Character Name: Gaspard James Peter Shingleton (while in school he went by JP)
Race (Human/Witch/Jedi/etc): Wizard
Gender: Male
Birthday/Age: January 1, 1959 (49)
Occupation Before Being Misplaced:Invented the Self-Stirring Cauldron; generally famous for being famous and weird. Celebrity. Failed candidate for Minister for Magic.
Affiliation(s): Hufflepuff '77, Captain of the Hufflepuff Wizarding Chess Team his 6th & 7th year.
Family: Gaspard was the youngest child to Muggles James & Belinda Shingleton. His older brother Francis died in a car crash when Gaspard was 14. Gaspard is the only wizard in his family. His parents have both passed away (James of cancer when Gaspard was 40 and Belinda of a heart attack two years later). He has twin adult children, whom he never knew about, that were the result of a one-night stand in Paris many years ago (Alexandrie & Olivier Moreau).
Personality: Gaspard is larger than life. He's loud and boastful and silly. He's very smart, but you wouldn't guess it. Loves a good party and will make one happen if it's not already. He's sometimes somewhat feminine and hasn't ever been known to have a girlfriend, which has lead to lots of tabloid fodder about his sexuality. He's never addressed the question publicly. He wasn't particularly close to his family, mostly due to his full immersion into the wizarding world after starting at Hogwarts. He hated the summer holidays. Gaspard is a total nut for Christmas, and every year he picks a random wizarding charity to go all out for - donations, toys, food, new housing, you name it if the charity needs it, he makes it happen - anonymously. He's invested in the WWN and restaurants/bars. He owns a hotel in Kent and a wizarding apartment building on Diagon Alley. Four is his lucky number, but he literally has no reason why. It just is.
First Impression: This dude is weird.
Strengths: Curiosity, invention, investment.
Weaknesses: Short attention span, huge ego.
Personal History: Gaspard excelled in maths while a young child in Kent and never showed any early signs of magic (not that his family would have known what to look for), so when he received a letter from Hogwarts - hand-delivered by Filius Flitwick - in the Spring that he was 11, it came as quite a shock. Filius spoke at length with James & Belinda, and eventually, they agreed to let Gaspard attend. He was sorted into Hufflepuff due to his seemingly unlimited open mind and simple joy for life. He excelled in charms and transfiguration and had a close relationship with Filius throughout his 7 years. When he graduated in 1977, he'd done well - not amazingly, but well - in his NEWTs and went to work as a trainee Cursebreaker at Gringotts. He very quickly got bored. In his free time, he tinkered at home with new spells and magical items - with a permit he'd acquired from the Ministry - and three years into his boredom, he stumbled upon the Self-Stirring Cauldron, which became his ticket to wealth and fame. After acquiring the patent, he quit his job at Gringotts (rather, he simply stopped showing up), and started selling them to businesses through wizarding Britain. The spell is a closely guarded personal secret. Since 1980, he's been investing, traveling, eating, drinking, and making a lot of money on the Cauldrons. And then? He got bored again. So he used his famous name and his fabulous wealth and ran for Minister, because why not? He did not win.
Relationship history: None to speak of. He's an eccentric, and a bachelor. Always has been. Lots of one night stands over the years. He likes younger women.
Potantial Role in Nowhere, Maine: Gaspard is not good for much, to be honest, especially when suddenly divorced from his money and fame. We shall see what he ends up doing to pass the time.