Fic: Memories as a Teacup Chapter 14
Title: Memories as a Teacup: Chapter 14
Author: wook77
Pairing:: Dean/Seamus (other slash and het pairings contained within)
Rating: PG (Eventual rating: Hard R to NC-17)
100quills prompt: 5. Fixed
Warnings: Canon compliant through DH. Pre-Epilogue. Additional Warnings at the beginning of Chapter 1.
Wordcount: Overall: ~70k This part: 2300
Summary: Four years ago, Dean Thomas died in the midst of a raid. Seamus saw it happen right in front of his eyes but seeing isn't believing and reality is in the eye of the beholder.
A/N: Many many thanks to nefernat and elanorofcastile for the beta job. All remaining mistakes are my own.
All Chapters
The knock echoed in the narrow confines of the small hallway. When the door opened, Seamus was quick to put his foot in the door. "I'm sorry for coming over here unannounced but I've - "
"You aren't welcome," Dean's mam stated plainly. When she went to shut the door, Seamus's foot pinched and he flinched.
"Dean's in hospital." Dean's mam pulled the door open half an inch as she gaped at him. "They're trying to fix his memories and he wants you."
"He wants me?" She sounded hopeful and, at the same time, lost. Seamus put on his most sincere expression.
"He said it himself. He's not happy with you but he needs you because you're his mam and that means more to him. I know you and I don't see eye to eye about this and I know that you blame me but can you please put it aside for just a bit and come with me to see him? Please?"
"I'll get my coat." She didn't offer him admittance into the flat and he didn't ask. Instead, he waited in the hallway until she came out. They'd had such a good relationship until that seventh year. He'd run wild at the Thomas's during the summers just like Dean had run wild at his own place. He could remember sitting at the table while Mrs Thomas baked or cooked for them. They'd hide in Dean's room and pretend to do their summer reading while they and Mrs Thomas knew full well that they'd been looking at skin mags or talking about Quidditch or football or anything else that little boys could think of to talk about. After that seventh year, the relationship had been a bit tense but hadn't been anything that they weren't able to work through. When Dean and him had started dating, she'd hugged him. Now, she could barely stand to look at him let alone speak.
"Could Apparate us, if you'd like. It'd be quicker." She gave an abrupt nod and Seamus held on to her arms and then they were in St. Mungo's. Stepping back quickly, Seamus gestured towards the hall, "He's this way."
The walk was made in silence. As they passed Parvati, Seamus saw her start to speak and gestured at her for later. When they reached the doorway to Dean's room, Seamus paused. "His head aches and he says it echoes. So speak quietly, yeah?"
"Of course," she said. Seamus gave a nod and opened the door.
"Dean? Mate? You've a visitor."
At the sound of his voice, Dean rolled over and looked to the door. Seamus stepped back as Dean stared at his mum and croaked out, "Mum?"
"Oh my baby," she whispered and then walked across the room and held on to him. Feeling like an intruder, Seamus shut the door and then leaned against it, closing his eyes. Hopefully, Dean wouldn't get pissed at him. Hopefully, Dean would be happy about it. Hopefully, Dean would see that Seamus was willing to get Dean what he wanted. Arms came around him and Seamus leaned in, breathing in the scent of hydrangeas that clung to Parvati.
"It'll be all right, love, I promise."
"What if it isn't? What if this is it?" He held on tightly.
"Then that's the way it is. What will be, will be. What is, is."
"Fucking Indian mysticism," Seamus cursed into her neck and then gave a small laugh.
"You're just jealous, you and your Irish fatalism." She gave a squeeze and then released him. "Everything will work out for the best, you have to believe it."
"Little hard to do that right now." Seamus raked a hand through his hair and then changed the subject. "Heard from Dennis lately?"
"Nothing. I've owled him several times but haven't heard a thing. What will be, will be," she repeated and then smiled sadly at him. "We can't fix everyone and everything, much as we'd like. Dennis will have to fix Dennis."
