what a view -freya-

[Nikolai Viktor Amsel]

Nikolai had been up to the Astronomy Tower so many times, from when he was a student to now as a professor, he could walk up the winding stone steps without even looking where he was going. Considering he was at a wonderful part in his latest horror novel, that was a welcomed talent. He got to the open balcony and set the book down, preferring the beautiful view of the exceptionally clear night. He set his book on the inside pocket of his long black leather jacket and leaned against the stone balcony and looked out at the Black Lake, smirking as he thought of all of the time he spent swimming in there with his friends while at the school. Being back as a professor was never something he intended, but things happened.

He smiled, seeing the Giant Squid skirt across the calm water and thought back to when he saw it for the first time. In his sixth year his friend's told him that there were mermaids in the water, being a curious Ravenclaw, he had to know! The mermaids were hideous and he got plucked out of the water by a Giant Squid. Niko laughed to himself thinking about it, he had nightmares of that damn thing for months. He kept feeling those weird tentacles all over himself and would wake up in a cold sweat. He looked over at the Forbidden Forest, getting lost in his thought.

[Freya Alexandria Phillips]

This time of the day, she found that her marking had been completed. Freya had never thought she would come back to Hogwarts to teach, and yet here she was, her first year of it. She thought she would have stayed in New York to work and have a new life there, but it would seem the fates had a different option for her. There was a time that she would not have returned to Hogwarts, but life changed people and she changed, nothing major had happened but she discovered that her home would always be at Hogwarts, no matter where in the world she was.

Walking through the halls of Hogwarts, Freya knew that this was her home and it would be until the day she died, there was so much history in these walls. There had been good times and the bad times, but it was here she started her journey on becoming a witch just like thousands of others. Now that she had free time to herself, she found herself walking towards one of the tower, most importantly the best views of the ground of Hogwarts. Since she no longer had classes, Freya was dressed in simple black trousers, flat shoes and a blouse, still professional but with the robes, they always got in the way.

Freya walked up the old stairs and saw that she would not be on her own after her. A small smile easily rested on her lips. “Beautiful view isn’t it.” She spoke softly. “Hello Professor, I am surprised to find you up here.” Freya stood to his right. "I find it breathtaking."

[Nikolai Viktor Amsel]

Nikolai was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear anyone creeping up on him. What kind of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and former Auror was he? He smiled when he saw Professor Phillips join him at the balcony, she was new at the school but they got along well enough.
"This is my favorite place in the whole school, always has been." He used to go to the same space when he couldn't sleep, or when he wanted to get drunk with friends off a stolen bottle of fire whiskey.

He smiled at her, she was a beautiful girl and definitely a hit with the students.
"You can call me Nikolai, calling me professor makes me forget that you're not a student." He laughed, thinking about how weird it just was to think of himself as a professor. A molder of young minds. He still read comic books and watched cartoons during the summer.

[Freya Alexandria Phillips]

“Well I haven’t been a student here for eight years; I doubt I would pass now.” Freya chuckled with a slight smile on her face. “And I spent three years studying in New York; well I don’t think I would want to be a student again.” She glanced at him, before looking back over at the grounds. Part of her missed Andrew, the man she had met over there and she left him because she could not turn down this chance to work back at Hogwarts. Leaning slightly so her hands rested on the balcony, she glanced taking in everything. Nature was beautiful thing but could often be cruel. Considering for a moment, she tapped her fingers against her cheeks; maybe she should go back to New York and see him. The dilemma it provided, it was tough and she had no idea what she should do.

“Call me Freya.” She told him, a slight chuckle in her voice. “I sometimes wonder should I have come back to teach, I mean everything is not like it is used to be.” Freya spoke her thoughts aloud, she considered Nikolai a friend, and she hoped that he thought likewise. “Sorry, just thinking aloud there.” She smiled again. Freya knew that she could not go back, it was time to look forward and lead the life she wanted to live.

[Nikolai Viktor Amsel]

He laughed when she said that she had been out of school for so many years, he understood that. He had been out of school for a while too, had a whole different career and gave it up because he didn't like how the Ministry was treating the wizarding world in exchange for peace of mind. He smiled when she said that she spent time in New York,
"New York, huh? I went there once, got lost in Central Park and vowed to never go back." He was much more comfortable in England and his occasional visit back to Moscow.

"Very nice to meet you Freya." He leaned on the stone balcony and listened to what she said about being unsure with coming back to the school, pretty much everything that he was feeling as well.
"Everything is different here, it's fine to think out loud, I was thinking all of that stuff too." He ran his fingers though his short brown hair and smiled at her, "What would you want to do if it isn't teaching? What were you doing in New York?"