The Dream Trilogy Book One: To Dwell On Dreams (A Harry Potter FanFiction)

Chapter Thirty Eight

"What?" he spluttered. "What did you say?" 

Harry looked at the others. Sarah was blank, staring somewhere above Parvati's head, Parvati was paying attention only to Seamus. But Seamus and Hermione were fixated on him, disbelief and wonder in their eyes. "How?" breathed Hermione. 

Harry caught her eye. "Same as before," he said quietly, then leant into Seamus. "So you've got nothing to worry about," he said, squeezing his hand. "Parvati's right, we'll get help and you'll be fine." 

Almost as if on cue, pounding footsteps made them all jump and look round. Draco was running, his leg still bleeding through his jeans, followed by Blaise Zabini and Severus Snape. Parvati snatched up Seamus' hand in both of her own and brought it to her chest. "Help him!" she cried. 

Severus dropped to his knees and shooed Harry and Hermione out of the way. He didn't seem to have scratch on him, unlike Blaise who was bruised, scratched and panting. Her jeans were torn, and blood was cascading from a slice across her left cheek, mixing with the rainwater. Her left wrist was dark blue and twice its normal size. She was completely oblivious to it all though, bright eyes focused intently on Snape and the boy in his care on the cold, wet ground. 

Draco stood by her, and only looked mildly surprised as his little ball of sunshine came flying from the foliage and took its place by his head. It bobbed fretfully as everyone held their breath. 

Severus pulled gently at Seamus' clothes, causing him to flinch and moan. Come on, thought Harry desperately, come on Snape.  

But his motions froze as soon as he caught sight of the wound. He leant in even further, peering at the torn skin. Harry didn't want to look, it was so unnatural, so wrong, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Severus looked up at Blaise, then Draco, then back to Blaise. To the cut on Blaise's cheek. 

Then shook his head. 

"What does that mean?" stammered Parvati, eyes huge as in one fluid motion Severus rose to his feet and sprinted back into the auditorium. 

"GET BACK HERE!" shouted Harry, furious. 

"What does that mean!" screamed Parvati after him, but Draco dropped to the ground beside her, taking hold of her shoulder and looking her directly in the eye. 

"The blade was cursed," he said loudly to get her attention. "There's nothing anyone can do," added more kindly, as steadily as he could, but Harry could hear the strain.  

"It can't ever be healed," said Blaise softly, her hand reaching for her cheek. 

Parvati looked horrified. "No," she said, shaking her head. "No, no I don't believe you!" She turned from them, gripping Seamus' hand and touching his face. "You're going to be fine!" 

"We need to put pressure on the wound," cried Hermione, scrambling back by Seamus' side. "Someone in there must have something we can use, we can clean and bandage it-" 

She was looking at Harry, but Harry felt like he'd just plunged under water, like he'd done in the frozen lake. Her voice was muffled, her face was blurred.  

Seamus was dying. 

"Shhh," came Seamus' tired voice, and he followed it with another terrible cough. Sarah was crying by Harry's side, knuckles white around her wand. "Harry," whispered Seamus, his head resting his Parvati's other hand. Harry came and crouched by Hermione.  

"I'm here Seamus," he made his voice say. "Everything's okay." 

Seamus actually laughed. "No it's not." 

Harry wasn't sure if it was hysteria, but a laugh cracked from his constricted throat as well. "No," whimpered Parvati. "No you're fine." 

"Harry, I'm sorry," managed Seamus, which made everyone react, but Harry got there first 

"There's nothing - nothing to be sorry for Seamus," he told him sternly.  

Parvati nodded earnestly, tears shining on her long eyelashes. "You were so brave," she said. "I was so proud of you." 

Seamus smiled. "You too," he said weakly. Parvati tried to smile back, but she couldn't quite manage it. Sarah bit her trembling lip and held on tightly to Harry's good arm. Seamus looked up at her, smiling weakly as his eyes fluttered closed. "I'm glad you're okay," he breathed. 

"They're winning in there," said Blaise, eyes glancing through the tree line. Draco nodded in agreement and the ball of sunshine darted between the two of them, casting dark shadows from its glare. "Freiheit, I mean." 

Seamus nodded. "Good," he murmured. "Good." He pulled his hand from Parvati, who seemed reluctant to let it go until she realised he was pawing at his neck. 

"Hold on," she said understandingly, fishing with stiff fingers under his collar and drawing out a golden Celtic Cross on a fine glimmering chain.  

Seamus smiled weakly, and with what was left of his strength, began to pray. "Hail, Mary, Mother of God, venerable treasure of the...whole universe..." Parvati subdued a dry sob, and joined in with him. "Hail, Mother of God. You - you enclosed under your heart the...infinite God whom no space can contain. Hail, Mary, Mother of God...Hail, Mary, Mother of God..." 

His voice was slipping away from him. Harry reached forward again, clutching his hand tightly. "Hold on Seamus, hold on..." 

A last breath escaped his lips, and as dawn broke over the Black Forest of Germany, his hand fell from Harry's grasp onto the cold and muddy floor.