Chapter Twelve A Warning
Seamus returned to his classes on the first Monday of May.
Elizabeth knew he would be fine in his first class, Muggle Studies, because he was in the same class as Dean and Neville.
Why those boys had chosen to take that class was a mystery to Elizabeth, for she knew that all three of them had strong muggle or muggle related backgrounds. After she left Seamus with the other two, Elizabeth departed in the opposite direction. She had divination.
"My dear, I'm so relieved you joined us today!" Professor Trelawney's mystical voice greeted her before she had even fully ascended the silver staircase to the tower classroom.
Elizabeth knew she wasn't late, as a matter-of-fact she was early, as usual. Not quite as early as Parvati and Lavender who made the dim tower their second home, but early nonetheless.
"I was afraid you wouldn't make it to our class today but rather stay and help your significant other adjust to his return to his classes," The professor spoke softly and she carried a teacup and saucer over to where Elizabeth settled herself with Lavender and Parvati, both of whom were already drinking their tea.
"True, I admit I had considered staying away from your class today," Elizabeth admitted after receiving her tea and taking a courteous first sip. "But I decided to come for I had a very strong feeling that we would be doing something very important today." Elizabeth spoke with a moderately mystical voice that she aloud herself only ever to use when she was in that particular school tower.
The three girls were friends of sorts with Professor Trelawney. And (though for obvious reasons she hadn't of late), Elizabeth occasionally accompanied her two friends when they would spend their leisure time pouring over star charts and crystal balls. She wouldn't admit it to neither her friends nor the professor, but she had lost a considerable amount of faith in the class after there had been absolutely no warning of danger whatsoever prior to Seamus's capture.
"My dear, I'm overjoyed at how well your inner eye is opening," Professor Trelawney said, her eyes growing in both amazement and excitement. "We are indeed venturing deeper into our tarot cards today and will be interpreting our year long forecasts by looking at the Ancient Rune cards."
The four sat discussing the lesson for some time. Elizabeth, Parvati and Lavender drank their tea and when finished examined their tealeaves. After each girl made an attempt at her own (using their memory, not their books for reference), they each, in turn, handed their cup to the Professor.
Elizabeth was shocked by Professor Trelawney's expression as she reached for Elizabeth's cup. But she was more shocked when the expression (which had been expectant and hopeful) dropped almost immediately to one of sadness and grief.
"What is it Professor?" Parvati asked, looking at Elizabeth with wide eyes before turning her attention back to the Professor.
"I see a most unpleasant year ahead for you, I'm so sorry dear," Professor Trelawney placed the cup back on the table and slid it away, looking distastefully at it.
Elizabeth was immediately distressed in that Professor Trelawney was more sincere than she'd ever seen. Although the woman had relished in foreseeing others misfortunes, she never did such for these girls unless it was necessary and almost always happened to be true.
"How could anything be worse than what happened this year?" Lavender questioned incredulously.
"Please don't mind me saying, but this year was worse for Mr. Finnigan than it was for Miss. Thornburn," She turned back to Elizabeth. "I'm afraid I can't tell exactly what this means, but you would be wise to take care to mind who you associate yourself with over the summer and next year."
From the expression the professor had as she said this, Elizabeth didn't for a single second consider not adhering to this advice.
"I'm sorry," Professor Trelawney said, looking surprisingly ashamed. "I wish I could be more helpful." She rose from the table and retrieved several purple velvet bags (containing the Ancient Rune cards) from a glass case near the rear of the class, placed three bags on the girls' table, and placed the remaining four bags on two of the other tables for the other students.
Parvati and Lavender looked at Elizabeth with worried expressions but did not say anything for at that moment a pair or Ravenclaws entered the class, chatting enthusiastically as they took their seats at a table behind the girls.
Elizabeth reached out slowly for her cup but saw only a lump of soggy brown tealeaves at the bottom and the odd clump stuck to the sides. Her inner eye must have gone to sleep.
"Hey," Seamus greeted Elizabeth as he took his seat beside her on the wooden stools at the garden bench they shared with Neville and Hanna Abbott.
"Hey," Elizabeth echoed, smiling back. She forgot all about Professor Trelawney's prediction as she scrutinized Seamus's appearance. "How're you feeling?" She asked.
"I'm fine honey," Dean drawled with a smirk. He'd followed the pair into the greenhouse and sat in Hanna's vacant seat. Seamus grinned.
"Don't you have a free period right now?" Elizabeth demanded, wrinkling her nose at him in a mock sneer.
"Just making sure you're still with us," Dean answered, putting the back of one of his hands to Elizabeth's forehead. "You just had a psycho class, you should be thankful I care so much about your sanity."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows as Seamus covered his laugh with an exaggerated and obviously fake cough.
