"Open the door, Padfoot, we are gonna be late! Stop hogging the shower!" James said as his knocking turned into violent blows on the bathroom door. This went on for another ten minutes, after which Sirius emerged as if nothing has happened. He put on his ironed uniform, folded the sleeves three- quarters and put on his favorite hair gel. Unlike the other days he was really putting an effort to get ready for today's classes and this change didn't get unnoticed by his best friends.
"Today is not your birthday, nor any party to attend to (otherwise he won't be wearing his uniform, Remus added from the back) or any special date. Then why are you dressing up so much? Trying to impress McGonagall?" James said with a smirk.
"Say anything you want my friend, but today, I'll show you that I haven't lost my touch like I promised." Sirius said as he took his school bag, puffing his chest like a balloon, his eyes fixed somewhere on the ceiling. Remus rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. "Today you'll witness that I was, am and always be the charmer, the heartthrob of Hogwarts have ever–"
"Shut your blabbering and come with us or we will definitely be late." Remus said smacking him on his head and James dragging him out of the room.
Sirius's effort of grooming himself unquestionably made a strong impact on the girls. They sighed as he walked past them, some were even giving him flirty winks. Sirius was clearly enjoying all the attention he was getting.
"Did you see that how all those girls were giving looks at me? They all want me, can't resist me." Sirius beamed with triumphant look, "Or do you all need more proofs to know that I am still the charmer?" Now sitting on their usual seats for the breakfast.
"Yeah, you are right. You are the 'Charmer'." James said making air quotes. "Let's see how you do with the one for which you started all this madness…which brings us to my favorite topic. Where is my Lily pad?" James looked very funny, with his mouth full with waffles and trying to search for Lily without standing, like a meerkat.
"Your Lily pad is not at all related to this topic. I did all this for Ar –" Sirius cleared his throat as he corrected his sentence, "for you all to understand the fact that I still can woo any women I want."
By the time they finished with their food, the great hall was almost empty but still they made it to the Transfiguration class five minutes early all thanks to the short cuts laid throughout the Hogwarts. As they entered the classroom, Sirius saw a certain someone and renewed his act. He pranced across the room towards the second bench with James following him closely ('God, he started his act again' Remus face palmed).
"'mornin' Marlene." Sirius said as he and James sat on one bench behind them. "Hey Arty." James nodded to Artemis.
"Hey Sirius, James."
"Good morning James, Sirius." Artemis perked. "I didn't saw you boys at the table."
"Ah, it's nothing. We woke late." Sirius said airily.
"No, it's because someone thought it would be a great idea to hog the shower till the last minute." James accused him.
"Hey, you had your chance, you simply wasted it sleeping. You, mate, should correct your ways–"
"Are they always like this?" Artemis asked Marlene from the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, you should learn to ignore them. We all do." Marlene answered.
" –which is definitely the only good point. What do you say Ar–"
"Shssh…. Professor is coming!" Artemis interrupted him as she straightened herself as McGonagall entered.
Aand it happened again. Sirius was so shocked to believe it happened again.
"She…She shushed me!" He whisper- shouted at James. "She ignored me again! How could she?"
"Umm, she just did, like that." Remus replied, snapping his fingers, working hard to keep a straight face as he leaned forward so that only Sirius and James could hear him.
As the class progressed, Sirius's line of sight wandered many times towards Artemis. At first it was just curiosity of knowing what was she doing, but when he saw her writing something other than the work McGonagall had distributed, he got intrigued. He peeked at her notebook as inconspicuously as possible but he only managed to pick a few words before she put it in.
Artemis P.O.V.
The class ended with a lecture on O.W.L.s again by Prof. McGonagall and an essay on 'Technicalities of half- vanished things and How to correct them'. I collected my books and quills and stuffed it in my bag ready to leave when Professor McGonagall called me. Lily and Alice were waiting for Marlene and me at the door. I told them to go on without me as I headed up the teacher's table.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall."
She waited for the few lingering students to clear out and then started, "Miss Hale, I know you are in a tough spot considering that you lost your memories, but you are an O.W.L. student and you have to keep up with the other students." McGonagall advised me, her eyes were now softened with concern. "I would advise you to get help from Mr. Lupin for any notes or problems. He is one of the bright students in your year, he will definitely help you. And of course I am always more than ready to help you in any event that may occur."
"Sure I will, Ma'am."
She gave me a motherly smile before saying, "Now hurry up or you will get late for your next class."
I was running futilely with no idea where I was going. I asked for the direction to Potions class from a few students and thanks to them I finally managed to find it. I glanced at my wrist watch. I was twenty minutes late to the class. Shit, First day in Hogwarts and you're already showing your tardiness. Great. As I reached my destination, I slowed down my pace, smoothened my hair, and I knocked, pushing the door ajar.
"Yes? Do you want something, Miss?" Professor snapped.
"Apologies for my tardiness, Sir, but I am here for the class." I replied, a bit nervous as I felt all eyes upon me.
"You have some nerves, young lady, to come this late for my class. You will be serving detention tonight with me. Do you understand?" the Potions Professor yelled at me. I stood frozen for god knows how many minutes before I collected my wits and slipped onto the nearest empty seat. I was shaking, literally. I never had been yelled at, not that I knew of, let alone by a Professor.
"Don't take it to Heart. He is never this mad, he is actually a funny man, Professor Slughorn. He is just pissed off because someone put a dungbomb at his chamber earlier this day." I turned at the voice and gave him a weak smile. Remus Lupin was sitting beside me.
If he is making all these up just to cheer me up then he is doing a hell of a job. I smiled at him and said, "It's nice of you to say that, even if it's just to cheer me up."
