A Morning Stroll

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina was wearing white shorts, a striped shirt and a scarf as she left her Common Room. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up into a pony tail with shiny, bouncy curls. She walked out of the castle after walking promptly into the Great Hall and took a seasame seed bagel. She didn't wish to have breakfast with all the noise today, in fact she wanted to go by the Grounds.

As Nina left the castle she was greeted by a cool breeze, and warm sun that caressed her cheeks. She smiled and took a bite of the bagel, before continuing on, walking passed the younger students. The Lakefront was her favorite place on the Grounds, but there were several children that seemed to have the same idea as she. Nina Patrokov walked towards the Forbidden Forest, with no intention of actually entering, she didn't have her wand on hand and did not want to come across any Acromentula, like she had in her first and second year at Hogwarts Scotland.

Nina walked heal directly in front of toe along the edge of the forest. Her head was tilted up with such confidence that could not be questioned. Her hazel eyes were joyful, thinking of her boyfriend, Zak. She had seen him in October during the Brightstone Weekend, it was great to see him, and realized exactly how much she had missed him.

The red head's thoughts were moved away from Zak as she heard chirping from birds up ahead. Nina looked up and smiled at the bird, and stopped walking without a thought or care in the world. She watched the small red bird ruffle his feathers and sing merrily, a wide grin formed on her lips. She didn't think that she had ever been happier in her life. She ripped a small piece of the bagel between her index and thumb and popped it into her mouth, chewing quietly and politely.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah had not left the dorm very often this year at all. It was actually completely unlike him in every way. What happened to the outgoing and talkative Noah Lewis that was common fifth year and below. Now here he was a seventh year at Hogwarts New Zealand, and sad to say almost a completely different person. The few years had changed this Slytherin though age was not only to blame.

The family matters that had occured, the deaths, the dramas of school, the stress of grades, the distanting of some very close friends; all this seemed to cause the person Noah was. It all formed the boy who was walking across the grass the sun shining right onto his pale face. Pale due to lack of sun and nothing else of the sort.

His long legs brought him across the lawn, as his green eyes watched the students around him. All seemed so young, all the students seemed very young indeed. No memories of Noah's first year flashed back to him. It was all too far in the past to remember.

The feet of this eighteen year old lead him towards the forest a figure in the distance dragging him in, pulling him. The figure just happened to be someone Noah knew, one of his few friends here or really at all. "Nina?" Noah said a slight question in his voice, his hands going to ruffle his now short brown hair. "It's been a long time" He continued flashing her a smile.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina turned her head from the bird as she heard her name, her gaze settled on Noah Lewis, her closest friend, even though they really hadn't seen each other very often any longer. She skipped towards him, and wrapped her arms around him warmly. She knew that they hadn't seen each other in a while, but for some reason the two were always able to pick up where they left off, so why should it be any different now that the mature girl had matured even more so?

Nina grinned, pressed her cheek softly against his as she began pulling away gently. "I've missed you," she admitted in a gentle whisper before pulling back completely, a smile in her eyes. "It's been too long," she said, like an adult would when they saw one of their friends from High School as a passer-by in the street. The two hadn't seen each other since last school year, in fact the only thing she could remember about their meeting was what had occured, not when it happened.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah was surprised at how much they both seemed to have a different aura around them, more mature. He wrapped his arms around her lightly reinforcing the hug. Things never did change between the two of them. No matter how long they hadn't seen each other or what happened their last meeting, everything always seemed to fade back into the same thing. This was something that Noah was very happy about. He loved that fact actually.

"I've missed you too" Noah said meaning every word of it. "I thought we agreed to hang out more." He added still smiling as he saw his friend, his best friend so to say. All the thoughts of the last meeting seemed to escape from Noah's mind as he decided once more the two of them would start off new, a new day a new meeting.

His green eyes focused on Nina as they stood next to each other at a friendly distance of course. "So what has been happening in the life of Nina Patrokov?" Noah asked the blenched white smile still his face.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

"Nothing," Nina answered honestly, other then studying until she wanted to rip her eyes out, nothing had happened in her life, not yet anyway. She took a bite of her bagel, when she was finished chewing she returned the question to her dear friend Noah Lewis. "And yourself, Lewis?" she asked, with a teasing grin, using his surname because he had used her own. She would be so pleased to change her surname when it became time, she honestly wanted nothing to do with her parents, her Grandmother, she was fine with, but was getting tired of her with every day, and she thought that in the summer between sixth and seventh year she would move out of her condo.

Nina could honestly say that she was ready to be living on her own, working and having her very own life. She was not ready to go so far as to begin her own family, after all that was so foolish to want that when she was only sixteen turning seventeen.

 

[Noah Lewis]

This Slytherin boy nodded as if he guessed that would be Nina's answer. Questions as to what had been going on seemed to always come out with that simple answer, the nothing or maybe not much. Even when really some things did indeed happen. Just nothing too important to mention.

