Rai Silver could not wait to get back to Hogwarts. Between the food, the classes, the library and the teachers, he couldn't handle it all. He couldn't decide which one he loved the most.

His mother and father – they didn't understand. Sure, they encouraged his grades and studying, but they also tried to set him up on 'friend dates' and, once or twice, even a real date! It was completely outrageous, but Rai had to forgive them. They were only trying to be nice – how were they to know that Rai was a genius that was too busy studying to keep a friend?

In fact, all summer, Rai had been studying his spell books and such (he had bought his new school books the minute he had gotten his letter). This year was his O.W.L. year. He was positive he was going to ace every test, but he didn't want to risk looking like an arse if he didn't.

Looking back, the entire summer had comprised of Rai reading and re-reading many different spell books under a huge sycamore tree in his backyard. It really was a shame that he wasn't allowed to practice magic outside of school – it really would help him study better – but he supposed it was for the best. If he had learned them wrong, he would probably fail.

And then he'd be a failure.

And Rai Silver could not be a failure.

"Rai!" his mother called from inside the house. Rai looked up from his favorite book to see her looking at him through the kitchen window. "Rai, it's time for dinner now. Come in, alright?"

Rai folded the page of his book while he got up. Normally, he was pretty excited for any kind of meal (he was a teenage boy, after all), but not today. There was less than a month left until Rai would be sitting in the library, comparing notes with Madame Pince about the differences between wizarding books and Muggle books. There was less than a month until Rai could sit in Ravenclaw's common room next to the fire for an entire night reading the same book.

With so much to look forward to, how could he not miss Hogwarts?

"What's for dinner, Mum?" he asked as he stepped into the dining room. His father's seat was still vacant and his mother was making pots and pans clang together in the kitchen.

"Oh, just some roast chicken," said his mother, sweeping into the dining room. Her long, lower-back length hair swept in behind her. She held her wand in the air, pointing it at a green dish, which was full of roasted chicken. A trail of plates followed her. There were roasted potatoes, rice and fluffy mashed potatoes. "You're father should be home any minute. He's always working late these days. Just because he's the best in the office doesn't mean…" Rai's mother went on like this as she poured orange juice into Rai's glass and wine in her own.

There was a pop in the backyard and Rai eagerly looked out of the window from his seat. There was his father, salt-and-pepper hair cut in a business-like fashion with a fitted grey suit and a large black wristwatch. Kwami Silver checked his watch before looking inside the window and waving at his son. Rai smiled and his mother frowned.

Mr. Silver went to the back door and walked in through the kitchen. "Good evening, all. What's for dinner?" he asked, sitting in his usual chair.

Carmella Silver, Rai's mother, rolled her eyes and tapped her foot impatiently. "No messages? You know what I tell you! Every time you're late, at least call me!"

Mr. Silver smiled apologetically. "Sorry Caramel," he said, using Mrs. Silver's nickname, "but Jordyns has had me working on this project for three weeks now and he said that if it wasn't done by tonight, I'd be demoted."

Mrs. Silver sighed, annoyed. "Well fine," she snapped. "But you don't get any fluffy potatoes tonight." She went back into the kitchen, no doubt to finish dessert.

"Was she like this when she came home from work?" Mr. Silver asked Rai.

Rai though about his mom's job for a second (she worked as an assistant at the Ministry for the Minister) and shook his head. "No, she got mad the moment she saw you, though. Right mental, she is," Rai told his father.

"I can hear you!" Mrs. Silver called from the kitchen. "And that means no treacle tart for dessert!" Mr. Silver and Rai groaned. Mrs. Silver's treacle tart was to die for.

After a delicious meal, the family eventually moved into the living room. Rai was snacking on a few extra Cauldron Cakes that were left lying around, and reading his book. Mr. Silver and Mrs. Silver were talking about Rai's previous year at Hogwarts.

"And that Potter boy," said Mr. Silver, "is he a good student?"

Rai rolled his eyes before answering. "No, he barely cares about his grades, I expect. His good friend, Granger – now she's a real Ravenclaw," Rai said, not looking up from his book.

"Oh? So she's a Ravenclaw? I don't recognize the 'Granger' name," said Mrs. Silver.

Rai finally put his book down. Couldn't they see that he was reading?

"No, she's in Gryffindor," Rai explained. "And Granger is a Muggle-born."

Both his parents 'ahh'-ed and chatted some more.

"Well, is she pretty?" Mrs. Silver asked.

Rai took offense to this. He only had one crush – not including his oldest crush, which was knowledge – and that was Amanda Gordon (6th year, Ravenclaw).

"Mum! She's three years younger than me!" he said.

Mr. and Mrs. Silver exchanged smug looks. "Dear, when you're our age, it won't really matter," Mrs. Silver told him. Rai mock-barfed and his father laughed.

"Yes, well…it's a suggestion," he said. "Just keep your eyes open."

Rai went to bed later with images of his mother and his father as a young couple, kissing.

He felt his fluffy potatoes making a second appearance.

I hope you all like Rai Silver and his desire to learn lol Just to put you guys back in the mood for school I made sure to put a lot of studying in this chapter haha

Review please