"I'd just feel better if he'd at least talk to one of us. Doesn't have to be me or you, even. Just someone so that we'd know if he'd offed himself or not."
"I'm sure he hasn't offed himself. Drunk himself into a stupor and done something stupid? Yes, I can see that. If he were going to kill himself, he would've done it years ago."
The door opened a crack and Dean's mam looked out. "Dean's asking for both of you."
Seamus and Parvati both entered the room. When Dean's mam sat next to him, holding on to his hand, Seamus felt a twinge of jealousy but pushed it down. This wasn't the time nor the place. Dean was finally talking to his mam and that was much more important than anything else.
"Vati? Could you tell mum about what's going on? I tried but I didn't make much sense."
"Of course," she said and then explained the procedure and the hopeful outcome.
~~**~~
Dean chafed at being at hospital for so long. He'd got used to the emptiness in his head or, at least, as used to it as expected. Light no longer bothered him and his headache had abated to a tolerable level. Much as he appreciated how hard everyone was working for him, he wanted out of here desperately.
Seamus's daily visits kept him sane in the midst of the lack of progress. There were times that Dean could tell that Seamus had to reach for a cheerful disposition and Dean appreciated that even as he wanted to smack Seamus for it. The helplessness was what was really annoying him, not Seamus.
His mum visited and, though the visits were strained, Dean tried to be polite to her. They didn't talk about how she'd kept the past from him. They didn't talk about any of that. Instead, they talked about the diagnosis and the treatment. His dad came with her a couple of times and those visits were a little less strained. Whenever his family's visits coincided with Seamus's, the tension in the room would increase until Dean's headaches came back and he'd need the curtains drawn because the light was too much. At least his dad made an effort to talk to Seamus. Dean's mum would glare until Seamus finally gave up and left.
His sisters' trips were much less strained as they talked about almost everything that didn't have to do with his memories or the past. Instead, they'd tell stories of Farrah's kids or Kerry's latest dating escapades. The first time that their time coincided with Seamus, Seamus started to back out but they bade him enter.
"You two back together, then?" Farrah asked baldly.
"Uh, no," Seamus stumbled over the words and flushed.
"Why not?" Kerry asked.
"It, um, it's complicated."
"Right, sure," Kerry said and Dean could tell that she wasn't buying it. "Still doing that police thing?"
"No, I'm with an international sport agency."
"That why you're not dating my brother anymore? Too many hot athletic guys?" Kerry winked to take the heat from her remark.
"That's it entirely. Who'd want an artist when he could have an athlete?" Seamus winked at Dean as he said it. Hurt curled but then slowly disappeared as Seamus continued, "After all, everyone would want dumb and fit over creative and fit any day. Brains are such a deterrent, aren't they?"
"They really are. Who wants a man that can think? You lot are only around to lift heavy things and get shite off the top shelf in the kitchen."
"Sod off, lass, you know we're good for more than that and if you'd ever date a bloke with a brain, you'd know that." Seamus reached out and patted Dean's arm. "Just ask your brother."
"Don't look at me," Dean said as he held up his hands as if to ward the conversation off. "Can't remember, remember?"
"What an excuse." Farrah slapped his arm. "You'll have to stop using that as soon as you get your memories back."
"I think I'll keep using it. Gets you two to visit me, doesn't it? You all fetch and carry, just like a pair of birds should do." Dean laughed as Kerry and Farrah gave twin roars and then hit him with pillows. "Oi! Injured man here! You should be coddling me! Save me, Seamus!"
"You got yourself into that one, even I'm not stupid enough to insult your sisters. Christ but they're fearsome creatures, aren't they?"
"Creatures?!" They both shrieked and changed their attack over to Seamus. Dean laughed until he cried. These visits were so much better than his mum's.
"That's it! I'm going back to work where I get some respect!" Seamus laughed while he yelled and then, with a quick squeeze of Dean's hand, left them alone.
In the silence that followed, Dean wasn't at all certain what to say. Kerry, though, didn't have the same hesitation, "You both worked. Mum wouldn't let us say anything but you did. I'm glad you're back together."
