Kassandra Bauer and the Chamber of Secrets. (Book 2)

Chapter 2: Flourish and Blotts. And a Bloat named Lockheart.

I woke up that morning feeling a whole lot better. I was eating up my breakfast of Bacon and Eggs with Mater. 

Mater had tied her hair in a single braid. She was also looking at some old photos. 

"Mater?" I asked. "What's that?"

Mater looked at me. "Oh, just some old photos, Kassie. This was before Jacob or Ethan were born." 

I looked at the photos. There was a beautiful young woman dancing with a man in the Rear Courtyard of Hogwarts. She had clothes which indicated that she was a Hufflepuff. And the man appeared to be a Gryffindor. "Is that... you?" I asked taking a bit of a leap. 

Mater nodded. "Yes. That's when I was a student at Hogwarts. That's how I met Daniel. He was a Gryffindor. And I was a quiet, shy Muggleborn Hufflepuff Girl." She told me. 

"And I'm a Gryffindor now. So were Ethan and Jacob." I added. 

Mater ruffled my hair. "And I couldn't be prouder of you three. You know, there was kind of something funny. When I was younger. Me and my friends all wanted to have girls. We all thought it would be too much to raise boys. And yet. All of them had girls. And I had your brothers." She explained to me. 

I looked at Mater. I didn't know that. "Were they too much for you to handle?" I asked.

"At times." Mater admitted. "But I was so blessed to have them in my life. And we were blessed again when we adopted you." She hugged me.

I hugged her back. "I wish I could've known Pater." I said. 

"He's still here. In one form or another." Mater assured.

We heard Larry fly through to the table. He came with the post. "Thanks Larry." Mater thanked.

Larry squawked. "Oh, right. Tip." Mater groaned. She gave out a little mouse and gave it to Larry. He always seemed to want a tip. 

Mater read the post. "Oh, Kassie. Great news. Harry Potter's staying at the Weasleys." She told me.

I already knew that, but I faked being surprised. I smiled with my mouth open. "Yay! He finally got free from those Dursleys." 

Mater laughed. "Yeah, I know." She hadn't found out about how I snuck out at night. Maybe it was one of those, Don't Ask. Don't Tell. And Mater was not asking questions. So I was not telling. 

I also got another letter. "Oh, look. It's my Hogwarts Letter." 

I took a look at the Letter.

Second Year Students will require:

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

The Siege of Hogwarts by Gilderoy Lockheart

"A... lot of books by Gilderoy Lockhart." I commented.

Mater looked at the list. "Oh My God!" She smacked her head.