#elspeth stagg

[cursebreakerfarrier]

Petra

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Galen’s immediate family

PETRA ARIADNE CECILIA MAYTHORN

Petra is a name I always loved and after hearing it again around the time I created her I knew that it had to be hers and there was no other option; it also means ‘rock’ which is something she is to a lot of people within her story. I then named Petra’s parents before deciding on her middle names, so Ariadne is her mother’s name and Cecilia comes from her father’s name Cecil: Ariadne seemed to fit with the Black family (of which she was born in to) naming conventions/traditions and Cecil was chosen after C. Day-Lewis (one of my favourite poets). Maythorn was a name I’ve had saved in my massive list of names since like 2018, but it was originally spelled as Maythorne, which I used to prefer but don’t anymore. I think it’s a great reflection of Petra’s gentle, loving side and also her ferocious, courageous side. It was also completely unintentional to have Petra’s birthday in May, too!

GALEN JOSIAH DARWIN STAGG

Galen was name I always loved and I don’t where I first heard it, but picking a name for him initially was really hard and in my notes I found Galen and it just seemed so perfect. It reminds me of Gale, so full nature vibes but with a quiet strength to it too, which is just Galen all over. I also just loved Josiah and wanted something biblical and I think Elspeth is the kind to have been raised religious, but is more spiritual as an adult and that kind of connection in the name of her sons are important to her. Believe it or not, Darwin wasn’t a nod to Charles Darwin; I just liked the name a lot with its Victorian vibe, but I inadvertently gave the Magical Creature nerd a very fitting name he certainly lives up to lmao. The origin of Stagg is one of my favourites- my mum used to work alongside a doctor who had that exact surname and I thought it was the coolest; I had a character named Carson Stagg in an original story I wrote in like 2014, who was one of my favourites at the time, so it’s kind of a reminder of how far I’ve come creatively too :’) but of course there’s also the nature/creature link which was also unintentional that’s the wildest thing of all

HADRIAN ELIJAH ALDEN STAGG

Hadrian was technically after Hadrian’s Wall because there was a programme on TV one night about it and I was like ‘ooh I could use that name’, but I was also thinking of making Hadrian’s Wall significant to Elspeth so she would have a reason to use the name for her eldest. Elijah was the match Josiah in that it was biblical and they sounded similar so I thought that was cute, but if I think a little too hard Elijah is the name of a kid who bullied me at high school 😅 Alden was just a pretty name I picked up somewhere and sounded like it could relate to nature (a great love of Elspeth’s) king of like alder wood, and it’s a strong name too which I think reflects Hadrian’s personality.

ELSPETH CATHERINE STAGG

Elspeth was a name I picked up from somewhere I don’t remember, but after looking it up I read that in Scottish history women with that name were seen as symbols of strength and devotion which Elspeth herself absolutely is, especially to her boys. Catherine was just the first name I thought of when I tried to think of a middle name, but it’s also my paternal grandmother’s name (spelled Kathryn, though!).

Send me an OC and I’ll explain how/why I chose their name

[kc-and-co]

May 1905

“Your father said you wanted to see me. Are you alright?” Elspeth Stagg knocked on the grand mahogany door to Siobhan’s old bedroom. Though she had been a frequent visitor at the Llewelyn Manor, she had only been asked to Siobhan’s room in the rare instances Ed and Henry had called on her when they couldn’t quite relate to Siobhan’s troubles.

Elspeth had always loved the opportunities she was given to be a mother figure to Siobhan through illness, loneliness, celebrations, travels, and happy homecomings; but there was something special about the look of defeat on Siobhan’s face when she handed over her hairpins with a groan. Making her way to the door, wild curls trailing behind, Siobhan cursed and let out a shaky breath. “Yes, at least I will be ok when I decide on a hairstyle. Nothing I know how to do with this mane of mine looks right with the dress.”

“Siobhan?” Elspeth’s voice cracked from the other side of the door. “Are you wearing it now? You would like for me to see it? Now?” her voice was suddenly weak. “Has your father seen it?”

Siobhan poked just her head out of the door, concealing the rest of the ivory garment from view. “Of course not. I wanted to surprise him, and Galen, of course. Henry is the only one to see me in it before the wedding but I thought you might want to. Maybe you could even help me decide on the rest of it? Jewelry? This awful hair? I am certainly not wearing makeup in the July heat. If you want everything else to be a surprise, I understand. I just needed a mu- I needed you,” Siobhan confessed.

