Artemis Hexley and the Return to the Riddles

Chapter 7: The Most Powerful Puffskein at Hogwarts

October was growing more autumnal by the day, with the sky painted grey and the grounds covered in leaves in every imaginable shade of umber, orange, and yellow. The giant pumpkins in Hagrid's garden were almost ready to be picked, and the students had started to don their knitwear. It was a typical autumn term at Hogwarts, in almost every way, except for one thing: the thief was still at large.

With more items going missing daily, and still no luck finding the culprit, Corey Hayden the Head Boy was arranging more and more prefects' meetings, which Artemis was finding more and more tedious.

"Honestly, this is pointless," she whispered to Charlie, as Corey announced - yet again - that he still had no leads. "If they've run out of the good sandwiches by the time we get to lunch, I'm going to be livid."

Charlie made a low, sympathetic humming noise, and Artemis crossed her arms over her chest as she looked out of the window at the rain falling steadily on the surface of the Black Lake outside. On the shore, a single white swan was grooming itself and ruffling its feathers. It was miserable weather outside, but Artemis still would have gladly traded places with that one wet swan, if only to avoid having to listen to Corey droning on.

"I've been re-reading all my detective novels," Corey was now saying, "and I think we really should consider the possibility that the thief is one of the people who reported an item stolen."

"Why would a thief report a theft that they committed?"

"In order to shift the blame from themselves. In The Detective Files of-"

"You're using tips from detective novels to help you find out whose been nicking a few girls' jewellery from around the school?" said Victor Ketsueki, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips. "What's your next theory? A Niffler did it?"

There were a few muffled snorts of laughter from around the room as Victor rolled his eyes and Corey bristled. Artemis pursed her lips. Though she found Corey insufferable, she disliked Victor just as much. She also hated these meetings, but at least she had the good sense to sit through them in surly silence and not try and draw attention to herself. Besides, it wasn't just 'a few girls' jewellery' that had been lost. These were things that had meant something to their original owners, and still did, such as Murphy's Golden Snitch pin badge and Talbott's mother's old necklace.

She narrowed her eyes at both Corey and Victor before returning her attention to the view from the window. The rain outside was falling more heavily now, and even the swan had disappeared from view, presumably having grown as bored of his own situation as Artemis had of hers.

"Well, if you all wouldn't mind speaking again to the people in your houses who claim to have had things stolen from them, that would be appreciated," Corey said. "You're all free to go."

At last, Artemis thought. She slung her yellow rucksack over her shoulder and followed Charlie and Badeea across the classroom. She got to the door at the same time as Victor Ketsueki, who stepped in front of her as if he hadn't noticed her there.

"Excuse me." Her mouth dropped open. "I was just-"

"Well done. You remembered the words I taught you," said Victor. He gave her an insincere smile before turning his collar up and walking away down the corridor in the opposite direction to the rest of the prefects.

Artemis frowned as she watched him leave. Why was he not going to lunch in the Great Hall like everyone else? What was he up to?

"He's probably meeting a girl," said Badeea, as Artemis caught up with her and Charlie. "They all seem to like him these days."

"Why?"

"I expect it's because of the poems. You should see him in the Common Room, he's always scribbling away. Tulip and I asked him what he was writing the other night, he told us it was a haiku."