"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know." Harry tells Ron and Artemis as they walk through the garden.
"Oh, we've seen some before. They look nothing like actual gnomes." Artemis replies.
"Yeah. They look like fat little Father Christmases with fishing rods." Ron adds. He crouches next to a bush and reaches inside. "This is a gnome." He pulls the creature out as it squeals and struggles to free itself. "This is what you have to do." Harry watches as Ron starts swinging the gnome around, shocked.
"It doesn't hurt them." Artemis assures him. "It just makes them really dizzy so they can't find their way back." They watch as Ron lets go, sending the gnome flying into the field over the hedge.
"Pitiful. I bet I can get mine beyond the stump." Fred says. Artemis glares and rushes to grab a gnome herself, very competitive and wanting to throw a gnome the farthest.
"See, they're not too bright." George tells Harry as he grabs five of them. "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learned by now just to stay put."
Eventually, the gnomes form a line and leave the field.
"They'll be back." Ron says as they watch the gnomes disappear. "They love it here because Dad's too soft with them. He thinks they're funny."
Later that day, they head up to the paddock on the hill so the boys can play quidditch. As they walk up the hill, Fred glances back at the house, wondering what Percy is doing after he declined to join them.
"Wish I knew what he was up to. He's not himself. His exam results came in came the day before you did, twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all." He says.
"Ordinary Wizarding Levels." George clarifies, seeing Harry's confused expression. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame." Artemis rolls her eyes at him as Fred turns to her.
"You know." He tells her.
"What? No, I don't." She protests.
"Yes, you do. If you knew Percy was acting weird, you would be more concerned than you are now. You know what's going on with him." Fred accuses.
"I wonder how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year." George says, changing the subject to save Artemis. "Six sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything..."
They reach the paddock, and the boys immediately begin arguing about who gets to take a turn on Harry's broom first, their worries about school supplies forgotten. Artemis rolls her eyes and lays down the blanket she brought. She sits and opens her book, planning to read as they play.
"Are you not playing with us?" Harry asks her as the others continue fighting. She shudders and shakes her head.
"No. Fred dropped me in the lake once when we were kids. Ever since, I've been terrified of open water and avoid flying." She answers. He glances between her and the broom in his hand.
"What if you try my broom?" He suggests, holding it out towards her. He sees her start to shake her head. "I can go with you, if you want. I won't let you fall. I promise." She sighs.
"You're not gonna stop until I agree, are you?" Artemis asks.
"If you really don't want to, I won't make you." He tells her.
"No, it's okay. I trust you." She says, setting her book down and standing.
"What did I say?" Fred smirks, elbowing George as Harry climbs on his broom, Artemis behind him. George rolls his eyes and shoves the galleon into his twin's hand, annoyed at losing their bet.
They watch as Harry does a couple laps, Artemis relaxing the more they fly. Eventually, she's laughing and telling him to fly faster.
"Flying isn't so bad when you're not worried about getting dropped!" She jokes as they climb off the broom.
"Hey! It was an accident and I've apologized countless times." Fred protests, glaring at her.
"I know." She tells him, patting his arm as she passes. She returns to her book, chuckling as they start arguing over who gets the next turn.
***
"Right, here we are, Harry. You go first, dear." Molly says, grabbing the pot of Floo powder by the fireplace.
"But Harry's never traveled by Floo powder before, Mum." Ron tells her.
"Floo powder?" Harry asks.
"Well, you go first, Ron, so that Harry can see how it's done." Molly says. "In you go." She tells him as he steps into the fireplace. He scoops a handful of powder out of the pot and Molly ushers the others back.
"Diagon Alley!" He says, dropping the powder. Green flames rise up around him, leaving the fireplace empty once they've disappeared.
"You see? It's quite easy, dear. Don't be afraid. Come on." She tells him.
"I'll be right behind you." Artemis assures him. He nods and moves forward, letting Molly nudge him into the fireplace.
"Now, take your Floo powder." Molly says, holding the pot towards him. "That's it, very good." She adds once he's taken some. "Now, don't forget to speak very, very clearly." She reminds him as she steps back.
The family watches as Harry mispronounces Diagon Alley, unsure where he's gone instead.
"Don't worry, I've got this." Artemis tells her family as she takes her own handful and steps into the fireplace. She copies Harry's pronunciation before they can stop her, their protests quieting as the flames take her away.
Artemis shoots out of the fireplace, sliding into Harry's legs and knocking him to the floor.
"Artemis? What are you doing here?" He asks, knowing they're in the wrong place. She rolls her eyes as she stands, brushing herself off.
"I told you I'd be right behind you." She tells him, holding her hand out. He takes it and she pulls him to his feet. "Come on. We need to figure out where we are."
The two wander around the shop, looking for anything familiar or anything that could tell them where they are. They quickly leave the shop after Harry gets his hand caught in a skeletal hand, linking arms so they don't lose each other.
"Not lost, are you, my dears?" A witch asks, grabbing their free arms.
"We're fine, thank you." Harry tells her as they pull away and walk in the other direction. More people block their way, and the witch grabs their shoulders.
"Come with us. We'll help you find your way back." She says.
Harry and Artemis hold each other tighter as the witches and wizards surround them, getting closer as they press back into the wall behind them.
"No, please." He says, as they both try to push the other behind them to shield them from the possible danger.
"Harry? Artemis?" Hagrid asks. The crowd parts at the sound of his voice.
"Hagrid!" The two exclaim.
"What do you two think you're doing down here?" He asks. "Come on."
The two quickly join him and he leads them away from the crowd.
Sorry for not updating last week! I thought I had hit publish lol.
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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...
