Benjamin Blackburn the Third
The Blackburn brothers come from a well-known line of European wizards going back many generations. Ben is the principal and principle visionary of the Blackburn Academy, as well as the central motivation and landlord of the Blackburn Boarding House for Witches, Ghouls, & Monsters.
Originally from southern Ireland, he was schooled in the best magical institutions of Europe and had set his sights on contributing to those institutions in a meaningful way.
Unfortunately the fates did not will it so, as need required him to move across the world to America where his closest family had established themselves years earlier. This life wasn't as satisfying as he would have had it, and so when the opportunity arose, he set about creating an institution to school the young in the ways of magic.
His greatest desire is to carry on the magical tradition by perpetuating the skills and knowledge to the young of the magical community, and to assist underprivileged creatures to find their purpose and reach their potential.