Chapter two Year 5

Artemis was sitting by the lake talking with Lily and a group of other friends when she just so happened to look over to where she knew Severus was studying. Her jaw dropped when she saw him hanging upside down.

"Lily," she tapped her friend's shoulder, "you might want to see this and help me."

"What are you talking about, Artemis?"

"Look!"

She turned around and followed Artemis' gaze to look at whatever it was she wanted her to look at. Her reaction was much the same as Artemis'.

"I'll take care of this, Art. I may not like Sirius, but I don't want you to strain your relationship with him even more than it already is.

She huffed and gave Lily her famous scowl that all Blacks could pull off. She watched as Lily yelled at James and ordered him to apologize to Severus. Then she heard it. Severus yelling that unforgivable word: Mudblood!

Everyone that sat with Artemis gasped and watched as Lily stalked away from the scene. She sat down and everyone else left knowing that she only wanted to talk to Artemis.

"I'm not going to help him anymore, Art. I refuse to care."

"Lily, think about what you're saying. You can't abandon Sev."

"I can and will."

"But, Lily, he didn't mean what he said. I know he didn't."

"How can you be so sure, Art?

Artemis looked at the ground trying to carefully construct her sentences in her head. "Lily, Sev loves you. He told me so himself. I—I hate to see him upset and I want him to be happy—"

"Even if it's not with you?" Lily questioned quietly. Artemis nodded her head and was pulled into a one armed hug by Lily. "I have never thought of Sev like that. It just seems wrong to think of him as more than a friend. I just need some time to be mad and, Art; I'm going to make sure that your unrequited love doesn't stay unrequited.

"Lily, please don't—"

"I've made up my mind and I'm not changing it. So, what are you going to do about Sirius?"

"The usual—beat him up. If he gets me first then wait until I send an owl to my father."

"Daddy's little princess strikes again, huh?"

"Of course. She looked up as she said this and saw Severus making his way towards her. "I need to go, Lily. He needs someone to talk to right now."

"All right. Bye, Artemis."

She waved goodbye to Lily as she got up and walked over to where Severus was standing. He looked down as she approached and dug the toe of his shoe into the grass.

"I suppose you won't want to talk to me either?"

"Maybe we should talk somewhere private. We most certainly don't want the wrong people to over hear." She nodded her head to where her twin brother, Sirius, was talking with James.

Severus just nodded his head and walked with her up to the castle. She managed to find an empty classroom and listened as he told her everything as the two of them sat on one of the many desks. The bell rang signaling the end of the break and the beginning of more tests. Severus slid off the desk and started to walk towards the door.

"Sev," she ran up behind him and turned him around so he was facing her. She pressed her lips against his and blushed as she pulled away. "Lily just needs some time to be mad. I wouldn't worry if I were you, Sev."

She ran out of the classroom, ignoring Severus calling her name, and skid to a stop in front of her Ancient Ruins class. She sat down in her seat in the middle of the classroom. The bell rang again signaling the end of class change and was followed by thundering footsteps as the rest of the class flung themselves into the classroom.

"Now that we're all here," the professor said walking out of his office and standing next to a huge stack of tests, "we can get started. If you don't finish then too bad."

Artemis sat back in her seat and scoffed at her professor. She considered him an imbecile and was relentlessly wishing he would get fired. She sat silently as her professor passed the tests out to her and her nervous and, and in some cases she saw, nail biting classmates. She confidently answered all of the questions and sat quietly as she waited for the period to end. She wasn't the only one done with half an hour early. Sirius, Remus, and Avery were also finished.

The professor looked up from the book he was reading. "If you have finished just sit quietly until the bell rings."

Artemis sat back in her chair and thought of the worst profanities she could think of. This day wasn't going well and by the looks of things it wouldn't be getting any better. Sirius was threatening to burn holes into the side of her head his glare was so intense. She knew Remus wasn't happy with her either. She'd seen him helping James, Sirius, and Peter pick on Severus earlier that morning. She had been so mad that she'd threatened to reveal his secret to the whole school, which basically shattered their friendship, as if hexing them hadn't hurt it enough.

The bell rang dragging Artemis out of her thoughts. She bolted out of the classroom and since she didn't have any more tests, stayed in the Slytherin Common Room. She didn't know how long she stayed there but by the time she looked up from her book the roaring emerald flame was nothing more than softly glowing embers.

I wonder how long I've been here. With my luck I've missed my Prefect duties. She sighed as that last thought made itself known. She really hated it when she missed Prefects duty. Mentally scolding herself she didn't notice someone enter the common room until they sat down beside her.

"Sev, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She eyed her friend with concern. She'd never seen him look so determined before.

"I went to apologize to Lily and she turned me away. I told her how I felt, but she said that I had my feelings mixed up."

"Oh, Severus, I'm sure she just—"

"She was right, Art," he said interrupting her. "It took Lily telling me to realize that I was using my brotherly love for her, turning it into something more, and replacing my feelings for someone else. I started to realize that earlier this afternoon, but like I said it took Lily telling me to fully realize what I was doing."

"Is that so," she managed to choke out.

"Yeah. You see this girl, the one that I was trying to replace; she's my best friend. I can talk to her about anything and she's always helping me when her older brother and his friends are making my life hell. I was afraid that if I told her how I felt I would ruin our friendship. I just wasn't sure if it was right for me to have feelings like that for a friend."

I'm beginning to like where this is going. Out loud she asked, "Does this girl have a name?"

He nodded his head as he answered her question. "A name fit for a goddess. She has the most beautiful platinum blonde hair that she wears in curls from time to time and stunning icy blue eyes that she turns violet."

"I'm starting to get jealous," she joked. "Although I think it's rather foolish to be jealous of yourself. What do you think?"

"I agree wholeheartedly," he said before brushing his lips against hers. When she started to kiss back he deepened the kiss. Artemis moved backwards ever so slightly causing her to land on her back and Severus on top of her. Artemis ran her fingers through his hair. He broke the kiss and looked into her amethyst eyes.

"So does this mean we're a couple?"

"Only if you want us to be a couple. Do you want us to be a couple?"

"What do you think," he whispered as his lips met hers again. That was enough for her.