This is a list of characters appearing in The Rigel Black Chronicles, especially in relation to how they differ from canon.
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Aldon Rosier
Aldon Rosier is a son of the wealthy pure-blood Rosier family (canonically, they were Death Eaters, with Evan Rosier being killed resisting arrest, and thus Aldon did not exist). He is in fourth year, along with his good friend Edmund Rookwood, when "Rigel" first comes to Hogwarts, and is introduced through mutual acquaintance Pansy Parkinson; the two friends are initially suspicious of Rigel, recognising that she keeps secrets, but accept her as a friend for Pansy after she proves her resourcefulness.
While Edmund is largely phlegmatic, Aldon finds Rigel to be a fascinating disruption to his otherwise dull life, and wants to get "him" to open up. It is unclear to what degree his interest is sexual, though he does push Rigel to be more open to physical closeness and affection.
Aldon meets Harry under her own name at a gala, and notices that she's similar to Rigel, but softer and more relaxed, which intrigues him. When the marriage law later looks close to passing, he raises with Rigel the possibility of marrying Harry in order to protect her from worse offers, which alarms her, but she eventually accepts that it's a sincere offer, albeit unwanted. He tracks down Harry and renews the offer after the ruse ends, but she politely insists that she doesn't need protection or status.
While Edmund is largely phlegmatic, Aldon finds Rigel to be a fascinating disruption to his otherwise dull life, and wants to get "him" to open up. It is unclear to what degree his interest is sexual, though he does push Rigel to be more open to physical closeness and affection.
Aldon meets Harry under her own name at a gala, and notices that she's similar to Rigel, but softer and more relaxed, which intrigues him. When the marriage law later looks close to passing, he raises with Rigel the possibility of marrying Harry in order to protect her from worse offers, which alarms her, but she eventually accepts that it's a sincere offer, albeit unwanted. He tracks down Harry and renews the offer after the ruse ends, but she politely insists that she doesn't need protection or status.
- Allergic to Routine: Aldon latches onto whatever can entertain and distract him from a life he doesn't much enjoy.
Arcturus Rigel Black
Arcturus, "Archie" to his family, is the son of Sirius and the late Diana Black. He is his father's son, quick to make a joke and inclined to childlike enthusiasm, but capable of seriousness when the occasion requires. He and Harry grew up together and consider each other practically siblings, but describe each other publicly as cousins, although in fact they aren't closely blood related.
His mother's death from an unidentified and untreatable illness had a profound impact on him, leaving him with a firm desire to study healing and prevent a similar fate befalling anyone else. Unfortunately, his family's traditional school, Hogwarts, does not have a regular or comprehensive Healing program, leading him to look for opportunities abroad. When Sirius firmly opposed the idea of sending him away, Archie agreed to Harry's plan to secretly switch places.
At the American Institute of Magic, Archie goes by "Harry", telling people that there was a transcription error, or possibly a practical joke, causing his records to be sent as "Harriet". He meets Hermione Granger there and they become inseparable friends; Archie would like for them to be more, but the identity ruse makes that difficult. His time there ends when "Rigel" is exposed as a half-blood, leading James Potter to come check what Harry knows and find that everyone believes Harry is a boy, blowing Archie's cover.
His mother's death from an unidentified and untreatable illness had a profound impact on him, leaving him with a firm desire to study healing and prevent a similar fate befalling anyone else. Unfortunately, his family's traditional school, Hogwarts, does not have a regular or comprehensive Healing program, leading him to look for opportunities abroad. When Sirius firmly opposed the idea of sending him away, Archie agreed to Harry's plan to secretly switch places.
At the American Institute of Magic, Archie goes by "Harry", telling people that there was a transcription error, or possibly a practical joke, causing his records to be sent as "Harriet". He meets Hermione Granger there and they become inseparable friends; Archie would like for them to be more, but the identity ruse makes that difficult. His time there ends when "Rigel" is exposed as a half-blood, leading James Potter to come check what Harry knows and find that everyone believes Harry is a boy, blowing Archie's cover.
- The Trickster: This runs in both the Potter and Black families, but whereas Harry has to fake it to keep up her act, it comes naturally to Archie. Even when doing important work like stealing Polyjuice potion to ease the transition to the holidays, he makes use of acting skill, misdirection, and expertise in covering his tracks to pull it off.
