The Family Name

The Family Name

By Slytherin Tattoo

Chapter 4

Artemis made sure to sit away from Draco at lunch. He talked quite cheerfully to Zabini, Bole, and Chevalier instead, with the occasional word thrown in to Crabbe and Goyle down the table.

Afterward, they all set out for Herbology. He and the girls were a few steps behind Draco and his two. . .

"What are they?" Bole murmured. "Lieutenants?"

"No good, they couldn't spell it."

The girls giggled at this. "How about right-hand men?"

Artemis smirked. "No good, they don't know right from left."

"Goons," Chevalier suggested.

"That sounds oddly appropriate."

The trio in front stopped abruptly, and they had to backpedal to avoid collision. Draco's voice rang out, full of disbelieving contempt. "Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"

Artemis peered around the hulking shape of Goyle. A very young-looking boy with a camera stood in front of Potter, apparently requesting a picture.

Draco yelled to the courtyard at large, "Everyone line up! Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

Potter did not appear pleased by this. "No I'm not." His face was angry and flushed. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous!" the kid put in.

"Jealous? Of what? I don't want a foul scar across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"You know he's got a point," Artemis mused, and Draco slowly turned and looked at him, ignoring Weasley, who had pushed forward.

"Admitting my genius, are you?" Draco met his eyes.

"I am a genius, Malfoy. You're just average."

Ron half-raised his hand. "Um, who are you?"

Artemis knew better than this. He did, that was the galling part. He didn't know why, but ever since school had started, his normal unruffled, quiet cunning, "plan first and they'll suffer for it later" mindset, had all but vanished. Everyone at this school seemed to drive him crazy. He wondered if the release of his bottled-up magic hadn't also released more of his emotions. Or maybe he just missed Butler.

"I'm one of those nasty Slytherins your brothers don't like," Artemis answered, cool as anything. "But your sister didn't seem to mind."

For no reason anybody could see, Draco started to laugh.

"Perhaps simply telling us your name would be more beneficial," Potter said, frowning.

"It's Fowl."

Hermione suddenly looked up. "Fowl? From Ireland? Artemis Fowl?"

He nodded.

She regarded him with distaste. "I've heard of you. The police have been sniffing around you for years."

"Generations, my dear, generations."

Draco waved his hand. "Why don't you go join Potter in giving out those photos? Seems like you're pretty famous yourself."

"I'm no publicity seeker, me." Artemis looked at Potter with disdain.

"I'm not giving out signed photos!" Harry repeated, frustrated.

"Just--both of you shut up and go away," spat Weasley.

"What if we don't?" Draco smirked. "You hardly need trouble. Your mommy'll drag you out of school, remember?" He mimicked the Howler's voice, "If you put another toe out of line. . ."

Every Slytherin present but Artemis laughed at this.

"Give Weasley a photo, Potter. It'd be worth more than his whole house. . ."

Ron only got as far as pulling his wand before Lockhart was among them. The crowd broke up as he and Potter had their taken together. Artemis, Draco, and company had to rush to the greenhouses or be late.

While Professor Sprout was instructing them on Mandrakes, Draco shoved in between Crabbe and Zabini to stand next to Artemis. "Just average then, am I?"

"How would you describe yourself, then?"

"I'm brilliant. Witty, talented, powerful. . ."

"You're 12 years old," Artemis cut him off.

"So, I'm powerful for a youth, then."

"Earmuffs," Artemis warned, picking his up as everyone around them did so.

"Earmuffs?" He grimaced. "Professor, my hair. . ."

"Put them on, Mr. Malfoy."

"It's OK. Your hair definitely will not move. A bomb could go off in it and it would stay in its state of crispiness."

"I'm seriously considering challenging you to a duel."

Artemis sobered. He wasn't afraid, he just hadn't meant to annoy him that far. "Oh, come on, we're both Slytherins. Save your dueling for Potter. I'll lay off."

"If you are paying attention, Mr. Fowl! Fine then. Everyone grasp your Mandrake. . ."

____________ ___________

"The end of day one," Zabini breathed a sigh of relief after their last class.

"Why would anyone want to turn a beetle into a button anyway?" Pansy lamented. She had not done well in Transfiguration.

Artemis had enjoyed it, so he just shrugged.

"Depends on where the button is that you lost, I suppose," Zabini answered, sounding truly thoughtful.

Pansy elbowed him.

