((A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!! I appreciate feedback! And thanks also to everyone who has continued reading.))

((Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own some chocolate milk! Yay, chocolate milk!))

Nothing of import happened again for the rest of the week, except perhaps my flaring temper almost taking out a poor bunch of first year girls when they laughed too loudly while I was doing my transfiguration. The days passed slowly, until Friday jumped on me, much to my immense relief. It wasn't going to be the best weekend of my Hogwarts school career, but it was still a weekend.

I was walking with Lily back to the common room after Arithmancy, numbers still running through my head like a raging river. Lily said something, but I didn't catch it. She sighed and gave me a glare.

"Are you going to Slughorn's party? I think you should, since your detention tomorrow is with him." I wrinkled my nose at her.

"Damn, I forgot. Not about the detention, about the party. Maybe I'll skip it. I doubt he'll notice I'm not there." Lily gave me a severe look. "Oh, come on Lily, it's just a dumb welcome back party. He can't be too upset. Besides, I've had the worst week of my life. I can't be expected to celebrate that, can I?" The look didn't fade; it did the opposite, in fact, deepening as we walked. After ten minutes of gallantly withstanding the Look, I sighed. "Oh, alright, fine, I'll go. If I have to."

"Good. I don't want to be the only Gryffindor girls seventh there. Especially since Potter's going." I rolled my eyes.

"Right, because being in the same room with him with none of us there would be absolute torture." The Look returned.

"Artemis, you act the same way about Black. It's the exact same thing, except Black doesn't confess undying love to you every time you see him." I almost gagged at the mental picture of Sirius on one knee before me. Like that would ever happen. "Black is going too." This time I did gag.

"Are you sure I can't just skip it?"

Lily rolled her eyes and passed me to enter the portrait hole. I followed her all the way to the dorms with a tortured look on my face, chucking my bag onto my bed. "It won't be that bad, Artemis. I'll keep Black away from you if you keep Potter away from me. Okay?" I sighed and nodded. "Great! Now, let's get ready! Mira can help us!" Mira gave us suspicious looks as she came into the room and heard her name. "Mira, can you do our nails? Professor Slughorn's party is tonight..."

"Oh, sure." Without another word, she hurried off to get her cosmetics and beautification products.

For the next couple hours, Mira and Lily and I fixed nails, hair, and skin, applying make-up and nail polish. As it had for the past six years, Mira's amazing fashion skills were like magic, transforming Lily and I into goddesses. Figuratively. Lily's red hair looked magnificent, curled elegantly over her shoulders, draped in bottle green dress robes, which brought out her brilliant green eyes. My own black hair was curled, though not nearly as elegantly, and my shimmering sapphire robes made my crystal blue eyes shine. Staring in the mirror, I was surprised that the woman reflected back was myself.

"Overdid it a little, don't you think?"

"It is formal, you know," Lily said, smiling at her own reflection. "I love it! Mira, you should pursue a career as a make-up and hair artist! You'd be absolutely wonderful!" Mira just smiled, but I could see how pleased she was. "If only you could do something about Potter's hair..."

I snorted. "Why are you worried about Potter's hair, Lily?" I asked jokingly.

She turned beet red. "I'm not! I don't care about Potter's hair! I don't care about Potter at all! He's so immature, messing up his hair all the time!"

I rolled my eyes. "Right, apologies." She took at deep breath and was instantly normal Lily again.

"Well then, shall we go down?"

Damn, she was scary. And yet I walked beside her as we went down to Slughorn's party, danced with her to the bouncy quick songs, sat and drank pumpkin juice with her during the slow songs. It was boring, uneventful. I wished greatly that Lily had let me miss the stupid thing, wished that she would just let me leave. We didn't see James or Sirius at all for the first half of the party. And then we did. And everything went terribly wrong.

***~~~***

"Oh, shit," Lily said suddenly, pushing herself behind me. "There's Potter; don't let him see me!" I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to James, who was indeed approaching at four o'clock. Lily let loose a feral snarl, which I responded to with an exasperated glance over my shoulder and a shake of my head. James came to a stop in front of me and suspicion rose.

"Hey Lily," James said, giving me a nod and smiling widely around me. I ignored the pair of them, dangerous since I was in between, but I was suddenly feeling quite anxious. Where was Sirius? Shouldn't he have been with James?

I didn't really catch what Lily said, but James shook his head frantically. "Of course not! I, er, I'm leaving your undergarments on." My mouth dropped open. What a time to come into a conversation. Lily's face turned red and I ducked out from between them as she pulled out her wand.

