"I'm the baby in the family. Got 11 older sisters. I hate being the youngest, i got 11 older sisters tying to be my mom on top of my mom." She said rolling on her back and floating. She stared up at the sun and swam on her back for a little while, it was so relaxing. The water was so warm and serene, and it was perfect. She dropped he arms into the water an she let the water pull her down like a warm embrace. She pushed down hard in the water and resurfaced.

"I don't know whether I would mind that or not, really. It's kind of nice when people look out for you," Excelsior said. "But 11 older sisters, wow! You really come from a large family." Excelsior was paddling in the shallow part of the water, just kind of practicing some swimming strokes.

"I didn't really mind it, I love all of my sisters. In Africa, a man's worth is measured by how many children he has," She told him swimming along side him on her back. She pushed his head under the water and giggled.

Zachery chuckled and sat beside her restin his arms on his raised knees "Well, my school is wild, I mean we do some pretty weird stuff there, I mean we are a school for mis behaving magic users." he chuckled low, even his laugh matured with him, it was a lot deeper and way huskier.

"Well me and my twin brothers were kicked off campus because we were, bad. Umm we board with this crazy old woman who knows what we're doing before we do it. She's a seer." he sighed and dusted the sand from his palms "Well you know, they added girls just last year, so its now co-ed." he paused and looked out towards the ocean "They're pretty cool."

"A man's worth measured by how many children he has, yes, I've heard of that theory before," Excelsior said. "I believe that holds true in many parts of the world." Excelsior laughed as he felt Tommy push his head under the water, then retaliated by jumping up out of the water into the air, creating a huge splash that landed on top of her like a wave! One could have so much fun in the water.

She giggled and tried to dodge the wave of water, but it showered over her, she was too slow. She rolled over on her stomach and treaded in the water for a minute. She wanted to talk to Excelsior, there was too much tension the last time they saw each other, and she didn't want to talk in front of Camira.

They were having too much fun, she would talk to him when they took their carpet ride. "Are you looking forward to your new school?" She asked swimming up along side of him.

Excelsior laughed as he watched the water wash over Tommy. She was a good sport. He turned solemn at the mention of his new school, only for a moment. "I'm looking forward to it, of course, but part of me is kind of - I don't know exactly how to describe it - maybe afraid is a good word for what I'm feeling right now. Maybe it's more of an uncertainty. Here I know so many great people, all my family is here, all my friends, and over there I know no one. It's a whole new world, and it makes me kind of scared. Sometimes it's hard when I first meet people, I'm so afraid of what they will think of me, I work so hard to make a good impression with them. Does that make sense?," he asked nervously. "I guess I really like the comfort level I have at Hogwarts."

Excelsior could sense that Tommy was nervous about what had happened with Camira, and he was nervous about that, too. He actually found himself very strongly drawn to Tommy, wanting to know her better. Even though he and Camira had been together they hadn't had a real connection, he had been with her mainly because of what had happened with her mother being killed and the fact that he knew she had a crush on him. He had never been certain of his emotional attachment with her. With Tommy, things felt a lot more natural and right, not as forced. It was hard to explain.

Moonica smiled softly. "Tell me more about it please. I like hearing about it." She took a deep breath. "Maybe later tonight could we go somewhere and talk privately?" She asked quietly. Turning to her cousin she smiled. "Barry why don't you settle down and hang out with us!"

"Well, you will always be nervous going into a new situation. That will never change, you just have to be yourself. You are sweet and sensitive, and funny. They will love you over there as much as we love you at Hogwarts." She was looked over at him.

"You always want to push yourself and try new things. The familiar is always comfortable." She whispered not wanting to go on. She had hidden her feelings really well, but being around him, he just melted that tough facade that she had built up. She wanted to be soft and gentle around him.

Excelsior couldn't believe how much he enjoyed being around Tommy, he had truly never met anyone like her before. She was smart, compassionate and very different from most of the people he had ever come in contact with, somehow more caring. "Yes, exactly. Sometimes it's hard to leave a situation you're familiar with because you're in such a comfortable position. But only through pushing forward and going forth into new territory can one ever achieve greatness and true independence. I think I understand." He smiled at Tommy. "That's what you were saying, isn't it? But on the other hand we should never leave behind those we find along the way, the true friends, because they are the ones who help shape who we are and will always be part of us."

"You are so insightful for someone your age," She told him trying to do a back flip, and only getting it half way around, but succeeded in splashing water everywhere. "You have to walk forward to go anywhere." She said simply. "New territory is always scary, but thats part of life."

"Thanks, Excelsior said. "I heard someone say once life's a journey, not a destination." Excelsior began to laugh as Tommy's backflip failed and the water splashed all over him. Just the right thing to lighten the mood!

Tommy started laughing when Excelsior laughed at her. It was nice to get off that subject, it was a bit too heavy, and they could talk about it later, after all she had a twilight carpet ride to look forward to with him. She looked at him straight in the face, "I'm really glad I'm here with you right now." she said softly. The water lapping up around her shoulders.

Zach smiled at 'Barry' and looked ovefr at Atmor, "I'll be back." he said moving over to his sister. "Atmor, I'm telling you she's going to get hysteric." he glanced back.

"You better tell her before your she gets here, next time make sure the twins dont find out." she shrugged and patted his knee sympathetically.

Bianca walked over to where Atmor was. "Hey Atmor I'm gonna go get some Butterbeers you want one?" She asked her new friend kindly.

Monica glanced over at where Zachery was talking to Atmor. "I have seen that look before. something is wrong." She thought to herself, then shook herself mentally. "You're just thinking that way because you have been hurt before, it doesn't mean it's going to happen again" She chided herself.

"No thanks, I'm fond of ice-cream though." She smiled jokingly at the girl and stood to follow.

Zach groaned at his sister who stood to follow her new found friend. How could she abandon him at this time. He stood tall and went back to Monica, he didn't sit but held his hand out to her. "Come away with me." he said.

Bianca linked arms with Atmor. "What flavor Ice cream do you want? !t's on me." She smiled as they left together.

Monica looked up as Zachery came back to her and her heart did an involuntary flip-flop. She took his hand and stood up. "Alright." She said softly , walking with him, her hand comfortably in his.

"Chocolate." she said grinning.

Zachery walked along the beach with her hand in his. "Monica, when we were younger I promised you a wedding, with a big white cake and I'd wear a tux and we'd have a billion people there. Remeber." he smiled at his childhood memories "Then my mother told me that we were leaving and I was going to run away, but I couldn't."

"We haven't been togther for over five years, met up with you again on the second year you told people some thing that I didn't love you and how I broke your heart without care." his grip slackened. "I left Hogwarts and..." He took a deep breath "There's this girl, I don't love her but she loves me and when I got your letter I broke up with her instantly, but she... we... I..." he paused "I love you Mon, but I dont think you realize that we're not as close as we used to be, I just want us to take things slow." He tried to sound finished but he wasn't.