0049: The Life of Cathryn Elspeth Riddle Part One - Cathryn Elspeth Riddle
My god, I went to the pit of voles tonight and there, on the first Harry Potter page, were not one but four Sues, almost one right after the other! It was hard work picking just one to review, believe you me, but here ya go:
TITLE: The Life of Cathryn Elspeth Riddle Part One
PERPETRATOR: Cathryn Elspeth Riddle
SUE-O-METER: (how bad is it?)
WRITING:
SUEAGE:
WRONGNESS:
FULL NAME: Cathryn Elspeth Riddle (is there an echo in here?) There's also a bonus Sue in the form of one Caitlin Elenor Riddle. God save us all.
SPECIES: Human/Witch
HAIR: straight and light brown (Caitlin's is "as black as night")
EYES: gray (Caitlin's are "amethyst")
MARKINGS: none
POSESSIONS: A cat named Ernie.
ORIGIN: Raised by her aunt and uncle for some reason. Didn't know she had a sister until she came to Hogwarts.
CONNECTIONS TO CANON: Yet another case of Mysterious Father Syndrome, only here it's pretty obviously Voldemort. Makes friends with James, Lily, etcetera on the train... although it's only first year, James and Lily already seem to know each other.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Yet another Sue who's too tough a decision for the Sorting Hat, so it lets her choose her own House. This is not original, people!
NOTES: Part One? You mean, like, there are more parts to this hideous monstrosity? Excuse me... if you need me, I'll be under the covers in the fetal position.
SAMPLE:
Chapter One
It was very crowded on platform nine and three-quarters that morning. Ambrosius looked down at his small, eleven-year-old niece with a small smile. She was already in her Hogwarts uniform, with a pencil behind one ear, a sketchbook in one hand, and the end of a leash in the other. On the end of that leash was an extremely large red tabby cat, with mischievous green eyes, who was trying with all of his might to break free and wreak havoc on the crowd.
"Ernie, I'll let you off on the train, but until then, I need to keep my eye on you!" she sighed exasperatedly.
The red steam engine began to billow out smoke. Ambrosius hugged his niece one last time.
"Be good, Cathryn. You'll be fine."
"Bye, Uncle," she called to him, as he pushed her in the direction of the compartment that her trunk was in.
Cathryn sighed as she sat down. She opened the sketchbook in her lap, whipped out the pencil, and started to draw as the train pulled away from the platform.
"Can we sit in here?" a boy poked his head in the compartment as the train was leaving London. Cathryn shrugged, and they came in: two boys and a girl.
"That's really good!" said the girl.
"This?" Cathryn said, gesturing at the drawing. "It's not my best."
"Can I see it?" one of the boys asked. Cathryn reluctantly handed him the notebook.
"Who is that?" the boy asked.
"My uncle-Ambrosius. That was how he looked when he hugged me goodbye."
"He looks scared... no sad..." the other boy said.
"Both," said the girl. "What's your name?" she asked Cathryn.
"Cathryn Elspeth Riddle."
"My name's Lily Evans," Lily said, holding out her hand. Cathryn took it, smiling.
"James Potter," said one boy.
"Sirius Black," said the other.
"Who taught you how to draw like this?" James asked.
"My mother used to sometimes," Cathryn said, and the others noticed a certain tension in her voice, "but it's mostly self-taught."
"You're muggle-born then?" Lily asked. "I am."
"No," Cathryn said. "My parents were...but I was raised by my uncle and he's a wizard. My Aunt Rhiannon was a witch, but she died a few years ago. I don't remember her much."
"Where are your parents?" James asked.
Cathryn didn't say anything. James could tell that he had hit on an unhealed wound, so he didn't pursue the subject.
"Do you come from a wizarding family?" Lily asked Sirius.
"Yeah. Mom, Dad, and my sister are all magic."
"What's your sister's name?" James asked.
"Andromeda. We call her Anna though. She's only three."
"What about you, James?" Lily asked.
"Both parents: a witch and a wizard. My mom died a long time ago. My dad really misses her, but he'll never admit it."
"I'm sorry," Lily said sympathetically. James shrugged.
"What about you, Lily?"
"My whole family are muggles. It was such a shock when I got my letter. My sister hates all the attention I've been getting from our parents. She's always hated me anyway. She kidnapped my cat last year, and told my parents that Snowball ran away."
Ernie chose this point to make himself known from the top of the luggage rack. Before Cathryn could react, he leaped down with a loud war-like yowl, and landed on Sirius, who was knocked back. Ernie wasted no time; he was quickly up and about, exploring every nook and cranny in the compartment.
"What was that?" Sirius said, sitting up.
"Ernie. My insane, thirty-five pound, incredibly energetic, cat."
"That was way to big to be just a house cat!"