"Oh, it's true. It's these jerks' doing." Remus said as he motioned in front of us. I saw James, Sirius and Peter sitting.
"I'm so sorry Arty. I never imagined –" Sirius and James started.
"It's alright guys. You would have never guessed this would happened." I said with a smile and started with the work Slughorn has assigned us. We were making Draught of Peace. I started to work on it however late than others. It was the first potion I was making in my life and it was hell difficult. It was nerve wrecking, stirring the potion at the precise time, adding the ingredients in correct order, It was simply nerve wrecking. Mere half hour had passed and my hands were shaking. This is not good. How am I going to survive here if I can't manage to do even this!
"Geez, ask for help if you need." I turned to Remus as he started to tend to my cauldron. I simply stared at him, now that he was trying to fix my potion. "Stop panicking. Nobody's gonna judge you on your potion making skills when it is your first time making any kind of potion."
"There. It's fixed somehow, it was not bad for a first timer." Remus said. "You can continue from here." With one last smile he went back to his own work.
Somehow the class ended, we submitted our sample for the grading and headed out of the dungeons.
"Thanks Remus, I was having a nervous breakdown back there. It was hard to concentrate when all your mind is filled with Prof. McGonagall's advice that sounded more like warning." I said, now walking towards the great hall for lunch.
"Wait, McGonagall gave you a warning?" said James.
"It was an advice. Like I said, it just sounded like one." I corrected him. "…which brings me to my next need of favour from you." All four of them looked at me at once as I didn't mentioned whom I was talking to.
"I need your help with the studies Remus."
"What about us?" protested Sirius, now gesturing to James and himself. "We are good at studies too." James nodded with him.
"and do any of you have any previous years notes to help me?" they both stared at me blankly so I continued, "Remus, sorry to bother you but I am in desperate need here. McGonagall said you are one of the brightest students in our year, and I am not exaggerating." I could see a hint of smugness on his face but he remained calm. "If I don't do this then I won't be able to survive this academic year."
"Hmm… Sure." Said Remus as we walked into the great hall. "I'll help you. I do have notes from the last year and the one before. I can't say about the first two. But don't worry. I'll try to find it."
"Oh! Thank you so much! You are a life saver." I hugged him. It took him by surprise but he still managed to return the hug.
"Artemis! Over here." Alice called over from the table to which I nodded. "I'll see you guys later." I said to the boys and rushed towards my girl gang.
Sirius P.O.V.
I saw Artemis hug Remus as she expressed her thanks to him. Oh, look at her go all chummy with Moony. It annoys me more than anything. I still hadn't forgave her for shushing me. 'No one shushes me' a proud bug inside Sirius called forth.
We were eating lunch at our usual seat when I saw Artemis talking to a Hufflepuff asking for the direction of the Hospital Wing. She was not that far from us so I could almost hear her what she was saying. It seemed no one else had taken notice of her. I watched her exit the great hall, waited for five minutes then stood up startling my friends. "I have an errand to run. I'll see you later at Divination." And before anybody could say anything, I left for the hospital wing.
'Stupid girl, she is gonna be lost again, leaving alone like that when she clearly doesn't know Hogwarts any better than a First year.'As I suspected I found her totally in a different location. I walked up to the lost girl and said, "Whom did you ask for the direction that lead you up here? Hospital wing is way down there." I motioned my finger to my left.
Her face showed signs of relief first when she saw me, but then her eyes narrowed, "How did you know that I am heading to Hospital wing?"
"Simple. I guessed it." I said, to which she smiled.
"Good, you are here. Just wait here for a moment till I bring you your potion." And Madam Pomfrey hurries towards her office. We waited for her as I looked around; it was all empty except for one bed at the far end. "Here you go, dear. Now, I am saying this very clearly so remember it: you have to drink this potion every alternate day. You can't skip it, alright?"
She only nodded at her demand; I didn't hear much as my whole focus was concentrated on the small glass of transparent blue liquid that she was to drink. To be honest, I didn't liked the smell of it and I sure don't know how she managed to drink that potion. I saw her eyes went out of focus when she drank it. Pomfrey told me that the effect of the potion should kick in gradually in a few minutes. She would feel a bit dazed but that's only because this is her first time taking it.
We thanked her as we head out to our next class: Divination. We managed to reach the class just in time. Professor Verona was a lenient teacher, she just waved her hand to settle down as she saw us scuffling at the back. James, sitting at the adjacent crystal topped table of two with Peter, waved at us, to which Artemis returned back with a little too enthusiasm. So now the potion kicks in, I thought. The whole class was dull with the exception of Artemis. She kept me entertained with her whimsical potion-influenced acts and it only ended when Professor asked the students that we had to submit a prediction with crystal gazing at the end of the class for marking. I had already given up on the gazing and was making something up from my mind; Artemis, on the other hand, was gazing it for almost three minutes before she said, "This is a load of crap. Some irony this is; I don't even know my past and yet here I am deciphering my future from a –" I saw her freezing in the mid- sentence, her eyes was out of focus like before. I knew something was happening to her because of the potion. Did the potion work? Is her memory coming back to her?
"Artemis… Arty?" She only 'hmm' in response. "Did you remember something? You did, didn't you?"
She nodded, a feeling of excitement began to build up in my stomach. "I saw a… petronas, a stag…. A black dog, bigger than an average one… and something very small can't pin point what it is; keeps moving too much….black lake… Soul…? What is the meaning of these –"
And then she went silent.
Artemis P.O.V.
I remembered. Black dog, stag ….petronas, the rat, and the werewolf. I now knew what or who they were. But that's not the reason I am feeling numb. I remembered something else. The night when someone fell… beyond the veil.
