As Donald walked towards the library he briefly worried if it was cliched or too stereotypical for a Ravenclaw to be going to the library at the start of the school year but he quickly pushed those thoughts away. So what if it was? it didn’t really matter too much. Besides he was not going there to swot up, well not to swot up on anything academic anyway. The youngster wanted to go for a library to read up on something different, not academic lesson related stuff, or anything to do with classes or lessons.

What Don really wanted to do was study books about quidditch and quidditch tactics. This was the year that the young boy wanted to join the Ravenclaw quidditch team. He knew it would take hard work and that it was take a lot more than just reading books to make it, but perhaps he could learn some new tactics and moves that he could show up to his potential team mates and impress them enough to get onto the team. He had his work cut out for him though, especially since his primary aim was to become the seeker for Ravenclaw, however he felt that his slim body would be an advantage for them there. He was sure his flying skills were good enough as well. Even if not he would settle for the position of Chaser or Keeper. However, he felt the was too skinny and weak to be a beater. Still if that was what got him onto the team, then so be it. If he was entirely honest with himself he would settle to be a water boy. Although that would be disappointing.

The third year lad entered into the library and immediately went for books on quidditch, flying and broomsticks. So eager was he that the books he was carrying stacked well over his head and he could hardly see where he was going. It was a minor miracle that he kept the books balanced, let alone didn’t manage to bump into anyone along the way. When he got to the table, so relieved so he that he plonked the books down with a bit of a Thud he glanced around the library with a very embarrassed look on his face before quickly and quietly sitting down.

Don grabbed the book at the top of the pile and put it out in front of him, and dug out a parchment and quill and started making notes about anything he felt was important in the book. However, he was soon distracted by the restricted section. It had always held a certain fascination with him, especially dark magic. While he didn’t really want to become a dark wizard, he found the whole thing academically interesting and learning about it in class had almost certainly helped fan the flames of his interest. He wondered if he could sneak into the restricted section sometime this year and get a peek at some of the books? On balance, he decided it would probably be a bad idea. It might lead him to being expelled and he certainly didn’t want that. Still, maybe he would if he felt particularly brave one night.

He sighed and glanced around quickly again, worried he spent a bit too long staring at the restricted section. Donnie quickly decided to return to his note taking, in the hope of fulfilling his ambition of joining the Ravenclaw quidditch team. That must be his priority now, that was his immediate goal. He decided to focus on that, rather than any childish, and quite frankly dangerous ideas he might have of sneaking into the restricted section.

He had barely scraped an A on the Dark Arts O.W.L, and while that in itself wasn't that shocking to Nick (he really frowned upon such actions), he wanted to maintain a high enough record at the school. He did think that he was one of the top students, and his rivalry with Anne Travers was pretty strong since she had transferred, so having a relatively dismal mark was not something that he was looking forward to. Because Dark Arts was required, he had been unable to drop it, despite the fact that he doubted it would be important for his future career. He wanted to be a Healer, he shouldn't be forced to learn curses and hexes. They weren't going to aid him, but they also weren't a hindrance, so he supposed that he might just have to stick it out in the end. There was nothing he could do about that; it was the Ministry's choice to keep the course as a requirement, and therefore he would follow the rules. There was no getting out of it, and at least he hadn't completely failed. He would have had to take the course again, with all of the fifth years, or that was what was rumored. He didn't know anyone who failed, though he was sure that Atha had considered it in theory before Nick had started freaking out over the idea. Failure was not an option, not for him. He was a Young, he was the heir, he had to prove himself over and over.

He had been buried in the restricted section for hours, studying up on the Bone-Breaking curse and hoping that he could keep the knowledge in his mind. He supposed that at least this curse would be relevant to his knowledge in the future: the more that he knew about it the easier it would be for him to help heal someone who had been cursed in the future. It wasn't the most dangerous of things, but he did know that he had dismally performed the curse in class and in an effort to keep himself from receiving a T he had been trying his hardest to learn the theory. That meant detailed notes- his favorite- and the hard work that most Hufflepuffs thrived under. He was enjoying himself, albeit slightly, just because of the work... But he still hated the meaning behind it all, and Nick knew that he would consider himself a non-violent wizard until the end. He didn't like fighting back, and he certainly didn't enjoy sending curses at the students that failed to listen to Prefects... He preferred talking things over and working on from there. With a sigh, he tried to turn back to his book, but something was preventing that. It was almost as if, out of the corner of his eye, one of the books was leering. 