Caelum Lestrange
Caelum Lestrange is the son of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, and did not exist in canon. He is bitter and jaded, resentful and dismissive of both "Rigel" and Harry. However, having a strong interest in potions himself, he develops a very grudging respect for Harry's shaped imbuing technique, and unbends just far enough to let her teach it to him. Harry finds his company trying, but can see that she's having a good influence on him, and appreciates being able to talk to someone around her own skill level.
- Sour Outside, Sad Inside: With Bellatrix Lestrange as a mother, Caelum's childhood has not been kind or gentle. He considers himself to be doing the world a favour by slapping everyone down and puncturing unrealistic optimism.
Draco Malfoy
Through a combination of factors, including the absence of muggle-born students to draw his disapproval, and Harry's sorting into Slytherin, Draco is a more sympathetic character than in canon, yet still raised with deep prejudices. He becomes quite attached to "Rigel" and Pansy, in a somewhat similar manner to the canonical trio, though his interactions with Pansy bear little resemblance to Ron and Hermione; he has better manners than Ron, but is more pompous, and Pansy is not a bookworm.
He comes to greatly trust "Rigel", especially after being saved from the Sleeping Sickness, yet is frequently confused by her seemingly contradictory behavior, and frustrated by her inability or refusal to trust her friends with all of her secrets. He also struggles to accept her attitudes toward non-purebloods, as he has been raised to unquestioningly believe that purebloods are inherently superior. When he meets Harry under her own name, he's polite but visibly uncomfortable in the presence of a half-blood.
He comes to greatly trust "Rigel", especially after being saved from the Sleeping Sickness, yet is frequently confused by her seemingly contradictory behavior, and frustrated by her inability or refusal to trust her friends with all of her secrets. He also struggles to accept her attitudes toward non-purebloods, as he has been raised to unquestioningly believe that purebloods are inherently superior. When he meets Harry under her own name, he's polite but visibly uncomfortable in the presence of a half-blood.
- Troubled Sympathetic Bigot: Draco has had very little exposure to both non-purebloods, and non-bigoted ways of thinking about them, until meeting "Rigel". He trusts his loving parents, so he assumes that the SOW party ideals are correct, yet also knows that his father has made missteps in pursuit of those ideals, and put Draco's own life at risk; he trusts "Rigel", who has saved his life and is clearly kind and principled despite being aloof, so he doesn't want to be cruel to members of her family whom he has been taught to look down on, yet he also knows that "Rigel" has secrets and doesn't know everything, especially about interactions between people. To his credit, he doesn't immediately cast "Rigel" off upon the revelation of her half-blood status, wanting to find a solution that lets her stay. During third year, learning about Professor Lupin's childhood, he also reflects seriously on the fact that he himself could easily become a werewolf if unlucky enough to be bitten, though he prefers to shy away from the idea.
Harriet Potter
Having grown up in a loving home with both parents, Harry is a very different person from canon; more studious, familiar with many kinds of magic, and single-mindedly devoted to potion-brewing from a young age. She also has remarkably large magical reserves, but struggles to properly manage them, finding her magic to be temperamental, highly responsive to her emotions, and with a destructive bent.
Her ability to make whatever effort or sacrifice is needed to achieve her goals leads her to undertake the dangerous ruse of swapping with her cousin in order to illegally attend Hogwarts, where the Sorting Hat keeps her secret but has no difficulty sorting her into Slytherin House. There, she excels in most of her classwork, but struggles socially, having to constantly guard her secret identity from the people who are most vehemently opposed to non-purebloods attending Hogwarts. This leads her to form lopsided friendships, with people who care about her but whom she can only partially trust. She later finds a different set of friends in the Lower Alleys (beyond Knockturn Alley) over the summer holidays, where she can use her own name and let out more of her true personality and attitudes, but conversely has to hide the fact that she attends Hogwarts during the year.
Her large magical reserves, creative thinking, drive to succeed, and a healthy dose of luck cause her to increasingly stand out as time passes, drawing the attention of Tom Riddle, who wants to raise "Rigel" up as a symbol of pureblood superiority. This becomes an increasing source of stress, as she not only dislikes his cause, but cannot afford the additional scrutiny.
