Artemis Hexley and the Portrait of the Vault

Chapter 4: Neither Love Nor Money

By the start of October, fifth year was looking up. Artemis and Rowan were back to being as close as ever, little Elora Dunn had made friends with Penny's sister Beatrice, Artemis was officially a member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and the date of the first Hogsmeade trip had been announced.

Artemis, Rowan, and Penny had decided to meet Ben Copper and the Weasley brothers at the Three Broomsticks inn, whilst Tonks scuttled away to Zonkos joke shop with Tulip Karasu.

"Aren't you even going to stop for a Butterbeer first?" Artemis called out after them.

"No time, they've got an offer on frogspawn soap!" Tonks shouted back, and she and Tulip disappeared into the crowd.

Madam Rosmerta, the landlady at the Three Broomsticks, brought over six large flagons of Butterbeer to the table where Artemis sat between Charlie and Rowan, the latter discussing Arithmancy theories with Bill, whose arm was draped around Penny's shoulders. Penny was helping Ben with his Potions homework, and Charlie was completely engrossed in the classifieds of the 'Hogsmeade Morning Herald' that lay open on the table in front of him. Artemis offered twelve silver Sickles to Madam Rosmerta, but she shook her head, and gently pushed her hands back.

"Don't be silly, love," she said, smiling warmly. "I've not seen you in months, I'm not going to take money from you."

Artemis caught Madam Rosmerta up on the events of the term so far, and as she did, she became aware of a commotion going on in the far corner of the inn. A group of students were laughing raucously as a pretty brunette read aloud from a black notebook. Artemis' face stiffened as she recognised the girl at the centre of the small crowd.

"What's Emily Tyler up to this time?" Rowan muttered, also watching the scene unfold, along with the majority the punters.

"I don't know," replied Artemis, "but let's find out."

Rowan and Artemis walked across the inn to where Emily Tyler was still reading, her sneering voice carrying out over the laughter of the students around her. Among them was Artemis' friend Andre Egwu, from Ravenclaw house, who was watching from a nearby table with a girl in a blue headscarf.

"What's going on?" Artemis hissed to him.

"Oh," Andre giggled, "Ismelda Murk left her diary on the table when she went to go to the loo, and Emily's been reading it out."

"That's not funny, Andre, that's horrible!"

"So is Ismelda. And you didn't hear it when she read out Ismelda's secret love letters. It was hilarious, wasn't it, Badeea?"

Badeea Ali hesitated before she nodded her head, a guilty look in her wide dark eyes.

"It was a bit funny, yes. I do feel bad for her though."

"Why? Ismelda's the meanest witch at Hogwarts."

"No, she isn't," Artemis muttered, looking at Emily Tyler with her lips pursed and eyes narrowed. She exhaled, and turned away from Andre and Badeea. "Oi, Emily!"

Emily Tyler lifted her eyes from Ismelda's diary, and stared daggers at Artemis.

"Can I help you?" she asked, with an insincere smile.

"Yeah, you can, actually," said Artemis. "You can give me that book."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm telling you to. Give me that book."

"But the thing is, Ariadne," Emily said, in an airy voice, "I'd give this book to you, but I'm quite enjoying reading it. We all are. Ismelda really is a very talented writer."