Blood to Gold
An Artemis Fowl--Harry Potter Crossover
By Elbereth in April
Chapter 5
They were walking back to the dungeons when they passed a Slytherin boy Artemis had seen in classes that day and marked out as being particularly malicious and cruel. He was standing in the hall and shaking down some first years for any valuables in their possession.
"Who is that?" he hissed at Catalina.
"Morag MacDougal," she answered, an expression of distaste on her face. "Can't stand him. He comes from a line of Scots lairds, but he's no blueblood. He's a low-class butcher."
"Butcher?"
"He likes to kill and dissect small animals. He turns them into ingredients for Snape for potions, so he's allowed. But he just does it cause he likes to torture things." She snuck a glance back at him and shuddered. "Try not to let him catch you alone; he's a lot bigger than you."
"I noticed. He's Crabbe and Goyle sized."
She smiled. "I think they have a crush on your sister. I was listening to your conversation earlier."
He stared at her blankly. "On Juliet?"
"Mm hm." Her eyes danced.
"Juliet and Crabbe or Goyle?"
She giggled at his reaction and nodded.
Abruptly he smirked. "I want to be there when she finds out."
"What would she do?"
"If I'm there to restrain her, probably only break their legs."
"What kind of hex would do that?"
"Oh, she wouldn't use her wand. She tends to react more physically to news like that." He smirked some more.
She shook her head. "Not me. I'm a wand kind of girl. What about you?"
"Am I a wand kind of girl?"
"You know what I mean!"
"I prefer to use my head. I work the situation to my advantage so I don't have to use either. I like to get things to play my way."
"Oh, Fowl, I am definitely going to start managing you right away."
"You do that. I don't think I'm going back to the dungeons now, though. I want to explore the castle."
They stopped in the corridor just one turn away from the dungeon steps. "Alone? You don't know how lost you can get here."
He shrugged. "I'm used to being a loner." This wasn't strictly true. He was used to being shadowed by Butler. But at his old school, he was used to being alone.
A person rounded the corner as they spoke, and paused at seeing them. "Hey Fowl, Ellyworthies. What are you up to?"
"Hey, Crow. I'm going to my room. Fowl's going wandering Hogwarts to see what he can see. You?"
"The bored prowling thing. I've stared at the fire as long as I can." Crow pushed a strand of hair out of his face, hesitating. Then, "Want to wander together?"
"Um, sure. Why not?" Leave no source unturned.
"Good!" Catalina clapped her hands. "I'm off then. Fowl, I'll see you later!" She waved and departed.
"Warrington will be jealous," Crow said when she was gone.
"Of a guy three years younger than her?"
"Probably."
Artemis shrugged. "He'll have to deal with it. We're business partners."
"Hmm," was all Crow said.
They headed off away from the dungeons. "Well, what is there to see in one huge, old castle with moving pictures, shifting staircases, doors that lead nowhere, secret passages, all in the light of nothing but flickering candles?"
"Huh. It does sound like an adventure, when you put it that way." Crow perked up, looking a good deal more cheerful. "Right then. Secret passages, unused rooms. Strange statutes, suits of armor. Let's go this way. I'll show you."
They turned left down a slightly dustier, less-used passage.
"Why have you spent the last hour staring at the fire?" Artemis asked curiously.
"To empty my head," Crow replied. "I have a photographic memory, and I like to clear my head after the first day of classes. First day back's always the most intense. Then I settle back down into it."
"Hmm. I like my head full. . . get good grade's then, do you?"
"Well. . . on all the book parts. I don't do so well in practical magic. Especially charms." He made a face. "Flitwick's washed his hands of me."
"Go with your strong points, I always say."
"I get top marks in History of Magic. But that's boring."
Artemis looked around as they walked. All the walls in Hogwarts seemed to be covered in portraits. And the people in them moved and talked, and left one frame for another. "I wonder," he said slowly, "how much the pictures see."
He had spoken very quietly. "What?" Crow frowned.
"Where does this hall go?" Artemis asked instead of repeating his previous words.
"Past Lupin's office and the DADA classroom, up to the wall, past the greenhouses, down to an unused music room, to a dead-end, where there's a secret passage to the Great Hall."
"DADA?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts. I wonder how Lupin will do. We've had a different professor every year."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. First year was Quirrell--weird guy, by the book sort. Learned some interesting theory but never got a chance to try any of it out. Second year was Lockheart--that guy was an overly dressed prat. Waste of time and space. Now Lupin. An unknown. And definitely not over-dressed!" He snorted. "It's funny. And everybody knows Snape's wanted the job for years and he never gets it."
