By Adaia Swordmaiden
Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl. What?
Chapter 9: Rien
Guinivere waited at the table while Lily disappeared off to the Ladies room. She gazed around the room, her eyes passing over the door just as it opened. In came Sirius and James. They immediately spotted her and made a beeline for her table.
"Hullo there, little seal," James said cheerfully.
"You were looking a little lonely," Sirius added.
"Well Lily just disappeared for a moment," Guinivere said, smiling at them. James instantly brightened even more. Madam Rosmerta bustled over.
"Hello there you three. What'll it be?" she asked.
"Two Firewhiskies," Sirius said immediately.
"And a water for our little friend," James added, patting Guinivere on the head. She growled and swatted at his hand.
"Three butterbeers then, is it?" Rosmerta asked.
"Four actually," Guinivere said. "My friend's in the toilets." Rosmerta smiled and headed back to the bar. At that moment, a certain redhead turned up at the table.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked, stopping as she noticed James and Sirius.
"Lily, please," Guinivere pleaded. Lily sighed and sat down at the table. Rosmerta came back with the butterbeers and James raised his in a toast.
"To true friendship!" he declared grandly. Beside him, Sirius' face had disappeared into his mug.
"What?" he said, emerging. Guinivere laughed and Lily rolled her eyes. But she was smiling. Guinivere sipped at her butterbeer as James and Lily began to argue about something. She finished her butterbeer and began to look around the room again and froze. Her empty mug fell from suddenly nerveless fingers and clattered to the floor. Lily and James stopped arguing.
"Guinivere?" Lily asked. Suddenly Guinivere sprang up and ran for the door. James dropped some coins on the table and he, Sirius and Lily hurried after her. Guinivere dodged the people in her way and burst out of The Three Broomsticks and into the snow, her friends close after her.
"Rien!" Guinivere shouted and a teenage boy with shortish black hair and just ahead of her spun to face her. The three following her skidded to a stop a few metres away, shocked, as Guinivere ran right into the boy's arms and the two hugged each other. After a moment, Guinivere pulled away and stared into dark green-blue eyes. "I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, delighted. "But what are you doing here?"
"When Rallie told me that you had gone off to Hogwarts, I went to land and started trying to find you," the boy said, grinning at her. Then he reached out and pulled out from beneath Guinivere's robes a cord necklace with a shark tooth pendant. "You still wear this?" Guinivere nodded, smiling.
"It's my favourite of them all," she said.
"Um, Guin?" Lily asked cautiously. Guinivere jumped and turned to face her friends.
"Oh, sorry!" she said. "Guys, this is Rien. Rien, this is Lily, Sirius and James. They're some of my friends at Hogwarts." Rien regarded them for a moment before smiling.
"Hello," he said. Guinivere turned back to face Rien.
"Where are you staying?" she asked.
"I actually just got here," Rien said. "I borrowed that spare broomstick your father kept in the backyard shed and flew here." Guinivere punched him in the arm softly.
"Now I'm gonna have to send him an owl to tell him not to worry about broomstick theft," she growled but it was obvious she was happy. "Maybe I could ask Uncle Albus if you could stay at Hogwarts…" she mumbled thoughtfully.
"Don't worry," Rien said. "I can always just get a room somewhere here in Hogsmeade or something." Sirius coughed.
"Um, could we head back inside?" he asked. Guinivere turned, going red.
"Sorry guys," she said. "Yeah, let's go." She headed back for The Three Broomsticks, Rien, James, Sirius and Lily following close behind. Rein was being watched warily by the three others but seemed oblivious. They went back in and made their way to a table in the back. Guinivere went off to get butterbeers.
"Guinivere's talked a lot about you," Lily said suddenly. Rien looked at her, a mildly surprised look on his face.
"Really? What did she say?" he asked, leaning forwards slightly. Lily shrugged.
"Good things, at least," she said.
"So you live in the same town as Guin?" Sirius asked.
"In a way," Rien said with an odd, crooked grin. "A little out of town."
"Are you home schooled too?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes. My parents don't care much for mass schooling." Guinivere came back then and there was silence for a little bit.
"So how's Rallie?" Guinivere asked. Rien shrugged.
"She's fine. That shark bite she got the week before you left is healing really well. She should be able to swim properly by now," Rien said. Guinivere glanced at the others and quickly leaned over and whispered something in Rien's ear. His eyes widened and then he nodded as Guinivere returned to her seat.
"And Charlie? Papa said that she got back from Egypt a fair while ago."
"Same as ever. Just a bit darker skinned. And she won't shut up about this boy she met there. I swear, I never thought I'd see the day when Charlie fell in love." He and Guinivere laughed.
"I'll have to send her an owl," she murmured. There was a slightly awkward silence.
"We'd better start heading back to the castle," Lily said as she finished her butterbeer and set down the mug.
"Rien, why don't you come with us? We can see if you can stay at the castle," Guinivere suggested. Rien shook his head.
"Don't worry," he said. "I'll see if I can get a room here and then you can visit next time. I probably won't be heading back for a fair while." Guinivere nodded and stood up.
"It was great seeing you again," she said. He nodded and waved as she, Lily, Sirius and James began to head for the door.
"I don't like him," Sirius muttered to James as they walked a fair way behind the girls. "I mean, he's 16 and he just flies up to see her?"
"I agree, it is a little suspicious," James said. "But he seems alright otherwise."
A/N: and so Rien enters the picture. As with Guin, there's more to him than meets the eye but I'll tell you one thing - he isn't a selkie. Sorry it took me so long to get up. mesa just lazy. anyway, on with reviewing the reviews!
Hippielover459: once again, to the point. heh, thanks, as ever, for reviewing!
IamSiriusgrl: thanx, i think i'll go with late june-early july. more time to work with!
elise bentwin: heh heh heh, that was my fave part of the chapter!
Red-Devil15: thanx but i'm going with late june. but thanx for reviewing!
felix: heh, thanx for reviewing. next time, review with your account - I still can't find it!