Rose's hazel eyes fluttered open to the soft, sterile light of the hospital room. The faint scent of antiseptic mixed with flowers lingered in the air, and the rhythmic beeping of monitors surrounded her like a strange, steady lullaby. She was swaddled snugly, held tightly against her mother's chest, tiny fists curled, yet fully aware in her newborn body.
[System Notice:
World switch detected. You are now Rose Gilbert, newborn infant. Emotional and survival parameters active. Previous world memories retained.]
Her mind flickered briefly to the Potter nursery—the soft sunlight, Harry's tiny yawns, Pettigrew's hesitation. A tear drop fell on her cheek, she looked up to see her birth mother crying over her.
Isobel held her close, rocking gently, inhaling the faint scent of new life. Her hands trembled.
But then she gave her a kiss on the forehead, there was a finality to it that was heartbreaking. Then she slowly, reluctantly, extended Rose toward the woman standing near the bed.
Miranda Gilbert's arms reached out with care, lifting Rose as though she were made of glass. The baby felt the warmth immediately—the precise, gentle pressure, the reverent movements. Even in a newborn body, Rose noted the safety in these arms.
[System Advisory: Emotional resonance detected. Caregiver bond forming.
Observation: high trust potential.]
Grayson Gilbert knelt beside the adjacent bassinet, eyes wide as he gazed at Elena. She stirred, tiny fingers curling, and he froze in wonder.
"They will want for nothing," Grayson said softly, awe in his voice. His hands hovered over the crib, hesitant, as though afraid to break the small miracle before him.
Isobel sniffled, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Just promise me…you'll never separate them."
Miranda's eyes softened, her lips curving into a quiet, firm smile. "We promise."
Rose felt the weight of that promise settle across her tiny consciousness. She was small. Fragile. Yet already aware of the invisible threads binding her to Elena, to these adults, and to the fate pressing upon her soul.
[System Advisory:
Twin linkage detected: high.
Protective instincts active.
Fate threads strengthening.]
She cooed softly, testing the warmth of Miranda's arms, observing Grayson's reverent gaze over Elena.
Elena and her world was shifting so soon after coming into this life but Rose knew it was only the beginning.
---
The nursery in the Gilbert home was warm, sunlight spilling through gauzy curtains and bouncing off soft pastel walls. The room smelled faintly of lavender, baby powder, and the lingering traces of disinfectant from earlier. Two cribs sat side by side, one for Rose, one for Elena, each swaddled in soft blankets that smelled of their new caregivers.
Rose blinked her hazel eyes open. She was fully aware.
[System Notice:
Emotional influence protocols active. Environmental scanning active.
Twin linkage strengthening.
Precognition modules online.]
Miranda sat nearby in a rocking chair in the corner between the two cribs. She was softly rocking, she seemed so content looking between Elena and Ross.
Grayson hovered close to Elena's crib, the awe in his eyes barely contained. Rose observed them both, tiny instincts flickering to life.
[Testing…emotional influence.]
Rose cooed, small and delicate, tilting her head just so, letting her hazel eyes lock with Miranda's. She focused on the warmth of intent, the gentle strokes of care. The system guided her subtle movements, her pitch, the faint timing of her coos.
[System Advisory: Emotional influence detected. Miranda's attentiveness slightly heightened. Monitoring: positive effect.]
Miranda's lips curved into a soft, almost imperceptible smile. She reached out toward Rose, her hand hovered over Rose's swaddled form, before she stroked it softly. Rose felt the tiny shifts in emotion, currents of protection and affection she could measure instinctively.
Grayson, meanwhile, continued gazing at Elena. A twitch of concern flickered across his face—something she noted. 'Interesting. Protective instincts…strong…yet not absolute. Could be nudged.'
Rose's attention shifted to Elena, small and delicate in her crib. The twin bond had begun immediately, threads of shared consciousness whispering faintly in her mind. Tiny coos and stretches from Rose prompted subtle responses from Elena—tiny hand movements, soft murmurs, micro-expressions that Rose cataloged and mirrored instinctively.
[System Advisory: Twin interaction detected. Bonding strengthening. Emotional resonance high.]
Rose considered Grayson. He was strong, loving, reliable—a man who could devote himself entirely to family. She sensed it in the warmth he radiated toward Elena. Yet, a shadow lingered in her perception: flashes of a darker past, memories she gleaned through precognitive awareness. A man who could then turn to torture sentient beings in the name of science at Augustine.
'Do I ever want to bond with someone like that?' Her newborn mind couldn't articulate fully, but she understood instinctively: this is a man capable of great love and great harm. That duality made her pause, even in infancy.
She tilted her tiny head again, cooing softly at Miranda. 'For now, I test. I observe. Influence. Watch. Learn.' Her system agreed: subtle influence, awareness of dualities, cataloging all emotional and moral threads.
One step at a time.