Draco breezed past them, pointedly brushing against Artemis and jogging his arm.

A muscle in Artemis's jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

"You two really don't like each other, do you?"

"Something about him just sets my teeth on edge. Maybe it's his smirk."

A little while later, Goyle and Crabbe wandered by, looking for Draco. Artemis decided to sidetrack them. "How was your day? Tell me about it."

They loved being asked things, thinking their opinion mattered. Draco brushed them off as stupid muscle, which made them feel bad. Artemis knew this, so he talked to them until they forgot all about finding Malfoy.

When they finally all reached the common room, Draco was waiting for his two cronies impatiently. "Where have you been?"

They looked guilty and glanced at Artemis.

Draco seethed. "I see." He calmed himself with effort. 'Not now, wait until the time for revenge is perfect.' He took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. Come on. We've got things to do."

He swept away and they followed, with a last apologetic look at Artemis.

"They've known each other since they were like, 4 years old," Pansy commented. "They'll stick with Malfoy."

Artemis shrugged, and gave a smirk of his own.

Pansy threw up her hands. "You two are impossible!"

____________ ___________

It didn't take long before Slytherin House started choosing up sides. For some, this was done with extreme reluctance. "I'm sorry, Fowl, but the Parkinsons have known the Malfoys for decades. I'm probably going to be Draco's wife someday." Not so for others, like Zabini. "Malfoy has annoyed me since I met him last year. I'm with you, Fowl." And some, like Crabbe and Goyle, were determined to remain neutral. "Sorry, Draco, we like you both."

The Quidditch team would have come down firmly on Draco's side, if not for Pucey, who liked Artemis, and Flint, who smoothly declared neutrality for the good of the House--he'd play whichever side won, he wasn't stupid.

Slytherins were remarkably good at keeping personal things in-House, so it took all week for word to leak out to the other students.

_________ _________

Artemis Fowl sat next to Blaise Zabini in the third row of the Potions classroom. Chevalier and Bole were at the table behind them. Draco Malfoy sat with Goyle and Crabbe, deliberately choosing the table next to Fowl's. Parkinson and Bulstrode sat behind them, essentially guarding their backs, just as Marie and Eva were doing for Artemis.

Artemis watched Draco watch him. He'd been planning on laying off Malfoy, until the incident with the shampoo on the morning of the second day. Draco was devious, but he could never match Artemis for sheer ruthlessness, and Draco had taken to putting Crabbe and Goyle on guard over his toiletries, his clothes, his plate, his bookbag, and his bath towel whenever he was away from them, out of sheer defensive necessity.

The other students started filing into the room then. Artemis observed the Gryffindors with interest. He rarely got to watch them up close like this. He'd found them to be just as petty and rude as Slytherins at times, which was ironic and amusing. Sort of.

Potter and Company came in the door. He saw them all give Malfoy a wary glance of dislike, then sit in the second row on the far side of the room. Draco's glance slid over to the three of them, then fell back on Artemis's.

Next to him, Zabini laughed. "You missed it. The other two didn't notice, but Granger gave Malfoy the most ridiculous look of shock because he's staring at you and not Potter. Congratulations, Artemis, you're now Draco's number one enemy," he whispered.

"Goody-goody for me," he muttered. Sure enough, Granger was over there, wide-eyed and frowning, gazing back and forth between him and Malfoy. "Oh fun, now she's nudging Weasley."

Granger had leaned over and whispered in Ron's ear, and whatever she said made him whip around and scowl at Malfoy. Who was oblivious, because his eyes had yet to leave Artemis's face.

Artemis met his eyes. Draco jerked his chin over at the Gryffindor trio. "What are they up to now?"

Not as oblivious as he'd thought, then. "They're trying to figure out why you're watching me instead of Wonder Boy."

His mouth quirked. "You're more entertaining."

"Ah. I thought it was because I was better looking."

Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini all started laughing. Draco's eyes narrowed and he flushed just the slightest bit. "Not hardly."

"Come on, Malfoy, that was a good line, admit it," Zabini leaned back in his chair, still grinning.

"You're a moron."

"Malfoy, here's a question. Normally, in other schools, kids who volunteer answers are dorks and disliked. But here, it gets them House points, which is a good thing, right?"

Where was he heading with this? Draco slowly nodded.

"OK. Just checking." He turned away and looked over at Granger, leaving Draco confused. Before he could ask more, Snape swept in.

