Spring had sprung. As February turned into March, the winter frost melted away and the castle grounds returned to a plush green, and the Whomping Willow grew back its silvery leaves. Hagrid could be seen tending to the buds and shoots that were sprouting up from every inch of dewy grass, and shooing away flobberworms from his vegetable patch, all in the company of his new dog, a tubby black boarhound puppy that looked like it had far too much skin for its body.
Artemis had been one of the first to meet Hagrid's new puppy. He had invited her, Rowan and Ben over for a cup of tea the day after he brought him back to his hut, and the two girls had spent almost two hours sitting cross-legged on the floor playing with the puppy. Ben, who was nervous of dogs, sat on one of Hagrid's large armchairs and watched apprehensively.
"Has he got a name, Hagrid?" Artemis asked, rubbing the puppy's black belly.
"I was thinkin' o' callin' 'im Fang," said Hagrid, handing Ben a plate rock cakes. "Reckon it suits the little mite."
Fang sat up, cocked his head to one side and whispered at Artemis, looking at her with droopy black eyes. Artemis couldn't think of a name that would suit this floppy, roly-poly puppy less than 'Fang', but she couldn't bear to say so in front of Hagrid.
"I think Fang is a lovely name," she said.
Hagrid wasn't the only one who was busy. The Easter holidays would soon be approaching, and, as their teachers kept reminding them, in their third term the students would have their end of year exams.
"I wish they'd stop going on about it," Tonks said, with a yawn. "The exams aren't until the first week of June. That's ages away."
"It's ten weeks, Tonks," said Rowan. "That will go by in a flash. And they are really important, you know. If we don't get good enough marks we have to retake the whole year."
"Yeah, yeah," Tonks breezed. "I don't know why you're so worried, Rowan. We all know you've been revising since Christmas."
This was true. Despite being top of the lass in most of her subjects, Rowan had been revising harder than anyone, except possibly Ben.
"I just need to make sure I do well," he whispered to Artemis in the library. "Everyone thinks I'm not as good at magic because my family aren't wizards. I don't want them all to laugh at me."
"Just because your family aren't wizards, it doesn't mean that you aren't as good at magic," said Penny, reassuringly. She was sitting opposite Ben and Artemis, poring over a pile of Potions textbooks. "My mum is Muggleborn, too, and she's a wonderful witch."
"What about your dad?"
"He's a Muggle," she said. "So I'm almost as much of a Muggleborn as you, Ben."
"See?" Artemis said. "Penny's got loads of Muggle family and she's good at magic. She's the best at Potions in our whole year."
This placated Ben, and he seemed to relax a lot after this. Penny turned pink with pleasure and beamed at Artemis.
"Well," she said. "My mum is a Potioneer, so I have had a head start. And I'm not nearly as good at other subjects. You and Ben are both so much better at me when it comes to Charms."
Like Artemis, Ben's favourite subject was Charms, and he was getting very good at it, too. Artemis was still usually the first in the class to pick up new spells, but as the year went on, Ben was quickly catching up with her. In their last lesson before the Easter holidays, Professor Flitwick taught them the unlocking spell, and Ben managed to master it even faster than she did.
"You're not upset, are you?" He said.
"Why would I be upset?" Artemis asked.
"Because," Ben shrugged, "Charms is your thing, isn't it?"
"Well, now it's our thing," she grinned and nudged him gently with her elbow. Ben sighed, looking relieved. "I'm just happy that you've found something that you really enjoy."
"I think I know the real reason why Artemis looks so happy," Rowan said, giving Artemis a knowing look. "It's because she wants to use that spell on the locked door in the fifth floor corridor."
"You know me too well, Rowan," Artemis laughed.
Artemis, Rowan and Ben had all decided to stay at Hogwarts over the Easter holidays. Rowan wanted to spend more time in the library revising for the end of year exams, and Ben, being from a Muggle household, wouldn't be able to practise any spells if he went home for the holidays.
For Artemis, however, the desire to to stay at the castle was less academic. Ever since the evening she and Merula had seen the teachers gathered in the corridor on the fifth floor, Artemis had been determined to find out what lay behind the locked door. She had been returning to the fifth floor a couple of times a week, but each time she was intercepted, either by Filch, his cat, or Merula Snyde.
