An Impromptu Visit

Sophia was bundled up against the cold, even as lazy snowflakes landed on the knitted blue cap that she wore. She wandered aimlessly through the snow covered the grounds as Magus flew overhead. It was Christmas break and most of the students had returned home for the holidays. On the far end of the grounds, voices could occasionally be heard from where a group of students were having a snowball fight.

The woman paused as she came over the crest of a hill, her gaze alighting upon the cabin there. She had always thought it was charming little dwelling. Her teeth worried her lip for a moment. James had accepted the position of grounds keeper some time before and Sophia wondered if the man would welcome a visit. Did he even live on the grounds? Maybe, he had a place in Hogsmeade.

Deciding it couldn't hurt to say hello, Sophia wended her way to the cabin and knocked quietly at the front door. Chances were that he wasn't in, anyway.

James was just putting the kettle on to make himself a cut of tea when he heard the knock at the door. His new cat, Rosie, meowed from her place beside the warming kettle. He stroked her lightly as he opened the door,

"Hello." he greeted before he'd even seen who it was. Upon noticing that it was Sophia, he smiled widely, "Hello Sophia! Come in, come in!"

He chuckled as he moved over to the kettle,

"Do I have to call your Professor Wyse?" he teased as he got another cup out, "Tea?"

Sophia returned James' smile, moving inside the small dwelling. "Well, aren't you a lovely creature?" the woman cooed to the cat, crouching down to pet the feline.

"Ach, no!" she laughed, standing again. "Sophia's fine. Professor Wyse is only for the students. Between you and I, it makes me feel a bit old."

She cast a glance about the cabin. "I do hope I'm not intruding," she said apologetically.

James chuckled,

"Well I am a lovely creature but I didn't think you'd..." he gasped exaggeratedly and pointed at the cat, "She was talking about you?! But you're too fluffy!"

He grinned,

"Well I don't get a fancy label like 'professor'." he used air quotes, "Normally it's 'squibsy' or some such childish nonsense."

Casting a glance around the almost empty cabin, he smirked at her,

"Does it look like I'm busy?" he joked lightly, "And even if I was... well company as lovely as yours is better than any chores or jobs I could be doing."

"You are a lovely creature, too, of course, James," Sophia laughed at his antics.

She tilted her head in concession. "I suppose that must be true," she said, a hint of sadness to her tone. People could be cruel. "If it's any consolation at all, there are some who call me the Mad Woman of the Tower." Sophia grinned, genuinely amused by this appellation, which she didn't wholly try to dissuade.

Her cheeks colored slightly at his compliment. "I wasn't certain you would be here, honestly. Thought perhaps you might have left to go see family."

He smirked before sticking his tongue out at his cat,

"See?" he grinned, "I'm a lovely creature too. Means I better than you."

James clucked his tongue with a smirk,

"You don't go through life as a squib without such remarks Sophia. You grow used to them." he shook his head, "People bad mouthing a woman as lovely as yourself? I don't believe it."

He frowned,

"My brother is my only family and he..." he paused, "We'll he's gone a bit native over in the muggle side. Not as forgiving as I am."

"Ah, but such remarks can often turn a kind heart to hatred," Sophia replied wisely, picking up the cat and cradling it close. Animals generally liked her, and she them. "The world is a cold place and too many abhor that which is different from themselves."

Then, she laughed. "Well, I might have encouraged them a bit. You know how children can be. Even the skeptics turn pale when I tell them misfortune shall befall them." A mischievous sparkle livened her eyes. "And it usually does, as well, simply because they're more prone to trip over their own feet in worry."

Sophia nodded in understanding. "It is difficult to forgive those who have wronged you, and I imagine the muggle world is kinder to a squib. I would that it weren't so. We are all people, after all, regardless of our gifts or capabilities." She put a hand on his arm. "You are a good man, and I, for one, believe that is all that should matter."

James waved it off, scratching the cat lightly behind the ears,

"The little fluff-ball loves me. We'll make up with ear scratching and I'll set him loose on some rats." he smiled a little, "Other types of rifts cannot be so easily resolved... but you can hope and try."

He pointed to Sophia with a grin as he poured the tea,

"You madam... are evil!" he joked lightly, passing her the cup, "I like it! Teaching at this place seems to have grown more evil and more effective over the years. Couple of students were telling me about the DADA professor. They're scared witless of him, so much so that they're willing to do anything he says."

James sat down in a chair and gestured for another for her to sit down,

"In the muggle world a squib is a man like any other. They don't care that you can't even cast 'lumos'. They don't care a bit." he commented with a small, faint, smile as she placed her hand on his arm, "I'm not a good man but very few good men exist in today's world. I am a product of my environment and that means I have all of the acceptance of a muggle orphanage. Where you are cared for no matter who you are."

"Thank you," Sophia said, putting the cat down so she could accept the cup of tea. She took the seat that was offered to her, laughing as he relayed what he'd been told about Cobalt. "It would seem a good many of my fellow professors are believed to be rather intimidating."

She nodded as she listened to what he said. "And that's the way it should be," Sophia said. "I think that we all are equals, everyone born to this earth. Wizards may have magic, but muggles can do just as much, even more, without it. Human ingenuity is not the right of one side alone."

Sophia leaned back in her seat, gaze flitting about the cabin's interior. She had let her mental shields down a while before letting her mind relax entirely. Keeping up Occlumency shields was usually difficult for one talented in the art, as Sophia was. Unfortunately, Sophia's need for them was to keep projections from others out, but said projections still pressed against her shield. Therefore, the effort was a bit wearisome after a while.

"You're a very soothing person to be around," she said. "I shall have to visit you more often."

James rolled his eyes as he sipped at his tea,

"Understatement much?" he teased before chuckling, "That Cobalt fellow creeps even me out. The headmaster isn't exactly a nice guy either."

He smiled a little,

"Indeed. The power that muggles have made for themselves..." he closed his eyes and didn't need to try and press the emotion of unease and concern to his features, he was genuinely worried, "Have you ever watched a video of an atomic bomb being detonated Sophia? It sends shivers down your spine. I was invited once by my brother's boss to watch an underwater detonation of a thermonuclear test device. The sea parted Sophia. They said they had to test on the seabed because to practice on land would send the world into a nuclear winter for the next fifty years. Every plant would die. They're power... it makes what a wizard can do seem small. Insignificant."

James noticed Sophia relaxing more in his cabin and smiled a little,

"So I've been told." he commented dryly before smiling a little more, "I think I'd like that Sophia."

Sophia frowned minutely. "I find the headmaster unexpectedly kind, myself," she said. "He cares for the people under his charge - that can't be said of everyone. I suppose it depends on your definition of 'nice'. Personally, I've seen nothing that would suggest he isn't fair."

"It is quite frightening," the woman agreed, gaze slipping momentarily out of focus. She shook her head. "It is seldom wise to underestimate others. Wizards have grown far too arrogant in their power - and we'll all pay for it, by and by."

The woman hummed in agreement, letting her eyes drift shut. "It would be nice," she stated. "You don't know how very rare it is that I find someone I don't have to keep my shield up around." She smiled slightly, breathing in deeply through her nose.

"Do you get any other visitors?" Sophia asked curiously. "Perhaps not you brother, from what you've said of him. Don't reckon he'd fancy coming to a place like this. A significant other, perhaps? Amiable man like yourself surely has friends."