"We're not, not really. We're in this sort of limbo, yeah? Tiptoeing around one another and …"
"He loves you and I can tell you love him with or without your memories." Kerry slid onto the bed next to Dean and leaned her head against his shoulder. "You guys worked."
Farrah sat down against his other side, making it a tight fit but Dean didn't care as she laid her head against his shoulder, too. "You did. More, you will again."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
~~**~~
The owl fluttered to a stop and then a letter rested on the edge of his desk. It certainly had to be something important if he'd got an owl instead of an inner-office letter. After giving the owl a treat from his desk, he opened the letter before promptly dropping it.
He'd been summoned to appear before the Wizengamot in the trial of Rodolphus Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov regarding their treatment of Muggleborns and the experimentation. This was an unmitigated disaster waiting to happen. Lestrange would tell all and sundry about Seamus beating on him. Then Seamus would face a trial of his own and, Christ sake. Christ sake. He was fucked.
It was hard to go back to concentrating on the logistics involved in getting so many departments working together for the next Quidditch World Cup. He'd have to talk to the Aurors - oh Christ, he was fucked - about safety precautions what with the trials being so close to the Cup itself. Then there were the Obliviators - oh fuck, what if they Obliviated him and sent him off? There were the Muggle Liasons and his boss and Kingsley and… and he was borrowing trouble sure as the day was long, he was borrowing trouble.
"Dean still in hospital, then?" The voice startled him out of his panic. When he looked up, he saw Ron leaning in the doorway. "Going to miss the match, he stays in there much longer."
"Vati thinks he'll get released soon. They want to make sure there aren't any other effects from the extraction. Maybe even tomorrow if our luck holds." Seamus beckoned Ron in, "Come on in. You here to get some tickets or something? I've a few to see the Kestrals. You want 'em, they're yours."
"See you got the summons." Ron entered and sat on the chair pushed in the corner.
"Aye, I did, yeah. You too?" Seamus combed his hand through his hair as he resisted the urge to chew on a fingernail.
"Yeah, figured it was a matter of course, really. We're the ones that found out the information so we're needed to testify." Ron tapped a hand on the desk. "Stop worrying. Harry and I have your back. Doesn't really matter, either."
"You're not the one who shouldn't have been there, are you?" Seamus raked a hand through his hair once more. He could really use a pint right about now. That thought sobered him more than any other. Perhaps he'd had more of a problem than he'd known about. "The reinstatement was temporary and I abused it. I'll take me knocks."
"There won't be any. You're worrying over nothing just like I told Harry you would."
"Fuck off, Ron, when did you get to be all-knowing? Hermione rub off on you, then?"
"Rub one off, maybe," Ron said while tossing a rude gesture.
"Just let her hear you talk like that, mate, and you'll be fucked and it won't be in the good way." Seamus laughed as Ron looked about.
"I hate you, Finnigan, I really do. Why did I ever miss you?"
"My charming personality? My amazing wit? My hot arse?" Seamus winked and then dug through the papers on his desk. "Kestrals tickets. You want 'em?"
"Course I do. They're the only thing that makes me want to have you around all the time, you pervy bastard." Ron stood and grabbed the tickets. "You sure Dean's up for the match later?"
"Yeah, sure he will be."
"He get anything back yet?"
"Nothing. They're still working on something or another. I don't really understand it. Parvati opens her mouth and it's like she's speaking another language or something."
"I understand that one. Hermione starts talking about her work and I end up just smiling and nodding except when she looks pissed then I try to scowl a bit. So much easier when we were in school, weren't it?" Ron ducked as a memo flew past his head. "Right, work. I'll catch up with you later. Don't worry over the summons."
"Yeah, ta." Seamus waved him out and opened the memo. His boss needed a report on the space needs for the various tents.
"Working hard or hardly working?" This voice was another shock. When Seamus looked up, he saw Dennis standing in the doorway.
