Just Like Home

Several weeks earlier...

Though, uncertain, Sophia had allowed Asric to take her away from the school. To their home, he had called it. The woman moved slowly through the rooms, taking in each detail. Why, it looked... it looked exactly as she would have wished her own home to look.

Asric had left her to wander, for whatever reason, going into another room. Sophia was too bewildered to notice much. This was her life? She lived here? She turned a slowed circle in what had to be the main living area, taking the decor, the furniture, the view through the glass exterior walls...

Her gaze moved to fall on the man as he appeared in the doorway. Sophia opened her mouth to say something, but it was lost as she caught sight of the child in the man's arms. There was suddenly nothing else in the room.

The woman crossed the room purposefully, expression a bit awestruck. As she drew near, the child reached out his arms, leaning towards her. Sophia extended her own arms to take the boy, pulling him to her chest and laying her cheek against his head.

Sophia may not have consciously remembered her son, but her heart still did. He was part of her; she could sense it in her very being.

The present...

Sophia sat on the sofa, holding onto little Asric's hands as he stood on the floor in front of her. He hadn't taken his first steps unassisted, yet, but it wouldn't be too much longer before he did.

"Look 't ye," Sophia cooed fondly. "Such a bonny wee man. Jist like yer father." Sadness flashed in the woman's brown eyes, though, she kept a smile on her face. "So handsome."

After working all night Ric had slept in late, leaving him slightly unaware to what time it was. With a quick stretch he pulled on some clothes and headed down to the kitchen to pour himself some coffee to fully wake himself up.

As he took his first sip of coffee the voice of his wife hit his ears and he couldn't resist going to investigate. Without making a sound he leant up against the living room door frame and just watched as his wife and son played. He couldn't wait for her memories to return. He knew she was trying for their sons sake but he couldn't live being separated any longer, it was killing him.

"Well if you think he gets that from me lets hope he get his mothers brains. We can't have him growing up to be like me." He smiled as he pushed himself off the wall and came to sit on the chair he'd always sit in.

Sophia glanced up as Asric walked into the room, giving the man a smile that was part warmth and part sadness and apology. The smiles she'd been giving him usually came in those same three parts.

"Och, come now," she chided good-naturedly. "Youngest Hogwarts Headmaster in history. Ye've got tae be at least somewhat clever, I'd wager. Even wee Asric agrees," she laughed as the one-year-old let out an excited burst of babyish chatter.

Brown eyes settling on the man thoughtfully, Sophia studied him a long moment before speaking again. "Ye don't really talk about her," she observed, gaze going back to her son. "I mean, th' me ye fell in love with an' married. Had I changed much?"

Sophia couldn't imagine anyone falling in love with her the way she was now - or rather, the way she had been at age 24. No confidence, terrified of her own Gift... Her Gift was another matter she'd debated bringing up, but hadn't yet.