Artemis Black - Fred Weasley

Christmas is on its way

Christmas was coming and Artemis couldn't help but be upset, because it just so happened that Christmas this year was the week of the full moon, meaning that It was probably best if she stay at Hogwarts for the holidays. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and Artemis and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban which they believed to be one of the funniest things in the world.

The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again so Artemis had decided against writing to Remus even though she desperately wanted too. No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Hufflepuff common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms and it was getting worse and worse for Artemis and she now looked like a gigantic snowman with all of the layers that she had on.

Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons. "I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled however Atemis scowled and then turned to Octavia and let out a big dramatic sigh, that caught the attention of most students.

"I do feel sorry... for all those people who have to get spoiled by their parents with presents just to hide the fact that their parents don't even really care about them" she said and then sent a look to Malfoy and raised her eyebrows at him quickly, in a challenging was.

Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, grinned over at Artemis and the class had erupted in giggles. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next, though Artemis was always there to quickly snap back at him and rubbed in the fact that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick.

So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family. It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas, but he was happy when he found out that Artemis would be staying with him. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it. "Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron." Hagrid said with a smile

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to." Ron and Artemis had dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs. "WEASLEY! BLACK!" Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes and Artemis had let go of his sleeve.

"They was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family and Artemis was helpin' defend em'."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, Weasley and Black, and be grateful it isn't more, especially you Ms Black, im sure your housemates are getting quite annoyed with the amount of points you have lost them. Move along, all of you." Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him —"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"me too" artemis said with a growl and Hermione nodded

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat." So the four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree — put it in the far corner, would you?" The hall looked spectacular and Artemis looked around at it in awe. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked Hermione.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me — Harry, Artemis, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly and Artemis grinned, knowing where this was going. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here — I've told yeh — drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "

We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere — just give us a hint — I know I've read his name somewhere." Artemis added as she looked up at the man

"I'm sayin' nothin'," said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library. They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Artemis and Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles they had written down and had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section.

"What are you looking for, boy?" Madam Pince suddenly asked harry

"Nothing," said Harry. Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him. "You'd better get out, then. Go on — out!" Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, Artemis and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Artemis, Ron and Hermione walked out and saw that Harry had waited outside for them too see if they had found anything, but it wasn't surprising that they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks. And then they made their way to lunch