AN: The closer I get to certain events happening, the more impatient I get with myself. But, since I am really starting to get anxious at this point, here is what I am doing. This update right here is going to be RIDICULOUSLY SHORT and full of filler that I just don't feel comfortable moving on without adding in. Now, I'm going to crank this out really quick, and then IMMEDIATELY write the next chapter. I am not going to eat, sleep, pee, or move from this spot on the couch until I have written and posted BOTH chapters tonight. I would just combine everything into one, but the CDO in me (that's 'OCD' but it's in alphabetical order, like it should be) just won't let me do it. So I'm doing it like this instead.

I feel like I'm going to regret this.

Ready… go!

Disclaimer: Blah Blah not mine Blah

Still October 14th

Ravenclaw Common Room, Seamus:

He tossed aside the copy of the Daily Prophet he'd been reading only a moment or so before, in disgust. The front page was blaring with photos and garish headlines about yet another round of attacks. None of the village names belonged to those Seamus knew, but it didn't stop chills from racing up his spine.

Wasn't all of this supposed to be over now?

Seamus trudged up the stairs to his new dormitory and pulled a tattered and worn Gryffindor scarf out of his chest. It had been Lavender's, and if he strained his memory hard enough he could still manage to delude himself into believing the faded fabric still held her scent. Inhaling deeply, the cold grip of grief clamped around his insides yet again as he worked to hold back a sob.

Not many had known that he and Lavender had gotten together over the summer before 7th year, but they had. And throughout the horrors that were placed upon them, the few stolen moments he'd had with Lavender had been what kept him going. There were even days that they'd managed to convince themselves that things would work out, that Harry would win and they'd both still be alive and they would be able to go back to Seamus' home in Ireland.

She had so desperately wanted to see Ireland.

And on those days, Seamus could remember feeling as light and happy as he had as a child, and it was that feeling of lighthearted and pure happiness that he had used to ward off Dementor's during the final battle, casting one Patronus directly after another with no end in sight- until he heard it.

Banshees were curious creatures, because although they were not evil, they were feared. The awful thing about that was you only had reason to fear them if you were a part of certain bloodlines- something to do with an ancient curse or pact or something, Seamus never bothered to get the details. All he knew was that he would hear the cry of a Banshee each time someone he loved died, as his Gran explained to a sobbing 4 year old Seamus, who couldn't understand that awful noise he had heard- and why wasn't Da home yet?

While he attended the funeral, the young Seamus had vowed to find a way to never hear that awful cry ever again, and he'd managed to go 14 years before it sounded in his ears once more.

There were only two people fighting in that battle who could possibly have made the Banshee cry, and since Dean was fighting by his side, Seamus knew. He knew what had happened and his Patronus evaporated on the spot, requiring Dean to save his stupefied arse and drag him off to try and snap him out of it- because how could he have known?

Seamus removed his face from Lavender's old scarf in order to keep his tears from sullying the material, thinking once again about the attacks. The war was supposed to be over now. There was supposed to be peace, to show that Lavender had died for something. That it wasn't in vain.

Anger boiled in his veins, causing him to let out a cry of rage and kick his trunk across the room before collapsing on the bed.

Of course it wasn't in vain, wasn't Dean's relationship with that Parkinson chit evidence enough of that? Aye it was unexpected and weird and quite frankly Seamus wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it, but that wasn't the point. The point was that Lavender had died so that things like this could happen. Better world, and all that. And if they wanted to throw all of the rule books out of the window and tell the world to sod off then the odd couple had every right, and Seamus would support them and see to it that any who didn't had better keep their opinions to themselves.

There were, of course, those who would stand opposed to their relationship. In fact Seamus could think of one group in particular who would most likely cause problems, but at the moment they currently had a few problems of their own to deal with- thanks to Hermione.

A small smile graced his lips as Seamus recalled the way those slimy bastards had tried to act as if nothing was wrong, even as they all walked awkwardly in bodies that it was obvious they still hadn't figured out how to operate. Ridicule and jinxes followed them everywhere they had gone- several times Clarissa's robes had turned into frilly pink dresses that fit horribly on the muscular body she now wore.

Oh how he wished Lavender could have seen it, she'd always hated Clarissa.

He could almost imagine the glee on her face as he told her that the whole group of Slytherin's would have to remain in their gender-swapped bodies until the day after the Masque- Hermione's timing truly had been perfect, in that respect. She had to have known how long the antidote would take to brew.

Seamus folded the scarf up and placed it next to his head on his pillow.

Eventually those evil bastards would be back to themselves and causing more trouble than ever before, but this time Seamus wasn't going to stand for it. Any of it. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't be standing for anyone causing any type of trouble, not when Lavender had died for peace.

Not when he had nothing left to lose.

AN: Okay! Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I can move on. Also I know that I may have, erm, tweaked Banshees a bit but I did it only because I had to and it was important for Seamus' backstory and his own little side-plot that he has going on. And I just didn't feel comfortable moving on without giving you all of this information in this chapter.

Right.

So.

This next chapter is going to be a long one, and trust me, I'm pretty sure you'll be pleased with it!