Moments of "Time"

Fourth Story. The way life's meant to be.

Too late, too late to cry, the people say,

Too late for you, too late for me,

You've come so far, now you know everything,

My friend.

Just look and see the wonders of our world...

- Electric light Orchestra, "The way life's meant to be".

I sit at my usual scouting place - the Gryffindor table, I eat, I talk and I keep an eye out for anything interesting. While they think that the rumours in this school are spread by girls, I'm the man they get them from.

My name? Finnigan. Seamus Finnigan, rumour-monger extraordinaire.

I am the one who first spotted Blaise and Padma going out, who knows of Hannah's crush on Draco Malfoy and Justin's crush on Hermione, I was the one to first spread the rumour of Ron and Hermione going at 'it'...

I am the one that decides if Harry Potter's reputation goes down in blazes tomorrow because of his affairs with Ginny Weasley and Cho Chang at the same time, I am he who shall decide who will live through tomorrow safely and who will be laughed at...

But as all people, I, too, have feelings. I too have crushes... But since I'm the one in control of all the information flows within these walls, I am to make sure none of it gets out...

*****

I turn around, surveying my domain of information, and I see you... Your deep blue eyes the lakes one can drown in, your hair the wonderful gold of autumn leaves... And your friend is next to you, you're always with her, all they know is say "Parvati and Lavender this" or "Lavender and Parvati that", as if you're sisters... While her sister is snogging Blaise Zabini, might I add.

And the most wonderful thing happens tonight - you two sit across from me today, so I can look into your eyes as much as I want...

You're discussing something, giggling... I never quite understood where the thin line between being friends and girlfriends goes with girls, really. Blaise and Padma giggle and walk around in the very same way, but they snog every now and then, while you two... I just can't understand.

Suddenly you look up at me and smile.

"Hi, Seamus!" you say merrily. I feel a trick.

"What's with the fun? Pinned a 'Kick me, I'm Irish' sign onto my back again?" I ask angrily.

"Nope," says Parvati, "We were wondering if you're going to Divination today..."

I don't hear what else she has to say. Damn, with all this rumour-collecting business I forgot to do homework!

"I er... I am!" I say proudly, thinking fast... What rumours I can pass as premonitions? That means fresh rumours that are entirely true and have not been made public yet... Like Malfoy sneaking off with Abbott into an empty classroom yesterday... I knew her crush on him will turn out like that, sooner or later, and now I had proof...

*****

As we settle in the Divination class, Trelawney crawls out of whatever pit she hides in during the day (maybe Dean's right and she is a vampire or something? Why else should she fear sunlight like this?) and starts talking with her usual ominous voice.

"And now, my children, we shall gaze into our crystal balls and See the future..."

Then she goes around, asking who saw what, and giving out marks accordingly.

When she comes to me, I make a serious face, as if I'm concentrating, but actually, I'm looking straight at your reflection in my crystal ball.

"Tell me, what do you see, child?" Trelawney asks of me.

"I... I see Draco Malfoy and Hannah Abbott... together..."

"What are they doing?" she asks, "Is he offending her, as usual?"

"Yeah, right," I think.

"No, on the contrary, they are quite friendly with each other... kissing each other..." I say, trying to copy Trelawney's own ominous voice.

"But this does not seem like the truth!" she says.

"Wait... for a week," I reply.

"Alright, but if after a week your prediction will not be proved, then it's points off for bad crystal-gazing, my boy!" she says.

"Let's just hope that Malfoy's bravado will overcome Abbott's shyness," I think as I see you snickering in the half-light of the room.

*****

In three days my 'prediction' is fulfilled as Malfoy and Abbott get caught snogging in a broom closet, and you stop snickering whenever you see me now. On the contrary, you start even noticing me more often.

Nice way to make up with girls obsessed with Divination, isn't it?

So, one fine day, after my third successful 'prediction', you two (Do you ever go anywhere without Parvati? At least in the loo?) sit next to me in the Common Room.

"Hello, Seamus," Parvati purrs softly into my left ear.

"Hi there," you purr into my right one.

I swallow nervously. Mayhap I should've been more reserved with making compliments in your direction at breakfast yesterday?

"Hi girls," I reply nervously, trying to focus on my Potions homework, "What brings you here?"

"We came to ask you since when you're the Divination Master around here," you say suddenly.

"Yeah, since even Trelawney's predictions aren't as accurate as yours!" Parvati adds.

I inwardly wonder if you two are related somehow, but do not voice this thought.

"Too secret to tell here... In two hours, Charms classroom, okay?" I say in a conspirator's voice.

"Alright," you both say as you get up...

*****

In an hour and fifty-seven minutes I am already in the empty Charms classroom, wearing a black shirt and black jeans - it was the closest to camouflage I could get without stealing Harry's Invisibility Cloak.

And then you two enter, wearing bathrobes over what looks suspiciously like night-gowns. Yours is pink, while Parvati's light blue...

I swallow again. Why does this have to be so hard?

"Alright, can you speak now?" you ask and I nod in reply.

"Remember you get all the rumours you know from Susan Bones?" I ask. You both nod.

"Well," I go on, "She gets them from me. It's a specialty of mine - collecting and spreading rumours and news. I just happen to be in the right place in the right ti..."

But my tongue seizes up, not letting me finish, as you two drop your bathrobes onto the floor. Alright, you are indeed wearing only nightgowns of matching colours under them...

The last thought I have before my mind shuts down is "Nice legs, Parva..."

*****

So what if I stopped spreading rumours now? It was your idea after all...

And the entire school still is guessing how the hell did I happen to have two girlfriends that are perfectly agreeing with each other's rights upon me... meaning double doses of snogging every time!

Maybe this was my fate after all...