Noah however let out a small laugh when she returned the question using his surname. How odd it sounded to just be called Lewis. Not very often did people do that. Though sometimes he did get the occasional Mr. Lewis. That name however made him feel older than he was. It did however bring into point that he was growing older, no longer in that stage of childhood.

Ruffling his hair once more, not quite yet used to the new look nor did he think he was yet fond of it. His mind thinking about the question at hand. Truthfully, Noah had done very little that was important. "Nothing too important has occured in my life either" Noah said honestly. "Guess I'm continuing my role as Slytherin hermit" He added another small laugh escaping him.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina's gaze trailed up to Noah's brown hair as he ruffled it. Her eye brows rose, it was short, quite short. She didn't dislike it, she was just realizing how different they both looked since they had seen each other last. She sighed, everything seemed to be spinning out of control, and she didn't know what to do about it.

"Guess that means I'm the equally as distant, Hufflepuff Hermit," Nina responded with a grin. Her smile fell, and she sighed sadly. She didn't want to be alone anymore, she did have Zak, but she no longer had any friends that she saw regularly. "We really have to get out more," she said firmly, she would actually go through with it, as it was Noah's last year at Hogwarts and when he was gone she would have no one.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah continued to hold a simple smile on his face. Lately he hadn't been smiling as much as he used to but still now seemed like the time to start up once more. In the presence of Nina it almost felt like old times or maybe that wasn't why Noah seemed happy at all. Maybe he just loved spending time with his friend, basically his only friend. Both responses made about the same sense in his mind.

It however surprised Noah just slightly when Nina called herself the hufflepuff hermit. She never seemed to the type to be too distant. If so she had probably changed just as much as this eighteen year old did. Once Noah saw the smile fall off Nina's face, his smile too lessened. "This isn't going to be one of our favorite sad meetings is it?" Noah asked a slight tone of teasing could be found in his voice, yet the statement was completely serious in it's context. For the longest time, Noah and Nina seemed to be meeting and the problems that both where experiencing always seemed to be brought out quickly and strong. Not that Noah minded.

Really at this time however he had no issues to really talk about. Other than the fact he wasn't sure what he was going to be doing after school or what he felt about leaving Hogwarts after his time here, Noah had beaten many of the other problems that he had experienced the last meeting. Had Nina?

 

[Nina Patrokov]

"This isn't going to be one of our favorite sad meetings is it?" Nina shook her head, and brightly smiled at Noah, to show that she was still quite happy. "I'm just thinking about your graduation," she explained, with a soft smile. She was proud of her friend, he worked just as hard as she did on his education, or she thought he had anyway, and knew that he deserved the best. She glanced into the forest for a second, before looking back at Noah. "Want to go in?" she asked with a gleeful smile, even though Nina had never been fond of the Forbidden Forest and she was an older student with a reputation to uphold it didn't matter. She wanted to have fun with her best friend, and it seemed like the only option considering Brightstone was closed to students currently. With a shrug of her shoulders, Nina took another small bite of her bagel, and grinned, curious as to what his response might be.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah didn't even really want to think about graduation nonetheless talk to Nina about it. Even though he was a year older than his friend, it didn't feel like it. Leaving the school a year before her felt almost like he was abandoning her, something that Noah promised to never do to any of his friends. "Let's not think about graduation" Noah said flashing Nina a small smile as his green eyes gazed into the forest.

The simple question that was asked took no time at all to answer. "Of course we should go in. Need a little bit of excitement" Noah said. He couldn't really remember the last time he was in the forest. Seemed like ages a go. Maybe even during his sixth year or earlier. All those years before seemed to merge together creating no good sense of time for this Seventh year Slytherin.

"Ladies first" Noah said as he took one step towards the forest and gestured towards the forest with his arms. Of course this boy knew that ladies first did not apply in such a situation but it wasn't like the two of them were getting into anything dangerous. It was just the forbidden forest after all.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina nodded softly as Noah said that they shouldn't think about graduation. She knew that his graduation would be hard on the both of them because for some reason she seem to cherish Noah far more then Alex, or Zak combined, and Nina was head over heals for and with Zak Swan.

When Noah said ladies first Nina shook her head and walked behind Noah and playfully pushed him into the forest with all of her strength, that really wasn't enouch to push him all that far into the trees. "Ladies first doesn't work here," she laughed slyly before skipping into her best friend's arms and taking his hand in hers and began walking at a steady pace with him.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah was glad that the subject of graduation was dropped so easily. As the time came closer it would be harder to imagine actually leaving, but as of now, Noah would just have to admit it was something that needed to be done. No matter what time would bring the pair of them apart. It would only hope that their friendship would bring them past the graduation and into a new friendship outside the school environment.

