Death is but the Next Great Adventure

Bloodquills for Good Boys

In the last chapter: Harry is made Prefect for his fifth year, along with Padma Patil. Umbridge makes an appearance and Harry realizes she was the one who sent the Dementors after him. His friends mention their prospective career paths, and Harry receives his first letter from Tom for the school year.

------------ 

Author's Note://

Alright! Question time:

So, I've recently had a bit of a persistent plot bunny hopping around in my mind and have managed to write a half-decent chunk of the story but I'm not sure whether or not to post it. It's another Tomarry story and I have a good five chapters written up so far. This one is a little more . . . 'out-there' than Death is but the Next Great Adventure, and might not be for everyone, but it's got lots of action, world building, some wholesome angst, chest-fuzzy-fluff, (and even pirates!).

Anyways, I don't know how long it will be, or how often I will be able to update it, but my question is: Would you guys be interested in checking it out? I know it might not be for everyone and you certainly don't have to, but I would like to know if you guys were even a bit interested.

  Please let me know what you think! Or if you want to leave me a comment on the above chapter, I would absolutely love that as well!  

________

A finger of dread hooked deep into his gut as he took his seat at the familiar richly stained wood desk, scarred and scuffed from years of use and students' carelessly aimed spells. Harry could feel the tension in the air as the last of the fifth-year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs shuffled in under the unsettling watch of the newly appointed, Ministry-approved DADA Professor. It was the first Defense lesson of the school year for them, but talk had already been circulating the school about the woman's 'unique' way of teaching and now the students felt little hope for a reliable or competent curriculum.

Of course, they also didn't know what Harry knew. Didn't realize that the witch donning muted flamingo-hued wool and a tart smile was more ruthless than she seemed.

Tap. Tap. Tap. . .

The blunt tip of his nail came down against the polish surface of the desk at a steady beat, tapping like a droning metronome as the tension along his spine slowly tightened. Harry saw several of his peers glance at him from the peripheral, but he didn't look away from the hole he was boring into Umbridge's temple with his stare. He wasn't even fully aware he was doing it, or that his dower mood was subtly effecting the rest of the class.

Harry typically prided himself on how calm and collected he could be in most situations. There wasn't much that could ruffle the Ravenclaw's feathers. However, already this woman had raised his defenses and prodded a little too sharply at his patience. Even with every seat in the class filled, everyone quietly waiting for the lesson to begin, Umbridge stood there stiffly, obstinately refusing to speak until the hour officially began. And when all of the hands on the clock on the side of the room met under the eleven, as if she had suddenly been powered on, Dolores twitched into motion and greeted the class.

Harry's finger finally stilled against his desk top.

"Good morning, children!" Lifting her wand in her stubby little fist, Umbridge began to flick her wand and speak as neat text appeared on the black board behind her. "'Ordinary Wizarding Levels Examinations,' more commonly known as 'OWL's." She finished with a saccharine twist to her lips. There was a subdued murmur through the class, a mixture of complaints and worries at the mention of examinations on their first day of lessons. The woman at the front, however, went on as if she hadn't heard them.