THE SEVEN SINS


CHAPTER 6: Envy: Invidia I

The envious man thinks that if his neighbor breaks a leg, he will be able to walk better himself. Helmet Shoeck.

Harry, Hermione and Ron had spread the word about their induction. If not everywhere, at least the people in Gryffindor. Ever since they were made Prefects, Ron and Hermione had been very influential, and Harry had been influential from the start anyway. People were alerted, and many had promised to warn the three, should anything strange arise. The three 'infected' people had been placed somewhere safe, with a suggestion from Harry to Dumbledore.

So far, it had been quiet. But the Trio knew better.

It was Tuesday.

Anxiously the Trio looked around them, their eyes extra sharp, while making their way to the Potions classroom.

Suddenly, Harry turned, having felt light fingers grasp onto his arm. Hesitantly, grey eyes watched him, the light hand pulling him into another passage. Harry, noting the sign of the Prefect's Bathroom, walked in, gesturing with his hands for Draco to talk fast.

Draco took a breath. "I'msorryaboutmebreakingdowninfrontofyou."

Harry's forehead crinkled. "Excuse me?"

Draco closed his eyes. "I'm sorry about me breaking down in front of you."

Harry cocked his head a little. "Oh." His green eyes softened. "Are you alright now?"

Draco nodded, opening his eyes. "Could you, could you maybe not tell anyone?" he said, looking down at the floor.

Harry nodded, concentrating on this new, vulnerable Draco. Then, realizing that the other boy wouldn't be able to see him nod, replied softly "You know I wouldn't."

Draco smiled a little. "Let's get to class." His tone showing confidence again.

They moved away, walking towards the door of the classroom. Immediately Harry groaned. Snape was already there.

"Fifteen points from Gryff–"

"It was my fault, Professor Snape." The class went completely silent. The black-eyed professor looked at his godson, studying him, his less-than-arrogant pose, and relaxed stature.

He nodded.

The class was careful not to gasp. Instead, they watched, breathlessly, as each boy walked to his own seat.

The lesson went smoothly.

Hermione, Harry and Ron were still not fooled.

They'd reached the Gryffindor portrait, talking with Seamus, after the lesson,before one of the first-years appeared, rapidly talking panickedly, tugging them to the Fat Lady's portrait.

Mumbles of 'he's out of control!' and 'he wants you' reached their ears before they arrived at the Gryffindor door.

Bewildered, Seamus entered the portrait, the last thing he saw before going into the common room being the appalled face of the Fat Lady.

It was chaos. Everyone was screaming, and the four watched in terrified awe at the complete pandemonium that was the Gryffindor common room.

Lavender touched his arm.

"Quickly, he's out of control! He keeps saying how he –" her head snapped back, as a lightly tanned hand reached and hit the side of her face.

Lavender hit the wall, a nauseating crack sounding through the room. The rest of the Gryffindors backed away slowly.

Seamus stared at Dean in horror. "Dean, what are you doing?" he exclaimed.

"She touched you." It was a calm, yet rather childish voice that answered Seamus' plea. "I wanted to touch you."

Seamus looked at Dean, a little stunned. He wasn't used to his best friend acting this way –Dean was always the mature one in their friendship; always would be.

"Why does she get to touch you?" The high-pitched whine brought Seamus back down to earth rather sharply. He looked at his best friend, stammering out his reply.

"But you know you can touch me…" he said, his face getting rather flushed as he realized just what exactly he was saying.

"I can't touch you like she can!" Dean pouted. "I want you for myself!"

Seamus looked around helplessly, as Dean hung off his arm. Too many imitations of goldfish littered the room, and he turned to Harry in desperation.

"I know what we have to do," Harry sighed. Dean snarled at him, perhaps already sensing that that something wouldn't be anything that he would like.

Seamus shushed him with his finger.

Bodily they dragged him down the corridors, before arriving at the same one that Harry had used to contain everyone else.

"The Room of Requirement," Seamus breathed. "Of course."

Harry nodded grimly. They did the traditional walk, then opened the door. Inside were four cribs, beds with bars that blocked the person inside from climbing out. As Seamus looked, he realized that three were occupied, two of them filled with screaming people. A strange sensation, for he knew they were screaming by their shadows, but couldn't hear them; he realized that Harry had put a Silencing Charm on each bed.

Harry left the room, giving the two friends their privacy. Reluctantly Seamus started towing his friend over to the one and only unfilled bed.

"No!" Dean screamed. "You can't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Dean," Seamus said, hating himself. He pulled up the bars, one by one.

"But I want to be free! Like him!" Dean said, pointing an accusing finger at Harry.

"Remember?" He pulled Seamus by his left hand towards him. "You're left handed, to my right. See?"

He placed their hands together, finger to finger, palm to palm. Dean's hand was smaller than his, and for a moment, Seamus was reminded of how vulnerable his friend was, and could be. He closed his eyes, clasping their fingers together, curling his protectively around those of the one he loved.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, opening his eyes. He drew up the rest of the bars, Dean trying to get out and failing miserably, the bars growing higher and higher each time he tried to reach over.

"I'm sorry, Dean." Seamus smiled rather awkwardly. The scuffles ended, Dean apparently settling into the bed sheets in an all-time sulk. Seamus smiled again, fondly watching the shadows play across the moonlit walls of green.

As he listened, the shifts of the blankets became smooth, slow breathing, and his head leaned against the crib, acknowledging the fact that Dean had fallen asleep. Seamus looked around, then placed the fingers of his left hand into the crib, the walls of the bed letting him through.

"Goodnight Dean."

Settling uncomfortably onto the floor, he fell asleep, his fingers brushing Dean's tanned skin.

He didn't feel the small fingers of Dean's right hand curl around his own.


Author's Note: I am so incredibly ashamed that I updated this late…I apologise deeply for it, but in truth after I came back from Cebu I was quite frantic, because my computer had apparently broken down when I was away. I was on school holiday so I was unable to use a school computer, and I wasn't allowed to a friend's house. With incredible coincidence though, the day that I started school (today) my computer was back in commission, so with sincere apologies, I have typed up this chapter. Again, I am so sorry!

Responses to Reviewers: California Smells Funny: Why, thank you! Stands up and bows

Evil Farie Queen: I get a hug? I feel so loved! Are the cookies chocolate chips? Lol, love you too!

Morena Evensong: RS does mean Religious Studies, and as for being interested in things, I'm very interested in mythology and 'dark' arts (notice the quotation marks).

I'm going to try and incorporate Draco from now on, although there'll definitely be more underlying couples…I hope that your question about Harry and Draco was clearly answered in the text…I like to infer answers that way.

ScienceGeek101: Wow, glad my story is so appreciated! Just to tell you, but your reviews? Me likey, me loves it!

Megalicious Moony: I'm sorry you lost…I'm sure that you'll improve though! And that your team spirit is tones better. I wasn't really sure about the ending, so I'm really glad that you loved it!

Emeralddragon: I tried to make it as cliché-less as possible, so I'm extremely glad that you liked it!

JadeLily Malfoy: Glad you liked it!

PheonixTear: I thank you for reminding me, although it wasn't necessary…I was feeling guilty all week! I take it as a compliment that me not updating was driving you insane, but apologize again and again!