Nemesis Three

Chapter 1- The Niou Manor

The night was crisp and cold. The opal sky was dotted by several molten pinpricks of "stars". The crickets performed a symphony of their calming music. It was calm. It was quiet. And it was peaceful. That was exactly the way Artemis liked it. She leaned over slightly to look over the Niou Manor and all of its Irish land. The grapes graced their stakes, trees hung heavy with fruit, and the ever-purple moors were draped with low lying fog and sparkling dew. She smiled. A cool, refreshing breeze ruffled her auburn hair and stung her skin. She loved the earth, and it her.

Artemis was a genius. She had beaten the world chess champion when she was only 11. No doubt she was a child prodigy, but she was amazing. She also happened to be an inventor too. She had invented 626 inventions (129 of which really worked) and had become a billionaire by the age of 13. Most people found this extraordinary but Artemis, who happened to be terribly shy and modest (not to mention clever), always replied, " 'Thank you, but it's not really that hard when you put you brain to it.' "

Artemis also happened to be a witch. Not just an ordinary one either. No sir. She was so smart that the Celtic Glen School For Magical Youngsters had to transfer her to another school because the teachers were baffled at her performance in magic. The headmaster, Charles Glen the VIII, had moved her up several grades, but all the more, Artemis outstripped the students until Glen requested that Dumbledore take her in for quote 'better learning opportunities than we have here and an advanced state of learning'. So Artemis, after already graduating from her small Irish school, was moved to Hogwarts, for a better learning opportunity. Artemis had suddenly remembered this and reminded herself that she was to meet Albus Dumbledore and his friend (and her professor) Minerva at noon the next day. Where it was though, Artemis couldn't remember.

A man walked in her luxurious room. He was wearing a tuxedo. He was a balding friendly man who was Artemis's butler for years. He knew very little magic, due to him being a squib but nonetheless the previous masters had hired him when she was born.

His shiny shoes rang out. Artemis frowned, but looked out over the moors again.

"What is it Martin?" she said sharply. The man raised his eyebrows and sighed-he had tried his best to keep absolutely quiet. He had of course, but Artemis's ears were all too keen.

"Master Niou! How on earth could you hear me? I was silent!" he said astounded.

"The cunning warrior only attacks at the least expected moment, and in absolute silence, Martin," Artemis said softly.

"Oh..."

"Martin, what did you want?"

"To tell you that tomorrow you meet at the King Cross Station to meet...oh what's that's man name....?"

"Albus Dumbledore?" Artemis said.

"Ah, yes. How did you know?"

"Because I've met the man you see, that's how I know, Martin."

"Really? What's he like?" Martin asked eagerly.

Artemis turned away from the balcony, her green pajama pants flapping in the wind and shoes scuffing the stone. She wore a slightly funny look on her face.

"What do mean 'what is he like'?" she asked grinning at the enthusiastic look on Martin's face.

"I mean, what is he like?" Martin asked excitedly.

"Albus Dumbledore," Artemis started as she paced in front of her bed, "is an excellent man who is the headmaster of the school I'm being transferred to."

"Awww...come on tell me more about him!" Martin said in a mock-angry voice.

"Martin..." Artemis yawned as she stretched, "why don't you just come with me tomorrow and kind of play 'tagalong' with me and find out."

"Really? D'you mean it! I can get to meet Albus Dumbledore?!"

"Yes, yes Martin." Artemis said yawning again as she crawled into bed. "Now would please go away- I want to have some energy for tomorrow."

"Yes, Master Niou."

Martin turned off the lights, left the room, and closed the door quite unaware that Artemis was reading under her covers with her wand.

Chapter 2- Train way parallel

Harry woke very suddenly, only to see that the late August sunlight echoed throughout Ronald Weasley's vividly orange room. He had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, a sort of yearning feeling, an empty feeling. It was hard trying to recall what Harry what he was feeling, but he remembered that he didn't want to remember how it happened; how Sirius had died. Harry rolled over and buried his face in the pillows, but t seemed pointless in doing so. He just sat there, until the feeling swelled up and overwhelmed him, and shut his eyes once more.

Harry woke up abruptly again, seeing the morning light pouring in. He wasn't dreaming, or having any strange nightmares for that manner, so he had nothing to worry about-except only small voice in the back of his mind telling him that he had to do something important. Harry struggled in trying to remember what he had to do, but it proved futile. It's probably too early in the morning to remember, he thought as he crept silently down the ladder of Ron's bunk bed. However, Harry's foot slipped and sent him flying to the ground with a loud thump and a loud "OUCH!" This of course waked Ron up from his slumber and caused him to start laughing at Harry.

"Oy, are you falling this early in the morning?" Ron said tiredly but began to grin.

"Oh, shut up you," Harry said rubbing his head furiously from where he hit it. This only caused Ron's fitful laughter to double back.

"What's going on in here?" Hermione asked as she opened the door, head peeking through.

"Harry fell down," Ron said sniggering loudly and dodged the pillow Harry threw at him. "That's got to be the forth time this week, Harry!"

Harry stood up and attempted to stare coldly at Ron trying to keep his face straight, Ron's laughing only made him smile.

"You know, you can come in," Harry said to Hermione as he gestured her into Ron's room. "We're not going to kill you, you know."

"Oh, I know that!" Hermione said good-naturedly. She came in one had holding a book, with her finger holding her spot in reading.

"You're reading this early?!?" Ron said amazed. Hermione stared at him and followed Harry's example of throwing a pillow at him. Ron, much to Hermoine's delight, received a mouthful of pillow. He just sat there buried in pillows and bed sheets and stared up at Harry and Hermoine innocently, his lip stuck out.

"Hey! Weren't we supposed to do something today?" Harry said suddenly.

"Yeah, we were..." Ron said, "I think..."

"OH! I remember what we're supposed to do today!" Hermione said, face lighting up.

"What?" Harry asked.

"We're supposed to meet Dumbledore at Platform 9 and three-quarters! Remember?" Hermione said happily, as Harry and Ron shook their heads. "We're supposed to meet the new student! The one from Ireland?! And I think we're having lunch at the castle and show the new student around...can't wait to show them the library...."

"Oh yeah! I remember now!" Ron said from under the pillows. "Are you sure, Hermoine that it wasn't an exchange program?"

"Yes." She said suspiciously. "Why?"

"Darn!" Ron said. "I was hoping that Malfoy would be exchanged.... Wouldn't that be great? To have no ugly git around!"

"Yeah," Harry said gleefully imaging a Hogwarts without Malfoy. "So when are supposed to meet Dumbledore?" he asked Hermione.

"Um.... I can't remember...I'll ask Ron's mum if she knows. I think she's taking us there."

"Mum's taking us?" Ron's head popped out of the pillows.

"Well, duh, your dad's at work, remember?" Harry said amiably.

"Oh, yeah...right..." Ron said as he sank back into the pile of pillows. "Let's eat!" he said suddenly as he bolted to sit up. This caused the pillows to catapult to Harry and Hermione's feet.

"Okay," Harry said as he kicked off the pillows and headed downstairs.

"We ought to pack after breakfast, you know. We're staying at Hogwarts until the term starts." Hermione said smartly.

This came as a surprise to Harry, who promptly checked the calendar to see how late in August it was; it was August twenty-ninth.

The tiny Weasley kitchen was crowded, but since no one else was up besides Ms. Weasley, there was much more space than usual.

"Why! Good Morning!" she said, surprised by the fact that they were up so early. "I suppose you people are hungry, eh?"

"Yes," Hermione, Ron, and Harry chorused.

Ms. Weasley sipped her coffee, and smiled as she headed over to the stove to grill sausages. "Oh," she said as she took down the pan, "don't forget that today you have to meet Dumbledore at noon at King's Cross."

"Noon?" Harry asked.

"Yes. And guys," she turned away from the pan and looked at the three, "dress in school robes."

"But mum...!" Ron started.

"Dress robes. Present yourselves nicely, please. From what I hear, that is from Dumbledore, this boy is a genius."

"WHOA," Hermione said excitedly.

"Yeah," Ms. Weasley continued, "he's so smart that he had to transfer to Hogwarts for an advanced education."

"Cool," Hermione said, utterly delighted by having another genius beside herself.

"I know, anyhow, he's invented a good many inventions that's made him a galleonaire! And he's ranked in third in the top ten smartest wizards list since he was 11!"

"Wow!" Ron said.

"He's excellent at Qudditch from what I hear," Ms. Weasley said animatedly as she tipped the sausages onto their plates. "Minerva-I mean Professor McGongall- told me that he was voted and actually was the best young male seeker in the world!" (This was interrupted by a loud "WOW!" from Ron and Harry) "He plays for Ireland though...shame too."

"Why?" Ron asked through his sausages.

"Oh, chew with your mouth closed! I mean it's a shame because Crouch took him off the team because he said that the boy 'wasn't good' or 'old enough to play full time'."

"No way!" Ron and Harry said indignantly.

"Yeah, I know," Ms. Weasley said as she began to prepare waffles for them, "I can see why though, too."

"Why?" Hermione entranced in the mere thought of a boy in the top ten smartest wizards list.

"He's probably one of the best violinists in world, as well. He has to perform every so often."

"Geez, how many talents does this guy have?" Ron said jealously.

"A lot. A whole lot." Was the response from Ms. Weasley. Ron just sat there staring at Harry and Hermione, who were also doing the same. They exchanged amazed looks and continued to eat.

"So," Harry asked, "what's his name?"

"Er..." Ms. Weasley hesitated, "I think it was Artemis."

"I like the name," Ron said.

"Me too," said Hermione. "I think meeting Artemis would be a great experience for us!" Ron snorted, and she threw a frustrated look at him. "Has Artemis been sorted yet?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Ron's mother said, bewilderedly.

"Ooo," Hermione said eagerly, "I sure hope he's in Gryfinndor!"

"Me too!" Harry said enthusiastically.

"Me three!" said Ron who wore an awestruck face. "I sure wish that noon would hurry up and get here!" he said impatiently. Harry and Hermione laughed. However, they wished the same too.

"GOOD MORNING, WEASLEY HOUSE!!!" said a loud voice behind them. It made Harry jump. When they turned around they saw the bedridden, hair-tasseled, twin Weasley brothers behind them looking very tired indeed. Fred looked as if he was sleepwalking, and George was helping himself to the leftover sausage. Harry and Ron were forced the scoot down in order for Fred and George to fit in, and as soon as Fred said down, he seemed wide-awake and energetic.

"So, what's up, 'ickle Ronnykins?" George said as he tasseled Ron's hair, while Ron threw him a dirty look.

"Nothing, we've just been talking about the new student we're supposed to meet."

"Really?" Fred said eagerly.

"Yes."

"Why don't you be a good little brother and tell us about them then!" George said as he sat down, giving Ron a pat on the back.

"Why should I?" Ron muttered, and began to talk, but Hermione gave them full details about Artemis. Soon, Ginny and Percy came down and the kitchen was full of "Wow!" "Cool!", and "Wicked!".

"So when do you meet this guy?" Percy asked.

"What makes you think you're going to see him?" Fred said. Everyone, except Percy, snorted.

"I would like to see him because I would like to meet him!" Percy said huffily.

"Why? Oh, yeah, that's right so you can have a friend!" George muttered. Snorts turned into silent giggles. Percy threw George a cold look.

"So when do you meet this guy?" Ginny asked.

"At noon," Hermione replied.

"Really? Can we come?" George asked earnestly.

"I suppose." Ron said. "But-"

"But you'll take the entire family if you take them," finished Mrs. Weasley as she laid a plate of buttery waffles down. "Now, dig in!"

"Great," Ron muttered.

******

Just as it seemed that noon would never arrive, Mrs. Weasley told them that it was, at last, time to go to King's Cross. Everyone eagerly hopped in the crowded Ford Angela, along with their trunks, and headed anxiously to King's Cross telling each other what they should do and expect Artemis to say.

"So what house d'you suppose Artemis is going to be in?" Fred asked from the front seat as they parked in the parking lot at King's Cross.

"Gryffindor for sure!" Ginny said.

"Yeah! That's the spirit! Gryffindor!" Ron said optimistically.

When they came to the barrier, they found Dumbledore talking energetically with a balding man dressed in an expensive black tuxedo who seemed extremely excited. Harry managed to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.

"As smart as Master Niou- I mean Artemis-is, he does delight in not talking and prefers to be silent."

"Well, that's a nice kind of student I would like in my house!" Professor McGongall said, smiling to Harry and the Weasleys, "Considering all of the racket that goes on, I think Artemis will be well suited."

The balding man, whom Harry suspected to be the boy's butler, smiled. He gave Ron, and Hermione a nudge and gestured them to hear. They nodded and tried to listen.

"Well? Where is he?" Professor McGongall asked impatiently.

"I think that Artemis is nervous, so you might want to check the bathrooms. Artemis thinks introductions are a painful ordeal," the man replied.

"Smart boy," Professor McGongall muttered. Dumbledore chuckled.

"I suppose Artemis told you I'd be here today?" Dumbledore continued.

"Oh yes, he did. He wouldn't tell me what you were like when I asked her and all I got was 'Albus Dumbledore is an excellent man who is the headmaster of the school I'm being transferred to'. Some underestimated response, eh?"

Dumbledore laughed. "You must have really wanted to see me!"

The man looked abashed but beamed anyway.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you!" he said as he shook Dumbledore's hand and left. He turned his heel and ran into Fred.

"Watch where you're going!" he said sharply.

"Me? You ran into me!" Fred said angrily.

"Pesky little flea," the man muttered.

"What did you call me?"

"A pesky little flea," the man said loud enough so everyone could hear.

"Fleabite," Fred snarled.

"Why you arrogant little-"

"LITTLE WHAT?" Fred bellowed.

"Fred Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. She pulled him away. "What is going on?" she demanded.

"That pompous git ran into me and called me a pesky little flea!" Fred protested.

"He WHAT?" Mrs. Weasley was infuriated. "Fred Weasley that is the stupidest, saddest excuse you have ever told me!"

"No really, mum, he did. We saw the whole thing." Percy said.

"Is this so?" She asked all of them. Everyone nodded his or her heads. "I guess its too late now, the man ran off, Fred."

"Probably because he's afraid of me." Fred muttered under his breath.

"Martin! Martin!" called a girl with auburn hair beside Harry.

"Come on," he said quietly to Ron and Hermione," before the Muggles find out who we are...."

"Yeah, good idea." Ron muttered.

"Martin! Martin!" the girl called. She walked over to them and asked an accent Irish in her speech, "Excuse me, but have you seen a balding man with a sort of expensive tuxedo on?"

"Yeah," Fred said indignantly, " he ran into me and called me a 'pesky flea'. Why?"

"Did he walk onto Platform 9 and three-quarters?" she asked inaudibly.

Everyone stared at her.

"How do you...?" Professor McGongall asked.

"I need to get on the platform, now," the girl said. A long pause followed.

"Er...okay then, you run through the barrier between 9 and 10," Mrs.Weasley said breaking the silence.

"Thanks," the girl said quietly as she disappeared onto the platform.

"I wonder how she knew?" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron as they got on the platform.

"You got me," Ron said.

As soon as they got on the platform, Fred, George, Ginny, and Percy walked over to them.

"How do you reckon she knew about the platform...?" George said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," Hermione said. "Maybe she read it somewhere...?" She suggested.

"Nah, that wouldn't be in a book, I don't think. Would it?" Fred asked.

"Maybe...." Harry started, "Maybe.... she's Artemis...."

"You know," Ron, said, "That is logical."

Harry shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not, for now we don't know."

"You're right, we don't, but we should get on the train." Hermione said, in an excited voice.

So they dragged their trunks, with much difficulty, onto the train, and decided to sit in the first car along with everyone else. Harry, Ron, and Hermione found, much to their dislike, that Lucius Malfoy, and Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, where also sitting in the first car. Luckily, Dumbledore was with them, so the chances of either of them insulting Harry, Ron, Hermione, or any of the Weasleys were slim. There was also an old man with hazel eyes sitting with him. He had very pale red hair, but a friendly face. This eased Harry's anxious nerves, but nonetheless it wasn't much.

"Excellent! Shall we go on to Hogwarts?" Dumbledore said as he clapped his hands together. "Wait! Where is Artemis?" he asked the old man with the hazel eyes.

"I don't know." He replied anxiously.

Suddenly, the compartment door burst open, and a heavily cloaked and hooded and svelte boy walked in, breathing hard, as if he had done a great deal of running.

"I'm-right-here," the boy wheezed in an unnaturally feminine-like voice.

"Excellent!" Ron blurted out.

"Thank-you-had-to-change-in-school-robes," he said as he sank into a chair in between Ron and Harry. Ron looked so happy, that Harry couldn't help but laugh. He saw Hermione's face, and she too wore an expression of utter delight. Everyone, as Harry looked around, looked excited to have Artemis in their company, everyone, that is, except Malfoy, the old man, and Fudge.

Ron held out his hand, "Hi, I'm-"

"I know who you are," the boy said quickly, "Your name is Ronald Weasley, you are 15 and a half years old and are five foot and eleven inches tall. You have brown eyes, red hair and fair skin that implies that you are from an Irish decent. You are roughly," the boy looked at Ron carefully, " one hundred and twelve pounds and your build suggest that you play Qudditch- the Keeper position. And you have a wand that is," the boy took Ron's arm and studied it, "Willow, and nineteen inches long, with a unicorn hair base. Your element is metal." The boy finished.

Ron, as well as everyone else, stared at Artemis, who only smiled.

"Wow," he said, awed, "you're really good...looks like Hermione has a competitor...wow..."

"It takes one to know one," Artemis said, grinning from under his hood. Everyone laughed, except Malfoy, Fudge, and the old man.

Everyone introduced himself or herself, while Fudge smirked as Lucius muttered things into his ear. Mrs. Weasley had the best interest in Artemis- like Mr. Weasley's interest in electric plugs.

The old man, apparently was Artemis's headmaster, Charles Glen, smiled a very thin-lipped smile.

"You must be hot, Artemis, why don't you take off your cloak?" he asked.

"But sire-!" Artemis protested. Glen narrowed his eyes.

"Tisk, tisk, I always thought that the students from Celtic Glen, were obedient and respectful," Lucius said loudly to Fudge, so everyone could hear, "not rude or ill-mannered. I think that Glen did not probably educate these students in proper etiquette."

Everyone was either staring at Glen or Artemis to see their reaction.

"That was an order, not a suggestion!" Glen snarled

"Very well," Artemis muttered and lowered his cloak. Harry and Ron gasped, but Hermione grinned profoundly. Harry was right-it had been a girl- and a beautiful one at that. She had rich auburn hair, which was tied in a neat knot at the base of her neck, and vivid green eyes-exactly like Harry's. She also had a fair complexion, graced by dark, high-arched eyebrows above her energetic eyes, along with a pointed nose. Artemis reminded Harry very much of his mother in that aspect.