"He's not just a house cat: he's Ernie. I wouldn't trade him for the world. And I'd watch out if I were you," she added to Sirius. "He doesn't seem to like you much."
"I'm not much of a cat person," Sirius said, still rubbing his chest.
"Cats rule," said Cathryn.
"Do people ever call you 'Cat'?" James asked.
"Sometimes."
"Makes sense to me," said Lily.
~ * ~
Great Hall was packed with talking students by the time the first years were led in. Cathryn didn't pay attention as the sorting hat began to sing. Her eyes were on a very strange girl, standing at the other end of the line.
She was the same age as Cathryn, with the same petite structure, and skinny frame. But her hair was black as night, and hung down to her bony elbows. There were dark circles under her eyes, made more noticeable because of her pale skin. Her eyes burned brightly in her face; a deep amethyst color.
"Ashland, Derrick!" McGonagall called.
"RAVENCALW!" the sorting had begun.
Cathryn paid little attention as people were sorted. She did watch Sirius Black get sorted into Gryffindor, along with Lily Evans. She was sorry to see them go, because she had enjoyed talking to them a lot. And she knew that she would not be in Gryffindor. If she knew anything, it was that.
"Riddle, Caitlin Elanor!" McGonagall called. Cathryn glanced up at the black haired girl she had watched earlier as she slipped the hat over her head.
It was a long wait. Very long. People started to look confused. Had there been some sort of mistake?
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted suddenly into the hall. Caitlin stood up with a smirk in Cathryn's direction, and went to join the table with green decorations.
"Riddle, Cathryn Elspeth!"
Cathryn walked up to the stool and slipped the decrepit old hat over her head.
Well, well, well. You're very unlike your sister, Cathryn. Not like your father either. Very, very different.
I know.
Then why do you hide your past?
Because not everyone can see inside my head. They judge too quickly. It's better this way.
You already know, then, that you should be in Slytherin.
Yes.
By all the laws of blood and magic, you should be in Slytherin. However, that is not where you necessarily belong.
What does that mean.
I will give you a choice. This choice will shape your future, as well as many others. You're outside the pattern, Cathryn. That's a powerful gift.
What's my choice?
Would you chose to be, like your father and sister, in Slytherin? Or would you chose Gryffindor?
That's not my decision. It's yours.
And I leave it up to you.
Then I would chose Gryffindor.
Why?
Because I do not want to be like my father.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. Cathryn slipped it off her head, and with out glancing at her sister, she made her way to the table with red dŽcor. She would spend much of her life wondering if she made the right choice.
For at that moment, Ambrosius dropped dead onto the floor.
TITLE: The Life of Cathryn Elspeth Riddle Part One
PERPETRATOR: Cathryn Elspeth Riddle
SUE-O-METER: (how bad is it?)
WRITING:
SUEAGE:
WRONGNESS:
FULL NAME: Cathryn Elspeth Riddle (is there an echo in here?) There's also a bonus Sue in the form of one Caitlin Elenor Riddle. God save us all.
SPECIES: Human/Witch
HAIR: straight and light brown (Caitlin's is "as black as night")
EYES: gray (Caitlin's are "amethyst")
MARKINGS: none
POSESSIONS: A cat named Ernie.
ORIGIN: Raised by her aunt and uncle for some reason. Didn't know she had a sister until she came to Hogwarts.
CONNECTIONS TO CANON: Yet another case of Mysterious Father Syndrome, only here it's pretty obviously Voldemort. Makes friends with James, Lily, etcetera on the train... although it's only first year, James and Lily already seem to know each other.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Yet another Sue who's too tough a decision for the Sorting Hat, so it lets her choose her own House. This is not original, people!
NOTES: Part One? You mean, like, there are more parts to this hideous monstrosity? Excuse me... if you need me, I'll be under the covers in the fetal position.
SAMPLE:
Chapter One
It was very crowded on platform nine and three-quarters that morning. Ambrosius looked down at his small, eleven-year-old niece with a small smile. She was already in her Hogwarts uniform, with a pencil behind one ear, a sketchbook in one hand, and the end of a leash in the other. On the end of that leash was an extremely large red tabby cat, with mischievous green eyes, who was trying with all of his might to break free and wreak havoc on the crowd.
"Ernie, I'll let you off on the train, but until then, I need to keep my eye on you!" she sighed exasperatedly.
The red steam engine began to billow out smoke. Ambrosius hugged his niece one last time.
"Be good, Cathryn. You'll be fine."
"Bye, Uncle," she called to him, as he pushed her in the direction of the compartment that her trunk was in.
Cathryn sighed as she sat down. She opened the sketchbook in her lap, whipped out the pencil, and started to draw as the train pulled away from the platform.
"Can we sit in here?" a boy poked his head in the compartment as the train was leaving London. Cathryn shrugged, and they came in: two boys and a girl.
