"No… no how could this…" Luna stumbled forward dropping her bag at her feet and falling to her knees in front of the tiniest Thestral laid unmoving before her. She placed her hand on it's back and pulled away to find her whole palm covered in the same thick, oil like liquid.
Seymour pushed down the sudden urge to be sick as he surveyed the carnage on display. Looking at the huge gashes running along side the creature's side it was possible to make out distinct patterns to match that of huge fangs, deep and clean, the blood which had stream out of them already dried long ago on the ground below.
He swallowed hard and took a step towards Luna who had grown rather silent as she remained at the dead creature's side. He couldn't see her face for her back was to him as he stepped forward reaching out his hand to grab her shoulder.
"Luna -" but the low distant rumble and rustle of branches made him stop as he turned to face Hagrid rushing from between the entrance of the clearing, his face red and sweaty, his expression wracked with worry.
"Who was that screaming? These creatures are…" his words were quickly stolen from him as the sight before Hagrid took them away. His black eyes darted from one Thestral to the other following the long line of destruction, his mouth gaped open. "Oh my god, what's happened?"
Seymour remained silent as he waited for Hagrid to continue but it was Luna's voice that piped up. "We don't know Hagrid, we came to feed them but…" her tone was flat and wavered slightly as she pushed herself up from the creatures side. She turned to face both Hagrid and Seymour her eyes moving from one to the other as if begging one to explain what had happened.
"Luna." Hagrid wiped his brow frantically as he registered her presence stood among the massacre.
"What could have done this Hagrid?" she asked walking back towards the gamekeeper wiping the black blood onto her robes.
Hagrid remained speechless for a moment as he continued to take the sight in but finally spoke in a choked voice, "Don't know but it's long gone now. Could have happened anytime considering I haven't been to see them for a few days. But this ain't ever happened before. Not like this. There's nothing to em, no proper meat, no animal would get anything outta eating em. I just don't understand it." He continued to run his gaze across the scene for a few seconds before snapping his head back in their direction. "Wait here you two, I'll have to get Dumbledore. He'll need to know, might be able to make sense of it. Don't let anybody touch em while I'm gone." he added and disappeared back into the forest at speed, his large footsteps crushing roots and braches as he went.
The two students did nothing but stare blankly back at each other for a while until Seymour finally gained the words to speak again. "Luna are you alright?" he asked tentatively. Luna for all appearances looked perfectly fine if a little shaken but something about the way her eyes seemed to peer past his made him wonder if she was quite as fine as she first appeared.
She raked her fingers back through her hair, her eyes wide as she took in his face. "Yes I'm ok. I just wasn't expecting… this." even though she motioned towards the Thestrals lying behind her she didn't turn to face them again and remained rooted to the spot looking back towards where Hagrid had first appeared. She moved over towards one of the many large rocks around the edge of the clearing and sat herself on top of it, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her head between them. Seymour walked slowly over towards the small Thestral behind her and picked up her bag, leaving the wrapped packet of meat on the snow, little use it would be to them now. He walked back over to where she sat and placed the bag at her feet. She didn't say anything but continued to look off into the forest.
He knew talking to her now would be of little use but couldn't ignore the fact she was clearly far more upset than she was letting on, not to mention the fact she seemed determined not to take another look at the gruesome act that had been carried out behind them. He merely placed a hand on the back of her head and ran his fingers slowly through her hair, she leaned in towards him and rested her head on his side as they remained on guard waiting for Hagrid's return.
If only Hagrid had been the first to return with Dumbledore in company then maybe things wouldn't have seemed so dire. Unfortunately it wasn't to be so as both Luna and Seymour looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps through the loose ground in between the trees to find Professor Snape emerge from the heavily shadowed wood, trailing his cloak away from the outstretched branches as he did so.
He virtually ignored Seymour and Luna and made for the centre of the clearing, stooping down to examine one of the torn apart animals. Luna continued to stare out into the forest but Seymour's gaze followed Snape around the scene.
"What are you doing here?" he asked not bothering to check the tone in his voice. Snape glared back at him, rising from beside the dead Thestral and coming to a halt in front of the two students. He folded his arms in front of his chest and fixed them both with a cold, hard stare.
"It is not your place to question the teachers of this school Mr. Turner especially not when the very question would be better placed on one's self." Snape's dry lips folded into a smirk as he continued to lock eyes with Seymour.
"Well you see me and Luna we-"
"I'm informed by Professor Hagrid that there has been a mass killing of the schools Thestrals and who do I find when I get here but you two, out of bounds yet again, breaking the rules yet again."