Everyone's expressions went blank.

"But-but- you can't be Artemis! I-I-what happened to the guy that is the best youngest male seeker? Or the guy who plays violin well?" Harry said, while Ron nodded.

"Well," Artemis sighed, staring at the floor, "I guess then, there is no Artemis, if you're looking for a guy that can do all those things." Hermione laughed, and Artemis looked up at her and smiled a very odd smile; it reminded Harry of the smile of grim satisfaction that Voldemort gave, "Because, I can do all those things."

"Really?" Ron asked, grinning.

"Yes."

"Awesome!" Harry said.

"Wicked!" Fred said amazed.

"Totally," George said following Fred's example.

"Wow!" Ginny said looking at Artemis as if she was a perfect role model.

"Smashing!"

"Excellent!"

"Cool!"

"Brilliant!"

"Impressive!"

Artemis laughed. "Not really, but thank you anyway," she said modestly.

"Are you kidding me?!?" Ron said. "Not really? Are you crazy?"

"Looks like I've got a study buddy," Hermione said, utterly delighted about a girl genius. "Hey, Artemis! Do you like to read?"

"Er...yeah if I have the time," Artemis said grinning at Hermione, "what are you going to show me your library at Hogwarts?" Suddenly, a loud thunderclap signaled rain, which did come down quite unexpectedly, and hard.

"Oh brother," Ron muttered in Harry's ear. He grinned.

"Yes, it's huge! It's got mountains of books!" Hermione said happily.

"Really, eh?" Artemis said raising her eyebrows in mild surprise.

"Yeah! I can't wait to show you!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Here we go," Ron whispered again.

"Er, cool." Artemis said as she slumped into her seat, relaxed.

"Ms. Riddle we do not slump." Glen said insufferably.

"But sire! Surely I can-"

"I will NOT take any intolerable behavior from you!" Glen said dangerously.

"Intolerable! I am not intolerable!" Artemis threw him a cold look, her lurid green eyes, hardened into cold, poisonous ones.

"If you do not sit properly, you are disgracing my school!"

"Disgracing?! How can I disgrace your school if I do not attend it anymore?!"

"YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME EVEN IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND MY SCHOOL ANYMORE!" Glen roared.

"Why should I?" Artemis said coldly.

"BECAUSE I WILL TELL THEM THAT YOU CAN SPEAK IN- "

"You wouldn't dare." Artemis stood up-she was shaking with anger.

"I WILL!"

"If you do I will make it physically impossible for you to ever speak again," Artemis said in a lethal tone, her wand aimed to Glen's scarlet face.

"I'd like to see you try!" Glen bellowed.

"Glen! Artemis! STOP!" Dumbledore said wedging himself between them. "I demand that you stop this paltry argument, now!"

"Good luck with that- that-that Parseltongue, Dumbledore!" Glen huffed.

Everyone gasped and shifted their eyes to Artemis who was shaking violently at this point. It become so quiet, that Harry could hear the rain very clearly now, for it was the only sound that was heard.

"Parseltongue, eh?" Fudge asked callously. The window behind him suddenly exploded, issuing in waves of rain.

"I've had enough! I can't take this any longer!" Artemis said incurably, and she walked over to the compartment door and slammed it shut so hard that it broke too. A long pause pursued after Artemis had left.

"Reparo!" said Dumbledore, as the little shards of glass flew up and melted themselves together again. "Why don't you three go and find her-we're almost at Hogwarts." He said quietly.

"Yes, sir." Hermione said, as she jumped up from her chair and left the compartment, followed by Ron and Harry.

"Now that's the kind of student I want!" Glen shouted after them.

*****

"Boy, that was weird," Ron, said as they searched the train for Artemis.

"Are you kidding? That was, I don't know, just so-so-" Hermione said.

"So eerie? Peculiar? Uncanny? Unusual? Bizarre? Strange? Odd? Perplexing? Eccentric? Outlandish?" Harry suggested.

"I'd say odd," Hermione said, "Thanks for the suggestions...."

"You're welcome..."

"Here she is!" Ron said as he opened the door for the seventh car, and pointed to Artemis who was sitting on the ground, reading.

"Hi," she said not looking up from the paper she was deeply absorbed in.

"Hi," they said.

"I hate him," said Artemis quietly as folded the paper up and put it in her pocket in the front of her robes, " And I hate them."

"Hate who?" Harry asked.

"Fudge, Glen, and especially Malfoy."

"Amen," Ron said. They all laughed.

"I hate Fudge more than all of them put together."

"Why?" Hermione asked quietly.

"He's put me in jail four times just because I'm different-particularly the fact I'm a Riddle."

"That's horrible!"

"Yeah, I agree," Ron, said approvingly.

"You're-a-WHAT?!?" Harry shouted.

"Harry, calm down! What are you shouting about?" Hermione said serenely. Apparently she didn't understand the situation. Artemis stood up and smiled at Harry unpleasantly, her eyes still icy.

"I'm a Riddle," she said evenly, looking straight into his eyes, chilling him. "Do you have a problem with me being a Riddle? Because if you do, I'd report it to Fudge if I were you-it'd give him another person supporting the fact that I should be punished for my family name and who I am."

"No, I don't have a problem with you being a Riddle, as long as it doesn't affect me later." Harry said, his voice matching the evenness of Artemis's.

"I'm a Niou-Riddle."

"Smashing."

"Exactly. I suppose that Dumbledore sent you three to find me?" Artemis asked them quietly.

"Yeah," Ron said. "He says that we're almost there."

"Really?" Artemis asked excitedly.

"Yes," said Hermione optimistically, "I just can't wait to show you the library!"

Artemis walked over to the window and threw it open. It let in an unnatural gust of air, as well as rain. It whistled in their ears as Artemis poked her head out of the window.

"Is that it?" Artemis whispered, pointing to the far away castle. Harry couldn't believe that she could see that far away in the heavy rain.

"Yeah," he said, "that's it."

Chapter 3- Hogwarts

Just as the rain seemed to have stopped, it started up again, harder than before. However, Artemis was entranced by the fact that see was finally at Hogwarts.

"How far away is the castle?" Artemis asked anxiously, staring out at the rain.

"I'd say about half a mile at the least," said Hermione somewhat loudly, because of the roaring sound of the rain.

"Maybe, we should get to the first car, and see what Dumbledore wants to do."

"Nah," Ron said, "we can take care of ourselves!"

"Er-okay, if you say so," said Artemis nervously. "But I'm still taking my stuff with me!"

"What all do you have with you, anyway?" Harry asked, eyeing her pile of unusually shaped items.

"A trunk, a violin, another small trunk, and a clarinet."

"What's a clarinet?" Ron asked.

Artemis raised her highly arched eyebrows, "It's a wood wind instrument in orchestra. But it can be in a symphony, philharmonic, symphony orchestra, and other musical associations. It's mainly a Muggle thing," she added as an afterthought.

"Cool!"

"Yeah, though I'm not as good at clarinet than I am at violin," Artemis said, staring at her stuff.

"Whom do you play for?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Lots. But mainly the Ireland Philharmonic, Ireland Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, England National Orchestra, British Imperial Philharmonic, for the royal family," They gasped, "Scotland...you know those kind of people." Artemis finished.

"Wow, the royal family? Man, you must be good!" Ron said, clearly amazed.

"Ooo, what chair?" asked Hermione.

"For violin or clarinet?"

"Violin."

"Well," Artemis said, "in the London Philharmonic, I'm in second chair of the first violin, but in all of the others I'm first chair, or the concertmistress."

"Whoa," Harry said, impressed.

"Ooo," Hermione cooed.

"Will you play for us some time?" asked Ron, excitedly. Artemis stared at him.

"I suppose," she said, "maybe you can come to one of my performances."

"Really?" Harry asked, grinning.

"Sure, I guess."

"Wow!" said Hermione excitedly, "That would be so, so, so classic," she said finally.

"Classic?" Artemis said "Classic? I guess if that's what you want to say, though I do play classical music, a lot." Hermione laughed, and Ron and Harry grinned. "I don't know when you guys can come, but you have my permission to, as long as you behave."

"Don't worry," Ron said eyeing Harry, "we won't."

They were silent for a few minutes, listening to the roaring thunder and the pounding of the rain, until Artemis asked, "So how do we get out of here?"

"Good question," said Harry.

"Maybe we should get back up to the first car?"

"Maybe. What do you guys think?" Ron said.

"I don't care," Hermione said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Er..." Artemis gestured to her stuff.

"Oh, yeah, right," Ron, said edging towards it, "the house elves will get it later, don't worry. Come on."

Artemis froze. "House elves? House elves! I will not labor some poor, miserable house elf because I'm too lazy to carry my stuff!"

Hermione looked as if she had found a long lost sister. "Will you join S.P.E.W?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Not this again," Ron muttered.

"What's that?"

"Society for the promotion of elfish welfare! It's a group I started two years when I found out that Hogwarts had house elves!" Artemis gave Hermione a crazy look, and Ron laughed; "Now it's seven sickles to join, and eleven to have a badge! Will you join? Please! Please! Please!" Hermione pleaded.

"Okay! Okay!" Artemis laughed, as she rummaged through her trunk. Harry saw a Firebolt in there, as well as some books and sheet music.

"Where is it?" Artemis muttered, "Where is it?"

"Er, what are you looking for?" Harry asked, still staring into her unusual trunk. He now saw many triangular metal things with odd symbols on them, robes, a beautifully handcrafted ebony bow with silver gilding, arrows, leather bounded books with the same strange symbols, a sword, and yet another broomstick.

"My money bag...I have got to organize this trunk," Artemis said, as she pulled out a pair of silver keys, "Time to check in trunk number two!"

Harry was soon aware that Artemis had a trunk that had seven keyholes-it made him remember the trunk that Alastor Moody had. He remember that Dumbledore had to open it and shut a good many times and he also remembered that Dumbledore had used for an emergency- an emergency that he did not want to remember.

Harry saw that trunk number two had several leather-bound books inside of it as well as spare parchment; burgundy and dark green colored wax, quills, and assorted bottles of colored ink. Artemis searched and moved the books around, but as Harry suspected, she didn't find her moneybag.

"Trunk number three now, mates!"

Trunk three had such an assortment of Qudditch items that Harry's eyes widened. He looked over at Ron and Hermione, whose eyes were also huge. Inside where several bottle green robes, embroidered with Celtic designs in silver, what appeared to be a broken broomstick, several small boxes, books entitled International Qudditch Tactics for the Young Seeker, Irish Teams: Gaelic and Northern, Advanced Seeker Tactics for the Beginner, Qudditch Teams of Great Britain and Ireland, Qudditch Through the Ages, a pair of green shoes, shin, arm, and elbow guards, a Quaffle, a beater's bat, several gold, silver, and bronze metals, a silver whistle, and, much to Harry's amusement, a pair of motor goggles.

"Wow! D'you think I can borrow some of these?" Harry asked gesturing to Artemis's books as she looked threw her stuff.

"Sure," she muttered, "Trunk four!"

Artemis found the key and turned it, and the trunk lid sprang open, suddenly.

"I've got to fix that one," she said, "Mental note, fix trunk four." Harry and Hermione laughed, and Ron snorted. Trunk four had many, unorganized, and messy sheets of music, books, tiny amber-colored squares ("Ooo, rosin...and look! Reed bits!" Hermione said), reed bits, pieces of wire, chin rests, and a red folder.

"No, that's the music trunk..." Artemis said. "Trunk five..."

"Er...Artemis you can pay me later, you know," Hermione said helpfully.

"You know what?" Artemis slammed her trunk shut. "I'll think I'll just have to do that."

"Okay."

"Hmmmm..." Artemis thought out loud, looking at her trunk, "How am I going to get this up there? Oh, blasted, how can I be so thick?" she said as she pulled out her long, black wand.

"Locomotor mortis, trunko, and orchestrata! " Her trunks and violin case flew in midair and hovered there. "Impervious! Shrinka!" Artemis's stuff shrunk, and fit snugly into her pocket. Harry looked out the window, and saw a solid wall of silver rain.

"We should go," he said to the other three.

"Yeah, good idea," said Ron, also staring out into the rain.

"Well, come on, then!" Hermione said apprehensively, tugging at their school robes and shoving them out of the compartment door.

"Okay! Okay! We get the picture!" Ron said in mock defeat.

"Hey! Where's Artemis?" Hermione asked.

"I'm right here!" Artemis said from in front of them, "I was in the first car, but you weren't there so I doubled back."

"Oh."

"Come on! Dumbledore says we're here, finally!" She said happily, as the train blew its whistle and began to slow down. When the train finally did, everyone on board stepped off into the pouring rain, running as fast as they could to the carriages.

"Where is everyone running to?" Artemis shouted to Harry, attempting to have her voice heard over the deafening rain that was falling at a rapid pace.

"To the carriages," he yelled back.

"Oh, okay! WHOA! Therestals!" Artemis pointed to the reptilian horses, which were tossing their white-eyed heads about, "I never thought I'd get the chance to actually see one! Cool, but not cool at the same time, if you know what I mean," she said to Harry as they steeped into the carriage.

"Who'd you see die?" Harry asked quietly, when they were in.

"Huh? What are you guys talking about? Who died?" Ron asked clueless.

"The Therestals, you know," Artemis said pointing to them outside, as the carriage began to move along, "Can't you see them?"

Ron and Hermione looked at her strangely.

"They can't see them," Harry whispered in Artemis's ear, "only I can."

"Oh, I see," she looked out, "sorry about that. Would you like me to keep my mouth shut if I see anything odd?"

"Oh! No, that's okay," Hermione, said, reassuringly, "it's just a little weird when somebody talks about something that you can't see."

"Ah, I understand now. I suppose it's the same if it's weird if people hear things too?" Artemis said, staring at all of them.

"Er..." Hermione said, looking at Harry, "like, er-"

"Like Parseltongue?" Harry asked, quietly.

Artemis looked at him suspiciously. "What about Parseltongue?" she asked uneasily. Everyone was staring at him now.

"Because, er, you're, er, you're not the only one with that particular talent," he said weakly.

"Really?" Artemis asked, mildly surprised, "You mean you're a Parseltongue too?"

Harry stared at her, "Yeah."

"Cool!"

"What do you mean 'cool'?"

"I mean it's cool that another person my age is a Parseltongue. Now I know I'm not entirely an oddball."

"Entirely?" Ron snickered. "I don't know about entirely, more like completely." They all laughed, especially Artemis who grinned afterwards.

"So," Artemis pondered aloud, "what are the names of your quote 'houses'?"

"Good question," Hermione started, but was soon cut off by Harry.

"Before she gives you the book about them," he said, pointed to Hermione who opened her mouth to protest.

"Wait!" Artemis said, "Don't start yet!"

"Why?" Harry asked, bewilderedly.

"Because," Artemis said as she reached over to Hermione, put here finger under her chin and closed her mouth, "I had to do that." Harry and Ron laughed, Hermione just grinned. "Okay, carry on," Artemis said to him.

"Anyway," Harry continued, "like I said, before Hermione gives you the book about it, there are four houses-"

"Gryfinndor-"

"-Hufflepuff-"

"-Ravenclaw-"

"-And the worst of all, Slytherin," Ron said.

"Ron! You can't say that!" Hermione objected.

"Well why not?"

"What if she's in Slytherin?"

Ron looked at Artemis quickly. "Oh, come off it! She won't be in Slytherin!"

"But you don't know!"

Harry, who had been staring at Ron and Hermione, shifted his gaze to Artemis, who kept turning her head to follow the argument. Harry laughed.

"What?" Ron asked. "What's so funny?"

Harry kept laughing; Artemis was staring at him profoundly. He was laughing so hard that the carriage was shaking slightly.

"Harry, what is so funny?" Hermione said close to laughing herself. Ron started to grin.

"She-she-she- was," Harry pointed at Artemis, but couldn't get it out of him, and started to laugh again. Ron was laughing at Harry now.

"What did I do?" Artemis asked, grinning.

"You were-were- turning your head a lot-" Harry managed to say.

"Oh! I was doing this wasn't I?" Artemis said, turning her head, like she was earlier, only to send a fit of giggles back to Harry. "I was watching you guys when you were arguing about Slytherin, or something, and I guess I kept turning my head every time someone different spoke," she explained to Hermione, who was giggling at Ron and Harry's pointless laughter. Artemis grinned again at Harry and Ron and said, "Oh, come off it! So what were you saying again? Oh, yeah, about the houses?"

"Right," Harry said, struggling to keep a straight face, but started to giggle again.

"What was so funny about that anyway?" Artemis asked him.

"I don't know, I just thought it was funny."

"Yeah, sure, right. And I suppose, Harry, that you invented the question mark, too?" she asked him, looking down at Harry who was lying on his back on the seat. This only caused for Hermione to start laughing again, and Ron and Harry to laugh, if possible, even harder. Artemis just looked at Harry, and then Ron and shook her head and snorted. Hermione laughed harder this time. The carriage shook violently.

"Um, right, anyway, do you mind getting out of your giggling fits and tell me about Hogwarts before we get there?"

"Yeah," Harry laughed, "Okay so the castle's got a lake, and a greenhouse, as well as dungeons, you know the basic castle stuffs, and a forest."

"Forest? What kind of forest?"

"A forbidden one." Ron said, curtly.

"Oh.........fun...."

"Fun?"

"I like to cause trouble," Artemis said mischievously, "and I have special tools in doing so, too."

"Tools?" asked Hermione anxiously, "What sort of tools?"

"Oh, you know," Artemis said shrugging, "Rope, dungbombs, hooks, pulleys, dungbombs, binoculars, buckets, dungbombs, duct tape, brooms, harnesses, backpacks, dungbombs, someone to pull a practical one on, dungbombs, butter, tomatoes, cheese........."

"Butter? Tomatoes? Cheese?" Harry laughed again.

"Ah," she said, happily, "the power of cheese!"

This sent a roar of laughter in the carriage from all of them.

"And dungbombs, eh?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," Artemis said. "Cheese and dungbombs. What's so funny this time?" she asked Harry and Ron, bewilderedly.

"Artemis, mate, you're officially my friend," Ron said as he wrapped his arm around her, in a false embrace.

"Er...no," she said, pulling him away, causing Ron to laugh harder.

"So," she said, rubbing her hands together, "I want to pull a prank on..." she pondered aloud, and knitted her eyebrows in deep thought, "who do you hate?"

"Malfoy," the three of them together.

"Which Malfoy?"

"The ugly one," Ron said.

"Okay, that doesn't help much-they're all ugly," Artemis said. Harry and Ron exchanged delighted looks; Hermione merely smiled. "So which Malfoy-does his father teach here or something?"

"No," Harry said, "but Draco Malfoy attends."