Her ability to make whatever effort or sacrifice is needed to achieve her goals leads her to undertake the dangerous ruse of swapping with her cousin in order to illegally attend Hogwarts, where the Sorting Hat keeps her secret but has no difficulty sorting her into Slytherin House. There, she excels in most of her classwork, but struggles socially, having to constantly guard her secret identity from the people who are most vehemently opposed to non-purebloods attending Hogwarts. This leads her to form lopsided friendships, with people who care about her but whom she can only partially trust. She later finds a different set of friends in the Lower Alleys (beyond Knockturn Alley) over the summer holidays, where she can use her own name and let out more of her true personality and attitudes, but conversely has to hide the fact that she attends Hogwarts during the year.
Her large magical reserves, creative thinking, drive to succeed, and a healthy dose of luck cause her to increasingly stand out as time passes, drawing the attention of Tom Riddle, who wants to raise "Rigel" up as a symbol of pureblood superiority. This becomes an increasing source of stress, as she not only dislikes his cause, but cannot afford the additional scrutiny.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: Harry is exceptional in multiple ways, but doesn't really want to stand out in anything except brewing. She would really rather not have to take sides in the political conflicts between Riddle and Dumbledore, and constantly wishes for each year to be one of quiet and uneventful study, but is left with little choice when her friends and family are endangered.
- Otaku: Harry's first and true love is potion brewing. Circumstances force her to branch out and develop a variety of impressive skills, but if it were all up to her, she would just spend her days with her cauldrons.
James Potter
As a result of the divergence, James Potter was unharmed on Halloween 1981, and is alive and well as of the time of the story. He is a successful Auror, and during the story, is promoted to Head Auror, as well as being a co-owner of the Marauders' line of joke products.
James loves his family, but struggles to connect with Harry, who is more serious and studious than himself. Throughout her childhood, he tried to discourage or divert her growing fascination with potions, even going so far as to use her stirring rod as a fire poker (ruining it) or propping up a table leg with her potions literature. It's later indicated that this was a result of his history with Severus Snape, which led James to associate potion brewing with social isolation and ridicule; he wanted to spare his daughter the same fate, not recognising (or acknowledging to himself) just how much of Snape's difficult situation was James' own doing.
As the story progresses, he comes to better appreciate just how serious and talented Harry is about Potions, and congratulates her on her work, though both he and Lily lack the technical understanding to fully appreciate what she's done. They do unfailingly support her financially, and are happy to be involved in events like her internship presentation.
James is also very concerned about Harry's safety, but his emotional distance from her has resulted in a situation where he doesn't know enough about her to actually help much. When presented with a threat that he can respond to, however, he is very protective of his family.
James loves his family, but struggles to connect with Harry, who is more serious and studious than himself. Throughout her childhood, he tried to discourage or divert her growing fascination with potions, even going so far as to use her stirring rod as a fire poker (ruining it) or propping up a table leg with her potions literature. It's later indicated that this was a result of his history with Severus Snape, which led James to associate potion brewing with social isolation and ridicule; he wanted to spare his daughter the same fate, not recognising (or acknowledging to himself) just how much of Snape's difficult situation was James' own doing.
As the story progresses, he comes to better appreciate just how serious and talented Harry is about Potions, and congratulates her on her work, though both he and Lily lack the technical understanding to fully appreciate what she's done. They do unfailingly support her financially, and are happy to be involved in events like her internship presentation.
James is also very concerned about Harry's safety, but his emotional distance from her has resulted in a situation where he doesn't know enough about her to actually help much. When presented with a threat that he can respond to, however, he is very protective of his family.
- The Prankster: James may not have quite as much time for it as Sirius, since he has a full time job, but their attitudes are similar. Harry remarks that one reason he doesn't understand her is because he assumes that troublemakers are loud and boisterous like himself.
- So Proud of You: James does give Harry this; she just wishes it had been a bit earlier, and that he could properly understand her work and know what it is that he's being proud of.
Lilian Potter
As a result of the divergence, Lily Evans was unharmed on Halloween 1981, and is alive and well as of the time of the story. She was unable to attend Hogwarts, instead going to the American Institute of Magic, but still met James Potter at the train platform, and was frustrated by him for years before falling for him. In fact, she still finds the Marauders' pranks exasperating at times, but Harry knows that some of the best pranks in their home are the ones Lily planned.
