the last great american dynasty (Charlotta)

[Deleted]

September 2025

How she had managed to get all the way to St. Mungo's without her parents' knowledge of her whereabouts had been accomplished only with the assistance of her sister-in-law, from whom she was formerly estranged. It was a strange state of affairs, really, but nothing about Priscilla's life had been remotely enjoyable since she'd been expelled from Hogwarts. She would have done it again, purely because she hated the thought of Kinsey and Riley together, but it was enough for her to know that there was no way that the Fudge family had welcomed them with open arms. The luxuries that he could have had were gone, and at least Priscilla couldn't say that she was in want of anything material.

She was careful not to draw attention to herself, lest anyone there report back to her mother and father that she was at the hospital with Charlotta, of all people, the older woman just a few paces ahead of her as they reached a corridor with signs for the maternity ward. A part of her was jealous, because that could have been her, planning for children with Riley. And now? What prospects did she have? Priscilla doubted that her parents would be willing to show their faces at a place like Blishwick Matchmaking after what had happened.

At least her oldest sister was married, she thought, even if she happened to be married to another woman. Charlotta was successful, in the way that anyone wouldn't have blinked if she were a man. Priscilla kept up with her pace, wondering how much longer they had to go from that point but saying nothing. She didn't want to sound too eager.

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta had spent every day at the hospital for the past month. Ever since little Jayli was born. Not all day, of course. But at least a few hours, every day. To hold and spend quality time with her new bundle of joy. It had made work a bit harder, as she and her wife were having to juggle the responsibilities a lot more, and also rely on their employees pretty heavily, but it was worth it. Even Emrys had been on (slightly) better behavior, as he had a new niece. Plus, he probably knew that while the reins were loose right now, if he abused that, he was only causing CHarlotta and her wife a lot of unnecessary stress. And they really didn't need more stress. Jayli had been born premature, terrifyingly early. But she was strong. Hopefully soon they'd be able to take her home.

So, you could imagine her surprise that today, she was taking Priscilla, her wife's youngest sister, to see her new niece. Priscilla had been a child when they were married and, unfortunately, been pretty estranged since then. But, Charlotta didn't blame Priscilla for that. It was the Rosier parents. Her wife had given up a "good pureblood marriage" for her, after all. Quite the scandal in the pureblood world! They'd made sure that Priscilla couldn't see them. Priscilla had also gotten into quite a bit of trouble recently, and gotten expelled from Hogwarts. While Priscilla's "crime" was... troubling, Charlotta knew she was a very troubled girl, who'd grown up in a very oppressively lifestyle. She was still a teenager though. Still a child.

Unfortunately, there'd been an emergency at the studio and Charlotta's wife had to go take care of it, so Charlotta had agreed to take Priscilla to see the baby. She led the way to the Maternity ward, and the NICU, where Jayli was, unable to stop smiling, though she slowed down her steps to walk side by side with Priscilla. "Did you see the pictures your sister sent you?" She asked, trying to start a conversation. The pictures she was referring to were of Jayli, in the first few days she'd been born. She'd sent them to Priscilla's from her wife's phone a week ago.

[Deleted]

September 2025

Charlotta slowed down so that they were walking in step with one another instead. She was beaming, enough that Priscilla had been sure that she would slip up and give something away. Then again, what could her parents have done, really, with very little warning? It wasn't as though they guarded their manor with dragons and trolls, though she didn't doubt that her mother would have thought that a sound investment. "Did you see the pictures your sister sent you?" Charlotta asked.

Presumably, they were pictures of the baby, but Priscilla hadn't seen anything. She didn't receive much mail from anyone, not even from her former classmates at Hogwarts. "Of the baby? I haven't got anything," she explained, shaking her head. It wouldn't have been difficult for her parents to intercept any letters that they saw were from… disreputable sources. It didn't really matter much, since she was going to see her baby niece anyway. "…Is her name actually Jayli?" she asked. It was different, certainly, and reminded her of the girl called Kaylee who had come from Ilvermorny. They couldn't have gone with something nicer, like Jane or Jocelyn?

