Actually, it had been Padma who had first seen the approaching ship. She had been cleaning the dishes up from dinner. Looking up, she had seen a dot in the distance. Dropping the plate in her hurry, she dashed off to find Seamus.
She found him slumped over at his post in a deep sleep. She grabbed both his elbows at the same time. "Seamus! Seamus! The ship!"
"Not now, Pads," he grumbled, rolling over.
"SEAMUS!" Padma cried, shaking him.
"Leave me the fuck alone," Seamus moaned. Padma grimaced.
Dinner would be on the table shortly. If Seamus failed to show up for that, Padma decided that she herself would make the announcements.
Of course, Seamus had been aware of himself enough to remember Padma's warning. He had made the announcement, and now Padma was pacing by herself up on deck, pulling her shawl tighter and tighter around her arms. She considered praying. "God will protect us pira-pirates. Oh, bloody hell. We're on our own here."
Suddenly Hermione was startled from her fingernail-picking by Ginny's scream.
"The ship is gaining on us!"
"But it's not even 2:00!" Percy exclaimed. All of the sudden the entire ship rocked back and forth and an explosion shook the floorboards. Hannah screamed.
"Fucking SHIT!" Hermione and Ron screamed together, their minds instantly void of the plans they had just made so painstakingly.
Percy's mouth went dry. Lavender was already out the door, and she ran over to the railing of the ship. They stared at the approaching vessel. It was only then that Ginny realized -- that hit had been a hit to the canons.
Where Dean was.
Parvati was helping Dean move the canons into their positions and load them when the first shot came. Earlier, Padma had sworn to protect her at all costs, and Dean had reassured her at least 17 times that the first ship would not be ready for at least another hour. Not to worry; Ginny and Lavender were sure to come soon.
Nobody was expecting it, nobody wanted it; it was the last thing anyone had thought.
After all, you can't see the enemy loading canons in the dark, can you?
It is an impossibility. The canon ball came blasting through the side of the pirate ship without warning. It hit Parvati from behind and the force knocked her down.
She was dead before she hit the ground.
Lavender came running in at that moment, took one look at the scene, burst into tears, and ran to get Luna the nurse for aid.