Chasing Time (Seamus Finnigan)

four

After lunch, Ron looked at me and pointed. 'So, are we going to do that challenge we talked about? Is it still um... on?' he asked. I grinned. 'Sure. Still want to win.'

'There's nothing to win,' he grinned. 'Oh, trust me, there is,' I said smiling.

'Okay then. Let's see who is going to win,' he said assured. He reached his hand out but I didn't take it. He frowned.

'We're not allowed to help eachother, as we are opponents now,' I said matter-of-factly. He nodded. 'Perfect. Off we go then.'

But before we could leave, Hermione interrupted. 'What challenge?' she asked urgent. Harry nodded.

'That's none of your bussiness,' Ron said, and I nodded affirmatively. Harry frowned. 'Something between the two of us,' I explained, and pointed at Ron and me.

'But where are you going?' asked Hermione, leaning over the table. 'You can't ask that either, as it's part of the whole thing, and it would totally explain what we actually are going to do,' I said, shrugging.

She sighed and stood up. 'Come on Harry, I wanted to talk to you about - that thing I wanted to talk to you about,' she said, and she pulled Harry up. Harry glanced at us before leaving with Hermione, and Ron and I left for the Quidditch pitch.

We were nearly there, when I noticed something. 'Wait. Don't we need broomsticks or anything?' I said. Ron smirked. 'It's a Quidditch pitch for something. They have it there,' he said.

I rolled with my olive colored eyes.

Ron had got us two broomsticks and a Quaffle and gave a broomstick to me. I didn't need to ask what it was: a Cleansweep 5. I shrugged and wanted to mount it, when Ron jabbed my arm with his elbow.

I turned at him, heated.

'Hey! Why did you need to push me?'

'You just sighed like a brat!'

'I didn't!' 

'How many broomsticks do you have, then?' he asked with sarcasm in his voice.

'Four,' I said plainly. He raised his eyebrows.

'Are you such a collector of everything?' He grinned. 'No. I must confess my collection Chocolate Frog carts got a bit out of hand,' I said, as I rolled up my sleeves.

'You can say that. Now, are you ready for the real thing?' he said, smirking.

'I totally am. What do you want to do?' I said, whilst I bundled my hair in a ponytail.

'Let's first see if you can actually fly?' he suggested.

I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. 'Alright, alright. Show me then,' he said.

I kicked off hard and I flew as fast as could, and stopped when I was about eighty feet high. Ron came after me, a bit slower than me.

'Okay. You didn't fall of,' he confessed. We flew around for a bit and then he got down to get the Quaffle.

'You can shoot and I will defend the goalposts,' he said. I smiled and took the Quaffle from him. 'Great.'

I enjoyed it a lot. At home I used to practice with a football, but this felt better. I scored almost every single time, and Ron kept swearing.

Then we heard a whistle: a woman stood at the edge of the Quidditch pitch. 'Come down this instant!' she shouted. Ron and I glanced at eachother and took of to the ground. As I got closer, I recognised professor McGonagall.

'What were you possibly thinking?' she said cross. 'It was just um -' Ron muttered, but McGonagall interrupted. 'You could have killed yourself!' She looked at me. Ron saw that too.

'Honestly professor, she's an enormous talented Chaser,' he said, trying to persuade her. I blushed.

'That could be, Weasley, but that's not a reason to get over here. During class,' she added. Her eyebrows almost touched eachother, if that was even possible.

Ron raised his eyebrows. 'Is it that late, already? Sorry professor, lost track of time,' he said. Professor McGonagall nodded. 'Now off to class!' she said bossy, as she took our brooms from us and Ron and I began running.

Once in the castle, we slowed down, catching our breaths. 'What *gasp* time is it?' he asked. I looked at my watch. 'Three o'clock,' I said. 'I'm not going to Care of Magical Creatures for half an hour,' Ron said, as we were walking through the corridors. 'Then what are we going to do?' I asked.

'We're not going to the library,' he started, to tease me. 'I don't want to go to the library,' I agreed. 'Very good. Um... let's just head back to the common room,' he suggested. I agreed, and we strode off to the staircases.

We were just on our way, when we heard heavy footsteps. We both knew that were the footsteps of a teacher, and Ron took my hand and pulled me behind a tapestry, that concealed a secret passage. We hid in there, standing very close to eachother as the passage was narrow.

Ron didn't let go of my hand but all I thought about was not to breath too loud and not to move. After a few seconds, it looked like we'd escaped.
He let go of my hand and we continued, after the sound of the footsteps had died.

x

A few days later, the champions for the Triwizard Tournament were chosen, and Harry happened to be the fourth champion, where there supposed to be only three champions, one from each school.

Ron refused to talk to him, and Hermione kept talking to both of them in turns.

I was walking with Harry to the common room after our last class, and Hermione was walking next to Ron, but it didn't looked like a relaxed conversation.

'He'll come around,' I told Harry, looking at Ron. 'He's just pathetic. How could he truly believe I put my name in that Goblet?' he asked. I shrugged. 'I suppose it's just what he does. Let him think that. Soon enough he will find out he's wrong.' Harry sighed. 'Thanks for not protecting him for once,' he said.

I raised an eyebrow. 'What do you mean with that?' I said. Harry smirked. 'You often share his opinion, don't you?'

'What's wrong with that? Don't like being beated?'

'Okay, I get it, I get it!'

xx

We had entered the common room and noticed most of the Gryffindors were gathered around the bulletin board.

Hermione had already read it and rushed towards us. 'First Hogsmeade visit of the year!' she said excited.

'Great,' Harry muttered, and he went up the stairs to his dormitory. Hermione pulled me towards the bulletin board. 'This weekend!' she added. I smiled too, but wasn't as excited as Hermione, as I hadn't been there before.