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Herbert Sebastian Mandrake (born July 22, 1942) is an American wizard, author, witch-wrangler, beast tamer, smelter, Cubist, and so forth and so on. Born in Pleven, Bulgaria to a family of dragon scale jewelers, Herbert excelled at charming dragons at an early age. At age eleven he harvested the scales and talons of 17 different dragon species for the necklace that Lady Natasha Borov famously wore to her debutante ball in 1953.

In 1954 that necklace was stolen from the Borov Estate. Mandrake was brought in for questioning but denied any involvement in the robbery and charges were dropped. In his first memoir Why I am This Way, however, Mandrake does list “jewel thief” as one of his occupations. He also expressed regret at not having compensated the dragons for their material contributions to the Borov necklace. “I truly believe they should have been given a choice of treacle or gold as payment,” wrote Mandrake. “But that was not the way of the world then, and the sad truth is that they received nothing.”

From 1962 to 1968, Mandrake devoted himself almost entirely to alchemy and smelting. It was said that he was attempting to create a new precious metal from which to mold an irresistible engagement ring for Willa Wobegone, a beautiful banshee with whom he had fallen in love during a witch wrangling expedition to Scotland in his youth. Willa went missing in 1968 and the proposal never occurred. Mandrake has visited Scotland several times a year ever since her disappearance. Mandrake scholars postulate that Herbert continues to search for Willa to this day.

From 1968-1972, Mandrake devoted himself to playing cards, imbibing strong potions, and attending elaborate costume parties. One costume became a particular favorite of his and led to the development of an alter ego known as Horatio Masterall. Horatio Masterall, who counted among his talents singing in a rich booming baritone, attracted a bevy of female admirers, and Herbert (as Horatio) received 15 separate proposals of marriage during 1972.

In 1973 Herbert announced that Horatio Masterall had “left the building,” and Horatio never again appeared in polite society. Herbert’s hair became notably altered to a more ostentatious style around this time.

During the remainder of the seventies and much of the eighties, Herbert was involved with the making of rock music and Indie movies. Wizards credit Herbert with the development of “crunchy” guitar-based rock. (Muggles have an alternate history of this guitar style.)

In 1987, Herbert wrote, directed, and starred in a film about a tree spirit that longed to be fashioned into an electric guitar. “His performance brought tears to my eyes,” admitted Cynthia Swords of the Magical Screen Actors Guild. The film was not a commercial success.

During the remainder of the eighties and nineties, Herbert devoted himself to social reform. He set up a baking school in Romania and through the introduction of innovative cookie cutters managed to convert several enchantresses known for their impaling to a devotion to baking. During this period, Herbert put on some weight, which led to his taking up trick broomstick riding as a means of slimming down.

During the late nineties and early 2000s, Herbert traveled the world with a broomstick rodeo. By 2010, he had become best friends with a Hungarian-horn –tailed dragon, whose language he had learned to speak. The two retired from the rodeo in 2015 and have lived quietly in the countryside ever since.