"Does he run them off?"
"No. . . now that you mention it, though, they've all come to strange ends. Quirrell had some sort of nasty magical accident that killed him. And Lockhart had a memory charm backfire and went crazy. But none of it was Snape's fault. He's an all right guy."
"Then why doesn't he ever get the job?"
"I don't know. Maybe there's nobody better for Potions? He's really good."
Well, well. Artemis added Snape and Lupin to his list of people to watch.
They made their way down the hall, to a little door that led out to a curtain wall. They walked along the top. They could look down and see the greenhouses, as Crow had said, and past that a small hut, with smoke coming from the chimney, and past that, the dark Forbidden Forest.
"Who lives in that hut?"
"Hagrid, the gamekeeper. Guess we'll have Care of Magical Creatures there now. That'll be a route, too. He's no teacher. He's a moron."
"He's big."
"We think he's part giant."
"We?"
"You know. Our crowd. Malfoy and his two goons and Zabini. And the girls."
"Ah." *Our* crowd. So, he was included. "Why is the forest forbidden?"
"There're some really nasty things in there! Things that'll eat you. Seriously. Also, centaurs, and unicorns."
"Centaurs?"
"Uh huh. They don't like humans. Oh, and I heard there's spiders as big as those Muggle vehicles--cars. And willow-the-wisps. And worse."
"I see. I'll make it a point to stay out of the forest, then."
"Yeah. Oh, and there's a giant squid in the lake, so don't go swimming. What else should you know about?" They reached the end of the wall and went through another door and down a spiral stone staircase. "Oh, remind me to point out the Whomping Willow."
'It's a good thing Butler isn't aware of all these dangers, or he'd come drag me home,' Artemis thought. And Artemis wasn't ready to go home. He hadn't solved the mystery yet. Or found the other person he was looking for- -the secret reason he'd agreed to come to Hogwarts.
"This is the old music room." They walked in. It did look like a music room, with steps going down to the center, and an old, abandoned piano. They walked through and out a door on the other side.
They came to a long passage lined with sconces every few feet. The walls on both sides were covered with enormous portraits, at various heights. Arrow slits were set high up in the top of the walls. "Just a little farther," Crow commented.
A ghost floated out of an empty classroom and regarded them. He wore friar's robes on his chubby, pale frame. "Hello, Friar," Crow nodded. "He's the Hufflepuff ghost," he told Artemis.
"Hello, boys," the friar returned cheerfully. "Fine day."
They kept walking to the end of the hall, where a large tapestry hung. Crow pushed it aside and tapped twice on a certain stone in the wall. A door- sized section shifted aside with a groan. "Ta dah," Crow trilled, waving at it with a flourish.
"Cool," Artemis admitted.
"Follow me." Crow stepped through, Artemis just behind. He caused the wall to slide back into place. As it closed, torches along the passage flared to life.
The passage sloped downwards. Crow led the way along it. It smelt a bit musty, but wasn't unpleasant. It took them about five minutes to walk to the Great Hall.
"There's a peep hole," Crow showed Artemis. "So you can look out before you exit. We come out right behind the dais, so that's a good thing." He stuck his eye to the tiny opening and peered out. "Way's clear."
Again, he tapped the wall twice and a section opened. They left the passage and entered the Hall. "They'll be getting ready for supper soon; then it'll be busy."
They wandered back in the direction of their Common Room. "I need to write a letter before dinner," Crow said. "I always have to owl my mum first thing to let her know I made it school all right."
Artemis grinned. That just sounded so un-Slytherin.
"Yeah, I should probably look over all my assignments and figure out what has to be done tonight." He thought abruptly of Daedelus. "What does 'our group' think of Ravenclaws?"
Crow looked surprised at the sudden change of subject, but shrugged. "Best of the other three Houses, though not, of course, as good as ours. We hold Hufflepuff in contempt, despise and loathe Gryffindors, but Ravenclaw isn't necessarily all bad."
Artemis nodded. "Good."
Now Crow looked very curious. "Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Would this have anything to do with those girls you talked to this morning?" Crow gave a knowing sort of leer.
Artemis flushed just a bit. "No!"
"Hmm. Whatever you say. I'm sure it was a theoretical question."
"Burning desire for knowledge about Hogwarts."
"Right."
"And thank you for sharing that knowledge."
Crow laughed. "No problem. Any time."
"I may hold you to that."
