Death is but the Next Great Adventure

Pink Tweed & Pen-Pals

In the last chapter: Harry receives a letter from Ginny, explaining a mighty fight between Arthur and Percy. Fudge if making an enemy out of Dumbledore and anyone affiliated with him. Fudge is also targeting Harry and slandering him in the papers. Harry discovered the person who sent the Dementors if Umbridge. Sirius and Lucius begin working on taking care of the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore is trying to reorganize the Order. Harry meets with Tom, gives him back the vessels for his Horcruxes, Tom gives Harry Slytherin's locket. They hug goodbye and are generally heart-achy-losers.

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Harry pulled back from Remus' warm embrace, giving the man a soft smile as the older soothed his hands over his son's glossy black curls to brush down any wildly out of place locks from their recent apparition. Settling on the soft porcelain cheeks that weren't nearly soft and squishy enough for the fretful father, having formed into harder and more mature plains—pulling his son further and further from adolescence.

Remus pursed his lips in a slight frown for a moment before teasingly pinching one of Harry's cheeks. He laughed at the disgruntled expression on the young man's face. Remus released Harry, but not before his fingers brushed proudly over the gleaming silver badge pinned to the front of the robes Harry had to put on before they left since he had a meeting to attend as soon as the train started moving.

When Harry had received his Hogwarts letter over the summer, he'd been surprised by the extra letter folded inside along with his list of required textbooks and school supplies. Also, inside the envelope had been a small silver badge with an elegantly engraved "P" on it and his house colors of blue and bronze, meant to go on the front of his robes to signify him as the male fifth-year Prefect for Ravenclaw that year.

He had the chance to turn the position down, but Harry had not minded taking it on, at least for that year. In his house alone, there would be five other prefects—two from each year, fifth through seventh—and then there were three other houses. So, in total, there were twenty-four prefects at Hogwarts at all times, plus the head boy and head girl. Which meant that he would not be swamped with duties each day and would just have a little more authority and ability to watch over the students around the school. He didn't care much for bullies and being able to take away house points was a fairly effective and easy way of diffusing a situation instead of trying to threaten and intimidate someone into backing down.

"I'll write to you once I've settled in after the feast." Harry promised as he's become accustomed to doing, since his immediate letter after leaving for the school year seemed to work wonders in alleviating some of the strain and ache his parents felt parting with him each year. Of course, he couldn't send them a letter every single day, but he'd been told that his letter waiting for them first thing in the morning the day after they drop him off at the station made them feel worlds better. Who was he to deny them any sort of comfort when he knew there wasn't much else he could do about not being able to see them so much.

Honestly, even though there was usually not much at all to put in that first letter, Harry also felt good being able to reestablish his connection with his parents so soon.

As his parents shooed him off towards that Hogwarts Express with twin smiles hiding the familiar reluctance to part, Harry didn't check his stray thoughts and tried not to linger on one that said he would also want to send an additional letter that night to the recent captive of his internal affections. And he certainly didn't allow himself to linger on that thought and question which letter he might be more eager to send.

As he was stepping onto the train, he almost ran right into the other fifth-year Ravenclaw Prefect. He gave a polite dip of his head when the timid but undeniably capable young Patil stepped back from his personal space with stuttered words.