Title: Shadows Closing In

Author: lisa roquin

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairing: Harry/Seamus, if you squint

Rating: implied murder

Disclaimer: No copyrighted characters are any way shape or form mine. They belong to their respective creators, production companies, publishers etc. No harm intended. No money made.

Summary: a glimpse at the mental toll of fighting the war with Voldemort.

Author's Note: mulitfandom1000 Darkness Challenge, likely will fit into the Hogwarts Apprentice 'verse at a later date.

Word count: 476

The long shadows stretched across Hogwarts' gardens as the sun made its descent. The boy blended into the shadows more than not in his black school robes.

"There you are...Luna said you were out here." a soft Irish brogue broke the stillness of the evening.

The green eyed boy merely shrugged, staring off at the horizon.

Seamus sat down on the stone bench next to Harry. "You did what you had to," Seamus offered. Even as he spoke the words he winced internally at the trite stupidity of them, but couldn't find any others that suited.

Another shrug.

"How many had McNair killed?" Seamus asked.

"Still, who named us judge jury and executioner? We're supposed to be the Light," Harry sneered the last word bitterly.

Seamus quickly tamped down the thought Harry sounded more than a little like Snape when he had said that.

"Aragog thanked me, for the snack for his children," Harry swallowed.

"He's an acromantula." Seamus said. "He was trying to be polite, but..."

"I took a gourmet snack to his lair." Harry snorted. "In the form of a Ministry official."

"In the form of a Death Eater and murderer. Penelope Clearwater's murderer, one of them anyway. Merlin knows if Percy's going to make it."

"Moody said well done." Harry offered bitterly.

Seamus stayed silent.

"Dumbledore and Moody are still arguing."

"About this?"

"Yes, Dumbledore's disappointed. This is the way you end up turning Dark."

Seamus bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. What did Dumbledore expect? That bastard had been as pivotal in this mess as Voldemort. Dumbledore's pushing and manipulation had brought them all to this point. "What should we have done?"

"Taken McNair to Dumbledore," Harry sneered.

"Right. Sure. Loads of time to do that. Especially as none of us trust Dumbledore any further than we can throw the gargoyle outside his office." Seamus growled.

"You know how Malfoy has always been the one everyone thought was the next Death Eater, next one to be a killer and..."

Harry broke off. "Malfoy was heaving his guts out and looking like he was going to pass out. All I could think was one less between me and Voldemort."

Seamus didn't think that pointing out Malfoy never had to truly get his hands dirty before and Harry had already faced Voldemort and escaped once or twice was probably a big difference. "If you were going all Dark on us, you wouldn't be sitting here worrying yourself sick over what we could have done different."

"It would be so easy just to...stop caring."

"You've never done anything the easy way in your entire life, Harry," Seamus pointed out wryly.

Harry gave Seamus a tired smile. "Thanks,"

"You won't go Dark. We'll kick your arse and straighten you out. Just like you will any of us."

"I hope so,"

"I know so," Seamus said firmly.