"Okay, you two, calm down; there's no need for a blood bath," I said, backing away slowly. Lily gave me a scathing look; James, looking past me, gave me a horrified one. He lurched toward me and grabbed my wrist, pulling me in the other direction and ignoring Lily's shocked expression as he said something about pumpkin juice. "Er, James, what are we doing?" I asked, glancing back and catching irritation and anxiety flit across Lily's red face.

"I just told you, we're getting some juice. Just come on, I'll tell you later," he groaned, pulling harder.

"But what about Lily?" James paused, looking back at Lily with a tortured expression.

"I just, er, I really feel bad for kicking you off the team. We've got that third year, Henry Piffle, filling your spot; he's absolutely dreadful! Please, Artemis, please? Just tell me what going on with you? You can come back on the team, and we'll win the cup, and everything will be good! What do you say, Artemis?" He looked anxiously over my shoulder, then over his own.

"You sure that's all that's bothering you, James? You seem on edge, mate."

James shifted nervously, giving his feet an uneasy look. "I'm fine, really, don't worry 'bout me." He messed up his hair like he always did, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You, er, you haven't seen Sirius, have you? No, 'course you haven't, forget I asked. Just, er, just avoid him tonight, okay? Don't pick a fight." I gave him a confused look while he smiled widely at me. "I'm going to go back and find Lily; I'll see you later, Artemis." He waved jovially and headed back the way we came, but I remained where I was, feeling again that deep sense of dread. What could Sirius have planned for me that had made James so jittery? I shivered and glanced around me warily; there was still no sign of him. I made my way towards the door, but paused when my name was called, fearing that I might see Sirius waiting for me.

"Ms. Gaunt!" Slughorn called, his mustache twitching as he approached me. "So glad to see that you could make it! I trust you had a pleasant summer?"

By this time, he was right next to me; he gave me a smile. "Oh, uh, yes. I spent most of it with my family."

"Ah, yes; Mr. Gaunt is around here somewhere with Mr. Buttles. He's told me all about how you aspire to travel the world and study magical creatures!" I blushed; that was just like my brother. He'd always made fun of me for my never ceasing curiosity. I'd always been the one who came home muddy and scraped when we were younger; I'd chased all the bugs around our yard while our mother laughed. He thought that I was being ridiculous and he wanted to do something more "reasonable." He had decided that he was going to be a journalist for the Daily Prophet when we got out of Hogwarts.

"Erm, yes?" I replied. Slughorn was giving me a slightly disappointed look; I wasn't sure if it was because he wanted to get away from me or because he was ashamed that I was going to study magical creatures instead of become a potions master like himself. "I've always been quite interested in magical creatures and plants, ever since I was a kid..."

"Ah, yes, yes, of course! It makes perfect sense, dear girl. But I must point out that you have great skills in other, more core areas—" I cringed visibly and Slughorn paused. "Is something the matter, Ms. Gaunt? You look like you've seen a ghost," he chuckled, but I just nodded. I hadn't seen a ghost, but I'd seen Sirius.

"I, um, I'm not feeling well, Professor. I think I should head to my dorm and get some sleep so I can be, er, nice and rested for my detention tomorrow morning." Slughorn quirked his eyebrow at me, but nodded.

"Yes, well, then, I'll see you in the morning."

I nodded and once again made a beeline for the door, but for the second time I paused at the sound of my name, closing my eyes in horror at the sound of Patton Lexing's voice. I swallowed and slowly turned to see him standing right behind me. I gave him a questioning look, not trusting myself to talk with all the emotions running through my veins. He gave me a small smile and I smiled back, waiting for him to say something.

And that was when it happened. I realized what was happening a split second before it did; my mind screamed, "trap!" at me seconds beforehand. One minute, Patton was smiling, and the next, he, along with the rest of the room, was almost screaming with laughter. The horror flooded through me and I turned and sprinted from the room.

You know those dreams where you somehow go to school in your underwear and you never realize it until you're there and everyone's laughing at you? I'd never had any nightmares like those before, but these days they're much too vivid.

And just to make it official: Worst week of my life.

***~~~***

Sirius groaned as he rubbed the back of his head; James rolled his eyes and smacked him upside the head for the seventy-first time in the past half-hour. Lily had only just finished yelling at him; her voice was almost hoarse as she stomped out of the portrait hole to join Mira and Olivia in their futile search for Artemis. Now Sirius and Pete sat side-by-side, sharing the pain as James alternated which he hit. Every time he made a statement he would smack one of the two, and every time he went silent he would smack the other. Remus didn't say a thing, just sat and watched with a disapproving look on his face.

"I can't believe you guys actually went through with it!" James yelled, slapping Peter upside the cranium. Peter winced and whimpered pathetically. "Did you guys even stop to think about what you were doing?" He went silent, awaiting the answer as he smacked Sirius.

"Would you stop that, mate?" Sirius muttered, glaring at the floor. "It's giving me a bloody headache."

