✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

15 | OPULENCE

OPULENCE
(n.) great wealth or luxuriousness

TESSA WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY EXCITED TO GO BACK TO HOGWARTS. Not that she was ecstatic to see Malfoy and his band of goons again, but she was already feeling exhilarated in the thought of being able to play Quidditch again for the Gryffindor team, getting to eat all the delicious food in the Great Hall. And she also knew, without a doubt, that there would be unavoidable drama and trouble that would follow her, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. For some odd reason.

It was perhaps a week after she'd stayed in the Burrow when she got her letter from Hogwarts on books and requirements. Tessa was currently eating breakfast with Ginny, Molly, and Arthur — the two girls chatting as they ate. Harry and Ron could be heard talking as they descended the stairs and appeared in the dining room. Ginny jerked her hand upon seeing Harry, knocking her porridge bowl to the floor.

"Smooth," Tessa coughed to Ginny whose face turned beet red as she scrambled to grab the fallen bowl. As Harry and Ron sat across of them, Tessa reached over to slide the milk and sugar to the two boys.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Letters from school," Arthur said, passing Tessa, Harry, and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows the two of you are here — doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two've got them, too," he added as Fred and George shuffled in their pyjamas.

Tessa opened her letter and slid her eyes over all the books second-year students were required to have, and she made a face at who the author was for most of them.

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

"Goodness gracious, how much did Lockhart pay Dumbledore to get him to use all his books for school?" Tessa murmured as Fred leaned over from next to her to scan her letter.

"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan — bet it's a witch." Fred made a point to look at his mother who narrowed her eyes at him and he quickly looked away, pouring himself a glass of juice.

Tessa couldn't help the laugh that left her as she reached up softly punch Fred's arm. "Bold of you to assume he won't be the next D.A.D.A. professor!" she said sarcastically, sharing a laugh with the twins.

"That lot won't come cheap," George said, briefly glancing at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive . . . "

"Well, we'll manage," Molly said. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny who blushed a deep red once more. She nodded shyly in response, bringing her twin brothers to a snicker.

"Dear sister of mine will get to see a special someone more often now," Fred said in a sing-song manner as George hummed loudly in agreement.

Ginny's eyes flashed as she narrowed them at Fred and whispered loudly for only Fred, Tessa, and George, "Dear brother of mine has nothing to worry about since he's already seeing his special someone almost everyday." She smiled sweetly at that, glancing worriedly at Harry just in case he heard, but neither he or Ron were paying attention.

George choked into his bread, trying to cover his laughter as Fred's eyes widened and shifted to Tessa who continued to casually scarf down her scrambled eggs and toast, having finished her porridge.