Artemis Hexley and the Circle of Khanna

Chapter 2: Homegoing

August passed in a muggy haze of trips to the beach, of four-a-side Quidditch matches, and of Mrs Weasley's home-made cooking. All too soon, it was time to start packing up ready to leave for the start of the next year at Hogwarts.

Artemis had left her school trunk at her mother's house in London at the beginning of the summer, so after dinner on the last night of the holidays, she and Fergus travelled back via the fireplace in the Weasleys' living room. The Floo network took her to the fire in her mother's kitchen, and as she clambered out of the hearth, brushing the soot from her clothes, she heard voices in the sitting room. That was strange. Her mother never had visitors.

She decided to take a look and see for herself what was going on, and so she pushed the door ajar and looked through the gap between the door and the frame to see who her mother was talking to. As soon as she recognised the dark-haired newcomer, her heart skipped a beat.

"Jacob?" she said out loud, before she could stop herself.

She hadn't expected to see Jacob at all, definitely not here, and possibly not ever again. The two of them had hardly parted on good terms after he left her in the Buried Vault at the end of her fifth year.

"Missy. Artemis," Jacob quickly corrected himself, with a strained smile. "Where've you been?"

"At my friends' house. Bill and Charlie, you met them, remember?"

"I remember," Jacob nodded, curtly. "Look, about what happened in the Cursed Vault. I'm sorry for taking off like that. I just had to find Rakepick."

"You said," Artemis muttered. "You didn't say why, though."

"No. There wasn't time. Why don't you sit-"

"I'm fine standing, thanks."

Artemis raised her eyebrows as she stared defiantly at her older brother. She wanted to forgive him, but she couldn't give in, not until he had explained himself.

"I had to go and find Rakepick," Jacob said, one hand shaking slightly. "She and I worked together before, and I thought maybe if I talked to her, I could make her see sense."

"See sense? Jacob, she's evil. She tried to kill me."

"I know she did, but she never was evil when I knew her. I thought that if I found her, I could bring her back to our side. I know it felt like I was leaving you, Miss- Artemis, but I really was trying to keep you safe. I promise."

The look in Jacob's eyes was completely sincere. He wasn't lying, Artemis could tell.

"Okay," she said, nodding slowly. "I believe you."

"Did you find her? Rakepick?" Sara Hexley's sharp voice echoed across the room. Artemis turned around. She had almost forgotten that her mother was there.

"No,' Jacob shook his head and moved closer to his mother, looking at her earnestly. "I'm sorry, Ma. I tried, I really tried."

"I'm sure you did," said Sara, reaching out to place a hand gently on her son's arm. Jacob placed his free hand onto hers and knelt down next to her.

"I'm not done, Ma. I'll keep trying, and I won't stop until I find her. I'm going to make sure that Artemis is safe."

Sara Hexley said nothing, just pressed her forehead to Jacob's, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Artemis watched them, a peculiar feeling growing in her chest as she did: part envy, part longing, part loneliness, part hope. Perhaps now that Jacob was home, their mother would start to feel better. Maybe now she would be more like how a mother should be, like Aunt Tina, or Mrs Weasley, or even Madam Rosmerta.