As always, I'd love to hear what you thought.
Chapter 15
Author: wook77
Pairing:: Dean/Seamus (other slash and het pairings contained within)
Rating: PG (Eventual rating: Hard R to NC-17)
100quills prompt: 5. Fixed
Warnings: Canon compliant through DH. Pre-Epilogue. Additional Warnings at the beginning of Chapter 1.
Wordcount: Overall: ~70k This part: 2300
Summary: Four years ago, Dean Thomas died in the midst of a raid. Seamus saw it happen right in front of his eyes but seeing isn't believing and reality is in the eye of the beholder.
A/N: Many many thanks to nefernat and elanorofcastile for the beta job. All remaining mistakes are my own.
All Chapters
The knock echoed in the narrow confines of the small hallway. When the door opened, Seamus was quick to put his foot in the door. "I'm sorry for coming over here unannounced but I've - "
"You aren't welcome," Dean's mam stated plainly. When she went to shut the door, Seamus's foot pinched and he flinched.
"Dean's in hospital." Dean's mam pulled the door open half an inch as she gaped at him. "They're trying to fix his memories and he wants you."
"He wants me?" She sounded hopeful and, at the same time, lost. Seamus put on his most sincere expression.
"He said it himself. He's not happy with you but he needs you because you're his mam and that means more to him. I know you and I don't see eye to eye about this and I know that you blame me but can you please put it aside for just a bit and come with me to see him? Please?"
"I'll get my coat." She didn't offer him admittance into the flat and he didn't ask. Instead, he waited in the hallway until she came out. They'd had such a good relationship until that seventh year. He'd run wild at the Thomas's during the summers just like Dean had run wild at his own place. He could remember sitting at the table while Mrs Thomas baked or cooked for them. They'd hide in Dean's room and pretend to do their summer reading while they and Mrs Thomas knew full well that they'd been looking at skin mags or talking about Quidditch or football or anything else that little boys could think of to talk about. After that seventh year, the relationship had been a bit tense but hadn't been anything that they weren't able to work through. When Dean and him had started dating, she'd hugged him. Now, she could barely stand to look at him let alone speak.
"Could Apparate us, if you'd like. It'd be quicker." She gave an abrupt nod and Seamus held on to her arms and then they were in St. Mungo's. Stepping back quickly, Seamus gestured towards the hall, "He's this way."
The walk was made in silence. As they passed Parvati, Seamus saw her start to speak and gestured at her for later. When they reached the doorway to Dean's room, Seamus paused. "His head aches and he says it echoes. So speak quietly, yeah?"
"Of course," she said. Seamus gave a nod and opened the door.
"Dean? Mate? You've a visitor."
At the sound of his voice, Dean rolled over and looked to the door. Seamus stepped back as Dean stared at his mum and croaked out, "Mum?"
"Oh my baby," she whispered and then walked across the room and held on to him. Feeling like an intruder, Seamus shut the door and then leaned against it, closing his eyes. Hopefully, Dean wouldn't get pissed at him. Hopefully, Dean would be happy about it. Hopefully, Dean would see that Seamus was willing to get Dean what he wanted. Arms came around him and Seamus leaned in, breathing in the scent of hydrangeas that clung to Parvati.
"It'll be all right, love, I promise."
"What if it isn't? What if this is it?" He held on tightly.
"Then that's the way it is. What will be, will be. What is, is."
"Fucking Indian mysticism," Seamus cursed into her neck and then gave a small laugh.
"You're just jealous, you and your Irish fatalism." She gave a squeeze and then released him. "Everything will work out for the best, you have to believe it."
"Little hard to do that right now." Seamus raked a hand through his hair and then changed the subject. "Heard from Dennis lately?"
"Nothing. I've owled him several times but haven't heard a thing. What will be, will be," she repeated and then smiled sadly at him. "We can't fix everyone and everything, much as we'd like. Dennis will have to fix Dennis."
"I'd just feel better if he'd at least talk to one of us. Doesn't have to be me or you, even. Just someone so that we'd know if he'd offed himself or not."
