Mentor Profile
Draco Bond
Age: 38
District: 2
Hunger Games: 55th, aged 18
Mentored By: Brutus Severus Cato
Kills in the Arena: 5
Preferred Weapons: Sword, Knife
Tribute: Brutus Severus Cato
Mentoring Record: 4 Games/0 Victors
In one of the more surprising turns of events in the recent history of the Hunger Games, somehow Draco Bond is District 2's most recent male victor. Perhaps it's been because of the dominance of District's 2's traditional rivals One and Four in recent years. Or perhaps the recent passing of Augustus and Amadeus, the two victors who founded District 2's powerful dynasty of victors, whose influence has shaped the lives of over a dozen tributes that have followed them out of the arena. Whatever the reason, there's been a perceived vulnerability about District 2 in recent years.
Not that Draco has anything to do with this perception. This is a man who you would think was born for the Games. Well over six feet tall, Draco entered the Games as an athlete in his prime, overpowering those around him on his way to a commanding victory.
The 55th Games were notable for the absence of District 4 from the traditional alliance, leaving a more open field than usual. With Gamemaker intervention costing the remaining pack, these Games were played on a more even playing field than most - a notable consequence of this was the survival of both tributes from District 12 to the final eight, something rarely seen since then, until Katniss and Peeta's compelling victory last year.
However, Draco also has the rare distinction of being one of very few victors to kill their district partner on their road to victory. Not that he could be blamed for it - turned on my his district partner when the tentative alliance finally fell apart, he managed to fend off his highly-favoured partner's unpredictable attack and survive almost unscathed.
From there, the Games were as good as won once the sponsor support came flooding in.
Since the Games, however, Draco has shown us a much softer side, often not associated with victors of his style. Often victors like Draco have carried an air of haughty arrogance about them, but Two's most recent male victor has never shown this side since his victory. Often humble and softly-spoken, it's didn't surprise any of us when Draco became one of the youngest victors to marry after the Games, at just twenty-one. With two children of his own approaching their teenage years, it's hard not to wonder whether they will follow the example shown by the Cato family and volunteer for future Games.
Always willing to offer a smile and a friendly word while in the Capitol, Draco's talent for playing the piano has been a great source of entertainment during the festival atmosphere in the build-up to the Games for years. In his own district, he lives a simple life, spending a lot of his time helping the less fortunate within his district.
The abundance of victors from District 2 has limited Draco's experience as a mentor to just four Hunger Games, most recently the 70th. Much like Johan and Gloss from District 1, Draco and Brutus find themselves in the strange situation where the mentor is now being led into the arena by his former protegee. Despite his advancing years, there are many among us who see Brutus as the favourite for this year's Games.
If all goes well for him tonight during the interviews, District 2 could find themselves with a flood of sponsor support. Then the responsibility will fall on Draco, to show that he's still got the keen mind for the Games we've rarely seen since his victory.
A/N: Trying to make all of the Careers sound different is challenge, but I feel like I'm managing it...
Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, please review! As ever, constructive criticism is welcomed :)