"WHAT? That slimy git has his stupid, biased, idiot of a son here? Here?" Artemis said regrettably, "HIM? I can't believe this!"

"What's there not to believe?" Hermione asked, giggling.

"The Malfoys and Riddles go back a long time," Artemis said slowly, "But ever since my parents, er, never mind."

"Your parents what?" Harry asked politely, but still wearing a grin.

"Just never mind...but ugliness is just another reason to get Malfoy at school! Plus the hatred between our families..." Artemis added as an afterthought. "What house is he in?"

"Slytherin," Ron said, with disgust.

"Okay, then," she said rubbing her hands together again. "What we need is a plan and a good one with that...why don't we get all of the-OUCH!" Artemis's head hit the top of the carriage, due to a sudden bump. "Stupid horse," she muttered.

"Why don't we what?" Harry asked excitedly, utterly delight by the fact that he would be able to get back at Malfoy.

"We could get all of the Slytherins?" she suggested, rubbing her head furiously.

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Ron said gleefully.

"No, it's not!" Hermione protested, "We can't, Ron, we're prefects! Besides, what if the sorting hat puts her in Slytherin?"

"Oh, come off it, already!" Ron said, heatedly. "She can still trick them if she wants!"

"Please, don't argue..." said Artemis, quietly. "I don't like arguments.... please stop it..." Ron and Hermione didn't hear her.

"You just want her to get back at Malfoy!" Hermione snapped.

"That's not true!" Ron said shouted.

"Prove it then!"

"I think she'll make an excellent friend!"

"Why, thank you!" Artemis muttered. Harry smiled. Clearly, Ron and Hermione didn't hear her over their own voices.

"You're just saying that because-because-" Hermione, stammered furiously.

"Wasn't it you that wanted to take her to the library? Some friend you'll be!" Ron retorted.

"Ouch," Artemis whispered to Harry. "I wish they'd stop." Harry nodded.

"Why you-you-!" Hermione screamed.

"You should talk!" Ron snapped.

"Stop, stop, stop, come on, stop!" Artemis said under her breath. "Stop!" she said, loud enough for all of them to hear, and then continued quietly. "Please! I don't want my first impression of Hogwarts to be a shouting, angry pair of immature teenagers deciding for me! I've had enough of that! Everyone does that!"

"You're right," Hermione admitted, "you have the right to decide for yourself."

"Yeah," Ron added, throwing a dirty look at Hermione.

"So, are you guys done?" Artemis asked them.

"Yeah."

"Yes."

"Will you promise, you won't argue while I'm around?"

"That seems reasonable."

"Okay."

"Good," Artemis said slumping in her seat. "Hey! We've stopped! Are there?"

"Yeah, I think we are!" Harry said.

"Cool!" Artemis said, tugging at the sleeve of his robes, "Come on! Oh, wait! It's still raining! Hold on!" Artemis closed her eyes, and concentrated hard, "Okay! Let's go!"

The rain was pouring down so hard, that Harry couldn't see more than a yard in front of him.

"Where are you guys?" He shouted, over the rain and thunder, "I can't see you!"

"C'mon!" Someone said, tugging at his arm, "Here!" Artemis said as she summoned a black umbrella, "Get under here, you butt, Harry, come on!"

"I am not a butt," Harry said as he got under Artemis's huge umbrella.

"I know," she grinned, "Now you have to show me how to get to the castle or we'll be monsooned out here!"

"Right," Harry said, peering out into the solid wall of water, "I think it's this way," he pointed in front of them, "Yeah, I can see Hagrid's hut over there, so the castle's this way!"

"Okay," Artemis said, "Lead on!"

Finally, Harry saw the familiar stone steps of Hogwarts, with the Weasleys and the others from the train peering out.

"There they are!" Ron said, waving his arms frantically, "Hey! Harry! Over here, mate!"

"There they are," Harry said to Artemis. "C'mon."

"Where were you guys?" Hermione said, running up to them, as they trudged up the stone steps, "Ron and I didn't see you guys! We thought you were behind us!"

"I guess we got separated," Artemis reasoned. "It seems logical."

"Yeah..." Ron said, "Well c'mon! It's warm inside!"

"Wait!" Dumbledore called, "Meet us in my office at two, if you want lunch. I suggest a tour?"

"Yeah! Great idea!" Ron said.

"Hey! We want to come, too!" George said, walking over with Fred.

"Me too!" Ginny said, running after them.

"Er, okay then," Artemis said. "Okay. Besides, I want to explore!"

"Explore?" Harry asked.

"Yeah! Of course! What else would I want to do if I got to be in a huge castle?"

"C'mon, you two!" Ron shouted as he opened a heavy wooden door.

Harry had never been so happy to be in Hogwarts, then on today. It was warm and cozy inside and smells of richly cooked food wafted to his nose. Apparently, Ron was thinking along the same lines.

"Wonder what's cooking?" he asked.

"I dunno, but it sure smells good," Artemis said, contently. "Let's go explore!"

"Okay, then. Do you want a tour?" Hermione said.

"Sure! You three lead on!" Artemis said.

So they showed her the library (Hermione insisted), and the Great Hall ("the makers bewitched, the ceiling didn't they?" Artemis asked, jadedly.) , The kitchens, Gryfinndor common room, ("Reverious!" said Hermione, eyeing Artemis's expression. "Is that the password?" she asked.) And just as they were going up to Dumbledore's office for lunch, Artemis stopped.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

Artemis pressed her ear against the wall, "Did you have a," she thought for a moment, "did you have a basilisk about three to four years ago?"

Ron gaped, "Yeah, we did. How did you...?"

"You can hear the damaged plumbing that it did when it got around," she said finally, walking over to them. " So, where's Dumbledore's office? I'm hungry."

"Me too! Let's go!" Harry agreed, "This way," he pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "The only problem is, I don't know the password."

"Maybe if we knocked?" Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, I guess that would work. What are you smiling about?" Harry asked Artemis, who was grinning.

"Something I can do, but you guys can't."

"Oh? And what's that?" Harry said in mock surprise.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Well of course we do," Hermione said.

"Okay," said Artemis, as she ran to the door, "here goes nothing!"

"Artemis, no! NO!" Hermione said, frantically. "You'll crash!"

Artemis jumped past her, and disappeared through the door.

"Nice trick," Ron said, in an awed voice.

The door opened, "Sorry about that, couldn't help but doing so," Artemis said, breathlessly, "C'mon, I have got to eat!"

"Are you kidding me? That was wicked!" Harry said, walking through.

"Yeah, you have got to teach me that!" said Ron. "That was bloody brilliant!"

"All in a day's work...I'll teach sometime, I guess," she said, still out of breath.

"That was great!" Hermione stepped in, "That was really advanced Artemis!"

"Thank... you."

"Ah! I see you four have arrived just on time!" Dumbledore said, "I was starting to get worried! Okay, now that we have everyone, we can go down to the Great Hall!"

"But we just came from there!" Ron said.

Dumbledore laughed. "From what I hear, Mr. Weasley is that the elves prepared us an excellent meal. Doesn't that strike you appealing?"

Ron's stomach growled, "Sure does to me!" Harry and Hermione, laughed. Artemis seemed more interested in the stone work surrounding Dumbledore's office.

"Ms. Riddle, I can assure you that you wouldn't find anything of importance with these walls," said Dumbledore quietly. Everybody snickered quietly.

"No," Artemis said slowly, "There's something about these stones...they seem to vibrate..."

Everyone stared at her.

"Vibrate?" Dumbledore asked.

So they headed down to the Great Hall, ever so happy that they had a roof above to protect them from the raging storm outside.

"Headmaster, sire, when am I to be sorted?" asked Artemis politely, from beside Harry.

"When do you want to be sorted?" said Dumbledore.

"Soon," replied Artemis.

"Then we shall sort you after lunch!" Dumbledore said happily as they entered the Great Hall (the ceiling was black with the occasional lighting bifurcating over it). Artemis grinned. At the staff table sat (much to Harry and Ron's disgust) a greasy haired Snape.

Ron helped himself to an enormous plate of chicken and garlic mash potatoes.

"Hey! Where's Artemis?" Hermione asked.

"Er," Harry said looking around too, "I don't know, she was right here a sec ago. Artemis, where are you?"

"I'm right here!" said a voice from under the table.

"What on earth are you doing?" Hermione asked looking under the table.

"I, er, I dropped me fork," Artemis said innocently, "just thought I'd save an innocent elf from throwing out its back, that's all," she climbed up from under the table and into her seat next to Ron. "So, let's eat!"

"We 'ave been," Ron said through chicken.

"Oh, well, eat with your mouth closed please," Artemis said politely, "at Celtic Glen, if we're spotted with our mouths open, while eating food, we get detention for a week," she said quietly.

"Whoa, now see, Hermione, that's what I call harsh," said Ron.

"Yeah, well it's not all that bad," Artemis, grinned, while cutting her chicken. "But, even I admit-"

She stopped, and put her fork and knife down and stared at Fudge, Glen, and Malfoy.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

Artemis didn't answer-she looked as if she was trying to hear something, but stared down at her food. "I-I-er-I don't-I'm not hungry, anymore," she stammered, pushing her food away.

"What wrong with it?" Ron asked. Fudge, Glen, and Malfoy were now staring coldly at Artemis now. The table got quiet.

"I-I'm not hungry," Artemis said loudly.

"Why not?" Malfoy said, cold eyes glittering with malice, "There's not anything wrong is there?"

"I'm-I'm-just not hungry anymore."

"Ms. Riddle, I demand that you eat this food," Glen said angrily, pushing her food back in front of her.

"No," she said quietly, looking down at her lap, "I won't."

"Yes, you will! Why won't you eat it?" Glen snarled.

"I have a good reason not to."

"Really, eh? What is it then?" Fudge said. Artemis looked up.

"Well you ought to know!" she said furiously.

"I know nothing," Fudge replied, coldly. "So, Riddle, what's wrong with it?"

"You do realize that if I'm right, I could impeach you as Minister of Magic, and have you sent to jail," Artemis said.

"Innocent until proven guilty," Fudge snarled, inches away from Artemis's nose.

"Fine!" she said, whipping out a small sphere with odd markings on it. She pulled the top, rotated the bottom, and pressed several buttons.

"What's going on here?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"You want to know what going on? I'll tell you what's going on- Malfoy and that idiot is trying to poison me!" The table gasped and looked horrified. Harry looked down at his food and wondered if he was being poisoned too.

"You have no evidence of us doing such a thing!" Lucius said.

"I do know that you are trying to poison me and several other people at this table for various reasons! You think I won't know if I were being poisoned? You must take me for a fool!" Artemis said, banging her fist on the table, causing several pieces of food to fly up.

"Who is he purposively poisoning, Artemis?" Dumbledore asked serenely.

"Well, he's poisoning, me, Harry, Hermione, Glen, you, and Mrs. Weasley," she said, glaring at Fudge and Malfoy.

"Prove it then!" Malfoy bellowed.

The sphere that Artemis was holding made a klaxon like squeal. Artemis put it on the table, "Mp71 search for poisons," she commanded. The sphere like thing sprouted legs on either side and walked its way around the table, shining an infrared light on all of the plates and food. It reminded Harry of a large, metal scorpion.

"Confirmed," the Mp71 said in a clipped, robotic voice, "there are poisons on this table."

Everyone gasped. "Mp71, where are they located?" Artemis instructed.

"They are located," the scorpion machine walked over to Harry's plate, "here," it walked over to Hermione's plate, "here, here, here, here, here, and here."

"Mp71, how high are the poison amounts?"

"They are," it stopped to analyze, everyone exchanged worried looks, "highly dangerous, to life threatening," everyone gasped, and stared angrily at Malfoy and Fudge, "they are in doses of two hundred milligrams of the highly toxic Inoes plant," the Mp71 finished.

"There you have it!" Artemis breathed, "I have proven you guilty of attempted murder on the assault of six people. I can legally impeach you Fudge. It's over," she said, grinning in grim satisfaction, "Next time you try to kill someone, make sure there's not a genius in the room."

Lucius sneered, "I'll get you, one of these days, Artemisia Riddle, I'll get you, and you'll wish you'd never been born."

"Well, considering that you've been thwarted and baffled by my intellect, I believe that I have you," Artemis smiled at Malfoy.

"Let's go," Fudge snarled to Malfoy, and they stormed out of the Great Hall.

"Aaah," Artemis moaned as she sank back into seat, and pulled out a dark green notebook. Harry read her unusually messy handwriting, which turned out to be:

CASE NUMBER: 213

ATTEMPTED MURDERER (S): Lucius Malfoy, Cornelius Fudge

WAY OF DEATH: Poison

IF A GUN, POISON, OR WEAPON WAS USED CLARIFY: Poison-Inoes plant

WITNESSES: 14 WITNESSES INVOLVED? Yes

IF SO, HOW MANY: 6

INJURIES? Yes EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL? Internal

POSSIBLE CHARGES: Attempted murder, assault on six witnesses, possible death

ANY RELATIONS WITH MURDERER (S)? Yes

"I am so hungry, though," Artemis said finishing with her entry, "Aren't you?"

"Er, I would be, had I not known that I was being poisoned," said Harry.

"Oh! Right, er, I think that perhaps the best route to get it out of you is probably binging and purging. That or get a remedy or something to extract it from your body, and trust, that wouldn't be pretty," she said, gruesomely. "Do you have a hospital wing??" she asked Professor McGongall.

"Yes," she said, curtly, "we do. But do you have any idea how to get the poison out of them?" she asked Dumbledore who was turning green.

"I-think-we-should-get-to-the- hospital-now," Dumbledore said, "Right-now."

Harry looked at Hermione, who was also a nasty shade of green, "Good plan. I think I'm going to be sick."

"Me, too," Harry said, fighting the wave of nausea, "But I think I'll need a bucket."

"We should get them to the hospital," Artemis said quickly, conjuring a bucket for Harry and handing it to him, "or we'll have an awful mess on our hands, an awful mess indeed. C'mon, Harry," she said gently, as she helped him up, "C'mon, you can do it, there you go..." However, Hermione keeled over and threw up.

"Ick," Artemis said, conjuring several buckets, and handed them out to Hermione, Glen, and Mrs. Weasley, "c'mon now, Hermione, trust me I've had much worse. Hey, Ron, Hagrid! Can you give me a hand?" Artemis was staggering under Harry's dead weight. Harry couldn't summon enough strength to stand by himself, and he felt embarrassed that Artemis had to help him, as well as Hermione, who also needed help supporting her weight.

"Ron! Help!" Artemis said, knees buckling under the weight of Hermione and Harry.

"Oh, sorry, I was helping my mum," Ron said, weakly, while also supporting Mrs. Weasley.

"That's okay, you don't have to."

"Okay," Ron said struggling with his mum, who was hanging on his shoulder.

"Hey! Who's taking Dumbledore?" Artemis said, looking around.

"I think Professor Snape and McGongall are," he said, "By the way where are Fred and George? They ought to give us a hand."

"Yeah. So where is the hospital or whatever you call it?" Artemis said.

"It's a good deal from here, but I'm sure we can manage," Ron grunted, "Ginny! GINNY!"

"Huh?" Ginny wheeled around, "OH!"
"Can you run up to the hospital and tell someone that we need help?" Artemis said.

"Yeah, sure," and she ran off. At this point, Harry seriously considered following Hermione's example of throwing up. He held the bucket to his face, and prepared to throw up.

"Uh-oh," Artemis said, "Harry, whatever you do, do not throw up!"

"Er, okay," he said weakly, "I'll try not to."

"That's it, Harry, mate," she said encouragingly, "keep it up."

When they came to the base of the stairs, Hermione threw up again in her bucket. "Ron! R-on!"

"What is it?" He said.

"I know exactly how you felt when you burped slugs," Ron smiled, "remember that?" she asked Harry.

"Yeah," Harry managed to say, "that was when Malfoy called you a you-know-what and Ron told him to eat slugs. That was a good cause to throw up for," he said. "I think, the safest route, though, is to keep my mouth shut until we get to the infirmary, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, good idea, Harry," Hermione groaned.

As soon as Artemis turned the corner, Harry saw Madame Pomfrey running to them, Ginny running behind her.

"Wh-what happened?" she asked frantically.

"Well, that ugly git Malfoy poisoned them with Inoes poison," Artemis said. Madame Pomfrey gasped.

"Inoes? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ron said, turning his head away while Mrs.Weasley threw up in her bucket, "I'm positive."

"You will be able to cure them, won't you?" Artemis asked.

"Of course I can, I just hope that they're all right, that's all," Madame Pomfrey said, conjuring stretchers for everyone, "I don't believe I recall your name?"

"Er, I'm Artemis Riddle," Artemis said, "I would have met on a better occasion, if I had known this was going to happen."

"It's a pleasure," Madame Pomfrey said, "I'm Madame Pomfrey, the head of the infirmary."

"Ecstatic," Artemis said rather tonelessly as she eased Harry onto a stretcher, "there you go Harry, mate. Hey Ron! How's your mum doin'?" she called.

"Fine, I guess. Thanks for asking," he replied and turned away from seeing Mrs.Weasley purge again.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, trying to avoid throwing up, "Thanks a lot."

"No problem, mate," Artemis said, smiling down at him gently, "Now! Let's get you to the infirmary!"

"Yeah, Artemis, thanks," Hermione said feebly, "It means a lot."

Artemis shrugged, "You're welcome. While you're in the infirmary, do you want a book?"

"Sure, that would be great."

"Okay, I'll try and remember to get one for you."

"Is everyone on the stretchers?" Madame Pomfrey asked looking around.

"Yeah!" Ron said.

"Good, let's get this poor people to the infirmary."

And with that the stretchers started to move towards the infirmary. Harry saw Professor McGongall talking to Snape in low voices.

"Do hope Albus will be alright," she said in a worried voice.

"He'll be fine," Snape, said, "Madame Pomfrey can cure anything."

"I suppose you're right," Professor McGongall said, "He'll be up and running in no time."

Harry tilted his head back. There he saw Artemis running to keep up with the rest of them.

"Nice place this is," she said breathlessly to Harry and Hermione, "Tell me, how do you get around without being late to class?" Harry grinned.

"I dunno, we just do," he said.

"Okay, well, if you can do it, then I most certainly can," Artemis said to them, while Hermione smiled.

"I really do hope that you are in Gryffindor," she said.

"Yeah, so do I. I almost forgot that I had to be sorted until you mentioned it," Artemis said eagerly, "I hope that I'm not in Slytherin."

"Well why not?" Harry asked as they entered the infirmary.

"Because all of my family was, and I am nothing like the rest of them," she said, quickly, lifting Hermione off of her stretcher and onto a bed.

"Thanks," Hermione said, settling cozily into the bed and fluffing up her pillows.

"Sure, anytime," Artemis said, this time lifting Harry onto his bed beside Hermione.

