𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐋𝐲𝐦𝐚𝐧 | hphm character profile
warnings: mentions of death, dementia, WW2, and parental abandonment
✧ IDENTITY ✧
Full Name: Ruth Abigail Lyman
Nicknames: Ruthie
Name Meanings: Ruth → Hebrew, “compassionate friend” ; Abigail → Hebrew, “my father is joyful” ; Lyman → Dutch, “beloved man” or English, “meadow-dweller.”
Date of Birth: July 17, 1973
Gender: Female ; she/her
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Blood Status: Half-blood
Nationality: Irish
Residence: Dublin, Ireland (birth to 4) ; Lyman Bakery, Dublin, Ireland (4 to 25) ; Dublin, Ireland (25 to 35) ; County Donegal, Ireland (35 to death)
✧ APPEARANCE ✧
Hogwarts Faceclaim: Millie Bobby Brown
Adult Faceclaim: TBD, but suggestions are welcome! Preferably an actress between 30 and 35, but can go up to age 40.
Height: 5’4”
Build: Average
Hair: Brown hair that is either left down, in a ponytail, braided, or in a bun
Eye Color: Brown
Scarring:
Childhood & Hogwarts: Ruth has a small scar on her right knee from falling off a bike at the age of seven.
Post-Second War & Adulthood: None
Modifications: (glasses, piercings, tattoos, etc.) Ruth’s ears are pierced.
Other Distinguishing Marks: Ruth has a small birthmark on the heel of her left foot.
Clothing Style: Jeans ; skirts ; t-shirts ; blouses ; sweaters ; sweatshirts ; jeans ; dresses ; Mary Janes ; sneakers ; plaid shirts
Accessories: A charm bracelet ; a necklace with a Star of David pendant ; a locket from her grandmother ; a wristwatch
What’s in Her Pockets: Her wand ; money
What’s in Her School Bag: Textbooks ; a novel ; quills, parchment, ink ; Spiral notebooks ; pens and pencils ; a water bottle ; chapstick
✧ SPEECH & LANGUAGE ✧
Voiceclaim: Nicola Coughlan
Accent: Irish
Dialect: Connaught
Languages Spoken: English, Yiddish, some Hebrew
Languages Understood: English, Yiddish, Hebrew
✧ PERSONALITY ✧
MBTI Type: INFJ — the advocate
⤷ An Advocate (INFJ) is someone with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits. They tend to approach life with deep thoughtfulness and imagination. Their inner vision, personal values, and a quiet, principled version of humanism guide them in all things.
Enneagram Type: 8w9 — the bear
⤷ The Eight wing Nine type is an Eight who has similar features as the Type Nine Peacemaker. They are confident, calm, and generally more patient than other Eights.
Positive Traits: Intelligent, creative, insightful, compassionate, kind, wise
Neutral Traits: Principled, passionate, curious, idealistic, altruistic, reserved
Negative Traits: Stubborn, perfectionist tendencies, somewhat conflict averse, has high expectations for those around her
Common Stressors: Exams ; low grades ; her own expectations
Comforting Things: Her own expectations ; baking ; reading ; writing
Interests & Hobbies: Reading, writing, baking, cooking,
Description: Ruth always strives to put her best foot forward, whether that’s in her duties as a prefect, her academics, or helping in her family’s bakery. She also tries to help others out whenever she can, which includes tutoring younger students in charms, her best and favorite class. Ruth does come off as aloof and a little stuck-up at first, but she’s just reserved and that sometimes hides her big heart. In general, Ruth is kind, intelligent, principled, and compassionate.
✧ MAGIC ✧
Wand: Ruth’s wand is made of poplar wood with a unicorn tail hair core and is 11 inches with a springy flexibility.
⤷ Poplar wands relied upon consistency, strength and uniform power, and were always the happiest when working with a witch or wizard of clear moral vision. The existence of these wands and its owners was cited as evidence against a myth that poplar wands never chose politicians.
Other Magical Abilities: None
Patronus: Woodmouse
Patronus Memory: Her grandmother teaching her how to make latkes for the first time when she was eight
Boggart: A banshee
Riddikulus: The banshee is unable to shriek and changes from a green-ish tint to purple
Amortentia:
Ruth smells like vanilla, strawberries, ink, and parchment.
