Caught in a Dream || Open

Sometime in the dead of night...

Sophia's eyes had opened. Then, she had risen from her bed and exited her bedroom, and then her quarters. Wearing but a thin nightgown, her bare feet carried her down from the North Tower.

Down, down, down seven floors of stairs, expertly navigating the shifting staircases though her gaze was unseeing.

Descending the Grand Staircase, she crossed the cold stone floor of the Entrance Hall. She pulled open both doors leading outside, leaving them wide open behind her as she proceeded outside, across the frozen courtyard and onto the grounds beyond.

She stood there, barefoot in the snow, a bitter breeze pulling at her hair and inadequate attire. The moon shone down, lending her pale blue eyes an eerie glow.

He woke with a start and sat up. Nightmares again. He took a deep breath trying to clear the image of his brothers face from his mind but it wouldn't budge, it remained imprinted into his eyelids. He got out of bed and got dressed it was pointless trying to sleep now because he knew he never would be able to.

Deciding it was probably best to go for a walk he got dressed and just wondered letting his legs take him where ever it was they wanted to take him. Minutes that felt like hours passed and he found himself outside all alone, or so he had first thought.

"Sophia? What you doing out here dressed like that? You'll freeze to death." He said taking off his coat and draping over her shoulders. "Are you okay?" He asked upon seeing her up close, she seemed to be in some sort of sleep walking state.

"Can you see them?" Sophia whispered, eyes still staring out over the rest of the grounds. Her voice was her own, not the dual tones she used when Speaking a Prophecy.

Another bitter breeze swept past. The woman didn't even shiver. "Can you hear them?" she breathed.

He frowned glancing where she was looking but he couldn't see anything. "See who Sophia?" He asked before stopping to listen. "Sophia there's nothing there." He had better sense than even the best animal predators but he couldn't see or hear anything. He couldn't even smell them.

He waved his hands in front of her eyes to see if she reacted to that if not the wind.

The woman did not respond to the man's hand waving in front of her face, her unnatural blue gaze just continued to stay fixed upon the grounds.

"War has been here," she murmured. This time, her tone did possess the barest echo. "It has come and gone. War shall return here, before very long."

Only her head moved as her eyes turned upon him. "They will die." Heartache now colored her voice. "Innocent, guilty; young, old; magical and mundane alike.

"Can't you see them?" she insisted, tone rising. "Can't you hear them??" Her hands grabbed hold of the front of his robes and, bowing her head, she began to weep. After a moment, she staggered in place, as though she'd only just realized she was upright, her legs beneath her.

Sophia looked up, agony shining from eyes now their natural brown. "I'm sorry, headmaster - Ric," she said, shivering violently. "I... I must've b-been Dreamwalking. I hope I didn't wake you."

He frowned taking in every word she was saying. He would die before the war was brought inside these castle walls. He would do everything in his power to make sure everyone left in his care stayed safe.

He shook his head. "No one will die here as long as im Headmaster. I won't allow it." He said more to himself than to her because he knew she wouldn't be taking it in anyway. No one would die on his watch ever again.

He just watched as she pulled on his robes and began to cry. "Sophia?" He asked he needed to make sure she was awake. He caught her just in time to stop her from falling. He scooped her up in his arms bridal style just incase she didn't have the strength to stand after that.

He gave her a gentle smile and sat her on the ground whilst he lit a fire so she could keep warm. "Don't worry about it, i was already awake." He said the nightmare all forgotten for now. Once the fire was set up he moved back towards her and sat down beside her. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" He asked, he wasn't too sure about this kind of thing.

Sophia leaned against Asric, soaking in the warmth and comfort of his presence.

"I forget some of it," she murmured in reply, tone still thick. "Some of it I cannot. I'm mad, aren't I? A sane person doesnae dream of such violence. A sane person doesnae see the things I see.

"How'm I to teach children to embrace their Gifts when my own terrifies me?" Sophia shuddered again, this time, less from the cold than the after-effects of the Dream. "Sometimes, I think they have the right of it - I'm the Mad Woman of the Tower." She turned her face in against his chest, pulling his coat tighter about herself.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder trying to keep her as warm as possible out in the cold night air. He shook his head. "No you're not mad. You're just as sane as i am." He said barely louder than a whisper, he didn't think there was any need to talk loudly.

He took a deep breath and frowned. "I dream of violence all the time. Every night i have to relive watching my brother die whilst i stand by and do nothing. The mind works in mysterious ways Sophia. Sometimes such dreams are there to punish us, others are there to inform us." He said brushing back her hair. "You were given a gift for a reason, you just have to figure out what that reason is." He said staring off into the flames.