"Thank you," he said, he too snuggling into the bed happily, but still nauseous, "Why don't you want to be like your- " However, he was cut off by Madame Pomfrey.

"Drink this," she said, thrusting a large glass of black liquid. Harry took it, preparing his mouth for a nasty remedy. Much to his surprise, it was rather sweet and tasted citric, it was only the aftertaste that was bitter. When he had drained the glass of its last contents, Harry felt rather dizzy and groggy, but still awake.

"What kind of book do you want?" Artemis asked Hermione sympathetically. "It looks as if you and Harry are going to have to stay a lot longer than expected."

"Could you-could you get me a book on elementary?" Hermione said.

"Sure! What an excellent subject! Just hope I can find the library without getting lost," Artemis said.

Hermione laughed, "I do too."

"Harry?" Artemis walked over to him, "Can I get you something?"

"Um, I don't have anything I want at the moment, but thank you anyway," he said politely.

"Okay," said Artemis headed for the door.

"Wait!" Harry called.

"What?"

"Do you know how to play wizard's chess?" he asked hoping the answer would be yes.

"Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Can we play a game when you get back?"

"Sure! I'd love to!" Artemis grinned and headed out.

"Remind me when she gets back to sort her," Dumbledore said to Professor McGongall.

"Yes, I will," Professor McGongall said, and turned to Harry, "Are you good at chess?"

"He's okay at it, but I still beat at it all the time," Ron said, pulling up a chair between Harry and Hermione's beds, "Why?"

"Let me take the time and remind you that she is a genius and has beaten the world chess champion when she was eleven," Professor McGongall said.

Ron looked ruefully at Harry, "Good luck, mate." Harry laughed.

"What's the worst that can happen? Me lose?" said Harry. Ron grinned. "We don't have any pieces though," he said as an afterthought.

"What's that?" Professor McGongall asked.

"We don't have, er, anything to play with," he said.

"That can easily be solved," Professor McGongall said, and with a wave of her wand, a large beautifully crafter board appeared in Harry's lap, along with whittled pieces. "There, you see, Potter, it's not that hard..." she said as she left the room.

"C'mon," said Ron, "let's arrange the board." So they put the board together.

"Where did she go?" Ron asked Harry as he put the bishop in its proper place.

"I think she went to the library to get Hermione a book," Harry said.

"Oh...well that was nice of her to do that...while we're waiting, do you want to play?"

"Sure, I guess," Harry said, "White moves first."

Suddenly, there was a loud thump on the door. Harry jumped causing the pieces to scatter everywhere.

"Ouch! Stupid door!" Artemis said from behind the door. Harry laughed, but stopped because another overwhelming wave of nausea overcame him. The door opened, and Artemis walked in carrying a heavy, leather bound book with silver gilding on the pages and small, oval shaped glasses on the tip of her pointed nose.

"Hey! You're wearing glasses!" exclaimed Ron.

"Yeah, I have to have reading glasses if a book has handwriting that's too small. I have a astigmatism, too," Artemis said looking up from the book, "This is a fascinating book, Hermione, I think you'll be very much pleased with it," she said handing the book to Hermione.

"She looks like you more than ever, Harry," said Ron. Harry grinned. Artemis spotted the chess board on Harry's lap.

"You're going down," she said eyeing him.

"Am I?"

"Down to Chinatown."

"Let the games begin."

It had been over an hour, and Harry still lost to Artemis. Ron even tried to go against her, but as good as he was, his game ended in a matter of minutes.

"I, er, I don't blame you for losing, mate," he said after his third game. "How do you know how to play so well?" he asked Artemis. Artemis opened her mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by Professor McGongall.

"That's it! You're going against me," Professor McGongall said, "if I don't win then, I won't give homework for a week!"

"Really?" Ron asked happily.

"Yes," Professor McGongall said sitting down by Artemis.

"C'mon, Artemis, mate, you've got to win!" Harry pleaded.

"I'll try," she said.

And so the game began, while Ron and Harry looked on tensely. They were halfway through the game when Artemis said, "Check."

"How?" Ron said utterly baffled, "Oh...I see it now. Oh! You're so close! Win, win, win!"

"I'm trying," Artemis said quietly.

Professor McGongall moved her knight, "Check," she said, smiling at Artemis, whose eyebrows were at risk of disappearing into her hair.

"I have never lost a game of chess, but I'm afraid all of my competitors have," she said moving her queen, "Checkmate."

Chapter 4-Unsortable

Ron never looked happier. "No homework for a week!" he said happily. "Image that!"

"I know," said Harry, equally happy, "that'll save us a whole lot time!"

"Yeah, I know, oy! Hermione! Guess what?"

"What?" asked Hermione, without looking up from her book, "What is it?"

"McGongall made a bet with Artemis that she would win, but Artemis beat her! No homework for a week!"

"A week, eh?"

"Yeah!" said Harry. "Great playing, Artemis! Hey, what's wrong? Artemis?"

"Artemis! You're-you're turning into a-" Hermione gasped. Harry stared at Artemis. Artemis was staring down at her hands like she had never seen them. Harry then saw why she was staring at them- they had become a ghostly white and transparent. She looked as if she were a ghost. Artemis stared at her mid-drift which was also hazy; soon her entire body was transparent and an alarming shade of white.

"Er, I hate it when this happens," said Artemis quietly. She pulled the triangular object from her pocket again, but just as she did, she was rising out of her seat. Harry jumped out of bed and with the help of Ron, managed to hold on her robes. Artemis struggled with the metal triangle, but at last, after fumbling with several buttons and rotating the triangle around, came up with a glowing triangular screen. She touched a tiny button entitled "COMMANDS".

"Engage in artificial gravity," she said. Small, green writing on the bottom of the screen said, "Artificial gravity in process. Loading..."

"Whoa," said Ron, "did you make that?"

"Yeah, but you ought to get ready for me to-ARGH!" Artemis fell quite suddenly onto Harry and Ron, "Sorry about that guys, didn't intend too..."

"That's okay," said Harry in a restrained voice, "but could you get off of my stomach?"

"Yeah," Ron said.

"Oh, sorry, okay..." Artemis sat up and helped them to their feet Harry noticed that she was still diaphanous.

"What was that about?" said Hermione, staring at the three of them.

"Oh," said Artemis, hopping gingerly to her feet, "I have to have this synthetic gravity, or I don't stay on the floor," she said, laughing.

"Oh...did you-why are- why are you still transparent?"

"I am? I am! Oh dear...does Hogwarts have ghosts?"

"Yes," said Harry, looking at Ron, puzzled. Ron wore the same look.

"Then that's why then," Artemis said wiping her hands off on her transparent robes.

"Why do-" Ron started, but was interrupted by a loud yawn by Artemis.

"Blimey, am I tired," she said. Harry yawned, too; he couldn't help but agree with her. "Hmmmm, I dunno, what did I do last time?" she pondered aloud.

"I dunno, what did you do last time?" Ron said.

"I-OH- I remember now! Ah, yes," Artemis pulled a thin vile from the air.

"How did you do that?"

"Just simple visual magic, not that hard really," Artemis said as she uncorked the small vile and emptied it. She pulled a face. "Nasty stuff." Slowly, she began to return to normal color, which even Harry had to admit, wasn't much of a change considering that Artemis was a deathly pale already.

"Ms. Riddle, please keep in mind that we still have to sort you," Dumbledore called from two beds down. "Severus, kindly fetch the Sorting Hat from my office, if you be so kind as to do so," he instructed.

"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape, oily. As he past Harry and the rest of them, he sneered quietly, "My best wishes, Riddle, in your sorting. I would be honored to have you in my house," and walked off.

"Er, thanks then," said Artemis.

"What a git he is," Ron hissed as the door closed behind Snape, "if you are in his house, which I personally hope you're not ("Ron!" Hermione protested.), good luck."

"Yeah, good luck," said Harry, sitting down on his bed, "you're gonna need it." Artemis said nothing, but absent-mindedly twiddled her fingers.

"Where am I going to sleep tonight?" she asked Professor McGongall.

"Good question," Professor McGongall turned to Dumbledore, "where will she sleep?"

"With her house," said Dumbledore simply, "that's obvious."

"I suppose you're right," said Artemis. She reached into her pocket for something, and drew out a miniature violin case. "I think now would be a good time to play, wouldn't you agree?"

"Most certainly," said Hermione, shutting her book willingly. Ron gasped.

"You're supposed to be reading!" he said in a mock-surprised voice.

"Yeah, well it got too confusing after a while," Hermione muttered, "besides, which, I wanted to hear Artemis play!"

"Agreed," said Harry.

"Okay, then," Artemis said, restoring the violin case to its normal size, "I guess I can play my solo for the Christmas concert-" Just then Snape came in with the frayed, and patched Sorting Hat in his hands.

"Here it is, sir," he said handing it to Dumbledore, "though I don't think it will sing today."

"That's a shame," said Ron. Professor McGongall nodded. "But since it sings at the Sorting Feast, it won't be a totally lost after all."

"Yeah, I suppose," said Hermione as Dumbledore got off his bed and walked over to Artemis, "We really hope she's in Gryffindor."

Professor McGongall mouthed an unmistakable, "Me, too."

"Let the hat decide," said Dumbledore as he placed the hat on Artemis's head.

Harry could only wonder what it was saying to her. Please be in Gryffindor, he chanted to himself, please. The hat growled for a moment and stared down at Artemis.

"I know who you are!" It hissed, "You're a Riddle! GET ME OFF OF YOUR DISGUSTING HEAD! GET ME OFF!" The hat bellowed, "I KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU COME FROM AND I WILL NOT LOOK THROUGH YOUR DISGUSTING, FOUL, EVIL MIND OF YOURS! YOU KNOW WHERE YOU BELONG! YOU BELONG WITH THAT REVOLTING, SICKENING, HORRIBLE, DISGRACE OF A FAMILY! GET ME OFF! NOW! I REFUSE TO SORT THIS- THIS-THIS RIDDLE!!!!"

Artemis was shaking and yanked the hat off. "Well, that went well," she said shakily. Everyone stared at her. She handed the hat to Dumbledore who smiled sympathetically, "Here. So, what do I do now?"

"Well, I guess you're what I call an Unsortable, so you're free to choose what house you want to be in," said Dumbledore.

"Really, eh?" said Artemis, looking at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Any house you say?"

"Yes."

"Hmmmm, well I guess I could be in Ravenclaw, for my smarts, Hufflepuff's not my character, you see, Slytherin or Gryffindor are my best guesses, so I guess all I have to do is choose." Artemis thought for a long time. "What sort of characteristics does Slytherin have to qualify?" she asked finally.

Snape looked at her, "A strong sense of cunning, (Ron and Harry snorted behind their hands) and determination to reach one's goals," he said.

"And a sense of hatefulness," Ron muttered.

"Hmmmm," Artemis thought out loud, "And Gryffindor?"

"A sense of fairness, as well as hospitality and bravery," Professor McGongall prompted.

"Hmmm," she said finally. "Can I sleep on that?" she asked quietly, "It might take me a while to decide if you know what I mean."

Professor McGongall exchanged sideways looks with Dumbledore and Snape. "Sure," she said, "we don't have a problem with that, as long as we get your answer by tomorrow's breakfast, so we can arrange your bed and such."

"Understandable," said Artemis, "but the question is still pending- where do I sleep?"

"Where do you want to sleep?" Dumbledore asked, thoughtfully.

"I don't mind where as long as 'where' is a place where it's quiet and won't disturb in my resolution."

"Oh, I see," said Professor McGongall, staring at Artemis impressed, "we'll have to get back on you for that. Give us a few minutes, if you please."

"Er, okay," said Artemis, as Snape, Professor McGongall and Dumbledore spoke in low voices by Dumbledore's bed. Artemis got up and walked over to Harry and Hermione.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Honestly? I feel, to a certain extent, dizzy and tired," said Harry, who had been battling off a determined wave of nausea for the last twenty minutes.

"Yeah, same here," said Hermione, not looking up for her place in her book.

"I wonder if we have to stay in the infirmary for the night?" Harry asked.

"Hmmmm...a likely candidate," said Artemis sinking into a chair next to Ron, "If you don't stay the night, then I guess we could-? Nah, stupid idea..."

"What?" Harry asked so incredulously, that Artemis laughed, "What idea?"

"I suppose if I have enough energy tomorrow, and you had some brooms then maybe we could practice Qudditch, and I could show you some moves. But that's a stupid idea..."

"Stupid? Are you crazy? I'd love to!" said Harry, happily, but heart sank faster than a stone when he realized that last year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, had confiscated it as a punishment.

"Count me in!" said Ron. "So, what model broom do you have?" he asked Artemis.

"I've got lots...like what do you mean 'what model'? Do you mean fastest? Newest? What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know, the fastest, I guess," said Ron, uneasily.

"I have a Firebolt for speed, a Comet Two-Sixty, a Nimbus Two-Thousand and a Nimbus Two-Thousand and One for tricks."

"Whoa," said Ron flabbergast, "that's a lot of brooms..."

"Yeah, well I've got more, but I don't really need them all that much, just for shows you see, you could borrow one I suppose," offered Artemis.

"Really?" Artemis nodded, "Could I borrow one of your Nimbuses?" Ron asked excited.

"Sure, I don't mind as long as you give it back and don't ruin it, not that you would I hope."

"Wow! Thanks!"

"Sure, any time," Artemis shrugged, "Harry, do you play Seeker?"

"Yeah," said Harry, pulling away from his musings, "how did you know?"

"Your physique," said Artemis, pointing to Harry's body, "You can tell that you're a Seeker, because you're just build for it. So what model did you have?"

"How did you know that I had a broom?" said Harry, skeptically, "How do you know that I still have one?" He knew he didn't have one, but the fact that she knew he didn't, stunned him.

"Er, I, er," Artemis stammered, "I saw-it looked- your face looked sort of wistful when I suggested Qudditch practice, that's all," she finished lamely. "You know, you can borrow one of mine if you like."

"Really?" said Harry, gratefully, "D'you mean it?"

"Yeah," she said encouragingly, lifting Harry's spirits quite a bit, "I believe that all Seekers should have the opportunity to ride a decent broom, especially after that-that big, fat, butt of a Crouch told me I couldn't play anymore for Ireland."

"That's such a shame," said Ron, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yeah..." said Artemis, regretfully.

"So why did he kick you off the team, anyway?" Harry asked curiously.

"Harry!" Hermione said looking up from her book, and had a slight note of disbelief in her voice, "You don't ask someone that kind of question!"

"Really, Hermione, I don't care," said Artemis turning around and facing her, "it's not going to hurt my feelings about Qudditch, and I know it wasn't because I play bad."

"Oh," said Hermione, embarrassedly, cheeks flushing slightly and turning back to her book, "Sorry then."

"Oh," said Harry, suavely changing the subject, "I had a Firebolt, but that stupid, ugly, twisted little-argh! - Professor Umbridge took it away from me and confiscated it."

"You had Umbridge here?" said Artemis, clearly surprised. Harry nodded. "You're not the only one that hates her. We had her for two years straight at Celtic Glen," Harry, Ron, and Hermione shuddered with disgust, "Did you ever get detention from her?"

"Yes! Wasn't it awful?" said Harry, grateful that someone else had suffered Professor Umbridge's excruciating detentions also, "Did she make you write lines?"

"Of course," said Artemis showing Harry the back of her hand. He grabbed it and stared down at it. Harry saw, very faintly, the message that Artemis had to write: "I am a murderous person because I am a Riddle."

"Did she-did she make you right this?" Harry asked intensely, feeling angry for Artemis as well as himself. Artemis nodded weakly, avoiding his eyes. "That's totally unfair! It's not true! Isn't it?"

Artemis didn't answer him-instead she just slid her hand away from him and into her lap.

"What did it say?" said Hermione, staring at the two of them. Artemis looked up and Harry and gave him an unfeeling look. Harry understood.

"It said, er the same thing mine says," he said.

"Oh," said Hermione said, "I'm sorry, Harry, but what did yours say again?"

"I must not tell lies."

"Oh, yeah, I remember now," Hermione, returned to her book.

"So," said Harry, turning back to Artemis who wore a mildly surprised look on her face, much to Harry's own astonishment, "How many times did she make you write that?"

"Hmmmm," said Artemis staring down at her hand, "Ah, oh yes I remember now," she said softly and looked up at Harry, and said quietly, "So many times that I had to have surgery to repair my skin."

"No way!" said Harry disbelieving.

"That's horrible!" Ron agreed. Both he and Hermione wore horrified looks on their faces, "Didn't you tell someone?"

"I tried," said Artemis, quieter still, "but who wants to listen to a Riddle?"

"Oh," said Harry, looking at Artemis sympathetically, "I know how it feels to be not listened to."

Artemis's head looked up at him suddenly. She shook her head, "No," Harry was slightly taken aback, "you don't know anything about this-it's not like being not listened to, it's like being completely neglected because you're different and you come from a dark family and no one listens to you and leave you abandoned, lost, and lonely. It's not your ordinary 'silence treatment' or 'not being talked to', it's your left alone to die, but nobody cares because you're different-because you're a Riddle. You saw what the hat did to me! Do you think I like that kind of treatment? I didn't do anything to deserve how I get treated! I used have to always listen to my-my-my mum saying over and over and over, 'Why can't you be like Tom, Artemis?' or 'You're not our daughter, because you're not a Riddle.' or 'If you want to be a Riddle, Artemis, be like Tom.' or 'Why can't you be like Tom?' or my dad beating me because I wasn't the son he wanted or because I wasn't good enough! 'Don't you come back here ever again until you're a Riddle!' 'WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE LIKE TOM?' Good question! Why can't I be like him more? How many times do I have to hear people sneer at my name, huh? How many times do I have to live isolated from everyone else? What good will it do? I have been trying to rebuild my family name, but for all I get out of it, I receive nothing but people sneaking up behind my back, trying to kill me! I'm only sixteen, yet people have attempted to murder me fourteen times!" Harry's jaw dropped, "I can't go anywhere without being derided upon! And it's all because I'm a Riddle!"

Harry felt awful, having just been told of this information; he thought it was bad living with the Dursleys. Harry couldn't quite see why people were treating Artemis this way, but he realized that it must have been awful being shunned emotionally and socially aside because of a bad family history. To make matters worse yet, Artemis was related to Tom Riddle-in other words, Lord Voldemort himself. No wonder she can speak Parseltongue, Harry thought, because she's related to Voldemort...she's possibly seen her parents kill somebody because they were probably Death Eaters.

"Oh...Artemis, w-we had no clue," said Hermione, on the verge of tears.

But if she's related to Voldemort, is she under his control?

"Of course you don't. I suppose your parents are worried to have someone like me at school? Is it because I'm a threat? Or is it because I'm a Riddle?"

"It's not that," said Ron, who looked shocked, "And it's not because you're a Riddle either!"