With the knowledge that they could- and would- cause damage if he stayed there, Nick scooped up his stack of books, notes, and quill, slung his bag over his shoulder, and promptly maneuvered back towards the lighter books. As he did, he noticed one of the younger students staring seriously at the restricted section. Not strange in its own right, but something that he wanted to keep an eye on. Upon a closer glance, it seemed to be like Donald, one of the students in the chess club. He was, what, a second year now? Nick couldn't recall, and he tried to search his thoughts for more info as he placed his books on the table, making sure that they were in proper order. "Hullo, Donald. May I sit with you?"

Donnie kept being distracted by the restricted section and kept glancing over towards it. He knew it would be totally foolhardy to venture in there. Especially at this point in time. Still, he wouldn’t help wonder what secrets were held there, what unexplored academic interests he could find in the many forbidden books there. He supposed he could always wait a few years until he was old enough to get permission from some professors to do research in it. Even then he didn’t think he would have total freedom to look in the books that he wanted too. The 13 year old was also concerned he could not hold out on his temptation for that long.

He again tried to focus on his quidditch books, if he was to become seeker for the Ravenclaw team he needed to know every trick in the book, in every book come to that, if you excuse the puns. The young boy focused again on the books, trying to take note of the flying positions, skills and manoeuvres and studying all the tactics, methods, tips and tricks for seekers that he could find in the book. It probably helped the spiky haired lad that he was a bookworm and enjoyed studying, others might have been bored to tears by this time.

The youngster was, yet again, distracted by the restricted section and was staring into it when he was disturbed by a voice. Don looked up to the older boy, at first looking slightly bewildered for a moment. After bewilderment came a slight moment of horror. Did Nicolas notice him staring into the restricted section and was about to tell him off? He shifted uneasily slightly in his chair. What worried the 13 year old even more was the fact that Nicolas was in the same house as his sister, Amy. What if he grassed him up to his sister? Amy certainly would give him a good talking too if she found out and probably tell their parents too. That would get him a howler.

However, there was nothing he could do about it. The Welsh wizard just hoped he wasn’t about to get into trouble. Then again, he maybe he was being a bit paranoid. After all, there was nothing unusual about youngsters being curious about things, especially forbidden things.

From the sound of the prefect’s voice he wasn’t about to be getting into trouble anyway. The Ravenclaw lad calmed down a bit. ”Hello Nick” he said to the Hufflepuff in a lyrically manner. The Welsh lad smiled at him ”I don’t mind.” he said, his voice softly lilting still.

He really couldn’t be that judgemental of the little Ravenclaw, because he, too was fascinated with the restricted section before he was able to use it. It was there, just out of the corner of your eye, settled and looming. It was something that had intrigued him the moment that he had stepped foot in Hogwarts, and he was actually pretty certain that Lizzy was going to be the same way. His sister was of curious mind and… well, tiny stature. She was certainly going to take advantage of that, he was well aware. She and her two little friends- the “Musketeers” as they liked to say- were already planning on climbing the willow at some point during the year. He didn’t know when, he was trying not to find that part out, but he knew that it was going to happen. They had already charted out when exactly they were going to explore first, last time he had checked, and NIck really supposed that the Restricted Section was on that list. As soon as you considered the name… That was what everyone suddenly wanted to study, where people wanted to be. He remembered wanting to get a note to go as a child, wanting to search through all of the books that were over there.


Nick assumed that Amy wouldn’t be too fond of her little brother spending time there, though, so he wasn’t going to encourage the whole sneaking in thing. Especially not as a prefect… But he understood the pursuit of knowledge, he really understood wanting to be able to know what was going on in every book. He just couldn’t let anything like that happen, not really. He didn’t know how to distract, though, and out of that thought he straightened the spines of his books on the desk, smiling gratefully at the younger student. He liked Donald; he thought that the boy was bright, and he was really determined to do well at chess. Sliding into the seat that he had been allowed to sit in, he looked down at his books and then over to the book that the Ravenclaw had open. Quidditch? He almost let out a light laugh; it seemed that everyone was in love with the sport… Lizzy had been devastated to find out that she couldn’t be on the team in her first year, and she was determined to convince every person to help her practice… She had even convinced him to bring her broom as his own, which was actually pretty amusing. Cyrus had wanted to know when he decided he could fly when he had seen Nick lugging the broom across the common room to give to her.


“Studying already?” he asked. It didn’t matter that he already knew the answer; he was being nosy, and Nick was always a stickler for being polite. “It seems like the year is coming full speed, lah.”

