Chasing Time (Seamus Finnigan)

thirty-five

'Are you going back to Hogwarts?' I asked Seamus. We were sitting on a bench outside the tent for Fleur and Bill's wedding. They had invited me and I had asked Seamus to come with me. 

'I can't stay away. I have to finish my education, my dad says.'

'Me too. I'm a bit scared, though,' I admitted, as thinking about going back to Hogwarts nearly made me shiver.

'You don't have to be. I'm there too. And Neville, Katie and the rest are returning too.'

'And what about Harry? And Hermione and Ron?'

I looked up at the stars. I didn't like the dark, but when I was with someone else I thought it was beautiful.

'They'll be fine.'

'I know. It's just weird they won't be there. Because they've always been there. Know what I mean?'

'I know. It's going to be quite different. But what's life withouth a few challenges, right?'

I smiled as he said that. 'You're right.' Seamus sighed as he stared to the ground in front of him. We sat there for a while, next to eachother, thinking and staring to the sky.

'Come on, let's head back inside.'

'Has everyone packed who had to pack?' miss Weasley yelled down by the stairs. 'Yes, mom!' Ginny's voice sounded from her chamber. I was in mine, trying to find my Potions book. I lost it and that wasn't a positive thing at all, because it was brand new and it would be a pity if I had already lost it, so I went to Ginny's room.

She was just done packing, as her trunk was standing in a corner of the room, and she was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. I knocked on the door, although it was already open. 'Um, Gin? Can I ask you something?'

She turned her head and as soon as she saw me, she jumped and stood up. 'Sure.'

Her eyes were red, from crying I supposed. 'Are you okay?' She nodded and walked to her desk, grabbing some books. I knew she was just doing that so she didn't have to look at me.

'Have you seen my Potions book?' I asked, not asking further. 'No. But maybe it's downstairs. You can ask mom.' She turned around and leaned against her desk.

'Do you think he will come back?'

I had quickly figured out she meant Harry, ofcourse. 'Yeah. Yeah, I think he will,' I said with a nod. I knew Harry, and although it could take a while, I knew he'd always go back to the people he loved. Ginny smiled gently at me before taking her trunk and leaving the room.

I went back to my chamber, spoke the spell that packed my trunk for me, and took it downstairs. I would have to order a new book, then.

'Oh, there you are, Dora. Ready? Both of you?' Ginny and I both nodded. 'Good. Now, put your trunks over there, and then we'll have breakfast. Come on, we don't have much time, you know that by now,' miss Weasley said, pointing at a corner of the room.

We did how she asked and then sat down for breakfast.

Boarding the Hogwarts express felt strange. Two Death Eaters, the Carrows, were guarding the corridor and wouldn't let muggle-borns in, because of their "dirty blood". Ginny and I made our way to an empty compartment and sat down, reliefd.

'Who are they?' Ginny asked. 'Those two people? Death Eaters. The Carrows. Brother and sister, very crual.' Ginny raised her eyebrows. 'I wonder how that's going to end,' she stated with a chuckle.

'Snape's headmaster now. Ofcourse he had to involve some Death Eaters,' I said looking out of the window, at some first years that were running around the platform.

'I hate Snape,' Ginny said and she stood up to put her backpack in the luggage reck. That moment, I turned to look who's footsteps I had heard and Ginny did so too.

Neville and Luna. 'Hi guys,' Neville greeted us and he and Luna took a seat. 'Hello. Looking forward on going back?' Luna asked.

'No, what do you think?' Ginny answered and she sat back down across from me. 'Me neither. I asked my dad if I could stay at home, but he wouldn't let me. I don't understand why not.'

The train started to move and slowly we left Kings Cross behind us for another year at Hogwarts. Only this time it wouldn't be so much fun.