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta's smile shrunk a bit. That was a shame, that Priscilla hadn't gotten the pictures. She'd have to get new ones, and probably personally hand them over this time. You'd think after 10 years (they'd just celebrated that anniversary this year) that the Rosier parents might... come around. Though, apparently not. They could hold quite the grudge. Charlotta had also hoped that, at least with the publicity of the record label it might change their minds. Also, apparently not. It hurt sometimes, knowing that her wife didn't have her parents' support. While Charlotta did what she couldn't, you couldn't really replace the support of a parent. "That's too bad. I'll let you sister know, she can bring them when she's free." But, that might be a while. Hopefully her wife could get here before Priscilla had to go back home.

The question, of the name, Made Charlotta smile again, and nod. "We had a couple names picked out, but when we met her... We just knew. It means in God's Hands." She started to explain. "We're not religious but... well, she needed all the luck she could get." Jayli was born very early. She hadn't been due until late October, so being born the beginning of August had put her almost 3 months early. Thankfully, magical healing was helping the premie get up to proper development quite quickl,y but it would probably still be a month before they could take her home.

[Deleted]

September 2025

It was too bad, said Charlotta, that she hadn't received the pictures of Jayli, and Charlotta added that perhaps her sister could bring them by once she was free. As for her niece's name, Charlotta confirmed that it was, indeed, Jayli. From what she told her, it meant "in God's hands," and Priscilla guessed that it sort of fit her. The baby had been born early and had been sickly, though she was well enough that she could receive visitors.

"Well, I'm going to see her, aren't I?" Priscilla checked, mostly because of Charlotta's insistence on the photographs. "I won't need the pictures of her," she assured her sister-in-law.

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta knew that she and her wife were in for a very long journey, with Jayli. Her current situation in the NICU. The health problems she'd have the rest of her life. No doubt, Jayli would always be a frail and delicate girl. But it didn't dissuade the couple. They'd jokingly talked about a family since getting married but they'd been actively working with an adoption agency for the last five years. There had been a lot of heartbreak and hardship as they waited, desperately. But now, now they had Jayli. Their precious, beautiful Jayli, and it was suddenly all worth it.

Maybe it was just because she was a new parent, but she didn't really know why Priscilla wouldn't want the pictures as well. Jayli grew and changed every single day! They almost couldn't take enough pictures! But, if Priscilla insisted. "True," she agreed. She almost mentioned getting the pictures so she could give it to the Rosier parents, but Charlotta didn't know how they might react. Better to let her wife handle the parents... If they were willing to try and mend bridges. So far though, hadn't had much progress.

They'd reached the doors to the NICU then, and Charlotta opened the door for Priscilla, motioning the teenager in. "There's a disinfectant to your right. You'll also want to put on the robes over your clothes." Standard protocol for a NICU. They didn't want too many outside germs getting in. Thankfully, Jayli was getting strong and no longer had to be in the incubator full time. She hadn't told Priscilla that though. That would be a surprise. Charlotta entered the NICU after the girl, getting one of the robes herself and disinfecting her hands. She slipped the robe on and led the way down to the rows to where Jayli was. A few nurses smiled and waved, recognizing the woman from all her visits.

Jayli was in a radiant warmer, an open bed with an overhead warming light, with a few tubes and leads connecting her to the machines around. Helping her breath, monitoring her little body. She was still very small. "Hi darling," Charlotta whispered softly reaching out to touch Jayli's little hand. "Your Aunty Cilla came to say hi." She smiled lovingly down at her little bundle of joy, then shifted, so that Priscilla could step up to the bed. Obviously Jayli didn't looked anything like Charlotta or her wife, but that didn't change the fact that she was their precious daughter.

[Deleted]

September 2025

Priscilla followed as her sister-in-law motioned her into the neonatal intensive care unit, directing her to some disinfectant and some robes that she would need to put on over what she was already wearing. It definitely wasn't the most fashionable look, but it was only Charlotta and little Jayli who were going to see her like that, plus any of the Healers or nurses. Doing as she was instructed, Priscilla knew that she must have looked absolutely foolish, but she followed Charlotta inside.

There was her niece, an exceptionally tiny infant who was still attached to all manner of… whatever those things were. It was no doubt part of the same Muggle influence of which her mother had been in opposition for so long, the increased technology and the devices. Even some of the Muggles claimed that they made them ill, which sounded like an awful idea for a hospital, but Priscilla supposed that the hospital staff knew what they were doing. Not so very long ago, a child as poorly as Jayli wouldn't have survived.