"Nah, you're right. I'm just here breathing in the dung." Dean sighed and took in an exaggerated breath. "I miss it so."
"Dean," Elizabeth snapped her fingers in front of his face. "You have Herbology on Wednesday."
"So I do!" Dean's features brightened, "And speaking of Charms class—" Seamus snorted. "—do you have the notes from last class?"
"I wasn't there either," Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief.
"Yeah… but I know Parvati or Lavender would have given you notes… please?" Dean clasped his hands and attempted – but failed miserably – to pout.
"You're lucky she's nice mate," Seamus chuckled as Elizabeth produced the copy of Hermione's immaculate notes from her bag.
"And for that I love her," Dean said and he dashed from the greenhouse, throwing a "Thanks 'Liz!" Over his shoulder as he passed Professor Sprout on his way out.
"That was strangely normal," Seamus stated. Still smiling to himself he took off his robe and stuffed it unceremoniously into his bag.
"Normal would be nice," Elizabeth nodded, her eyes sweeping briefly over a shallow scar on the underside of his arm as he pushed his sleeves past his elbows.
Hanna arrived and took her seat across from Elizabeth She looked uncomfortably across at Seamus. Fortunately, Neville took his seat only a second after her arrival and began talking easily (and animatedly) with Seamus about something that had happened in their Muggle Studies class.
Hanna and Elizabeth quickly copied down the instructions that Professor Sprout had waved onto the chalkboard with her wand, and together they went over to one of the plant benches at the front to try and decide which of the plants they wanted to use for their final project (pairing up as they usually did, they worked well together, they were good friends).
"He's still the same Seamus he was before," Elizabeth said as they stood at the front, examining the little green cacti like plants closely before picking one up to look at closer.
Hanna looked up at the other girl briefly before picking up another plant, inspecting it, and putting it back down. "I know that," she said slowly. "He just seems… different."
"He's only been out of class for eight weeks," Elizabeth pointed out. "That's practically the same as summer break."
"I know, but he's different." Hanna looked calculating as she searched for the word she wanted. "There's something different about his eyes." Elizabeth could tell that she was having a difficult time expressing what she meant without accidentally offending Elizabeth. "Its like…" She paused again, "You remember when Neville came back from the Ministry last year? Right when they all came back? It was like he's aged 10 years in 10 hours? That's how he's changed."
Elizabeth looked over at the two boys who were quickly (and probably considerably incoherently) scribbling down the instructions. Neville had indeed seemed very different when he'd returned the previous year. Before he's left he had been gangly, clumsy and uncoordinated, but in just 24 hours he had matured so much that she almost couldn't recognize her friend.
The same could almost be said for Seamus. A part of her would always see him as the first year who had a knack for setting everything his wand touched on fire, his eyes always off in his own world, ready to cook up some sort of scheme with Dean.
But now, rather than a playful brightness, his eyes seemed to almost be clouded over. Even when he laughed, there was sadness deep in his eyes. It did indeed change his entire appearance from before.
"You're so strong," Hanna said, breaking through Elizabeth's thoughts. "I'd die if I was in your place.
"No you wouldn't," Elizabeth shook her head.
"How can you just…" Hanna shook her head and looked back at the plant she was holding.
Elizabeth waited (her patience had developed greatly of late), looking at her own plant, turning it around before placing it back on the tray.
"How do you do it?" Hanna started over, "How do you keep from going and not letting the world just take over?"
"I honestly couldn't say," Elizabeth said honestly. She picked up a plant that the two agreed on, and they took it back to their spot.
Neville and Seamus had just finished their notes and hurried to the front to pick their plant. Elizabeth mentally noted that Seamus's limp was more pronounced than it had been earlier that morning. Her eyes stayed on him a moment longer and she added to her previous statement.
"What else could I have done? What else can I do, really?" She pulled a measuring tape towards herself and carefully measured the circumference of the plant's trunk. "I could have crawled under a rock or hid or become catatonic," She shook her head and handed Hanna the tape measure, propping her elbows on the bench. Hanna was staring at her, but she continued, her eyes returning to the boys who were poking at a particular plant, "I need him right now just as much as he needs me." She said this with more force than was needed, but it strengthened her reasoning.
"You're both so strong," Hanna sighed, following Elizabeth's gaze as one of the Mimblus Mimbletonia squirted its green slime at one of their other classmate's provocation. Seamus quickly snatched up an empty plant tray for protection but Neville, who was standing right beside him, got a face full. Seamus lowered the tray and upon seeing Neville's green-coated face, let out a loud and genuinely amused laugh.
Elizabeth smiled.