thank you lauren <3


WELL. Hello. Let’s start with the fact that these drabbles are literally a decade in the making. I considered Rachel drabbles about a year after joining SS, then Benzi drabbles when he was around, and loads of times in between and after that. It almost really happened when Emma's personality started coming together numerous months ago, but now Coby is going to Hogwarts (!!) and I think I've finally found the motivation I needed. Or maybe it's because I have just about three generations of characters to work with now, both alive and deceased, so I can't use the excuse that "not enough has happened". Though, Merlin knows Jake Rider (may he rest in peace) definitely could have used a set of drabbles way back when. He might not have died to be honest, but I choose to not comment on that. Let's move on.

DISCLAIMER! The beautiful world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. The Rider clan belong to me, but there are several characters that belong to others who are integral to the Rider story. These wonderful creations will only be added with the express permission of their RPers and listed in this post.

Text Cut: Introductions & Family Tree Links

LINK 1 Small tree, only names, contains the information required to understand these drabbles
LINK 2 Big (big big big) tree, all the info, pretty pictures, loads of people

■ ■ ■ Fic about loss (Rachel & Benzi)

Some more information on the characters, in no particular order:

• Rachel Rider-Mae :: former ravenclaw, class of 2071
  Rachel was my first character on SS. The spunky, feisty little Ravenclaw grew in a calculated, strong woman who's faults are hidden behind a perfectly constructed mask of contentment. I'll write a bio for her eventually, but because she's been around for so long... well, it's daunting.
  ___
• Lucas Rider (dec.) :: former hufflepuff, would have been class of 2084
  Lucas loved architecture, which was a strange thing for a child to love. He wanted to be a world famous wizard architect when he'd grow up, design and build gigantic structures that would go to the moon and back. He didn't have very many friends, but he treasured the few who were close to him, especially his fellow Hufflepuffs. On February 1st, 2082, during his fifth year at Hogwarts, Lucas Rider died in a car accident, along with his sister, his mother and his father.
  ___
• Alice Rider (dec.) :: former gryffindor, would have been class of 2087
  Alice always said she was born with a beater's bat in her hand. From a very early age, all she wanted to talk about was Quidditch. All she thought about was Quidditch. And when she finally became old enough to train with proper bludgers, she knew she was set for life. She'd be a beater for the Harpies and they'd win all the champions and nothing could stop her. On February 1st, 2082, during her second year at Hogwarts, Alice Rider died in a car accident, along with her brother, her mother and her father.
  ___
• Rhea Nicolaides :: went to school in Greece, class of 2072
  Rhea isn't a Rider, but she's definitely an honorary one in Rachel's eyes. Godmother to both Benzi and Suri, Rhea was the saving grace of the family after the tragedy of 2082. She kept them alive, she brought them food, she pulled Rachel back from unbelievable depths of sadness. Rachel and Rhea met while they were both studying in London WU, and have been very good friends ever since. Rhea, a muggleborn but raised magical (a one-in-a-million, she always says), is a senior healer at St. Mungo's Hospital and knows exactly how many times any Rider has been admitted. Far too many times, in case you were wondering. "FAR too many times."
  ___
• Relton Rider :: muggle, class of 2086
  Born as "Rachel's replacement" and raised mostly as such, Relton only came into his own during his 20's. A spoiled muggle child, he didn't much care about his weird uncle OR his 'freako' older sister. Magic was unnatural and as far as he was concerned, they could all die and his life would probably be better for it. Relton's attitude changed as he grew up, aided by meeting the love of his life; a wizard called Xander Ward. He always thought it amusing that while he struggled with his sexuality, he would also need to struggle with the beliefs he had been raised on. Today he's a proud daddy of two, on good terms with Rachel and her family, and endlessly making amends with Benzi.
  ___
• Quinn Chambers :: squib, class of 2089
  Quinn first came into the RP world as an NPC; her role was Benzi's sassy squib girlfriend. She has since grown and expanded, she has a whole family and backstory, she grew up as Noel Wallace's next door neighbour and she is (in case this wasn't immediately obvious) one of my favourite characters that I've ever created. She even has her own SS50 thread!
  ___