If she chooses to be in Slytherin, then she'll like him...

Artemis wore a cold smile that made the hairs on Harry's neck stand up. "Really? Is that the case now? Why don't you bother telling me why I'm being hunted down? Hmmm? Or why I'm left alone? Or why people sneer at me? Hmmm? Can you answer that?"

Harry stared at Artemis searching for some likeness between her and Voldemort. Ah, yes, Harry thought, she has the pale Riddle hands. And the skin is very pale...like his...a deathly white...her nose is pointed like his...and her facial expressions are just like his. Even the way she talks when she's angry is like him. Except for the eyes and the hair, she's a living duplicate of him.

"Er, n-no," hesitated Ron.

Artemis stared down at her shoes. "Listen, I'm sorry," she said miserably, "I had to tell someone that...except Martin, you guys are the only people who's regarded me as a companion, and not entirely as a Riddle. That is so rare that took out all my problems on you. It's just so frustrating to be kicked out of loop and disregarded as an individual who has feelings. Really, I'm not like this at all. Will you accept my apology?"

"Of course we will," said Harry.

Artemis looked up. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Yeah," said Ron, nodding his head.

"Apology accepted," said Hermione.

"Thank you," whispered Artemis again, "You don't know how much this means to me."

"I have a good idea, how much it means to you," Harry whispered back. "Besides which, you're not all Riddle, remember? You're a Niou, too. And I mean that in the very best sense." Artemis smiled.

"Yeah, I am," she said. "And I sometimes lose sight of that."

"Ms Riddle?" Professor McGongall walked in "Ah, Ms. Riddle, sorry about the delay, but we have decided that you are going to stay in Slytherin's dormitory for tonight." Ron pulled a face.

"Mr. Weasley! We do not cancel out each other's possible houses!"

"Possible?" Artemis mocked, "Possible!" Harry and Professor McGongall stared at her.

Professor McGongall raised her eyebrows. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

"Yes, I believe there is," said Artemis, standing up, "I've thought about the houses, and it occurred to me, that if I choose to be in Slytherin, then I'd be following in Voldemort's," Ron, Hermione, and Professor McGongall gave out a little gasp at the mention of this name; Harry, however, was pleased that Artemis had used it, "footsteps which is exactly what I do not plan on doing."

"So," Professor McGongall said slowly, trying to restrain her excitement, "that means you choose to be in Gryffindor?"

"That would be correct."

"I can't believe it! We have a genius in the house! Oh yes!" Professor McGongall hugging Artemis and swinging her around as if she were a rag-doll. Artemis was, to Harry (both he and Ron were laughing at her facial expression and odd scenario) incredibly shell shocked.

"Er, you've had geniuses in your house before I came along," Artemis managed to say, as she was dragged away by an eager Professor McGongall ("We must tell Dumbledore! We have a genius! Yes!"), "Yeah like Hermione, Ron, Harry.... are you giving them the credit they deserve....?"

Suddenly, Fred, George, and Ginny burst into the room, and looked as if they were running. Harry soon heard Percy shouting at them down the hallway.

"Hide us," Fred moaned to Ron.

Artemis was walking towards them, "What's going on?"

"We dropped a bag of dungbombs on him on accident," George explained. ("Yeah, sure, real accident," Ron mocked.) "And we just asked Ron for a place to hide."

"Oh," said Artemis looking around, "In the closet! Over there!"

"Thanks a million, Artemis!" said Ginny, as Percy's shouting got louder.

"Thank me later, now get in there!" Artemis hissed.

"Oh, yeah, right," said George as he and Fred crunched into the closet. "Ginny, I don't think there's enough room in here!"

"Uh-oh."

"Quick, under Harry's bed!" Artemis pointed as Ginny slid under at exactly the right moment.

"WHERE ARE THEY? I AM GOING TO GET THEM FOR THIS! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!" Percy bellowed as he stepped in the door, "LOOK AT THIS DISGUSTING MESS! DUNGBOMBS EVERYWHERE IN THE GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM, DUNGBOMBS ON ME!!! ARGH!!!!"

"Like I said," Artemis whispered to Harry and Ron, "my tools for mischief making require many adungbombs to hit targets like this." Harry and Ron laughed silently as they could.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?"

"Oh," said Artemis calmly, as Ron and Harry attempted to keep their faces as straight as possible, "I guess the fact that you have toilet paper on your shoe."

This was too much for Harry and Ron as they roared with laughter. Harry could hear Ginny sniggering under the bed, and George and Fred's snorts through the closet. Artemis grinned.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU-YOU OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD LAUGH AT ME!"

"Well, perhaps it's the fact that you're a pompous git or the fact that you're covered in dungbombs," Artemis muttered under her breath. Ron and Harry, if possible, laughed harder. Ginny was laughing so hard that Harry's bed was shaking dangerously; all the more, Harry was shaking it as well.

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON THEM! WHERE ARE THEY? I'LL FIND YOU AND I'LL TELL MUM!"

"That is when you get your hands on them," mumbled Artemis. "You would go and tell your mum."

"Percy, with all do respect, but would you please, shut-up!" Mrs. Weasley shouted from her bed.

"Mum! What happened?" said Percy, dropping his furious manner and walking over to Mrs. Weasley's bed.

"I was poisoned at dinner," said Mrs. Weasley heavily as she sat up.

"W-what kind of poisoning?"

"An Inoes plant one, and a deadly one at that. If it haven't have been for- " Percy cut Mrs. Weasley off and rounded on Artemis.

"You-You did this! How dare you try and poison my mother! She could have died! Or would that have satisfied you sick, disgusting Riddle blood?" Percy roared at Artemis, barely two inches from her nose, he grabbed her by neck and attempted to strangle her, "It's bad enough that Ginny almost died, but no, that wasn't enough was, eh, Riddle? You had to try and kill my mother! YOU SICK SON OF A-"

"PERCY!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, finally getting his attention, "As I was saying, if it hadn't of been for Artemis then I would have died!"

"Yeah, well I doubt that," said Percy, eyeing Artemis coldly, "lest we forget that she is a Riddle?"

"There's nothing wrong with being a Riddle!" choked Artemis, angrily. "Let me go! You're choking me!"

"PERCY! LET HER GO! NOW!" bellowed Mrs. Weasley, as she said up, finally seeing what was going on instead of hearing it. "I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE DISGRACED IN MY LIFE!"

"What's disgracing is this slimy serpent of a Riddle!" sneered Percy as he dropped Artemis down onto the floor. Artemis crashed, hitting her wrist backwards and giving a small yelp of pain.

"Artemis! Are you okay?" Ron asked as got up from his chair and rushed to help Artemis up.

"Er, I think my wrist is broken," said Artemis, weakly. "Luckily we're in an infirmary!" She laughed nervously, but stared down at her shoes.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! LOOK AT THAT! HE JUST HELPED HER UP! WHAT A DISGRACE TO HELP A FOUL BLOODED, SICK MINDED, RIDDLE UP! RON DON'T YOU EVER-EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" shouted Percy, this time rounding on Ron.

"What's wrong with helping her up?" shouted Ron, ears starting to redden, "She's just like everyone else! She deserves to be helped up!"

"Thanks, Ron," mumbled Artemis, staring at her shoes still. Ron didn't hear her.

"AND I SUPPOSE HER SLIPPERY, FORKED, SERPENT TONGUE TOLD YOU THOSE LIES, EH?"

"They are NOT lies!"

"PROVE IT THEN!"

Ron hesitated. Harry stared down at his lap-this was an awful way to start a term at Hogwarts. He also felt shocked for Artemis, as well as himself, because Percy wouldn't seem the type to hurt anyone, or for that manner hold a grudge against anyone-that is until last year, when he broke off from his family because of a row. Harry looked over at Artemis, who had been absently-mindedly fiddling with her robes' hem; she avoided Harry's eyes and suddenly seemed to find her robes' hem fascinating.

"So, you see," said Percy, lethally, "there is no reason that you should believe her!"

"Percy Weasley, you apologize RIGHT NOW!" Mrs. Weasley said, eyes narrowing.

"What's there to apologize for?" Percy said coldly, "We should feel sorry that Ron helped her up!"

"Or maybe we should apologize for the fact that you're a arrogant, backstabbing, emotionless git!" said Ron furiously.

"TAKE IT BACK!" Percy lunged at Ron, "TAKE IT BACK!"

"NO!"

"Stop it!" said Artemis, standing up, shaking from anger. Her face was white-hot with fury, "Stop it! I've had enough!" The room went dead quiet. "Please, just stop bickering!"

"Like I'm going to listen to you," said Percy indignantly. Artemis looked down. "After all who would want to listen to a Riddle?" The windows behind him broke. "A slimy," the glass beside Harry broke, "sick-minded," Hermione's glass exploded, "disgusting," a bright stroke of lightening flashed outside, "foul-minded," thunder shook the room, "Riddle?"

"You're right-who would? I'll tell you-a decent person who knows the value of a friend and their feelings!"

"And you're saying that I don't?" Percy spat. "You have no value-you're a worthless, murderous little thief! No one wants to have you as a friend! Especially after you killed-"

"Killed who?" Artemis asked coldly.

"YOU KILLED BERTHA JORKINS! YOU KILLED CEDRIC DIGGORY! YOU KILLED YOUR OWN FATHER!"

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"PROVE IT!"

"Bertha Jorkins and Cedric Diggory were killed by Voldemort. So was my father," mumbled Artemis. "I've got witnesses."

"Sounds a lot like You-Know-Who, killing his own father-WHICH HE DID!" Percy shouted in Artemis's face, "AND YOU'RE RELATED TO HIM, AREN'T YOU?" Everyone stared at Artemis for a reaction. She didn't answer. "AHA! SO YOU ARE!"

"Yes," Artemis stood firm. Everyone stared at her still-this time they were horrified.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was your father," Percy spewed, breaking the silence.

"Take it back," Artemis retorted, "Take it back."

"No, I think I won't. I think that I was wrong about You-Know-Who being your father-your father was a empty, dark, disgusting man who went around and murdered innocent people. He's a slimy, swollen-headed, stupid, arrogant man who was the lead man for You-Know-Who, wasn't he? WASN'T HE? ANSWER ME! NOW!" Percy shoved Artemis onto the floor. "THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG-ON THE FLOOR AS A USELESS PIECE OF TRASH! ANSWER ME!"

"No."

Percy stormed over, looking like he could easily kill Artemis with his bare hands. "I'LL GET YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"

"PERCY! NO!" Ron shouted, walking in front of him.

"Get out of my way! MOVE! I'll get that-that-that RIDDLE, if it's the last thing I do! MOVE!" Percy shoved Ron into the wall, causing him to sink down into silence.

"Go ahead, kill me, I doubt you can." Artemis said picking herself up and dusting off, "Don't worry, I'm ready."

Percy whipped his wand out and pointed his wand to Artemis's heart.

"Go ahead," she said, pulling out her own wand. "Try me."

The tension in the room could have created an electrical storm-Hermione was biting her nails, Ron was moaning and Harry sat there unsure of what to do. Mrs. Weasley looked the angriest Harry had ever seen her.

"Percy Weasley," she said in a voice that was sure to stun Percy, "you know BETTER than to pick a fight with a sixteen year old! I thought you knew better than this..."

"Yes, I do," Percy said, "had I know better, she would have been dead by now." He put his wand away to Harry's greatest surprise, however, Artemis did not lower hers. Percy smiled unpleasantly.

"What's wrong?" he said nastily, "You aren't afraid, are you?"

"No," said Artemis evenly, "I just can't trust you." Percy's lip curled.

"That was the wrong answer," he coldly and walked over to her. "That was a very wrong answer!" He punched her on the nose. Blood sprayed everywhere.

"ARTEMIS!" Ron bellowed and threw himself on Percy's back and hit whatever he could. Harry followed the suit. "ARGH!"

"GET OFF YOU AWFUL PRATS! GET OFF!"

Fred and George burst out of the closet and lunged on Percy. "ARGH!"

Ginny slid out from under the bed and attempted to help Artemis up, who was gingerly rubbing her nose and nursing her broken wrist. Percy lunged towards Artemis still.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore shouted from the doorway. Everybody froze. "What is going on?"

"Percy tried to kill Artemis," said Ron, still hanging onto Percy's back.

Dumbledore stared at Percy, "Is this true?" he asked angrily.

"Damn right it is," Percy cursed. "And for good reason, too."

"Get out! GET OUT!" Harry jumped, "How dare you try and kill one of my students!" shouted Dumbledore. Percy stormed out and slammed the door loudly behind him. "Where is she?"

Artemis poked her head from under Harry's bed. "Here," she muttered, and picked herself up, and stood rigidly.

"What happened?" he asked in a gentle tone when he saw the blood all over her robes. Artemis shook her head.

"The same thing that happens all the time!" she half-shouted angrily. "Discrimination! Retribution! Ouch!" She put two fingers in her mouth. "Ouch," she said quietly as she pulled them out; they were covered in blood. She fell back down again.

"You can be sure that that won't happen again, while you're at Hogwarts," said Dumbledore sympathetically as he handed her a handkerchief to mop her bleeding nose. "Here, let's get you cleaned up," he offered his hand. She took it with her left hand, but took it back with a sigh.

"That's the wrist that's broken," she mumbled to Dumbledore.

"A broken wrist? And a bleeding nose? What happened?" Dumbledore asked Harry and Ron, as Artemis got herself up clumsily.

"Percy blamed her for poisoning my mum," said Ron, "he got angry at her and started to insult her bad. It was awful...I can't believe Percy would do that kind of thing. Anyway, he insulted her family and blamed her for murdering people. And it just went downhill from there..."

"It was awful," said Hermione tearfully, "I can't believe that she has to put up with that regularly, that's just horrible... What does everyone have against the Riddles, anyway?"

"I'm afraid that I couldn't tell you that," said Dumbledore walking over to aid Artemis to a bed, "it's not my place to tell you-it's hers."

"Aaah," Artemis moaned as she sat in a bed beside Harry, "my nose hurts so much...Oy, what a day, I'm telling you! First poison, then a fight. Oy..."

And she was knocked out.

"Geez, I can't believe that git called Percy would act that way," said George horrified. "He totally got on her case about laughing. We do that all the time, and he's never done that to us!"

"Oh, he... gave my... noggin... a floggin'!" Artemis mumbled from the bed beside him. "Noggin, it makes... your mouth...turn... red! Floggin', it's... from... Percy's... hatred! Noggin...a floggin'! Hey...!" And fell asleep again.

"Boy, that was odd," laughed Harry, looking over to Artemis. They laughed.

"I know," said Fred as he sat down beside Artemis's bed, "I hope that she's okay though-Percy hit her pretty hard."

"That must've been hard," said Harry. "I don't think that we'll get to do Qudditch practice tomorrow," he told Ron.

"Yeah...shame though," said Ron sadly.

"You were going to have Qudditch practice?" George asked eagerly.

Fred turned to look at Harry. "Are you trying to-?"

"NO!" said Harry, feeling himself redden, "I wasn't trying to-"

"Aw," said George as he slapped his knee, "c'mon, Harry, you know you like her..."

Ron was now grinning at Harry uncomfortably, "N-no I don't! She invited us! It was her idea!"

"Yeah, it was," said Ron, "besides, Harry'll tell us if he liked her, wouldn't he?"

"Er."

"So, were you going to have Qudditch practice?" said Fred.

"Yeah," said Ron, looking over at Artemis.

"That was the worse out-of-body experience I ever had!" Artemis bolted up. "Ouch! My nose! Ooo..." She rubbed her nose gingerly. "So what are you guys talking about?"

"How Harry likes you," said Fred with a straight face, as Ron snickered. Harry felt himself redden again.

"Oh...er, okay...ouch!" Artemis looked down at her wrist, "Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"I think she's over there," Hermione said looking up from her book and pointed to a door at the end of the room, "in her office."

"Er, okay, um, can someone help me get up?"

"Okay!" said Harry as he leap out if bed, without realizing it. "Here," he offered her an arm and walked out of the room. Artemis looked down.

"Pay up," he heard Fred say, "he likes her."

"Who couldn't?" said Ron as the jingle of change was heard.

"No, it's two Galleons, Ron, two..."

"Oh..."

"Here you are!" said Harry as they reached the doorway. Artemis acted as if she didn't hear Ron and Fred's conversation.

"Er, thanks," she said awkwardly, as she walked in. "If my wrist is okay, then I'm still in for the Qudditch practice."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Boy, am I hungry! I have got to ask Dumbledore if I can eat something, I am so hungry..."

"I can ask if you want me to," Harry offered.

"Nah, he's probably in here anyway." She smiled weakly. "D'you think you've done enough for me already?" Harry went red in the face again. "If you want to wait though that's ok too..." She walked in and closed the door behind her. Harry got up and charged at Fred, George, and Ron.

"I-am-going to get you so bad! I do NOT like her! STOP LAUGHING!"

Even Hermione was laughing.

"It's not that Harry-you have toilet paper on your shoe," she said. Harry looked down, and sure enough, there was toilet paper on his shoe.

"All fixed!" said Artemis as she walked out, "Guys, the Qudditch game is still on!"

"Hey, Artemis, can we come?" George asked.

"Er," Artemis looked at Harry and Ron, "I don't mind. You'll have to ask Ron and Harry."

"Well, can we?" Fred asked implored.

"Er, sure, fine with me," said Harry. Fred grinned at him.

"Yeah, ok," Ron, said.

"Great!" said Artemis, "Now we'll have five players! The more the merrier! Oh, and Madame Pomfrey says we can go."

"Cool," said Harry as he jumped out of bed, "C'mon, Hermione, we can go."

"Oh...?" Hermione looked up from her book, "Okay, then."

"Charge!" Artemis said and disappeared through the door.

"You're right, Ron, who wouldn't like her?" George muttered in Harry and Ron's ear. "She's got red hair..."

"So does Ginny!" Hermione protested.

"Yes, but this is different..."

So they walked down to the Gryffindor dormitory, and one by one they went to sleep, until Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Artemis were the only ones awake.

"Blimey! Am I tired!" Ron said as he yawned, "I'm going to sleep soon."

"Me, too," Harry said sleepily.

"Artemis, why to d'you turn transparent when there's ghost around?" Hermione said loudly. Suddenly, Harry and Ron were wide-awake.

"Er, I, er," Artemis hesitated, "this is going to sound weird, but I'm...er..."

"You're what?" Harry asked.

"I'm allergic to ghosts," she said finally.

"I didn't know there was such an allergy..." Hermione said bewilderedly, "So is turning transparent is your allergic reaction?"

"Yeah, weird, huh?" Artemis snorted.

"Really," Harry said, even though he thought that she wasn't entirely telling them the truth.

"Well, I'm going to bed-I just can't keep my eyes open..." Artemis yawned. "I'll wake you up in the morning...'night..."

