The Family Name Year Four
By Elbereth in April
Chapter 10
December came in with cold wind. Artemis seriously debated skipping COMC class, which would be filled with not only freezing weather but ugly, dangerous, six-foot long Blast Ended Skrewts. In the end he joined the other shivering, complaining Slytherins in a huddle at the outer edges of the milling students in the pumpkin patch.
Hagrid had decided to test whether skrewts hibernated by having the students herd them into boxes. The skrewts did not appreciate this. They fought back with fire, stings, and suckers. "Sod this," Malfoy announced, pushing his way through the crowd and into Hagrid's cabin. The rest of the Slytherins and quite a number of the Gryffindors promptly followed.
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle watched through the windows as Hagrid and the intrepid few who were left tried to deal with the beasts. "Check it out," Draco called to Pansy and Millie near the end of class. "It's that reporter, Rita Skeeter."
Skeeter came sidling up to the garden fence in a bright purple coat, quill at the ready. She began talking to Hagrid.
"That's going to be trouble," Millicent said.
"For Hagrid, at any rate," Pansy agreed with satisfaction.
"And possibly Potter," Malfoy added, unable to stop his own surge of satisfaction, and not particularly trying.
"Is Potter smart enough to tell her to begone?"
They watched. But she only said a couple of words to Potter. She was focusing on Hagrid. "What do you suppose that's all about?"
"She's just trying to stir up trouble any way she can," Malfoy said. "Hagrid's a good target."
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Harry stopped Artemis outside Charms class. "I asked Diggory if Moody had approached him to help," he reported in a low voice. "He said no. he was quite appalled by the idea, actually."
"Did you tell him Moody approached you?"
"Yes. He, um, assumed I refused, I think. I didn't tell him otherwise." Potter flushed.
"Good," Artemis replied absently.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to see Sprout and Flitwick making hay!"
Both boys' heads whipped around. "Did that suit of armor just sing…"
The boys walked up to the object in question.
"They've all been enchanted to sing carols for Christmas," Artemis stated, "but they don't all know the words. Still , I wouldn't have thought…"
"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and boils on your rear!"
"That's Peeves!" Potter kicked the armor in the leg.
"Potter, Potter, what a rotter…" Peeves sang loudly.
"Come out of there and be quiet!" Potter yelled back.
"Silver bells, Potter smells…"
"How's come he's not singing about you?" Harry turned on Fowl indignantly.
Artemis raised an eyebrow and called out, "Shall I fetch the Bloody Baron then?"
Peeves fell silent.
"Silent knight, holy knight, __ __ calm, armor's bright," the suit of armor sang.
"Huh," Potter said.
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December 3rd, Artemis got a letter from his parents saying they were looking forward to seeing him over the holidays. It should have been a cheering sort of letter. But it wasn't. It wasn't what was said; it was the unsaid, implied—a careless word here, an adjective there. The end result was a moody, brooding Artemis Fowl, reminded once again that his father did not like magic or think much of those who practiced it.
"Do you want to study together tonight?" Hermione asked after Ancient Runes as she was packing her books away.
"No," he answered shortly.
Hermione frowned. "Oh. All right. Do you want—"
"I think I need some space," he told her with an arrogant drawl not unlike Malfoy's. "We've been spending too much time together lately. I'm losing my focus."
"Focus? On what?"
"What's important."
Hermione was rapidly becoming angry. "Important? I'm not important, you're saying."
He gave her an intense stare. She had to forcibly prevent herself from squirming. She felt like a lower life-form under a microscope.
Artemis didn't let himself reflect on what he was about to do. "Hermione, you're a nice girl. But I think we're awfully young to have gotten into so serious a relationship. Some time apart would be good for both of us."
The anger was giving way to numb shock. "Are you breaking up with me?" And in the middle of the Ancient Runes classroom? Surrounded by other teenagers trying to subtly eavesdrop?
In the end, his father was more important than any girl. The only way to impress his father was to produce gold. He had to spend every last spare moment and ounce of energy on perfecting his alchemy. "I guess so."
'I will not cry,' Hermione told herself determinedly, even as her eyes tried to water up. "If that's how you want it," she said, proud when her voice didn't waver.
Artemis nodded firmly, picked up his bag, and left, wanting out of the uncomfortable situation.
Padma looked over at Hermione sympathetically. "What a wanker."
Hermione burst into tears.
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When Artemis sat down for supper, he was met with stares by every single one of his Yearmates. "What?"
"You broke up with Granger?" Blaise asked.
Carefully checking to make sure his expression was calm and neutral, Artemis answered, "Yes."
"Does that mean we can stop being nice to her?" Pansy asked hopefully.
"When have you ever been?" Millie murmured for her friend's ears only. They both stifled grins.
Draco slapped his hands down on the table on either side of his plate. "You broke up with Granger? Fowl, you are a complete pillock!"