James snorted. "Oh, a headache? I'm sorry, Sirius; you must be in such terrible pain! Now multiply it by about a trillion and you'll have the complete humiliation and suffering that Artemis is going to experience come Monday! Hell, come tomorrow!" He slapped them both again.

"I'm sorry, James, I'm sorry!" Pete whined, covering his head with his hands. James glared at him and he went silent.

"What do you think, Remus? How much detention should I give them?"

Remus gave James a look that said, in a very clear way, "a lot." Sirius gaped at James.

"Detention? Come on, James! You know it was just payback."

"True. So it had to be just as bad as what she did, right?" James glanced back at Remus, who nodded, and then back to Pete and Sirius, who both were staring at James in stunned silence, hardly daring to believe that their friend was about to issue them a detention. "So it's only fair that you get as many as she did. Four, right?" James gave them an apologetic look. "I know you guys aren't happy with me, but you know you both deserve it. And you can bet that Lexing will get as much as you. McGonagall will let you know what it is and when it is." Concluding with his Head Boy duties, James reverted back to best friend mode, though admittedly it was not as good a position as it usually was. Sirius glared at him. James sighed. "I'll admit that it was kind of funny, and she's really got nothing to be ashamed of." Sirius flushed dark red, which James happened to notice. He smiled. "You know, it probably won't even be as devastating as we expect. She'll probably just get more dates, or at least more invitations into the broom cupboard."

"Shut up!" Sirius growled, his face growing darker, although James couldn't tell if it was because he was realizing that he was the color of an overripe tomato or because the thought infuriated him. In fact, Sirius wasn't sure either. Remus raised his brow, seeming to catch on to James' plot.

"You know, I agree. I know that plenty of guys at Hogwarts would probably pay to shag her."

"I'd pay to shag her," Pete put in. Sirius rewarded him with a punch in the face, splitting his lip.

"You guys are sick," he snapped, jumping off his chair and stomping up to the boys' dorms. James, Pete, and Remus stared after him; James and Remus had amused expressions, but Pete was just confused.

"So, do my socks eat meat or lettuce?"

"Lettuce," Remus clarified.

***~~~***

I paced back and forth in front of the many mirrors in the room that I'd found; in the room, I'd also found some comfy jeans, a t-shirt, and a bed, all of which I intended to use. I'd changed into the fresh and casual clothing, and was dabbing furiously at my tearful eyes, cursing emotions to hell. Of course, I understood what had happened. Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, while Patton Lexing distracted me, had snuck up behind me and charmed my dress robes invisible, leaving me standing only in visible undergarments. That was something that Sirius and I had grown used to: whenever one of us pranked the other, revenge was a given. I'd embarrassed him; now he'd humiliated me. I'd expected it, but for some reason, it had seemed so horrible.

But there was no way in hell I was going to let him know that. As soon as I managed to dry my eyes and recover from the event, I would leave the Room of Requirement. I would pretend that nothing had happened, that I hadn't run up to the Room of Requirement crying, and then perhaps everything would return to normal.

I pushed my face into the fluffy pillow on the bed, breathing deeply and calmly and trying to decipher my strange feelings. What the hell was wrong with me? I was almost beginning to think that I was going insane. All of our jokes, our pranks, seemed to be becoming more personal; before this year, it had all seemed so superficial. All of the insults that we exchanged these days were starting to hit harder and dig deeper. What was changing in me that was making me feel so strongly all of a sudden? It was as if my entire world was morphing into something strange and new, and I didn't understand it anymore.

But then, I suppose it was entirely my fault. If I hadn't boasted that I could live without a boyfriend, hadn't sworn myself off guys, didn't hear voices in my head that were trying to kill me, maybe I would still be on the Quidditch team, still be at Slughorn's party with Patton, who was admittedly attractive and really rather smart. Although, on second thought, the blame was also on everyone else, except maybe Lily. It was Melanie's fault for taunting me with my own virginity; Sirius' fault, just for being an arse; and even Mira and Olivia's, for letting me say such stupid stuff. My pride might have started it, but everyone else was just letting it happen. And now my life was falling into chaos and I was leaving a trail of debris behind me.

And I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to scream my lungs out, scream until my throat was bleeding and I couldn't talk anymore. I almost did, but I controlled myself and all that came out was a strange squeak that sounded like a mouse that had just been trodden on. I pushed my face further into my pillow and flushed in shame at the weak sound; had anyone else heard it, I probably would have died of embarrassment.

I lay in the cushy bed for what seemed like a short time, but was actually a few hours, until I realized that I should go back to the common room before curfew kicked in and I was stuck here. I dragged myself out of the bed and gathered myself at the door, taking some more deep breaths and assuring myself that I was definitely in control of myself. I opened the door and almost slammed it shut again.

