• Rufus is in his 5th year as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Sorted into house Gryffindor, he has proven himself a reliable if not exceptional student, showing a preference for Astronomy and History of Magic and a subtle dislike for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Armed with a blackthorn wand and a cat patronus, Rufus is ready to conquer the world- or at least to sit and listen to its troubles.
• In the lower level of the Gryffindor boys dorms, there is a bed in a corner by a window. Indeed, there are probably several, but only one with a secondhand trunk bearing the name of Rufus James Laroux at the foot. This bed is also garnished with any number of odd and interesting things, from birds made of recycled parchment to a miniature solar system constructed of wires and colorful glass spheres.
• The trash bins at Hogwarts were never frequented by so devoted a follower as Rufus. After, before, and between classes, the quiet boy can be seen pilfering through the bins, pocketing items discarded by his schoolmates.
• The dark eyed, dark haired young wizard carries himself with an unassuming dignity and contentment that sets him aside from most his age. Forgoing the body modifications of many of his peers, his only extraneous forms of self-expression are the occasional piece of handmade jewelry, a bracelet or ring, or a necklace with an arrowhead charm. Overall, he is pleasantly average, standing about five feet seven inches tall, with a build that is neither slender nor stocky, but somewhere in the healthy middle.
• Rufus' dialect is reminiscent of the deep South, with a lengthening and softening of vowels. Based on his speech and good-natured smile, many assume him to be a bit slow.
• Rufus' raids on the trash bins are not based on mere curiosity or a fascination with the leavings of his schoolmates. The items he scavenges are given new life as components of his many inventions, from jewelry to toys to useful things such as wand-stands and eyeglass frames. His skill as a craftsman is quite remarkable, each item of his design full of thought and care.
• A few of Rufus' creations are given away as gifts, but most are packed with care into an old-fashioned carpet bag and taken to the junk store, where after much polite and genteel haggling they are sold for the agreed upon price.
• At Hogwarts, Rufus tends to drift from crowd to crowd. He often finds himself surrounded by female students, through no real effort of his own.
• A black cat named Chepi serves as Rufus' familiar and beloved companion. The cat was brought to Hogwarts as a kitten by another student, and was unwanted and close to being abandoned when the Gryffindor claimed her.
• Rufus' origins are unclear. All that any of his fellow students know about his background is that he lived in Las Vegas for a while, and is rumored to have an unstable mother and anywhere from two to twelve sisters. After his trips to the junk store to sell his wares, without fail he goes directly to the post office and mails off a letter and much of his earned knuts and sickles to a Sapphire Louisa Laroux.