Huff. Huff.

Why was the Gryffindor Common Room all the way up at the tippy-top of the school? Seamus took a deep breath as he rounded into yet another staircase. Was this the fourth floor, or the fifth? He'd lost count.

He needed a break. So, with a sigh, he sank onto the bottom step, his heavy schoolbag thunking down next to him. Stupid potions class. There was still a bit of soot on his nose from today's cauldron explosion; he wiped at it absently. He hadn't done anything WRONG this time! Had he not ground the roots enough?

Sitting there, stewing on what had done it, Seamus noticed a thread hanging from his sleeve. His mum had taught him to never pull them out, as it would undo the entire seam... but it was just hanging there. Mocking him.

He couldn't leave it. So, pulling out his wand, Seamus held the sleeve down against his knee and pointed at the thread.

"Diffindo."

The thread sliced off easily... and so did half of his sleeve, and his trouser leg. Seamus stared at the split cloth for a moment before standing and continuing up to the common room silently, frowning.

It had been a bad day in Defence Against The Dark Arts. Half the class was probably on their way to the loo, to chuck up the contents of their stomaches. It even haunted Seamus, as he made his way up to the common room. He was definitely not going to Potions class after that ordeal.

The echoes of the spell reverberated through his mind.

Crucio. Crucio. Crucio.

Slipping slightly on one of the steps, lost in thought, Seamus grabbed onto the railing to stop himself falling. Only a second afterwards did he notice that there was a spider centimeters from where his hand had slammed down.

Stare.

He'd been close to squashing the thing. Averting his eyes, he shooed it away, over the edge of the railing, waiting as it descended to an area that students could not reach without summoning charms or something of the like.

"Stay there," he mumbled quietly, leaning over a bit farther to warn it. "There might be a few Slytherins about that want to practise what their Defence Professor just showed them."

With that, he started toward the common room again, frown etched deep on his brow.

It wasn't so much that he didn't know the spell, Seamus told himself as he made his way down the hall, avoiding the eyes of everyone as the stared. He knew the spell.

It had just slipped his mind, was all.

The glowing wand tip was visible even through his robes, bright enough to draw the eyes of all the passersby as he made his way toward the libary. The sun had long since gone down, winter having set in to rob them of natural light at much earlier times; the candles were no match for the brightness that emanated from his pocket.

"Your pocket's alight."

Seamus glanced at the voice and frowned, not pausing; he didn't need to, she was following him anyway. His mind continued going over spells, trying to recall the one he needed.

"Yes, I know. I'm aware, Loon...uh."

"Should probably Nox it before it attracts Blibbering Humdingers. They like bright things you know."

"Thank you. Luna. I'm busy. Please." Picking up the pace, he turned a corner and disappeared behind a tapestry; as soon as he was hidden, he drew his wand and outened the light, visibly annoyed. "Bloody... Ravenclaws. I would've gotten it myself."