Sirius was standing in the doorway with a very annoyed look on his face; James stood behind him, wearing a look of relief. I scowled.

"Get out of the way."

Sirius tried, but he and James were the same size; James held him in place, gripping his shoulder and giving him a scathing look, which he responded to with a frustrated growl.

"Sirius has something he wants to say to you, don't you, Sirius?" Sirius just glared at him; James rolled his eyes and kicked Sirius's shin. "Go on."

Sirius clenched his jaw together, breathing heavily through his teeth. "Sorry," he hissed. I stared at him, and then rolled my eyes when the shock wore off.

"Now say it like you mean it," I muttered. Sirius growled and I pushed past the two boys. "I was just joking."

I heard a smack and a small gasp behind me, and then the boys were caught up with me. "Don't you want to know what I'm sorry for?" I stopped and they were past me before they even realized it. They both looked around at me simultaneously as I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"Not unless you've done something else since you exposed me to half the school. Something like stringing my undergarments across the Great Hall, giving my diary to the Slytherins, started telling everyone that you haven't already told my deepest, darkest secrets, or something else equally humiliating. Otherwise, I really don't care."

James and Sirius exchanging surprised looks. "Er, okay?" Sirius said cautiously. I rolled my eyes and walked past them again, and they followed close behind just like before. They were whispering quietly to each other, most likely about me. We were nearly to the common room when Lily found us. She gave the two boys a malicious look that belonged more on the face of a Slytherin or You-Know-Who than Gryffindor's Head Girl. I smiled at her reassuringly as she stalked towards us, her dark look just growing darker. She ignored the two of them, except for the scathing look, and linked her arm with mine.

"There you are, Artemis! Where've you been? We've been looking for you for hours! Mira's been out of her mind with worry." She glared back at Sirius as we entered the portrait hole. "I promise you, Black, Lexing, and Pettigrew are going to be severely punished! When McGonagall hears, she'll—"

"Lily, it's fine! Just calm down," I interrupted, grimacing when she turned the contemptuous look on me. "Really, Lily, it's okay," I insisted, raising my hands in front of me just in case. "We've dealt with it; I'm over it anyways." Lily gave me a skeptical look and glanced back at the guys again.

"What did you two do?" she accused. Sirius responded with a glare; James waved his hands in front of his chest, as if he could protect himself.

"N-nothing! I made Sirius apologize!"

Lily's face went blank as she stared at him, mouth slightly agape; she looked as if she couldn't believe that James would do something like that for me. James face slowly turned red.

"You okay, Lily?" I asked, rolling my eyes at her. "Maybe James should give you mouth-to-mouth?" James looked at her hopefully, but my suggestion seemed to wake Lily from her reverie. She hissed and glared at me and pulled me towards the girls' staircase.

"That's not funny!" she snapped when we reached the dormitory. "You just cruelly tempting him with something he'll never have." I rolled my eyes; Melanie, who reclining on her bed and reading a book, which in itself was extremely unusual as she never even bothered much with her homework, was almost immediately across the room next to us.

"Who?" she said simply. I glared at her.

"James Potter, of course! Who else?" Lily replied. Melanie raised her eyebrow at me, smirking a little.

"Gaunt likes Potter?"

I snorted at the same time Lily did. "Actually, I was talking about me," Lily clarified. "Potter surprised me and Artemis suggested that he give me mouth-to-mouth, which we all know will never ever happen!" I rolled my eyes at her.

"You make it sound so much worse than it would be," I muttered, though I worried that she'd turn it on me using Sirius in place of James. My fears were confirmed, but it was not Lily that turned it on me.

"Please, Gaunt! You're such a hypocrite! You'd act the same way if we were talking about Sirius! Speaking of Sirius, I'm disappointed that I missed his little prank earlier; I heard you wear such plain underwear, Gaunt! No lacy thongs or bras or anything even remotely attractive. I can't imagine a reason why anyone would want to be with you now!" I flushed and Melanie smirked wider. "I wish I could have seen the look on your face when you realized you weren't wearing any clothes!"

I ground my teeth together. "To be technical, I was wearing clothes; they were just invisible. And in a way, Sirius did me a favor, if what you say is true. Maybe now I won't have to deal with a bunch of stupid guys, hm?" Melanie just sneered at me. "Whatever. I'm going to bed."

Lily nodded as Mira and Olivia entered the dorms. I just waved at the two and headed for my four-poster to let them know I wasn't talking anymore. Mira gave me a look that told me that she expected the story later, but Olivia just shrugged and went towards her own bed. "Don't forget you've got detention tomorrow."

"Like I would." And so went my week of hell. Shame it wasn't over yet.