_________ __________
The rest of the day proceeded fairly uneventfully. He quite enjoyed his astronomy class, and was amused when Malfoy pointed out the constellation Draco, as if it had been named with him in mind.
That night, after the others had gone to bed, he composed all his thoughts so far into a journal entry in his Fairy Power Notebook.
The next morning, they had charms with the Hufflepuffs. He discovered this was the Professor who was the relative of his tutor. He enjoyed the class quite a bit. He didn't much care for his next class, Herbology, however.
During lunch, he got an owl from Juliet. "Dear Artemis," read her note, "I really wanted to owl somebody! My classes are OK. I'm having a great time, though I haven't discovered anything about you know what. I've been hanging out with the Weasley twins, you remember them, and the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team--Oliver Wood, and their friends Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan. (I think Lee and Oliver both have crushes on me!) Hope all is well with you!"
Artemis shook his head and looked over at the Gryffindor table. Juliet was so strange sometimes. He caught her eye and forced a smile; she gave him a thumbs-up. Then he went back to eating.
After lunch, he walked alongside Draco and Zabini out to the Gamekeeper's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Crow was in the back somewhere, talking to a girl, but Crabbe and Goyle were right behind them. As they came up to the hut, he recognized Potter, Granger, and Weasley coming up from the other side. So this class would be shared with the Gryffindors. He saw Draco and Zabini immediately start to sneer, and hid a sigh. Draco's voice got louder and brighter, as if he were putting on a show of how witty and popular he was. Crabbe and Goyle closed in around him.
He was relieved when the giant man moved at once to start class. Hagrid seemed excited, promising them a real treat. He led them to a fenced off area behind his hut.
"First, open yer books," he instructed.
He was interrupted by a disdainful Draco. "How?" He took a book from his bag and held it up. It was roped shut. Other students pulled out their books, as well. All of the books had been bound in some way to keep them from biting the readers.
Artemis raised an amused eyebrow. But Hagrid looked crestfallen. "Hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?"
Everyone shook their heads, but Artemis took pity on Hagrid, surprising himself. "*I* could."
They all turned to look at him as he picked up his book and ran his finger down the spine. It opened, quiet and docile. As they continued to stare, he looked over at Granger and shrugged. "I asked the guy who sold me the book," he said. "It seemed the sensible thing to do."
Draco looked annoyed, Hermione chagrined. But Zabini started to laugh. "Of course. How very Ravenclaw of you."
Hagrid shook himself. "Righ' then. Wait here. I'll go get the Magical Creatures."
Draco scowled. "He's still an oaf. The idea, giving us biting books in the first place! Hogwarts is going downhill."
Harry Potter took a step forward. "Shut up, Malfoy."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Look out, Potter, there's a dementor behind you. Wouldn't want you to *faint* again."
"Woah," Artemis breathed, distracting Draco. He followed Artemis's stare to see Hagrid leading about a dozen ugly, furry, feathery, winged beasts. They had dangerous-looking claws and beaks. Hagrid maneuvered them into the paddock.
"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid announced.
Artemis finally closed his mouth. Somehow, these creatures brought the reality of his situation to him more than flying broomsticks did. Magic was real and it existed. And it was all around him!
"Come closer," Hagrid coaxed. "Just don't insult them." He proceeded to give instructions, which Draco and his two goons didn't even seem to hear. They were muttering about Hagrid and Draco's father. Artemis tuned them out to learn about Hippogriffs. Eventually, Harry got up the nerve to approach one. The class stared, wide-eyed, as he flew on its back around the circle.
Then the rest of the students joined Harry inside the fence and tried to talk to the beasts themselves. Artemis picked one at random and walked up to it. Zabini joined him with a look that seemed to say, 'I'm sure you don't mind if I tag along. Um. . . do you?'
Artemis smiled at him. "Deserting Malfoy, too, are you?"
"He's got Crabbe and Goyle. Do you want to go first?"
"OK." Artemis squared his shoulders and bowed to the black hippogriff. Maintaining eye contact had always come easily. Bowing did not, but he didn't mind too much, since this wasn't a human.
The hippogriff regarded him with what seemed to be a thoughtful expression. Her name was Black Velvet.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Artemis wasn't about to be the one to give in, though. And then the hippogriff bowed back.
Artemis reached out and stroked her feathered neck. It felt exquisitely soft. "Can I ride you?" Artemis whispered to it. "I know that's asking a lot, but you don't want Buckbeak to be the only one marveled at, now do you?"
