/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟞.𝟥

Artemis laughed out loud. "No, Sirius, I forgot about my douchebag estranged brother. And funny you should bring that up now- think you're projecting a little?"

"I'm not projecting!"

"Why are you so upset right now?" she cried, trying with all her might to keep her voice low. She wanted to scream at him. It was typical Sirius. He had to make a big deal about everything, get angry about the littles things. "We were just talking! He made a bad joke, you do it all the time and nobody gets mad at you."

He flicked his hair out of his eyes. "There's a difference between a 'bad joke' and joking about someone else's traumatic experience."

"Traumatic experience!" she laughed incredulously. "Do you hear how idiotic you sound right now? I can't believe I let you come here with me."

"Let me?"

"I invited you!"

"You were desperate for a date!"

He wished he could take it back the second he said it. Her nostrils flared and her eyes were wild. "Desperate?" she said, her voice dangerously soft. "You think I was desperate? Sirius Black, when have I ever been desperate in my life?"

"Artemis..."

"No," she said, her voice breaking as she backed away, looking up at him with the most hurt expression he'd seen on her in a long time. "No, I can't do this. I thought it would be different, I thought we could be friends, but you haven't changed at all, have you? You're the same guy who pulled all those stupid pranks when we were kids, and you're the same guy who burned my dad's books because I kissed your brother. What are you, jealous? Are you jealous of Regulus, because that's fucking stupid and you know it is."

His face flushed and he narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not jealous."

She shook her head, blinking tears from her eyes and gritting her teeth to keep from screaming or crying or punching him. "You're an asshole, Sirius," she said in a barely contained whisper. "You're an asshole, and you ruin everything!"

Tears spilled over and she looked around helplessly. A few people were watching the fight with pitying eyes. She hated it. Her heart was beating out of her chest. She ducked her head and walked as fast as she could through the crowd. Before she reached the doors, her eyes met Regulus's for a split second. He looked like he was reveling in the moment, disgustingly, almost enjoying it. The second his eyes met hers, his expression morphed into alarm mixed with sympathy. She walked faster, bursting through the doors, pausing only to slip out of her heels before running at full speed towards Gryffindor Tower.

There were people behind her. First, it was Marlene and Dorcas, who caught up to her quickly and walked on either side of her, both looking thoroughly concerned. "What happened?" Marlene asked breathlessly, lightly touching Artemis's arm.

"Go back to the party," Artemis said harshly.

Then, Sirius was right behind them. "Artemis," he said, his voice pained. "Art, look, I'm sorry. Come on, just talk to me-"

She ignored him. She ignored all of them. The walk to Gryffindor Tower felt a million times longer than it ever had before. She didn't say a word, even when Marlene and Dorcas continued to ask what happened. At one point, Marlene turned to Sirius and told him to go away, but he didn't go anywhere.

Finally, they reached the portrait of the fat lady and Artemis said the password, clambered through, and hurled herself towards the stairs.

"Artemis!" Sirius shouted in a last-ditch effort to get her to turn around.

There were a few students hanging around the common room. James and Peter, deep in a game of chess, stood up in alarm when the group burst through the portrait hole. "Hey, what happened?" James asked, reaching out to hold Artemis back.

She slipped out of his reach and started up the stairs.

"Artemis!" Sirius said again.

She whirled around to face him. "What?" she said in a choked voice. "What are you going to do, defend yourself? Tell me I'm wrong? You're the same asshole you've always been, and you know it. So go ruin another girl's night and leave me alone."

She stormed the rest of the way up the stairs before Sirius could answer, Marlene and Dorcas close behind, and they could hear the sound of the girls' dormitory door slamming shut from the common room.

James stared after them, his mouth agape with bewilderment, and then turned to Sirius. "Sirius," he said, his voice deadly calm. "What just happened?"

Sirius didn't answer. He stared after Artemis for another long moment, then swallowed hard and walked upstairs to his own dormitory.

James started to follow him, but then the portrait hole opened again and Lily stepped through. "Where's Artemis?" she asked wildly.

James couldn't describe the relief he felt upon seeing her as confused as he was. It made it easier for him to calm down. He took a step towards her. "Hey, hey, Evans, what happened?"

She was still looking around in alarm, overwhelmed. "I need to know where Art is, she stormed out crying and she and Sirius got into this big fight and then everyone left and I think something happened with Regulus and-"

"Hey, hey-" James put a hand on her shoulder without even thinking. "Lily!" She met his eyes at last and instantly calmed down. "What's going on? Why's everyone so upset?"

Lily took a deep breath and pushed her hair from her eyes. "Everything was fine, but then Artemis and Sirius got into this huge fight in the middle of the party and she started crying. So she stormed out and Sirius followed her and then Regulus left too and he looked all upset and I honestly don't know what's happening. But I know she was excited for this and Sirius ruined the whole thing, and... I dunno," she sighed. "Sometimes I think I'm not there for her as much as I should be, and-"

"Evans, you're there for your friends more than anyone I know," James said honestly.

Lily stared at him, dumbfounded. He sounded genuine. Truly genuine. And the worst part was, he was the person who was there for his friends more than anyone she knew. "Really?"

"Yeah." His expression was gentle and he took his hand from her arm, slipping it into his pocket and looking at the floor.

Lily didn't move. She stood staring at him with no idea why she was feeling the way she was feeling. The moment passed in an instant. She took a deep breath, straightened her dress, and set her shoulders back. "Did she go upstairs?"

"Yeah."

She nodded and stepped past him, heading upstairs to find her friends. When she entered the girls' dormitory, Artemis, Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary were all sitting on the floor in front of Artemis's bed. Artemis wasn't crying anymore. "Hey," she said when she saw Lily. "Why'd you leave the party?"

"To check on you," Lily said softly, sitting down next to the other girls. "What happened?"

Artemis shrugged. "I hate him," she said helplessly. "I absolutely hate him. And I thought he was different now. I thought after last year and everything he would grow up a bit, but he didn't. I dunno, it's just a shitty night. It's nothing that hasn't happened before, so I don't know why I even care."

"Because he was your best friend," said Mary. "I think. For a little while, at least."

Artemis laughed softly and reached out to put her arms around Mary and nestle her face her her shoulder. "Yeah, Mary. Not even you can figure this one out, love."