Charlotta greeted Jayli softly, her voice at a whisper, explaining that her aunt had come to say hello. Priscilla gave a slight nod to the baby, still in awe of how very tiny she really was. As her sister-in-law moved so that she could step up, Priscilla hesitantly reached out her finger to Jayli's hand, as Charlotta had done with her.

Priscilla felt as though she might melt, though her niece remained incredibly fragile. She, too, brought her voice down to a whisper, cooing as she looked down at the little girl. "Hi…" she breathed out, smiling a little at Jayli. "Hi, Jayli… I'm your Aunt Priscilla."

Biting her lip, she turned to look at Charlotta and then returned to admiring the baby. "You're a big, strong girl, aren't you?"

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

While Charlotta was absolutely enthralled by her daughter, she couldn't help but notice Priscilla. The girl was quite troubled. Not really the soft or sensitive type. But just like Jayli melted both of her mothers' hearts, it seemed she'd done the same to Priscilla. She'd have everyone wrapped around her little fingers. Jayli, bless her heart, stirred just a little at the voices. One she was familiar with, the other not. The nurses were always telling the mothers' to talk to the baby. It was good for her. So was the contact. It'd been heartbreaking when Jayli was in the incubator, Charlotta and her wife only able to touch her through the holes in the side, not able to hold their baby. But now? Now was better. She was getting stronger and stronger every day.

Charlotta smiled at her sister-in-law, then looked down at the baby, then back up at Priscilla. "Do you want to hold her?" She hadn't told Priscilla that Jayli was strong enough to be held. She and her wife had specifically not mentioned that, so that it could be a surprise. They'd wanted Priscilla's visit to be extra special. And what better way then to let the teenager hold her new niece? Though, if Priscilla said no, Charlotta wouldn't force her.

[Deleted]

September 2025

"Do you want to hold her?"

Although she had complimented her little niece on how strong she was, she did look to Priscilla as though she might break. She was smaller than a doll, even, and Priscilla wasn't sure if she had ever seen a baby of her size. Still, Charlotta had asked her, and Priscilla glanced over at her for confirmation. "Can I?" She didn't want to hurt Jayli. Even if she wouldn't be accepted as a member of the Rosier family for the sake of the purity of their bloodline, she was still her sister's child. She'd survived that far, and there was little doubt in Priscilla's mind that Jayli would turn out alright.

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta smiled softly at her youngest sister-in-law. The question was no surprise. Jayli was quite small still. Quite weak. But she was better every day. Charlotta nodded. "Yes. It's good for her to be held. Babies need a lot of contact." The nurses, of course, had mentioned that to the mothers. That they should come every day to spend time with the baby. Though they'd already planned on that, without being told. No, they'd take as much time with their child as they could. And hopefully, soon, they'd be able to take her home. At least it gave them more time to set up the nursery! Since her arrival have been so early they hadn't finished it yet, and with all the hospital visits it was still a bit of a work in progress.

"If you want to sit in the chair," She motioned to the chair by the bed with her free hand, the other still delicately stroking one of Jayli's little hands. "I'll hand her to you when you're ready." Thankfully, Charlotta knew how the leads and machines worked. She and her wife had had a lot of practice when they went to hold her themselves.

[Deleted]

September 2025

"Yes," Charlotta explained to her. "It's good for her to be held. Babies need a lot of contact."

Priscilla nodded in response to what she had been told and continued to watch Jayli. She hoped that the baby wouldn't mind, though she knew that it would be a little bit silly to ask her niece what she wanted. She was still too young to understand what was going on around her, for the most part, or at least what people were saying to her.

"If you want to sit in the chair, I'll hand her to you when you're ready."

"Alright." Priscilla nodded again, though she was enjoying being able to touch her niece's little hand as it was. She hoped that all of the strange, Muggle-like attachments wouldn't have to come with her. It must have been awfully uncomfortable for the baby like that. Slowly, she moved away from Jayli, still sneaking glances at her as she went to seat herself in the chair that Charlotta had indicated. She got herself comfortable there, making sure that she was sitting up straight enough.

