I'm really sorry about how long it took for me to get this chapter up. I have had it sitting half-written on my computer for quite some time. Writers block and loss of interest are like my Kryptonite...
Artemis was surprised at how quickly he blended into the Hogwarts population. It took little to no time for Artemis to catch up with the other students in their studies, and he was soon the top of the class in all of his subjects and in direct competition with Hermione Granger for the title of know-it-all.
Holly began to get the hang of using magic with a wand and soon had the skill of an average student, making it easier for her to fit in in class. She told Artemis on numerous accounts that she didn't really like using the wand, but she dealt with it.
Artemis found that Defense Against the Darks Arts was his favorite subject, and even though Snape tried to make the class as difficult as possible for him, Artemis took a strange liking to the teacher with the greasy black hair. There was something about the cold, calculation of the gaze that Snape gave to people that reminded Artemis of himself.
Artemis made sure, after talking to his mother on the phone and telling her all about the amazing boarding school he was attending in Scotland, to allot time each night to studying the Harry Potter books. He wanted to be prepared for anything that was coming, and he knew that there was action coming up shortly. He wanted to make sure that he was somewhere where he could see the plotline unfold without getting hurt.
Artemis was sitting in bed reading when he heard an explosion and a scream from above. The sound of shouting and spells being fired echoed through the dormitory. Kids jumped out of bed around him, giving yelps of fright.
Artemis sat there calmly, thinking about what this meant. This battle wasn't meant to happen until next week, and this worried him. He must have tampered with the story line by putting himself in the mix and messed up the timing of events just slightly. Artemis was not prepared for the battle yet. He had wanted to make sure that he was in position to follow Snape to see exactly what happened.
Artemis pulled a cloak on over his pajamas and slipped his shoes on, heading out of the dormitory to the sounds of the battle. He had to shove his way through the throngs of students running to see what was going on, and once they had made it out of the common room he took a different direction than the other students. Artemis headed directly to Snape's quarters, hoping that he wasn't too late, and he hid behind a statue that allowed him a view of the door.
He then realized that Holly would be looking for him, and Artemis knew that if she couldn't find him she would be extremely angry. Artemis flipped the ring on his finger around and spoke into his hand.
"Holly, where are you?"
"I am looking for you, you complete dunce!" she grumbled from the other end. Artemis smiled to himself, knowing that he had predicted her reaction exactly right.
"I had to commence my plan immediately, but I am right outside Snape's office so you should be able to find me."
Holly grumbled a quick assent and Artemis ended the connection. He didn't have to wait long before Holly was right beside him.
"So what are we waiting for?" she asked looking around the deserted corridor.
"Two students will come and wait outside this door for anything to happen, and then a teacher will come and wake up Snape."
Artemis was exactly correct. Two students came jogging down the hall to keep watch at the door to Snape's office. Artemis recognized them as Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood. They stood outside the office for quite some time when Flitwick came barreling down the hall.
The small man flung himself through Snape's door and they could hear him shouting about how there were Death Eaters in the castle, and how Snape needed to help fight.
There was a bang and a crash and then silence.
Severus Snape exited the room, and for some reason he was not in his nightclothes, but was wearing his full cloak.
"Professor Flitwick has seemed to have had an accident," he told the students. "If you would please attend to him."
Even though Artemis could tell how fishy that comment sounded, the two teenagers did not question it at all and went straight into the room to help Flitwick, and Snape quickly left down the hall. Artemis and Holly made sure to follow at a safe distance.
Snape had so many papers to grade that night, and knew that there would be no time for sleep. He sat down at his desk and started on what would probably take all night. D, D, B, D, D, D...
He had no idea how much time had passed when his door was flung roughly open and Flitwick hurried inside.
The teacher began shouting about how there were Death Eaters in the castle, and that Snape was required to help.
Snape nodded and was just about to leave the room when Flitwick turned too hurriedly and slammed into a cabinet of glass jars, and a few empty jars fell heavily on his head. Flitwick collapsed to the floor in a heap, knocked out cold from the weight of the jars.
Snape would have stayed to heal the poor professor, but there were loud crashes and bangs from above. Snape stepped over Flitwick and out into the corridor.
Snape told the two girls to attend to the beat-up Professor, even though he knew they would question why he was randomly passed out on Snape's floor.
Snape hurried down the corridor to the sounds of the fighting. It sounded as if most of it was taking place in the great hall and near the entrance to the astronomy tower. Every once in a while he thought he heard footsteps behind him, but when he turned to look the corridor was completely empty.
As he made it to the place where most of the fighting was taking place he thought about what side he should appear to be fighting for. If he fought for the school's side, then the Death Eaters would question his loyalty. If he fought for the Death Eaters, then the kids would automatically call him a traitor, including a few of the teachers.
There were a few members of the Order trying to break a barrier that had formed at the entrance to the astronomy tower, and Snape realized what this was at once. This barrier was used so that only somebody with a Dark Mark on their arm could pass through it.
