/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟕.𝟚.𝟥

"I'd ruin any day, all my days, for those long nights with you, and I did." ~ Daniel Handler

~august 1976~ ((continued))

"Mum, just sit down," Artemis said, calming down a little.

Her mother sat without protest, eyeing her daughter with a new sort of appreciation. She wasn't a child anymore. At some point in the last two years, or maybe before then, she'd grown up. Jane didn't know how she hadn't seen it before, but now it was unmistakable. Artemis, sitting in her chair after almost being killed by one of her own family members, had a look of sheer fiery determination in her eyes.

Artemis looked around the room as a whole, appreciating the sudden silence for a few seconds. "Okay," she said at last, her voice heavy. "I know this isn't how any of us expected our nights to go, but I need everyone to take a deep breath. My first question is, Percy, why did you bring us here?"

Percy looked like he wanted nothing more than to dissolve into the carpet and disappear, but he stood his ground, taking a laborious breath and meeting his sister dead in the eyes. "I told you. I had somewhere else in mind at first, I must've had a problem with my concentration. Maybe I was subconsciously thinking of here, I dunno, you planning on psychoanalyzing me, Art?"

"No," Artemis said with a wry smile. "That doesn't matter."

Jane looked back and forth between her children and wiped a tear from her eye. "What does matter is that you stayed. You saved Artie's life."

"Right," said Artemis, although she didn't look quite as thankful as Jane. "Mum's right, what matters is you stayed. So while you're here, we need information, Perc, and you know we do. You have more insight on the problem we're facing than anybody else I know, and I think I at least deserve an explanation."

"I saved your life," Percy muttered. "I figured if I owed you anything, that would be enough."

Sirius's eyes flashed towards Percy. "Oh, so that's the only reason you did it, was it?"

"Sirius..." said Artemis, and she put a hand on his shoulder. He relaxed, if only a little. "Perc, you brought us here for a reason, and I think you stayed for the same reason. We want to help you, we do, but we need you to give a little."

Percy's shoulders slumped and he stared around the room with a reproachful gaze, not making eye contact with anyone. He didn't say anything for a long time. "THey're after you," he said at last, and it looked like the words took all of the strength out of him. "They- they blame Jane for raising me a muggle and they hated dad, they all did, they call him a blood-traitor."

"Who?" said Artemis, not completing the question for fear of her voice shaking.

He met her gaze solemnly. "I can't say his name, but I think you know exactly who."