immediately upon graduation Ulysses was hired by the Ministry's Department of International Magical Cooperation. He worked alongside Barty Crouch, Sr. at a young age, his superior people-skills putting him quickly just below the Head in position. He worked specifically in charity and philanthropy work for the Ministry, earning respect as a good man from his peers and eventually a position in the Order of Merlin, First Class. It was with his close working relationship with Barty Crouch, Sr. that he befriended Barty's son, Barty Crouch, Jr.
Barty also shared Ulysses numb feelings, and his hatred for others for apparently not reason. The two became very good friends, and it was through Barty that Ulysses became a Death Eater. He joined just before Voldemort's rise to true notoriety, in the early 1970's. He did not widely advertise his participation in Dark Magic, not wanting to cut ties with any of his contacts who would be offended by it. His quiet participation soon became impossible as the Order of the Phoenix stood to oppose the Death Eaters, and a true war was at hand. Ulysses proved his worth to the Dark Lord in many ways beyond duelling, though he was excellent at that as well; his inner knowledge of the structure of government and his many contacts proved useful to Lord Voldemort. Much of Ulysses information helped Voldemort infiltrate the Ministry, giving him more power over the wizarding world during his first rise to power.
Ulysses's good favor with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters changed all in one terrible night. The night the Lestranges were captured after torturing the Longbottom aurors into insanity, very few knew that the Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastian, and Barty were there. The other aurors were able to get there in time to apprehend the Lestrange family, stepping in at a curiously perfect time. One of the only others who knew, one of the few people who might, possibly, let the information of the Longbottom torture slip away, was Barty Crouch Jr.'s dearest friend - Ulysses Holland.
It was assumed that Holland had ratted out the Longbottoms, and Ulysses paid dearly for it whether or not it was true. The ordeal severed ties between Ulysses and Barty, as Barty was one who made Ulysses pay most dearly for his alleged crimes. In order to redeem himself in the eyes of the Dark Lord, Ulysses did a rare bit of field work as a Death Eater: He was one of the Death Eaters to accompany Lord Voldemort to Godric's Hollow the night of October 31st, 1981. Holland stood watch with Peter Pettigrew outside the Potter family home the night Lily and James Potter were killed, and a young child vanquished his Dark Lord.
After the Dark Lord's fall, Ulysses was one of the first to claim he was under the Imperius Curse. There were few to protest him; Ulysses had many friends on both sides of the war, and if Barty Crouch, Jr. wanted to negate his claim that would mean admitting to involvement himself. Ulysses was cleared of all charges without problem and resumed his position in the Ministry.
With the war ended, the Ministry was in disarray and new positions were created. One of those new positions was that of undersecretary to the Minister for Magic at the time, Millicent Bagnold. That position was taken by a pretty young witch, fresh from Hogwarts. 17-year-old Martha Burke caught the eyes of Ulysses, despite being ten years her senior.
Martha was the only other person besides his friend Barty (who, at that time, was in Azkaban) to ever get through to Ulysses and have him care for her. He felt an affection for Martha that he hadn't felt for anyone else before. In 1983 the two were married, combining Ulysses' large muggle fortune and half-pure blood with Martha's large Borgin & Burke's heiress fortune. Though the couple didn't need to work, they continued; Ulysses needed the attention work paid him, as his wife's adoration wasn't enough for his often narcissistic ways. Through the Ministry Ulysses had friends in every position of every department, and by night he was rekindling friendships with old Death Eaters, earning their loyalty as well.
Martha became pregnant in 1988 and their first son, Ulysses V, was born. As was custom in the Holland family, Ulysses went by the middle name he was given individually, Henry. Ulysses felt nothing for Henry from the moment he was born. He did not care for children, for their silly games and quests for attention. Henry was a constant disappointment to Ulysses, and as he had been in the past, Henry was largely taken care of by nannies.
It was at this time that past traumas with Martha were wearing on her. She had been tortured quite harshly during the first rise of Voldemort, and the scars and memories damaged her mentally. She turned to alcohol and eventually couldn't hold down her job at the Ministry, instead living between the Tunstead and St. Mungo's mental ward. She left the Mental Ward for a long stretch just in time to join her husband with the Death Eaters, with the Second Rise of Lord Voldemort looming before them.
Though Martha participated in the Death Eaters' battles, Ulysses once again worked behind the scenes. Intent on keeping his position at the Ministry, Ulysses coordinated attacks and pulled strings inside the Ministry to make Voldemort's takeover of the government come more easily. Ulysses was present at the Battle of the Ministry that killed Rufus Scrimgeour; some say they saw Ulysses throw the curse that killed the Minister himself, but that could never be proven.
Ulysses was not present at the Battle of Hogwarts until he received word of the Dark Lord's now permanent death. He was there only for a moment, apparating in for only a second to collect his mentally ill wife and return her to the Tunstead before anyone could recognize her. Ulysses claimed that Martha was in St. Mungo's the entire time, leaving nothing to implicate the Holland family in the second war.
Soon after the fall of Voldemort, Ulysses found a new vocation: with the Dark Lord out of the way, the wizarding underworld needed another to lead them. The totalitarian role of an all-powerful wizard didn't work, Voldemort had shown that and others, as the Masked Lady Mosrael, after him did as well. The underworld needed one like them, one they could relate to and love: after all, Satan was in Hell alongside with his demons, as any Dark Lord should be.
Ulysses was not present for the birth of his son Matthew in 2002, as the Wizengamot was in session. Ulysses rarely visited the Tunstead after the Second Wizarding War, and wouldn't return until his sons were out and his wife was committed. Through Henry's entire journey through Hogwarts, he and his father didn't interact. After Martha regressed, Ulysses began severing all ties with his family in preparation for losing her.
By 2029, Ulysses had climbed the ranks of the Ministry, supporting the right candidate during each campaign to grow his political sway. Everyone knew and loved him. That same year, however, his successes wouldn't mean much to him; in her hospital bed at St. Mungo's, Martha Holland breathed her last breath. As Ulysses's mother died at Argos's death, Ulysses felt himself depart with his wife. It was the first time Ulysses felt a real, true, emotion: pain. Though he won't admit it, he still mourns his wife.
Rather than deal with the pain of losing the only soul he cared for Ulysses focussed his time and attention into growing his shadow empire, connecting different Dark Magic business entities with each other to form an all-powerful network that he profited from greatly. Not a single knut moves through the Wizarding underground without Ulysses Holland's knowledge; he affectionately refers to his extracurricular activities as his 'accounting practice', in lieu of an official title. Besides to those at the very top of organized Wizarding crime he is entirely anonymous; he would never deign to dirty his hands after his close call with the Death Eaters decades ago.
With his worlds in the shadows and the light evening out and gaining him power, Ulysses has a lot to look forward too even at eighty-four. When something turns sour in his daytime life, he can always turn to the shadows to help him; if a hitwizard needs to be bribed in Holland's favor, the money will appear. If the Headmaster of Hogwarts bucks the conventions set upon him by the Ministry, perhaps he turns suddenly ill. He has a network of friends and acquaintances to do his bidding, but very few people know him closely. He forges ahead, as he always has, alone.
Excited to plot! Accepted.