Riley's Past Throughout Time

Before I post the following posts dealing with Riley's past, I am asking you not to reply to this at all. I want this to be just Riley's past... just so the users know, not the characters. So, unless there is a thread where Riley reveals these things to your character, do not have them know. The only exception to that is the murder of Rutherford as the Daily Prophet would've covered it because the Houston family name is very well-known and they are a very rich and influential family. Thanks!

...and I'll post the years when I figure them out! :D

A young Riley watched his older brother, Christian Daemyn Houston, playing with his new toys. Riley had wanted the toys Christian had gotten. He slowly walked up to his brother and asked, "Can I play with them, too?"

Christian looked up. He looked like an older version of Riley himself. "Sure, Riley. Here, let's play with these first. They'll be more fun! Mum and Dad said I can run around the house with these! Isn't that weird?"

Riley nodded and the two brothers started to play. Riley only got along with Christian. He wasn't sure if he got along well with his cousin Samantha because Uncle Charlie (his godfather) was no longer allowed near the rest of the Houstons. He had done something bad. Riley severely missed him, but as long as he had Christian, he'd be okay.

Even at that young age, Riley was more mature than any other four-year-old out there. He thought it was because he had an older brother and because his parents really hated him. His mother was always yelling at him, but not Christian. His father would praise Christian for doing anything and everything, but when Riley did the same stuff but better, he was never praised. He was always told to do better. He was in Christian's shadow, but he didn't blame his brother. He loved his brother dearly.

The two of them started running around the upstairs, smiling and laughing. No matter what happened, they always loved each other. They were unseperable, even though they were brothers and not best friends. But on that Christmas, something terrible happened.

As they were running around the slick, hard-wood floors near the stairs, Riley did what he always did when running around with Christian -- he attempted to trip him. Normally Christian would just stumble, but he never fell. But the two of them were too close to the stairs. Christian stumbled, but he leaned back to keep from falling on his face. But he leaned back too far. Riley turned in time to see his brother fall backwards down the stairs. Each time his five-year-old brother hit a new stairs, a terrible crack was heard. Riley ran to the top of the stairs and stared in horror at his brother's limp body on the landing. What had he done?

He heard his mother and father's footsteps coming from the kitchen where they were helping the Houstons make a Christmas dinner before the Harkers came. Riley couldn't move. He wanted to rush to his brother's side and say, "Chris, knock it off. Stop playing around. This isn't funny." But somehow Riley knew it wasn't a joke. Christian would never stay still for that long. What had happened to his brother?

His Mum screamed in horror and agony when her eyes fell upon Christian's crumpled body. Then her eyes followed the stairs up to where Riley stood. Her eyes were hard and cold. Riley knew that he'd never be loved again. He had accidently killed his brother. He could see it in his mother's eyes and saw it written on her face. His father's face was hard as stone and expressionless. Rutherford never cried or showed intense emotion in front of anyone, not even Riley's mum.

Riley backed away from the stairs and slumped against the wall. He started sobbing. He had hurt his brother so bad that he was dead! His parents now officially hated him! He was doomed! He stayed in that slumped position until Jonathon Harker carried him to his bedroom once the Harker family got there. None of them had the feast that was prepared for them. They were all mourning the loss of Christian Daemyn Houston -- who died because of him.

A five year old Riley was sitting in his room sorting the cards he had gotten from Chocolate Frogs. He heard his parents yelling in the other room. Again. He hated it when they yelled, but there was nothing he could do about it.

But he thought he could help them a little bit. So he stood up and went out to the living room where his parents were. His father held his wand and had it pointed at his mother, who had hers pointing back at him. This was the first time Riley had seen them threaten to use their wands on each other. He took a deep breath. “Stop it,” he said shakily, fearing what they would do to him for interfering. But he was sick of the yelling and arguments the two had every day.

His parents quieted and looked down at him. His father’s face was contorted with rage. His mother looked as though she truly loved him and that she feared for him. But he knew this was a lie. As much as they yelled at each other, they both yelled at him just the same. But they had never laid a hand (or used magic) on him. Until now.

Just saying the word Stop made his father blow. His father raised his wand and pointed it at Riley. “How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of it?!” he demanded.

Riley didn’t answer. But his mother did. “Leave Riley out of this,” she hissed.

That was the first and last time his mother had ever defended him. Riley was shocked, amazed, and grateful. But it only angered his father worse.

“I will NOT have you be telling me what to do!” his father yelled. He pointed his wand at Riley’s mother and shot a curse at her, which she shielded herself from.

She looked at Riley. “Run,” she said quickly.

Before Riley could do anything, his father shot a curse at him. Not knowing what to do, Riley stood there, frozen with fear. Then he felt something happen. Something he couldn’t explain. Something that had never happened before. His first encounter with magic. He defended himself from the curse as much as a five-year-old could. The curse still hit him, but whatever he did, saved his life. The curse hit him square in the chest and cut him open, but it would’ve killed him if Riley hadn’t tried with all his might to use the Shield Charm that he had seen his mother do so many times before.

His father just stared at him, shocked and angered. Riley was falling to the floor, bleeding profusely. His mother, who was actually acting like a mother, yelled, “Stupefy,” at his father and then rushed to Riley’s side. She did not, however, take him to St. Mungo’s. Instead she started healing the wounds. But there would always be the mark of his father’s rage on Riley’s chest. And that mark would remind him of how much magic could harm and help.

Riley entered the Great Hall and looked at the bewitched ceiling. He then looked around at the other students of Hogwarts, all of which were watching the first years get ready to be sorted. He was getting nervous. There were nervous smiles being smiled amongst the first years that were standing around waiting for their names to be called.

Then the Sorting began. He hardly paid attention to the names of his fellow classmates. He would not talk to them much anyways for he is a shy child. And then his name was called. At first he could not move. What if they made a mistake? But it was not a mistake, they had called his name. He made his way to the stool on which he was to sit.

The Sorting Hat was placed on his head. He heard a small voice in his ear, Ah ... a Houston. Your father was a Slytherin -- as were all other Houstons, but your mother was a Ravenclaw. But where to put you? Hmm ... I know the perfect place. Then the hat shouted for all to hear: GRYFFINDOR!!!

Riley was relieved that he was not put into Slytherin where every other Houston was Sorted into. He went to the table that was cheering loudly and sat down next to another first year Gryffindor.