Seamus Finnigan

History
Seamus Finnigan was a student at Hogwarts in Harry Potter's year. He was sorted into Gryffindor House.

Born around 1980, Seamus is the son of a Muggle father and a witch. He has an older cousin, Fergus, who would frequently Apparate just to annoy him. Seamus had plans to to annoy Fergus back, once he passed his Apparition test.

1991 - First Year
"I'm half and half. Me dad's a Muggle; mum's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out."

- Seamus Finnigan



Seamus arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on September 1, 1991. Other students in his year included Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy. When Professor McGonagall asked the first years to form a line, to head into the Great Hall, Seamus ended up in front of Harry Potter. When Seamus' name was called during the Sorting ceremony, he waited for almost a minute before being Sorted into Gryffindor. After joining the Gryffindor table, Seamus was introduced to House ghost Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, whom students often called "Nearly Headless Nick." Seamus asked how one could "nearly" headless, to which Nick demonstrated by pulling his head off of his neck, which grossed out most of the table.

During his first Potions lesson the next day, Seamus was partnered with Neville Longbottom to brew a potion to cure boils. Neville managed to melt Seamus' cauldron, and was drenched in their potion. Professor Snape told Seamus to take Neville to the hospital wing, which he did.

When the Gryffindor first years learned about their first flying lesson with Madam Hooch, Seamus bragged that, in his youth, he spent most of his time flying around the countryside.

During Charms class on Halloween morning, Seamus was partnered with Harry to practice the Hover Charm. While practicing, Seamus managed to set fire to their feather, and Harry had to put it out with his hat.

When Harry was preparing for his first Quidditch match, Seamus joined in to try and get Harry to eat something for breakfast. He insisted Harry needed his strength, because Seekers were the most frequent target of physical attacks. Harry acquiesced, and Seamus piled ketchup onto Harry's sausages. Out in the pitch, Seamus joined Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Dean in the top row of seats. When Harry's broom became enchanted by Quirinus Quirrell, Seamus was impressed, as was the rest of Gryffindor, that Harry managed to stay on the broom.

Before leaving Hogwarts for Christmas vacation, Seamus lent Harry his wizard chess pieces so Harry could learn how to play. After the New Year, Seamus returned for his next term. When Neville Longbottom arrived in Gryffindor Tower with his legs stuck together, Seamus was among those who burst into laughter.

Before getting on the Hogwarts Express to leave for the summer, Seamus, along with the rest of the school, was given a warning not to use magic.

1992 - Second Year
"Look, everyone! Weasley's got himself a Howler!"

- Seamus Finnigan

On September 1, Seamus boarded the Hogwarts Express to begin his second year at school. When Harry and Ron arrived at school via Arthur Weasley's flying car, Seamus was one of the students who expressed admiration at the result.

In Gilderoy Lockhart's first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, in which he showed the class a cage of Cornish pixies, Seamus asked if they were dangerous or not. Instead of giving the class a straight answer, Lockhart showed them by letting them loose; most of the class, including Seamus, dove for cover. Seamus was among the students who bolted for the door when the bell rang, and escaped the task of putting the pixies back in their cage.

Seamus attended the first (and only) meeting of Lockhart's Dueling Club. Seamus was partnered with Ron, and at one point, Ron's damaged wand malfunctioned and knocked Seamus to the ground. Ron helped Seamus to his feet, apologizing profusely. When Harry and Draco Malfoy were chosen to demonstrate blocking spells, Seamus and the rest of the class learned that Harry could talk to snakes.

1993 - Third Year
A few days before the start of term, Seamus arrived in Diagon Alley to purchase his school books. With Dean, he saw Harry in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they were oogling the newly released Firebolt broomstick.

In his first Divination lesson with Sybill Trelawney, the class debated whether or not she had seen a Grim in Harry's teacup. Tilting his head from side to side, Seamus expressed his opinion that, tilted right, the tea leaves did resemble a Grim, but tilted left, it looked more like a donkey.

In Snape's first Potions lesson, Seamus told Harry and Ron that Sirius Black, an escaped Azkaban convict, had been spotted near the school. Looking excited, he informed them that a Muggle woman had spotted Black, and called the special hot line set up by the Ministry of Magic.

After lunch, Seamus had his first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Remus Lupin. When Seamus' turn came to face a Boggart, the creature turned into a banshee with floor-length black hair and a skeletal green face. When the banshee began to shriek, Seamus used the Riddikulus charm to take her voice away; for his participation, Seamus earned five House points.

On Halloween day, Seamus paid his first visit to Hogsmeade with the rest of the third years. When the Gryffindors learned that Sirius Black had attacked the Fat Lady, they were all sent back to the Great Hall, where they were joined by the other Houses. With the rest of Gryffindor, Seamus was aggrivated by the choice of Sir Cadogan to guard the House's portrait hole, calling him a "lunatic." When Seamus complained to Percy Weasley, Percy replied that Sir Cadogan was the only one who willingly volunteered.