"Today we'll be talking about memory potions," Snape announced straight off. "Who knows the strongest memory potion currently in existence?"

Granger's hand shot up. So did Draco's, Dean Thomas's, and Artemis's. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"The Amorislesta."

"Correct. That's two points. What is its main ingredient? Mr. fowl?"

"Ent root."

"Yes. Which potion does not contain any ent root at all? Mr. Malfoy?"

"The Lexicum."

"Correct. Two points. Why not?" Snape hesitated, then gave in. "Miss Granger?"

"Because it uses willow-sap juice, which would render the ent roots useless."

"Two points. Why is ent root usually a key ingredient, and why does the Lexicum work without it?" Only two hands shot up this time, Granger and Fowl. "Mr. Fowl?"

"Ent root messes with the part of the brain that stores long term memories. Lexicum uses a close cousin, pippery weed, which affects the brain's ability to access memory storage, without affecting the memories themselves. That's more risky to the brain."

"Excellent! Five points. You're going to have to work to stay on top now, Miss Granger," Snape sneered at her. "Fowl beat your final exam grade by 17 points, you know."

Hermione's mouth dropped open with both surprise and indignation. Artemis kept his expression carefully blank.

"See," Crabbe whispered a bit too loudly. "We told you he was smart. Draco."

"Yes," Draco snapped back. "So did he. Look at me, I'm a genius," he mimicked. "Arrogant git."

"Once again you show your jealousy, Malfoy," Chevalier whispered over at him harshly.

"Why would I be? He's not even a pureblood!" Draco hissed.

"Fixated on that, aren't you? Please, Malfoy, come up with a different argument. I've only known you a week and I'm already sick of it. Don't you have any other redeeming features?"

The muscles in Draco's jaw clenched. "I am a Malfoy, and you can't just come in here and. . ."

"I am a Fowl, and you being a Malfoy means zilch to me, and everybody else who isn't a Death Eater. . ."

Draco stood up so fast his chair fell over.

"And no Malfoy tells a Fowl what to do!" Artemis finished, breathing rather fast.

Draco would have lunged for him if Snape hadn't suddenly been between them. "How long has this been going on?" he asked Millicent mildly.

"Since the train. You have no idea. They have to use the common room in shifts. I'm surprised every morning when I see them at breakfast and they've both made it through another night alive."

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Well, well."

The rest of the room was glued to the scene before them with avid curiosity. "Wow," said Seamus Finnigan suddenly, unconsciously echoing Zabini earlier. "Has Malfoy actually found someone he hates more than you, Harry?"

"Leave me out of this," Harry responded quickly.

"Shut up, Gryff. At least he's Slytherin," Draco said sullenly, to Artemis's surprise.

"Malfoy, I'm touched."

"I'd prefer you to be hit. By my fist."

"Gentlemen!" This was probably the most unruly one of Snape's classes had ever been. "There will be no more outbursts. I will talk to you both after class. Now, this lesson will continue!"

_______________ ___________

The two boys stood in front of Snape's desk. Draco's heart was pounding. This whole ugly business was going to be passed along to his father now, he was sure of it. Now that their fighting had become "a diversion for Gryffindors" as Pansy had hissed at him before the other students left. She might even send Lucius an owl herself.

"I am disappointed in both of you," Snape began, regarding them carefully. "I have only known you one summer but you seemed so calm and rational then, Artemis. And you, Draco, are normally so much more subtle."

They both looked down. Draco scuffed his feet.

Snape sighed. "Look, you both come from proud, worthy families. You're both wizards, both Slytherins. There's no reason for animosity."

"Yes, sir," Draco replied.

"Yes, Professor," said Artemis.

"Then I don't want to see or hear of anything like this occurring again, is that understood? Next time I'll be giving you the vilest detentions I can think of."

He let them go. The paused outside the classroom and looked at each other.

"Maybe a truce is in order," Artemis offered.

Draco was naturally suspicious, but he supposed he could afford to be gracious. "I won't do anything unless you do something first."

"Hmm. . . same here. Shake on it?"

They both offered their hands with a great deal of hesitation, start and stop. Then they'd shook, dropped hands immediately, and started to escape. Only, of course, they were both going to the same place.

"This sucks," Draco muttered.

Artemis laughed. "You go ahead. I'll wait five minutes and follow."