Artemis Hexley and the Portrait of the Vault

Chapter 12: Broken Bonds

After the incident in the Transfiguration courtyard, Rowan was admitted to the Hospital Wing for over a week of intensive monitoring. Due to the fact that it was unknown whether or not she still posed a risk to Artemis, the two girls were disallowed from seeing each other. Naturally, Artemis put up quite a fuss about the situation, but despite her protests, neither Madam Pomfrey not Professor Sprout would budge on the matter.

Nevertheless, Artemis went to the Hospital Wing every day after lessons ended. Even if she wasn't allowed to see Rowan, she could at least bring her notes from their classes. She knew that Rowan would be in a state about missing a week of school, and it was the very least she could do for her best friend. She even put more effort into her note-taking than she normally would, because Rowan's notes were always more in-depth than hers were.

Eventually, after ten days in solitary confinement, Rowan was permitted visitors. Artemis was the first person who went to see her, with Professor Sprout watching them carefully from an unobtrusive distance, just in case.

"Ro!" Artemis jumped up onto the hospital bed next to Rowan, and threw her arms around her. "It's so great to see you! Are you okay?"

"I was until you broke my ribs squeezing me like that," Rowan said, with a small smile. "But I'm okay. I've been reading a lot, but otherwise it's quite boring being shut in here."

"Did you get all my revision notes?"

"I did, thank you. I've finished all the homework assignments already, though."

"You're not serious? You want me to bring you more homework?" Artemis laughed and shook her head. "Bloody hell, Rowan, you must be bored."

"Honestly? I'd just like the distraction," Rowan admitted. Her brown eyes were wide and sorrowful behind her glasses. "When I have nothing else to think about, my mind keeps going back to what... what happened, and how I tried to hurt you. Artemis, I-"

"Don't," Artemis interrupted her. "Don't say that you're sorry, because there's nothing to be sorry for. I know that you'd never do anything to hurt me, not deliberately."

"But-"

"I said it's fine, Rowan. It's not your fault, what happened. Do you even remember anything about it?"

"Not really. I mean, I sort of remember it but it's like I'm watching myself from the outside when I try."

"Like a dream?"

"More like a nightmare," muttered Rowan. "But yes, the memories are sort of hazy like after you've woken up."

"That's how Ben described it last year."

"Yes," Rowan started to nibble her bottom lip. "You know, I feel really awful."

"I said-"

"Not about you, Artemis. Well, I feel awful about that, too, but... I've been so horrid to Ben for such a long time, and now I know what he went through, and I..."

Rowan's voice tailed off, and she blinked back tears. Artemis held her hand.

"You didn't know, Rowan," she told her in a reassuring voice. "You were just trying to be a good friend to me."

"But Ben was supposed to be my friend too, and I was vile to him."

"You made a mistake. When you leave the Hospital Wing, you can apologise to him for it."

"Do you think he'll forgive me?" Rowan asked, in a very small voice.

"You won't know unless you ask him to," Artemis shrugged.

Rowan nodded and sniffed. The two girls were quiet for a few moments, sitting side-by-side, hand-in-hand. After almost a minute, Rowan frowned, but her lips twitched upwards.