"'Night," Hermione said, still deeply absorbed in her book.

"Hermione, are you going to put that thing down?" snickered Ron. Harry grinned.

"Oh, but Ron, it's fascinating!" Hermione protested.

"Yeah, sure, whatever, c'mon, Harry, let's go..."

"Yeah..." Harry said staring into the fire, "'Night, Hermione."

"'Night."

Harry and Ron trudged the stairs and into their beds.

"Oy," said Ron, tiredly, "what a day..."

"Yeah..." Harry said.

"So do you like Artemis?"

"NO-I mean yes-but-NO!" Harry stammered.

"Yes or no, Harry."

"As I friend, I guess I do."

"Sure, Harry," Ron said skeptically, "But I believe you."

"Well, d'you like her?"

"Er, I guess I do-"

"Ha!" Harry laughed, "Ron likes Artemis! Ron likes Artemis!"

"Shut it! I said I like her as a friend!"

"No you didn't."

"Well, that's what I meant."

"Yeah, right," said Harry, "'Night then."

"'Night."

Harry grinned into his pillow. He was an excellent liar.

Chapter 5- Flying toast?

Someone shook Harry gently. He wanted to open his eyes but they refused to do so.

"Harry," a voice called calmly, "Harry, it's time to wake up."

But I don't want to! Harry's brain thought automatically.

"Harry, c'mon, wake up."

But-but-!

"Harry," the voice said softly, as a pair of hands grabbed him and shook him slightly-they smelled of eucalyptus oil, "Harry, wake up."

Okay, okay, I'm attempting to open my eyes.

"Harry!" the voice laughed, "Wake up!"

Harry's eyes snapped open. Artemis was standing there, dressed in green robes that flattered her eyes, red hair (which looked wet) in a clip at the back of her head. She had her Firebolt with her. It was pinkish roan outside and the sun's rays were barely over the trees of the Forbidden Forest.

Harry smiled, "Sorry, I was really tired..."

"Understandable," Artemis grinned, "Get dressed- Ron and the others are almost ready to go. And don't worry," she said to Harry's puzzled look, "I've got breakfast with me."

"Oh...okay," Harry slid out of bed, and began to get dressed, "Er, do you mind?"

"No," said Artemis staring at Harry, "I mean, er, yes I do," she stammered, "Um, I'll be going now, won't I...?" she said as she left the room.

Harry quickly got dressed, and headed down the stairs as fast as he could, eager to fly. Satirically, he tripped on the last step, sending him flying, as he had wished, but not how he intended. He crashed into Artemis's back and sent her falling too. Ron, Fred, and George roared with laughter.

Artemis smiled as she picked herself up, "An excellent entrance, Harry, that was, if I do say so myself," she snickered. "Irony works." George, Fred, and Ron roared with laughter. Harry grinned himself. "C'mon," Artemis said, gesturing at the portrait door, "let's go play!"

"Yeah!"

"Let's go!"

Harry stood up and dusted his hands off on his robes and followed them. Artemis waited for him at the door, "Well, c'mon, Harry, c'mon!"

"Coming, coming!" he said and suddenly rushed to the door. Fred, George, and Ron walked ahead talking happily of Qudditch and results of the last Qudditch World Cup, which turned out to be a disaster.

"So," Artemis said in a low voice, "what kind of pitch do you have?"

"Pitch?" Harry said confused, "Pitch? OH! Pitch!"

"Yeah, Harry," said Artemis, sarcastically. "A pitch..."

"Oh," said Harry sheepishly, "it's kind of, er, I don't know, you just have to see it."

"Is it big?"

"I wouldn't say that if you're used to the professional Qudditch pitches, but it is a nice size, then again this is the only Qudditch pitch I've ever played on, so I can't really say anything."

"Ever?" asked Artemis, bewilderedly. "Really? Are you serious?"

Harry nodded.

"Whoa, Harry, you've got to get out more often."

Harry laughed. "I guess so," he said.

"So," Artemis repeated, "Which of my brooms do you want to borrow?"

"Firebolt," Harry interrupted.

"Er, okay," Artemis grinned, "You must've your heart set on it then...here you go," she handed him the Firebolt. Much to Harry's own surprise, he pushed it away. "No?" Artemis's eyebrows raised slightly, "No? You don't want it?"

"I-er-can you-I would like to see you do, you know, tricks on it," Harry said quietly.

"Er, um, okay then," Artemis took her broomstick back, "If that's what you want."

"But-but I would still like to see it afterwards!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yeah," said Harry, grinning, "Could you teach me any tricks?"

Artemis stared at him, "Me teach you tricks?"

"Yeah! Why not?"

"Um, I guess," Artemis, said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Aw, look at the two crazy lovebirds!" George said turning around. Harry reddened. "Ain't it cute? Ah, blasted! I forgot my camera!" Fred, Ron and Artemis laughed. Harry saw that Artemis wasn't the least bit disturbed by this, so he started to laugh, but did so nervously.

"C'mon," said Ron, still laughing, "let's go! Now! Come on!" He tugged on Artemis's robes and pushed her out of the door and followed. Harry laughed, but followed behind George and Fred, who were also pushing Artemis around. Harry joined them.

"Okay, okay!" said Artemis, "If you're going to push me around, then push me to the Qudditch pitch!"

"Okay!" George said, "Onwards!" he was pushing (as he ran) to a large wall.

"Aaah! Nooo!" Artemis said, putting her hands in front of her. George stopped inches away from the wall, but unfortunately for Artemis that isn't exactly what happened.

"George! NOOO!" Artemis screamed as she ran through the wall.

"George!" Fred said incredulously, "You made her go through the wall! You git!"

"Me?" George said angrily, "A git!"

"Yes, you idiot, a git!"

"You-you thick brained-"

"Spammy spamhead!" Ron blurted out quite suddenly.

"Spamhead?" George asked. "What's a spamhead?"

"Your face," Fred said.

Harry could hear someone laughing, but looked around and saw no one doing so.

"Hay," he said, "d'you hear that?"

"Yeah," George said, "d'you?" He asked Fred and Ron. They nodded.

"Who is that?" Ron asked, searching around for the laughing. Harry looked up.

"There's were it's coming from! Up there!" he said excitedly, pointing to a large rock ledge. He grabbed Ron's broom, and flew up slowly. George and Ron followed the suit. When Harry reached the ledge, he saw none other than Artemis, overcome with a fit of laughter.

"Artemis!" Ron said amazed, "How did you get up there?"

"That-" she said, but giggled, "When George shoved me into the wall, I reappeared up here, and listened to you people fight." She laughed again.

"How did you reappear up there?" George asked skeptically.

"Spammy spamhead!" Artemis laughed. "Ha!"

"How did you get up there?" George asked firmly. Artemis stopped laughing and stared at him.

"If I told you, then you'd be surprised," she said looking at her fingernails innocently.

"Surprised?" Ron said, "Try me."

Artemis looked up.

"Ah, you wish me to show you," she said evilly, "but the question is should I?"

"Yes, you should," George said curtly. "You can trust us."

"Trust?" Artemis stared at him, "You think this is about trust? Ha!" She waved her hand. Harry saw a black smoke enveloping around her fingers. "Let me tell you this, George, this isn't about trust."

"Then what is it about?" Harry asked.

"Things aren't what they appear," Artemis said, black smoke wrapping around her body now. "I got up here because I'm transpathic, or what you call Apparating."

"But you can't Apparate in Hogwarts," Harry said slowly.

"I can," Artemis said. Her body turned black and smoky. "Shall we get on with Qudditch?"

She dived and almost hit the floor, but just as she touched it, her body sprung up from the ground. She was now staring up at them, instead of looking down. The black smoke encircled her legs and began to fade away.

"Cool trick," Harry heard Ron say.

"Ah, yes, you see that's how I can walk through walls," said Artemis raising her eyebrows at Ron. "C'mon, I want to play Qudditch." And she left out of the door.

George and Fred exchanged nervous looks.

"Okay," Harry said as he touched down on the ground. "C'mon, guys!"

"Coming!" Fred said.

"George?" Artemis called, "Are you coming?"

George threw her a cold look.

"Yes," he said suspiciously, but began to grin.

"You see, that's how I pull pranks," Artemis explained, "No one can catch me that way. And that's how I intend on getting that slime ball of a Malfoy back."

"You're going to get Malfoy back?" Fred asked happily as they crossed the dew-drenched grass.

"Duh, I thought Ron and Harry would have told you already," said Artemis amiably.

"So what exactly do you plan to do?" George asked.

"First I plan to soil myself, then I plan to-" Artemis started brusquely.

Fred, George, Ron and Harry roared with laughter.

"W-What?" Harry giggled.

"I was just thinking what Malfoy would do if I pulled a prank on him," said Artemis.

"What would that be?" Fred asked, still laughing.

"Soil himself, of course," said Artemis, obviously. This sent a wave of laughter around them all.

"Good one," Ron said, eyes full of mirthful tears, "but what do you plan on doing?"

"I'm still thinking about it. But if I think this long on a simple plan then it's sure to be good and damageable to his reputation."

"Excellent," Harry said enthusiastically, as they reached the Qudditch field.

"Wow!" Artemis stared at the stadium, "This is a fair size for a school Qudditch pitch."

"Well, come on, let's go play!" Fred tugged at her arm.

"Okay, okay already! But who has what?"

"What d'you mean?" Ron asked.

"I mean," stated Artemis, "who has which broom of mine."

"Oh," Harry said, "I have your Nimbus Two thousand and One."

"Yeah," said Ron, "I have your Nimbus."

"Okay, okay, and I have my Firebolt. Do George and Fred have their own brooms?" Artemis asked.

"It appears so," Harry said, "I guess they borrowed Ron's Comet."

"Alright, then, does anyone want breakfast before we start?"

"I do," said Harry.

"So do I," Ron said.

"What d'you have for breakfast anyway?" George asked curiously as he looked at the bag Artemis was carrying.

"Oh, um," Artemis opened her bag and pulled out a doughnut, muffin, and a bagel. "These are part of my latest invention- I made them myself. Anyway, I've got glazed doughnut, er, chocolate chip muffin, and sesame seed bagel. And I brought pumpkin juice, too." She said as she pulled out a large flask of it and several cups. "Hungry anyone?"

"Yeah," George said, "but what's your invention and where did you get the pumpkin juice?"

"The invention is a energy booster product that, if I'm correct in my making of it, will improve the person's Qudditch playing, just temporarily," she said hastily, " and the pumpkin juice I nicked from the kitchen. Those elves will give you anything."

"You learn quickly," George, said happily, "maybe she could help us in mischief making...?"

"Good idea," said Fred as he took a muffin and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice, "So how many inventions have you made, Artemis?"

"Six-hundred and twenty-six," Fred and George's jaw dropped and exchanged impressed looks, "But only one hundred and twenty nine that have worked," Artemis said quietly. "This will be invention number six two seven. Oh, and I suggest that you only take one of those, just in case the effects don't wear off." She pointed to the bag of stuff. Everyone but Fred helped himself or herself.

"I hope the effects don't wear off," Ron said.

"Oh, trust me, you do, otherwise you'll be hyper and annoying for the rest of your life."

"He already is hyper and annoying," Fred said. Artemis laughed, while Ron's ears reddened. Harry grinned.

"You should have seen me!" Artemis grinned, "It was hilarious! I said all these random things and stuff. I said something rather good before coffee about Malfoy...oh, what was it?"

"You? Hyper?" George asked before he chugged the rest of his juice down, "I just can't see that happening." Ron, Fred, Harry and George laughed; Artemis merely smiled.

"You have to get and know me really good before you see how 'hyper' I am," she said, "Alright already! Can we play Qudditch now?"

"Okay," Harry stuffed the rest of his bagel in his mouth, causing his cheeks to puff out. Artemis spotted him, and Harry grinned innocently.

"That's disgusting, that is," she said, "C'mon."

They all walked out on the field, and pushed off of the hard, stony ground. George and Fred were soaring high in the air. Ron was still on the ground.

"C'mon, guys," he said impatiently.

"Er, okay then, but- wait!" Artemis said suddenly.

"What for?" Ron said bewilderedly.

"I forgot, never mind. C'mon!" she pushed off and soared so high that Harry couldn't see her anymore.

"Where'd she go?" Ron asked searching the skies.

"Up," Harry said sarcastically as he pushed off. The cold wind stunned his face as he shot up into the early morning sky. He stopped and searched for everyone else, but realized he was up so high that he couldn't distinguish them from one another. The sun was barely in the sky, but Harry could feel it's weak warmth. He shivered and plummeted downwards to join the others.

"Okay," Artemis said as she rubbed her hands together, but suddenly shivered, "who plays what?"

"Well, good ol' George and I play beaters," Fred said proudly.

"Okay, okay," Artemis, said, "so we have our beaters. Ron?"

"Keeper, but I really am horrible at it," Ron said miserably. Harry, George, and Fred exchanged nervous looks.

"Nonsense!" Artemis said encouragingly, "I sure you have game jitters, that's all. Harry?"

"Ex-Seeker," Harry replied.

"Ah, yes, I remember now...okay, so do you want to play Seeker?"

"Sure! But we don't have a-"

"Don't think I don't make mischief," Artemis said as she pulled a Snitch from her robe pocket. Harry grinned. "Does anyone want to play Chaser?"

"I'll play," George said.

"Okay, then," said Artemis, playing with the Snitch, "Ron d'you want to be a Chaser? I'll be the Keeper if you want to play something different."

"Er, nah, thanks though," Ron said.

"Fred, are you still a beater?"

"I guess so," Fred said looking at George angrily. George put on an innocent face and shrugged.

"Okay, then, so we need a Bludger and a Quaffle," Artemis pulled out her wand and conjured both. The Bludger whizzed by her head dangerously, "And we need a Beater's bat!" She conjured one and handed it hurriedly to Fred and narrowly missed the Bludger. Harry searched for the Golden Snitch, but couldn't find it.

"Oy! Artemis! What position are you playing as?" Fred called, as he swung hard at a Bludger.

"Let's say rival Seeker!" she said and eyed Harry, impishly. "Let the games begin!"

She flew so fast that it took Harry a while to realize that she wasn't there. When he came to his senses, Harry saw Artemis soar up so incredibly high that she appeared as a colored dot to him. He caught up and flew up from behind her, hoping that he could startle her.

"Harry, you know good and well that I can see you," Artemis said as she turned around. "If you're going to do that, then you should practice being quieter-I could hear you from a mile away."

Harry said nothing, instead searched for the Snitch.

"Ah ha!" Artemis said, "Catch me if you can!" She dived at a dangerous, almost vertical, angle. Harry tried his best to catch up, but as good as he was, he was still at the end of Artemis's broom. "Aw, come on Harry, you know you can outrun me!"

"I'm trying to!" Harry said.

"Evolution says I'm built for speed!" Artemis called out and flipped over.

"Not for long!"

"Ha, you're in second place! Like you can beat me! Ha!"

"Shut it, you," Harry said in a would-be angry voice as he barely reached Artemis's broom handle.

"Harry, you are pretty thick," Artemis pulled back abruptly, and before Harry knew it he had hit the ground with an enormously painful impact. "You see, Potter, you can't beat me, because you aren't believing that you can."

Harry attempted to pull himself up, and with much difficulty (and not to mention pain) he did so. George, Fred and Ron swooped down and rushed to Harry's side.

"Don't," Artemis said, George and Fred stared at her; Ron looked furious.

"You-you did this!" Ron spat. Harry fell back on the ground.

"Ah, yes, I guess I did, but you see that is Qudditch and if you think it would be easy than you were wrong," Artemis said coolly. "You don't need to help Harry, by the way."

"And why not?" hollered George.

"He can take care of himself,' Artemis circled them above, "Besides which, he knows that he can beat me, he just lacks confidence, and lots of it. Get up, Harry," she ordered, her voice sounding very much like Voldemort's.

"Don't order him around like that!" Fred protested. Harry looked up, but looked at his fingers; they were covered in blood.

"You think I got anywhere by being walked all over?"

Harry stood up and got back on the broom. "I don't think those bagel things worked," he said.

"Hmmmm..." Artemis said thoughtfully. Artemis said looked at him with semi-raised eyebrows. "Shall we?" GO!" she spun through the air so quickly that Harry had repeatedly lost her in a matter of seconds. He saw a small, emerald green blur whiz past him, occasionally flipping in the air, or doing loop-de-loops. However, she stopped and flew past Harry. "You see, Potter, that beating someone to it, isn't that hard, if you just try," and with that she dived quickly to the ground. Harry followed he as fast as he could but couldn't catch up that easily.

Come on, come on, he urged his broom, if I could just outrun her, come on...

Artemis's hands were outstretched, and she was flying too fast for Harry.

Come on! Come on!

The Snitch was inches away from her spider-like hands.

Then, miraculously, Harry was the one that had outstretched hands.

"Eh, Potter," Artemis said, "you're getting better but you aren't believing. I guess we'll have to turn this game up a notch."

Harry smiled with satisfaction. "I guess we will," he said.

"Ah, yes, well to turn the game up a notch, I'd assume that you would want to get out of the way of a Bludger?" Harry turned around ducked. Had he not done so, he'd have gotten a headache he wouldn't forget. "Ah, very good, Potter, but not good enough."

Harry looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have the Snitch," Artemis showed Harry her hand. A tiny struggling Snitch was grasped between her thin, pale fingers. She smiled.

"How did you get that?" Harry asked. "I didn't even see you!"

Artemis started to grin. "All in a day's work, Harry. Oy!" she called to George, Fred and Ron, "Game's over mates!

"Who got the Snitch?" Ron said as he glided over. Artemis's grin widened.

"I did," she said showing him the enclosed Snitch. George and Fred came over. "Shall we play again?"

"Well, I don't mind, as long as we change positions?" Ron said as he looked around. "What you guys think?"

"Same here," George said. Fred nodded.

"Harry?" Artemis said, "Are you up for another game?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "As long as I get this cleaned up," he pointed to his nose, which was bleeding profoundly.

"Ouch," Artemis conjured a kerchief and handed it to him, "I don't know which is worse, my nose or yours!" Harry laughed. The others smiled. "So who wants to be what?"

"I'll be a Keeper," Fred said. Ron looked incredibly relieved.

"Beater," Artemis said. Everyone looked at her. "What?"

"You-your-your arms are so, so, so-" George searched for the right word.

"Puny," Fred finished. Artemis looked surprised.

"Come again?" she said, shocked, "Did you say 'puny'?"

"Yeah," said Fred, starting to back away from her and hid behind Ron.

"Okay then," Artemis said, "I'll show you puny-give me that bat!" Fred's hand stuck out form Ron's back. Artemis got back on her broom and looked around for the Bludger. She, with much difficulty, brought it back to them. "Okay," she said, "if this is what you call puny then you had better come up with a good synonym for 'physically powerful'."

