((Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, though I do have all seven books. YAY BOOKS!))

James scowled at me. I didn't make any eye contact as we ambled down to the team locker rooms for practice.

"Okay, now I know something's up with you, Artemis," he started. "It's like you just don't care anymore. Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, really. I'm just having a really crappy week is all." I still avoided his eyes, even as he snorted in disbelief. "Really, I mean it! I don't know what's wrong with me this week. It's like, like Merlin waved his wand and said, 'Let Artemis go crazy this week!' And now here we are, and my week is turning to shit."

James shook his head and glared at me. "Listen, Artemis, I know this goes against, well, as you put it, Merlin; but I need you to mind yourself. Any more detentions and you'll have made the world record for most detentions earned in a forty-eight hour period. While that is an admirable goal, I can't have my chaser in detention for the next month and a half."

I nodded and rubbed my eyes, trying to wipe the exhaustion from the worst day in the history of my life away before practice. "Yeah. Mind myself."

"And if you make any more enemies, you'll wake up dead in your sleep. So just, please, please, just try to behave for a while?"

"You got it, Captain," I muttered, nodding. James didn't look at all relieved, however; he just gave me a frustrated look as we went to our separate locker rooms, men to the left, women to the right. Silvia and Terry Ralph, sisters from fifth and fourth year, keeper and beater, respectively, gave me curious looks as I came in.

"What?" I asked as they quickly looked away from me.

"Er, nothing, we were just, er, nothing," Terry stuttered, giving her sister a pleading look.

"Actually, we were wondering what's up with you? Sirius says your Slytherin blood's kicking in." I froze as I went to grab my Quidditch gear.

"Slytherin blood?"

"Yeah. Says that your whole family's part of Slytherin; says you're related to him."

I gaped at her, and then realized suddenly that if I stood frozen like I was, they'd probably believe Sirius. So I forced my face into what I hoped was an amused look, pushing my body to move and perform actions that were mostly normal. "Black doesn't know what he's talking about. Me? Related to Slytherin?"

Terry gave me a surprised look, and Silvia looked at me with suspicion. I wondered if Sirius had had any proof when he had told them; after all, I really was related to Slytherin through my father. If Sirius had proof, maybe they were testing me somehow? If they knew that I was lying, they didn't say anything, instead returning to changing into their practice gear. When we joined the guys on the field, however, they were almost instantly next to Sirius, whispering to him frantically. I did my best to ignore them, but once we got on our brooms, the task got considerably harder.

Because they were ignoring me. All of them were; well, except for James, who rolled his eyes every time Sirius refused to pass me the quaffle, every time one of the Beaters "accidentally" aimed a bludger at me, and every time I started yelling and screaming at the lot of them that I was a part of the team. By the end of practice, I was bruised from the few bludger "accidents" that had made contact (I'd avoided most of them, but a few got past my defenses), and the entire team was shooting me looks of loathing. As we congregated in the locker rooms for the after practice meeting, I prepared myself to inquiry as to the reason for the nasty expressions, but James interrupted me.

"Er, Artemis, do you think you could take the equipment to the shed?" He gave me a look that was really quite easy to decipher. They were going to be talking about me, and James didn't want me present.

I was careful not to show any sign that I'd figured so much out, and I nodded, backtracking to the crate of balls and charming it to levitate while I walked behind it. Not the way to build up muscles, but it was a ton faster. When I reached the shed, I wondered if I should take my time going back, or if I should rush to catch the last of whatever was being said about me. I decided on the former. More than likely I would hear about it all later, either when Sirius decided to use it against me or when James decided to warn me. So I meandered a bit as I headed back, waving at Hagrid, the groundskeeper, as he headed up to the castle for dinner. I reached the locker rooms as everyone else headed out, giving me malicious grins as they passed me. They were all changed back to their normal clothes. James nodded to me as I approached.

