"Yes. Done. Playtime."  Nicholas said to no one in particular at the Gryffindor table.  He had been working on an essay while eating lunch.  Food definitely made essay writing more bearable.  But now he was done and it was time to escape the confines of the castle for a while.  As he stood, he grabbed a jug of pumpkin juice and a bowl of fruit and left the Great Hall.  He slowly made his way up to Gryffindor tower. Quietly slipping in and up to the his room he sat the food down while he got to his knees and pulled a record player and a box of records from under his bed.

Most of the records in the box had been converted from CDs, it was one of the few things Nicholas spent a lot of money on, at least now anyways.   It was a lot easier back before he ended up at a school where CD players and iPods didn't work.  But over the last five summers he had managed to collect quite a few records.  He pulled out one of the ones he had gotten just a few days before he had come back to Hogwarts.  Putting the record and the record player into his bag, he stood, hooked the bag over his shoulder and picked up the food and pumpkin juice and headed back down to the entrance hall and exiting the castle and making his way to the lake.

He found the place he wanted, near a large rock that went partially out into the lake and would hopefully keep the music going more out over the lake than back at the castle, and sat the record player down on the ground and the bowl of fruit and jug of pumpkin juice up on top of the rock. Nicholas put the record on the turntable, tapping the record player with his wand the vinyl disc started to spin. Picking up the arm he placed it on the edge of the record.  A few seconds later Man Like Me's "London Town" disrupted the silent Sunday afternoon.  Moving with the music, he pointed his wand at a small stone, and with a flick he sent it skipping across the lake.  The stone flying much further with the force of a magical throw than it would otherwise have skipped.

Alice was enjoying a pretty relaxed Sunday. She had woken up early that morning, rubbing her eyes before hopping out of bed, slipping on her slippers, grabbing her book, and shuffling into the common room. It was how she liked to start her Sunday mornings, before anyone was able to crowd or make noise. Knowing at home that a quiet morning was something she would pay for, it was great to get to have alone time even when she was going to a school like Hogwarts.

After an hour of reading, when the clock struck 6, she shuffled back into her room, pulling out her outfit for that day. She was going to wear jeans that she was sure were Jane's, a striped long sleeved shirt, and a blue knit hat. She said good morning to Annette, before heading down to breakfast- notebook and book in hand.

After a quick breakfast and several more hours of reading (it was her favorite pastime.) her stomach growled for lunch. at noon, she sat down at a table, eating a quick bite before heading out to the grounds. She was going to meet some new people today, she was sure of it. Just do what Professor Sandusky said, she thought.

Alice approached an older kid, thinking that if she had to start with someone, he seemed nice enough. He was playing music from his record player, which had interested Alice immensely. Growing up, she had inherited a record player and would listen to records of her Winnie The Pooh growing up.

Then she saw the boy flick a rock across the lake, with his wand. She inhaled sharply, amazed at his magical ability. She smiled as she walked over there.

"Hi," She said quietly, sitting near the record player. "Sorry, I was drawn by the music." Her face flushed red as she sat with her legs crossed.

Nicholas didn't hear the girl walk up over the music, so when heard a young voice behind him say hi as he was about to send another rock skipping, he jumped and nearly flicked his wand out into the lake.  Holding his hand over his chest feeling his rapidly beating heart he turned to look at the girl.  "Walk louder next time," He said with a laugh.  "Music, almost better than a summoning charm."  Looking at her sitting next to the record player, Nicholas decided that she was probably a first year by the look of her, maybe a second year, and he was pretty sure she wasn't a Gryffindor since he hadn't seen her in the common room.  He didn't recognize her from the sorting, but he had stopped paying attention to those in his third year.

"You know the first time I tried that," he pointed at the ripples in the lake where the second rock had fallen, "I had to dive into the lake to retrieve my wand.  Almost lost it again."  He walked over to the girl and held out his hand, "Name's Cole.  And yours?  First year, am I right?"

Alice looked at this guy. He was actually talking to her. Like, ACTUALLY talking to HER! Of all people! She became very excited, knowing that the strategies of making friends were working.
"Walk louder next time,"

She giggled. "Well, I am known as Little Mouse at home. No one can ever hear me come up behind them." She replied.

He talked about the first time he skipped rocks with his wand. She listened intently and giggled at the end. "Yeah, but nothing could possibly be worse than hitting a tree in your first flying class!" Alice blushed, knowing that her story was no where to being as creative or as cool as his. And she had only realized this after the words had left her mouth. Back in Oulton Broad, this kid would be a cool kid for sure. Except that he didn't shove her face in the mud the minute he saw her, which was a nice change.

