#unlike charles and the rest of the cromwell clan :I

[carewyncromwell]

“Hey, Dad, look at me: Think back, and talk to me -- Did I grow up according to plan?”

~“Perfect (cover)” by At Sunset

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animation made with EZGif // my other accompaniment while drawing this

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Um... “happy” Father’s Day, everybody? 😅 Here’s some Jacob Cromwell content to mark the occasion -- specifically Jacob content that also features his estranged father, Evan Bach!

Those of you who are familiar with Jacob and Carewyn’s backstory are probably already aware that Evan was a pretty poor father. He tried continuously to shape Jacob in his image and only vindicated the opinions of others labeling him as a “delinquent”; he actively plugged out of his daughter Carewyn’s life from an emotional perspective, leaving her to be raised solely by her mother and brother; and worst of all, he abandoned his wife Lane and their children after the arrival of Jacob’s Hogwarts letter, unable to accept that his wife had lied to him about her and their children’s magic for so long and not wanting any part of the Wizarding World he’d have to join to be part of their lives. But at the same time, I never saw Evan as an inherently bad person, so I wanted to explore the generational trauma that both Evan and Jacob suffered through, and how it ultimately shaped them as people.

Evan Bach was the only son of Josef Bach, the son of a German immigrant raised largely by his uncle Jakob after the death of his father in the first World War. Josef learned from an early age how to lie to stay out of trouble with both his uncle and the authorities, and coupled with his chronic alcoholism, this led to him getting involved with a lot of petty crime. Josef’s childhood sweetheart Margie thought that having a family might help coax Josef to stay at home with her more, rather than spend his nights at speakeasies and pool halls, and at first, it seemed to work -- Josef wanted to put on a good face for his wife and newborn son, so he tried to hide his more illicit behaviors from them. Then Britain entered World War II, and Margie was forced to take one-year-old Evan out of Westminster and into the countryside to safety, leaving her husband behind. Soon Josef fell head-over-heels into organized crime, which actually flourished during the Second World War in Britain with most legal authorities having to focus on the war effort, and he soon became very rich working as an “enforcer” for a prominent London gang who participated in dozens of protection rackets. All the while, Josef wrote letters to his wife and son claiming he’d used that Ivy League education he’d convinced Margie he’d gotten somehow to land a job for the British government, and that with the profits he was making as part of the war effort, he’d bought them a huge house on an acre of land that they’d be able to enjoy together once the War was over. For Evan, who had next to no memories of his father aside from what his mother told him, he clung to these written lies enthusiastically, endlessly proud of the man he thought his father was and looking forward to the day that he and his mother would finally get to return home and meet him.

Sadly, while in the country, Margie became very sick and died in the winter of 1943, just before the end of the War. Following his wife’s death, Josef became all the more devoted to his gang life, and soon extortion, arson, and murder became everyday occurrences. Even so, on those few occasions when Josef would speak to his young son Evan on the phone, he’d lie about the weird noises and explosions the boy would hear in the background, saying that he’d be there to pick the boy up when he returned to Westminster and he’d take them home to their beautiful (and completely fictional) house outside the city. When the War was over, though, Evan did not find his father waiting for him at the train station, but instead his great-uncle Jakob -- for Josef, it turned out, had been lying to a lot more people than just his wife and son: he’d also lied to his bosses that he had no wife and children. And in order to keep up that charade, he couldn’t have Evan live with him -- so Josef asked "Uncle Jakob” to pick Evan up and take him in instead. The revelation of Josef’s lies and subsequent abandonment shattered Evan in a way he had trouble articulating to anyone, though he tried to once, when confiding in his future wife, Lane --

“I know what you mean. About your father, I mean. ...My father...wasn’t like yours, really. He was a crook, a liar...a petty criminal, in every way. ...But I know what it’s like, seeing the love other people seem to have for their kids and just wondering, ‘...Why? Why didn’t I have that, why couldn’t I have that? Why does my father have to put himself, and his wants, and his vices, first, instead of his family? Why isn’t he like those parents who, when faced with a tough choice, always choose their kid? ...Why didn’t he choose me...?’”

Not long after, Josef’s lies and crimes finally caught up with him, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment for all of the violent crimes he’d gotten wrapped up in. And so Evan was raised by his great-uncle, who desperately tried to take advantage of his “second chance,” raising the orphaned son of the boy the old man had raised as a son himself, and teach Evan to live an upstanding, honest life. Evan was so haunted by the corruption of his father through his addiction to alcohol, his proclivity toward violence, and his pathological lying that he was determined to be a man who would provide for his family the right way -- one who would be a proper role model for them, who would model the correct way to behave and instruct them about how to do the same. A man who wouldn’t let his son throw his whole life and potential away the way his father did.