Velvet tipped her shoulder downward for Artemis to mount. He grinned, and climbed up onto her back.
"Boy, Fowl," Hagrid began to caution him, but Velvet thrust with her wings and the two were aloft.
"Oh, this is better than horseback any day," Artemis murmured, gripping her body firmly with his knees, and holding on more lightly on either side of the neck, careful of the feathers. True, it was bumpy, more like a bucking bronco, but Artemis was delighted.
They flew around the enclosure and the hut, once high, once low. Then Velvet landed, which was a bit alarming, but Artemis didn't let it show.
"Thanks, Velvet," he leaned in and whispered. "You're awesome. You're the best."
He got down as Velvet preened visibly. "Your turn," Artemis reluctantly told Zabini.
Zabini started to make his bow when Malfoy screamed. Artemis jumped and he and Blaise both whirled around to see Hagrid forcibly pulling Buckbeak away from a bleeding Draco, lying on the ground.
"I'm dying!" Draco yelled. "It's killed me!"
The class started talking loudly, shifting around, in a panic. The Slytherins moved together in a distressed but menacing bunch, eyeing Hagrid.
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid yelled back, but he was pale and shaken. "I need to get you to Madam Pomfrey. . ."
Granger ran and opened the gate. Hagrid picked Draco up in his arms. Artemis pushed his way forward. Malfoy had a long, deep cut on his arm. Blood seeped out from it. Hagrid carried him off toward the castle at a run.
Pansy burst into tears. "They should fire him!"
A Gryffindor bristled at this. "It was Malfoy's fault!"
Crabbe and Goyle darkened and flexed their muscles.
The students all began walking to the castle, as well.
"Will he be OK?" Bulstrode looked worried as she walked with Pansy. She grabbed at Crowe's arm as he passed.
"I think so. The nurse is pretty skilled, even if the teacher in this case is a moron."
"Malfoy insulted it!" the same Gryffindor snapped. "He had it coming to him!"
"Shut up, Gryff," Crabbe rumbled.
Crow snorted and moved up to walk by Artemis and Zabini. Everyone around them was muttering either for or against Hagrid. The Slytherins, naturally, were all against.
"So much for that lesson," was all Artemis said.
When they finally reached the castle, Pansy ran up at once to the infirmary to see about Draco. The other Slytherins started off towards the dungeons, and the Gryffindors to their tower.
"I'm going to check on him, too," Artemis told his companions.
"It didn't look that bad," Crow responded. "He should be fixed up without any problems."
"I want to see for myself."
Crow shrugged. "If that's what you want. I'm going to the Common Room."
Zabini hesitated. "I'll come with you, Fowl."
"Fine."
So the two of them walked to the infirmary together. "I bet he milks this for all it's worth," Zabini said suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't like Hagrid. Well, none of us do, but Malfoy especially doesn't like him cause Potter's such pals with him. He'll be trying to get him fired, wait and see."
It was impossible to tell from Zabini's tone whether he approved of this or not.
When they entered the medical ward, Madam Pomfrey was just bandaging Draco's arm. A distraught Hagrid and a crying Pansy stood to one side. Zabini and Fowl went and stood by them. "How bad is it?" Blaise asked.
"Madam Pomfrey says he'll be fine," Hagrid began hesitantly, but Pansy cut him off.
"She says! She says! But Draco is in such pain! And *she* has never cared for Slytherins!"
Pomfrey turned and looked at Pansy sharply. "Now see here. . ."
Draco moaned, and the nurse turned her attention back to him. "You *will* be fine. It's just a cut. It'll heal right up. In fact, you can go."
"See!" Pansy proclaimed triumphantly. "Kicks us out as soon as she can! She just doesn't want a scandal! She knows," with an evil scowl at Hagrid, "this is all *his* fault!"
Hagrid continued to look miserable.
Draco climbed off the bed and walked wobbily towards them. "Wait'll my father hears about this," he sneered. "A teacher who gives us a biting book, and then brings dangerous animals for class, and endangers students' lives! He'll have him thrown out of here by morning!"
Pansy rushed to his side. He put his uninjured arm around her shoulder and she supported him along as he walked to the door. Zabini and Artemis exchanged looks and followed.
"Nice of you to be so concerned with my welfare," Draco commented as they headed for their common room. "Didn't expect to see you, Fowl."
"Why not?"
Draco thought about this. "You're new here. That's all."
Draco lounged around the common room the rest of the day. Pansy even took him down his lunch. "Told you," Zabini muttered to Artemis.