Snape immediately headed for this barrier and passed right through it to head up to the astronomy tower. If there were just Death Eaters up there he would like to see what they were up to. Just as he made it through, there was a large explosion as a misfired jinx hit the ceiling of the staircase and broke the barrier.
Potter was standing at the foot of the staircase to the upper level of the tower looking up at the drama that was unfolding above. Snape glanced up and saw that Draco had his wand pointed at a disarmed Dumbledore, and Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback were standing behind Draco, both looking jubilant.
Potter had just realized that Snape was standing there and looked over at him in surprise. Snape knew that tonight would be the night that he would have to fulfill the task that Dumbledore had given him. Snape knew that after tonight everybody would think him a traitor and a liar, and Potter would feel even more hatred for him than he already did.
Snape held a finger to his lips as a signal to Potter, trying to say everything in that little gesture but knowing that it was not enough. The boy just stared at him, and then looked sharply upwards as Bellatrix yelled at Draco to finish Dumbledore off.
Snape scaled the rest of the staircase and pushed himself in front of Draco. He stood there for a second, taking in the situation around him. He vaguely wondered how the Death Eaters had gotten inside the school, but didn't think much on it.
"Severus, please," whispered Dumbledore, staring Snape right in the eye, and Snape swore he saw Dumbledore's eyes twinkle like he was winking at him.
How in the world was that man still acting like they were both in on a joke when he was about to die? Dumbledore would be strange right to the end.
Snape held out his wand, and gave an internal sigh. Here goes nothing, he thought to himself.
"Avada Kedavra," Snape hissed, pointing his wand directly at Dumbledore. Dumbledore's body fell backwards over the railing and off into the night.
Snape heard Bellatrix scream in joy, but he also was aware of Potter looking at him in astonishment from below. Snape grabbed the sleeve of Draco's arm and pulled him away briskly.
Snape knew that Dumbledore had instructed him to do this, but he felt a pang of guilt as Potter began to shout at him in fury. He quickly made his way out of the astronomy tower. The people fighting at the base of the stairs were oblivious of the events that had taken place at the top of the tower and were still fighting as if it even mattered anymore.
"Stop!" shouted Snape. "It is done!" The Death Eaters immediately stopped their fighting and the Hogwarts students and staff looked around in confusion.
Snape led the procession out onto the Hogwarts grounds. Fenrir and Bellatrix were both close behind him as they walked in the direction of Hagrid's hut. They were both yelling in triumph and destroying things along the way. Bellatrix lit fire to the hut near the woods, screaming in delight as she did so.
Snape heard a small yelp of surprise and he turned to see Fenrir dragging a boy towards him.
"What are you doing?" hissed Snape, not wanting to have to deal with Fenrir.
"I just found this kid following us. I think he was spying on us!" growled Fenrir, looking like he was ready to take a bite out of the poor kid.
Snape looked closer at the boy and realized that it was Fowl. As much as the boy got on his nerves, he couldn't let Greyback make a snack of him. Fowl's eyes were wide and he looked paler than usual, which was a feat on itself. This boy was terrified.
"Put that down, you've no idea where it has been," snapped Snape, trying to avoid eye contact with Fowl.
Fenrir looked like he was going to argue, but was in too good a mood to fight with Snape. He growled furiously into Fowl's face and then threw him onto the grass. The boy didn't move, too paralyzed with fear to do anything else.
Snape made eye contact with him and Fowl nodded his head ever slightly, and Snape tilted his head in response.
They both looked up in alarm as they heard somebody roar, "SNAPE!"
Snape sighed, preparing for what was coming. Fowl scurried off and hid behind a clump of bushes, obviously still eager to watch despite being almost eaten by a werewolf. Some people just never learned.
Potter was hurrying across the ground, fury in his face and his wand held straight out at Snape.
When Potter got closer and began yelling at him in fury. "HE TRUSTED YOU!"
Snape decided to ignore this jibe. Nothing that he would say could be of any help, and convincing Potter of his innocence was out of the question.
Potter kept firing spells at him, and Snape was able to easily reflect them. Potter needed to learn to control his mind so that everything was not written clearly out for everyone to see.
"Fight back, you coward!" Potter yelled, and that was the last straw for Snape. Potter had no idea what was going on, and he always assumed that Snape was the one that was wrong.
Snape made a slashing motion with his wand, sending a whip of heat at Potter, causing him to tumble to the ground.
"Don't," Snape hissed. "Call me coward!"
He turned on his heel and began walking away, but he saw in Potters mind what he was going to do.
"Sectum-," he began, and Snape turned to stop the spell.
"You dare use my own spells against me?"
"What?"
"Your father did the same thing back when we were young. That's right, Potter, I am the Half-Blood Prince."
With that, Snape left a dejected Potter lying in the grass. He was walking out quite fine when Buckbeak, that stupid hippogriff decided to attack him. Snape ran away as fast as he could, dodging those razor-sharp talons.
Back in the bushes, Artemis was enjoying the show of his life. If he hadn't almost died this would have been a really great day.
Again, I am very sorry for how long this took. Please review so that I will be motivated to keep writing...