The struggling Bludger wormed its way out of her arms and headed for her. She gave a huge swing and hit it with such force that it was knocked to the opposite end of the field and disappeared. Fred, George, Ron and Harry's jaws dropped. Artemis smiled at them, "Puny," she snorted.

"I-I'll just take that back now, won't I?" Fred said. George nodded hurriedly.

"Good," Artemis said, "So George, Harry, and Ron, decide your positions, please."

"I'll be a Chaser," Ron said.

"Harry d'you mind if I'm Seeker this time?" George asked quietly in Harry's ear.

"Not at all," muttered Harry as he mopped up his nose. It stopped bleeding.

"Seeker," George said.

"Chaser," muffled Harry.

"Alright then," Artemis said briskly, "Let's go. Wait!"

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"D'you guys want to call it quits after this game and head back to the castle?"

Harry looked around and judging by their looks he said, "Sure."

"Okay, let's get started."

And so they played, purposefully crashing into each other and flying stupidly around. Twice George got stuck in a tree, and Artemis nearly crashed into the Whomping Willow.

"Did that tree try and hit me back?" she asked astounded. Harry nodded. "I like this school!" she breathed. Harry laughed.

"Just don't provoke it, that's all, otherwise it'll poke your eyes out," he said.

"Oh..." Artemis said.

"Come on," Harry flew down and touched the ground. However, she looked rather misty-eyed and was staring in the direction of the lake. "Artemis! Come on!"

She didn't hear him. Instead, she flew slowly to the lake.

"Artemis!" Ron said. He turned to Harry, "What is she doing?"

"I dunno, but we might as well follow her, just in case," he said.

"Yeah, c'mon," Ron and Harry got back on their brooms and followed Artemis.

"What are you doing?" Ron called out. Artemis turned to him, finally breaking her stare with the lake.

"Shhh," she said, pressing her finger against her lips, and stared at the lake again. Quietly, she crept threw the air, until she was right above the lake. Ron and Harry exchanged nervous looks but followed her over the lake.

"What are you doing?" Harry whispered. Artemis stared at the lake again.

"There's something in there," she whispered back.

"Yeah, it's the giant squid, now come on!" Ron whined and tugged on her robes.

"Giant squid?" Artemis turned and grinned at them; Harry could tell that she was cooking up ideas.

"Yeah, now come on before you get any ideas," Harry said. She still stared down at the lake.

"C'mon, Harry," Ron said and turned around. "Let's go-NO! ARTEMIS NO!" Artemis had dived elegantly into the lake and disappeared from site. "C'mon Harry!" Ron began to dive into the lake, but just as he did a large, black tentacle came out and swung around dangerously. Ron dodged it and raced to Harry. "C'mon, let's go!" Several more tentacles came out and swung at Harry and Ron.

"Where's Artemis?" Harry asked Ron hurriedly.

"Bloody hell, she's still in there!" Ron said, color draining from his face.

Harry and Ron attempted to get past the ferocious tentacles, but they swung at them, causing them to dodge.

"Good luck," Ron moaned rubbing his head from where it had been hit.

Suddenly, Artemis came bursting out of the water and dodged the tentacles and headed towards Harry and Ron.

"Let's get out of here!" she yelled, narrowly escaping a huge tentacle that crashed down beside her. "Charge!"

"Oh, gee what an idea," Ron said sarcastically, but the squid hit him in the back. "Ow," he whispered and sped after Artemis. Harry followed the suit. They flew and caught up with George and Fred, at the door, both of which were staring at them. Artemis flew down to the ground and touched down lightly.

"What in the bloody name of Merlin were you thinking?" George asked them.

"I dunno," Ron said looking at Artemis, who looked back innocently, "what were you doing?"

"I thought I give the squid a tickle, that's all," Artemis said, grinning as she wrung out her sopping wet clothing. "Do we have to have another game?"

"A tickle?" Ron repeated, "You thought you would give the squid a tickle?"

"Yeah," Artemis took off her shoes and tipped them over as water poured from them, "Anything wrong with that?"

"No," George said happily, "In fact that's exactly what me and Fred here want. Will you join our business?"

Ron threw him a dirty look, "I can't believe it," he muttered to Harry, "I'm their brother and you'd think they'd ask me to help them...argh..."

"Er, what kind of business? A joke shop?' Artemis asked, face lighting up with enthusiasm.

"Yes," Fred nodded his head eagerly, "Please say you'll help us! Please, please, please!"

"Er, I'll have to think about it," Artemis looked at George who had gotten down on his knees. Fred followed the suit.

"Please, please, please!" Fred chanted. George crawled over on his knees and sat on Artemis's foot and hugged her leg. Fred followed him. "We're on our knees here! Please!"

Artemis looked over at Harry and Ron for help. "Get them off!" she mouthed. Harry looked at Ron to see what his reply would be. Ron stood up and did exactly what George and Fred were doing-exactly what Artemis didn't want. She pulled a face, and looked at Harry. He laughed.

"I dunno about you, but I am hungry," she said to Harry, through Fred and George's chants of "Please, please, please!"

"Yeah, so am I," Harry agreed, "Let's go and eat."

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say, you don't have three boys glued to your legs saying 'Please, please, please'," Artemis said lifting her leg and immediately putting it down. She hobbled around with difficulty, and finally said, "You can stop that now! Geroff!"

"No! We will never get off until you say yes!" George said.

"Okay, okay, fine, I say yes," Artemis said finally, "Now geroff!"

George, Fred and Ron obeyed, and got off immediately.

"Let's get something to eat in the Great Hall, okay?" Artemis said.

"Oh, fine then," George got up and dusted himself off. "Let's go."

They walked to the Great Hall, happily talking about Qudditch teams.

"Bulgaria is a pushover," Artemis said, "Yeah, sure they have Victor Krum, but he's as thick as they come! Besides, their Beaters are horrible-they aim for everyone! "

"Isn't that what they're supposed to do?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, but come on, they knock off their own teammates!"

"Boy," George said, "they are thick."

"You've got that right," Artemis said, snorting slightly, "One time, before Crouch took me off the team, I did a Wronski Feint, and Krum fell for it-literally!"

"What happened?" Ron asked eagerly.

"I was about, I'd say, four feet away from the pitch and pulled up, and that thick headed Krum, hit the ground," Artemis punched her hand, "kersplat!"

"Was he hurt?" Harry said.

"Of course he was!" Artemis said. "That idiot broke his nose!"

"Excellent," Fred said. Artemis grinned weakly.

"Transylvania is okay, but England could do with some work," she said, "France and Spain are hard to beat, but Scotland is superior, but I have to admit, Ireland is the best I've ever seen."

"Are you kidding me?" George said, "Scotland is horrible!"

"Yeah, and England is well, let's just say it needs a little fine-tuning," Ron said indignantly.

"I've never seen France or Spain," said Fred sadly.

"None of us have," Harry pointed out.

"You're not missing much," Artemis said as they entered the Great Hall. Hermione was sitting at the teachers' table, deeply absorbed in her book. When she looked up, however, she wore an expression of surprise and laughter.

"What happened? Where were you, I didn't see you in the dorm!" she said, her voice slightly worried.

"I thought I told you," Artemis said sitting down across from her and reaching for the kippers, "We went out and played Qudditch this morning."

"Why are you all wet?"

"Er," Artemis stared down at her clothes and looked back at Hermione, "I sort of dived in the lake."

"You dived in the lake," Hermione repeated, in disbelief, "Why?"

"I wanted to see the giant squid," Artemis said, "so I sort of dived into the lake..."

"And don't forget you tickled it, too," Ron said.

"You tickled it?" Hermione sighed.

"Yeah, well, sort of," Artemis said, "besides that," she threw Ron an accusing look. He smiled sheepishly.

"Right, well if that explains the fact that you have seaweed in your hair, then okay."

"I do?"

"Yeah, right there," Hermione, pointed to Artemis's left ear.

"Oh...thanks..." Artemis pulled dangling seaweed from her hair and proceeded to pile her plate with food. Hermione went back to her book. "Well, that was exciting, if I say so myself."

"Yeah," Ron said.

"We should do that more often," Fred said. George nodded in agreement.

"Oh," said Artemis, "By the way, did you guys notice any improvement in your playing?"

"No," Harry said, honestly. Fred, George and Ron shook their heads grimly.

"That's right! I forgot! Oh, how could I do that?"

"Do what?" Harry asked, seizing a piece of toast, "What did you forget?"

"I forgot to add the Seiko juice to the batter," Artemis moaned as she banged her head against the table, "How can I be so thick...?"

"It's not the end of the world," Ron said as he patted Artemis on the shoulder.

"Oh, I know that, just a simple mistake that I happened to do..." Artemis sat up straight, and began to eat. She looked at Harry, with her green eyes narrowing.

"W-What?" Harry asked nibbling on the corner of his toast. "What is it?"

Artemis continued to look at him.

"Okay, er, I don't understand what you're looking at," Harry said, "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No," Artemis said.

"Then why are you staring at me?"

"Harry! Turn around! Now!"

Harry turned around, but there was nothing there to see but the walls of the Great Hall. He turned to face Artemis, who was now nibbling on toast and looking at him relaxed. Harry stared down at his plate-nothing was there. That was odd, since he had put his...

"Hey! You stole my toast!" He said.

Artemis continued to gnaw on it, but started to grin at him.

"Well, if you want it, come and get it," she said.

"That's exactly what I'll do then," Harry said, as he got up and walked over to her, grinning. "Hand over the toast," he extended his hand.

Artemis just sat there, grinning up at him, still nibbled at his toast vigorously.

"Step away from the toast," Harry ordered, voice about to laugh.

Nibble, nibble, gnaw, nibble, BITE.

"You just bit my toast!"

"No duh, Sherlock." George, Fred, and Ron were laughing now.

"That's it! Give-me-the-toast!"

Nibble, BITE, nibble, gnaw, BITE.

"This toast sure is, er, toasty," Artemis said. "Shame I can't share it."

BITE, BITE, BITE, nibble.

"I want the toast," Harry demanded, in a would-be intimidating voice.

"Okay!" Artemis handed it to him. Harry stared down at once was his toast, now reduced to crust.

"Flying toast!" He threw it, quite unintentionally, at the back of Artemis's head. "Uh-oh."

She turned around and gave him a curious look. The others were about to burst of laughter.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, for your odd attractions to airborne toast, nonetheless, I would appreciate not being attacked by it," she said. Ron, George, Fred, and even Hermione were roaring with laughter.

"Toast! That was a crust, that you, by the way ate!" Harry said.

"Can you keep your urges for inanimate objects to yourself? I rather not see them," Ron fell to the floor and was shaking violently with laughter. Harry even started to laugh. Artemis grinned at him and reached for another piece of toast. Harry snatched it from her, and began to eat it furiously, until all of it was stuffed in his mouth. Ron (as well as Fred and George) looked as if they could die from laughter; they hadn't taken a breath for a while and began to turn red. Hermione was having trouble overcoming a fit of giggles and Artemis just stared at Harry as if he had dropped in from nowhere.

Harry swallowed and smiled, but still continued to stare at Artemis and she, him.

"What the heck were you thinking?" Artemis asked him.

"Er-" Harry started.

"That was rhetorical."

"Oh," Harry sat down and meekly began to eat again.

Ron got up from the floor, with much effort, still shaking from laughter. Harry could see that he had tears of mirth in his eyes. Ron had to have Hermione help him up (even though she was giggling.)

"Oh, shut up," said Harry. Ron screwed up his face and began laughing again.

"Why don't you toast-boy?" Artemis said.

"Toast? Boy?" Harry laughed. Hermione, Ron, George, and Fred were cracking up again.

"Yeah, you heard, me, I said toast-boy."

"Yeah, well, okay, er, you-you spammy spamhead!"

"Spammy spamhead!" Artemis stood up, and leaned across the table so she was eye-to-eye with Harry, "I have never been more insulted in my life, toast-boy!" She picked up the juice pitcher.

"Spammy spamhead!" Harry soon realized that there was pumpkin juice dripping from his face.

Artemis stood in shock and stared at her own hand, which was holding the juice pitcher, and then stared back at Harry, who tried to wear his fiercest face yet, but failed as he collapsed into laugher. He grabbed the basket of toast and threw the contents at Artemis.

"Toast-boy!"

"Spammy spamhead!"

"POTTER! RIDDLE!"

Harry and Artemis turned in unison, only to face a very angry and very dissatisfied Professor McGongall. Ron, George, Fred, and Hermione were using each other as supports, because they were laughing so hard, however, they did have enough decency to turn their laughter into very muffled, but relatively silent laughter.

"I have never seen the likes of this from a Hogwarts student," Professor McGongall shouted at them. She turned to Harry; "I would have thought that you would show proper decorum, Mr. Potter, for the sake of our school reputation and yours!" Harry looked down, "Ms. Riddle, I am very disappointed in your behavior! I was told that you were a quiet, and obedient student, however, I am very much mistaken! Am I correct?"

"No, ma'am," Artemis mumbled.

"Then see to it that you live up to your compliments! Both of you will receive detention," Harry and Artemis looked up, and stared at Professor McGongall, "hopefully you will learn that we do not project," Professor McGongall stared down at the sodden toast, "food at each other!"

And with that she stormed off.

"Great," Artemis hissed at Harry, "you got us in detention!"

"I did? You soaked me in pumpkin juice!" Harry protested.

"You threw toast at me! What a lame excuse for a comeback!"

"Lame? Who's the one that came up with toast-boy, eh?"

"Flying toast? What were you thinking?"

"Spammy Spamhead? Who thought of that?"

Artemis froze.

"See, there, I win," Harry said, grinning evilly.

"Actually," Artemis said, "that was Ron who said that."

Harry and Artemis stared down at Ron who was curled up, under the table, shaking violently of laughter.

Chapter 6- The Nemesi

"I can't believe this!" Artemis said, as she sank into a chair by the fire, "I just can't! The first time I get a real detention for a legitimate reason is the first official day of a new school! I wonder what kind of message I just sent!"

"Well, at least you're not the only one that does!" Harry said.

"Yeah, well..."

"Just to make you happy, 'ickle Ronnykins and us got ourselves into detention also!" Fred said, sitting down on a coach opposite of Artemis.

"Really?" Artemis sat up her eyebrows slightly raised, "How?"

"Laughing too much," Ron said grinning.

"Boy, that seems like a stupid reason to get a detention for, but after all being Celtic Glen..."

"Yeah, I know," Fred, said.

"Hey!" Artemis said suddenly.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing, I just thought of something...a matter of no importance..."

"Oh, okay, if you say so."

"Hey!"

"What is it this time?" Ron asked.

"You guys never gave me back my brooms!" Artemis said slyly. "You thought you would be sneaky...?" Harry reluctantly gave Artemis her broom back; Ron, however, had a fit with himself, but eventually, (with much persuasion from Artemis) he gave it to her.

"Oh, I just remembered! Darn..." she said.

"What?" Harry said.

"Nothing, really," Artemis turned to a deeply absorbed Hermione, "d'you think you could spare a minute and help me get to the library? I need to research something for a report I'm doing..."

"Sure!" Hermione, much to Ron and Harry's amusement, hopped up and set her book down, "C'mon let's go!" Artemis followed her, gesturing to Ron and Harry desperately for them to come also. Harry looked over to Ron, who had nodded. They caught up with Hermione and Artemis, both of which were talking animatedly about something that Harry and Ron couldn't quite follow.

"What are they talking about?" Harry muttered in Ron's ear.

"Elementary, of coarse," he said mildly. Harry was surprised that he even knew.

"What's that?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Oh, it's a fascinating but horrifyingly hard subject," said Ron, Harry raised his eyebrows, "When people are born they are each given a magical Element that they are immune to and can use to their advantage. My mum has fire I think-yeah, that's right I remember know..."

"Remember what?"

"One time when I real little I saw Mum get burned by a flame in a hearth. I remember that she didn't have a burn at all though...so you see people are immune to the Element that they have, like Mum and the fire."

"Oh..." Harry said barely understanding Ron.

"The most powerful are the Destructive powers, though, and you have to watch out for people who have those...one slip up and you're dead," Ron continued as they turned the corner.

"Dead? How?" Harry asked.

"I dunno, something to do with their mind, but they are dangerous."

"What's the worst someone could have?"

"Oh...the worst? I'd say the Nemesi (he gave a shudder) Element...they can do anything with their minds, and make killing look easy. They're dead clever, though..."

"I reckon Voldemort has that for an Element," Harry muttered.

"You know I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Ron said. Harry as mildly surprised by this statement. Harry listened to Hermione and Artemis talking up ahead for the rest of the time.

"Which element d'you think you are?" Artemis asked.

"Ooo," Hermione cooed, "I think I'm more of a Eouyia than anything else."

"Really, eh?" Artemis's eye brows were raised, "Which one?"

"I dunno, but I think I fit in the water or metal categories," Hermione finished.

"Really? I think you more of a tranquility than a Eouyia, but I think that you should follow whatever you want, because it does effect you later in life," said Artemis.

"It does?" Hermione looked puzzled, "How?"

"Just trust me it does, and if you ever become an Elementarian, then your magic is a lot more powerful and destructive, or preserving, than it was originally."

"Huh, I didn't know that. What's your element?"

"Er, I can't really tell you that," Artemis hesitated.

"Well why not?" Hermione giggled at Artemis's hesitation. "It's not all that bad!"

"Erm, well if you really want to know..."

"Oh, come on, just tell me! You can trust me!" Hermione said impatiently.

"What about us?" Harry said loudly form behind them. Artemis jumped.

"I forgot you were there, Harry, you scared the toast out of me..." Artemis said, while Harry and Ron laughed. "Yes, I trust you, but I can't go out with my secrets until I know that I can truly trust you... and that might be awhile," Hermione, Ron, and Harry opened their mouths to protest, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that some of my secrets are really, really deep, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Harry said favorably, "Some things you just want to keep to yourself until you're ready to tell."

"Exactly!" Artemis smiled at him enthusiastically.

"But how does this relate to your element?" Hermione said.

"Oh," Artemis checked her watch "isn't the library here?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Harry gave her the drop-the-subject-please look. She understood.

"Here it is," Hermione rushed to a door behind them, "We almost walked past it!"

"Shame we didn't," Ron muttered in Harry's ear. He grinned.

"So what d'you have to research and what for?" Harry asked.

Madam Pince eyed them all suspiciously, but went back to reading.

"I," Artemis closed the door behind him. Ron and Hermione hurriedly went in separate directions, "have to research on," she looked in the shelves under the letter O, "Occumancy, because I have a pupil to teach."

"I hate that subject," Harry said quickly.

"Really?" Artemis pulled a large black book, with silver designs on the cover, "That's a shame."

"A shame?" Harry leaned against the shelve and crossed his arms, "It's horrible! I had to take it last year, because-" His voice drifted off for a second, "because something came up and I had to take it."