"I'll wait for you while you change, Artemis. I need to talk to you about something." I felt a nervous twinge in my stomach. Something about the look on James' face made me feel apprehensive. I nodded and passed him into the girls' locker room, quickly changing and stuffing my gear into my bag. When I hurried out James gave me a surprised look.

"That was fast. Silvia and Terry always take forever."

"That's cause they always have to put their make-up on and do their hair and crap. I don't bother with that stuff." James gave me a skeptical look. "Really, I don't. I don't see any point in it, 'cept maybe to hide the real me. Stupid, don't you think?"

"Er, I guess so? Some girls need it though. Like that girl in Slytherin, the fifth year." He shivered. "Gives me the willies just thinking 'bout her."

I laughed and James shivered again, which really set me on my toes. James was obviously nervous himself, which he usually wasn't, unless Lily was in an especially bad mood. "Something wrong, James?"

"Er, no! Well, maybe." James scuffed his shoes in the dirt, giving his shoes an angry look and folding his arms firmly across his chest. Finally he sighed and looked back at me with big hazel eyes. "Artemis, you know you're like a little sister to me, even though I've never had a sister, or a brother for that matter, but that's beside the point. You really are though, like a sister, I mean. Even though we're not related, but we sort of are, since we're both Gryffindors and chasers and all. I mean, that counts for something, right?" I stared at him as he continued to babble about how we weren't related but he felt like we were kin. After a few minutes of him talking about how someday, when he married Lily, I was going to be there and he would be at my wedding to Si-er-omeone, I rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to get to your point anytime soon?"

"And when we have little babies—" James stopped mid-sentence; I wondered briefly what the hell he was talking about, but settled for shaking my head and giving him an impatient look. "Er... right, sorry. I guess, what I'm trying to say is, I really, really don't want to say this. The team... the team thinks you've been acting really weird lately. Sirius is putting things into their heads too, but really, they've all just started to think you're cracking and turning into a nutter." He paused, staring at me wide eyed, almost as if trying to figure out how I was taking it. I gazed back at him with an indifferent look, but inside the anger was boiling up. "Er, they took a vote, and over half, er, about four of them, to be exact, want you off the team..." He paused again, but to both our astonishment, the anger didn't spill over. Instead it seemed to go cold, freezing in my chest. "They, er, they said they don't really trust you, but they don't understand. We all agreed that, er, until you change your attitude, or you at least tell us what the hell's wrong with you, you're suspended from the team." His gaze had returned to his shoes, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"I see." Just like that morning, there was no anger in my voice; in fact, there was no emotion at all. James gave me a hopeful expression.

"I know you love Quidditch. You're the best hope for us: you, Sirius, and I are the best chaser team in the school. We'll lose without you. You'll tell me what's going on, right? For the team?" He sounded almost pleading, like he was down on his knees begging, without actually being on his knees. And still, no emotion was prevalent in my conscious mind. Just guilt. Slowly I shook my head. I suppose in his mind, it was like I was betraying my own brother. It almost seemed like it to me too.

"I can't. I'm sorry James." I sighed. "I'm sorry. I guess... I guess I just have to live with it."

"Live with what?"

"Nothing. We should go up to the castle, then. If that's all you wanted to say?" James nodded slowly, as if he were being tortured. When we reached the common room, we went our separate ways, heading to our dorms then down to dinner. I avoided all of my teammates, er, former teammates, sitting with my friends as I normally did. My head was completely empty of thought, and I didn't join in any conversations, which seemed to concern Lily the most; she didn't say anything, however, just continuously shot me worried looks while she chatted with Olivia and Mira.

After dinner, however, I wasn't quite as fortunate. We were up in the dorms; I planned on an early bedtime tonight, if only to avoid everyone. Lily was preparing to patrol the castle as Head Girl; she was still aiming strange looks at me. I yawned, just about to jump onto my bed, when Lily spoke.

"You feeling alright? You seemed rather quiet at dinner."

I arranged my face into a placid expression. "Er, yeah, just thinking about practice."

