In-Character

Full Name: Lydia Harleston née Burress
Nicknames: Lyddie (friends, family)
Birthdate: May 14, 1824
Current Age: 63
Occupation: Creature-Induced Injuries Healer, Hogsmeade Hospital
Reputation: 9

Lydia is a relatively upstanding member of society, though she is a touch more hands-on with her children and grandchildren than the average woman might be.

Residence: Hogsmeade
Hogwarts House: Gryffindor
Wand: Applewood, 10", inflexible, Augurey tail feather
Blood Status: Pure
Social Class: Middle
Family:

Husband: William Harleston (October 1822-1875)
Son: Leopold Harleston (b. 1851)
with wife and children
Daughter: Caroline __ née Harleston (b. 1853)
with husband and children
Daughter: Lucinda __ née Harleston (b. 1855)
with husband and children
Son: Wilford Harleston (b. 1858)
with wife and children
Brother: Charles Burress (b. 1819)
with wife and children
Brother: Roland Burress (b. 1821)
with wife and children
Sister-in-law: Margaret _ née Harleston (b. between September 1821 and January 1822)
with husband and children
Sister-in-law: Katherine _ née Harleston (b. 1824)
with husband and children

Appearance: Standing a strong five feet, four inches in height, Lydia is a woman who dresses simply for her status. Her greying is hair kept short for utility. Wrinkles mark her aging skin with the lines of happiness, and a few small scars line her arms from less cooperative patients. She is left-handed, and walks with purpose and grace.
History:

1824: She is born Lydia Burress to parents Elizabeth and Henry, the third child and only daughter to survive infancy. Her family is of the lower middle classes; they’ve only enough money to keep one maid, Annamarie, and a nanny, Juliet. Elizabeth works as a healer, while Henry works as a broommaker.
1827: Lydia displays her first sign of magic, turning Annamarie’s simple dress an ostentatious shade of yellow. Elizabeth and Henry find themselves profusely apologizing to Annamarie.
1835: Lydia receives her Hogwarts letter, finding herself sorted to Gryffindor after three and a half minutes beneath the Sorting Hat, which had been torn between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. It is this evening which leads her to meeting William Harleston, a fellow Gryffindor a year ahead of her with two sisters - one older than he but in his own year, one in Lydia’s. William begins tutoring Lydia in the courses she finds more difficult, while she befriends his sisters.
1840: Lydia’s fifth year brings her OWLs. She decides, at this point, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a healer. Her friendship with William remains a friendship, though his sisters and her brothers recognize that there is potential for more down the line.
1842: When Lydia’s NEWT scores arrive, she applies for an internship in the Creature Induced Injuries department of St. Mungo’s. It is also this year that William and Lydia begin corresponding entirely in writing, as their employment tends to keep them in hearty hours.
1847: In early spring, William approaches Lydia’s father to request a formal courtship, obtaining his approval before he brings it up with Lydia herself. By Christmas, William asks her hand in marriage.
1848: William and Lydia are wed in April. Lydia maintains her position at the hospital, to ensure that she and William have enough money to live on their own. They hire a single maid.
1851: Lydia gives birth to a baby boy, whom they name Leopold, after William’s maternal grandfather. It is at this point that Lydia departs work, to focus on her growing family.
1853: Lydia gives birth to a daughter, whom they name Caroline.
1855: Another daughter, Lucinda, is born, with a stillborn twin whom the family resolves to never mention again, though Lydia takes up gardening to keep her mind from turning to thoughts of what if, of the child that she’d lost.
1858: Lydia’s pregnancy with Wilford is the hardest the couple has endured, growing difficult to the point where Lydia ceases to even leave the house for fear of losing the child, and William employs a nurse, Emily, to assist his wife. Thankfully, Wilford is born whole and healthy. The couple make the conscious decision to abstain from further activities, to prevent the possibility of losing Lydia to health complications.
1862: Leopold receives his acceptance letter to Hogwarts.
1864: Caroline joins Leopold at Hogwarts.
1866: Lucinda begins her education.
1867: Leopold receives his OWLs results; he decides to follow his mother’s path into healing when he returns to Hogwarts.
1869: Leopold graduates. Caroline receives her OWLs, and chooses to take follow more of her father’s path into the Ministry rather than into a more feminine profession. Come September, Wilford begins his own Hogwarts education.
1871: Caroline graduates. Lucinda receives her OWLs, with perhaps the best results out of any of her siblings. She makes her future intent clear, that she would like to become an educator.
1874: Lucinda graduates. Wilford receives his OWLs, but for the most part keeps his career aspirations from his family. Leopold weds during the summer.
1875: William passes away unexpectedly in his sleep in April. Leopold moves into his childhood home with his wife, to help support his mother. Caroline marries.
1876: Wilford graduates from Hogwarts, disconnecting from his family as he follows the path he desires - the path to becoming a curse-breaker.
1877: The family is never attacked themselves, but their neighbors are barred into their home and burnt alive on mere suspicion of witchcraft. In reaction, Leopold moves them to budding Hogsmeade. Lydia is reluctant, but she accompanies him.
1878: Lucinda marries. Lydia returns to the workforce as a healer, but this time she takes up the mantle at Hogsmeade Hospital. She continues living with Leopold, adding her own income to the household while keeping only enough to purchase her own necessities.
1884: Lydia herself is among those lucky enough to escape the Laughing Plague, but it does claim Leopold’s youngest daughter, Olivia.
1888: Lydia remains employed as healer of Creature-Induced Injuries, delighting in life and enjoying her children and grandchildren.

Personality: Lydia is a practical and loyal woman, and a warm and empathetic healer. However, she can be quite stubborn, likes doing things in precisely the way she's always done them, can be a bit too selfless, and, when it comes to being criticised, can be extremely defensive of her techniques.
Other:

Out-of-Character

Name: Elaine
Age: 24
Contact: Skype, PM
Other Characters: Ambrosia Shinnick, Mozelle Rios, Killian Tabiner

  

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