With that, Elspeth rushed through the door just as she had any time Siobhan needed her but the sight of the wedding dress stopped her in her tracks. “Siobhan, I always knew you would make a beautiful bride. I just never dreamed you would look so -“ she found herself at a loss for words as she took in the intricate lace details of the gown. Careful not to wrinkle the delicate fabric, she took Siobhan into a gentle hug. Her smile widened as Siobhan squeezed her tightly, disregarding the dress.

“So… happy? You know that I would never choose to marry if I were not entirely certain of my choice. I am certain that I wish to spend my life with your son. I’d love nothing more than to join your family,” Siobhan offered with a smile as she sat on the rug at Elspeth’s feet and handed over the silver hairbrush.

Elspeth ran the comb through Siobhan’s hair as she twisted the curls into place. She found herself lost in the memories of the first time she had sat with the young woman between her knees and twisted her wild curls into a simple bun wrapped in two simple plaits. The girl must have barely been thirteen when she first joined Galen for a school break.

All those years ago, it had rained the entire weekend. The weather hadn’t stopped Siobhan, Galen, and even Hadrien from skipping rope and collecting rocks outdoors. When the three returned, her sons had shaken the rain from their soft hair and gone about their quest for tea and scones in the kitchen. Siobhan returned with her flaming locks nearly the same size as the rest of her tiny body. Elspeth couldn’t sit by while the poor girl tussled with her tresses.

It was not until weeks later when she received a letter from Edwin Llewelyn that the significance of the moment was truly understood. Nobody had ever been allowed to make something presentable of his daughter’s hair without facing the little girl’s wrath. Yet, in the days that followed, Siobhan had tried and failed to replicate the simple style while raving about talents Elspeth was unaware she had.

As a mother of boys, Elspeth Stagg had never learned intricate plaits or updos. She wore her own hair very simply to attend to her hard work. Still, Siobhan regarded her simple skill with awe. Though Siobhan was a frequent guest of Galen’s, time was always reserved for the girls and the hairpins. On a spring afternoon in her sixth year, Siobhan had made a startling request. For years, the girl had wanted to keep her big hair away from her face so that she could keep up with the shenanigans of Hadirien and Galen. That day, with a new blush to her cheeks, she asked only to look pretty. In an instant, Elspeth knew her darling son, with his consuming affinity for the girl, would be loved all his days. Again, she wrapped two plaits around the base of a simple bun to a delightful review from her young friend.

Even when Galen had not been present, the women maintained their tradition. Near the end of her lecture tour, Siobhan had spent a week with Elspeth getting to know Hadirien’s wife and new daughter. Though she had not seen Galen in several years, she maintained her love for him and was constantly writing letters to send to him in the desert and included a photograph with each piece of correspondence. For the last photo she sent, she insisted her hair be done in the way that only Elspeth could. The way she felt most beautiful.

The memories flooded her heart as Elspeth clasped a stunning gold feather clip into the same style Siobhan had always loved. It was not intricate or delicate, it was far removed from the ornate bridal trends. It was perfect for the pair of friends who would soon be bonded in name. The same delighted squeal of approval Siobhan had uttered in her childhood filled the room as she studied the style in the mirror. Though when she turned to shower Elspeth in gratitude, the remembered images of the rowdy child, the lovestruck teenager, and the ambitious young woman faded into the radiant bride before her. “My dear, you have always been part of this family.”

@cursebreakerfarrier it’s an honor to blend these amazing families with you 💙❤️

[cursebreakerfarrier]

The piano section at the beginning of this song is what I imagine the song that Galen wrote and played for his mother’s funeral would sound like @kc-and-co 😭😭

[cursebreakerfarrier]

1 for Galen please!

1.) Holiday headcanon

About six months before she dies, Galen takes Elspeth to the Lake District for a few days. She’s always wanted to go, but never had the chance with singlehandedly raising two children and working non-stop for years. They have tea and cakes by the water and go for walks around the forestry and have their photograph taken to commemorate the occasion- a photo which Galen always has close by for the rest of his life.

Send me an OC + a number!