"But Sir we just came to-"
"Does every member of Gryffindor possess the same blatant disregard for the rules, the same arrogant opinion that Professor Dumbledore's direr warnings are but mere child's play, unimportant instructions that do not apply to them?" Snape reeled off his eyes piercing the two of them as if daring either one to object. "Does Miss Lovegood possess such great knowledge that she thinks she knows better than to heed the words of such a powerful wizard. Does being a Ravenclaw take one above such need for caution and respect when clearly instructed." Snape was in his element as he continued to lecture the both of them all the while his face torn between anger and amusement as he motioned towards the animals behind them. "Does it not occur to either of you that this is the precise reason students are not allowed into or anywhere near the Forbidden Forest unless under the guidance of a teacher? Had it not been such a display of sheer power and force I would be tempted to believe this wasn't beyond either of you, maybe you grew bored with lessons and were eager to test your powers on something far more… real" his eyes glinted, his teeth bared momentarily as he goaded them.
Seymour grinded his teeth and made to shout back but stopped when Luna grabbed his arm beside him.
"If either of you feel you are of far greater importance than to follow the rules this school has put in place for your safety then I can assure you it would give me great pleasure in moving both of you out tonight. Do I make myself clear?"
Seymour bit down hard on his tongue and nodded, avoiding the professor's gaze. Luna merely followed suit and rose from her seated position.
"If I find out that either one of you has broken such rules again you will no doubt know the consequences will be far worse than a mere detention which you will both be receiving for the rest of this month every day after lessons have finished. Now get back to the castle."
Seymour grabbed Luna's hand and pulled her along away from Snape all the while cursing under his breath as he did so but stopped when Luna turned on the spot and faced the professor again.
"Sir I think it might be the same creature that attacked us the other night." she spoke calm and clear and didn't falter even when Snape returned her words with another ugly, smug looking grin. "Miss Lovegood if you feel a month's worth of detentions is not enough to stem your constant flow of lies and fairytales then I'm sure I can make room in my afternoons for at least another three weeks." He took a step forward and waited for her reply but she instead turned on the spot and left the clearing pulling Seymour along with her.
They didn't speak as they forced there way back through the forest and into the long grass of the forest's edge. The sky was a deep purple and a few glittering stars were starting to punch there way onto the sky's canvas. In the distance the school was already a glow with torch light and the sound of students finishing off their late night supper in the great hall. The last few stragglers from Hogsmeade were returning with their arms heavily laden with gifts and sweets. They walked back across the grounds passing Hagrid carrying his crossbow on the way. He told them not to worry and to get back into the castle but both couldn't help but wait and watch as he disappeared back into the forest.
"Do you really think it might have been that creature?" Seymour asked finally turning back towards the castle.
"Could be." Luna replied, "But as Hagrid said I don't understand why. Most animals know Thestrals are pointless to eat even if they can see them." The cold air seemed to breath new life into Luna as she continued to ponder on the matter, her eyes ripe with intrigue but Seymour still couldn't help but notice something about her still remained slightly lost to the scene back in the forest. Her voice still pitched every so often and her eyes wouldn't hold his gaze for longer than a few seconds. He stopped her on the steps of the castle and tried to fix onto her gaze.
"Luna it's alright you know if you… well if you need to…" for some reason he couldn't say the words for fear he was being stupid and didn't feel better when she merely laughed him off and shook her head.
"I'm fine Seymour just a little taken back that's all. Animals kill each other all the time, it's the law of nature. Survival of the fittest and all that." she forced a smile and whacked him on the arm.
Seymour grimaced back but didn't look convinced. "Maybe."
Luna let out a long sigh and looked back towards the forest now lost in the shadow of night. "Anyway forget about that for now Seymour, you've got more important things to worry about, don't forget you'll be facing the mighty Ravenclaw next month. I assume you've got training first thing tomrrow?"
"I'd almost forgotten about that." It was true, after the days events it had virtually skipped Seymour's mind that Gryffindor's first Quidditch match of the season against Ravenclaw would be taking place in only three weeks time, the thought poured into his stomach like ice. "Do you think we'll win?" he asked with a tentative smile.
"Of course you won't."
The night before the game past far too quickly for Seymour's liking and he silently cursed the morning sun as he turned over in his bed towards his nightstand. He watched as Robin slept on with a face annoyingly free of worry, his mouth taking in great gulps of air and expelling them with a great whoosh.
"Lucky for some." he grumbled to himself before lobbing a pillow at him.
The Gryffindor breakfast table that morning was far more rowdy than usual with it's students busy woofing down what food they could in eager anticipation for the match to follow. Chatter swirled around the hall with the occasional taunt or chant butting in for good measure.
