/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟐.𝟙𝟚.𝟣

"but you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen." ~ Ernest Hemingway

~june 1973~

Finals went by quickly that year and before any of the students could even fathom the end of the term, it was their last week in the castle and all that was left to do was pack and say goodbyes before it was time to leave Hogwarts for the summer. The day after finals finished up, the second year Gryffindors lounged around the common room with nothing much to do. "I'm bored," Sirius said for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"Nobody cares," Artemis murmured in a singsong voice, not taking her eyes out of the book Remus had lent her that week.

Remus looked up from his own book and gave Artemis a small smile that she didn't see. He couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked with her long hair tumbling around her face and her eyes so concentrated on the words on the page. Sirius caught Remus staring at her and raised his eyebrows, looking only more confused when Remus blushed and buried his face back in his book. Before Sirius could mention anything, however, Emmeline Vance bobbed up to the side of his seat, her face absolutely glowing. "So, how'd you do on your finals?" she asked, sitting down on the coffee table in the center of the seats by the fire.

"Not bad," Sirius said coolly. "I'm sure I passed."

James nodded. "Me too- although that last half of the Charms exam was brutal."

"That's just because you spent all of Flitwick's class staring at the back of Lily's head," Remus commented sarcastically. Artemis let out a short laugh without looking up and Remus felt his heart lift with joy in his chest.

James scoffed. "No way. Anyways, how'd you do?" he asked, focusing back on Emmeline.

"Dunno," she said honestly, but she didn't seem too upset by this. "I sort of guessed on a lot of it but I doubt I did bad. Got by all my classes just fine without really studying this year so I'm sure the exams'll be the same way."

"That's the spirit," Artemis said distractedly.

"Shut up, Art," Sirius said with a snort. "You literally study all the time."

Artemis looked up from her book to glare at Sirius. "Only when you guys are being so boring, there's nothing else to do."

"Ouch," muttered Peter.

Artemis glanced down at him seated on the floor and her expression softened. "Didn't mean you, Pete. Just him." She jerked her head at Sirius.

Emmeline, still sitting on the table with her legs crossed under her, was watching Artemis with a sort of almost reverence in her gaze. "Do you like quidditch?" she asked her rocking back and forth ever so slightly.