Seamus Finnigan and the Quest for the Leprechaun Gold

Chapter Seven

Percy and Oliver each seemed to be trying to bump the other out of the lead as they climbed up to the tallest tower. Ron was whining about having to join forces with an Attempted Rat Murder Accomplice. He obviously hadn't finished Book Three yet.

They reached the top, and stepped out onto the balcony which overlooked all of Hogwarts. There it was, the Leprechaun gold. And right there with it was Professor Dumbledore.

"Wonderful! Gryffindor teams one and seven, you are the winners of today's Scavenger Hunt. That's fifty points for Gryffindor. You will receive your mystery prizes at dinner later this evening."

All of Seamus's teammates cheered and congratulated each other, but he stood quietly aside, contemplating some of the contrived plot twists that had not yet been explained.

"Seamus? Is there something on your mind?" the old Headmaster asked, eyes twinkling.

"Well, sir... the Sorting Hat told me I'd find out why I was so difficult to sort."

"Ah, yes. Well, that has to do with the rather strange thing you discovered in your wand this morning." He smiled enigmatically.

"Well, can you explain that then, sir? Why Salazar Slytherin was inside my wand?"

"Do you know the story of St. Patrick?"

Hermione jumped at the chance to prove that she did, in fact, know everything. "St. Patrick was the Parselmouth who drove the snakes from Ireland... blah blah, 14th century, blah blah, Catholicism..."

"Yes, Miss Granger. But did you know that he and Salazar Slytherin were enemies?"

"...No, sir. I didn't." Hermione looked shocked at her own ignorance. Ron started laughing silently, and she elbowed him hard in the stomach.

"Yes, it's true. St. Patrick stole Salazar's sweetheart, and Slytherin never forgave him. One day Slytherin challenged St. Patrick to duel to the death. St. Patrick won."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"That wand you have there, the center is the tail feather of an Irish Phoenix?"

"Yes sir."

"That wand belonged to St. Patrick."

"But... this was my mother's wand."

"You inherited it, because you are St. Patrick's heir."

Everyone made disgusted noises.

"Not another heir!" shouted Ron.

"I'm afraid it's true. Seamus is his heir. That spectre you all saw was a sort of Priori Incantatem. Salazar's ghost was somehow trapped in the wand when he died."

Everyone made more disgusted noises.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Ron shouted now. The author threatened him with another backhand, however, and he cowered behind Neville (who, let's face it, was not the brightest choice - he nearly wet himself).

"Right. So I'm the Heir of St. Patrick. What does that mean? Do I get to open the Chamber of Shamrocks or something? Set a giant Leprechaun loose on unsuspecting non-Irish-people?"

"No, it simply means that you carry the spirit of the Irish with you--"

More disgusted noises.

"Well what does all this have to do with my sorting then?"

"You are the heir of someone other than a founder."

"So? Not everyone is the heir of a founder."

Dumbledore chuckled. "You're still a newbie, Mister Finnigan. Everyone is the heir of someone." He winked. "Now, let us return to the Great Hall for supper, and you will all receive your mystery prizes after dessert."

***

Snape was there at dinner, sitting in his usual seat. He looked a bit dazed, but he was not too out of it to give all the students a glaring-over before beginning his meal.

Dumbledore stood once more as Seamus was finishing off his ice cream.

"Our winners tonight were Teams One and Seven of Gryffindor House," he announced, and there was loud cheering all along Seamus's table. "They are awarded Fifty House Points. And now, for their mystery prize. Do you remember that in Book One, I told Harry I saw socks in the Mirror of Erised?"

The students looked at each other in confusion, but Dumbledore continued.

"Well, who wouldn't want a nice pair of socks?" He chuckled and waved a hand toward team seven.

On Seamus's now clean plate appeared a pair of shamrock socks, not unlike the ones he was already wearing. He looked around and realized that his teammates, and the members of Team One as well, all had socks in front of them now.

"Well, you know, I am rather odd," Dumbledore was saying, his eyes glinting with just a hint of madness. "What were you expecting? Ten minutes alone with Professor Snape?"

Snape made a face that Seamus had never imagined he'd see on the Potions Master: Deer-in-Headlights.

~THE END!~

Final Author's Notes: What do you think? *puts on Shamrock socks*

Hmm... maybe someday I'll write a sequel. For now I think I've worn out all my jokes though. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Don't for get to review ^_^