Post Mortem

Chapter 39

THORSTAN'S POV

I glared at myself in my mirror as I finished putting on my Wizengamot meeting robes, Hendrix came up behind me and gently kissed my shoulder as he smoothed out my robes. I smiled as I turned and kissed him, raking my fingers through his hair. "I have a bad feeling about today... I just know the Umbitch is going to take advantage of my absence and not follow my lesson plan for the day," I sighed. Hendrix sighed and nodded.

"I agree. Sadly, there's nothing I can do, I have a meeting with Gryh today," he sighed as he shoved me away to fix his outfit. I admired the tight dragonhide pants and grinned. He put on a coat over the blue button-up and inconveniently covering his lovely rear. I wrapped my arms around his waist and nibbled at his skin. "Let's hope that today goes better than what we fear," he smiled as he tried to gently encourage me.

We both startled as the door opened, we looked over to see a beaming Harry. "You seem rather happy this morning!" I smiled. He nodded as he plopped down on our bed, "I have something to tell you!" he sang as he happily kicked his feet, I glanced at Hendrix, he grinned. "Blaise finally asked him out. I wager, you have to attend 4 galas if I win," I grinned, speaking in giant, the one language Harry still had yet to learn. Hendrix's grin became feral, "I bet Blaise kissed him if I win no galas for 2 months," he responded in giant.

We both turned to Harry, "Well, go on," Hendrix encouraged as he sat next to Harry. Harry gleefully laughed, "He kissed me! We're dating! Oh my gosh, it was... the kiss... it was so..." he was blushing and stuttering, Hendrix grinned at me, I sighed. "Well, I'm glad things worked out, and I'm glad your first kiss was good," Henrdix grinned as he patted Harry's leg. "I'm happy as long as you're happy," I smiled as I ruffled his hair.

"Alright, now we all have places to be. Let's go, let's go, let's go," Hendrix said as he stood and began to push us out the door.

HARRY'S POV

The day went by relatively well, Blaise was back to sticking next to my side. He always had his arm wrapped around me, even during classes, which I had to scold him for, but he always responded the same, "I never want to let you go, I don't want someone to steal you away." I would always tell him that I won't be stolen and I'll be fine but to no such luck.

I hummed as Blaise and I walked to class, Blaise was bickering with Theo about something, and I smiled. We had told the group about our new relationship, and most of them had immediately traded money, congratulating us as they did so, some of them even throwing in exasperated 'finally's'.

We walked into the defense class, I had been dreading this class all day. I know for certain that Umbridge is going to target me and not at all stick to Thorstan's lesson plan. I sighed as I sat down, Blaise glaring at the new sitting arrangement. Umbridge had gone and separated all the seats, one student per desk in several rows. I smiled at Blaise as he plunked down in the desk next to me.

Umbridge walked in, looking a little too pleased with herself. "Hello, students. You won't be needing your wands, so put them away. Today will be a rare occasion that you will actually be learning something," she giggled. I squinted at her and raised my hand. She ignored me. "We do actually learn something, with Professor Thorstan and with our wands out," Blaise said, only half raising his hand.

She glared at him, "What he is teaching is dangerous." She huffed as the chalk began to write down the lecture. I kept my hand raised. "What he is teaching actually prepares us for our future," Blaise pointed out. Umbridge continued to smile, her demeanor seaming to dim slightly, however. "Detention, Mr. Zabini," she giggled. Blaise glared and looked stunned as he broke the quill clutched in his hand.

I spoke. "He has a point, Professor, for you see, learning to defend ourselves is crucial for our future. It is also good in general to know defensive spells. If we use them are not," I said, leaving my hand up. Her eyes narrowed at me, "What could you possibly need to defend yourself against? There is nothing out there that would want to hurt children," she giggled dismissively.

I looked at her like she was an idiot, "If you truly think that, then you're daft. There are things out there that want to harm us, especially defenseless children. For example, werewolves, deranged wizards, dementors, acromantula, and frankly, the list goes on," I sighed, finally lowering my hand. Umbridge’s smile pinched. "These are lies," she said, seeming to think that this was the final word. "You are daft then. They're not lies, you just like for everyone to be brainless sheep who thinks the world is perfect even though there is a wolf always ready to gobble them up. Now you have the audacity to tell children that there's nothing out there that wants to harm them... and by children I mean a room full of young adults who are well aware of your bullshit," I sneered.

Umbridge exploded, her smile fell as it turned red, "Detention! Detention Potter!" she screamed. I stood my stuff gathering itself, I stormed out. I heard shuffling and before I knew it the whole class was following as Umbridge screamed at us to sit back down.

Blaise flung his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head, "Are you alright?" he quietly asked as he gently took my hand, it's then that I noticed that I was shaking. I nodded. He sighed as he gently rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. "Where are we going?" I whispered, Blaise was silent for a moment. "I think everyone's following you mio caro," he chuckled. I blushed at the pet name, "Library then."

~

We spent the rest of defense in the library as a study period, enjoying the rest of the day. After dinner however Blaise and I were forced to detention with Umbridge. He held my hand as we walked to her office, "I have a bad feeling," I sighed as I stopped. Blaise stopped as well, he looked concerned. "Well that's not good... normally when that happens something bad actually happens," he sighed. I scratched the back of my neck, nervous. Blaise took my hand and gently kissed it, "Don't worry too much il mio tutto," he smiled as he gently ran his thumb along my cheek, I blushed. "You do know that I understand Italian right?" I laughed, he smirked, "Good."

We walked into the woman's office and sighed, it was split. Most of it was Thorstans and a quarter of it was hers. A cat photo being the only indication. There were two desks set very far from each other and she motioned for us to sit. Blaise looked absolutely livid, I felt an unknown feeling stir in me that gave me the jitters seeing him like that. I sat down an glared down at the piece of parchment infront of me. "Today boys you will be writing lines, Mr. Zabini you will be writing, 'I must respect authority,' and Mr. Potter you will be writing, 'I must not tell lies,'."

She giggled as Blaise and I shared exasperated looks, we both reached for out quills and ink but she stopped us. "We will be using my own, special, quills," she smiled. We shared another look. We took the quills, my body immediately knew that this was wrong, oh so very very wrong. I looked at Blaise who was carefully looking at the quill, he looked at me with a raised brow. "Where's our ink?" He asked. "You don't need it, now go ahead and write until it sinks in," the wretched woman giggled again.

I went to put the quill to my parchment but it shot out of my hand, we all startled as it smashed against the wall, "What the hell is that?" Blaise practically snarled as he tossed his own quill away. Umbridge glared, "It's a quill, now write," she sneered as she placed new quills in front of us. I shakily picked it up, Blaise sighed and did the same he slowly began to write and immediately stopped. I watched him for a moment as he refused to write anymore. I wrote down the first word and something happened.

A sharp ringing filled my ears, I felt a sting in my hand, the quill was wrenched away from me as Blaise dashed towards me the room seemed to fly back. There was a loud shrieking noise and the sound of tearing.