"Oh... how was it? Practice, I mean? Learn any fancy new tricks?"

"No." I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her I'd been kicked off the team; after all, she, along with the rest of the school, would probably know soon enough anyways. "Er, I'm not on the team anymore." I jumped when something glass smashed, looking wildly around the room for the source. Lily, when I'd spoke, had dropped a vial of perfume in shock. She uttered a quick reparo and refilled the vial, nearly breaking it again when she tossed it at her make-up bag.

"What do you mean? Did Potter kick you off?" she asked angrily, already turning for the stairs, presumably to give James a piece of her mind.

"No! Well, sort of, I guess. It wasn't really his decision... it was a team vote." Lily's mouth had dropped open.

"What? Why? After four years, you'd think you'd be invaluable to the team! Without you, they'll probably lose!"

I blushed and shrugged. "Oh, I'm not that great, Lily. We're a good team, that's all. They just think I've been acting a little weird. I guess they think my, er, 'attitude' will mess up the team. I think they're right, though. If we're not all on good terms, there's no way we'll win anyways."

Lily's face was turning pink, always a good indicator of anger. "They kicked you off because of your attitude? That's ridiculous! I know you've been acting very strange, but you certainly don't have an attitude, at least, not any more than you always do! If anyone's got an attitude, it's Black! And maybe O'hare, he's got an attitude too. But you? You've always had an attitude, and it's never been a problem before!"

I shrugged again, even though I silently agreed with her. "It's alright, Lily, really. It's not like it's that big a deal. I can live with it." Lily snorted. "I can! 'Snot like I've been kicked out of school or out into the streets or anything. It's just a Quidditch team." My insides squirmed a little as I realized just how much of a lie I was telling. I might be able to live with it, if only because it was my own damn fault for acting so weird and for having the inability to swallow my pride, but it was going to be torture, especially when I had to deal with my own stupidity. Quidditch was the one thing that completely put my mind at rest; everyone knew that because the only time Sirius and I didn't argue and fight incessantly was when we were on our brooms as teammates. Without it, my Slytherin blood probably really would come out.

"Well... if you're sure it's alright. Really, though!" Lily fumed a little more, silently, but still looking like a raging wild fire. "Night, then."

"'Night."

To my great surprise, I fell asleep quite fast. If only I could say I stayed asleep.

***~~~***

"You know, Sirius, usually I'd be all for a great joke, a wonderful prank; but don't you think you're going a bit far? I know what she did was pretty bad—"

"Pretty bad?" Sirius exclaimed. "Pretty bad? Prongs, it was worse than pretty bad! It was terrible! She turned me into a skunk! And not just a skunk, she turned me into a hairless, asexual skunk! It was inhumane!" He shivered emphatically, stressing the fact.

"Pads, I know, but don't you think this is going a little overboard? Really, it's almost bordering on cruel." James gave his friend an anxious look. "I won't do it. I might be your best mate, but she's like a sister if I ever had one."

Sirius scowled. "But Prongs—"

"No! If you really have to, ask Pete, or Remus. Remus'll probably feel the same way as me, but Pete might do it."

"But—"

"No, Pads! I already had to suspend her from Quidditch!" James shuddered. "Personally, I think that ought to be torturous enough."

Sirius was a little surprised by a twinge of guilt. If he'd been separated from Quidditch... he shook his head frantically. It was a thought too terrible to contemplate. "Fine, I'll ask Moony. And I'll lay off her... a little."

The two boys walked in silence up from dinner. As they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, James spoke once again.

"You know, it was sort of funny. What she did, I mean." He shook his head. "I can't believe you were trying to force her to pretend to be your girlfriend. I mean, you hate her, remember? Ever since first year? Just because she's a Gaunt and she's related to Salazar Slytherin? Nova Vita," he added, and the Fat Lady's portrait swung forward.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "She tried to lie about it, you know? To Terry and Silvia in the locker rooms."

"Well, duh. I wouldn't want that getting around Gryffindor. You have no heart, Pads."

