A/N: I wrote this a while back using the prompt 'night' from the 50 Different Friendships Challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. This is set in Bill's first year at Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: The world and characters belong to JK Rowling.

Prompt: Night

It was the worst at night. During the day, Dougal Wood was too busy with all of his new classes and friends to think about it much, but at night, when he lay in his four poster bed, the homesickness pressed in on him. He missed his mum's cooking, even though the food at Hogwarts was top notch. He missed the smell of his dad's library. But most of all, he missed his brothers.

"Hey, Bill," he whispered.

There were seven Gryffindor boys in their year, only Hufflepuff had more with eight. Dougal liked all the boys well enough, but he and Bill Wealsey got on the best. Dougal had two younger brothers himself, but Bill had five and a baby sister. And they were all gingers. Dougal had never seen anything like it when they all trooped onto Platform 9 ¾ on Sept. 1. He'd sought out the ginger on the train, thinking this was a lad who would understand all the important things in life. Like brooms and Quidditch and climbing trees and a few broken bones between brothers was nothing at all.

Dougal had been right about Bill, and then some. Bill was dead smart. Dougal didn't do too bad in his classes—he'd always had a good hand at potions—but Bill was brilliant. The first thing Bill did was show him some Muggle book called Treasure Island. Dougal couldn't wait to get home at Christmas to share it with Fergus and Ollie. They'd head up to Little Hill and pretend that their fort was a ship and he'd make Fergus walk the plank. Not Ollie though, he was too small yet.

The thought caused a pang in his heart.

The crimson curtains that hung around his bed rustled, then a shaggy ginger head appeared, lit by a blue light. Bill stood there with his wand lit at the end.

"How'd you do that?" Dougal asked, motioning to his new friend's wand.

Bill picked up Dougal's wand from the nightstand and handed it to him. "Now," he whispered, "say 'Lumos.'"

Dougal did as he was told and watched as the tip of his wand glowed blue. "Wicked."

Bill grinned and made a "c'mon" motion. Dougal scrambled off his bed, slipping his dressing gown on as he went. He followed his new friend onto the landing. Faintly, they could hear the upperclassman in the common room, still up and about. Silently, the two first years sat on the top step.

After some time, Bill asked, "So, do you miss home, too?"

Dougal shrugged, "Aye, I reckon."

"My mum makes the best roast chicken." Bill leaned his head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I miss my mum's breakfast," Dougal agreed, mirroring Bill's posture. "She makes proper Scottish bannocks. We're in Scotland, for Merlin's sake, I don't know why they can't serve bannocks at breakfast."

"The apples and pears would be coming into season just about now. Mum will be sending Charlie, Percy and the twins out to pick them. Charlie will eat his weight in apples, then get sick over the back fence." Bill chuckled. "He never learns."

"Ollie's birthday was last week." Dougal chimed in. "He just turned seven, so Mum and Dad will give him a bigger broom. That kid loves to fly on his toy broom, I don't know how we'll ever get him down now."

They were silent for a moment. Dougal drew pictures on the flagstone wall idly with his finger, feeling bluer than ever. He'd been looking forward to Oliver getting a bigger broom so the three of them could fly to the top of Little Hill instead of hike. Not that the hike was so bad, but there was nothing like flying.

After a while, Bill sat up. "At least our dorm is critter free," he said and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Charlie keeps bringing frogs and baby squirrels into our room. Last time Mum found one in the laundry, I thought for sure she'd do him in."

Dougal leaned back, his elbows propped on the step behind him. "Fergus is a right pain in the arse. Before I left for Hogwarts, he tromped mud through the house right to my bedroom door. Had Mum in a tizzy, and while she was yelling at me, he stole the last of the cake! Sodding brothers!"

"At least you only have two! And the twins may only be four, but they manage to make a lot of mischief."

They both laughed. Dougal's heart felt a little lighter. Bill understood about brothers.

"Hey!" the blonde head of the Gryffindor prefect appeared around the corner. "You firsties better be off to bed now. It's getting late. You'll be knackered tomorrow."

Bill and Dougal got to their feet and returned to their dorm. Dougal lay behind the curtains, snug in his new bed, listening to the light snores and grumbles of his dormmates. One of them farted and he heard Bill laugh from the bed next to his. Dougal grinned, laughing right along.

"Fergus is going to love it when he gets up here in a few years," Dougal said aloud.

"Yeah, Charlie, too."

"G'night, Bill."

"Night, Dougal."