Up shot one of Artemis's eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me!"
Vince shifted uncomfortably. "I think we're just all curious as to why."
"Why would that be anyone's business?" Artemis asked, lifting a green bean-laden fork.
"Because we were involved in getting you two together! Now we feel like—like failures," Marie complained.
That argument actually had a certain validity, Artemis thought.
"Plus we thought you two were happy. We want to make sure you're okay."
Up went the other eyebrow. "I'm fine. Don't I look fine?"
"Well, yes…"
"I hardly think I'd have broken up with her if I thought I would be unhappy."
"Fowl, you are so dense," Draco said, halfway between a growl and a grimace.
"I don't believe you have the right to talk to me that way." Artemis put the fork down still untouched, struggling to keep an even tone.
Draco shook his head.
"Why did you break up with her then?" Greg interrupted, trying to derail the escalating argument.
"She's a nice girl," Artemis sighed, realizing his friends would just hound him until he gave some kind of answer. "I just feel our lives are taking us in different directions and we are no longer compatible."
"I heard you needed space," Millie put in.
"You broke up with her in public. In a room full of people. That was kind of harsh, even for a Slytherin," Zabini said.
"I hadn't anticipated that so many people would find my relationship so interesting," Artemis grumbled.
"Oh, Artemis." It was Marie's turn to just shake her head. "You are wealthy, highly intelligent, and fairly good-looking. You are considered quite a catch, especially among Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Lots of people pay attention to you—gossip about you. You are headline newsworthy."
Artemis blinked. "Oh."
"Then there's Granger. No money or connections—except to Potter. Which, if he plays it right, may very well be the connection someday, if one wants power. It pains me to say, but she's quite a source of speculation herself."
"Plus, she's intelligent, too. She could be Minister someday," Blaise added.
"Not good-looking, though," Pansy put in snidely. "And she's not interested in power herself. She won't be going into politics, anyway. Librarian, maybe."
"You're forgetting HELP. She's more interested in politics than you'd think."
"I think we've gotten slightly off track here," Eva said, waving a piece of bread carelessly. "So Artemis decided he and his girlfriend were getting too serious. That kind of thing happens. He's right, we're young yet. We should be playing the field."
"I don't want to play the field." Artemis swallowed his bite of lamb quickly. "I want to concentrate on academic pursuits."
"See, he has ambitions," Pansy said with a smile. "If he wants to, say—invent a new potion by the time he graduates—or perfect high level spells—he needs to time to—like you said, pursue things. And a woman who understands that."
"I don't need a woman at this time," Artemis insisted firmly, worried his classmates would try to set him up again.
"You're going to regret it," Draco said just as firmly.
Artemis glared at him. "Just leave it, Malfoy."
"What did Butler have to say?" Draco asked sweetly.
Butler had given him a very disapproving look indeed. Artemis very consciously did not fidget, but his jaw tightened.
"Uh huh." Draco nodded triumphantly.
"I don't need your opinion, Malfoy, and I certainly didn't ask for it."
"You never ask anyone's opinions, that's part of your problem."
Artemis's glare turned darker. "I don't have a problem."
"Course not, not you. You've never made a mistake in your life." Draco made a scornful sort of noise, continuing to calmly eat his dish of apple cobbler.
Draco's calm, as much as anything, was making Artemis more and more annoyed. Artemis deliberately relaxed all his muscles and took a deep breath. He'd done what he had to do. He wasn't going to let anyone rattle him now. "Let's all just drop this conversation."
Zabini nodded quickly. "Right. We didn't mean to all—you know, attack you, anyway."
"But if you change your mind about wanting to date, let us know so we can set you up with someone suitable this time," Pansy added, dimpling when she smiled.
Artemis regarded her warily. "I won't be. But thank you."
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As Ginny entered the Common Room, talking to Paul, she spotted Hermione sitting huddled forlornly in one corner. She squeezed Paul's upper arm, breaking off speaking in mid-sentence. "Oh, I need to—" She indicated her friend.
Paul's eyes softened in immediate sympathy. "Of course. Go talk to her."
Ginny graced him with a last smile and hurried to sit down next to the miserable brown-haired girl. She put her arm around her. "Are you okay, Hermione?"
"No. But at least I'm not crying anymore." Her lips twitched in a self-deprecating smile. "Now I'm just—numb."
"Do you want me to hex him for you?"
That brought a real smile, though brief. "No. Trust me, Harry and Ron and the twins have already offered, but—no. Not that he wouldn't deserve it for doing it in public…"
Ginny leaned their heads together for a comforting moment.
Hermione spoke softer. "It's not like I hadn't seen trouble coming. He'd been… pulling away the last few weeks. But I still never thought that he'd actually end it!"
"You go so well together," Ginny sighed.
