Percy stops in front of a portrait of a woman. He waits for the students to gather around him before saying the password. They gasp as the portrait swings away from the wall, revealing a doorway. Once they enter, they marvel at the common room, excited to spend more time here.
"Gather 'round here." Percy tells the group. "Welcome to the Gryffindor common room. Boys dormitories, upstairs and down to your left, girls, the same on your right. You'll find all your belongings have already been brought up." He explains.
They quickly rush up the stairs behind him and enter their respective dormitories. Artemis smiles when she spots Romulus sleeping on one of the beds, her trunk at the end of it. The girls unpack their things, excitedly talking about Hogwarts and which classes they're most excited for.
Eventually they grow tired and climb into bed. Romulus wakes and moves to curl next to Artemis, who smiles at him as she gets comfortable. He purrs, nuzzling into her hand as she pets him.
"Good night, Romulus." She whispers, closing her eyes and quickly falling asleep.
***
Artemis finds their first class, Transfiguration, interesting, especially after Professor McGonagall scolded Ron and Harry for being late. They move along the corridors until they reach the potion's classroom. The room is empty, and the students talk as they wait for the teacher.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class." The Professor says as he enters the classroom. He stands at the front and faces his new students.
Artemis watches as Harry picks up his quill, ready to take notes. She shakes her head, amused at his preparedness for this class after the embarrassing start to their last one.
"As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition...I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." He continues. He notices Harry writing and glares. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."
Hermione nudges Harry and he raises his head, spotting Snape glaring at him. He uncrosses his arms as he moves closer.
"Mr. Potter...our new celebrity." He says. Artemis rolls her eyes at the tone of his voice, knowing there must be more behind the instant dislike for Harry. "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Hermione raises her hand into the air as Artemis quietly whispers the answer to Harry. Snape catches her doing so and glares.
"No helping, Miss... Weasley." He snaps, glaring harder at the realization of who her true parents are. "Let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
Again, Hermione raises her hand. Artemis glares at Snape, angry that he's quizzing Harry before they've learned a single thing when all he was doing was taking notes.
"I don't know, sir." Harry tells him.
"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfbane?" Snape asks.
"I don't know, sir." He repeats.
"Is this really necessary? All Harry did was take notes on what you said and you're acting like he was breaking some kind of rule." Artemis argues. Snape completely ignores her.
"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything. Is it, Mr. Potter?" He says.
Artemis and Harry spend the rest of the class silently fuming, wishing this class wasn't so important so they didn't have to take it.
***
"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum turn this water into rum." Seamus chants, waving his wand over his cup as they sit at the Gryffindor table.
"W-What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?" Harry asks as he watches.
"Turn it to rum. Actually managed a weak tea yesterday...before-" Ron answers, interrupted by a loud boom. The table erupts into laughter at Seamus, now covered in soot.
"The mail's here!" Artemis exclaims as she hears an owl screech. She smiles as she watches the owls swoop into the Great Hall. One drops two letters and the newest copy of the Daily Prophet in front of Ron.
"Can I borrow this?" Harry asks him, holding up the newspaper. Ron nods and hands Artemis her letter. She smiles as she reads the kind words from her parents, congratulating her on getting sorted into Gryffindor.
"Hey, look, Neville's got a Remembrall." Dean says.
"I've read about those. When the smoke turns red it means you've forgotten something." Hermione explains.
"The only problem is I can't remember what I've forgotten." Neville complains.
"I'm sure it will work out, Neville. I bet you'll remember whatever it is later." Artemis tells him, patting his arm.
"I hope you're right." He replies.
"Hey, Ron, Artemis, somebody broke into Gringotts." Harry says, nudging the twins. "Listen. 'Believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that very same day.'" He reads. "That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid and I went to."
Harry, Ron, Artemis, and Hermione all look at each other, concerned about the importance of whatever was in the vault and the fact that someone wanted it enough to break into Gringotts.
***
"Good afternoon, class." Madam Hooch says as she walks between the two lines of brooms laid on the ground.
"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." The class responds. She reaches the front and turns to face her students.
"Welcome to your first flying lesson." She tells them. "Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone, step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up." She waits for them to do so before continuing. "Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'up'."
The class does as instructed, only a few students managing to summon their broom on the first try. Harry and Artemis are two of them, and Hermione glances at them, shocked.
"Have you ridden a broom before?" Hermione asks Artemis, knowing she comes from a wizard family.
"Yeah, my older brother Charlie taught me. I don't care for it much, but it's not bad." She answers. She laughs as Ron's broom flies up and hits him in the face.
"It's not funny! Why'd yours work so easily?" He complains, glaring at her as he holds his nose. "Shut up, Harry." He adds, spotting him laughing too.
"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight. You don't want to be sliding off the end." Madam Hooch tells the class, walking down the center as the students get on their brooms. "When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle." She says, beginning to count down.
She blows her whistle and Neville's broom rises into the air without him kicking off. He whimpers as he rises higher and higher. The students yell his name as he takes off and Madam Hooch shouts at him to return.
They watch as he flies around until he eventually crashes into the side of the castle and falls to the ground. Madam Hooch rushes to him and inspects the arm he cradles to his chest.
"Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor boy. Come on now, up you get." She says, helping him to his feet. "Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say 'Quidditch'." She tells the class as she leads Neville away.
"This is not going to end well." Artemis mutters as she spots Malfoy pushing his way to the center of the crowd of students.
YOU ARE READING
The Wrong Weasley | Harry Potter
FanfictionAs Artemis Weasley grew older, she began to realize that she wasn't truly a Weasley. She had brown hair instead of red, not a single freckle, and didn't really look like any of her siblings, especially her twin, Ron. Although she now knew she wasn't...