Donald smiled as Nick sat down. He did like the Hufflepuff boy. Nick seemed to be very nice, a typical Hufflepuff trait Don supposed, and Don felt that he was a good leader of the chess club. The Ravenclaw had already picked up a bit from Nick in chess club and really wanted to learn enough to beat his sister at some point. He also had respect for Nick because he was a prefect and Donald supposed that he should have respect for prefects. Especially as he hoped to become one himself at some point. Although that is something he would never admit. He was sure that would get him into some sort of trouble. He already felt that he was unpopular enough. Still, he would have liked and respected Nick in any case. He did consider the old boy a friend.

It didn’t seem like Nick was about to tell Donnie off for his interest in the restricted section. Although he decided that it would probably be better not to tell Nick that he was thinking about trying to sneak into it this year….maybe. That, the young boy was pretty sure, would land him into trouble with the prefect and that Nick being the responsible young man that he was, would try to talk him out of such action or tell the librarian, Amy or a professor about his plans and he didn’t want that. None of that would result in anything good for the third year.

The young boy chuckled slightly when Nick asked if he was studying. He supposed that he much looked like a rather typical Ravenclaw to anyone else. ”Well…..kind of…” he said to the sixth year Hufflepuff. A sheepish look came onto his face ”…although it is not exactly for school work.” he told him. ” They are books on quidditch. I am hoping to try out for the Ravenclaw team this year. I want to become the Ravenclaw team seeker and I am hoping to learn some new tricks an tactics from these books. Of course, having the practical skills are important too. I know that. I am just hopeful to get that edge.” he wondered if what he said had made sense to the Hufflepuff. He was pretty sure he did but was not exactly sure. ”I don’t suppose you know any quidditch advice you could pass onto me?” he asked him curiously.

He nodded when Nick said that the year seemed to be going quickly. ”I know. The years seem to go faster and faster the older you get. I am not sure why that this.” it was an interesting phenomenon and it was something that he was not interested in looking into. He made a mental note to add it onto his ever growing to-do list.

”How about yourself?” he inquired ”what are you steading?” the 13 year old asked. Maybe it was a bit of a presumptuous question, but he was pretty confident that he was right in his assumption. Especially as Nick had placed his own books on the table.

Curiosity wasn't something that Nick could fault, no matter how hard he debated. He wasn't about to tell anyone off for being intrigued or interested by the Restricted Section, especially when he himself could remember a time where he wanted more than anything to find out what was there. That had just faded with age, as well as the fact that he could, now, go inside. It was still a place that he would consider to be interesting, of course. But now he had to go in for classes, he had to research for Dark Arts and he had to pretend like he really cared about the course. The more sentient books were there as well, the ones that screamed when you opened them if you didn't know the counter-charm, the books that held information on really dangerous magic... He was sure that they could probably put the muggle books in there as well, seeing as nobody was permitted to take Muggle Studies anymore. But he knew that it was something exciting, he knew that Donald probably wondered what was inside, and while he wasn't going to give a tour he did think that he could show him one of the less frightening books...

"Good luck to you, then," Nick said warmly. He genuinely hoped that the younger student managed to make it onto the team; it would certainly make their day, and he was positive that Donnie deserved it. He worked very hard, he was very quick to learn at chess, and he always showed up. He didn't know whether or not he was equipped practically to play the sport, that wasn't Nick's forte. He watched it, sure. He would attend matches with Atha and Cyrus, he liked going, but he couldn't play it to save his life. That was Lizzy's thing, that was her favorite thing to do. He didn't think that his little sister had any other hobbies than Quidditch, really. "I'm sorry, Donnie. You would have to find Lizzy for that. I'm far better at studying techniques and the best note-taking strategy."

At the statement about time, Nick nodded. He did find that a fascinating thing. Each year that he was alive seemed to make things go by much faster, and he wasn't sure how he really felt like that. "It's a strange phenomenon... I wonder if we just know what to expect out of the hours and it moves forwards like that," he suggested. "I'm working on catching up with Dark Arts. I was no good at this spell last year, so I decided to relearn it again. Would you like to see the page on it? I won't tell your sister you were looking at the restricted section, but you're curious, and that's not something to squash."

Donald was starting to calm down a bit more after his initial nervousness about getting into trouble. Obviously he hadn’t really done anything wrong. He started to wonder why he was being nervous about being told off to begin with, after all there was no harm in looking, right? It was not like the youngster had gotten up and marched into the restricted section. As usual, the Ravenclaw had been worrying about absolutely nothing.

