Sorry for the shortness of the chapter! I have a few announcements;
1) I really appreciate the reviews and feedback all of you guys are giving me! Keep it up!
2) I am going to open up a submission contest. Create a character, a short scene, or a plot point that you think will be cool, and the top five will be put into the story at some point, while characters may become permanent members of the cast.
3) I own nothing!
Thanks alot!
Knockturn Alley had changed. The streets, once covered in filth, were now clean. The storefronts, once coverd in shattered windows and tattered signs were now in a state of relative good repair, although the dark colors of the alley still remained. Crowds now moved through the alley, not solitary cloaked figures cautiously making illicit deals in the shadows. Artemis's investment had been a good one Butler reflected. Under the monicker of Mr. Turlub, Butler had purchased every last piece of property in Knockturn Alley as the representative of The Employer, the alias Artemis had chosen to operate under in matters of business. Artemis and the Gringotts Board had agreed that Artemis should avoid showing his face to the Alley's denizens, as the boy genius's new tenants would be unlikely to follow a teenager. So Butler was the voice of the Employer, the one who would manage the day to day in Knockturn Alley. He had executed Artemis's orders to the letter, cleaning up the small city, investing money and revitalizing the businesses of the Alley, and most importantly, creating a legend amongst the criminal community. He gathered a group of criminals together, both with promises of money and power, and terrible retribution. In a single week of violence, Butler removed the biggest names in the alleys, and subjugated their gangs. Guns worked rather well against wizards. He had taken up residence in a decrepit church at the very end of the alleys, and under Artemis's instruction, had magical defenses and wards placed around the church. Butler smiled, satisfied with his work, as he walked down the street. Several of the men now working for the Employer followed him at a discreet distance, moving through the clusters of people on either side of the street.
"Ey! Shift arse there!" snapped a voice behind him. Butler turned. A short, very fat man was standing behind him, two brutish looking thugs at either shoulder.
"Can I help you?" Butler asked, his voice dangerously soft.
"You can get the 'ell outta me way!" the short man snarled. "You know 'oo I am? I'm de biggest man in this part of the alleys."
"Really? Then let me let you in on a little secret..." Butler leaned forwards until he was face to face with the man. "My Employer owns all of the alleys. He owns the shops, he owns the houses, he owns the pubs, he owns the very street you stand on. You are nothing little man, just a speck of dust under my Employer's fingernails."
"Employer? Did ya..."
"You've heard of him?"
"Oh Merlin..." the short man's bodyguards fled. They made it four yards before two flashes of light flew out the crowd that had gathered to watch the confrontation, and the duo fell to the ground.
"I...I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to..urk!" Butler raised the man into the air with one hand, his grip tightening around the fat man's throat.
"Domivilius Nott. Youngest of the Nott family. Death Eater, criminal, and traitor to the ministry. It seems our friend here served with one Lord Voldemort during the last wizard war!" Butler called. Several people jeered, others spat. "Why are you still here if your master is dead Domivilius?"
"I neva!"
"You did! You abused the power of a greater monster than yourself to rule these alleys. You committed rape, torture, murder, and theft against these people you now see around you. But times have changed Mr. Nott. The monster in these alleys is not some dark lord. Knockturn Alley belongs to the Employer now. The Employer would agree with me when I say that it is high time these people took back what you stole from them." Turning to the crowd, Butler roared "Who wants him?" He hurled the man into the crowd, which parted to let the fat wizard collide with the side walk.
"Get im!" The last Butler saw of Nott, he was fleeing a mob of very angry looking witches and wizards.
"When they're done with him, take his body to the ministry. Tell them that you killed a Death Eater." Butler growled at the few men who had not run after Domivilius.
"Mr. Turlub." the men nodded and apparated away. Butler whistled Beethoven as he continued his walk down the street.
Lucius Malfoy growled irritably as he saw the familiar silhouette of an owl at the window of his study. Waving his wand at the window, he let the owl in. The massive bird fluttered across to Mr. Malfoy's desk, then held out a leg. Malfoy detached the letter and opened it.
Mr Lucius Malfoy,
As a new entrant into the Wizarding political community and wizarding society in general, I felt that it was necessary that I seek the wisdom of a man whose experience in such matters is second to none. I would be honored if you could find a time to meet with me for lunch say this Sunday next. Enclosed is a portkey to the Fowl Manor.
Humbly yours,
Artemis Fowl the Second
Lucius leaned back. He remembered Fowl. The boy at Gringotts with the monster Manservant. The boy whom the goblins fawned over, and who had had two ministers for magic and the entire board of directors of Gringotts over for dinner.
Mr. Artemis Fowl II,
My dear boy, it would be a pleasure to aid you in entering into the upper circles of Wizarding society. The approaching Sunday is quite acceptable. I shall see you at noon.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
He resealed the envelope but stopped when the owl stepped on his hand and looked down at the envelope and then him. Ah of course, the portkey. Malfoy turned over the envelope, and a solitary .45 round fell out of the paper.
Draco Malfoy snarled angrily as Fowl brushed past him as the Slytherins left their Transfiguration class. Fifty points in a single lesson. Fowl had been the first and so far only student to perform every transfiguration McGonagall assigned them perfectly and on the first attempt. He had stolen Slytherin house from Draco practically over night. Even Crabbe and Goyle had started following around Fowl. That damned suit, the carelessly combed hair, the air of majestic superiority, the easy brilliance, everything about Fowl oozed power in a way that Draco could never even dream of emulating. The second year Slytherins were in awe of Artemis, and even the seventh years treated him as an equal. Draco stomped past a group of first years, who fled when he shot them an angry look. Draco didn't pay attention to where he was going until he found himself in the library.
"What are you doing here Malfoy?"
Draco turned. Potter and Granger were standing behind him, watching him suspiciously.
"I have every right to use the library if I wish." Draco snapped.
"Yes, but you can't disturb everyone's studying with your angry muttering!" Hermione retorted.
"I was not muttering!"
"Yes you were, something about Fowl and how much of a git he is."
"Grahh!" Draco snarled. "I don't understand how he does it! it's not like he works at anything! His grades, perfect! His clothes, perfect! He's wealthy, he's clearly powerful, but no one knows a thing about him! What the hell is he!"
"Keep it down Malfoy, you'll get us kicked out of the library." Hermione hissed. Draco paused. He hadn't realized he had been shouting. "Besides, I know stuff about the Fowls."
"You know something about Fowl's family? How could you possibly know anything about a wizarding family?" Draco sneered.
"Because he's not from a wizarding family you git. He's muggle born, just like me."
"He is? Then why is he in Slytherin?"
"Because Salazar Slytherin wanted powerful, scheming, ruthless, brilliant, bastards in his house. Artemis Fowl is a classic Slytherin, as is his family. Old family, very wealthy, very powerful, and once crossed, absolutely ruthless."
"How do you know all this Granger?" Malfoy asked.
"He was in the muggle papers a few years back. A series of murders occurred that the English muggle police thought they could connect him with the crime. The police who were investigating the crimes went missing, as did all the evidence. Fowl never saw the inside of a court room."