/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟏.𝟜.𝟤

"...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee." ~ Herman Melville

~october 1971~ ((continued))

"So, he hands back my test, right?" Dorcas Meadowes was saying to the growing anticipation of the small crowd gathered around her. "And said I got a zero!" She looked so absolutely appalled at this that a few people laughed.

"Ahhhh, come on, Dorc, just admit that you're bad at some things."

"I am not bad at Charms, Gideon," Dorcas said, flashing Gideon Prewett one of her expert glares. "It's that new professor, Flitwick. I swear the man doesn't know what he's talking about." Her brown eyes narrowed as she stared down at the failed test, which was obviously bothering her even more than she was letting on. 

Marlene and Artemis were leaning on the back of a couch in front of the fireplace where Dorcas was speaking, watching her with a kind of awed attentiveness. Dorcas was the type of person who seemed to always know exactly what she was doing, and they'd heard she'd never dropped from top of her class. "I hate Charms too," Marlene murmured to nobody in particular, her blue eyes trained on Dorcas, who was still arguing back and forth with Gideon.

"Mhmm," Artemis said distractedly, watching as Gideon vaulted over the back of a couch to get closer to Dorcas. At that moment, the portrait hole swung forward and Artemis looked over to see Lily and Mary climb through, both sopping wet and shivering. Mary was rubbing at her eyes and crying softly while Lily looked absolutely furious. "What happened?" Artemis asked, sharing a worried look with Marlene and hurrying over to help the girls.

"That- idiot- James," Lily spat, wiping water off of her forehead and wringing her hair out on the floor of the common room. "I'm going to- kill him."

"What did he do?" Marlene asked, grabbing a blanket from a nearby armchair and wrapping it around Mary's shoulders.

Mary pulled the blanket closer around herself and looked up at Marlene and Artemis with a trembling lower lip. "He- he and Sirius dropped a bunch of water balloons on us- and then ran as soon as Filch came- so now Lily and I have detention..." She wiped at her eyes.

Artemis' eyes met Marlene's and her expression deepened to a scowl. "You two go get dried off," she said, turning back to Lily and Mary. "Then we'll get them back." As Mary and Lily disappeared into the girls' dormitory, Marlene and Artemis settled themselves onto the now-vacated couch by the fireplace. The crowd around Dorcas had dispersed and gone off to different areas of the common room to study and talk in small groups.

"I hate those two," Marlene said, twirling her fingers through her hair furiously. "I mean, I know James is just trying to tease Lily, but did they really have to get Mary too?"

"He shouldn't be trying to tease Lily in the first place," Artemis said shortly. "It's stupid that he can't take no for an answer."

"We'll get them back for it," said Marlene. "Right when they don't see it coming."

~

Later that week; Marlene, Artemis, and Mary jogged after Lily and Severus Snape, who were walking way too fast for the other girls. "You're sure you made the potion right?" Artemis asked breathlessly, skipping a few steps to catch up with Severus.

"Of course I made it right," Severus drawled, shooting Artemis a superior look. She was struck by how much his arrogance reminded her of Sirius. "Any good wizard could." He raised an eyebrow at Artemis and then quickened his step, taking the stairs to the owlery two at a time as the girls struggled to keep up. She fell back into step with Lily, who was looking at Severus doubtfully.