I got this up pretty fast, I'd like to say. It is shorter than any of my other chapters, but eh. Not the most proud of it, but I'd like to say it isn't too shabby. I hope you like it though! And please review! They are always a nice incentive to keep on writing!

Blanket disclaimer, J.K Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe, not me.

Merlin. Fucking. Dammit. This. Mother. Fucking. Potato.

I stabbed at my plate angrily, attempting to spear the potato pieces served with the start of term feast. So perhaps the potato's qualms about getting eaten wasn't the only thing getting under my skin, but I became more and more irritated as the inanimate food managed to outwit me. Tycho noticed the long string of curse words escaping my usually-somewhat chaste lips. His eyes showed a mixture of confusion and amusement when I spared him a glance, however, I turned my attention back to my plate just as I finally got a hold of the elusive starch.

"Finally!" I cried, gaining many peculiar looks as I greedily ate my dinner. They were already looking anyway, they just spared me a look of confusion instead of one of sympathy.

Ever since I had arrived in the Great Hall with Tuesday and Tycho in tow, (my alliteration isn't funny, this is serious) every single person I passed erupted into a whispering fit. And just so people know, just because you whisper doesn't make it subtle. The nonchalant façade slowly started to fall, replaced by irritation. Honestly, I didn't see why it was necessary that I become the hot topic of the Hogwarts gossip. One look at my face and yes, you can see that I did in fact get attacked this summer.

You, third year Hufflepuff who is perhaps the loudest whisperer out of them all—How do you think I fucking feel about it? I seethed with irritation, their remarks becoming louder and much, much stupider as time progressed. I swear, not one person—save the first years—cared about this sorting. You know, the sorting ceremony that this feast kind of focuses on. Each time a house was called, only those dignified enough not to stare clapped.

"I think I'm going to go to bed early," I declared, finally tired of the lies after someone decided to start the rumor that I was "mauled by a flobberworm." Really? If you are going to start a rumor that no one will believe considering they've already heard the story, at least make it somewhat believable. Are flobberworms even capable of mauling? I'm ninety-nine percent sure they don't even have limbs, let alone claws to maul me with. After hearing this comment, I scowled, beginning to pick myself up from the Gryffindor table.

"Wait!" I glanced back, it was Tycho speaking. "You can't leave yet, you've barely eaten anything,"

Of course Tycho would notice this. When we were younger, probably second years, he always used to joke it would have been better if I had been born a boy. I had an appetite to match the entire seventh year Gryffindor boys', which was saying something. I chuckled inwardly at this memory. Of course, then, I had taken the comment as a joke, hearing it now from anyone other than Tycho I would have been absolutely appalled.

"I'm not hungry anyway," a lame reply, like I said, I was almost always hungry. Growing up in a household with only brothers you usually develop quite the appetite. It was either eat as much as you could and as fast as you could or suffer starvation. I glanced at Tuesday as I began to make my exit as she looked empathetic, I could tell she was chewing on her lip—a habit she developed which always told me that she was torn on her course of action. I smiled lamely—I was turning out to be quite lame tonight—hoping to ease some of the tensions. She returned the weak smile.

"Don't listen to them Artie, they led pathetic lies," If those words came out of anyone else's mouth they would have been dramatic, an attempt to make me smile. But no, Tuesday was completely and totally serious. I suppose she was right, most people in the Great Hall didn't have anything better to do, so they gossiped about my incident over the summer. Tycho nodded in agreement with Tuesday.

"Sit back down; don't let them see it get a rise out of you. Merlin only knows gals and blokes like Potter will keep it coming if they see it does," I hadn't noticed, but Tycho had grabbed my wrist while he spoke and he was attempting to gingerly tug me back down into my seat. I obliged, reluctantly at first, only to realize that my stomach had been adamantly protesting my leaving of the great hall. I nodded finally, scooping back up my eating utensils and I resumed trying to stab my potatoes.

"Haven't you ever heard of scooping?" Tycho laughed lightly, highly amused by my scowling. I looked over to him with a wicked expression but his smile just grew. "Turn your fork over," he was grabbing my wrist now, guiding the movements, I snatched my hand away.

"I know what I'm doing!" I said it playfully, and for good measure I stuck my tongue out at him. He just grinned cheekily back at me, Tuesday casually laughing behind us. I remember people used to say Tycho and I were practically dating, the way we interacted with each other. We were as comfortable with each other as we were with ourselves, we never shy-ed away when one held the other in a position that others would deem to be intimate. Because it wasn't intimate—or at least it wasn't to us. He was practically a brother to me. That was actually a really good way to put it. I was as close to Tycho as I was to Apollo or Hermes, if not closer. Everything we did was purely platonic—I hated it when people thought we should be dating just because of our closeness. It was nice to have a guy that was a friend without having to worry about messy romantic entanglements.

