Artemis Hexley and the Forbidden Forest

Chapter 11: The Spy

Artemis reached the Clock Tower just as the bell stopped ringing. She dodged past the swinging pendulum and ran out into the moonlit courtyard, where Charlie was sitting on the edge of the fountain, Sickleworth at his feet.

"You're a bit overdressed, don't you think?" he said, his face straight.

"Have you been waiting all evening to say that?" Artemis asked him, passing him her shoes and drawing her wand.

"Nah, only about ten minutes or so," he replied. Artemis shook her head and summoned her rucksack from the bushes. "Seriously, though. You look nice."

"Well, I can't take any credit. Andre sorted out the robes, and Penny did my hair," she rummaged in her bag to find her jeans, and added in a breezy voice: "Penny looked very pretty this evening."

"I'm sure she did," Charlie said. Artemis looked at him from the corner of her eye to see his reaction, but he remained completely straight-faced.

"Sickleworth," she looked down at the Niffler, who was stroking the glittery fabric of her dressrobes wistfully, "these dress robes are the single nicest thing I have ever owned. If you try to steal them, I swear I'll be having Niffler on toast for breakfast." Sickleworth made a disgruntled noise and let go of the hem of her robes. "Now, have you been a good boy for Charlie?"

"No, he hasn't," Charlie said, turning his back on Artemis so she could get changed. "I finally understand why my mum was so stressed when my twin brothers first started walking."

"Oh dear. What did he do?"

"Well, let's just say I'm going to have to repair Jae's trunk when I get back."

"What does Jae have in his trunk that's so interesting?"

"The question isn't what does Jae have in his trunk, it's what doesn't Jae have in his trunk," the back of Charlie's head moved from side to side. "Honestly, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff he's keeping in there."

"Hopefully you'll still have the energy to find that arrowhead, Sickleworth," Artemis laughed, and Sickleworth jumped up and down and chirruped as if to prove that he was still full of energy. She rolled up her dress robes and put them into her rucksack. "Charlie, my shoes."

"Hm? Oh," Charlie turned around to face her, and put her shoes into the rucksack that she was holding open. "I'm guessing-"

But Artemis never found out what Charlie was going to guess, because they were interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared. The two of them shared a look of horror, before looking in the direction of the noise. Artemis' heart sank. It was Professor Snape.

"Enjoying the evening, are we?"

"This isn't what it looks like, Professor," said Charlie, his face flushed.

"Really, Weasley?" Snape drawled. "Because judging by the broomsticks and the Niffler, it looks to me like the two of you are sneaking off schoolgrounds, presumably looking for treasure."

"Oh," Charlie's cheeks turned a deeper shade of beetroot and he looked at his feet as he muttered, "then it kind of is what it looks like."

"I didn't realise your family's financial situation was quite so desperate," Snape sneered, earning himself a fierce glare from Artemis. "As for you, Hexley, I'd have thought that your escapades at Halloween would have taught you to check your astronomy chart before venturing away from the castle at night. Werewolves are much more challenging opponents at the full moon."

Artemis looked skywards, and saw that Snape was right, the moon was indeed full.

"Professor, I-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Snape snapped. "Ten house points from each of you. Weasley, I'd suggest you take those brooms and that Niffler back to your dormitory before I take any more," Charlie nodded, and gave Artemis a defeated look as he did as Snape instructed. Snape stared angrily at Artemis, and said in a low growl, "Hexley, my office."