Lily is widely acknowledged to be a beautiful and diplomatic woman, able to debate the nature and merits of wizarding traditions with Tom Riddle himself and come out without making a fool of herself. She works in experimental charms, with one of the limited number of businesses willing to employ muggle-borns, although the Potter wealth means that she is not strictly dependent on it.
Lily is also known to have considerable magic reserves, but upon Harry's thirteenth birthday, Lily reveals that her magic was so wild that it wasn't safe, and she now wears a power-suppressing bracelet constantly, ever since she inadvertently turned newborn Harriet's eyes green like her own. Severus Snape is unaware of the bracelet until Harry tells him, and disappointed when he is able to confirm it. However, Lily does remove it when she really needs to cut loose, such as fighting Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup.
Lily's brilliance in her research is demonstrated when she gives Harry a "Dark Defense Disk" of her own invention, meant to detect powerful dark magic and instantly raise a ward against it, with runic patterns that are novel even to Professor Dumbledore. It successfully blocks a Killing Curse after the final Triwizard Task.
Lily is widely acknowledged to be a beautiful and diplomatic woman, able to debate the nature and merits of wizarding traditions with Tom Riddle himself and come out without making a fool of herself. She works in experimental charms, with one of the limited number of businesses willing to employ muggle-borns, although the Potter wealth means that she is not strictly dependent on it.
Lily is also known to have considerable magic reserves, but upon Harry's thirteenth birthday, Lily reveals that her magic was so wild that it wasn't safe, and she now wears a power-suppressing bracelet constantly, ever since she inadvertently turned newborn Harriet's eyes green like her own. Severus Snape is unaware of the bracelet until Harry tells him, and disappointed when he is able to confirm it. However, Lily does remove it when she really needs to cut loose, such as fighting Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup.
Lily's brilliance in her research is demonstrated when she gives Harry a "Dark Defense Disk" of her own invention, meant to detect powerful dark magic and instantly raise a ward against it, with runic patterns that are novel even to Professor Dumbledore. It successfully blocks a Killing Curse after the final Triwizard Task.
- Afraid of Their Own Strength: Even more than Harry, who is half-Potter and therefore has better magical control. Lily's magic was so wild that her parents had no idea what to do with her, she almost had to repeat her first year of school because spells wouldn't work right, and when Harry was born, it rained from the ceiling for an hour and vines grew all over the bed frame.
- Fiery Redhead: Lily can be ladylike when she wants to be, but outside of formal company, she is passionate about life, loving toward her family, and intimidating to anyone who crosses her.
Lionel Hurst
Lionel, "Leo" to his friends and subjects, is the son of the Potions Guild Aldermaster, and is also the Rogue, secret ruler of the Lower Alleys (an Expy of George from the Song of the Lioness). Although his subjects include the pickpockets and prostitutes, his role is less about being a crime boss and more about ensuring mutual defence and that no-one's needs slip through the cracks. He earned the crown by defeating all challengers in single combat, and regularly defends his title from hopefuls such as his friend Marek.
Leo keeps a close eye on the Lower Alleys, and has been aware of Harry since she was a little girl coming to Diagon Alley to shop at the apothecaries. Nonetheless, he's initially fooled by her dressing as a boy when she starts brewing commercially for Edgar Krait; he recognises her once he persuades her to tell him her last name. The two of them form a strong friendship; he knows that she's keeping secrets from him, but she persuades him that it's safer if he doesn't pry, and although he's upset that she doesn't trust him with them, he cares about her enough to respect her wishes.
He later develops a romantic interest in Harry, but is aware that she's several years younger and doesn't push his suit. He does let her know that he has such feelings, but doesn't go into details or pressure her beyond occasional teasing.
Leo keeps a close eye on the Lower Alleys, and has been aware of Harry since she was a little girl coming to Diagon Alley to shop at the apothecaries. Nonetheless, he's initially fooled by her dressing as a boy when she starts brewing commercially for Edgar Krait; he recognises her once he persuades her to tell him her last name. The two of them form a strong friendship; he knows that she's keeping secrets from him, but she persuades him that it's safer if he doesn't pry, and although he's upset that she doesn't trust him with them, he cares about her enough to respect her wishes.
