Chapter 5: Magical Solutions
The next morning, Artemis wasn't even able to stand, he was so dizzy.
He grabbed his fairy communicator and, knowing he would regret it, called Holly.
"What is it, mudboy?" Holly answered.
"I feel like death." Artemis groaned. "And I believe it has something to do-"
"With your death?" Foaly asked. "Yeah, Holly's had me looking into it."
"Any ideas, Foaly?" Artemis said.
"You're the genius who thought of bringing yourself back to life."
"And you're the fool who did it."
"Hey! I helped you."
"Any ideas?" He repeated.
"I think either you're just readjusting and it will end soon."
"Or?"
"Or you're going to die."
"That was my conclusion as well." Artemis said. "Do we have any solutions, temporary or not?"
"Don't die?" Foaly suggested.
"I'm serious."
"So am I, Fowl. That's all I've got."
"We'll figure something out, Artemis." Holly said. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I will be absolutely fine. Just find a solution, Foaly." He hung up.
He forced himself to his feet, got dressed, decided breakfast was a terrible idea, and started towards his classroom.
…
Hermione was the first one to Defense Against the Dark Arts the next morning. When she walked in, Professor Fowl was sitting at his desk, silently tapping.
"Take a seat, Miss Granger." He said.
She sat down, wishing someone else would show up.
Abruptly, he stopped his tapping and groaned, holding his hands to his chest.
She stood up. "Should I get Madam Pomfrey?"
"No. Don't." He said quickly. "I will be all right in just a moment." He seemed to be right, because after a few seconds, he laid his hands back on his desk and resumed tapping.
She sat down again just as Neville and Ginny walked in.
The class quickly filled up, and Professor Fowl was acting no odder than what seemed usual.
"Could everyone get out some paper and a pen now?" He asked.
Half the class sat in utter confusion.
He sighed. "Get a quill and paper."
When everyone had paper and a quill out, he continued. "I would like you all to write about which spell you find the most useful."
"For what?" Neville raised his hand as he asked the question.
Fowl frowned. "What's your name?"
"Neville Longbottom."
He nodded. "For living life, Mr. Longbottom. For everything you ever do."
Ginny raised her hand.
"What is it, Miss Weasley?"
"Will we actually be doing any magic in here at all?" She asked. "Because we all remember the last teacher who wouldn't let us do anything but theory."
Everyone groaned. Hermione smiled slightly.
"And what happened to them?" He asked.
Ginny grinned. "She got trampled by centaurs in the forest."
"There are centaurs in the forest?" He asked.
Everyone nodded.
"To answer your question, Miss Weasley, yes. You will be doing magic in this class."
"When?" A girl in the back asked.
"As soon as you are all done with your writing."
Hermione started writing.
…
Artemis thought of all the spells they had name before. He wanted to make them try something difficult, just to see if they could do it.
When everyone appeared to be done writing, he stood up from his desk, ignoring the burning pain in his side.
"Just turn those in on my desk when you leave." He said. "Does anyone in here know how to cast a patronus?"
A few hands were raised, including both Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger.
"Miss Weasley, show me it." He said.
She stood slowly and stepped to the empty spot in front of his desk. She closed her eyes. After a minute, she said "Expecto Patronum!"
From the tip of her wand, a silvery horse appeared. It pranced around for a moment, then disappeared again.
"Very well done, Miss Weasley." Artemis said, even though he had no idea if it had been well done at all.
She sat back down quietly, as if embarrassed.
"May I ask, Miss Weasley, what memory did you use?"
"My brother." Her voice was a bit hollow. "When my brothers opened up their shop."
Artemis nodded. "Would anyone else like to demonstrate the spell for me?"
"Why don't you do it?" Neville Longbottom asked.
"And what would be the point of that, Mr. Longbottom?"
"So we could see how to do it."
"Are you suggesting that Miss Weasley did the spell incorrectly?"
"No." Neville said. "I just-"
"Then, there is no need." Artemis probably looked pretty threatening.
At the end of class, everyone but Hermione Granger left quickly.
"Are you alright, Professor Fowl?"
He found that he was tapping again, if he had ever stopped. "I'm perfectly fine, Miss Granger."
"Are that you sure you don't need Madam Pomfrey?"
"I'm sure. I am fine." He said. "Have a good day now."
"Have a good day." She said, and left.
His heart rate increased.
Because Hermione Granger's last sentence had had four words.
And four was death.
…
That night, she and Ginny met with Ron in the fireplace again.
"I didn't get a chance to research Artemis Fowl." He said. "I finally got Harry out of bed though."
"How's he doing?" Ginny asked.
"Bloody awful." Ron said. "Not even your weird teacher excited him."
"He just needs time." Hermione said. "Things have just started going back to normal."
"Nothing's going back to normal, Hermione." Ron said. "Nothing."
"Oh, Ron-" She started.
"I'm going to bed." He snapped, and left.
"He's so frustrating." Hermione said.
"He is right though, Hermione. I don't think that normal is a thing anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the world went to crap, Hermione." Ginny sounded exhausted. "And just because Voldemort's dead doesn't mean everything got fixed. Not every problem has a magic solution."