Seymour sat with Robin, Alice and Lloyd towards the end of the table his eyes fixed firmly on his plate, his scrabbled eggs left untouched.
"Look at it this way Sey," Robin squelched between mouthfuls of sausage. "You'll either be great today and earn the admiration of us all or you'll stink and you might be asked never to play again." he nodded towards Alice wisely who looked fit to throttle him before downing a glass of orange juice.
"What's your point?" Seymour asked casting a decent eyeful of daggers Robin's way.
"Well all you've got to do is play great, score a few goals and your troubles are over. As long as you don't fall off your broom or drop the Quaffle into the lake I think you'll be alright."
"Yeah your right." replied Seymour his voice heavily fitted with sarcasm. "Don't know what I was worrying about." but Robin's usual stupidity and lack of tact helped settle Seymour's nerves as he continued to prod his uneaten breakfast around his plate.
"At least you made the team mate, Harry wouldn't have picked you if he didn't think you could hack it out there. Plus you get to fly about with Ginny which is worth the risk of humiliation alone so I don't see what's… so…. Oh my god." Robin trailed off as his eye's found a familiar face approaching their table. Seymour turned in his seat and almost fell off it when Luna came bounding over accompanied by the presence of a Giant eagle perched on her head in the form of a hat. It looked handmade but that didn't stop it's huge wings spreading out from around Luna's ears and giving out an almighty squawk which forced Lloyd into a choking fit with his porridge.
"Morning everyone." she chirped, turning to face each one of them it turn.
"Make her take it off, make her take it off." Robin was mumbling next to Seymour with his head in his hands. Seymour nudged him in the ribs before turning back to Luna with a bewildered smile.
"Morning Luna, nice hat."
"Thank you. My last one was rather popular so I thought this would be fitting considering today's game." she pointed towards her head which wasn't really required as it was the main focus anyway. "I had to work on it this morning as it kept trying to take off round the dorm. Nearly dragged me down the stairs but I think it's alright now."
Seymour nodded back and hid a grin as he noticed Lloyd slowly edging away from her, his eyes worriedly fixed of the eagle now eyeing his slice of toast.
"Come to wish Seymour luck?" asked Alice trying her best to act as if the hat didn't bother her at all, failing miserably of course.
"Oh I'm afraid I can't do that Alice." Luna pointed out once again motioning to the hat. "I'm certain Seymour will do fantastic today which is why I'm afraid I need to do this." And without explanation Luna broke into a weird flurry of hand signals and strange mumbling sounds. She grabbed him via the head and furiously ran her hands through his hair before attempting to dispel what ever it was she thought she had acquired away from the table with an almighty force.
Seymour frowned, Alice went red, Lloyd closed his eyes and Robin began to slide under the table. "W..w..what was that?" Alice inquired trying to avoid the fact that a fair few people had turned to look at them all.
"Oh nothing." Luna explained continuing to run her hand over his head with expert precision.
"Luna." Seymour reprimanded with a grin as he turned in his seat to face her. "What have you done?"
Luna pouted and folded her arms before giving in and explaining, "Just taking back all the Wootburps that I've sent to you over the past few months. I can't have you on the top of your game when Ravenclaw's pride is at stake." she pointed out before turning to his broom. "That reminds me." she quickly crossed her hands and nodded towards his Nimbus before pulling her ear and then nodding again.
"Make her stop, make her stop." Robin was pleading from under the table.
"And what was that?" Seymour asked looking intrudingly towards his broom.
"Just an old witches superstition." she explained with a look of triumph on her face. "Past down from one Lovegood to the next. It works better on the third Sunday of the month and helps if I face east but that should be enough." she added before patting Seymour on her head and running her hand softly over his shoulder. "See you out there." she waved leaving them to their empty stares.
"She's mad, off her trolley, out her tree… she's… she's…." Robin stuttered running his hand madly through his hair.
"I think she's great." Seymour interrupted too busy laughing to himself to care that the rest of his friends were eyeing him with concern.
"She just hexed you mate and put some weird loony curse on your broom." Robin argued, too dumbfounded to find anger in his voice.
"I know, she must really want Ravenclaw to win." he replied with a big smile. He really didn't care. One dose of Luna's odd presence was enough to push the nerves in his mind to the side for the time being as he took a large forkful of his egg and chewed happily noting to get her back for it after the game.
Seymour was sat wedged between Ginny and Katie Bell in the changing rooms before the match as they listened to Harry give his team talk, busy explaining a few pointers on their opponents.