As Nick wished him luck in his quidditch ambitions he smiled back at the prefect ”Thanks” he said gratefully to him. It did mean a lot that his friends were being supportive of him and didn’t think him studying tactics was a bad idea. To be honest the worrying part of him did expect to be laughed at. He was glad that it had been proven wrong. He just hoped that the worrier in him would also be proven wrong over his fears of making a pillock of himself in front of all his housemates at the try-outs. Part of him wanted to not try but he knew that he would have regretted that.

”Sorry, but, who is Lizzy again?” he young boy asked Nick puzzled. He was sure he had heard the girl’s name before but wasn’t sure where. Was it Nick’s little sister? He bit his lower lip, hoping that he had not now offended the Hufflepuff by forgetting about his little sister. To be fair to Don though she was a new little first year. ”Oh….she your sister right?” he said remembering. ”Does she like quidditch?” of course he wouldn’t ask a first year about tactics for quidditch and flying. He was pretty sure that she wouldn’t have anything useful for him to learn.

The 13 year old listened as Nick contributed his thoughts about time. ”Indeed, and how do you we experience time the same as each other. Our concept of time could be different we could experience and perceptive it in different ways and, of course, that changes depending on the situation we are in. Time can slow down if we are bored or go by quickly if something interesting is going on. It is very interesting. Some muggles did research….” the Ravenclaw started but then shut up. Maybe Nick didn’t want a philosophical discussion about time and hear about muggle research. I wonder if time is going slower for Nick at the moment… he thought to himself. Rightly or wrongly, he was pretty sure that he was boring the young man.

When the 6th year started to talk about the dark arts the pale skinned boy interested arose but he tried not to show it. Less he cause the young Hufflepuff to start worrying about him. It was not that Donald had any interested in falling to dark magic, but it was interesting and the study of it in school had increased his interest in it. But becoming a dark wizard? That was not something Don really wanted to do.

A massive grin came on his face when the older boy offered to show him the dark magic page ”Yes please” he said probably a bit too eagerly. ”And thanks for not telling my sister” he said thankfully to him. He was glad that Nick seemed to understand his interest rather than condemning it. He leaned in slightly towards the book to see the page that his mate was referring to and what secrets it held.

Nick was anxious at times, too, he had a way about him last year that generally expelled nervous energy. He blamed the O.W.Ls and career counselling, finding that those two things specifically were rather frightening in the long run. They caused him no amounts of anxiety, and he was sure that he had been a different person the last year... He knew he had been slightly more subdued, less smiles... He was sure that it would happen again, he didn't want that to happen, but he was sure that it would occur, because there were exams and it was his first year of N.E.W.T level classes. He was already driving himself crazy with all of the other things that he was doing, he was already studying for classes that had just started... Nick also wondered if he could add a class, if he really could do more than what he was doing... He had attempted to pace himself but he already wanted to throw more classes in the mix. He wasn't going to have time to breathe, but he was ultimately scared that he would have far too much time on his hands. Then again, Lizzy was there this year, and Lizzy and her friends were going to be a problem, he knew that. "Lizzy's my sister, yes. She's mad about Quidditch, has a private coach when we're home... She's furious that first years cannot play on the teams."

She had also convinced him to bring her broom as his so that she could bypass the school's rules, and seemed to be functioning under the assumption that Carin's relationship with Marcus Flint would allow her to play the sport... It wouldn't, he knew that Headmaster Flint was extremely focused on following the rules, despite being a former Slytherin. Those were the rules, and Lizzy was going to have to follow them. She only had a year to wait, and he knew that she was going to practice all year and summer so that she could guarantee a spot... Ironically enough, she wanted to be a Keeper, despite the fact that she was rather small. She was quick enough, she could probably manage it... "No, continue!" he said, frowning when Donald trailed off. He was actually fascinated by what the younger boy was saying; he didn't pay much attention to Muggle science, he was far more interested in magical healing and the like. "It's a very fascinating subject."

With a smile, Nick cracked open the topmost book that he had gotten from the Restricted Section, opening it to the page that he had been previously perusing. "It's rather nasty stuff in here, but things that we had to know last year. I'm basically just catching up, refining everything that I did... I feel like I didn't do well on the exam and want to make sure that I know what I am doing." He didn't think that showing Donald was an issue, especially since he would have to learn such things when he got older. It was a requirement, not pleasure reading. He would just be a bit above the rest of the group, which was always a good thing for a Ravenclaw.

((OOC: Sorry for the late reply))

Hearing that this girl had a private coach worried Donald slightly. His family couldn’t afford a new private tutor, not in a month of Sundays. He became a bit apprehensive that would put him at a disadvantage when it came to competing for positions in a Ravenclaw quidditch team. Especially seeker. If everyone bar him had private training the 3rd year would be at a serious disadvantage. It again occurred to him to not bother trying out but that thought again was quickly dismissed from his mind. He really wanted to join the Ravenclaw team. He hoped that his determination, along with his skill would see him through.