"That's really good!" said the girl.
"This?" Cathryn said, gesturing at the drawing. "It's not my best."
"Can I see it?" one of the boys asked. Cathryn reluctantly handed him the notebook.
"Who is that?" the boy asked.
"My uncle-Ambrosius. That was how he looked when he hugged me goodbye."
"He looks scared... no sad..." the other boy said.
"Both," said the girl. "What's your name?" she asked Cathryn.
"Cathryn Elspeth Riddle."
"My name's Lily Evans," Lily said, holding out her hand. Cathryn took it, smiling.
"James Potter," said one boy.
"Sirius Black," said the other.
"Who taught you how to draw like this?" James asked.
"My mother used to sometimes," Cathryn said, and the others noticed a certain tension in her voice, "but it's mostly self-taught."
"You're muggle-born then?" Lily asked. "I am."
"No," Cathryn said. "My parents were...but I was raised by my uncle and he's a wizard. My Aunt Rhiannon was a witch, but she died a few years ago. I don't remember her much."
"Where are your parents?" James asked.
Cathryn didn't say anything. James could tell that he had hit on an unhealed wound, so he didn't pursue the subject.
"Do you come from a wizarding family?" Lily asked Sirius.
"Yeah. Mom, Dad, and my sister are all magic."
"What's your sister's name?" James asked.
"Andromeda. We call her Anna though. She's only three."
"What about you, James?" Lily asked.
"Both parents: a witch and a wizard. My mom died a long time ago. My dad really misses her, but he'll never admit it."
"I'm sorry," Lily said sympathetically. James shrugged.
"What about you, Lily?"
"My whole family are muggles. It was such a shock when I got my letter. My sister hates all the attention I've been getting from our parents. She's always hated me anyway. She kidnapped my cat last year, and told my parents that Snowball ran away."
Ernie chose this point to make himself known from the top of the luggage rack. Before Cathryn could react, he leaped down with a loud war-like yowl, and landed on Sirius, who was knocked back. Ernie wasted no time; he was quickly up and about, exploring every nook and cranny in the compartment.
"What was that?" Sirius said, sitting up.
"Ernie. My insane, thirty-five pound, incredibly energetic, cat."
"That was way to big to be just a house cat!"
"He's not just a house cat: he's Ernie. I wouldn't trade him for the world. And I'd watch out if I were you," she added to Sirius. "He doesn't seem to like you much."
"I'm not much of a cat person," Sirius said, still rubbing his chest.
"Cats rule," said Cathryn.
"Do people ever call you 'Cat'?" James asked.
"Sometimes."
"Makes sense to me," said Lily.
~ * ~
Great Hall was packed with talking students by the time the first years were led in. Cathryn didn't pay attention as the sorting hat began to sing. Her eyes were on a very strange girl, standing at the other end of the line.
She was the same age as Cathryn, with the same petite structure, and skinny frame. But her hair was black as night, and hung down to her bony elbows. There were dark circles under her eyes, made more noticeable because of her pale skin. Her eyes burned brightly in her face; a deep amethyst color.
"Ashland, Derrick!" McGonagall called.
"RAVENCALW!" the sorting had begun.
Cathryn paid little attention as people were sorted. She did watch Sirius Black get sorted into Gryffindor, along with Lily Evans. She was sorry to see them go, because she had enjoyed talking to them a lot. And she knew that she would not be in Gryffindor. If she knew anything, it was that.
"Riddle, Caitlin Elanor!" McGonagall called. Cathryn glanced up at the black haired girl she had watched earlier as she slipped the hat over her head.
It was a long wait. Very long. People started to look confused. Had there been some sort of mistake?
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted suddenly into the hall. Caitlin stood up with a smirk in Cathryn's direction, and went to join the table with green decorations.
"Riddle, Cathryn Elspeth!"
Cathryn walked up to the stool and slipped the decrepit old hat over her head.
Well, well, well. You're very unlike your sister, Cathryn. Not like your father either. Very, very different.
I know.
Then why do you hide your past?
Because not everyone can see inside my head. They judge too quickly. It's better this way.
You already know, then, that you should be in Slytherin.
Yes.
By all the laws of blood and magic, you should be in Slytherin. However, that is not where you necessarily belong.
What does that mean.
I will give you a choice. This choice will shape your future, as well as many others. You're outside the pattern, Cathryn. That's a powerful gift.
What's my choice?
Would you chose to be, like your father and sister, in Slytherin? Or would you chose Gryffindor?
That's not my decision. It's yours.
And I leave it up to you.
Then I would chose Gryffindor.
Why?
Because I do not want to be like my father.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. Cathryn slipped it off her head, and with out glancing at her sister, she made her way to the table with red dŽcor. She would spend much of her life wondering if she made the right choice.
For at that moment, Ambrosius dropped dead onto the floor.