With each step, Monya could feel mud oozing around the sides of her boots, hardly a hindrance to her determined march towards the lake. The grey haze of clouds above seemed to span across every direction of the sky, enveloping the campus in a pleasant mist. One gloved hand was tucked into a robe pocket and the other carried the enchanted umbrella that kept her sheltered from the light sprinkles of water that would cause her hair to become even more unruly.

   Many students had tucked themselves away into the cozy, warm corners of the library or the common rooms for the day, but Monya could see some other adventurous souls that had decided to enjoy the weather firsthand. A large group of cackling 3rd year boys were congregated under the thick branches of an alder tree, with two of the rowdy students throwing the tiny cones that were peppered on the dirt at each other.

   "You boys better not be even considering skipping classes today," she croaked at them, not bothering to stop and get involved, as she knew she had surprised them.

  They turned their heads to find the voice, acknowledged her with quick nods, and muttered to each other when she was out of earshot as she arrived at the side of the lake, just a few yards further from the tree. The glistening water of the lake seemed slightly dimmed by the dingy sky above, and Monya sat down on a rock to unwind.

  She realized that she probably had come across as a push over to those students, although her limited interaction with them was due to disinterest, not intimidation. Maybe those students would have her as their professor later in their education here; they wouldn't be able to goof off during her lessons. She took her field of study very seriously, keeping her classes orderly, involved, and in-depth. No nonsense when study of the elements was going on.

   'Would any of the other professors dismiss those students so easily?' she asked herself, not quite sure why she had continued wasting any of her thoughts on them.

   This thought, though insignificant on its own, evoked an intense curiosity about the other professors. Not many of them had been introduced to her, keeping to their own business and overseeing the halls. Monya remembered the headmaster mentioning some areas that didn't have high foot traffic; the river being one of them. How was she expecting to meet others when she literally hid?

Lacking the comfort of his clean and orderly room—one which happened to house a very comfortable bed—Roy couldn't help but release a sigh into the open air. His breath was far warmer than the air around him and his actions caused the fog to momentarily worsen. His outfit was barely suitable for chilly weather, let alone a stroll down by the ever-misty lakeside. And although it was true he looked rather professional in tan slacks and a lightly coloured button-down, the thin fabrics did little to warm his sensitive skin.

Some might ask why, if he were so affected by the weather, would he be cruising by the lake. The answer was a simple one: he had overheard talk of dragon sightings down there not more than a few days prior. No, not every bit of gossip could be trusted, but it was his duty as a dragonologist to investigate such reports no matter the verity.

It was during his time seeking any clues for said dragon that he caught a bit of conversation between what must have been students and one of his new colleagues. 

Quote :

"You boys better not be even considering skipping classes today,"

Interesting, really, that even college-level students were as prone to ditching school as those who were grades below them. Tempted to intervene after the woman simply walked off in an leisurely way, Roy willed himself not to follow through on the desire. If word came back about him scolding two possibly innocent students on campus, he might find himself having an unwanted talk with the headmaster. "Nope—not feeling very risky today." He would prefer to have a job, thank you.

While the rowdy boys continued to banter back and forth as per the professor's departure, Roy found himself following behind the odd woman as her silhouette nearly fell out of sight. Following with rushed steps in the mud to be exact. Thankfully he didn't slip with wobbly legs but his stamina did drop from the sheer strength it took to stay upright through it all. His breathing came out in short puffs and while he approached the stranger her figure became clear. He did not know her but assuming she worked at Merlin's Academy, he trudged toward her.

Quote :

'Would any of the other professors dismiss those students so easily?'

Certainly within proper conversational distance of the woman, Roy tried not to startle her with an abrupt stop by her right side. It was as though his upper half didn't get the memo because when he did come to a halt, his arms and head jostled slightly. Disregarding the issue as it was a fairly common, the man sprung a hand outward for courtesy's sake. Handshakes were still popular here, right?

One—two—three coughs and the professor decided he should probably break the ice by speaking. "So, I uh, heard you say something. Something about the Academy—" Wincing at the sound of his slip-up, Roy angled his head to the ground and tried again. "Er, I assumed you were talking about the Academy anyway. I'm a professor—I mean I work here."