#cressida pendleton

Cressida Pendleton stood frozen as the boutique blurred into the background. The sounds of silver bells faded into the beating of her heart while the jolly chuckle of the store’s Santa was drowned out by the grinding of her teeth. Even the merry refrains of the carolers at the vast stained glass windows were no match for the sputtering of profanity she hadn’t realized she was producing as her father’s note confirmed her worst fears.

The Pendleton Girls were cut off for Christmas.

As if the holidays could not get worse, Cressida walked home alone in the frigid December bluster, empty-handed, to find Wilhelmina Stagg sitting on the stoop outside of the Pendleton Townhouse. When Cousin Willa was not giving a performance at the city’s finest concert halls, she was playing for tips in the seediest speakeasies the underbelly of New York City had to offer. The three had made the city their playground since their arrival. Piano gigs, bootleg cocktails, and gentlemen were a dime a dozen for Willa. While Cressida had seen her fair share of the glamorous nightlife that living with Willa provided, she was not keen on the dangerous crowd that ran the speakeasy. Something about the man with the bloodied brow sent a new shockwave of disappointment through Cressida Pendleton. She removed the hood from her cloak and swatted at a snowflake before addressing the two with a hard stare. “Willa, do something about your friend. Our reputation is in trouble already. Get him inside,” she demanded with a huff.

Wilhelmina offered a pleading look to her cousin before turning her attention to the young man at her side. She shrugged. “Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. Want me to walk you home?”

Hudson Delancey rose and closed his eyes as he gripped the wrought iron banister. “I know when I am unwelcome. I’ll be ok once I am on the train. Walk with me to the station?” Willa took his arm and narrowed her eyes at Cressida before realizing the Nyberg ire was flaring in the stare she received back. Willa could stare down a Vipertooth, but a Nyberg? She knew better.

Cressida watched the two hobbling north while she dug her wand out of her handbag, “alohomora,” she sighed and entered the door. She nearly tripped over her twin sister, Cassandra, who she found on her hands and knees, waving her wand over the droplets of blood in the foyer. “Merlin, Cass, did you duel Willa’s boyfriend away?”

Rolling her eyes, Cassandra gathered her skirt in her hand and stood. “Poor bloke was bleeding before they arrived. This one is a boxer, but he didn’t seem like a boyfriend. She’s got her mum in her, that one. A boy gets punched, a boy gets doted on, and so it goes. Anyway, he got no further than the entry before I shooed him out. You know daddy’s rule. No boys in the townhouse. Can you imagine a muggle seeing mum’s office? Happy Christmas, sir. I’ll need to obliviate you now,” she mused.

“I should have let him stay,” Cressida huffed, “I’m done with daddy’s rules! Do you know what he has gone and done? I’ll tell you. We’re poor. Well, we aren’t poor; we’re Pendletons. However, for now, we are on our own. He’s not sending any more money until we learn what Christmas truly means. How are we meant to learn about the season of giving if we cannot give a party, give the bartenders big tips, and what about gifts? What is Christmas without gifts?”

Carolyn Acelia Nyberg

Faceclaim: Natalie Dormer

Even though she is technically only half-Swedish, Carolyn knew from very early on that the North was where her heart was lying. For the longest time, her grandmother's estate on Gotland was the only place the usually a little stuck-up and reserved Caro was able to let her hair down. Sharp-witted and incredibly gifted in anything involving potion making, Caro is never shy to withhold her opinion from anyone, even if - or especially so - it might hurt. She never had many friends because of that, but those she has are most precious to her. Among them is Bradford Pendleton IV, the boy she was betrothed to by her parents, then resented, and eventually learned to love. The potions shop she runs in Diagon Alley and passes on to her descendants was Brady's wedding gift for her.

Bradford Elijah Pendleton IV

(Character and summary by the wonderful@kc-and-co)

Faceclaim: Will Weaton (find Bradford's profile here)

The last thing Bradford Elijah Pendleton IV expected to do with his life was to marry Carolyn Nyberg as his father had insisted. Not only did she save The Pendleton Apothecary, she saved Brady’s opinion of it. Upon their union, Brady was able to focus on his own dreams or freedom and art. He went on to open galleries in Hogsmeade, Amsterdam, Paris, and New York. Though he was initially unhappy with his sorting into Slytherin, he learned loyalty and ambition are not a prison but a privilege.

