A/N Sorry I haven't updated lately! I've been so busy with schoolwork. What with the finals and the tests and all that. Soooooooorrrrryyyy! But here you go! Hopefully you aren't that mad at me! ;)

-A

"Neither did I," Albus replied, raising an eyebrow and smiling at the same time. He was still a bit nervous about getting into Slytherin because, of course, all of the evil wizards and witches came out of Slytherin.

"So..." Ruby began. "This might be a little weird... But... I'm kind of excited! Honestly, I never thought I'd get into Slytherin. I was kind of expecting Gryffindor since, you know, my whole family's gotten into Gryffindor. I kind of broke the, uh, 'family tradition'."

"Sorry, about that-"

"What!? Are you crazy!? This is GREAT!-"

"-Oh...-"

"-I've always wanted to break a family tradition! I mean, sure it's been going on for years and years... But that's what makes it more fun! I was sure I was going to break it. I thought, ok, If I get placed in Gryffindor than why not try to marry someone from a different house when I get older?"

"Uh..."

"I know what you're going to say," she smiled, flipping her bushy red hair over her shoulder. "I am a genius! Well, thank you, Albus but I already know that."

"Uhhh..." Albus looked at Malfoy, who sat across from him. Malfoy looked stunned. Ruby just smiled and looked up at the head table where a lady with gray hair and green robes and wearing spectacles stood up and walked over to a golden podium with an eagle, its wings spread on the front. She looked around at the sea of students before raising her hands and calling for silence.

"Good evening. My name is Professor McGonagall. To our new students, welcome. To our old students, welcome back. Another wonderful year of magical education awaits you. As your teacher and headmistress I have to make sure you stay safe and don't do anything stupid so, we have a few rules to go over." Albus heard some of the students moan, one of them being Ruby. "Students shall not leave Hogwarts grounds, third through seventh years can visit Hogsmeade but only with a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian. Students are forbid from faculty areas like the kitchen-I'm looking at you James Potter-" Albus looked over to the Gryffindor table to see his brother smirk. "The faculty lounge and the offices unless you get permission from a faculty member, this includes classrooms when classes are not in session. Students may not enter the dormitories or common rooms of houses that are not their own. Boys may not enter girl's dormitories. The Forbidden Forest, also known as the Dark Forest, is strictly forbidden to all students unless you have a faculty escort. Students must be in bed by a 10:00pm curfew. Students may not leave their house common rooms until 6:00am. Swimming and boating in the Black Lake is prohibited without faculty or prefect supervision. No student is allowed in the restricted section of the library without a signed note from a faculty member. Now, let us feast!" She smiled as plates and plates of food just appeared right before Albus' eyes.

James had told him about all the food and how it appears on the table with a 'pop' but he was still surprised. It actually almost gave him a heart attack when the bowl of mashed potatoes appeared on his hand, crushing his fingers. He yelped, yanking his hand back. He moved his fingers slowly, trying to regain feel in them.

"WooHoo!" A boy the same age as him with wild, red hair and grey eyes started to dig into the food. He ate it as though he's never seen this much food in his life. And looking at his frail and skinny figure Albus didn't doubt that. Ruby noticed that Albus was looking at him and said,

"That's my cousin."

"Your cousin!?" Albus stared at her in disbelief.

"Yup," she said still eating. She looked up since she looked at her cousin. "His name is Archie. I actually just met him a few months ago. He's a cousin through marriage so we aren't actually related. Honestly, I think he's bloody revolting! I despise him." She said that last part a bit too loudly. Archie looked over.

"Oh, HEY! RUBY!" Dang he was loud! He was practically screaming his head off. Albus moved over a little bit so that he didn't get his ear blown off his body. Ruby, who was sitting across from Albus said,

"Hi." In a very low voice without even looking up.

"I forget you were coming to Hogwarts too this year! What a COINCIDENCE! Am I right!?" He slapped his knee and laughed. Albus could see why he was so annoying. Then Archie pointed at Malfoy sitting next to Ruby and asked,

"Is that your boyfriend?" He smiled slyly.

"No!" Ruby and Malfoy yelled at the same time, their faces growing red.

"Good. Because I think you can do way better than him, Red."

"Red?" Albus whispered to her.

"He thinks that's his 'cute' nickname for me."

"I kinda like it." Albus replied, smiling. She just glared at him.

"So, Red, I was thinkin'... Since we are in the same house together and at Hogwarts the same year, maybe, do you think you'd like to go out with me?" He smiled cheekily. Albus was shocked he even asked that question. Can't he see that Ruby doesn't like him?

"No." Ruby stated, her eyes on her plate of food.

"Why not?" He whined.

"Why not!? Archie! We are cousins!"

"Cousins through marriage." He replied hopefully. "So it's different." Albus could practically see Ruby's brain working, desperately trying to come up with a plan. She needed help.

"I said no... because... Because..." This is when Albus chose to come to the rescue.

"Because she already has a boyfriend." Albus said. He caught himself by surprise doing that. He barely knew the girl.

"WHAT!? Who?" Archie raised his eyebrows at him.

"Uh...-"Albus was quickly trying to come up with a random name or another name in the same grade. Problem was, he didn't know many people. Except maybe his brother but he was second year. He was interrupted by Ruby.

"Albus." Albus was paralyzed when he heard his name. His eyes grew wide and his mouth fell into a small 'o'. Ruby looked straight at him and pleaded with her green eyes. "Just this once?" She whispered. Albus sighed. Then he looked at Archie and said,

"Yeah, me." If Archie raised his eyebrows any higher they would've flown off his forehead.

"You." He questioned, realization sinking in. He looked at his food as if he no longer had an appetite. Then he looked back at Albus. Then came the question Albus has been dreading since the moment he said it.

"When did you guys meet? How long have you been together? Where did you meet?" Well, the few questions.

"Uhhh..." Albus just stared at him blankly. Ruby, however was quick.

"August 2nd. About a month. And we met at Diagon Alley. He helped me with my books." She smiled while saying it making it look more convincing. Malfoy just sat there, smirking. Archie raised a suspicious eyebrow then turned to glare at Albus. Finally he said,

"Whatever." and got up from his seat to sit a few seats away from us.

Thank goodness! Was all Albus thought until he saw Malfoy trying not to laugh. He then looked at Ruby,

"Oh..."

"Yeah." She said.

"I wasn't planning on having a girlfriend until, like, third or fourth year. Honestly I don't really want a girlfriend...yet." He said, playing with the hem of his robes.

"Yeah, well I don't really want a boyfriend yet. But I wasn't thinking actually become one. I mean, it was just an excuse to get Archie off my back." She said, also looking down.

"Yeah."

"Well, thank you, anyway. For helping me out, I mean."

"No problem. But you do know that Archie will be around and... you know."

"Well, we could always just act like we are, you know, together. Only when he's around, of course. Not all the time. That'd be weird."

"Weirder then it already is?"

"True." She stated with a small smile.

"Yeah, so whenever he comes around just, you know, laugh at something I said all lovey-dovey like." Albus had no idea how one would act with his 'girlfriend' so he was just stating stuff he remembered when his parents got all love-like.

"So... Yeah."