"It's okay to be afraid you know. It makes you human, everyone's scared of something." He said before picking her up so she had to look at him. "I don't think your mad, talented and beautiful yes but never mad." He said before letting her back in to keep her warm.

Sophia pulled her legs up to her body for warmth, listening to his heartbeat through his robes as he spoke.

"I would that I didn't Dream at all," she murmured, matching his quiet tone. "Let the possibilities of the future torment someone else. I didn't know about your brother. I'm sorry."

Asric was quiet for a moment and Sophia timed her breathing with his. "Warren left me because of my Gift," she said, somehow feeling the need to utter the words aloud. "I was pretty and kind and uniquely gifted. I was a novelty, and at first, he adored me for it. But then the novelty wore off and I was just pretty and kind... and a bit odd. I remember envying him a bit, even as my heart broke. He could walk away from my Gift, but I never can."

Sophia laughed softly. "I said same thing to my apprentice," she revealed.

She looked into his face when he pulled her back to make her look at him. The woman snuggled back against him. "This isn't the first time you've looked after me," Sophia said, her fingers tracing a seam in his robes. "In the pub, when you tried to keep the fact that I'd Spoken from me - you were trying to protect me. I didn't thank you for that."

He frowned seeing she was still cold and conjured a blanket which he wrapped around her. "They were given to you for a reason Sophia. You must be strong enough to cope otherwise you wouldn't have been given the gift." He said stroking her hair back, it was known for keeping people calm.

"It's alright we weren't blood brothers. We were brought up as hunting partners but our master had us live as brothers." He shrugged. "I havent seen my real brother in years. He wasn't too happy when i got my letter to Hogwarts, he's a squib you see." He frowned, he had nothing against his brother but his brother hated him for who he was.

He frowned, who was Warren? "Warren was an idiot for letting you go. He obviously couldn't see what i can. Your gift isn't a curse and you shouldn't see it as one. It's called a gift for a reason you know, you shouldn't need to walk away from it." He said keeping his gaze on the flames in front of them. "I'll never walk away, if you need me i will always be here. I don't run when things get hard i like to stay and fight." He said gritting his teeth, he hated cowards.

"See we are both wise." He smirked. "Although being wise is often considered to be an old mans thing so lets say we're smart for our sake. I'm not ready to be old just yet." He smirked.

He nodded. "I don't know much about this gift of yours but i'm willing to learn. My master wife had the same gift and we used to have to keep it a secret from her if she made a prediction, he said it was better for her to not know. So forgive me if you prefer to know." He said recalling the first times he'd had to watch a prediction.

He smiled. "It's okay, there's not need to thank me. Unless you're willing to buy me a drink sometime." He smirked.

I'll never walk away...

Sophia felt her heart skip a beat and her face flush. It seemed he was always there when she needed him, when it mattered.

"Simply 'wise' is alright by me," she laughed. "I, too, am too young to be old."

She pulled back to look into his face, to study it in the flickering firelight. "Everyone's Gift is different. I do better if I know what I've said or done, even if I remember only vaguely," she said. "I... would be willing to teach you.

"And I wouldn't mind buying you a drink." She sat there, simply staring at him for a moment, her heart beating in a way she'd forgotten it was capable of doing. After a moment, she realized she was doing it and looked away, face flushing.

He laughed. "Wyse by name wise by nature, it fits for you. I think im set for only making chaos." He smirked. "I can do that. Everyone needs a little fun once in a while." He smiled, seemed he was good at causing chaos.

He nodded. "Well i'll bare that in mind for next time." He smiled, it wasn't everyday you met someone as gifted as her. "Thank you, i never thought id like one of my professors. I understand now where that saying comes from." He smirked. "But seriously though i'd love to know all about this gift of yours."

He smiled. "Good it's a date. Ill pick you up at 8." He smirked as he heard the beating of her heart. He was probably one of the only people that could hear it, not that he would tell her that. "I'll tell you what how about i take us to that nice restaurant and you can tell me all about that gift of yours?" He asked. "Or we could just talk about it here it's up to you." He shrugged.

"It is a belief that the world itself would not exist, but for chaos," Sophia reminded him. "And it is usually best not to take oneself too seriously." She smiled back at him.

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Being indoors out of the cold would be nice, pleasant as this is," she said, then added wryly, "I should probably put on something a bit more... modest before we go, however."

He smiled. "Well it's a good job there has always been a Chaos around then isnt it?" He smiled. "Although my brother would never agree, he's a bit sour about not getting his letter to Hogwarts. Seems even twins can be that different." He frowned, he'd probably sided with the muggles knowing him.