PROMPTS

GROUP 3
1. Gilt 2. Nobility 3. Rushing 4. Warmth 5. Crimson 6. Righteous 7. Fury 8. Sword 9. Kingdom 10. Roar

GROUP 6
1. All night study session 2. Overdue library book 3. Overthinking 4. Riddle of the Sphinx 5. Eclectic 6. Obnoxious 7. Bronze 8. Dictionary 9. Point Me 10. Diadem

GROUP 8
1. Spring 2. Summer 3. Fall 5. Feast 5. Winter 6. Snowball 7. Yule Ball 8. Orchideous 9. Lumos 10. Nox

GROUP 9
1. Fire 2. Water 3. Earth 4. Air 5. Wood 6. Metal 7. Flagrate 8. Duro 9. Aguamenti 10. Wingardium Leviosa

GROUP 11
1. Cuckoo 2. Eon 3. Era 4. Hourglass 5. Timeturner 6. Pendulum 7. Sundial 8. Past 9. Present 10. Future

GROUP 13
1. Herbology 2. Transfiguration 3. Defense Against the Dark Arts 4. Astronomy 5. History of Magic 6. Charms 7. Potions 8. Hogwarts, A History 9. Homework 10. Cauldron

GROUP 14
1. Muggle Studies 2. Ancient Runes 3. Divination 4. Care of Magical Creatures 5. Arithmancy 6. Dragonhide gloves 7. Duel 8. Quidditch 9. Hogsmeade 10. Apparition

GROUP 16
1. Patronus 2. Wand 3. Boggart 4. Expelliarmus 5. Incarcerous 6. Dumbledore's Army 7. Undetectable Extension Charm 8. Unbreakable Vow 9. Unite 10. Stupefy

GROUP 18
1. Sorting Hat 2. Telescope 3. Quill 4. Dress robes 5. Common room 6. Whomping Willow 7. Portraits 8. Headmaster 9. Staircase 10. Dungeon

GROUP 19
1. Veela 2. Kneazle 3. House elf 4. Owl 5. Pureblood 6. Muggle 7. Animagus 8. Thestrals 9. Leprechaun 10. Goblin

CHARACTERS

Text Cut: This might get long

MINE

• Benzi
  __defence against the dark arts; undetectable extension charm; fury; wand; riddle of the sphinx; future;
• Rachel
  __defence against the dark arts; divination;
• Suri
  __undetectable extension charm; headmaster; crimson;
• Emma
  __fury; riddle of the sphinx; future;
• Lucas & Alice
  __care of magical creatures;
• Rhea
  __divination;
• Quinn (Q as a teenager)
  __crimson;
• Jacob (Coby)
  __homework;

NOT MINE

• Mohamed Sahnoun :: red account; headmaster at Hogwarts, 2090-2091
  __headmaster;
• Bernard Rider-Mae :: D.A Forever; Rachel's husband
  __fury;
• Noel Wallace :: Samia; Benzi's best friend
  __riddle of the sphinx;
• Clara Wilde :: Natalie; Benzi's fiancée
  __future;

_________________

13.3. defence against the dark arts;

❖ when: 2078
❖ where: Rachel Rider's small London flat
❖ who: Rachel, Benzi

"Muuuuuuuuuum! What's dada?" Benzi called out, huddled over a parchment dated 2071.

"Where did you find that?" Rachel returned to her study with a small fruit bowl, which she placed in front of her eight year old.

"Up there!" Benzi grinned toothily. "I wanted it, so I reached up an' it came to me! What's it mean?"

With a laugh, Rachel glanced down at her old NEWT scores. "Defence Against the Dark Arts. We learn it so we can protect ourselves from bad people."