Unfortunately Evan’s rosy view of fatherhood was complicated when his son -- named “Jacob” for the man who had largely raised him and had passed away five years previously -- ended up being both a wizard and a completely different person than Evan himself was. For as conventional and people-pleasing as Evan was, Jacob was opinionated and eccentric. For as rule-abiding and respectful of authority as Evan was, Jacob was rebellious and irreverent. For as uptight and conservative as Evan was, Jacob was wild and sometimes even violent, when provoked. Add to this Jacob’s distinct disinterest in any of the classic “father-son” activities Evan had envisioned them doing like fishing, playing catch, and going to sports games, as well as the boy’s frequent “misbehavior” (in truth outbursts of underage magic) that would get him into trouble at school, and Evan honestly didn’t know what to do to alter his son’s course. And because of his departure, Evan never saw just how hard his son worked to get top grades at Hogwarts, only to have his life upended by Lane’s father Charles and his criminal organization R and get locked in a magical portrait for seven years. Evan also never saw Jacob pull off the best, “underdog”-style comeback imaginable and graduate the school he’d been expelled from with honors so as to become a world-renown freelance cursebreaker and magical researcher. Nor did Evan ever see just how loyal, heroic, brilliant and loving of a man Jacob ended up becoming, even without his father there to mold him into what he thought he should be.

But perhaps, in a sad way, that’s the way things had to be. Evan had no desire to be part of the Wizarding World, the place where Jacob felt more complete and “himself” than anywhere else. He had no desire to lie to the people around him or to live a life outside of the straight and narrow path that had helped him move past his father’s tarnished legacy. He’d wanted to give his wife and children what he hadn’t had -- a stable, peaceful, middle-class life in Westminster, where they could just live normal, modest lives and grow into normal, upstanding people with normal, respectable careers. He’d failed in that...and ultimately, Lane -- the woman he loved, who chose him over her abusive family, who he cherished so much for having chosen him, over any other man in the world -- had chosen their son over him. Just as Jacob chose Lane over him...just like how their daughter would’ve chosen Jacob and Lane over him, if she’d had the choice. It’s not like Evan could’ve molded her any better than Jacob, even if he’d tried -- Lane said she was just as “normal” as she and Jacob were. And if Evan had stayed, it no doubt would’ve been out of duress, rather than out of sincere loyalty -- for how could he not resent a woman who he bared his heart and soul to and worked day and night to provide for, only to find out she had lied to him from the very beginning? Would he then only be a pocketbook for his family -- someone to write the bills every month, rather than someone to lead, protect, and guide them in being upstanding members of society? Someone for them to respect, love, and be devoted to, the way upstanding families were supposed to? Was he just meant to accept this life he’d never chosen for himself -- a life where he had to bow to the whims of the rest of his family, just because they had these bizarre, mysterious powers he didn’t have anyway to curb or restrain?

So perhaps Evan leaving ended up being the best outcome for all parties, however cowardly and cruel it was. If nothing else, the Obliviators assigned to keep tabs on Evan after his departure never found any evidence that he tried to expose Lane’s magic or the Wizarding World to any of his friends, associates, or remaining family, or even to the Muggle authorities. He never even made up any stories explaining away his departure to cast Lane in a bad light or absolve himself of blame -- not of her having an affair, nor of her being involved in any criminal activity, impropriety, or abuse. On the contrary, Evan always shut down any accusations of that nature, whenever anyone would suggest them.

“Lane lied to me,” was all he’d ever say. “That’s all it was, and that’s the last I’ll say about it.”

It seemed that, no matter how much Lane’s betrayal had hurt him and how much he resented how their children had chosen to follow her down a path far removed from the upstanding society he’d so wanted them to contribute to, as he did, Evan was an honorable enough man that he refused to tarnish his ex-wife’s name with lies and false accusations. For however poor of a father he was to Jacob, and however justified Jacob might be to hate the man, that honor at least can be respected.

[carewyncromwell]

The Cromwell Clan

I was inspired by @hogwartsmysterystory​‘s post discussing the Whitecross family, so...here you are! Information on Carewyn’s mother Lane’s family, the Cromwell Clan!

The Cromwell Clan...

...noster familia, nostra gloria

Notable Members:

Charles Cromwell (second from right) // Patriarch

Marilyn Burke-Cromwell // Matriarch (deceased)

Pearl Cromwell-Dupont (far left) // Eldest; married; 2 sons

Claire Cromwell-Yaxley (far right) // Second-eldest; married; 3 daughters, 1 son

Blaise Cromwell (second from left) // Youngest and Heir; widower; 1 son

Disowned Relatives:

Lane Cromwell (far right) // Second-youngest; eloped with a Muggle

Jacob Cromwell (far left) // Son of Lane

Carewyn Cromwell (middle) // Daughter of Lane

Blood Status: Pureblood (technically)

The Cromwells are not considered part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight largely because they don’t have a problem with wizards who have Muggle ancestry or relatives, just Muggles specifically. If you are a Muggle-hating witch or wizard, even if you have Muggle blood yourself, you’re fine in their book.

Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin

The Cromwell clan is unique in that, unlike many other magical families, they encourage a wide swath of values among their children, promoting glory, loyalty, academic achievement, and ambition. This means that, although Charles, Marilyn, and Blaise were all in Slytherin, there is a pretty even swath of family members from all of the houses. Charles’s children specifically (that is, Pearl, Claire, Lane, and Blaise) even each ended up in one of the four houses.

Associates:

The Malfoy family

The Urquart family

The Dupont family

The Burke family

The Yaxley family

The Fudge family

The Crouch family

The Bones Family

R (suspected, but unconfirmed)

History:

The Cromwell Clan is a magical family whose origins are steeped in some mystery. The first time the Cromwell name appears is in an old set of records referring to a Pendragon Cromwell, who served as a member of the Wizard’s Council in the 14th century and spoke out in defense of Nicholas Malfoy, who had been accused of killing his Muggle tenants and then disguising their deaths as a result of the Black Death. It is thought that the Cromwell Clan could have some connection to the Muggle family of the same name, which originally hailed from Lincolnshire, a stone’s throw from the Cromwell Clan’s estate in Yorkshire -- but the Cromwell Clan vehemently dismisses any such correlation.

Whatever their origins, the Cromwell Clan’s members permeated the ranks of every early Wizard Council and (later) the Ministry of Magic. No Cromwell ever became Minister for Magic (though not for lack of trying), but they have still risen to high positions at the Ministry and other magical institutions like St. Mungo’s and Gringotts. Charles Cromwell, the current Patriarch, is a prominent figure in the Wizengamot who has befriended many of its members and ex-members across ideological lines, such as Amelia Bones and Barty Crouch, Sr. His only son and heir, Blaise, is a prominent Unspeakable. Pearl Dupont is a well-regarded Ministry employee in line to become the next Head of the Department of Magical Transportation, while her sister Claire is the stay-at-home wife of Marek Yaxley, a prominent Hitwizard and twin brother of convicted Death Eater Corban Yaxley.

The Cromwell Clan’s most singular feature is their absolute loyalty to their own family above all else, which may contribute to why no member has yet achieved the top job of Minister -- if there is ever a choice between the Wizarding World and the advancement of their family as a whole, a Cromwell always chooses their family. But don’t take this to mean that they are an affectionate family. The Cromwell Clan in general is incredibly demanding of their members, with their patriarchs and matriarchs exerting great control over the rest of the family, from what career paths they pursue, to who they associate with, to where they live, to who they marry. No child of the Clan is ever given much privacy or freedom -- the Cromwell estate is an emotionally suppressed, suffocating, cold prison more than a “home.” Although the leaders of the Clan will claim they’re only acting this way out of love, to any keen outside observers, their behavior is much more indicative of extreme possessiveness rather than selfless, sincere caring. This also prompts many to see the Cromwells rather like a mafia family -- one you’d want to think twice before joining.

Wealth: The Cromwell Clan has considerable wealth, but they are rather like mythological dragons in the way they hoard it. They only buy enough to make themselves appear prosperous in front of others; in their own home, however, they are shockingly austere, eating incredibly cheap meals and never giving their children more than they need. The thought process among the Clan is that their money must only be used to invest in the future, rather than for any short-term enjoyment. This therefore means, though, that when they do decide to buy their children new clothes or gifts, they are of excellent quality, and there are certain strings attached. One must both take care of those belongings exquisitely well and use them to ”get ahead” somehow. If you borrow money from a Cromwell, you are expected to pay it back with interest -- if for whatever reason you don’t, then you are likely to be very sorry indeed.

Coat of Arms: The Cromwell family’s Coat of Arms features the head of a Hebridrian Black dragon, one of only two dragon breeds in the United Kingdom, specifically Scotland. They are characterized by their aggressiveness; dark, rough scales; arrow-like spiked tail; bright purple eyes; and bat-like wings. Dragons in general can symbolize strength, longevity, wisdom, and untapped knowledge. In Chinese culture, black dragons in particular symbolize power and vengeance and predict the arrival of thunderstorms. They also feature two light blue crowns, which are the same color as the family’s trademark “Cromwell blue eyes,” and symbolize power, victory, honor, and glory. The shield’s colors are black (for authority and mystery) and red (for love and aggression).

Motto: “Noster familia, nostra gloria” translates to “Our family, our glory.”

Face Claims:

Charles Cromwell ~ Jeremy Irons

Pearl Cromwell Dupont ~ Nicole Kidman (with curly red hair)

Claire Cromwell-Yaxley ~ Sandra Bullock (with brown hair)

Blaise Cromwell ~ Chris Pine

Lane Cromwell ~ Claire Danes

Jacob Cromwell ~ Timothee Chalamet

Carewyn Cromwell ~ Sadie Sink

***Coat of Arms created using WorldSpinner.Com.***