The woman in the mirror (Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter 2.4 (The Howler)

(The second year time-table)

Don't let schooling interfere with your education - Mark Twain

The Hogwarts castle
Scotland, Great Britain
September 1 1992

Artemis walked into the Great Hall, which was already filled with the returning students, catching up with each other.

Just when she was about to sit down at the Gryffindor table a loud crash was heard. Everyone immediately stopped talking, listening carefully. They didn't hear a thing after that but Professor Snape still got up and left the Great Hall, probably to find the cause of the racket.

Somebody ran into Artemis from behind as she twirled around to see a tall, fourth-year Hufflepuff, smiling apologhetically down at her. "Sorry," he said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Ced! Come sit with us!" A pretty blonde called, waving him over.

And with one last smile, the guy left and went to sit with his friends.

"Oh, wow!" Elizabeth said appreviatively as she watched the bloke leave. "He can bump into me anytime."

Artemis rolled her eyes and dragged her best friend towards the Gryffindor table.

"Hello, it's nice to see your pretty face again. How was your summer?" Jace had joined them and was looking down at Elizabeth with a boyish smile on his face.

"About as well as that lame attempt at flirting, Other Lupin." Elizabeth said, rolling her dark eyes. She put her hands in her sides and looked at Jace with the most annoyed look she could manage.

"Other Lupin?" Jace repeated, pouting slightly. "Is that how you see me, love? I'm hurt."

Elizabeth sighed in frustration as she pinced the bridge of her nose. She was too tired to deal with him. "Can't be that bad to hurt that enormous ego of yours."

"I'll have you know I'm not a Lupin, I'm the Lupin."

"Don't let Ara hear." Elizabeth said, scoffing.

A few of Jace's classmates were apparently starting to miss having the annoying git disrupt their peace, because they were calling him over. "I should probably go sit down. It was very lovely to talk to you again, Effie."

"Save your breath, Jace, your charm isn't going to work on me. Not now, not ever." Elizabeth said seriously, before moving over to her own classmates and sitting down.

It took another five minutes for Professor McGonagall to lead the first years in. They looked so tiny...

"Matthews, Bibi!" Called out Professor McGonagall. Artemis watched as she walked away from the line of terrified-looking first years. Bibi appeared uncommonly confident as she sat down on the three-legged stool. Her light-blue eyes searched the Gryffindor table and Artemis saw her wave at Luca. Then her eyes disappeared under the hat and not even five seconds later, it called out. "Gryffindor!"

As soon as Bibi was seated next to Luca, Artemis looked out of the window and almost fell off the bench when she saw two boys staring back at her. The tallest had blue eyes, freckles, a long nose and vivid ginger hair and the other had green eyes, black hair, and glasses. "Hermione, look!" Artemis whispered urgently, nodding towards the window. "Am I hallucinating or do you see them as well?"

Ron waved at them and they just raised an eyebrow. Ron, then noticed the empty seat at the High Table and he and Harry said something to each other.

They suddenly turned around but Artemis couldn't see more through the dark. Her only guess was that Snape had found them. They left after that, dragging their trunks behind them.