He nodded. "I think i better change into my best suit. I don't think they accept casual clothes in there and i do have a reputation to uphold as headmaster." He smirked getting to his feet then holding his hand out to help her up. "You sure you're up for this now? We can always do it another time." He asked for all he knew she could still be weak from the sleep walking thing.

"Absolutely," Sophia grinned, then frowned thoughtfully. "That is quite the difference. Not a very common one, though, I've heard of it once before."

She smiled a little before taking his hand, shivering a bit as the air hit her bare legs. "I'm quite alright," Sophia assured him. "Dreaming, even walking whilst in thrall of it, is not quite the blow to my being as some of my other Gifts. Some proper attire and a bite to eat and I'll be good as new."

The woman was acutely aware of everything at that moment. The cold ground, half-thawed beneath her feet, the bitter bite of the breeze, the way the firelight played off of Asric's features and how his hand felt warm around hers despite their frigid surroundings.

"Let's get inside, shall we?" Sophia said, tone a bit rushed in an attempt to cover for her wandering thoughts. "I'll see what I've got hidden in that wardrobe of mine."

He shrugged. "It's alright now we're well i'm over it but he's still sensitive about the whole subject. It's best that we don't mention or do magic around him. Not that we see him anymore." He frowned, he'd give anything to get back in touch with his brother but he couldn't if his brother wasn't willing.

He nodded. "Well lets get you some food then. I think i'd have a panic attack if you passed out on me. Battle wounds i can heal but mental wounds i don't have a clue." He said giving her a warm smile.

He nodded wrapping his arm around her waist just incase she collapsed again. "I'll tell you what. How about i apparate us to your office? I wouldn't be that great of a headmaster if i couldn't even apparate in my own castle." He smirked. "You're not against apparating are you?" He asked because he knew some people wouldn't apparate because they didn't like the feel or were scared they'd get splinched.

Sophia smiled a bit as he wrapped his arm around her. She shook her head. "No problem with apparating," she reported with a smile. "I trust you not to splinch either of us."

He laughed. "I wouldn't." He smirked spinning them on the spot so they apparated straight to the door of Sophia's office. "There we go quick and easy, this castle is far to big to walk if you're in a hurry. It must be a nightmare for you guys since you can't apparate here." He said shaking his.

"Right get changed and i shall meet you back here in..." He glanced down at his watch. "... 10 minutes." He smiled thinking about where he'd left his best suit, he just hoped he'd brought it with him and not left it at his house.

"My lady." He said bowing to her before he twisted and disappeared.

Sophia smiled to the empty corridor. Who'd have thought the Headmaster was such a charming man? She had suspected, of course, from her previous interaction with him. He'd always seemed a kind man, to her, even though there was certainly a darkness which clung to him. But he cared about the students, the staff. A horrid man would not - couldn't.

She stepped into her office and moved across to the door into her quarters. Asric's coat was still draped around her shoulders, so she took it off and put it over the back of a chair. She'd return it to him later, if she didn't forget.

Moving to her bedroom, she opened her wardrobe to decide which dress to wear. Out in the living room, Magus had swooped to the chair back to curiously examine the strange coat.

He appeared in his office and frowned, where had he put this suit? He thought to himself as he went to check his wardrobe. No sigh. He sighed and turn on the spot trying to think back to the day he'd last worn it. He was at the ministry, he had just been announced headmaster of the school but then what did he do? He began to pace his office in thought and smiled as he remembered. He left for his house immediately.

Minutes later he returned to stand outside her office dressed in his best suit. He knocked softly on the door. "Sophia you ready?" He asked leaning against the door frame.

"Yes!" Sophia called. "Coming!" She wrapped nice black shawl over her shoulders, then hurried across her office to open the door. In her haste, she forgot his coat.

The woman was wearing a dark crimson dress that caressed her figure without being overly tight. Sophia was a slender woman, but though she'd never be referred to as busty, her form was distinctly feminine. Her dark brown up was up in a simple, yet elegant, knot.

She smiled upon seeing him standing there. "Well, don't you look dashing?" she inquired casually, though, her heart had fluttered momentarily.

He smiled seeing her in her crimson dress before dropping his mouth open in shock. "Wow... you look... wow." He smirked. "Obviously my words fail me." He smiled holding his arm out. "Thank you, it's my best suit." He smiled holding his arm out.

"Shall we?" He asked getting ready to apparate them straight to the restaurant.

Sophia blushed at his praise. She didn't think she looked that nice. "Thank you," she said quietly. She smiled, then took his arm. "Ready when you are, kind sir."