"I think we've got a really good team this year, definitely in with a shout for the cup." Harry pointed out rather awkwardly, this being his first time at giving a proper team talk. Ginny furiously tried to take in every word as she fixed him with a fierce stare which was either a look of pure determination or an attempt to catch his eye. Seymour tried his best to listen but his attention was constantly being directed to that of the roaring crowd outside, did they have to be so loud? Each scream and chant pounded in his ears mixing with each other into one loud din that seemed to drone on constantly as they sat there.
He only looked up when he felt Ginny elbow him in the ribs. Harry had finished his talk and was busy warning Ritchie Coote about Duncan Inglebee the Ravenclaw beater's powerful dive bombing tactics. He looked at Ginny who smiled back holding her broom tightly between her legs, wringing the handle with anticipation.
"Nervous?" she asked in a far too casual tone for Seymour's liking.
"Of course I am, why aren't you?" he replied failing to hide his reluctant admiration.
"See this?" she pointed out holding her hand up in front of his face. Even Seymour couldn't deny it was shaking quite a bit as she struggled to hold it still. "Since this morning it's been like that. I haven't gotten a wink of sleep either."
"I don't want to know what you and Dean get up when your by yourself and now's not the best time for it." he replied with a smirk to which she took the opportunity to whack him hard with the handle of her broom before smiling back.
"If we get destroyed out there today Fred and George won't stop going on about it for months, it'll be worse than the time Percy crashed through the roof of the shed his first time on a broom."
"Shame they're not going to be up there protecting us from those bludgers." Seymour added casting a nervous eye towards Ritchie Coote and Jimmy Peakes Gryffindor's new beaters, both of whom looked fit to throw up.
"I think they're a bit gutted too, they've been writing me all week with tips on what I should do. Interfering sods." she grumbled through a smile.
"Couldn't have shown me could you?" Seymour whined thinking a few choice bits of advice from the Weasley twins wouldn't have been too bad in this situation.
"Oh I wouldn't worry, you've got your own personal support waving you on from the stands, you'll be alright."
"That's what you think, she's already taken away my Wootburps… and I needed those."
"I was talking about Robin, Alice and Lloyd."
"Oh."
"Who were you talking about."
"Never mind."
Before Ginny had a chance to reply Harry was signalling them to follow him out onto the pitch where the first game of Gryffindor's season awaited them. Seymour forced the lump in his throat down to his stomach as he stood next to Ginny waiting for the pitch gates to open. It was an odd moment for Seymour as he fought between the desire to just getting it over with and the very sudden urge to bolt for the castle. He looked at Ginny who had become very silent as she checked and rechecked her gloves, she looked back at him and grimaced before whispering under her breath.
"Look I know we supposed to anyway but watch my back up there and I'll look out for you too. Alright?" she fixed him with a nervous stare, her eyes pleading him to say something.
He nudged her shoulder and nodded with a grin. "Your on, but if there's a chance for me to score and take all the glory then you're on your own."
Whether from nerves or excitement they both burst out laughing causing Jimmy Peakes who'd gone a sickly shade of purple to look at them as if they'd both gone mad.
The gates finally opened and the flood of noise filled their ears like a symbol crash. Wave upon wave of chanting rattled round their heads as they stepped onto the soggy pitch. Seymour breathed in the late afternoon air and cast his eyes up to the stands to try and spot Robin, Alice and Lloyd in the Gryffindor seats. It took him a while but he finally caught sight of them right at the front holding up a long banner above them with his name blazed across the surface in bold bright writing with a few Quaffles darting in and out of the letters and dancing through the goal hoops.
He recognised Robin's handwriting instantly but he didn't expect to find Luna standing along side the three of them holding up the end of the banner cheering his name along with them. When she spotted him coming onto the pitch she waved furiously almost falling over the edge of the stand taking Alice with her if Lloyd hadn't yanked them both back into their seats. Seymour waved back and couldn't wipe the huge smile off his face as he felt a new wave of courage seep though his skin and into his empty stomach. Nervous as he still was the pitch didn't seem quite so huge as it had done moments earlier.
"What are you smiling about?" Ginny called over to him with a knowing smile on her face.
Madame Hooch was acting as referee for the game and after the usual formality of a handshake shared between the two captains she blew her whistle and everyone of them kicked their brooms into the air, soaring high above the crowd.
The game flew into action instantly as Ginny zipped towards the Quaffle at lightning pace narrowly avoiding a collision with one of the Ravenclaw chasers in the process. Seymour flew up along side her as they whipped their way towards the goal. They passed the Quaffle between them just like in training, back and forth with ease. Now up and running Seymour didn't feel anything but the desperate need to win. Ginny received the quaffle back from Katie Bell as Seymour barged Bobby Chamber's a Ravenclaw chaser away from her as Ginny continued to streak towards the goal. She launched the quaffle hard towards the left goal hoop and past the grasping fingers of the keeper.