Hermione's face crumpled. Ginny realized her mistake. She quickly sat up straight. "Let's go down to the kitchen, grab ourselves some ice cream, and gab. We'll call him all kinds of nasty but well-deserved names…"
Hermione nodded determinedly. "I accept your proposal."
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Ron and Harry had agreed when Hermione told them they shouldn't hex Fowl, but when they saw the Slytherins waiting outside the Potions classroom the next day, Ron broke. He bounded over and had Artemis pinned against the wall before anyone was aware what was happening.
"Apologize to Hermione for breaking up with her with no warning and in front of everybody!" he yelled.
Hermione rolled her eyes, secretly feeling pleased. "Ron, I don't need you to defend me. If I wanted him cursed, I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself."
Artemis met Ron's eyes. "Let me up, Weasley. Now."
"Apologize to her!" Ron had his arm across Artemis's chest, leaning all his weight against it.
Artemis sighed and drew his wand from his pocket, angling the tip until it poked Ron in the belly. "Let me up or I'll put you in a full-body bind."
Blaise stepped forward, prepared to help Artemis if necessary. Potter moved closer, too, prepared to take on Zabini.
Draco laughed. "Go on! I'd like to see the show."
Ron glanced back at Malfoy. "Shut up!"
"Petrificus…" Artemis started.
Potter was already chanting a counter-curse. "Finite…"
Hermione rushed forward and grabbed both of their arms. "No spells! Ron!"
"Don't defend him, Hermione! He's always hiding behind you!"
"Excuse me?" Artemis stopped his spell and raised an eyebrow. "When did this allegedly take place?"
"Just…listen to him," Ron snarled. "What did you ever see in him? He's just a dirty, cowardly Slytherin!"
Every Slytherin present either shuffled forward or drew their wand or glared and readied themselves in case. "Care to repeat that, Weasley?" Draco asked in a dangerous tone.
The Gryffindors naturally responded to the threat.
Hermione threw up her hands. "You are all ridiculous! Ron, if you don't let him up right now, I'm letting Crabbe and Goyle pull you off, understand?"
Ron threw her an outraged glare. The two henchmen grinned widely. Ron reluctantly stepped back. They frowned in disappointment.
"Now everybody just relax and put your wand away!" she commanded, fists on hips, scowling at both sides equally. And when they hesitated, "I mean it, the first person who throws a spell I will hex with permanent chronic diarrhea, I don't care who you are!"
The Gryffindors looked at her with shock. Draco started to laugh deeply. "Stand down, gang," he managed between chuckles. "That's a serious threat."
Zabini and Bulstrode's lips quirked up. "I'll say."
With the Slytherins withdrawing, the Gryffindors did as well, both sides once again retreating to their own section of wall.
Then to everyone's surprise, Artemis straightened and dusted off his robe, then stepped straight up to Hermione. "He was right about one thing, though," Artemis said to her. "It was insensitive of me to dissolve our relationship in such a setting, and for that I am sorry." Public breakup equaled public apology, Artemis thought. Only fair. Butler had made him see that.
Hermione's head tilted a bit as she studied him. He seemed honestly sincere. Knowing Artemis, and his lack of awareness about emotional things, he really just hadn't thought it through.
"Apology accepted."
He smiled. "Good." Then he took his place back by the door, waiting for class seemingly without a care in the world.
"That's it?" Harry looked back and forth between them.
Hermione shrugged. "What else is there to say?" It was certainly no good getting emotional. That wasn't likely to get her boyfriend back. If she wanted him back. She and Ginny had been unable to decide yesterday during their ice cream and pity fest.
Draco smirked, looking at Blaise. "Bit of a let-down, isn't it?"
The rest of the wait passed awkwardly but without major incident. Both groups kept eyeing each other, and there was a great deal of muttering on the Slytherin side.
The class discussion was on poisons and Draco and Pansy entertained themselves by starting a list of who was likeliest to poison who and why. It made the rounds of the classroom. When Snape finally got his hands on it as Neville was trying to pass it to Dean ("Fifteen points from Gryffindor"), the top three were Ron poisoning Artemis, the whole of Slytherin House poisoning Ron, and Draco and Harry poisoning each other.
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Saturday, Draco took the first installment of the Animagus potion. He had to drink four tablespoons a day until it was gone, which should be just after Christmas. Too bad it didn't taste better, he thought with a grimace, setting the vial down.
But once it was finished, he had only to do one last spell and then—well, then he would see exactly what form he would take. If, of course, it all went as it was supposed to.
He just hoped he was something impressive and dangerous, like—like a griffin, or a viper. It would be terrible if he turned out to be—oh, a ferret or something.
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A/N: Ok, I won't drag out the whole friendship on the rocks too much longer… however, I'm taking a vote. Who wants to see Hermione try to win Artemis back? Who wants to see her say "I've had enough, forget him"?