He said his name was Cole. See? I totally knew this guy was a cool kid! She thought to herself as he held out his hand. She took it, shaking it slightly. "I'm Alice. Alice Hunter. Yeah, I am a first year. Just a little, unimportant Hufflepuff, but I don't mind." She looked at the way the record spun around gracefully, the way the needle held it's place firmly, playing the lovely noise that we call music.

"I love the player. I grew up with one." She looked at her shoes as she always did when she ran out of things to say. She was worried about the awkward silence that she predicted would hang in the air soon, so she blurted out, "What's your favorite color?"

Nicholas laughed at the little mouse comment.  "Fitting nickname for sure.  I don't think I've ever been all that quiet."  Not that he ever really tried, except for when he tried to sneak up on Sophie, and that rarely worked out.

"I don't know.  If it had been your last flying class maybe."  He smiled at the younger girl, "But first flying class, nah someone usually runs into something, or someone, or falls off their broom.  I fell off mine more than once, and nearly knocked a few of my classmates off theirs."

Nicholas frowned at the unimportant Hufflepuff comment she made, "Unimportant?  How so?  Wait, never mind.  I doubt you're unimportant."  He sat down on the other side of the record player, with his back to the rock.  "Or at least not any less unimportant than any other first year.  But hey, its Sunday.  Nothing serious on Sunday." Or any other day as far as he was concerned. 

"I—" He started to say after waiting a bit, expecting more story than that she had just grown up with a record player, but she asked about his favorite color instead.  "Well I certainly like purple" He said, lifting his foot to show off his purple and black shoes.  "But thankfully I also like red since I'm required to wear it so often."  He paused, looking at the record player again.  "But yeah, I never had a record player growing up.  I much prefer my iPod, but it doesn't exactly work  here.  Which no one bothered to tell me when I showed up with one my first year.  Ruined it, and I'd only had it a few months."

"Fitting nickname for sure.  I don't think I've ever been all that quiet."

Alice giggled. God, why can't I stop giggling like an idiot? She wondered. He then talked about how someone always falls off their broom in the first class. "Is that really true? I mean, I kind of felt like the only one." She asked.  He then told about the time he fell off. "Oh my! That's not good!" She said with a smile.

"Nothing serious on Sunday."

"That's a very good philosophy to live by. I live by the one about going with the flow. I mean, things are going to go the way they want, so why worry about them not going that way, even if it is inevitable." She blushed. "Sorry, I have a vast vocabulary. It's one of those weird nerdy things about me." She always hated it when she had done that.

He stated that he like purple and held up his foot. She smiled. It was almost as though Alice was always smiling. "Purple's nice. So is red. I like purple. Lavender, really." She replied. He talked about him having an iPod, and Alice listened intently. "That's cool. Back at home, I once knew someone with an iPod! Sorry to hear yours broke." She said.

Alice looked at her feet once more. "This may be a silly question," She started. "But, uh, first year fridays, you know, when everyone older picks on the first years one friday a month. Is that a real thing? I mean, I get that maybe you can't tell me, so if that's the case, no big deal. I just want to know if the rumors are true."

"That's cool. Back at home, I once knew someone with an iPod! Sorry to hear yours broke."

"Wasn't a big deal really.  Bought a new one when I went back to London for the summer." Nicholas said.  In truth, he'd  had quite a few iPods since that one, but he'd never brought one to Hogwarts again.  Just the record player and and the records he'd had made if he couldn't buy it already on vinyl. 

"But, uh, first year fridays, you know, when everyone older picks on the first years one friday a month. Is that a real thing? I mean, I get that maybe you can't tell me, so if that's the case, no big deal. I just want to know if the rumors are true." She asked, looking down at her feet.

Nicholas couldn't help but chuckle at the question.   "First year friday's, huh?  Not that anyone has told me."  The smile faded from his face. "But if an older student is giving you problems, find a prefect."  He paused for a moment as a new song started.  "Or find me, and I'll take care of them." The smile returned after a moment, "But sounds to me like someone has been telling stories."

Alice sighed a breath of relief, and smiled. He had just told her that he would deal with anyone who gave her problems. "Thanks. I overheard some Slytherin talking about it, and I was really worried." She smiled a toothy smile at him. "You're really nice."

