Artemis Hexley and the Mystery at Hogwarts

Chapter 5: The Duelling Book

It didn't take long for the news of Artemis' close call with the Devil's Snare to spread around the school. Now, everyone was staring and whispering at her even more.

"I bet you wish you were a Metamorphmagus like me," Tonks said in the dormitory one night in the following week as Artemis applied the Bruise Paste liberally to her neck. "Then you could get rid of all those scratches and bruises like that." She clicked her fingers.

"There's no need to rub it in, Tonks," Artemis said, climbing into her bed. Rowan looked at her and shook her head, giving the back of Tonks' head a very dark look.

Merula Snyde had been throwing Artemis some very dark looks since Halloween.

"Professor Sprout had a meeting with Professor Snape," Jane informed her. "She's got detention every night for a month, and lost twenty-five house points."

"Is that all?" Rowan asked. "Artemis nearly died. Surely that deserves more than just detention and losing house points."

"It was her first offence," said Jane. "It's meant to teach her a lesson, so she won't do it again."

"Yeah, right," Rowan scoffed. "I bet she's plotting as we speak."

Artemis wanted to not believe Rowan, but she knew that Merula Snyde was not the sort to give up so easily. Their suspicions were proved right one lunchtime in mid-November.

"Oi! Hexley," Merula called out across the courtyard, storming over to where Artemis was playing Gobstones with Rowan and Ben. "What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Yes, you. You're as mental as your brother," said Merula. "First you accuse me of blowing up your cauldron, now you've told Professor Sprout I tried to kill you."

"Merula, you locked me in a room with a Devil's Snare."

"It was a joke! I'm not a murderer," Merula smirked, "unlike like your Death Eater brother."

"My brother isn't a murderer, or a Death Eater," Artemis said, rising to her feet. "If you didn't come here to apologise for your Devil's Snare prank, I'd suggest you leave."

"Apologise to you? If anything you should be apologising to me! I'm the one whose having to polish silver every night."

"The plant tried to strangle me," said Artemis. Merula rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic. You can barely even see the marks anymore."

"How can you not realise that what you did was wrong?" Artemis asked. "You know, you deserve worse than detention."

"Oh yeah? Well, I'll show you what you deserve," Merula snarled. She raised her wand, and pointed it at Artemis. She shouted, "Flipendo!"

A stream of bright blue light shot from Merula's wand and caught Artemis in the chest. Her legs flew out from beneath her and she was thrown backwards, landing on her rump two metres behind where she had been standing.

"Artemis, are you alright?" Rowan and Ben rushed to Artemis' side.

"I'm fine," Artemis said, and stared up at Merula. "What was that for?"

"Count yourself lucky, Hexley. You've been asking to be jinxed since you arrived here. The next time you cross me, it'll be even worse."

Merula stalked away, leaving Artemis on the ground.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ben asked.

"I'm fine," Artemis said, rubbing her lower back, "but I think I'm going to need to learn some defensive spells if I'm going to stay that way."