An Artemis Fowl--Harry Potter Crossover
By Elbereth in April
Chapter 5
They were walking back to the dungeons when they passed a Slytherin boy Artemis had seen in classes that day and marked out as being particularly malicious and cruel. He was standing in the hall and shaking down some first years for any valuables in their possession.
"Who is that?" he hissed at Catalina.
"Morag MacDougal," she answered, an expression of distaste on her face. "Can't stand him. He comes from a line of Scots lairds, but he's no blueblood. He's a low-class butcher."
"Butcher?"
"He likes to kill and dissect small animals. He turns them into ingredients for Snape for potions, so he's allowed. But he just does it cause he likes to torture things." She snuck a glance back at him and shuddered. "Try not to let him catch you alone; he's a lot bigger than you."
"I noticed. He's Crabbe and Goyle sized."
She smiled. "I think they have a crush on your sister. I was listening to your conversation earlier."
He stared at her blankly. "On Juliet?"
"Mm hm." Her eyes danced.
"Juliet and Crabbe or Goyle?"
She giggled at his reaction and nodded.
Abruptly he smirked. "I want to be there when she finds out."
"What would she do?"
"If I'm there to restrain her, probably only break their legs."
"What kind of hex would do that?"
"Oh, she wouldn't use her wand. She tends to react more physically to news like that." He smirked some more.
She shook her head. "Not me. I'm a wand kind of girl. What about you?"
"Am I a wand kind of girl?"
"You know what I mean!"
"I prefer to use my head. I work the situation to my advantage so I don't have to use either. I like to get things to play my way."
"Oh, Fowl, I am definitely going to start managing you right away."
"You do that. I don't think I'm going back to the dungeons now, though. I want to explore the castle."
They stopped in the corridor just one turn away from the dungeon steps. "Alone? You don't know how lost you can get here."
He shrugged. "I'm used to being a loner." This wasn't strictly true. He was used to being shadowed by Butler. But at his old school, he was used to being alone.
A person rounded the corner as they spoke, and paused at seeing them. "Hey Fowl, Ellyworthies. What are you up to?"
"Hey, Crow. I'm going to my room. Fowl's going wandering Hogwarts to see what he can see. You?"
"The bored prowling thing. I've stared at the fire as long as I can." Crow pushed a strand of hair out of his face, hesitating. Then, "Want to wander together?"
"Um, sure. Why not?" Leave no source unturned.
"Good!" Catalina clapped her hands. "I'm off then. Fowl, I'll see you later!" She waved and departed.
"Warrington will be jealous," Crow said when she was gone.
"Of a guy three years younger than her?"
"Probably."
Artemis shrugged. "He'll have to deal with it. We're business partners."
"Hmm," was all Crow said.
They headed off away from the dungeons. "Well, what is there to see in one huge, old castle with moving pictures, shifting staircases, doors that lead nowhere, secret passages, all in the light of nothing but flickering candles?"
"Huh. It does sound like an adventure, when you put it that way." Crow perked up, looking a good deal more cheerful. "Right then. Secret passages, unused rooms. Strange statutes, suits of armor. Let's go this way. I'll show you."
They turned left down a slightly dustier, less-used passage.
"Why have you spent the last hour staring at the fire?" Artemis asked curiously.
"To empty my head," Crow replied. "I have a photographic memory, and I like to clear my head after the first day of classes. First day back's always the most intense. Then I settle back down into it."
"Hmm. I like my head full. . . get good grade's then, do you?"
"Well. . . on all the book parts. I don't do so well in practical magic. Especially charms." He made a face. "Flitwick's washed his hands of me."
"Go with your strong points, I always say."
"I get top marks in History of Magic. But that's boring."
Artemis looked around as they walked. All the walls in Hogwarts seemed to be covered in portraits. And the people in them moved and talked, and left one frame for another. "I wonder," he said slowly, "how much the pictures see."
He had spoken very quietly. "What?" Crow frowned.
"Where does this hall go?" Artemis asked instead of repeating his previous words.
"Past Lupin's office and the DADA classroom, up to the wall, past the greenhouses, down to an unused music room, to a dead-end, where there's a secret passage to the Great Hall."
"DADA?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts. I wonder how Lupin will do. We've had a different professor every year."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. First year was Quirrell--weird guy, by the book sort. Learned some interesting theory but never got a chance to try any of it out. Second year was Lockheart--that guy was an overly dressed prat. Waste of time and space. Now Lupin. An unknown. And definitely not over-dressed!" He snorted. "It's funny. And everybody knows Snape's wanted the job for years and he never gets it."
