Seamus Finnigan and the Quest for the Leprechaun Gold

Chapter Six

Having belched for what Seamus thought must have been a record time, Snape's head wobbled slightly and his eyes drooped. He was most certainly drunk.

"Looks like we did it," Seamus whispered. "So. Now what?"

"I don't know," one twin replied, still smiling vaguely at their accomplishment.

"Well, we won't get our next clue in here," the other twin asserted.

They cautiously opened the cabinet doors, and Snape managed to lift his head and squint at them.

"What're you doing in there?" he asked, a little bit of drool dripping down his chin.

"You asked us to exterminate some pixies, sir," Seamus said quickly.

"You can't fool me, Gryff-" (he hiccupped) "-indors. Seventy-eight bajillion points. And detention with Mrs. Norris in the Prefects' Bathroom."

The boys stifled more sniggers by clearing their throats in unison.

"Uh, sir," one twin said cleverly. "We're not Gryffindors, we're Slytherins."

"That so eh? How come I hate you then?"

"You hate everyone. Sir."

"Oh yessss..." his head seemed to be becoming too heavy. "Ever since Potter stole my one true love..."

To their great surprise, Snape let out a wailing sob and began to cry like a baby Mandrake. The boys looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

From the hallway they heard Percy's voice.

"Great Gambling Goblins! What in MERLIN'S NAME have you DONE to Professor SNAPE?!" He charged into the room to stare at the greasy haired man who was now in the fetal position on the floor

"It was our clue!" insisted the twin nearest Seamus.

"It told us to!" confirmed the other.

"I don't care! You two are in so much trouble! You'll be lucky if I decide not to tell Mum about this!" (He went on from there, but you get the idea).

Meanwhile, the rest of Team One had gathered in the doorway.

"Gulping Gargoyles!" Hermione exclaimed. "Snape's DRUNK!"

Colin Creevey pulled out his camera and started snapping away.

Ginny gawked at the Potions Master.

Snape looked up at last, and spotted Ginny. "Lily? Oh my sweet Lilykins!" He started toward her, but Hermione quickly cast a Stupefy! on him.

"'Lilykins'?" asked Seamus. "Someone's been for a trip on the S.S. Cliched."

"Right. There's only one solution for this..." Hermione took a deep breath. "Obliviate!"

Snape took on a dazed expression. He stood oddly upright and recited, very clearly:

"Well done so far I admit

And I'm a slimey git

You're near the end

Around the bend

The Astronomy Tower is it."

Then he passed out.

"Was that the clue?" Seamus asked.

"I think so," said Percy, looking completely bewildered.

"It's our clue," the twins snapped at him.

"But we were supposed to come see what was happening in the dungeons. See?" Percy held up his parchment, which bore another very bad limerick, and proved him to be telling the truth.

"Well, I guess that means we're supposed to combine teams then," Seamus suggested.

"Right. What about him?" a twin pointed to Snape.

"He'll be lucky to remember his name," Hermione said, with something resembling self-satisfaction. "Although I'm sure he'll remember to hate us."

Neville was trying to comfort Ginny. Seamus could only imagine what it must be like to have Professor Snape come on to you. Wait, no, he didn't mean it that way...

Oliver, Ron, Harry and Lee were peeking in now.

"What happened?" Oliver asked.

"We'll explain on the way up," Percy told him, pushing out of the room.

"Up where?" Ron asked.

"The Astronomy Tower."

Seamus followed the others out. The Astronomy Tower. Last time he'd been there, it was with Lavender Brown. Hopefully he wouldn't be doing that with any of the boys on his team.