/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟐.𝟟.𝟣

~

"insanity is everyone expecting you not to fall apart when you find out everything you believed in was a lie." ~ Shannon L. Alder

~january 1973~

The train ride back to school after Christmas break was dismal for Artemis. With a fresh set of bruises down the side of her face from when her Uncle Gregory found her muggle book collection and her pride wounded with the fact she hadn't gotten any Christmas presents from her family to brag about like the other kids, she sat in her compartment with Lily, Marlene, and Mary, and stared out at the cold, desolate landscape. She just wanted to get back to school. She wanted things to go back to the way they were before she left. Artemis hated Christmas break more than almost anything.

When at last they made it up to the castle and sat down for a late dinner in the Great Hall, Artemis sat quietly and didn't bother taking any food. She wasn't hungry. "Did you eat before you came here?" Lily asked her. Artemis nodded her head. She'd rather lie than have Lily worrying over her in her motherly way.

"You should have some of this steak and kidney pie anyways," James said from across the table through a mouthful of food. "It's fantastic."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, James," Lily snapped, but her expression softened when she turned back to Artemis. "But you should eat some pie."

Artemis shrugged and wracked her brain to try and change the subject. Then, her gaze rested on Sirius directly across from her, wearing a worn out leather jacket and a moody frown. He'd been just as quiet as her all dinner and the closer she looked at him, she noticed that there were black and blue spots under his eye and a little cut on his chin. Artemis reached out and kicked him under the table. "Another brawl with a dragon?" she murmured with a twisted smile.

Sirius looked up at her for the first time and she could see that his bruises were far worse than she'd thought. The corner of his mouth twitched up humorlessly. "Yeah, totally," he said softly. "Same with you?"

"You know it." Artemis settled her chin in one hand. Her eyes felt droopy with sleepiness. "And I absolutely dominated."

Sirius shook his head. "No way. I'm telling you, Art, I carry in fights."

"Bullshit. I would cream you."

He laughed a little and readjusted his hair over his eyes. "No way. I'd win so easily. I mean-" He gestured to the jagged cut on his chin. "Look at this. Wicked, right?"

"Mine's wicked-er," Artemis shot back.

"Not a word."

James and Remus looked back and forth between Sirius and Artemis and then at each other. "I'm not totally sure what's happening," James said slowly, "-but I think I'm going to tell you both to stop."