"Oh." Benzi was pensive for a moment, then he shrugged. "Can I go play football now?"

16.7. undetectable extension charm;

❖ when: october 2087
❖ where: outside the slytherin common room
❖ who: Benzi, Suri

"You OAF!!"

He sniggered, and continued to hold his sister's shoes high above her head.

"GIVE 'EM BACK YOU ENORMOUS FART!" Uselessly, Suri tried to jump and grab them, whining at him.

Whispering, Benzi waved his wand at her shoes. There. Revenge prank complete.

"Here you go, keep a better eye on your shoes next time."

Suspiciously watching him leave, the eleven year old tried to put her shoes back on, but her feet kept sinking… and sinking… and… sinking. She looked down. Her shoes had SWALLOWED her. Her knees were where her ankles should have been.

o__o

Suri shrieked.

"BENZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!"

18.8. headmaster;

❖ when: 2099 / 2091
❖ where: -
❖ who: Suri

Suri dreams of Mohamed Sahnoun.

She walks down the cold, lifeless halls of her former school, feeling like an outsider. She is an outsider, she did not attend the year before. He is right to treat her like this. He is always right, always in her head, always.

Not Mohamed Sahnoun. Cold hands.

She dreams of ice fingers, blue veins, crystal eyes.

He is right.

She deserves the cold.

But Mohamed Sahnoun keeps her at Hogwarts, and makes him leave.

She dreams of desperate anger, violent in her treatment of the headmaster in her dream.

She wakes.

Her neck hurts.

3.7. fury;

❖ when: 2095
❖ where: the Rider flat
❖ who: Benzi, Emma

"DADDYYYYY!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

"Emma Rider I swear-"

"DADDY YOU’RE HURTING HIM!!"

Emma continued shrieking and protesting, jumping and grabbing at thin air.

Benzi started at his daughter as he held the purple pillow high over her head. "Emma… this is a dirty pillow. I can’t hurt a pillow."

"YES YOU CAN THAT’S NOT THE PROPER WAY TO HOLD PILLOWS Grandpa Bernie said so Grandpa Bernie showed me how to PROP’LY hold pillows!! Professor Goodnight IS IN PAIN."

Benzi looked weakly up at the purple lump. "Professor Goodnight… is your pillow?"

Emma looked at him as if he were daft. HMPF. "Duh."

16.2. wand;

❖ when: late 2089
❖ where: New York
❖ who: Benzi

Benzi threw his MACUSA badge so violently against the wall it shattered. It's been months.

His rage was everlasting; blinding, erratic, vicious and debilitating, and getting worse. Her face, his face, all their faces, the memories, they fueled his fury.

Fueled his sadness.

Benzi's shoulders sank. Fueled his gut wrenching pain.

He was a mess, lost and confused. Bitter. And angry.

Abruptly, Benzi drew his wand. He bellowed spell after spell and watched his apartment disintegrate before his eyes, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

With a tremendous roar, Benzi snapped the useless piece of wood in two.

19.2. kneazle;

❖ when: 2086
❖ where: London
❖ who: Cleopatra (the kneazle)

I was only a kitten. The small, sad one said that she loved me. The big, smiling-but-still-sad one looked like she would cry. She told me my name would be Cleopatra.

Cleopatra was the name of a queen in a land where they worshipped cats. I am part cat. This pleased me. The small one then called me Cleo, a different name, but I understood. I have always been smart.

A taller, sad-but-angry one arrived a while later. He made the small one cry because someone called Nina had preferred crups.

I didn't like him. I peed on his bed.

6.4. riddle of the sphinx;

❖ when: 2099
❖ where: the Rider flat
❖ who: Benzi, Emma

"LULU! LULU! LULU!" Emma chanted into her hairbrush, bouncing around her room.

"Emma?!"

"Hi Daddy!"

"Who's Lulu?!" Benzi looked around him, bewildered.

