Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
————————————
Aurora Areli
A WEEK LATER, I was back at the Burrow for the fourth time that summer. I had gone home for a while, but was immediately invited back by Ron and Ginny.
The morning after I arrived, I was dragged downstairs by an excited Ginny Weasley, who told me her Hogwarts letter had finally come, and that there was one for me, too.
A few minutes after we sat down at the kitchen table for breakfast, the youngest Weasley suddenly squeaked, and accidentally knocked her bowl of porridge to the floor with a loud clatter.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
When she nodded, I followed her line of sight to see that Harry and Ron had entered the room. Harry smiled at me and took the seat to my left, taking the toast Mrs Weasley offered him.
"Letters from school," Mr Weasley said, passing them to the boys. He had given me mine when I first came in with Ginny. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry — doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two've got them too," he added as Fred and George came in, wearing matching pajamas.
I took my letter from where it was resting on the table next to my bowl, and tore open the yellowed envelope to read it. It told me to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual on September first, as well as a list of new books we'd need for the year.
Second-year students will require: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade2 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
I frowned. Almost the whole booklist was written by Lockhart? Yuck.
"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" exclaimed Fred, making me jump. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch."
No doubt.
"That lot won't come cheap," said George, casting a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive."
"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs Weasley, though she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things second hand."
"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked, looking over at Ginny, who was on my other side.
She nodded, blushing up to the roots of her flaming hair. She then proceeded to put her elbow in the butter dish, but I don't think anyone noticed besides Harry and me since Percy walked in. He was already dressed, and I noticed his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater.