Along with most of the school, Seamus went home for the Christmas holidays. When he returned, he was impressed that, although anonymously, Harry had received a Firebolt for Christmas. When Harry went down to breakfast the morning of his first Quidditch match with the broom, Seamus served as a "guard of honor" to protect the broom.

When Professor Lupin resigned at the end of the year, after being exposed as a werewolf, Seamus was among the students who was sorry to see him go.

1994 - Fourth Year
Over the summer, Seamus and his mother attended the Quidditch World Cup between Bulgaria and Ireland. Being Irish, the pair obviously supported the latter; their tent was covered with shamrocks When Seamus ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they assured him that they would be supporting Ireland, as well.

By the start of term on September 1st, Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette; it still called out the names of the Irish players, albeit feebly and exhaustedly. At the Welcoming Feast, Seamus learned that the Triwizard Tournament would be held at Hogwarts that year.

Seamus' first day of classes didn't sit well with him. In his first class, Herbology, he was required to collect bubotuber pus for Professor Sprout. In his next class, Care of Magical Creatures, he was required to help look after Hagrid's newly bred Blast-Ended Skrewts.

When Harry's name mysteriously came out of the Goblet of Fire, Seamus was among the students who believed Harry had tricked the Goblet into letting him compete.

On Christmas Day, Seamus attended the Yule Ball with Lavender Brown.

1995 - Fifth Year
On his first night back at school, Seamus got into an argument with Harry about the latter's claim of Lord Voldemort's return. A devout reader of the Daily Prophet, Seamus' mother believed what the papers were saying about Harry and Dumbledore, and didn't want Seamus to return to school. When Seamus asked Harry what really happened that night, Harry snapped at him to read the Prophet like his mother. When Ron arrived to break the argument up, Seamus thought that, for believing Harry, Ron was as crazy and Harry was.

After Harry's interview with Rita Skeeter appeared in The Quibbler, Seamus apologized for his behavior. He told Harry that he now believed Voldemort was back, and had sent a copy of Harry's interview to his mother.

When the students returned to school after Christmas break, Seamus attended his first D.A. meeting. Seamus was thrilled when he managed to conjure a Patronus. It disappeared after only a few moments, but was "something hairy." When Dobby the House-Elf arrived to warn the group about Dolores Umbridge's pending arrival, Seamus managed to escape with most of the others.

In the spring of 1996, Seamus sat his O.W.L. exams.

1996 - Sixth Year
In the fall of 1996, Seamus tried out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Chaser. When Katie Bell was sent to St. Mungo's after touching a cursed necklace, Seamus was among the students who disapproved of Harry's choice of Dean Thomas as her replacement; Harry was initally against it, as well, because he knew Seamus wouldn't like it. But he felt it was the right choice, because Dean had outflown Seamus during the tryouts.

When the sixth years learned about Apparition lessons in the spring of 1997, Seamus was among the students who was impressed that Harry had already done it.

After Professor Dumbledore was killed by Professor Snape, Seamus refused to return home until after the funeral.

1997 - Seventh Year
While Harry, Ron, and Hermione were gone searching for Voldemort's Horcruxes, Seamus helped Neville Longbottom restore the DA, and aided in hiding other members in the Room of Requirement to escape the Carrows. Seamus, along with many others, showed the cost of standing up to the new regime at Hogwarts: his face was so bruised that when Harry returned to the school in 1998, Seamus was unrecognizable until he spoke.

But even with the threat of death at the hands of the Death Eaters, he was one of the many Gryffindors who stayed behind to help defend the castle. During the battle, Seamus, along with Luna Lovegood and Ernie Macmillan, saved Harry, Ron, and Hermione from hundreds of Dementors using the Patronus Charm to ward them off. His Patronus was in the form of a fox. When the second stage of the fighting began, Harry saved his and Hannah Abbott's lives when Lord Voldemort sent a curse their way. He survived the final battle.

Physical description
Seamus had sandy-colored hair.

Personality and traits
Through his school years, Seamus generally appeared good-natured and easy-going. As suggested by his name, Seamus comes from an Irish family.

Of all the boys in Harry's dorm, Seamus was the least enthusiastic supporter of Harry Potter, often demonstrating skepticism of Harry's claims. He did, however, join Dumbledore's Army sometime in 1996-however, he did not sign the actual membership list of the group. After the death of Albus Dumbledore the following year Seamus insisted on remaining at Hogwarts in order to attend the funeral for the fallen headmaster, despite his mother's wish to remove him immediately from the perceived dangers at the school. He attended the Yule Ball with Lavender Brown in his fourth year.

Dean Thomas
Dean is Seamus' best friends with Dean Thomas. When Dean returned to Hogwarts in 1998 after being on the run from Death Eaters, Seamus was ecstatic to see him, and ran to hug him.