"Does he run them off?"
"No. . . now that you mention it, though, they've all come to strange ends. Quirrell had some sort of nasty magical accident that killed him. And Lockhart had a memory charm backfire and went crazy. But none of it was Snape's fault. He's an all right guy."
"Then why doesn't he ever get the job?"
"I don't know. Maybe there's nobody better for Potions? He's really good."
Well, well. Artemis added Snape and Lupin to his list of people to watch.
They made their way down the hall, to a little door that led out to a curtain wall. They walked along the top. They could look down and see the greenhouses, as Crow had said, and past that a small hut, with smoke coming from the chimney, and past that, the dark Forbidden Forest.
"Who lives in that hut?"
"Hagrid, the gamekeeper. Guess we'll have Care of Magical Creatures there now. That'll be a route, too. He's no teacher. He's a moron."
"He's big."
"We think he's part giant."
"We?"
"You know. Our crowd. Malfoy and his two goons and Zabini. And the girls."
"Ah." *Our* crowd. So, he was included. "Why is the forest forbidden?"
"There're some really nasty things in there! Things that'll eat you. Seriously. Also, centaurs, and unicorns."
"Centaurs?"
"Uh huh. They don't like humans. Oh, and I heard there's spiders as big as those Muggle vehicles--cars. And willow-the-wisps. And worse."
"I see. I'll make it a point to stay out of the forest, then."
"Yeah. Oh, and there's a giant squid in the lake, so don't go swimming. What else should you know about?" They reached the end of the wall and went through another door and down a spiral stone staircase. "Oh, remind me to point out the Whomping Willow."
'It's a good thing Butler isn't aware of all these dangers, or he'd come drag me home,' Artemis thought. And Artemis wasn't ready to go home. He hadn't solved the mystery yet. Or found the other person he was looking for- -the secret reason he'd agreed to come to Hogwarts.
"This is the old music room." They walked in. It did look like a music room, with steps going down to the center, and an old, abandoned piano. They walked through and out a door on the other side.
They came to a long passage lined with sconces every few feet. The walls on both sides were covered with enormous portraits, at various heights. Arrow slits were set high up in the top of the walls. "Just a little farther," Crow commented.
A ghost floated out of an empty classroom and regarded them. He wore friar's robes on his chubby, pale frame. "Hello, Friar," Crow nodded. "He's the Hufflepuff ghost," he told Artemis.
"Hello, boys," the friar returned cheerfully. "Fine day."
They kept walking to the end of the hall, where a large tapestry hung. Crow pushed it aside and tapped twice on a certain stone in the wall. A door- sized section shifted aside with a groan. "Ta dah," Crow trilled, waving at it with a flourish.
"Cool," Artemis admitted.
"Follow me." Crow stepped through, Artemis just behind. He caused the wall to slide back into place. As it closed, torches along the passage flared to life.
The passage sloped downwards. Crow led the way along it. It smelt a bit musty, but wasn't unpleasant. It took them about five minutes to walk to the Great Hall.
"There's a peep hole," Crow showed Artemis. "So you can look out before you exit. We come out right behind the dais, so that's a good thing." He stuck his eye to the tiny opening and peered out. "Way's clear."
Again, he tapped the wall twice and a section opened. They left the passage and entered the Hall. "They'll be getting ready for supper soon; then it'll be busy."
They wandered back in the direction of their Common Room. "I need to write a letter before dinner," Crow said. "I always have to owl my mum first thing to let her know I made it school all right."
Artemis grinned. That just sounded so un-Slytherin.
"Yeah, I should probably look over all my assignments and figure out what has to be done tonight." He thought abruptly of Daedelus. "What does 'our group' think of Ravenclaws?"
Crow looked surprised at the sudden change of subject, but shrugged. "Best of the other three Houses, though not, of course, as good as ours. We hold Hufflepuff in contempt, despise and loathe Gryffindors, but Ravenclaw isn't necessarily all bad."
Artemis nodded. "Good."
Now Crow looked very curious. "Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Would this have anything to do with those girls you talked to this morning?" Crow gave a knowing sort of leer.
Artemis flushed just a bit. "No!"
"Hmm. Whatever you say. I'm sure it was a theoretical question."
"Burning desire for knowledge about Hogwarts."
"Right."
"And thank you for sharing that knowledge."
Crow laughed. "No problem. Any time."
"I may hold you to that."