"Obviously you didn't, or you wouldn't have been so adamant about stabbing your food," He replied cheekily, a tone he usually only ever used with Tuesday and me. To put it lightly we were a tight group of three, we rarely got along so well with others. We acquainted ourselves with others, sure, but such a playful airiness wasn't usually in Tycho's or my own nature.

"Spooning them is the easy way out. It's for the weak," I retorted, giving him a sharp look before I greedily resumed eating. I felt a body slip into the space between myself and a fellow Gryffindor to my right. Before I looked over to the newcomer, I quickly glanced to Tuesday and Tycho. Their expressions told me the new presence probably wouldn't be welcomed.

"What's this about spooning? Are you finally declaring your desire to spoon with me Artie?"

Oh Merlin help me. Not now. I scowl was already etched on my face and the expression mingled with my evident disgust. Spooning. Ugh, I hated that word. It sounds about a million times worse than it really it, and the prospect of spooning with Potter made bile rise in my throat. My eyebrows knitted as I turned to face the bane of my existence.

He was grinning happily at me, without a care in the world. I took special notice to the captain's badge pinned to his chest, something that made my emotions burn with jealously. My mind took notice to my weak, frail arm hanging on the side of my body and I inwardly cursed. That badge should have been mine.

"Now really isn't the time Potter, go back to your idiot cousin. He's probably lost without you," Tycho and Tuesday were both tense, probably wondering if they should intervene.

"Are you implying I'm smart and Fred wouldn't make it without me?" He seemed extremely happy over that prospect.

"No, I'm insinuating that you are both morons. Just attached to the hip, I don't think I've ever seen you two apart," I actually spoke rather kindly, considering I was speaking to Potter. There was still an edge to my voice, but it wasn't laced with the usual sarcasm. Nope, I was just being blunt; inwardly praying he would chose to leave. And soon.

"I'm just going to go ahead and take that as a compliment. So thanks so much Artie! You're a moron too!" I really wish I could smack that grin of his face. "We should really do this more often Artie. Enlightening it is,"

What part of that was enlightening? What is his logic? I looked at him dumbfounded, my mouth slightly agape. I took a few moments to compose my thoughts.

"You look pretty homely with that stupid grin, kind of like a dying walrus. Didn't your mother ever tell you if you look like that for too long it'll get stuck like that?" I smiled a little bit. Even though I was talking to James Potter, I didn't feel quite right insulting him in such a way. Therefore I smiled letting him know it was just a simple joke. My soft smile was met with a wide grin, complete with teeth.

"Too late," Such a simply reply, and I don't know why, but I busted out laughing. And I mean busted. The entire great hall stopped talking at my sudden outburst, dozens of eyes wandering from their conversation to find me Artemis Gabrielle McLaggen laughing over something James Potter had said. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Tycho and Tuesday look absolutely dumbfounded, though for some reason I couldn't stop. I hadn't laughed in a while, to be completely honest. After the events of this summer everything had come crashing down. And with all the empathy people had been throwing my way I didn't have anyone to laugh with.

I finally calmed down after a few minutes to realize Potter had been laughing with me. The realization left a bitter taste in my mouth. It shouldn't have, although I didn't particularly like Potter laughing with him shouldn't have felt so foreign and wrong. Of course I didn't realize this until after the fact when the smile was wiped clean from my face and I cleared my throat.

"Er…" I didn't quite know where to go from here. Tycho and Tuesday were still gaping at me like flobbering fish, so they were rather useless. And for some odd reason Potter looked to be on cloud nine, which just unnerved me. I quickly looked from him and to my plate, feeling rather awkward after the change in events. I could just leave, a prospect that was becoming increasingly pleasing as time passed.

Fortunately, Tycho finally cleared his throat and stood from the table, Tuesday quickly following suit. As they stood, I caught a glimpse around the hall. Many students were making their way toward the dorms for the night, the heads of the houses seemed to have been long gone, escorting the first years to their respective dorms. After a moment I stood, attempting to stand gracefully. However, I had tried to move too fast and my foot caught on the bench. Before I knew it, my face was moving speedily toward the floor.