"I'm ready, Charlotta," she told her, though she was sure that it would feel strange. Hopefully, Jayli would be able to relax in her arms, at least.

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta took Priscilla's nod as agreement. So, she started the meticulous work of disconnecting the lines that she could, and moving the ones (like the oxygen tube) so that it wouldn't be in the way of holding Jayli. The nurses had helped the couple the first few times, but eventually they had gotten it down, not needing the extra assistance to hold their daughter. Though, the nurses did always make sure to keep a watchful eye, just in case. It might have bothered Charlotta, making her feel like the nurses didn't trust them, but she'd come to realize that it was a good thing. Because it meant that Jayli had so many people looking out for her.

Priscilla told her she was ready and Charlotta nodded. She carefully picked up the baby, who made the softest cooing sound at the motion, her little arms and feet kicking a little. Then, she slowly carried Jayli to Priscilla. "Make sure to support her head." She added as she set Jayli into her aunt's arms, making sure that the oxygen tube didn't get tangled or twisted, before pulling her arms away, letting Priscilla hold the baby for the first time. There were more adorable baby sounds, but Jayli settled after a few seconds, as if realizing that someone was holding her.

[Deleted]

September 2025

Jayli remained connected to a tube that ran into her nostrils, though Priscilla guessed that it was probably easier than whatever function the magical equivalent would have served. Charlotta cautioned her to support her niece's head as she set her down into her arms, and Priscilla nodded, making sure that she was holding Jayli properly while also remaining as gentle as possible with her. She was a baby, after all, though she could have sworn that Jayli's gurgling was her attempt at trying to say something to her.

As her baby niece grew more comfortable in her arms, Priscilla wasn't sure if she would be able to let her go. "Oh… She's beautiful, isn't she, Charlotta?" Priscilla remarked softly to her sister-in-law, making sure that Jayli was still situated. "How much longer will she be in hospital?"

@charlotta

[Deleted]

September 2025
@priscilla

Charlotta took a step back when she was sure that Priscilla and Jayli were situated and safe. It was... well, nice. To spend time with her youngest sister-in-law like this. They'd seen so little of each other the past ten years. it made her happy to know that the Rosier parents hadn't poisoned Priscilla against her eldest sister and Charlotta. And to be honest? Priscilla could do with some good influences, some that weren't so obsessed with the pureblood mentality. Priscilla had gotten in a lot of trouble, and no doubt more to come. Trouble driven by an obsession her parents had instilled in her. Today, hopefully, would be the first step. In healing those bridges, and helping Priscilla see that there was more to life then what the Rosier parents had planned.

Though, she had to admit. Priscilla and Jayli looked absolutely adorable together. "She is. She's perfect." Frail, delicate, but perfect. Charlotta was a proud and happy new parent. Jayli might not be her daughter by blood, she was still hers. Her precious daughter. "Her lungs are weak, so she needs help breathing still. But the healers think she'll be strong enough to come home in a few weeks." She crouched down, balancing on the balls of her feet as she watched Priscilla and Jayli. While it might seem like a long time for the magical world, it was normal for non-magical premies. "Magic is helping her grow strong, so she won't have as many health issues growing up, but some things have to grow naturally." She was, after all, three months early. Magic could do a lot, but grow a human being? Well, if it was that easy, pregnancy wouldn't be 9 months. Magic couldn't replace the natural process of a baby growing in the womb. Though, she would still have health issues. THey knew that. Magic was at least helping them avoid some of the worst.

[Deleted]

September 2025

"She is," Charlotta agreed with her. "She's perfect." Jayli was so precious, and Priscilla had to admit that she was awfully proud of her, too, even if the little girl wasn't her child. "Her lungs are weak," Charlotta continued, "so she needs help breathing still. But the Healers think she'll be strong enough to come home in a few weeks."

Priscilla nodded, still watching over her niece. She wanted Jayli to do even better, just to prove the skeptics wrong.

"Magic is helping her grow strong," added Charlotta, "so she won't have as many health issues growing up, but some things have to grow naturally."

"You'll surprise everyone, won't you, Jayli?" Priscilla smiled to her. "You're doing so well, darling."

@charlotta