Ruth smells old books, latkes, leather, and sandalwood.
Mirror of Erised: Ruth sees herself with people she loves and with some signs of success.
✧ HOGWARTS ✧
House: Ravenclaw
OWL Classes:
Astronomy — Exceeds Expectations
Charms — Outstanding
Defense Against the Dark Arts — Exceeds Expectations
Flying — Poor
Herbology — Outstanding
History of Magic — Acceptable
Potions — Outstanding
Transfiguration — Outstanding
OWL Electives:
Arithmancy — Outstanding
Care of Magical Creatures — Acceptable
NEWT Classes:
Arithmancy — Outstanding
Charms — Outstanding
Herbology — Acceptable
Potions — Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration — Exceeds Expectations
Extracurriculars: Prefect in her fifth to seventh year ; charms club
✧ EMPLOYMENT ✧
Affiliations: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry ; numerous wizarding families ; a publishing company to be named
Professions:
Age 17 to 24 & 25 to 32 - Tutoring pre-Hogwarts aged children
Age 24 to 92 - Children’s book author
Age 32 to 57 - Charms professor at Hogwarts, teaching first through fourth years
Age 57 to 92 - Charms professor at Hogwarts, teaching all grades
✧ FAMILY ✧
Father: Gabriel Seth Lyman
Gabriel was born in Dublin on October 17, 1945 as the only child of Naomi and Judah Lyman. He had a happy childhood, which was full of love. His parents were kind and firm and loving, and Gabriel was able to make a few good friends, mostly those within the small Jewish community. However, Gabriel never truly connected with being religious and was more interested in Judaism as a cultural force, especially growing up post-WW2. At the age of 18, Gabriel began university while studying accounting and business, in order to help his parents with their family bakery. He graduated with honors.
At the age of twenty-one, Gabriel met Abigail Abrahamson, when they were introduced by mutual friends. They built up an acquaintanceship until they were forced to partner together in a couples competition when Gabriel was twenty-three. That was the start of their romantic relationship, as it began when Gabriel asked Abigail to dinner after they’d won the competition. They dated for four years, as Abigail was always a little apprehensive about marriage, and Gabriel proposed when he was twenty-seven and she was twenty-five. They were married in early 1972, and a little over a year later, their daughter, Ruth, was born on July 17, 1973.
However, Gabriel’s marriage began falling apart in 1976, after Abigail’s parents died suddenly. Gabriel did his best to support his wife, but after eighteen months of trying to fix their marriage, Gabriel agreed to a divorce in 1978. Things didn’t get better for Gabriel, as his father, Judah, began to experience memory problems which eventually turned into a dementia diagnosis and in 1979, Gabriel and Ruth moved into his childhood home to help his mother, Naomi, care for his father and run the family bakery.
In 1980, Gabriel’s father passed away after suffering a severe fall. He was heartbroken by the death of his father, but stayed strong for his mother and daughter. Gabriel loved them dearly, and he was grateful for the moments that his mother decided to handle Ruth, so that he could have his grief. He also became deeply involved in the bakery after his father’s death, especially the business and accounting side. The only time the bakery ever closed long-term was in 1997 and 1998, when Gabriel, Naomi, and Ruth were in hiding during the second wizarding war.
Gabriel never remarried, but remained a doting grandfather for his three grandchildren: Seth, Naomi, and Ciaran.
Ruth adores her father. He is her rock and she is very close to him. He has always been there, and Ruth knows that she can count on him for anything. He is her example of what a man should be.
Faceclaim: Max Greenfield
Mother: Abigail Rebecca Goldberg née Abrahamson
Abigail was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 25, 1947 to Noah and Beth Abrahamson. She had a happy childhood full of love and a very close relationship with both of her parents. She had a small group of close friends, and sometimes shied away from romantic relationships especially as a teenager. She began university at age 18, studying art history and graduated with honors.
