ElvenWulf--Did not that last chap. jus' tear your heart out! Well, get ready, cos' there's more of Remus and Co. on the way!
Thanks, by the way, to all who reviewed! Keep 'em komin', guys!
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The stage was set.
James, Sirius, and myself were in Gryffindor, and Artemis was in Slytherin. Over the next few weeks I rarely saw her, except in class. Even in class, I would push myself to take notes instead of focus on her; and it seemed to work. Charms quickly became my best subject, and potions my worst. Now, Defense Against the Dark Arts fascinated me; and, though my teacher told me I had excellent potential in the subject, one student always came out ahead of me--Artemis. She excelled in just about every subject, but she was the "Defense Queen," as James and Sirius called her. I watched in awe as she would rattle of names of various creatures, places, and people that I couldn't even begin to pronounce. And, still, every Saturday, there she was, at the Quidditch pitch. I was always inside, studying furiously or doing homework--perhaps even the occasional game of chess with Sirius or James (whom I was beginning to call my friends). But she would sit in the stands, watching players like Flint, Diggory, and Wood practice. I wondered why she avoided me. No smile in the halls and corridors, no slight giggle at one of Sirius's remarks--nothing. She would give me a helpless, empty look whenever I saw her. I even tried to smile at her; but, no, all I got was a stare, cold and heartless. Sirius and James became my constant companions, for which I was partly grateful. They kept my mind off of Artemis with menial jokes and pranks played on other people's owls and rats. I was glad that, most of the time, I didn't have to think about Artemis. I didn't even tell my mother. I told her of James and Sirius, of course, to which I got a "I'm so happy you're making friends so fast!" But I knew that there was no substitute for Artemis. She encouraged me, and taught me things; even in the little bit of time I knew her. One Friday, about six weeks or so into school, Sirius caught me, sitting in my usual cushy chair, watching Artemis out the window.
"Wotcher, Remus!"
"Hi, Sirius," I said, weakly.
"What you doin'?"
"Nothin'."
"Which is the Remus Lupin way of saying," James put in, "'I am staring at Artemis Silvermoon'."
"I am not staring."
"True," Sirius said.
"Pining, perhaps," James added.
"I am not pining!" Sirius put a hand on my shoulder. "Okay, Remus! Don't get your undies in a bunch! What's wrong?"
"Yeah, mate. We're worried about you. You've been really distant lately."
"Well, it's not Artemis," I half-lied. The other half was the moon. Though my mother had talked everything over with Dumbledore, and he had made all the necessary preparations, I was anxious to the point of nausea at the thought of my first full moon away from home. Mum had always been there before, to help me and comfort me. But now, all I had was the school Healer, Madame Poppy Pomfrey.
But that was only half of my distance.
"C'mon, Remus! All you do is stare at her," James said, a note of worry in his voice.
"I think it's the fact that she's in Slytherin," Sirius mumbled.
"I'm not at all bothered by that," I lied again.
"Remus I-Don't-Know-What-Your-Middle-Name-Is Lupin!" I had to supress a small grin at Sirius's wonderful interpretation of my name. "Not bothered, my wand!" Even James was a bit taken aback by Sirius's outburst. "You were all over each other before you two got sorted, and now, you won't so much as smile at each other!" I blinked at Sirius in disbelief. "Remus," he said, his tone softened, concern in his eyes and voice, "We just started school. You're having a miserable time. Why should Jamie and I have all the fun? C'mon, Remus. What's wrong?"
"Tell the truth," James added softly.
I caved.
"Because all she is is a liar! She told me she liked me and she gave me the imperssion that we would be friends, I mean she even said I was her friend but as soon as she gets put in Slytherin she starts ignoring me and a real friend wouldn't do that so we never must have been friends in the first place which means she LIED!" I was out of breath by the time I was done. Tears once again pushed at my eyes. All was silent for a few eternally-long moments, when, suddenly, James broke the silence. "Tell her."
"What?"
"Maybe there's something going on with her. Like, a family crisis or something. Just talk to her Remus." Then he put a hand on my arm and said quietly, "That's what a real friend would do." I had to return James's warm smile. I looked at Sirius, who was smiling as well. "Johnathan," I said with a small laugh.
"Whosiface?" James asked amusingly.
"Johnathan. Sirius I-Don't-Know-What-Your-Middle-Name-Is Black, my middle name is Johnathan. Often shortened to 'John'." And so, I grabbed my heavily patched, too-small jacket, and walked out of the portrait hole to talk to Artemis.
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ElvenWulf--I know, it was somewhat short. I was trying to get another chapter on (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, MaurauderGirl1818!) More to come soon!
