Glad that you liked it Connie 
It will be interesting to see what becomes of Seamus and Abby's relationship 
Even though Professor Umbridge only kept us for it an hour, it felt like an eternity. Our hands were so raw from the constant cut, heal, cut, heal routine, that Harry and I could barely move our hands out of the position we used to hold our quills. She dismissed us once she was pleased that the message had "sunk in" and told us that she hoped we had learned our lesson.
I had never wanted to punch someone in the face so badly my entire life, but of course I restrained myself. After all she was a disgusting toad that would never find love.
"I could just curse her for hours!" Harry hissed out angrily once we were out of her earshot.
"I hear you," I said, inspecting my hand with disdain. Who knew that cutting into the back of your hand could be so painful. I imagined I would probably possess these scars for the rest of my life...a permanent imprint of Umbridge with me forever.
"There has to be something we can do. I mean she isn't helping us learn spells, and she's definitely not going to help us pass our O.W.L.s," said Harry as we walked.
"Well, maybe we should find our own way to practice," I said, stopping Harry.
"Where? How?" asked Harry, excitement in his eyes.
"I'm not sure. Let's discuss it with Ron and Hermione. It will probably be difficult but definitely not impossible."
Harry nodded and we continued along until we got in front of the Fat Lady who holding an empty wine glass in her hand. Since our third year here she had been determined that she could take her voice to such a high octave that she could shatter a wine glass. Obviously after two years she still hadn't managed it.
"You wait," she said, eyeing our skepticism. "One day this glass will break!"
"I have the utmost faith," I said with a genuine smile. We were about to go through when Harry grabbed my shoulder.
"Can we agree not to tell Ron and Hermione about the quills?"
"Sure Harry," I said, sensing that he figured Hermione would want to tell Dumbledore. "We don't have to go out of our way to tell Dumbledore, but if he notices it at one of our meetings or something, I'll tell him the truth."
"Thanks Abby," Harry said with a smile that I was pleased to see had no tension behind it. That is until Seamus came through the portrait.
"Harry, Abby," Seamus said with a smile.
"I'll catch you later," said Harry to me, before swiftly walking through the portrait over to Ron and Hermione, who were eyeing us carefully.
"How was detention?" asked Seamus, concern on his face.
"Oh, she's into the more ancient practice of making us do lines. No big deal," I said with a shrug, slipping my right hand further up my sleeve so he couldn't see how raw it was.
"I hate lines. What did you have to write?"
"I must show elders respect," I said with a small laugh. Seamus laughed as well.
"I was just heading to the library to check out a book for this Ancient Runes essay. Want to come with?" he asked, wanting my company.
"Sure, why not," I said with a smile, following him out and down the steps. We walked in silence most of the time, commenting on some things occasionally. I could tell there was something he wanted to ask me, but I figured I would wait for him to actually say it.
We walked into the library, the librarian eyeing us curiously, expecting us to be up to no good. It wasn't her fault really. Most students found the endless bookshelves, shadows, and hideaway spots in the library the perfect place to snog.
"I think the book is right....here," Seamus said, reaching up and pulling it down off the shelf. "I thought about grabbing it earlier, but I already had so many books, I was hoping I wouldn't need it."
I smiled understandingly. There was nothing worse than only being able to get a little bit of information from each book, rather than having everything you need in one.
"Abby, can I ask you something?" Seamus said, his voice dropping a little bit.
"Yeah, sure," I said, leaning back on one of the desks.
"Why do you believe Harry about Cedric and You-Know-Who coming back?"
"Well for starters I can read minds remember? If he was lying I would have picked up on it by now. But even if I didn't have this ability I would still believe Harry. I mean, who would make that kind of thing up? I think people are skeptical to believe him because they are afraid of what it will mean if they give credit to what Harry and Dumbledore are saying."
"But no one was there with Harry. For all we know..."
"What, Harry killed Cedric?" I said incredulously, cutting Seamus off. "Listen, before the whole final task last year you and Harry were friends. Not great friends, but good enough friends that I find it weird how quickly you are to believe he's lying. And honestly, do you really think Harry would kill someone?"
Seamus looked down, shame rising in his whole body. "No, I don't," said Seamus quietly.
"Listen, I don't know your mother, but I'm sure she was around to see the terrible things that happened the first time You-Know-Who was in power, and I'm not surprised that she doesn't want to believe it. But ignorance is going to get people killed. Whether they want to believe or not, this is fact. Do you think it's just a coincidence that the Ministry appointed a staff member this year? Or that they're not letting us actually practice spells in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Seamus looked up. "The Daily Prophet said it's because they aren't sure the way they've been teaching us here is the right way."
I scoffed. "Oh come on Seamus, really? You believe that? Hogwarts has housed some of the greatest witches and wizards in the world. Let's be serious."
Seamus smiled. "I just got so angry at Harry when my mum said she didn't want to let me back here because of him and what he's been saying."
"I have a feeling most people are going to need to see it with their eyes before they actually believe it," I said with a shrug. "Maybe your mom is just one of those people."
Seamus was quiet for a moment. "You've never caught a glimpse that Harry might be lying?"
"No, not once. Trust me if you could see the way he's suffering right now the way I can, you'd think differently."
Seamus was quiet again. "Let's head back to the common room," Seamus said with a gentle smile. I could tell I had given him food for thought, and perhaps what I had said would finally convince him that Harry wasn't loony, he was just admitting a truth no one wanted to face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time Seamus and I had gotten back to the common room most were already up in bed, and seeing as I was tired I said goodnight to Seamus. The following morning it was storming, which I wasn't too pleased about considering we had Transfiguration, and that meant Professor McGonagall and I were going to have to trudge through the rain to our practice room.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I had headed down to breakfast and were about to sit down when Seamus came running up to us. Everyone looked at me, but I merely sat down and pulled a piece of toast off the little toast rack.
"Listen Harry, I've been wanting to talk to you."
Harry turned and faced him, uncertainty in his eyes. "Listen I was wrong to yell at you the way I did. You're my friend and I shouldn't have believed a random Daily Prophet writer over someone I have known for five years. I even got a letter from my mum this morning saying some things in the last prophet issue didn't add up, plus Abby talked some sense into me," Seamus said with a nervous chuckle. "Basically I just want to say I'm sorry, and that I believe you Harry."
Everyone in the area around us was quiet, eyeing Harry. I looked down and smiled to myself in perfect sync with Harry's smile.
"It's good to have you back Seamus," Harry said with a smile. They both laughed and Seamus pulled Harry into a bear hug, Hermione and Ron laughing in happiness. I don't know that Harry will ever forget how quick Seamus was to turn on him, but at least he came through in the end.
Harry sat down next to me after Seamus said he had to go finish some homework, and I could feel how pleased he was.
"So I guess you owe me an "I told you so", huh?" Harry said with a small smile.
I turned and faced him head on, a huge smile on my face. "Told you so."
"But really, thanks for persuading him or whatever it was that you did to make him believe me."
"Sometimes Harry, people just need to have someone point out the perspectives that they missed."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. Thankfully we have you."