At the age of nineteen, Abigail met Gabriel Lyman through mutual friends. They struck up an acquaintanceship, being the only single people amongst their mutual friends, and that stuck around for two years. When she was twenty-one, Abigail was partnered with Gabriel during a couples competition and after they won, Gabriel asked her to dinner. Abigail accepted and they dated for four years, as Abigail was rather apprehensive about taking the step to marriage. But Gabriel proposed when Abigail was twenty-five and she accepted. They had a small, low-key wedding and a little over a year later, their only daughter, Ruth was born.
Things were okay for a little bit, but in 1979, Abigail’s parents both suddenly passed away. Abigail fell into a depression and her marriage began to fall apart. Despite spending eighteen months trying to fix their marriage, Abigail agreed to a divorce in 1978. After the divorce, Abigail remained in Dublin for the next six months, but the grief and memories in Dublin were oppressing and she decided to emigrate. She discussed her decision with her ex-husband and his mother, who were both supportive as long as Abigail continued to stay in touch with Ruth and find a way to explain her decision to her daughter. Abigail agreed and in 1980, she emigrated to the United States, leaving a detailed letter for her daughter and hoping that Ruth would one day understand.
Abigail moved in with one of her cousins, who had emigrated years earlier and eventually met a man named Aaron Goldberg, whom she fell in love with. Abigail wrote letters to Ruth every two weeks, never expecting a reply and rarely got replies. Every month, though, Abigail would ring the Lyman household and talk to her daughter, even though the conversations were never that deep.
However, Abigail’s relationship with Ruth didn’t begin to mend until 2010, when Ruth was pregnant for the second time. Abigail and Aaron had come over to Ireland after receiving an invitation from Ruth. Abigail met her grandson, Seth, and her son-in-law, Conor. She liked them and slowly began rebuilding her relationship with her daughter in a more equitable way.
Grandmother: Naomi Elizabeth Lyman née Cohen [1922-2006]
Naomi was born in 1922. She spent the first sixteen years of her life in the area that is now known as the Czech Republic. She had a generally happy childhood, with a lot of love. However, when the Munich Agreement occurred in 1938, Naomi grew up quickly and her family left Czechoslovakia as quickly as they could and her family then dispersed. The majority of her family managed to reach the United States and Canada, while others went to England. Naomi’s immediate family settled in Dublin, Ireland. Naomi liked the city of Dublin.
However, in 1940, Naomi visited a bakery to buy a loaf of Challah bread for her family’s dinner and met Judah Lyman, then a cashier. They struck up a quiet friendship, which eventually became romantic. Naomi married Judah in 1942, and was blissfully happy. Three years after marrying, their only child, Gabriel, was born in 1945, after WWII had ended. In 1950, Naomi and Judah took over the majority ownership of his family’s bakery. Naomi adored working in the bakery, especially the baking part.
In 1973, Naomi’s only grandchild, Ruth, was born. Naomi doted on the little girl, loving her endlessly. She began another rock for the little girl, especially during Gabriel and Abigail’s divorce.
In 1978, Naomi’s husband began experiencing memories and he was eventually diagnosed with dementia. Gabriel and Ruth then moved back home, adding a levity to the home and giving Naomi some much needed help with Judah’s care and the bakery. When Judah passed in 1980, Naomi was heartbroken but in a way relieved, because Judah would never have the chance to truly forget her. She knows the only reason that she got through it was her beloved son, her darling granddaughter, and the bakery.
In January of 2006, Naomi passed away, peacefully in her sleep, at the age of 84. She would never learn that her great-granddaughter was named after her.
Ruth adored her grandmother and her grandmother adored her. They had a fierce bond, which carried on even in death. Ruth really looked up to her grandmother and was very happy to know that her grandmother was deeply proud of her.
Grandfather: Judah Seth Lyman [deceased, 1920-1980]
Judah was born in 1920 as the third of five children. He spent the first eighteen years of his life in the Netherlands and he had a very good childhood there. However, in 1938 and the Munich Agreement, Judah and his family decided to leave the Netherlands out of fear. Due to being 18, Judah decided to settle in Dublin, Ireland, with his mother’s sister’s family, while the rest of his family settled in Canada. Judah loved working in his aunt and uncle’s bakery, which they had decided to open upon reaching Dublin.