He later develops a romantic interest in Harry, but is aware that she's several years younger and doesn't push his suit. He does let her know that he has such feelings, but doesn't go into details or pressure her beyond occasional teasing.
- The Ace: As the Rogue, Leo is necessarily smart, physically fit, and highly trained in armed and unarmed combat, able to best all comers in open duelling. He's a natural leader and planner, who is widely liked and respected throughout the Lower Alleys. Harry also considers him to be quite handsome, and although he doesn't have her passion for potions brewing, he's skilled enough to be a useful assistant to her, even on highly complex brews like Seifer's Solution.
- King of Thieves: With a strong element of Just Like Robin Hood. Leo runs the pickpockets and other shady businesses in the Alleys, but takes care of the weak among them and protects them from more dangerous interlopers.
Margo
Margo is a young orphan girl, approximately seven years old when Harry meets her, who sells flowers in the Alleys. However, while her botanical knowledge is genuine and extensive, her primary role is in fact as an informant for the Rogue, observing the comings and goings of people in the Alleys and alerting him to anything noteworthy. It also becomes apparent that her expertise with flowers is a result of a very rare magical gift for weather control.
After the final Triwizard Task and the breakdown of the Ruse, Margo is the one to recognise Harry's boots as Harry runs through the Alleys, allowing Leo to make the connection to Rigel.
After the final Triwizard Task and the breakdown of the Ruse, Margo is the one to recognise Harry's boots as Harry runs through the Alleys, allowing Leo to make the connection to Rigel.
- Almighty Janitor: A flower girl is easily overlooked or dismissed, but Margo's position lets her keep her finger on the pulse of practically everything that happens in the Alleys, and she has both an eye and a good memory for detail, making her a highly effective informant. She also possesses a magical weather control gift that was thought to have died out.
Pansy Parkinson
Unlike her canon characterisation, which is little more than a couple of insults thrown at Harry and Hermione, Pansy is a fully fleshed out character. She is a social butterfly and a keen observer of people, who quickly takes an interest in "Rigel", helps to introduce "him" to influential people within Slytherin, and becomes fast friends with "him" and Draco.
Upon meeting Harry as herself, Pansy is smart enough to recognise the importance of making a good impression for Rigel's sake — not to mention the upcoming encouragement of marriages between purebloods and half-bloods, with no gender restriction, making the Heiress Potter a potentially valuable match — and adapts to her company more easily than most of their associates, who are uncomfortable being around a half-blood.
Pansy's home has a herd of unicorns nearby, and Pansy retains enough childlike innocence that they accept her company. However, once Draco begins to sense her emotions, it comes out that she is a master of presenting false faces, to the point where the appearances are, for most purposes, her real self — because they're consistently how she acts.
Upon meeting Harry as herself, Pansy is smart enough to recognise the importance of making a good impression for Rigel's sake — not to mention the upcoming encouragement of marriages between purebloods and half-bloods, with no gender restriction, making the Heiress Potter a potentially valuable match — and adapts to her company more easily than most of their associates, who are uncomfortable being around a half-blood.
Pansy's home has a herd of unicorns nearby, and Pansy retains enough childlike innocence that they accept her company. However, once Draco begins to sense her emotions, it comes out that she is a master of presenting false faces, to the point where the appearances are, for most purposes, her real self — because they're consistently how she acts.
- Proper Lady: Pansy has been raised to be this, although she does branch out a bit into physical fitness and self-defence through her friendship with Rigel.
Severus Snape
Without the war against Voldemort, and with Lily's survival, Severus Snape has become a slightly less jaded and bitter man than in canon, although he is still hard, cold, and deeply resents James Potter and Sirius Black (and the other two Marauders, to a lesser extent). He has made great contributions to the field of Potioneering; his publications piqued Harry's interest in the subject at a young age.
His initial reaction to "Rigel" over-performing in Potions class and seeking extra assignments is a mixture of respect and deep suspicion. However, upon being convinced of her sincere devotion to the subject, and differences from Sirius, he accelerates Harry's education, quickly taking her off the standard classwork (which is too basic) and preparing her for an apprenticeship before she's halfway through her schooling. When Harry is kidnapped by Peter Pettigrew, Snape's frantic reaction shows that he is invested in "Rigel" emotionally as well as professionally.