William Anders Pendleton

Faceclaim: Ian Somerhalder

Being Caro's and Brady's oldest child, lots of expectations were placed on young William's shoulders - most coming from his paternal grandfather Bradford Pendleton III, who hoped his grandson wouldn't turn out quite as disappointing as his actual son. He was delighted when William's ambition and cunning secured him a place in Slytherin, the traditional house of the Pendleton family. William never exhibited the same talent for potion making his mother displayed, but had a knack for numbers and business decisions, which was why Caro was all too happy to hand the administrative reins of her business over. It was William who renamed the shop back to its old name Pendleton Potions & Apothecary as it was his grandfather's condition to hand the family fortune over to William. Once the money was transferred into William's vault at Gringotts, he cut ties with Bradford Pendleton III and never once looked back.

Astrid Lyanna Pendleton: Faceclaim: Vanessa Kirby

As the second child, Astrid was always more free to pursue what sparked her interest, which was primarily gathering knowledge of all kinds. She was sorted into Ravenclaw and couldn't have been a better fit. She delved into natural science after her Hogwarts education and helped improving her mother's potion recipes by deepening her understanding the interactions between the different ingredients on a deeper level. Her love for learning and her sharp mind eventually passed on to her daughter and even her granddaughter Ava.

Cassandra Acelia Pendleton: Faceclaim: Emily Van Camp

Cassandra is the older of the two twin sisters and as you would suspect the more sensible one - but not by much. She was sorted into Gryffindor at school, which her grandfather found scandalous, and her favourite subject quickly turned out to be Potions. She wanted to help run the shop alongside her brother after graduating, but Caro wasn't ready to step back from her life's achievement just yet. Not wanting her light to be dimmed by her mother, Cassandra agreed to accompany her twin sister Cressida when she decided to leave England for the United States. She pursued her studies there and became a Potions Master in her own rights, eventually teaching the next generation of potioneers at Ilvermorny.

Cressida Ingrid Pendleton: Faceclaim: Taylor Swift

Cressida isn't only the younger twin, she is the youngest of the family and it showed very early on. Loud, bubbly and adventurous, Cressida was sorted into Gryffindor, just like her sister Cassandra, much to their delight. Contrary to her, however, Cressida had no intention of working in the family business after school and instead continued what she had started at Hogwarts - not missing a single party in sight. Her craving for fun and glamour eventually took her and her sister across the pond and to New York City where she enjoyed life to its fullest.

Dahlia Pendleton née Nott

(Character and summary by the fantastic @the-al-chemist)

Faceclaim: Scarlett Johansson

The Nott family, though wealthy and powerful, lost a certain amount of respect among the elite members of wizarding society after Malvolio Nott’s wife Ophelia and youngest daughter Marguerite disappeared without a trace. Malvolio and Ophelia’s older daughter Dahlia took it upon herself to maintain whatever remained of the family’s diminished reputation, taking over her mother’s duty of managing the household expenses, having inherited Ophelia’s talent for budgeting, but not her tendency to hide money for personal use. Her talent for numbers caught the eye of fellow Arithmancy student William Pendleton, and after their marriage, she became the financial manager of the Pendleton Estate and Apothecary. (Summary by @the-al-chemist)

Boreas Alexander Pendleton

Faceclaim: Rob Lowe

Boreas Pendleton inherited neither his parents' knack for numbers, nor was he a Potions prodigy like his grandmother. He wasn't bothered too much by it, however, and happy to leave the business at the Apothecary to those who actually cared about the work. He was more interested in learning more about his Swedish roots and the culture of the Scandinavian people. He travelled around Scandinavia for a while after school but it was only when he returned to Gotland - traditional home of the Nyberg family - that he should meet the future love of his life.

Sonia Pendleton, née Sjöberg

Faceclaim: Julia Stiles

Sonia Sjöberg was born and raised on Gotland. Her father, a magical sculptor specialised in the limestone found on the island, and her mother, a dedicated Herbologist, took Sonia outside to enjoy the singular flora and fauna of Gotland whenever possible, instilling a deep love for nature in their daughter. She returned to Gotland for a while after graduating from Durmstrang. There she met a handsome young wizard from England whom she'd known to visit the big estate on the coast every year with this family. Sonia was eager to help him learn more about his roots on her beloved Gotland and they quickly fell in love. Her condition if she was to follow him to England was at least one trip back home per year - a request Boreas was only too happy to comply.