_________ __________
The rest of the day proceeded fairly uneventfully. He quite enjoyed his astronomy class, and was amused when Malfoy pointed out the constellation Draco, as if it had been named with him in mind.
That night, after the others had gone to bed, he composed all his thoughts so far into a journal entry in his Fairy Power Notebook.
The next morning, they had charms with the Hufflepuffs. He discovered this was the Professor who was the relative of his tutor. He enjoyed the class quite a bit. He didn't much care for his next class, Herbology, however.
During lunch, he got an owl from Juliet. "Dear Artemis," read her note, "I really wanted to owl somebody! My classes are OK. I'm having a great time, though I haven't discovered anything about you know what. I've been hanging out with the Weasley twins, you remember them, and the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team--Oliver Wood, and their friends Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan. (I think Lee and Oliver both have crushes on me!) Hope all is well with you!"
Artemis shook his head and looked over at the Gryffindor table. Juliet was so strange sometimes. He caught her eye and forced a smile; she gave him a thumbs-up. Then he went back to eating.
After lunch, he walked alongside Draco and Zabini out to the Gamekeeper's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Crow was in the back somewhere, talking to a girl, but Crabbe and Goyle were right behind them. As they came up to the hut, he recognized Potter, Granger, and Weasley coming up from the other side. So this class would be shared with the Gryffindors. He saw Draco and Zabini immediately start to sneer, and hid a sigh. Draco's voice got louder and brighter, as if he were putting on a show of how witty and popular he was. Crabbe and Goyle closed in around him.
He was relieved when the giant man moved at once to start class. Hagrid seemed excited, promising them a real treat. He led them to a fenced off area behind his hut.
"First, open yer books," he instructed.
He was interrupted by a disdainful Draco. "How?" He took a book from his bag and held it up. It was roped shut. Other students pulled out their books, as well. All of the books had been bound in some way to keep them from biting the readers.
Artemis raised an amused eyebrow. But Hagrid looked crestfallen. "Hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?"
Everyone shook their heads, but Artemis took pity on Hagrid, surprising himself. "*I* could."
They all turned to look at him as he picked up his book and ran his finger down the spine. It opened, quiet and docile. As they continued to stare, he looked over at Granger and shrugged. "I asked the guy who sold me the book," he said. "It seemed the sensible thing to do."
Draco looked annoyed, Hermione chagrined. But Zabini started to laugh. "Of course. How very Ravenclaw of you."
Hagrid shook himself. "Righ' then. Wait here. I'll go get the Magical Creatures."
Draco scowled. "He's still an oaf. The idea, giving us biting books in the first place! Hogwarts is going downhill."
Harry Potter took a step forward. "Shut up, Malfoy."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Look out, Potter, there's a dementor behind you. Wouldn't want you to *faint* again."
"Woah," Artemis breathed, distracting Draco. He followed Artemis's stare to see Hagrid leading about a dozen ugly, furry, feathery, winged beasts. They had dangerous-looking claws and beaks. Hagrid maneuvered them into the paddock.
"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid announced.
Artemis finally closed his mouth. Somehow, these creatures brought the reality of his situation to him more than flying broomsticks did. Magic was real and it existed. And it was all around him!
"Come closer," Hagrid coaxed. "Just don't insult them." He proceeded to give instructions, which Draco and his two goons didn't even seem to hear. They were muttering about Hagrid and Draco's father. Artemis tuned them out to learn about Hippogriffs. Eventually, Harry got up the nerve to approach one. The class stared, wide-eyed, as he flew on its back around the circle.
Then the rest of the students joined Harry inside the fence and tried to talk to the beasts themselves. Artemis picked one at random and walked up to it. Zabini joined him with a look that seemed to say, 'I'm sure you don't mind if I tag along. Um. . . do you?'
Artemis smiled at him. "Deserting Malfoy, too, are you?"
"He's got Crabbe and Goyle. Do you want to go first?"
"OK." Artemis squared his shoulders and bowed to the black hippogriff. Maintaining eye contact had always come easily. Bowing did not, but he didn't mind too much, since this wasn't a human.
The hippogriff regarded him with what seemed to be a thoughtful expression. Her name was Black Velvet.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Artemis wasn't about to be the one to give in, though. And then the hippogriff bowed back.
Artemis reached out and stroked her feathered neck. It felt exquisitely soft. "Can I ride you?" Artemis whispered to it. "I know that's asking a lot, but you don't want Buckbeak to be the only one marveled at, now do you?"