Another twinge of guilt shuddered through Sirius. "Thanks," he muttered sarcastically as they crawled through the portrait hole, only to be greeted by his favorite pain in the arse, Melanie Jordan.

"Sirius! There you are!" Melanie's hands were clasped together and she smiled at Sirius seductively, to which he responded with a roll of his eyes. "Poor Sirius, I heard about what that dreadful Gaunt did to you this morning! You poor baby!" She jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug.

"Get off," Sirius snapped, doing his best to slip from her grip. "You're like a bloody leech." Melanie stared at him with big eyes, false tears brimming. Sirius grimaced as another odd wave of guilt swept through him. "Er, don't cry, Mel, I didn't mean to yell." Sirius desperately looked around at James. 'Help me!' he mouthed wildly as Melanie smiled widely at him.

"Oh, okay, baby, I'll forgive you," she whispered. "But only on one condition..." Sirius grimaced and gave James a pleading look as she ran her hand down his side.

"Er, Sirius, we have to go, erm, finish up that transfiguration homework. You know how Remus gets when we don't finish our work on time." He laughed and grabbed Sirius' arm, pulling him away from Melanie and towards the boys' dormitory. "See you around, Melanie!"

Remus looked up from his book as the two crowded hastily through the door, pulling it closed after them, one of his eyebrows quirked in curiosity.

"You two look like you've just escaped from a stampeding herd of hippogriffs."

"What about hippogriffs?" Peter squeaked, appearing from under his bed.

"Not a hippogriff. I'd say more like a manticore, or maybe a dementor."

"Who are we talking about?" Remus asked James, wishing to get to the point so that he could get back to his book. "Artemis or Melanie?"

"Melanie. Jumped him at the portrait hole," James said as he headed for his bed.

"Ah." Remus nodded and returned to his book.

Sirius snorted. "She won't take a damn hint. I've told her to bugger off a thousand times, and she still hangs on to me like a bloody leech."

"I know, mate, I know," James muttered as Pete dove under his bed again. "Wormtail, what are you doing?"

"He's looking for his socks. And his shoes... and his tie. They seem to be missing," Remus answered, without looking up from his book. James rolled his eyes.

"Wasn't it his underwear last year?" Remus nodded. "Didn't ever find those, did we? Not that I really wanted to. I wonder where they ended up, though." Remus and Sirius both shrugged. Pete's underwear had gone on a wild rampage the previous year. Sirius had the sneaking suspicion that they were nested in the dungeons, under Slughorn's desk, but he honestly hoped that no one ever found them. He pitied anyone who did. "Aw, well."

"Hey, Moony, you up for a little prank?" Sirius asked, changing the subject. He really didn't like to discuss the subject of Peter's undergarments. Remus seemed to be slightly interested, as he slowly glanced up from his novel.

"What and on whom?"

"Guess," James commanded, giving Sirius an exasperated look. Sirius responded with a roll of his eyes.

"Artemis," Remus answered without hesitation. Sirius scowled and opened his mouth to explain. "No."

"What? Why not?"

"Well, I rather enjoy her company, and when your pranks involve her, they tend to be a bit, er, cruel."

"Come on, Moony, you sound like Prongs. What do you mean you enjoy her company? She's a bloody—"

"I mean that I like talking to her because, unlike you lot, she actually says intelligent things. She's quite smart. She even noticed that I'm not looking too well today..." Sirius interrupted him. Remus sighed.

"She's got it coming anyways, you saw what she did this morning."

"It seemed to me that you had it coming. I can't believe you—"

"Alright, alright!" Sirius yelled, a little tired of all the lectures. "How 'bout you, Wormtail? Want to help me out?" Peter's head poked out from underneath his bed, his face glowing. He nodded emphatically before letting out a small shriek and being dragged back under the bed.

"That would be his tie," Remus said, once again returning to his book. James and Sirius both shrugged and started getting ready for bed.