/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟓.𝟙.𝟤

"be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. then life seems almost enchanted after all." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

~june 1975~ (continued)

Artemis hated taking the floo network. She'd only done it a few times in the past, but she'd never gotten used to the feeling. It was worse the morning she went to the Potters, when her bruised arms and cut face scraped against the brick of the fireplaces she soared through on her way to James's house.

It had been the worst few hours of her life. Her entire body ached from the injuries her uncle had given her as she tried to get up to her room to get her things, and the pain of not being able to fight back for fear of being kicked out of school weighed heavily on her. She knew that if she'd only had access to magic, she'd have been able to at least put up a fight. More injuries had come when she'd gotten to the fireplace to go to the Potters. Artemis felt like her entire body had been put through a meat grinder, but she didn't regret it. She had a bag of clothes and all of her father's belongings from her room at the Goyles secured safely at her side, and the satisfaction of knowing she'd never be going back to her aunt and uncle's again. She was done. It was over.

She could tell she was nearing the Potter's grate because the spinning feeling slowed, but before she could reach the opening, she ran full force into another figure in the network. Mingled shouts filled her ears as Artemis and the other figure tumbled through the fireplace in a disoriented mess of tangled arms and legs. Then, they exploded onto the floor of the Potter's living room and Sirius let out a groan of pain from on top of Artemis.

"You were supposed to come at nine-thirty, Art," he said, propping himself up on one arm and looking down at her. He looked almost as bad as she did.

"No, you were supposed to come at nine-thirty. I was supposed to come at ten."

"You were not!" Sirius argued. "And by the way, I win." He pointed to the thin gash above his left eyebrow with almost pride in his eyes.

Artemis scowled up at him, still lying on the floor. "Will you get off of me?" she said, pushing him.

"What? Oh- yeah." Sirius scrambled to his feet and Artemis stood up after him. They both brushed off their clothes hurriedly and then looked up at the three Potters standing above them, watching the two with amused curiosity.

James let out a deep sigh and turned to his parents. "Mum, Dad, meet Sirius Black and Artemis Blake."

~

The Potter's house was a cozy cottage nestled on top of a grassy hill, where sunshine floated lazily through the windows and the smell of baking bread filled the entire house. Artemis loved it at once. On seeing her and Sirius's injuries, Euphemia Potter leapt into action. James had warned her his friends might show up looking bad, but it was worse than he'd thought. Both of them looked like they'd been through a war. "Come on, into the kitchen," Mrs. Potter said, shunting the children through the living room to the small kitchen with lacy doilies on all of the surfaces and handmade white curtains blowing airily in the windows. "Sit down, sit down."