Upon meeting Harry as herself during the holidays, and being introduced to her new "shaped imbuing" technique, he is dubious all over again, but has the necessary skills to recreate her results and recognise their value, leaving him bemused and exasperated by the existence of two such brewers in the extended Potter-Black family. After the ruse is exposed, he offers to let Harry continue as his apprentice.
His initial reaction to "Rigel" over-performing in Potions class and seeking extra assignments is a mixture of respect and deep suspicion. However, upon being convinced of her sincere devotion to the subject, and differences from Sirius, he accelerates Harry's education, quickly taking her off the standard classwork (which is too basic) and preparing her for an apprenticeship before she's halfway through her schooling. When Harry is kidnapped by Peter Pettigrew, Snape's frantic reaction shows that he is invested in "Rigel" emotionally as well as professionally.
Upon meeting Harry as herself during the holidays, and being introduced to her new "shaped imbuing" technique, he is dubious all over again, but has the necessary skills to recreate her results and recognise their value, leaving him bemused and exasperated by the existence of two such brewers in the extended Potter-Black family. After the ruse is exposed, he offers to let Harry continue as his apprentice.
- Stern Teacher: With his antagonism toned down from canon by Lily's survival and "Rigel" showing an undeniable mixture of extraordinary skill and burning passion for potion brewing, Professor Snape becomes this for Harry. He is a no-nonsense teacher and does not hesitate to condemn any kind of foolishness, but he cares about "Rigel's" wellbeing and does all he can to help her excel.
Tom Riddle
At sixteen years old, the young and brilliant Tom Marvolo Riddle prepared an enchanted diary to become a Horcrux, inadvertently but culpably caused the death of Myrtle Warren — and then took a step back, realising the impact of giving up part of his soul, and felt remorse for what he had done, which painfully reintegrated his soul. He turned away from Horcruxes and genocide to pursue other means.
Since that time, he has risen to prominence as the leader of the ultra-conservative Save Our World political party in Britain. Although the party does not control an outright majority of the Wizengamot, it is greatly influential, allowing him to carry out his aims of cultural segregation through legal means. He has succeeded in measures such as banning part-creatures from voting, and requiring a British education for high office in government or in publicly run companies (with many private companies following suit) — and on the other side, he has pressured the Hogwarts Board of Governors to increasingly restrict attendance, resulting in only Purebloods being able to qualify for most government and employment.
By the time of the story, he is next aiming to block muggle-born witches and wizards from marrying half-bloods or pure-bloods. To this end, he shows a willingness to go to almost any length to discredit Dumbledore, his major political opponent, even putting the students of Hogwarts at serious risk.
When Harry meets him, she finds him to be polite and cultured, but entirely ruthless, willing to bargain but never to consider that he might be wrong. She also learns that the reason he is so insistent on his marriage law is because it will also encourage pure-bloods to marry half-bloods and thus stem the population implosion that inbreeding is threatening to cause, leaving her shaken and wondering whether he's both right and wrong.
Since that time, he has risen to prominence as the leader of the ultra-conservative Save Our World political party in Britain. Although the party does not control an outright majority of the Wizengamot, it is greatly influential, allowing him to carry out his aims of cultural segregation through legal means. He has succeeded in measures such as banning part-creatures from voting, and requiring a British education for high office in government or in publicly run companies (with many private companies following suit) — and on the other side, he has pressured the Hogwarts Board of Governors to increasingly restrict attendance, resulting in only Purebloods being able to qualify for most government and employment.
By the time of the story, he is next aiming to block muggle-born witches and wizards from marrying half-bloods or pure-bloods. To this end, he shows a willingness to go to almost any length to discredit Dumbledore, his major political opponent, even putting the students of Hogwarts at serious risk.
When Harry meets him, she finds him to be polite and cultured, but entirely ruthless, willing to bargain but never to consider that he might be wrong. She also learns that the reason he is so insistent on his marriage law is because it will also encourage pure-bloods to marry half-bloods and thus stem the population implosion that inbreeding is threatening to cause, leaving her shaken and wondering whether he's both right and wrong.
- Control Freak: Riddle doesn't just want to regulate which marriages can occur, he actually wants to be able to hand-pick them so as to have the best chance of magically powerful children.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Riddle has good goals mixed with his bad ones, but seeks to achieve them through total control and at any cost.