Wilhelmina Wren Pendleton

Faceclaim: Jennifer Lawrence

Carolyn Acelia Nyberg:

Faceclaim: Natalie Dormer (find Carolyn's profile here)

Even though she is technically only half-Swedish, Carolyn knew from very early on that her heart was lying in the North. For the longest time, her grandmother's estate on Gotland was the only place the usually a stuck-up and reserved Caro was able to let her hair down. Sharp-witted and incredibly gifted in potion making, Caro is never shy to withhold her opinion from anyone, even if - or especially so - it might hurt. She never had many friends because of that, but those she had were most precious to her. Among them was Bradford Pendleton IV, the boy she had been betrothed to by her parents and resented, the befriended and eventually learned to love. The apothecary she runs in Diagon Alley and passes on to her descendants originally belonged to Brady's parents and was Brady's wedding gift for her.

Bradford Elijah Pendleton IV:

Faceclaim: Will Weaton (find Bradford's profile here)

The last thing Bradford Elijah Pendleton IV expected to do with his life was to marry Carolyn Nyberg as his father had insisted. Not only did she save The Pendleton Apothecary, she saved Brady’s opinion of it. Upon their union, Brady was able to focus on his own dreams or freedom and art. He went on to open galleries in Hogsmeade, Amsterdam, Paris, and New York. Though he was initially unhappy with his sorting into Slytherin, he learned loyalty and ambition are not a prison but a privilege. (Summary by @kc-and-co)

Astrid Lyanna Armstrong née Pendleton:

Faceclaim: Vanessa Kirby

As the second child, Astrid was always more free to pursue what sparked her interest, which was primarily gathering knowledge of all kinds. She was sorted into Ravenclaw and couldn't have been a better fit. She delved into natural sciences after her Hogwarts education and helped improving her mother's potion recipes by deepening her understanding of the interactions between ingredients. Her love for learning and her sharp mind eventually passed on to her daughter and even her granddaughter Ava.

Bertrand Armstrong:

Faceclaim: Neil Patrick Harris

Keeping up with a brilliant mind as Astrid's was never going to be an easy task but somehow Bertrand managed to be intimidated by neither her mind nor her somewhat blunt behaviour. He didn't always understand everything Astrid was telling him, but he was trying his best to understand and support her regardless. When their daughter turned out to be just as intelligent as their mother, he just laughed and shrugged it off - it would have been a shame to not see his beloved wife's brilliance being passed on, after all.

Agatha Elin Campbell née Armstrong:

Faceclaim: Michelle Pfeiffer

Blessed with the same analytical mind as her mother and grandmother, every last bit of Agatha's power is set on discovering the secrets of our world and the magic within. She built her first laboratory when she was only six and almost blew up the house in the process, so it was no surprise to see her follow her in mother's footsteps and become a member of Ravenclaw House. In the same year as herself was Thomas Campbell, a boy with dreamy eyes and a thirst for knowledge just as keen as Agatha's. While she was fully ready to rival him for the top of their classes, she was surprised to see that his interests were profound but seemed to change every other week. If he wasn't up for a rivalry, Agatha decided, he was going to be a well-enough study partner and she wasn't disappointed to learn that Thomas was a perfect match for more than only her intellect.

Thomas Campbell:

Faceclaim: Hugh Dancy

Where his wife Agatha's mind is focused on a few disciplines with all its power, Thomas prefers to learn a little bit of everything. He has many interests and pursues them with as much passion and discipline as you would suspect - until there is something new to spark his interest. His thought are jumpy and tricky to keep up with but mostly so brilliant that it makes the taxing conversations with him worth it. He owns at least a dozen books for each interest he's ever pursued - of which there are a lot - and no one but himself even stands a chance of making sense of the chaotic hell of paper and parchment that is his study.

James Warrick Campbell:

Faceclaim: Evan Peters

No one was surprised when James Campbell picked up on new things as a child a lot more quickly than all the other children in his age group. Wickedly intelligent and fully aware of it, Jamie was a fascinated by history and uncovering all sorts of secrets and truths. His conviction of having a superior intellect got the better of him when he deemed himself smart enough to deal with the fabled Cursed Vaults on his own. After getting himself stuck inside a portrait he was freed by his little sister Ava and continued his hunt with her by his side. When Ava's life was threatened by Patricia Rakepick Jamie flung himself in front of her and was hit by Rakepick's curse, resulting in his death.

Ava Lyanna Campbell:

Faceclaim: Katheryn Winnick (find Ava's profile here)