I Am Not Nothing

Chapter Seven

Last two days of summer break

I hadn't seen Draco all summer. I've been too busy rereading every book I had on all we learned last year. Although, my father had been very busy visiting the Malfoys without me, I knew I wasn't alone. I had Zimsy, Haltak and Nusaeross. Every book I read, my raven was on the back of the chair. I was never left alone. 

"Miss Snape, an owl has come to drop off a letter." Zimsy said, walking up to me. 

She held a letter in her hand and was followed by an owl that I knew well.

"Murdock!" I exclaimed.

I put down my book and held out my arm. The owl flew over and landed on me. 

"Is Goyle alright?" I asked the large bird.

The owl nodded slowly. I took the letter from Zimsy.

"You may go." I told her.

She nodded and scurried out of the lounge. I opened the letter.

Raven
You haven't written at all this summer. Are you alright? You can't still be mad about Gryffindor stealing our house cup, are you?  Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up some time before school starts back up again? Maybe meet in Diagon Alley for our new things for second year? If not, that's alright. I'll see you at school.
G. Goyle

I laughed at his letter and quickly found some parchment and ink to write back. 

Dear Greggie, 
I know I haven't written and I'm sorry about that. I've been cooped inside all summer rereading all we need to know. I haven't even gotten a letter saying what we need for this year. I know we need new things, but I'm not sure what. No, I'm not still mad about the Griffindors winning the house cup. It just makes me more determined to win and that just means that we need to be on our best behavior to win that cup this year. Sorry, I can't catch up before school. I know we go shopping the morning before the train leaves. I'm not sure what you have planned. I think we should just meet up at the platform. Wait right by the wall we enter through on the platform's side and Draco and I will see you there. Thank you for writing! I've been needing to connect with someone. 
   Raven

I laughed again when I wrote Greggie instead of Goyle. He hates being called Gregory, let alone Greggie. 

"Go home and bring this to Goyle. It was great seeing you again, Murdock." I said, as I took the owl to the front door. 

I watched as he flew off toward Goyle's house. Where that was, I had no clue, but it was somewhere up North. As I was about to close the door, another owl flew by and dropped a letter at my feet. I bent down and looked at the address.

Raven L. Snape
65 Spinner's End
Cokeworth, England

The letter was for me. I turned it over and saw the Hogwart's stamp on it. I quickly made my way back inside and opened the letter. Inside was a list of what we needed for this year. 

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Whoever this "Gilderoy Lockhart" was, he must have had a lot to say in his many books. But if they were important, why weren't they in my father's rather large library? I knew every author in this library, but never once was there a single mention of "Gilderoy Lockhart". Not to mention how he had so much to say about one thing for seven books! If I were to ever meet this man, I'd call him "Good-for nothing Liar" instead of "Gilderoy Lockhart". There was no way he could have done all of that and written seven school books about them.