It was the bakery that enabled Judah to meet the lovely Naomi Cohen, who had come in one day to buy a loaf of Challah bread. They quickly struck up a friendship, which turned romantic and Judah married Naomi in 1942. Three years later, their only child, Gabriel, was born in 1945. Judah adored his son and did his best to do right by the boy. In 1950, Judah and Naomi were granted the ability to take over his family’s bakery. Judah loved the bakery with his whole heart and did his best to make it profitable and prevent it from being sold.
In 1973, Judah’s only grandchild, Ruth, was born and he was instantly smitten with the little girl. She became the apple of his eye and he was able to do things with her that he would have tried to do with a daughter. Unfortunately, this time was short lived as Judah began experiencing memory problems in 1978 and was eventually diagnosed with an early onset dementia. It was difficult for him and his family. Judah’s memory continued to worsen and in 1980, Judah passed away peacefully in the hospital after suffering a bad fall at the age of 60.
Ruth sadly doesn’t have too many memories of her grandfather when he wasn’t suffering from dementia. She adored him, though, and her grandmother always insisted that her presence lightened up her grandfather.
Pets:
Childhood: An owl named Athena
Adulthood: A yellow Labrador retriever named Maudie
✧ ROMANCE & CHILDREN ✧
Love Interest: Conor Lorcan O’Donnell
⤷ Ruth first officially met Conor O’Donnell when Professor Flitwick paired them together in their fourth year. They had known of each other prior to then, but had never spoken until that moment. A friendship didn’t form until their sixth year when Ruth was tasked with helping Conor catch up on school work after he took a bludger to the head during a quidditch game. However, their friendship moved into romance in their seventh year where they shared a kiss late one night while studying and then never talked about it again. After Hogwarts, they lost touch and didn’t reconnect until 2000. They rekindled their friendship and after six months, Conor asked Ruth out on a date. She agreed and they dated for a year before Conor proposed. Ruth married Conor on January 27, 2002.
Son: Seth Lorcan O’Donnell
Ravenclaw | Keeper | Triplet | Demisexual | b. March 7, 2007
Ruth has a good relationship with her eldest son, as he takes after her more than he does Conor. Ruth tries to be quite supportive of Seth and encourages her son to find his passions in life, noting that passions can be unexpected. She is very proud of Seth and she loves her son dearly.
Faceclaim: Jett Klyne
Daughter: Naomi Ailis O’Donnell
Ravenclaw | Prefect | Triplet | Heterosexual | b. December 28, 2009
Ruth has a good relationship with her daughter, as she is a good mix between herself and Conor. Ruth adores his daughter and they often do things together, just the two of them. She tries to be as supportive as possible and encourages Naomi to find her passions. She is very proud of her daughter and adores her.
Faceclaim: Alisha Weir
Son: Ciaran Judah O’Donnell
Ravenclaw | Stutters | Seeker | Triplet | Heterosexual | b. December 28, 2009
Ruth had a good relationship with her son, although he takes after Conor more than he does her. She knows that Conor understands Ciaran’s relationship with stuttering more than she does and tries to reinforce the fact that his worth isn’t tied to his ability to speak. She is very proud of her and loves him dearly.
Faceclaim: Julian Hilliard
✧ OTHER RELATIONSHIPS ✧
Best Friends: TBD
Close Friends: TBD
Friends:
Badeea Ali
Callie Black (@cursedvaultss)
Katriona Cassiopeia (@kc-and-co)
Odhrán Donovan (@amerrymystery)
Ellie Hopper (@thatravenpuffwitch)
Tulip Karasu
Cato Reese (@catohphm)
Acquaintances:
Diego Caplan
Ben Copper
Andre Egwu
Penny Haywood
Jae Kim
Barnaby Lee
Nymphadora Tonks
Talbott Winger
Charlie Weasley
It’s Complicated: TBD
Hogwarts Dormmates:
Badeea Ali
Isabelle Dubois (@endlessly-cursed)
Tulip Karasu
Lyse Spindle (@magicallymalted)
Academic Rivals:
Rohan & Rowan Khanna
Enemies:
Death eaters
Voldemort
✧ HISTORY & BACKGROUND ✧
Place of Birth: Dublin, Ireland
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Childhood:
Born on July 17, 1973, Ruth was the only child of Gabriel and Abigail Lyman. Ruth was well-loved and was doted on by both her grandparents. However, when she was three, her maternal grandparents passed away suddenly and her parents’ marriage was on the rocks. Her parents divorced when she was nearly five in 1978. Her mother moved to the United States a few months after the divorce and shortly after Ruth and her father moved in with her paternal grandparents as her grandfather had begun experiencing memory problems. He was also diagnosed with early-onset dementia as he was under the age of 65.