[cursebreakerfarrier]

𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆 — 𝟕𝒕𝒉 𝒀𝑬𝑨𝑹 𝑯𝑼𝑭𝑭𝑳𝑬𝑷𝑼𝑭𝑭

-> I love the thought of the Hogwarts students having their pictures taken / portraits done every year like I used to back at school, but maybe they’d just have their first and seventh year pictures done to show how much they’ve grown :’) Anyway here’s my dearest Elspeth’s portrait that she keeps on her mantle piece as an adult 💛

[cursebreakerfarrier]

— THE STAGG FAMILY 🦌

More celebrations for today! Here’s Galen with his mama and brother ❤️✨

[cursebreakerfarrier]

Happy FFWF! What do any OCs of your choice do for Easter? - that-scouse-wizard

Elspeth Stagg cooks a magnificent dinner for herself and her boys. Her Muggle employer always gives her a little extra wages around Easter as he’s aware of how much Galen and Hadrian love chocolate. She ensures they have their fair share of vegetables too, but the three of them always have such a lovely time :’)

[cursebreakerfarrier]

“𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔”

Elspeth Catherine Stagg had a tough life. She came from a large Irish family with a squib father and a half-blood mother. Her father, Ciarán, was always toiling with his magical heritage that he could never be a part of and whilst he was proud that Elspeth- the only child out of four- attended Hogwarts, he couldn’t help but feel disdain. Despite this, however, he loved his family. His wife, Sinéad, treated all her children as equals and made sure they were fed long before she and Ciarán were. They were poor, but they always found a way to survive. Survival, it seemed, was what the bones of the Stagg clan were made of.

Elspeth was delighted to find out about the magical talents she possessed. She could never have imagined how grand Hogwarts was and how vastly different it was from the life she had always known. She was sorted into Hufflepuff and flourished among like-minded kind, hardworking students. She had a natural talent for herbology and belonged at Hogwarts, but beyond that... things were uncertain. Almost immediately after graduating she found a job across in southern England working as a maid for a wealthy Muggle family. The Beauforts respected Elspeth despite her youth and was almost part of the family once the eldest son and heir, Graham, took a shine to her. She wished that, once she’d looked into his striking eyes, that she knew of the bad that was to follow in his wake.

Their whirlwind romance, of course, was forbidden. But with Elspeth being so naive she felt so honoured and so adored by Graham’s interest in her and she soon found herself pregnant with Hadrian. She was mortified, too scared to tell Graham, but after several weeks of strange behaviour, he was bold enough to ask. He, too, was mortified when he uncovered the truth and made excuses for Elspeth whilst she took leave to go through her pregnancy- alone- and give birth.

But when Elspeth returned, vowing to herself not to do anything stupid, fate played a nasty hand and she was once again swept up in Graham’s affections. Three years later, she was pregnant again and this time his family found out. They issued an ultimatum: marry the girl or abandon her. He chose the latter. Whilst Graham cared more for money, status, and reputation, Elspeth decided it was time to take care of herself.

In the middle of her pregnancy with Galen, she travelled with Hadrian back to her hometown in Ireland where she lived with her cousin Martha and her husband. The boys grew up surrounded by stunning landscapes and beautiful beaches: just what Elspeth thought they deserved. They grew up with a deep passion for the outdoors and knowing of their magical heritage, although whether or not the magic in their veins was strong enough to warrant a Hogwarts education was unknown.

However, when Hadrian was ten, and just before he did in fact receive his Hogwarts letter, Elspeth then settled in the historic town of Warwick where she became the nursemaid to three young children of aristocratic Muggle parents. Having Hadrian and Galen gave her the experience she needed and the Muggle family treated the Staggs as if they were their own flesh and bone. They allowed Elspeth to use their grand piano in order to teach Galen and allowed both boys free reign of their large gardens. Grateful didn’t come close to how Elspeth felt and knew that she’d remain in Warwick for the rest of her life just to pay off the debt she felt she owed.

She would also do anything for her sons. She never worked when either of them were sick, she made sure they were sound asleep before she was, and she taught them lessons that would make them the strong, caring men they grew up to be. Elspeth might have been through emotional hell and back, but Hadrian and Galen were her rocks and knew that- even if the world burned- she’d have her boys by her side.

The Stagg family grew when Hadrian met the gorgeous and polite Lucie Spencer and also when Siobhan Llewelyn @kc-and-oc entered Galen’s life. From the moment Galen began to talk of her, Elspeth knew she would treat the young girl as her very own daughter. And the sentiment was sealed when Galen and Siobhan were married after six long years of being apart. As far as Elspeth was aware she had four children. She found more unconditional love with Edwin Llewelyn and his butler Henry and later in the form of five grandchildren who she almost didn’t live to see.

Nevertheless Elspeth counted herself as the luckiest woman in the world for she had the most handsome, kind, and generous sons. They weren’t even supposed to exist, but she knew that the universe had a funny way of conjuring up things that were just meant to be...