/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟑.𝟙𝟙.𝟤

"beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all." ~ John Keats

~may 1974~ (continued)

They sat in silence for another few moments, still under the tree, just taking in the summer breeze and the conversation they'd just had. Artemis was the first to stir. "Wait... Sirius," she said slowly, "-why can't you go stay at James's?"

Everyone looked at Sirius, who shot Artemis a disgruntled look and shrugged. "I dunno, family stuff."

"What sort of family stuff?" Artemis pressed. While they were on the subject of honesty with Remus, she was sick of all the other secrets hanging over her friends.

Sirius scowled. "Probably the same sort of family stuff that brings you into school with a bunch of bruises all over your face every year. Wanna talk about that?"

That stung. Artemis bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. "I dunno, wanna talk about the bruises you had after Christmas this year? How about that?"

The other boys looked back and forth between Artemis and Sirius like they were watching a pingpong game. James cleared his throat loudly. "Well, while we're giving explanations for our strange behavior, I actually wouldn't mind knowing what you two get up to on your holidays. You both always come back all weird and-"

"Yeah," Remus said quickly, "-I've been wondering the same thing, actually."

Artemis and Sirius's eyes met and a silent understanding passed between them. Artemis was still upset over Sirius's comments, but they were in the same boat now. She took a deep breath. "I- ah- my dad died when I was ten. The year before I came to school. He- ah- he was from this dark wizarding family- the Goyles- but he didn't want anything to do with them."

"The Goyles?" James interjected. "Like- like Percy Goyle? And Gregory Goyle? The Slytherins?"

Artemis grimaced. "My brother and my cousin. They... we don't talk much." Then, remembering that they were being honest, she added, "My brother, Percy, sort of rejected my mum because she's a muggle. She's... not his mum, but she raised him. Anyways, my mum doesn't have much money and she doesn't really know anything about the wizarding world, so she sent me to live with my aunt and uncle on the Goyle side while she sorts her own stuff out. That's where... well, they don't like me much. Because I'm a half-blood and they hated my dad and there's just a lot of family drama and stuff."

"So they give you the bruises?" James looked ready to kill someone.

Artemis nodded mutely. Then, she took a deep breath. "Anyways, that's about it. It's okay when I'm at school. I mean, Percy doesn't talk to me and sometimes my uncle writes me letters, but it's not really a problem until the holidays."

"That's not something you needed to hide," Remus said softly. "If we'd known... I mean, you could stay with any of us on the holidays."

"Not me," Sirius said darkly. Everyone looked up at him. He seemed to catch himself and shook his head hard. "I mean, I'd let you if I could. It's just... my family's really similar. Bunch of dark wizards. They hate me for getting in Gryffindor and... being me. It's pretty much the same situation as yours, actually. They write me sometimes and it makes me want to punch a wall, but it's the holidays that are the real problem." He was mainly looking at Artemis as he spoke, knowing she would react the right way. For once, they were exactly the same, operating on one wavelength tied together by their situations in life.