At the age of seven, in 1980, Ruth lost her grandfather. His loss was hard on her and Ruth relied a lot on her father and grandmother. They were always there for her and made Ruth’s childhood happy and stable and fun. She also had very strong bonds with both her father and grandmother. Of course, in 1984, on her eleventh birthday, Ruth was told that she was a witch and would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry in September.
Hogwarts Years:
Upon starting Hogwarts, Ruth was sorted into Ravenclaw. It took her some time to become comfortable in the house because, while she felt confident in the academic side, Ruth struggled to connect with the other students in her house. She was a hard worker and easily achieved high marks, often rivaled for the top marks with Rohan and Rowan Khanna. Ruth became prefect in her fifth year and began finding a niche, while forming more acquaintances. She also became friends with Conor O’Donnell and occasionally helped him and his siblings out with researching the Cursed Vaults in their sixth year.
Adulthood:
After graduating from Hogwarts, Ruth began attending a muggle university in Dublin where she studied education. Ruth loved her time in uni and began tutoring young wizarding children, which truly began in earnest after Ruth graduated from uni. She continued this profession until death eaters threatened her in 1997.
Therefore, in August of 1997, Ruth, her father, and her grandmother were placed in a safe house. Ruth spent most of her time in the safe house and to pass the time, Ruth began writing children’s stories, thinking of her young students who had often asked her to tell them a story. Ruth was never intending them to publish but in 2000, she did, at her grandmother’s prodding. Ruth generally continued on with tutoring after the war ended. She also continued to write stories and edit the previous ones.
In 2000, Ruth met Conor O’Donnell again and they slowly began a friendship once again. A few months later, Conor finally asked Ruth out and she agreed. He proposed in late 2001 and they married on January 27, 2000. Together, Conor and Ruth had three children, triplets: Seth Lorcan, Naomi Ailis and Ciaran Judah on December 28, 2009.
In 2005, Ruth was offered the position of charms professor at Hogwarts. She agreed to a part-time position, teaching first through fourth years. She didn’t take on a full time position until 2030, at the age of 57.
Old Age:
Ruth retired at the age of 92, seven years after her husband retired. She devoted the rest of her life to her grandchildren and hobbies. She also traveled more, mostly in Europe, but she managed to connect with a lot of different relatives that she hadn’t known existed.
Death:
Ruth passed away in her sleep at the age of 118. She lived a long and fulfilled life and she left behind three children, seven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
✧ MISCELLANEOUS ✧
Favorite Color: Teal
Favorite Food: Latkes
Favorite Drink: Hot chocolate
Favorite Weather: A warm and sunny afternoon
Favorite Season: Spring
Favorite Book: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Favorite Music: INXS, The Cure, R.E.M.
Dislikes: Bullies ; wet socks ; being compared to others ; music like AC/DC ; shrimp
Trivia:
Ruth is not a very religious person and doesn’t strictly follow the rules for Judaism, but still considers it to be an important aspect of her identity. She’s definitely more secular and culturally influenced than religiously, but she takes it very seriously, especially given what her grandparents went through.
Ruth discovered her love of writing during the war. That was when she began writing children’s stories. They were only meant to be a pastime while she was hiding with her father and grandmother during the war, but she quickly discovered a passion for it and continued writing them after the war ended. She also starts publishing them a few years after the war.
Ruth is a Star Wars fan and her favorite character is, unsurprisingly, Princess Leia. There was something powerful for Ruth about seeing Princess Leia kicking ass on the screen, especially because she hadn’t really seen that before she watched A New Hope.
Important Links:
Ruth’s tag
More information about Ruth’s children, Seth, Naomi, and Ciaran
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