She closed her eyes, swaying her head from side to side to the song. "This is a great song!" She said happily. Everything was perfect today. She had made a new friend, hadn't embarrassed herself yet, and had just gotten a new book at the library.

"Slytherins are like that."  Nicholas said.  "Befriend some or stay out of their way."  He finished with a laugh.  He might have had an easier first few years had he done that with just about everyone.  Hell, he'd have an easier time now if he could do that.

"You're really nice."

Nicholas grinned, "I'm not nearly as friendly in the morning.  And I have a soft spot for little first years."  He watched the young Hufflepuff close her eyes and enjoy the music before turning back to look out over the lake.

"This is a great song!" She said as she swayed to the music.

"It's a muggle band. And now I can't remember..."  He racked his brain for the name of the band.  "I know it...well anyways they are great, kinda out there but I love them."  He paused, and the name came back to him.  "Scissor Sisters. " He laughed," Great song, great band."

He had said that he had a soft spot for first years. She smiled. She thrived for this elder brother feeling. She had buried her feelings of homesickness related to Mark far inside her mind, not wanting to be troubled with them. But Nicholas brought the feelings back. Not the ones of missing Mark, just the fond memories of having someone looking after her.

He had mentioned the band name. "What a funny name, if you ask me," she said with a smile. "Do you have any siblings?" She asked curiously. There was no way this guy was not an older brother to someone. Not when he was as kind as he was.

"No funnier than any of wizard bands I've heard."  Nicholas said with a chuckle .  "Though, really most bands have weird names.  Scissor Sisters, The Weird Sisters, Three Owl Standard, Wild Beings." He stopped before he named another group, "Okay well the last one actually makes sense I guess, but most bands, the names just end up being weird and funny."

"Do you have any siblings?" The Hufflepuff asked. 

He turned to look at her, wondering what brought out that question.  "No," He said, though truthfully he could have a half-brother or sister.  It wasn't something he thought about all that often, anymore at least.  "Why, do I seem like I do?"

"Why, do I seem like I do?"

"Yes. Yes you do. I don't know. You just seem like an older brother. I mean, you are nice, and you seem caring, and you are a very good listener." She looked at her feet. Gosh. I do that a lot, Alice thought. "You actually remind me of my older brother. He's at home. He's a potion master, or well. Trying to be." She laughed.

"He is a lot like you. I mean, I'm not trying to be weird or anything. But it's almost as though you are the same person. You act the same at the very least." She continued. Alice couldn't get her mind off of Mark. It wasn't as though she had been gone long. She just really felt as though maybe, just maybe he missed her. And that would mean a lot to her.

Nicholas sat there, quiet for a while after Alice finished her list of older brother qualities and the comparison to her older brother.  Silent while one song finished and another started.  It wasn't that he found the comparison odd, he was just struggling to find a proper response.  If it had been someone from his year, he would have laughed it off.  But Nicholas was pretty sure that Alice meant every word of it.  Though the look on her face said it was probably more homesickness and the fact that here he was an older kid not running her off with threats of torturing her on certain Fridays.  So while he normally didn't take care with what he said, he was actually trying.

"Well plenty of people are good listeners and certainly plenty of nice people.  Maybe not in Slytherin, though."  He said, mentally slapping himself for the comment about Slytherin.  Not the moment for jokes, he told himself again.  "And I'm certainly no saint.  I have a temper, and get into fights more than I ought to.  And know that hasn't made me any less likely to get into a fight.  Your brother is probably a far better person, and brother, than I would ever be."  Nicholas was fine with the comparison, flattered even, but he really didn't want to end up a surrogate brother to a homesick first year.  Of course it was his own damn fault for being his usual charming self.  "It won't be long till the holidays are upon us.  And if he is coming to any of the tasks you will get to see him even sooner I'm sure."

Alice giggled at his Slytherin joke. "Yeah. I don't tend to enjoy Slytherins as  much as I should." Her mind continued to go back to Mark. SHe was wondering what he could possibly be thinking about, right now.  She was flashing back to memories over the summer- apparating into Hogsmead for ice cream, putting make-up on him, even helping him hobble back into the kitchen after getting jumped. No, some of these memories were not happy, but they still were special to her.

"I don't think he'd come to the games. You know, he's pretty busy. I just, I just wish that I could make more friends here. I mean, I just don't want to be scared anymore." She looked up at Nicholas. "Do you know that feeling? Like, everyone you are afraid of is bigger than reality. Like, they just tower over you, just waiting to push you back down. It's weird." She said.