When Nina pushed Noah into the forest slightly he let out a small laugh. "Wow been working out there Nina" He teased looking over at Nina as they walked hand and hand, something that they did meaning nothing in particular. Some would have imagined that Noah and Nina would have ended up together in something far more than a friendship, yet never had fate shined upon that situation never making it so. Friends they would always be and Noah truthfully didn't mind that one bit. If anything he preferred it that way.

"What a good example we are setting for all those younger students" Noah said rolling his eyes. When was Noah Lewis ever one to set an example. Well really never. His green eyes surveyed the trees which didn't look at all creepy at this time. It was only in the dead of night that Noah feared the forest or maybe not feared but at least had to watch his back. "Believe it or not I've always wanted to camp out in the forbidden forest. Might have to do that before the end of this year" Noah said his word choice carefully chosen. Instead of stating before he got out of this place like his first reaction words would have he chose the words before the year was up. It made it so much easier to say for Noah was used to the ending years not the ending of the schooling.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina's cheeks burned in embarasment as Noah teased her. "Well it's not like I have big muscles like you do," she responded, emphasizing big muscles by squeezing Noah's bicep with the hand that was not laced with her best friend's. She laughed whimsically and smiled at her friend. "What a good example we are setting for all those younger students." The Hufflepuff shrugged and said slyly, "Not our first school. Not our job." Truthfully, she didn't believe this but she had tried to set a good example in her fourth and fifth year but it only ended up with her getting smashed with Dungbombs so she didn't bother thinking of those that had actually begun at Hogwarts New Zealand ay more.

"...I've always wanted to camp out in the forbidden forest." Nina smiled softly at Noah and said, "We could always do it now." Of course, she wouldn't offer this to anyone but Noah because of her irrational fear of the Forbidden Forest back at Hogwarts Scotland. That and, she trusted Noah to be there for her and make sure that no rogue Centuar trampled on her. Rogue Centuar? What an imagination I have, she thought with a roll of her hazel eyes.

 

[Noah Lewis]

Noah looked over to see Nina blushing slightly. "Well I have to work for these muscles" Noah said laughing slightly. He had never been a big male. Tall and gangly most of his life. Over the past two years he had gained some muscle, enough for him yet not too much so that Noah looked like some work out obsessed boy. Laughing as Nina laughed he could only agreed with Nina's comment. "Very true" He said for a moment wishing he was back home at Hogwarts Scotland graduating from there instead of from his second school.

However Noah was surprised that Nina offered up a camp out in the Forbidden forest. Didn't Nina not care for the forest? "I don't think you can handle a night in the fobidden forest" Noah said of course teasing. Nina was probably the only girl Noah knew that could probably stay in the forest without freaking out. "I wouldn't ask you to do that anyway. Couldn't risk any attacks by gaint spiders, centuars, or whatever lurks in these woods" Noah continued rolling his green eyes even if he knew there was probably worse things into the forest as the walked on.

 

[Nina Patrokov]

Nina shoved Noah playfully when he said that she couldn't handle a night in the forbidden forest. "Oh yeah?" she asked, getting into a bit of a competitive mood even though she knew that Noah was just teasing her. "I bet you'd be running away from here long before the night is up," she said in the same playful tone as the Slytherin had used.

The sixteen year old took one last bite of her bagel and chewed it politely while listening to Noah speak. When she had swallowed she responded, "You didn't ask me. I offered." She smirked slyly and then added, "Besides, I know I'll be safe with you and your strong, manly muscles." Nina gave her best friend a playful wink beforebefore breaking out in soft laughter.

 

[Noah Lewis]

A small laugh came out of Noah as Nina put on her competative nature aura. "Oh come on Nina" He teased. "You wouldn't last after night fall." He nudged her lightly. His tone of course was still playful. The pair could probably stand the night in the forest if a professor didn't come in first breaking them up and giving them detentions. Or worse take away house points. Slytherin was finally catching up in the totals and Noah would hate to ruin it for his house.

Though Nina wasn't trying to boost Noah's ego, it seemed that it was happening even just a little bit. "Of course I'll protect you with my strong muscles" Noah said pulling Nina closer for just a moment a smile clearly and naturally printed on his face. The laughter soon followed as he made a normal distance between the two of them and continued walking on. As he passed under a low branch, Noah lifted the branch high enough for both Nina and Noah to get under.

For a few minutes, Noah just listened to the silence of the forbidden forest. Maybe people considered it so creepy for it was so quiet at times. Quiet did seemed to get to some people, not Noah, but surely some people. His eyes looked over at Nina the smile on his face increasing in the slightest. Noah still couldn't get over the fact at how much Nina had changed throughout the years they knew each other. Looking forward once more Noah noticed a few tree roots sticking above the ground a few feet away. "Careful. Don't trip" Noah said motioning to the ground.

((Lame Sorry))