"Don't lie and don't be ashamed to admit it," Artemis looked at Harry sharply. "You had to take it because Voldemort was processing you, wasn't he?" Harry winced. How did she know everything?

"You could have put that in better terms," he said quietly.

"Well, you're not the only one," Artemis flipped through the thick pages. "I've had to study it for six years, if it's any consultation for your learning last year."

"Ouch," Harry said, looking through the books himself and pulling a dark green one down, "Six?"

"Yeah, hey!" Artemis snatched the book from Harry's hands, and staring at the cover, "That's exactly the one I was looking for! Thanks, Harry!"

"Er."

"C'mon, I need to read this," Artemis walked over to a nearby table and sat down, flipping the pages occasionally. "Argh," she said finally, "I can't read this-the writing is too small!"

She whisked her pair of reading glasses out and put them on. Harry grinned.

"What is it toast-boy?" she asked him.

"Oh, something Ron said..." said Harry.

"Yes? And what was that?"

"He said that you look like me when you wear glasses," Harry blurted out.

"So," Artemis stared at him, "I find nothing wrong in looking like you."

Harry could feel himself redden.

"Six years in Occumancy? Boy, that had to be a nightmare," Harry said, looking through the black book, "I shudder at the thought." He gave a voluntary shudder.

"Hmmm," Artemis snorted, and looked down at her book, "It's not really so bad, just the part where you have to get your mind set on resisting while concentrating on something, is, I admit, a little hard but can be easily mastered with the proper training."

"Why did you have to take it anyway?" Harry asked curiously.

"I wanted to protect myself from outsiders and my secrets," Artemis flipped the page.

"Oh..."

"So, who taught you Occumancy?"

"Oh," Harry stopped at a very perturbing page and wondered vaguely why the book wasn't in the Restricted section of the library. "Um, Snape did."

"Is he still?"

"I think so, much to my disgust," Harry said. "So who are you teaching, by the way?"

"Well, Dumbledore said if I get my Minor degree in Occumancy, then I get to teach with Snape."

"Really?" Harry asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah," Artemis looked up and laughed at Harry's expression. "But, where are Ron and Hermione?"

"I dunno, but who cares? Are you really going to teach Occumancy?"

"Yes, but don't you care about your friends?" Artemis's look changed to a slightly hurt one.

"Of course I do," Harry said, feeling rather guilty.

"Okay, good, because they've been listening to us for the last ten minutes."

"Really?" Harry looked around, "Where are they then?"

"Ron's behind the bookshelf behind me, and Hermione is on the opposite side, behind you," said Artemis.

"Here!" Ron said as he stepped out from the bookshelf behind Artemis. He was grinning, but looked amazed, "How did you know I was there?" he asked Artemis bewilderedly.

"You should try and focus on being silent in your breathing," Artemis returned to studying her book, "You were breathing so loudly, it was a surprise that Harry didn't hear you."

"Hermione?" Ron called. "You can come out now, Artemis knew about us all along!"

"Oh, really?" Hermione emerged from the shelves, with a thick book in her hands, "That ruins the fun! How did you know?"

"Well, Ron was breathing too loudly, and you were visible the entire time."

"I was?" Artemis nodded. Hermione looked surprised, "Huh, I thought I was!"

"Shhh," Madam Pince hissed.

"Oh, geez, there isn't anyone in here other than us!" Artemis whispered. "C'mon, I have to check this book out and then we can leave this place!"

"You have to check it out?" Ron sneered. Artemis threw him a reproachful look.

"Wouldn't you check out books if you have to get your Minor degree and teach someone?" she said.

"You're getting a Minors degree?" Hermione squealed. "In what?"

"Occumancy," Artemis snapped the book shut and stood up.

"Why would you want to get a degree in that?" Ron blurted out.

"Because I've studied it for six years that's why," Artemis said calmly. "Besides which, I get to teach Harry."

"Score!" Ron said. Everyone stared at him. "I, er, mean, at least you have a friend with you, Harry," he said hastily.

"Right," Artemis walked over to Madam Pince, who looked irritated, but checked the book out. "Let's go."

"Yes, let's," Harry said. So they all left.

Artemis was content in flipping through her book, Hermione and Ron were arguing about something, and Harry thought quietly to himself. His mind was drifting off, until he thought of Sirius. It was like a knife of guilt stabbing him. Harry stared at his shoes as he walked, but even that wouldn't hide his emotions. He cried to himself silently, watching the tears roll off his feet and drip off his nose. He was glad that the others weren't noticing.

Hermione and Ron turned the corner, bickering, and Artemis followed, so deeply absorbed in her book that she almost ran into a suit of armor. Fortunately, she stopped inches away from the spear's tip. Harry smiled, but did so painfully. She went back to her book and turned the corner.

Harry sat down and pulled his knees to his chest. He tried to stop crying, but the feeling was so intense that he buried his face in his knees and wept. He didn't know how long he'd been crying, but he did know that he heard footsteps. They were quick, and coming to him. Whoever it was, they stopped in front of him, and crouched down. Someone put their finger...a long, thin finger...underneath his chin and lifted his head up.

"What's wrong?" Artemis asked him quietly.

Harry buried his face in his knees, this time from embarrassment, and avoided Artemis's eyes.

"Harry? Are you okay?" she whispered.

"I'm fine," he said.

"No," Artemis sat next to him, "you aren't. D'you want to talk?"

"No thanks," Harry looked up. He could see that Artemis wore poignant look on her face. It didn't suit her.

"I miss him," Harry mumbled to his knees.

"Who?" Artemis asked kindly, "Your father?"

"No, I miss my friend."

"Your friend?"

"Yes, and a godfather."

"A godfather? Who?"

"An innocent man," Harry said.

"Yes? And who might that be?" said Artemis gently.

"Sirius Black," Harry choked.

"Sirius! I helped him out of Azkaban." Harry looked at her curiously, "Yeah," she continued, "We've been close friends ever since. He was your godfather?" Harry nodded; more tears fell. "Boy, you are lucky! I wish I had as a distant uncle or something, but godfather? Wow! Well," she patted Harry on the shoulders, "if you miss him, I suppose that you two can meet sometime soon. I haven't seen him in awhile."

"It's not that kind of missing," Harry sobbed.

"Oh?" Artemis asked.

"I'm in mourning," Harry said quietly, and looked up at Artemis.

"S-Sirius is d-dead?" she whispered.

Harry nodded, sending a wave of cold tears onto his clothes.

They both sat there, wordless, for a long period.

"How?" Artemis whispered.

"What?" Harry said, tears dried, eyes itching.

"How did he die?"

"We were-I-he-" Harry couldn't get it out of him.

"Where were you?"

"In the Department of Mysteries," he said heavily, "because of something I thought I envisioned-" and went on beating himself up.

"What did you see?" said Artemis, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and shaking him. Harry ceased his mental and physical self-torture.

Harry stared. First at her hand, long fingers grasping his shoulder, then at her, her green eyes glowing with such intensity that they burned into him.

"What did you see?" she asked, in her usual quiet tone.

"I was a snake," Harry started. He told Artemis about all of last year- the Daily Prophet articles, the D.A, Umbridge, his visions, the Department of Mysteries, Sirius's death- all except the few things that he wanted to keep secret. Artemis looked thoughtful, and Harry hoped she would understand some of his rather childish actions. He hoped sincerely that she didn't get her first opinion of him like this; his tears had dried by now, but his eyes itched and burned painfully.

"You're not responsible for his death you know," Artemis said suddenly, snapping out of her thinking. Harry gave a look of utter gratefulness, "He would have done the same no matter who or what it was for," she finished, giving Harry a mild look. Harry turned away, but she continued to look at him.

"C'mon, the others are probably having a cow since they can't find us. Argh, that sounds so wrong," Artemis added as an afterthought. She got up, dusted herself off, and extended a long fingered hand to Harry. Harry sat staring at the hand for what seemed like minutes. "I'm not going to bite," Artemis said, laughing softly. Harry gave a watery smile, and accepted the hand. Artemis pulled him up. She waved her fingers around in the air, black smoke entangling, and pulled out a kerchief from absolutely nowhere. She handed it to Harry, who was trying not to gape at her magic.

"How did you-?" Harry said, rather than accepting the kerchief.

"Let's just say it's in the family," said Artemis, placing the kerchief in Harry's hand. "Don't worry, I won't tell Ron and Hermione about, er, what happened," she whispered quietly.

"Thanks," said Harry, blowing his nose rather loudly. Artemis gave him an odd look.

"Congratulations, you're today's most sound alike winner for a fog horn!" said Artemis, in a falsely bright tone. Harry smiled sheepishly. Much to his surprise, laugher overcame him. Artemis shrugged and began to walk to the Gryfinndor tower; Harry had to jog to catch up with her.

"So, er, how d'you have a cow?" Harry asked, finally catching up with her.

"Um..." Artemis said, "I dunno."

They said nothing for a long period of time, after Harry had realized that Artemis was going the wrong way.

"Er, you know, you aren't going to the tower are you? Because if you are, we're going the wrong way," Harry said politely.

"Oh," Artemis laughed nervously, and turned her heel, and followed Harry. They were about halfway up a case of stairs, when Artemis froze.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked awkwardly.

What color that was in Artemis face soon left. She murmured something indistinct.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, a little more worried this time.

"They're coming," Artemis, whispered, her eyes alert and vigilant.

"Who's coming?" Harry asked, walking down a few steps.

"He's trying to get in my mind..." Artemis said. She was shaking violently.

"D'you want me to get some help?"

"No...just be very, very quiet," she said, getting up and walking down the stairs. She turned around, and gestured Harry to follow. He did so, trying hard to avoid making the slightest noise. "Run ahead, to the common room and warn Ron and Hermione to be silent-the slightest noise, may allow valuable information to slip through, and trust me, I have a lot that he wants."

"Okay, but are you sure that you don't want me-"

"No, just, it'll be a lot of help if you did as I said. Hurry!" Artemis said in a deadly whisper.

Harry stared at her, but ran as fast as he could to the Gryfinndor common room.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked insipidly. Harry frowned-things would be a lot quicker without the Fat Lady. He strained his kind and finally came up with the password.

"Reverious!" he said quickly. The door swung open, and Harry rushed in. Hermione in a chair by the fire, reading, and Ron was playing Exploding Snap.

"Harry, mate, where've you been?" Ron said looking up, expression amusing, "Geez, you look exhausted," Hermione looked up from her book, she too wearing a perplexed expression, "Did you-?"

"NO," Harry wheezed, bending over his knees, and trying to catch his breath.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Well, you see," Ron started, grinning jovially, "Harry was missing and Artemis was missing, so I suppose that they-"

"NO!" Harry repeated, "She...I..."

"Ah, you see, he's starting the 'She and I' trick, excellent," Ron chuckled evilly. "Next, Harry mate, you'll be meeting Sally."

Hermione wasn't paying attention, thankfully.

"'She and I', okay," she coached Harry, waving her hand around, gesturing for more information.

"I was, er, checking on something in the library... and Artemis went back and we walked back together talking about, er, fog horns, and... she went rigid and said that Voldemort (Ron gave a voluntary shudder) was trying to see into her mind," Harry finished.

"Voldemort was trying to break into her mind?" Hermione asked anxiously. Harry nodded. "But why?"

"She said that she has some 'valuable' information, I reckon," said Harry. "So we have to be really, really quiet, okay?"

"Er, okay," Ron and Hermione agreed. Harry absent-mindedly pace the room, and wring his hands in anticipation. He soon became unaware of everything around him, and couldn't hear anything until-

"Harry, calm down!" said Hermione loudly. Harry jumped.

"What d'you mean 'calm down'? I'm being calm!" he said.

"No, you looked as if you were asked to kill someone," Ron said, giving Harry a worried look. "By the way, where is Artemis, Harry?"

"Oh my gosh, I dunno!" Harry said as he ran to the common room door. He pulled and pushed on the door, but it won't open.

"It turns, Harry," Hermione said, while Ron sniggered, "Wait! We'll come and search, just give us a sec!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione searched the main corridors for Artemis, but proved futile. Harry's anxiousness, if possible, heightened.

"What d'you think we should do?" Hermione said fearfully.

"I dunno," said Harry, looking around frantically. He heard shoes clicking on the hard, stone surfaces and stared at the end of the corridor, hoping that it would be Artemis. Instead, it was a slightly worried Professor McGongall.

"There you are! I checked the common room, but you weren't there," she said, "Please follow! Hurry! Weasley, quicken your step! Hurry, there's not much time!" Professor McGongall's voice wavered. Hermione, Harry, and Ron exchanged worried looks and jogged to keep up with her.

"Professor, could you tell us what happened?" said Hermione breathlessly.

"There's been an attack," Professor McGongall said sternly.

"An attack! But who-?" Harry started.

"That's none of your business, Potter," Professor McGongall snapped.

Ron gave threw her a dirty look from behind.

"What do you mean 'none of our business'? She's our friend!" he said indignantly.

Professor McGongall whipped around, giving an angry look at Ron.

"Watch your tongue," she said sharply, turned her heel and began to walk quickly again.

Ron threw Harry an I-can't-believe-this look. Harry understood.

Finally, they reached their destination, which happened to be Dumbledore's office.

"Sickly Sugardrips," Professor McGongall said to the gargoyles, as they jumped out of the way.

The stairs appeared, and she walked up them hurriedly. Then followed Hermione, who followed just as quickly; next was Ron who skipped on every time, and finally Harry skipping three. Harry looked around in Dumbledore's office frenetically, for the first time not looking at the unusual objects that he had in different nooks and crannies that he had, but stopped his search, to be painfully reminded of his last visit...

Artemis was sitting, fetal style, in one of Dumbledore's chairs, shaking compulsively. She was muttering things indiscreetly, and looked wary.

"No...I'm not going to let you...no...you can't get it, ha...no..."

"Artemis, are you-you okay?" Hermione asked gently, patting her on the back softly.

She jumped and fell out of the chair.

"NO! I'm not going to let YOU!" Artemis screamed, writhing in her seat, clutching her head in pain. She moaned and slid to the floor, limply, muttering," No...ah, ha, so clever, so very clever, but no...you can't get in..."

"What's going on?" Ron asked Professor McGongall, wearing a worried look on his face.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is trying to get into her mind," she whispered, staring at Artemis horrified.

"But why?"

"She bears some of the most essential information. She knows everything, because she is one of the Three."

There was a long pause, and all was to be heard was Artemis's weak moans.

"Who, I mean, what are the Three?" Ron said over Artemis's moans.

Professor McGongall turned to them, eyes open in shock. "The Three are the most powerful people on earth," she started shakily, "They can do anything, summon anything, access to anything they want. They can read minds, close minds and kill with their minds. One remark, just one can cause the death of many people."

"One? Just one?" said Harry, unsteadily.

"Just one," Professor McGongall replied. There was a hiatus. "The Three have any element they want, though many, almost all of them are," she sighed. "Are..."

"Are what?" Hermione breathed.

"Nemesi," Professor McGongall said very quietly.

"Nemesi?" Ron said in disbelief, "No, you can't be-"

"It's true," said Professor McGongall.

"Oy, what a nightmare," Artemis said weakly, as she pulled herself up and composed proper posture. "But I feel better. I think the worst is over, and all that's-"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ron interrupted.

Artemis gave him the raised eyebrows.

"Euphoric," she said tonelessly; Harry, Hermione, and Ron smiled nervously, having just received the information that they got. "I was about to say all that's left is a pounding headache that I must get medication for otherwise. Shall we go? I am rather not in the mood to wait for answers, so make up indecisive minds."

"We'll go now," Hermione said nervously. Harry, Ron and Hermione began to head out of the door.

"Wait!" Professor McGongall said. The three of them turned around.

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asked politely.

"You three come here for a minute," she said, twisting her hands anxiously, as if waiting for someone who did not show up. Harry and Ron found her behavior quite odd. "You have all found yourselves in peril," she spoke in a hushed voice.

"In peril-?" Ron objected, but Professor McGongall covered his mouth hurriedly and glanced anxiously at Artemis who was content on toying with a Rubric's Cube. Professor McGongall eased her hand off of Ron's mouth. "What d'you mean, peril?" he said in the same hushed tone.

"What I mean," Professor McGongall began, "is that you are the Divides."

"What are the Divides?" Harry asked out of curiosity.

"The Divides are the Chosen friends of the Three. And since they are 'Chosen' by one of the Three, then they are in the gravest peril imaginable. The Divides have but one choice, they can either chose and stay loyal to Nem-"

"What's a Nem?" Harry and Ron asked.

"Alternative name for 'one of the Three', since the Three are the only known people to have the Nemesi Element, hence the name 'Nem'," said Professor McGongall, tone suggesting that she was somewhat irritated, "Like I was saying," she threw a annoyed look at Harry and Ron, both of which grinned shamefacedly, "the Divides can either choose to stay loyal to the Nem, or they can abandon them. Nems that are abandoned are the ones that rise to the Darkest powers, and become like You-Know-Who. This makes it particularly tough spot for you three, since she is beginning to follow the same footsteps as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"She is?" asked Hermione fearfully, hanging on every word.

"I'm afraid so," Professor McGongall sighed. For a long period, they all watched Artemis twist the Rubric's Cube. "However, if you do decide to stay, benefits come with it. It might be hard and painful to remain loyal, but the Divides play a crucial part in the Nem's lives. Somewhere along the line, the Nem is going to need somebody to trust, and if no one's there, then, well, it just goes downhill from there...I mean look at the Dark Lord, he was an excellent, exceedingly bright student, but having no friends and parents dead lead to a catastrophe...and you see where he is now? Do you want that to happen again, with her? If she's abandoned, then she's a highly potential You-Know-Who, just waiting for motive to kill..."

Harry stood there, dourly string at his shoes. He knew, the dangers either way were too great, but how would it benefit him? After all, she was a Riddle and he a Potter, and surely, surely those did not mix? But, something inside of him, deep inside, wanted to stay...

"They play a crucial part in the Nem's lives"..."If abandoned she's a highly potential You-Know-Who"...

What must it be like be framed as a latent murderer? Harry could vaguely see her profile in a white folder with a large black stamp that says, "Denied" and smaller upper-case writing that says, "HIGHLY POTENTIAL YOU-KNOW-WHO".

Ah, Harry thought, what must it be like? To abandons someone that is already notorious in the eyes of society, yet, has a different personality than most see? Is it wise to stay and suffer, or wise to leave?

Leave...a nasty conscientious voice said at the back of Harry's head, Leave and never return...

But why? The positive side of Harry's psyche asked, what good does it do to leave? Why can't we accept the fact that she needs me? I rather suffer and gain friendship than abandon and lose trust...

Do you? An arduous side of him asked, Are you really up to that challenge?

Yes.

Harry made his mind then and there.