Velvet tipped her shoulder downward for Artemis to mount. He grinned, and climbed up onto her back.
"Boy, Fowl," Hagrid began to caution him, but Velvet thrust with her wings and the two were aloft.
"Oh, this is better than horseback any day," Artemis murmured, gripping her body firmly with his knees, and holding on more lightly on either side of the neck, careful of the feathers. True, it was bumpy, more like a bucking bronco, but Artemis was delighted.
They flew around the enclosure and the hut, once high, once low. Then Velvet landed, which was a bit alarming, but Artemis didn't let it show.
"Thanks, Velvet," he leaned in and whispered. "You're awesome. You're the best."
He got down as Velvet preened visibly. "Your turn," Artemis reluctantly told Zabini.
Zabini started to make his bow when Malfoy screamed. Artemis jumped and he and Blaise both whirled around to see Hagrid forcibly pulling Buckbeak away from a bleeding Draco, lying on the ground.
"I'm dying!" Draco yelled. "It's killed me!"
The class started talking loudly, shifting around, in a panic. The Slytherins moved together in a distressed but menacing bunch, eyeing Hagrid.
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid yelled back, but he was pale and shaken. "I need to get you to Madam Pomfrey. . ."
Granger ran and opened the gate. Hagrid picked Draco up in his arms. Artemis pushed his way forward. Malfoy had a long, deep cut on his arm. Blood seeped out from it. Hagrid carried him off toward the castle at a run.
Pansy burst into tears. "They should fire him!"
A Gryffindor bristled at this. "It was Malfoy's fault!"
Crabbe and Goyle darkened and flexed their muscles.
The students all began walking to the castle, as well.
"Will he be OK?" Bulstrode looked worried as she walked with Pansy. She grabbed at Crowe's arm as he passed.
"I think so. The nurse is pretty skilled, even if the teacher in this case is a moron."
"Malfoy insulted it!" the same Gryffindor snapped. "He had it coming to him!"
"Shut up, Gryff," Crabbe rumbled.
Crow snorted and moved up to walk by Artemis and Zabini. Everyone around them was muttering either for or against Hagrid. The Slytherins, naturally, were all against.
"So much for that lesson," was all Artemis said.
When they finally reached the castle, Pansy ran up at once to the infirmary to see about Draco. The other Slytherins started off towards the dungeons, and the Gryffindors to their tower.
"I'm going to check on him, too," Artemis told his companions.
"It didn't look that bad," Crow responded. "He should be fixed up without any problems."
"I want to see for myself."
Crow shrugged. "If that's what you want. I'm going to the Common Room."
Zabini hesitated. "I'll come with you, Fowl."
"Fine."
So the two of them walked to the infirmary together. "I bet he milks this for all it's worth," Zabini said suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't like Hagrid. Well, none of us do, but Malfoy especially doesn't like him cause Potter's such pals with him. He'll be trying to get him fired, wait and see."
It was impossible to tell from Zabini's tone whether he approved of this or not.
When they entered the medical ward, Madam Pomfrey was just bandaging Draco's arm. A distraught Hagrid and a crying Pansy stood to one side. Zabini and Fowl went and stood by them. "How bad is it?" Blaise asked.
"Madam Pomfrey says he'll be fine," Hagrid began hesitantly, but Pansy cut him off.
"She says! She says! But Draco is in such pain! And *she* has never cared for Slytherins!"
Pomfrey turned and looked at Pansy sharply. "Now see here. . ."
Draco moaned, and the nurse turned her attention back to him. "You *will* be fine. It's just a cut. It'll heal right up. In fact, you can go."
"See!" Pansy proclaimed triumphantly. "Kicks us out as soon as she can! She just doesn't want a scandal! She knows," with an evil scowl at Hagrid, "this is all *his* fault!"
Hagrid continued to look miserable.
Draco climbed off the bed and walked wobbily towards them. "Wait'll my father hears about this," he sneered. "A teacher who gives us a biting book, and then brings dangerous animals for class, and endangers students' lives! He'll have him thrown out of here by morning!"
Pansy rushed to his side. He put his uninjured arm around her shoulder and she supported him along as he walked to the door. Zabini and Artemis exchanged looks and followed.
"Nice of you to be so concerned with my welfare," Draco commented as they headed for their common room. "Didn't expect to see you, Fowl."
"Why not?"
Draco thought about this. "You're new here. That's all."
Draco lounged around the common room the rest of the day. Pansy even took him down his lunch. "Told you," Zabini muttered to Artemis.