"I'm sure he hasn't offed himself. Drunk himself into a stupor and done something stupid? Yes, I can see that. If he were going to kill himself, he would've done it years ago."
The door opened a crack and Dean's mam looked out. "Dean's asking for both of you."
Seamus and Parvati both entered the room. When Dean's mam sat next to him, holding on to his hand, Seamus felt a twinge of jealousy but pushed it down. This wasn't the time nor the place. Dean was finally talking to his mam and that was much more important than anything else.
"Vati? Could you tell mum about what's going on? I tried but I didn't make much sense."
"Of course," she said and then explained the procedure and the hopeful outcome.
~~**~~
Dean chafed at being at hospital for so long. He'd got used to the emptiness in his head or, at least, as used to it as expected. Light no longer bothered him and his headache had abated to a tolerable level. Much as he appreciated how hard everyone was working for him, he wanted out of here desperately.
Seamus's daily visits kept him sane in the midst of the lack of progress. There were times that Dean could tell that Seamus had to reach for a cheerful disposition and Dean appreciated that even as he wanted to smack Seamus for it. The helplessness was what was really annoying him, not Seamus.
His mum visited and, though the visits were strained, Dean tried to be polite to her. They didn't talk about how she'd kept the past from him. They didn't talk about any of that. Instead, they talked about the diagnosis and the treatment. His dad came with her a couple of times and those visits were a little less strained. Whenever his family's visits coincided with Seamus's, the tension in the room would increase until Dean's headaches came back and he'd need the curtains drawn because the light was too much. At least his dad made an effort to talk to Seamus. Dean's mum would glare until Seamus finally gave up and left.
His sisters' trips were much less strained as they talked about almost everything that didn't have to do with his memories or the past. Instead, they'd tell stories of Farrah's kids or Kerry's latest dating escapades. The first time that their time coincided with Seamus, Seamus started to back out but they bade him enter.
"You two back together, then?" Farrah asked baldly.
"Uh, no," Seamus stumbled over the words and flushed.
"Why not?" Kerry asked.
"It, um, it's complicated."
"Right, sure," Kerry said and Dean could tell that she wasn't buying it. "Still doing that police thing?"
"No, I'm with an international sport agency."
"That why you're not dating my brother anymore? Too many hot athletic guys?" Kerry winked to take the heat from her remark.
"That's it entirely. Who'd want an artist when he could have an athlete?" Seamus winked at Dean as he said it. Hurt curled but then slowly disappeared as Seamus continued, "After all, everyone would want dumb and fit over creative and fit any day. Brains are such a deterrent, aren't they?"
"They really are. Who wants a man that can think? You lot are only around to lift heavy things and get shite off the top shelf in the kitchen."
"Sod off, lass, you know we're good for more than that and if you'd ever date a bloke with a brain, you'd know that." Seamus reached out and patted Dean's arm. "Just ask your brother."
"Don't look at me," Dean said as he held up his hands as if to ward the conversation off. "Can't remember, remember?"
"What an excuse." Farrah slapped his arm. "You'll have to stop using that as soon as you get your memories back."
"I think I'll keep using it. Gets you two to visit me, doesn't it? You all fetch and carry, just like a pair of birds should do." Dean laughed as Kerry and Farrah gave twin roars and then hit him with pillows. "Oi! Injured man here! You should be coddling me! Save me, Seamus!"
"You got yourself into that one, even I'm not stupid enough to insult your sisters. Christ but they're fearsome creatures, aren't they?"
"Creatures?!" They both shrieked and changed their attack over to Seamus. Dean laughed until he cried. These visits were so much better than his mum's.
"That's it! I'm going back to work where I get some respect!" Seamus laughed while he yelled and then, with a quick squeeze of Dean's hand, left them alone.
In the silence that followed, Dean wasn't at all certain what to say. Kerry, though, didn't have the same hesitation, "You both worked. Mum wouldn't let us say anything but you did. I'm glad you're back together."