"Shite Artie, you've got to be careful," A sharp pain shot through my right arm as Potter pulled me to my feet, unknowing of the pain he was causing my ruined arm. It would have hurt less if he had just let me make contact with the floor. My face was contorted in pain though he hadn't seemed to notice—It was Tycho who stepped forward.

"Fuck Potter, let her go!" He almost shouted, ripping me away from Potter's grip though gingerly, thank Merlin for that. Once I was free I sat myself on the floor, my body suddenly feeling weak from the immense amount of pain I just felt. I nursed my arm although I knew nothing would ultimately make it feel better. Tycho was whispering something inaudible to my own ears but I didn't notice, I was solely focused on my own pain. I barely noticed Tuesday crouch beside me, muttering a few spells to help the pain. This is why it is helpful to have a best friend whose mother is a healer.

"Artie I'm—"

"Don't call me Artie," I was seething again, completely ignoring the fact that Potter had acted on impulse and was simply trying to help. It didn't matter, my arm was aching and a terrible headache had begun to overtake me. My brows furrowed as I closed my eyes, desperately wishing the pain would ebb away.

"Artemis, I'm sorry, re—"

"Tycho, can you take me to the Hospital Wing?" I slowly opened my eyes looking up to the three of them, worry written on all of their features, he nodded solemnly, reaching a hand down to aid me to my feet. I took it with my left arm, letting him pull me up with ease. I now would like to note that everyone should have an extremely buff best friend—they come in handy. I then turned to Tuesday. "Can you take my bag please?"

"Of course Artie," She smiled lightly, turning to grab my pack from it's place on the table, slinging it over her shoulder. She gave us a slight wave before she began walking toward the doors into the great hall.

"Please don't make me spend the first night back without you Artie!" She called over her shoulder, once again, most would expect this as an attempt to cheer me up, but Tuesday was once again dead serious. We don't like our roommates much. The first was Dominique Weasley, cousin to James Potter, and a squealer. I mean it. Tell her any good news and you will have the urge to rip your ears out.

"Hey, Dom, I got an O on the charms quiz,"

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhh, good for you!"

"Oh, Dom, Richard and I are finally dating!"

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhh, ah, I just knew it would happen!"

I swear that girl has the highest pitch voice and it is absolutely grating on the ears. On top of that she's a complete and total priss, apparently she's part veela and all annoying. After that we have Daisy Longbottom, daughter of Professor Longbottom, and best friends with Dominique. Let that be enough explanation in and of itself. And last but not least we have Dahlia Meyers. She's had an on again off again thing with Tycho and for some reason we've never gotten along. She always taunted me with the fact that she dates my best friend, and in her words they frequently "Get it on". The only thing that bugs me is how often she brings it up. On top of that she usually goes into great detail on how she and Tycho spent their last hour, something that neither Tuesday nor I have any intention of hearing. Long story short, Tuesday and I don't get along swimmingly with out dormmates.

"I'm just going to get some pain potions. Madame Tilly has been informed of everything…" I called after her though my words trailed off at the end, from both feeling uncomfortable discussing my new condition with James around and the fact that my yelling didn't aid my pounding headache.

"Come on Artie, let's get you to Madame Tilly, she'll have just the potion," Tycho said reassuringly, wrapping an arm around my waist in an attempt to guide me. You don't really realize how exhausted you suddenly feel after feeling an intense amount of pain. I felt physically drained, and therefore was very grateful he was there to guide me.

"I'm coming too. Artemis, I'm really sorry. I was only trying to help," I looked over to James, who was looking extremely sheepish and abashed. A light rose color had spread across his cheeks and he was running a hand nervously through his hair, a habit that has annoyed me since first year. His eyes were on the ground.

"No Potter," My voice was firm, I don't know why I rejected his proposal of coming. I knew it wasn't his fault, though subconsciously I was still probably blaming him in the whole. My eyes narrowed and I noticed he looked kind of hurt, though he shrugged.

"I'll uh, see you in the common room then, I guess it's time to go find Fred," He gave me a weak smile and a small wave, noticeably avoiding what I expected to be Tycho's stiff gaze. I curtly nodded, stepping forward and in attempt to urge Tycho's feet to lead me to the hospital wing. He obliged, and we walked away without looking back.

Yayayay, I promise we'll meet more of Tycho and Tuesday later. There will be more depth to them, I promise. And as for James, his POV is next! I think I've worked out the kinks in his character, so things should be smooth sailing from here! Oh, and for those reading Prospering, it's on a small hiatus. I've got a bit more muse for this fic, although I've got half of the next chapter complete for that one. It should be up soon! Thank you! And as always, please review!