11 Revenge
Seamus had just left the old potions classroom. He was on his way to Gryffindor Tower when his robes flew over his head and he landed in a tangled heap. Something hit him hard and the gloomy dungeon went completely black.
Seamus woke up with a pain in his side. Blaise Zabini was kicking him.
"Wake up, Finnegan," he snapped. "Someone's taken your wand but you can always get another at Zonko's," he sneered. Crabbe and Goyle laughed loudly.
Seamus opened his eyes and felt inside his robes. He still had his own wand and they were off guard.
"Don't bother, the Knockturn Alley wand you're not supposed to have is gone. It's safely in Croydon by now."
"Why tell me then?" Seamus winced, holding his ribs.
"Because you're just dumb enough to try and get it back and we'd like to have a proper go at you. Learn some respect or lose your wand. Don't expect any help from Dean. He had a nasty fall and is staying at Madam Pomfrey's," Blaise grinned.
"Pick out another three beds, you're going to need them," Seamus gasped.
Blaise ignored him.
"Saturday. Croydon. Semilune Hill. Be there or your wand's firewood,"
Blaise spat. The three Slytherins left him there.
Seamus pulled himself together and got to the Gryffindor Dormitory.
He considered getting a couple of burly Gryffindors to accompany him then thought better of it. The wand he needed was in Croydon and being guarded by Crabbe and Goyle. He caught his breath and weighed his options. Blaise had him cold. Outside in the Muggle world there would be too many questions if he used magic. He'd traded his two highly sought after Death Eater's masks and wand for a single wand. It was vital.
Seamus kicked his trunk in frustration. It struck his bed and made an odd sound.
He discovered a big box of candy on his bed with a note in the shape of a lotus blossom. "You saved a loved one near Flourish and Blott's. Sweets to the sweet. Thanks."
Seamus smiled thoughtfully. He filled his backpack with the best of Honeydukes. If anyone asked him, he was slipping off to see his sweetheart in the morning.
"I don't know what's got in to those two," Hagrid said over a huge flagon of Butterbeer, "but they'd better make a go of it or settle fer bein' friends."
"Spot on, Hagrid. Poor Hermione was in a right state for days. I knew something was terribly wrong when Ron lost his appetite. You reckon they worked out the gate?" Hagrid gulped down his Butterbeer.
"Would you look at the time, Harry! I've got to collect some tonic for Buckbeak."
"You mean Witherwings, Hagrid."
"Yeah, right. Witherwings. I'll see you to the gates Harry, but I've got to go."
Hagrid and Harry parted company in Hogsmeade. Harry donned his invisibility cloak and carefully made his way to the Shrieking Shack for his rucksack.
Hermione crept down to the dungeons to work on her sieve. Once inside the old potions classroom she drew lines in the air with her wand and sighted them across the mirrors. She ran out of ink taking notes and confirming runes. In the end she had validated her work and refined her sieve. Hermione collected her notes happily until she noticed her Quidditch bat and bludgers were gone.