"It's my stage name!" Emma BEAMED.

"You.. have a stage name?" Spending far too much time with Noel, this one.

"Yeah! Lulu Riddler!"

Lulu from... Louise? "How did you get to Riddler, kid?" The only Riddler he knew was not at all age appropriate.

"I was reading my Riddles of the Sphinx books!" Emma gleefully pointed at her bookshelf. "It's BRILLIANT, DADDY! I'M LULU RIDDLER!"

Benzi's hypothetical future flashed before his eyes and he deflated.

"LULU! LULU! LULU!"

14.4. care of magical creatures;

❖ when: november 2081
❖ where: hogwarts
❖ who: Lucas, Alice

"So, what are merpeople?"

Alice groaned. "We've been studying for ages, Puke-as! Come on!"

Lucas lifted his brow. "I already know this stuff, I don't have to help you." He wouldn't stop helping her and they both knew it. But no more Puke-as.

"Ugh, fine. Uh… beings?"

"Wrong. Beasts. They didn't want to be in the same category as hags."

"Good for them," the young Gryffindor mumbled.

"Now, dementors?"

Alice looked nonplussed. "Beasts??"

"No."

"Beings then."

"No."

Her eyes bulged.

"They're non-beings. Same as-"

"MY GRADES." She fumed, and Lucas couldn't help laughing.

"It's not that hard Liss."

"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE."

14.3. divination;

❖ when: 2073
❖ where: London WU campus
❖ who: Rachel, Rhea

"I loved Divination."

Rachel's jaw dropped. Genuine horror. "You what?!"

Rhea rolled her eyes at these dramatics. "You disagree."

"It's the most nonsensical subject, you're not even a Seer!"

Rhea bristled. "I don't know what kind of anoisies they taught you in school, but I grew up in Greece. Home of Delphi, Dodona. You're disrespecting a very ancient form of magic, Rider."

Suitably chastened, though still somewhat skeptical, Rachel sunk in her chair.

Rhea shook her head. "I'll give you a crash course in cleromancy when you see the Temple of Apollo for yourself. You've never been. You don't know."

3.5. crimson;

❖ when: 2085
❖ where: the Rider house
❖ who: Suri, Q

Suri yelled, victorious, and came running with the wriggling chocolate frog in her hands. "Success! Want some?" She couldn't decide whether her brother's girlfriend looked queasy or exasperated.

"Hey, Q?"

"No I don't want living chocolate, thank you S-"

"Do you love Benzi?"

The nine year old watched with interest as Q turned a deep shade of crimson, from her face to her neck, even her scalp. She looked ridiculous.

"I- I care for you brother very much."

Suri snorted. "You totally do." She bit into the frog's leg. "He does too. Sang your name in the shower and everything."

11.10. future;

❖ when: 2100
❖ where: the Rider flat
❖ who: Benzi, Emma

The flat was dark, save for the dying embers in the fireplace. Benzi was finishing off a drink when he heard quiet, shuffling footsteps, and looked up in alarm as Emma walked in.

She had her blanket draped snugly over her shoulders. "Hi."

"Emma! It's past midnight!"

His nine year old climbed onto the couch and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He kissed her head. "Tell me."

"I like Clara," Emma whispered, and his heart clenched. "And I know you're going to ask her to move in and I like her, but I miss.. miss it being just us."

13.9. homework;

❖ when: 2102
❖ where: the Rider-Mae house
❖ who: Jacob

Coby leaned closer, focusing. On the 14th, he'll finish reading Arithmancy. By the 17th - he drew a line on the calendar - he'll be done with Charms and Transfiguration since he started them both early. If he manages to get through Astronomy and Potions by the 22nd then he'll have plenty of time to devote to Ancient Runes. Yes.

With a sigh, Coby dropped his quill and looked over his July study plan. First week of August they'll be on holiday. After that, it'll be revision time. He had to be better for his fourth year. He just had to be.