/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟏.𝟙𝟘.𝟣

"bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean." ~ Maya Angelou

~april 1972~

Artemis's black shoes clicked on the marble floor of the staircase leading down to the Great Hall with an intolerant sort of snappiness. She'd straightened her hair that day and it fluttered around her shoulders in light strands, occasionally falling in front of her face as she spoke, only for her to swipe it out of the way with an annoyed flourish of her hand."You can't apparate until you're sixteen," she half-shouted at Sirius in total exasperation. "So what you're saying makes no sense."

Sirius groaned dramatically and rolled his dark eyes up to the high ceiling and shifted his books to his left arm, skimming his right along the railing as he jogged to keep up with Artemis. "You never think outside the box, Art. You've got to think outside the box."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Artemis scolded, shooting Sirius a look of disgust. "This is why I never walk anywhere with you." She quickened her pace once they reached the landing and Sirius had to speed up even more to talk to her.

"That's not why you never go anywhere with me," he shot back, "You never go anywhere with me because I never go anywhere with you."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"It wouldn't to you."

Artemis tilted her head back and made a frustrated gurgling noise in the back of her throat, her hands clenching into fists under her robes. She and Sirius had been on okay terms that week, even sometimes choosing to study at the same table in the library along with Remus and occasionally Lily, but they were quickly growing sick of one another. "What's that supposed to mean, Black?"

"Nothing."

Artemis whipped around and scowled at him, her temper finally getting the better of her. "No, go on. Please explain exactly what you meant by that."

She was looking at him so defiantly, Sirius's confidence wavered for a split second. His eyes flicked away from her cold stare for half a moment, and then he gathered himself again. "Well, Art," he said in a slow, sarcastic voice... "It's just that you're, you know..." -What did he have to prove to her? His family had been telling him his whole life he had nothing to prove to- "muggleborn." It was one word, and he hadn't even meant to say it out loud, but he regretted it immediately. He drew in a quick breath as Artemis's blue eyes scrutinized him for longer than he was comfortable with.

"Muggleborn..." she echoed, her voice deathly calm. It was the kind of anger Sirius was most afraid of. The kind that caused real damage. "You think I'm not as smart as you... because I'm muggleborn." Artemis had never been insulted by her blood status, but coming from Sirius...

Something snapped in her. Without thinking, Artemis threw herself at Sirius, trying as hard as she could to make her little fists collide with his face. "I don't- believe- you-!" she shouted as Sirius threw his arms up to shield his face.

"Get- off- me-" he grunted, trying to push her away, but failing. At last, she got a good punch in and Sirius felt a familiar aching sensation just under his eye. Just another bruise.

They were both too caught up in their scuffle to hear the footsteps approaching down the hall to the side. Artemis didn't even hear Lucius Malfoy's cold voice say, "Ahhh, what do we have here?" until it was too late. Sirius threw Artemis off of him just in time for the jet of blue light flying out of Lucius's wand to hit her square in the stomach. Pain like she'd never known knocked the wind from her chest as she soared back and slammed into the floor feet away from where Sirius stood. The pain blurred her vision, but didn't stop her from hearing Bellatrix Black's cold, shrill laughter filling the halls.