Well I remember, I remember, don't worry
How could I ever forget?
It's the first time and the last time we ever met
But I have know the reason why you keep your silence, oh
No you don't fool me
'Cause the hurt doesn't show
The pain still grows
It's stranger to you and me


Seamus covered his dinner tray with his napkin and set it to the side. Once Ginny had done the same, he asked, "Are you ready?"

"If you are," she said. "Just…remember Seamus, you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. I don't want to force you to remember this."

"Are you kidding me?" he asked. "You're the first person to take me seriously! Of course I want to talk to you!"

"Okay," Ginny said, pulling out her tape recorder. "Whenever you're ready, then."

"You know what happened when I confronted Harry, so I guess I'll tell you about that night. Blaise and I always used to go for a walk after dinner…."


"How did it go today?" Seamus asked as he and Blaise buttoned up their jackets and stepped outside. The autumn wind whipped around them as they locked their house and stood for a moment on the back porch.

"Fine. We shipped about seventy artifacts to our safe zone in Japan. Our friends in America are breathing down our necks to get their hands on the Merlin set for their museum, so we held that stuff back. We're in talks with them about time frame and cost. They've got our balls in a vice after the Morgan Le Fey artifacts incident, though. We'll probably have to loan the Merlin set out for an offensive price, and we won't get it back for years…."

"I never knew the Wizarding museum business was so cutthroat," Seamus said with a grin. He took Blaise's hand and they walked into the woods behind their house. As they were walking along the river, Seamus asked, "Are we going to get to go on another trip?"

Blaise chuckled. "Yes. But not to Japan." When Seamus pouted, he smiled. "Not this year at least. The Japanese Minister of Magic is an avid museum fan, and he's meticulous about keeping artifacts in good condition. He personally sees to it, so we're never too worried when we ship things over there. We'll probably make a trip out, but not until next year. The trip I'm talking about now is to Germany. We have a broomstick collection that they're lending us, and the boss has sent me and McKellan to get it. The Germans like to party, so we'll be there for at least a week."

"I like Germany," Seamus said, nodding in approval.

"Hey, who's that?" Blaise asked.

A figure was walking toward them on the path. He had his cloak pulled around him tightly, but Seamus could see his face clearly. "Harry!" he called, waving.

"Seamus," Harry said with a smile. "I haven't seen you in ages. What…" he trailed off, spotting Blaise.

"Er…" Seamus said. "Harry, you remember Blaise Zambini? He and I are engaged."

"Lovely."

Seamus looked from Harry to his fiancé. Harry had a hateful scowl on his face, and Blaise looked a little confused. "So…what brings you to this part of Ireland?" he asked.

"Ginny's pregnant. I wanted to move somewhere where she would have fresh air."

"Well you picked a great spot!"

"Er…Seamus?" Blaise said quietly. "I'm not feeling so great. Let's head back."

"I figured you'd gone off to Spain, like the rest of them," Harry said.

"I'm home here," Blaise said simply.

Harry snorted. "I just thought maybe you'd do the noble thing and turn yourself in after the war."

"You know, and I know, that right after everything stopped the Ministry was still corrupt. I wasn't going to hand myself over to a government that hated me just because of my House? I'd done nothing wrong."

"You Apparated to Voldemort during the battle."

"Harry, I was trying to stay alive!" Blaise insisted. Seamus put a hand on his arm, but his fiancé paid no attention. "You have to understand, Harry," Blaise continued. "Not all of us were like your friends Weasley and Granger. Not all of the younger kids were like Colin Creevey. We were scared, especially those of us closest to the Death Eaters. I know you did great things at a young age, but not all of us were ready to fight. Not all of us were ready to be as brave as others. And the Slytherins were certain that if we didn't at least pretend to side with Voldemort, then we would be killed by our own housemates. I know it's hard for you to understand, but the war was felt differently by everyone. I didn't want to be jailed or killed because when I was 17, I was too afraid to stand up to the most evil wizard of all time. Or to my housemates, his minions."

"Well what about now? I've revolutionized the Ministry, haven't you heard? We could hear your story formally. You'd be setting a good example for those housemates you were so frightened of."

"It's been five years, Harry," Blaise said, quietly. "It's in the past. Can't we just leave it there?"

"I'm afraid we can't. If you won't come willingly, I'll have to force you."

"Harry!" Seamus said. "This is ridiculous." Harry made a motion with his wand towards Blaise, but Seamus blocked it. He heard a snap as the force of the spell cracked his ribs. He stumbled and fell into the river. He heard a splash and a second later was pulled above the water. Blaise's necklace came off in his hand as he desperately clung to the former Slytherin. The current was sweeping them down the river quickly, but Blaise managed to get them onto the bank.

Seamus was shivering from the cold and the pain. Hearing footsteps, he looked over and saw Harry coming over. "Help," he whispered.

Harry walked over to where Blaise was struggling into a kneeling position. He cast another spell, sending Blaise's top half back into the water. Harry stepped on Blaise's head. "Scared? Too scared to do the right thing? Well the Wizarding world doesn't need people like you. You're right, Blaise. You're a part of the past."

"No," Seamus tried to shout. The pain in his body doubled, and he clenched his fists so hard that Blaise's necklace drew blood. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Blaise stop moving.


"What…what happened then?" Ginny asked.

"Passed out. Woke up here at St. Mungo's. They must've thought the necklace was mine, because I was wearing it. Here," he said, taking it off and passing it to Ginny. "He bought it when they put one of the showcases up for auction. It was one of the other wizards' of King Arthur's court. Give it to your kid."

"Oh no, Seamus, I couldn't."

"No, really. It's supposed to be given to your children. Blaise was just wearing it until we had some. Was it a boy or girl?"

"A girl," Ginny said, taking the necklace. "Are you—"

"I'm sure."

Ginny nodded. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"The story's finished."

"But we have to get you out of here. I'll come back tomorrow."

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