"We're not, not really. We're in this sort of limbo, yeah? Tiptoeing around one another and …"
"He loves you and I can tell you love him with or without your memories." Kerry slid onto the bed next to Dean and leaned her head against his shoulder. "You guys worked."
Farrah sat down against his other side, making it a tight fit but Dean didn't care as she laid her head against his shoulder, too. "You did. More, you will again."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
~~**~~
The owl fluttered to a stop and then a letter rested on the edge of his desk. It certainly had to be something important if he'd got an owl instead of an inner-office letter. After giving the owl a treat from his desk, he opened the letter before promptly dropping it.
He'd been summoned to appear before the Wizengamot in the trial of Rodolphus Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov regarding their treatment of Muggleborns and the experimentation. This was an unmitigated disaster waiting to happen. Lestrange would tell all and sundry about Seamus beating on him. Then Seamus would face a trial of his own and, Christ sake. Christ sake. He was fucked.
It was hard to go back to concentrating on the logistics involved in getting so many departments working together for the next Quidditch World Cup. He'd have to talk to the Aurors - oh Christ, he was fucked - about safety precautions what with the trials being so close to the Cup itself. Then there were the Obliviators - oh fuck, what if they Obliviated him and sent him off? There were the Muggle Liasons and his boss and Kingsley and… and he was borrowing trouble sure as the day was long, he was borrowing trouble.
"Dean still in hospital, then?" The voice startled him out of his panic. When he looked up, he saw Ron leaning in the doorway. "Going to miss the match, he stays in there much longer."
"Vati thinks he'll get released soon. They want to make sure there aren't any other effects from the extraction. Maybe even tomorrow if our luck holds." Seamus beckoned Ron in, "Come on in. You here to get some tickets or something? I've a few to see the Kestrals. You want 'em, they're yours."
"See you got the summons." Ron entered and sat on the chair pushed in the corner.
"Aye, I did, yeah. You too?" Seamus combed his hand through his hair as he resisted the urge to chew on a fingernail.
"Yeah, figured it was a matter of course, really. We're the ones that found out the information so we're needed to testify." Ron tapped a hand on the desk. "Stop worrying. Harry and I have your back. Doesn't really matter, either."
"You're not the one who shouldn't have been there, are you?" Seamus raked a hand through his hair once more. He could really use a pint right about now. That thought sobered him more than any other. Perhaps he'd had more of a problem than he'd known about. "The reinstatement was temporary and I abused it. I'll take me knocks."
"There won't be any. You're worrying over nothing just like I told Harry you would."
"Fuck off, Ron, when did you get to be all-knowing? Hermione rub off on you, then?"
"Rub one off, maybe," Ron said while tossing a rude gesture.
"Just let her hear you talk like that, mate, and you'll be fucked and it won't be in the good way." Seamus laughed as Ron looked about.
"I hate you, Finnigan, I really do. Why did I ever miss you?"
"My charming personality? My amazing wit? My hot arse?" Seamus winked and then dug through the papers on his desk. "Kestrals tickets. You want 'em?"
"Course I do. They're the only thing that makes me want to have you around all the time, you pervy bastard." Ron stood and grabbed the tickets. "You sure Dean's up for the match later?"
"Yeah, sure he will be."
"He get anything back yet?"
"Nothing. They're still working on something or another. I don't really understand it. Parvati opens her mouth and it's like she's speaking another language or something."
"I understand that one. Hermione starts talking about her work and I end up just smiling and nodding except when she looks pissed then I try to scowl a bit. So much easier when we were in school, weren't it?" Ron ducked as a memo flew past his head. "Right, work. I'll catch up with you later. Don't worry over the summons."
"Yeah, ta." Seamus waved him out and opened the memo. His boss needed a report on the space needs for the various tents.
"Working hard or hardly working?" This voice was another shock. When Seamus looked up, he saw Dennis standing in the doorway.
As always, I'd love to hear what you thought.
Chapter 15