The Welsh wizard nodded when Nick confirmed Lizzy was his sister ”Well, quidditch is a good sport” he confirmed, ignoring the stuff about the private coach. ”Bet she is also upset that first years cannot have brooms either.” he half asked him. Half assumed. He remembered being cheesed off when he couldn’t have a broom when he was in his first year. It seemed so unfair to him at the time but he supposed it didn’t wanted and, it was probably for the safety of all the first years. Besides which it was less competition for him.

When Nick said he found what he was saying about time fascinating the 13 year old broke into a large grin. He was glad he wasn’t boring him. ”Well…” he continued ”…muggle psychologists have several theories as to why the perception of time seem to change as we get older. These include youthful years being full of new experiences which are more interesting and, as we get older the novel experiences become routine and duller. Another theory is that time perception is relative, so a, say, five year old, one year is only 20% of the time they been alive, but just 2% by the time you are fifty. It also could be to do with how our brain changes as we get older, such as lower dopaminergic levels.” he was getting really interested in his own subject and it was showing by how animated he was being.

”Muggles did an experiment on two groups, one had people aged between 19 to 14 and another between 60 to 80. They were asked to estimate when 3 minutes have passed. The younger group had, estimated 3 seconds over 3 minutes, while the older group estimated 40 seconds over. if he tried to talk to his sister like this she would yawn and feign falling asleep. And warn him speaking like that to others might get him into trouble. It made him very cautious about talking like that to others. Maybe Amy was just teasing him but he didn’t like the descriptions of what his sister said might happen to him. Regardless Nick seemed to be nice enough and genuinely interested, so Don didn’t feel under any threat from him.

The Ravenclaw boy nodeed when Nick said it is rather nasty stuff, the 3rd year didn’t expect anything else. He had braced himself for it. However the young lad couldn’t help but wince at some of the dark magic in the books. It was horrific stuff, but still fascinating. He looked at the Hufflepuff in a mixture of shock and interest ”I didn’t even know magic could do something like that!” he exclaimed. The youngster certainly didn’t want that to happen to him. However he was still interested in finding out more.

Nick tended to forget that his family was extremely well-off when compared to other families; he really ought to have figured that out by now but he tended to mistake his privileges with normal life. He did realize that not everyone had a maid, but that was something that got washed away when he recognized that the quidditch coach... That was probably a bit much. But his Ah Ma's reasoning had been sound, and quidditch was the one thing that Lizzy had actually devoted herself to. Everything else was met with his sister's flightiness, which was, of course, rather frustrating. But he wasn't her teacher, and he wasn't even in her house, so he didn't really have to deal with her for the moment. He could just tolerate her and move on, he just had to pay attention when she and her two friends were doing something absolutely ridiculous. It wasn't the best thing as an elder brother, but he was really far more preoccupied with everything else that he had to do. There were things more important than Lizzy being Lizzy-like. "She had me bring her broom," he said, shaking his head. "Which was fine by me. I don't play, nor do I really want to." He was sure that Donald could tell he wasn't really a sports fan, nor any sort of athletics. He much preferred books to anything and could only be persuaded to watch a match if Atha or Amelia wanted to go.

"That sounds fascinating," he remarked, trying to wrap his head around what was being said. He considered the benefits of his family for a moment; it was rare that many pureblood families would even tolerate learning about muggles, but his grandmother had been (relatively) warm towards his mother after a few years. Besides, the environment of Singapore was far more mixed than anyone really would understand. He had grown up in the strange mixture of muggle and magical, he had watched television and had listened to the wizarding wireless. Such a strange blend had lent itself to he and his sister's strange vernacular- they knew both muggle and magical literature and both had habits of mentioning them interchangeably. "I would love to read up more on that." Last year he might have asked the librarian; he knew that Mr. Peters did have a set of muggle books, and he was sure that he had seen Kasey Peters with some of them once or twice. But Mr. Peters was gone and he wasn't quite sure how many books Kasey had brought with her. He could always ask her at some point if they ran into one another; she was a Ravenclaw like Donald, but she was a seventh year, so it wasn't likely that the younger boy had even interacted with her.

Nick stared at the book himself, frowning slightly. "Bone-Breaking isn't even the nastiest curse in here," he admitted, crinkling his nose. "I'm far more interested in Healing, but it's a mandatory course. Besides, knowing these things can help fix them. You lot aren't learning anything this bad this year, right?"