Death is but the Next Great Adventure

Sex Talk: Part Two

In the last chapter: More students had detention with Umbridge and she discovers that the bloodquills were tampered with. Umbridge appoints herself as High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and starts making Educational Decrees. Harry decides to finally start off the investigation of Umbridge, so he sends a letter to his parents, but when it comes back, he realizes there are mail-wards up and spreads the news on how to get around them. Harry starts getting weird/cute gifts from Tom and realizes the clueless man is unintentionally wooing him. They're both hopeless and adorable.

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Each day came and went without fail. Short fluctuations between warm and cold weather throughout the course of the following months as summer reluctantly gave in to autumn, and autumn to winter. Students were seen ostentatiously flicking drying and heating spells at their sopping shoes and dripping hems of their trousers. The uniforms changing one by one to thick grey sweaters with the school crest emblazoned on the breast along with wool tights and trousers.

With it, came the sense of longing. Some wished for warmer months, some for the jolly days surrounding Christmas and Yule without lessons and surrounded by family. While Harry also wished to be reunited with his family, he could not deny his yearning of one particular individual.

Every letter, every package, every page of comforting words was not enough to dispel the budding tightness in his chest every time he had a moment alone and allowed his thoughts to run away from him. For nothing would satiate his enamored heart, save the presence of its captive.

Though, the distractions from such things were plentiful at Hogwarts. It was not often that Harry found his mind nor body idle. Umbridge continued to exert her power where ever and whenever she could. Berating and insulting the staff, all the while looking down on the students like they were invalid, vile creatures. Though, as time went on and the school as a whole became more aware of her actions, therein began a collective effort to keep students far from her 'disciplinary sessions' and to not allow her belittling of the staff to hold any weight for the students.

When Dumbledore finally made a reappearance at the school, nothing really changed. There were a few quiet days where Dolores treaded carefully, but when she—along with everyone else—saw how distracted the Headmaster was, it became clear that it didn't matter if he had returned or not. Concerns from the staff went unheard or waved off by the unfocused wizard. And that was when anyone managed to catch Albus outside of his chambers for a few moments.

It wasn't until Harry spoke to Death about it that he found the reason for the man's recent absence.

'What do you mean he was out in the country? Doing what?' Harry's internal voice sounded incredulous as he glowered down at his eggs, shuffling them about with the end of his fork.

'I believe he was poking around the old Gaunt shack, searching for a ring.' His companion answered pointedly.

Harry paused, pursing his lips at this new bit of information. Dumbledore was looking for the ring? That meant that he was aware of the Horcruxes. Enough to be searching for them. Harry turned to look at the man at the head table, who was also picking at his breakfast without really seeing it, pale blue gaze a thousand miles away.

Dumbledore was still adamant that Voldemort lived, and now he's seeking a way to destroy him before yet another wizarding war could begin. Not that Tom had given Harry a definitive answer on what he wished to do with himself now that he could start over, but Harry had a feeling that war and gruesome conquest did not fit into his plans any longer. Harry wasn't particularly concerned at the moment. Dumbledore may continue to think Voldemort is alive, but allies outside of Hogwarts were waning and the longer Voldemort goes without making an appearance, the more everyone will move on.