Death is but the Next Great Adventure

Batty Boggarts & Cracked Wardrobes

In the last chapter: Harry is on 'house arrest' for the rest of the summer and finds the Locket in Regulus' room. The Wizarding world is on edge from the Azkaban-escapee. Harry and Remus take the Hogwarts Express and the dementors board halfway. Harry finds out he can speak to dementors and Remus definitely goes all 'mama-bear' on them.

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Despite Harry's undeniable curiosity he felt soft dread coating the inside of his stomach and throat once he spotted the wraith Dementors swirling through the night sky like they had at Azkaban. The occasional flitting shadow across the bright moon's visage was a chilling reminder of what patrolled those dark skies. If the Ministry was going to guard Hogwarts with those creatures, it would be a rather harrowing year for the other students.

The first feast was kicked off in a rather somber, subdued mood from the students and was then followed by the announcement that Lockhart would be replaced this year by one Remus Lupin. Though, most of the student body seemed curious and excited to possibly have an actually competent professor this time around and one with known ties to their very own little resident Ice Prince, the incident on the train had put aside any doubts about his character because of his lycanthropy.

Harry was glad to see the rather fast acceptance of his guardian among his peers. Not to mention, the look on Severus' face was amazing! Harry would need to invest in a pensive just so he could look at it again and again. The imposing potions professor was once again miffed at being passed over as a replacement for the DADA position, and by a werewolf none the less!

As the first week settled in, Harry already began to feel the weight of his schedule and extracurricular activities. Added to Harry's classes that year was Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures—Harry had been convinced to take the last course with Draco because the blonde didn't want to have to pair up with Crabbe or Goyle since the pair could 'barely function as it is!'

Hermione was also taking more courses than recommended, but in true form, neither Ravenclaws broke a sweat in the face of the challenge. Harry wouldn't have blinked at the extra class load if it weren't for the fact that on top of his studies of Death's language, secret late-night dueling practices in the Chamber of Secrets, and frequent visits to Remus' office late at night to sneak in a floo call home to Sirius, his quidditch captain Roger Davies was nearly doubling their practice regimens because Oliver Wood—the Gryffindor quidditch captain—was graduating at the end of the year and the Gryffindors wanted to win every match to give their beloved lion a good sendoff.

Harry cared little for winning the brutal game, but as seeker, he couldn't sit a single practice out. Davies had been trying to push Harry extra hard during practice, subtly—or perhaps not subtly at all—the sixth year had been asking Harry to try maneuvers that were quite dangerous. During Harry's second year, Harry had been wicked fast on a broom, but he played relatively safe if only to keep up appearances. However, at the request of the captain, Harry transitioned easily into more dangerous and death-defying stunts that got him to the snitch far quicker.

Davies had been on cloud-9 for the rest of practice and all throughout dinner, occasionally sending Harry utterly enraptured gazes that made him entire uncomfortable and sent Draco into vicious fits of laughter at his expense. Anthony, on the other hand, had nearly had a stroke every time Harry took a vertical dive towards the pitch or weaved through players and stands alike at a break-neck speed. Like the mother-hen Anthony truly was on the inside, the blonde had gone off on Davies and stayed glued to Harry's side all practice and throughout the rest of the day.

Through the light-hearted banter and exhausting drills of practice, nobody could quite forget the chill in their bones from the ominous floating guards in the thick cloud cover.