A great roar went up from the Gryffindor crowd as Ginny flew back around the post winking at Seymour as she past.
Seymour could never remember playing so well, even in training they'd never been this good. Cootes and Peakes Gryffindor's beaters were doing well to protect their chasers as Ginny scored yet another two goals, followed by one from Seymour and another from Katie. Gryffindor's following was building up quite a noise as they watched their team race about the sky at a furious pace dodging in between the bludgers and in and out of the opposing chasers.
Ginny was outshining everyone as she chased down yet another Ravenclaw attack, Seymour followed close behind her before again forcing a way through for her to attack the goal again.
Every so often a huge gasp from the crowd indicated that Harry had caught sight of the Snitch but had yet to capture it. The game was stretching on longer and longer and the sun had already made it's way behind the tree's of the Forbidden Forest. The floodlights kicked into action casting the pitch into a silver glow aided by the rounded moon beaming down upon the action.
Seymour weaved out of a bludgers path and caught Ginny's pass before throwing it towards the middle hoop for yet another Gryffindor goal. He sailed back around the edge of the stands pumping his fist in the air. He caught sight of Luna as he past cheering along with the rest of his friends and felt his heart give an unexpected jolt of excitement. He slowed down and scanned the pitch for a sign of Harry who'd only moments ago been inches away from winning the game.
He didn't find Harry but instead caught a glimpse of someone else that made him halt in mid air. Far off in the distance away from the manic action he could make out a figure walking down towards Hagrid's cabin lit rather wealthily by the glow from it's windows casting the figure into a clear view. It was Professor Goodwin, his long red cloak wrapped tightly around him. He was walking at pace towards the Forbidden Forest. He stopped at the edge and peered around as if looking for anyone that could be watching him. Once he was confident of his privacy he then disappeared into the thick set trees. What was he up to? Thought Seymour as he hovered in the middle of the pitch, his eyes straining towards the shadows of the forest.
"Seymour!" Katie Bell hollered at him as she past. "What are you doing?"
He instantly snapped back into the game noting the Ravenclaw chasers with the Quaffle in hand steaming towards their goal. Reluctantly he gave chase with one eye still glancing over towards the professor's departure. Why now? The thought ran through his mind. Why isn't he at the game?
Ginny tackled the Quaffle away and shot off towards the other end of the pitch. Seymour once again followed but flew increasingly higher as he struggled to keep a clear view of the forest. Another roar of cheers erupted as Ginny sailed the Quaffle into the hoop but it didn't register with Seymour as he noted the slight hint of movement between the trees of the forest.
His blood suddenly ran cold and his mouth dry and he watched the huge black dog like beast emerge from the same place the Professor had entered only moments earlier. He slammed his broom into a break and waited mid air his eyes fixed hard on the creature in the distance. It prowled slowly along the edge of the forest away from Hagrid's cabin before casting it's face up towards the pitch. Being a distance away Seymour couldn't have been sure but he couldn't help feeling that the monster's eyes were staring right at him.
It remained stationary as it stared up in his direction. Seymour would have remained locked in it's sights if it hadn't of been for the scream that swam it's way through the crowd.
"Look out!" he knew that voice and turned only to be greeted by the fierce whistle of the bludger as it sliced through the air to strike Seymour hard on the head. He heard a crack, another scream and then everything went slowly black. He felt his fingers loosen their grip on his broom and gravity's weight take him away from it as he fell ever closer towards the ground down below.
"No…no… don't touch him. I'm sorry… I'm really sorry Seymour, wake up… please… wake up!"
He could hear her voice but his vision could only muster a hazed blur as he searched for her face. There were so many, all gathered high above him like towering giants. As his sight began to clear he made out the star patterned sky above him. His head stung fiercely but he forced it to turn in search of her voice.
"I didn't mean it… I really didn't."
Why was she crying? He was awake, it just hurt like hell to remain so. His eyes squinted hard as his vision began to fade again to catch glimpse of Robin standing yards away, his face white as a sheet, his mouth open and his eyes wide. Alice was next to him, her eyes were red but she remained silent, her hand clutching Lloyd's sleeve as he stared back at him, he swallowed hard before taking a step towards him.
Then Luna came into view, he tried to lift his head but cried out as a huge surge of pain rang through his body. He could feel her hands clasp onto his shoulders, her face showing something Seymour had never seen before… something he never wanted to see again.