"I told you to stay out of my way, Hexley," Merula hissed at her, as they encountered each other at the entrance to the mysterious corridor. "Why are you hanging around me like a bad smell?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Merula," Artemis replied. "I'm just here for a walk."
"Well, walk somewhere else."
At this point, the two girls were interrupted by the sound of a small miaow, and they turned around to see that Mrs Norris the cat had appeared as if from nowhere. They both sighed, and left before Filch arrived and gave them more detention.
Artemis had hoped that Filch would have taken time off for the holidays, but it turned out that Filch took his job very seriously, even at Easter.
"Here again, Hexley?" Filch growled at her, finding her on the fifth floor on Good Friday. "Shouldn't you be somewhere studying like the rest of your little heathen friends?"
"Actually, I was on my way to the library to study," Artemis lied, "but the staircase had other ideas. Do you know the quickest way back down to the third floor?"
"A likely story," he said. "I've got my eye on you, Hexley. Now run along, before I hang you up in my office by your big toe."
Artemis sighed and moved along. It was one thing learning a spell to unlock the door, but how was she ever supposed to get past Filch and Mrs Norris?
It turned out that she wasn't the only one having issues with the cantankerous caretaker and his crabby cat. On Easter Monday, Artemis visited Hagrid in his hut, where he served her a hot cross bun the size of her own face.
"Do you think Mr Filch would ever really hang me up by my big toe?" Artemis asked Hagrid.
"Dumbledore would never let 'im do a thin' like tha'," Hagrid shook his head. "Don' yeh listen to tha' miserable ol' git, Artemis."
Artemis giggled. She'd never heard Hagrid speak badly of another member of staff before. Hagrid seemed to realise this, because he started to backtrack.
"I shouldn' o' said tha'," he muttered.
"Why don't you like Filch?" Artemis asked him. "Other than the obsession with locking up children, obviously."
"Oh, well," Hagrid sighed. "'E's been givin' me a bi' o' trouble o' late."
"How so?"
"'E's taken a dislikin' ter Fang," said Hagrid. At the mention of his name, Fang whined and thumped his tail on the ground, eyes firmly fixed on Artemis' hot cross bun. "Tha' cat o' his, Mrs What's-'Er-Face -"
"Mrs Norris."
"That's the badger. Nasty little fleabag o' a cat," Hagrid shuddered. "Anyway, Fang got a bi' too close to 'er a few weeks back, an' she gave 'im a nasty scratch righ' on 'is nose. I wouldn'ta minded tha', but ever since she's been followin' the poor pup aroun', hissin' an' swipin' at 'im wherever 'e goes."
"That's not very nice," said Artemis. "Fang's a big dog, though, surely he could see her off."
"'E's a big lad, bu' 'e's a ruddy coward. Worse than yer friend, Ben," Hagrid laughed, but not unkindly. "I tried talkin' ter Filch abou' it, and yeh know wha' 'e said?" Artemis shook her head, and Hagrid answered his own question. "'E said tha' I should keep Fang under control, tha' 'e's the one tha's been terrorisin' 'is precious Mrs Norris, not the other way roun'. Do yeh believe tha'? All my life, I've never 'eard such a load of-"
"She is horrible, that Mrs Norris," Artemis said. "She scratched me, too, one time in detention. Poor Fang, it's no wonder he's scared of her."
"An' it's not jus' Filch's cat," Hagrid said, shaking his head sadly. "Now 'e's scared of all cats. Won't go near 'em, jus' starts cryin' and quiverin' every time 'e sees one. An' it's jus' gettin' worse each time Mrs Ruddy Norris 'as a go at 'im."
"But the castle's full of cats," Artemis frowned. "Loads of people bring them to school with them, they're everywhere."
"Exactly. If it gets much worse, Fang won't be able teh leave my hut without gettin' scared. If it gets tha' bad, I migh' even have ter give 'im away."
"You can't do that!"
"If it carries on like this, I migh' not 'ave a choice," Hagrid's black eyes were filled with tears. "Yeh can' keep a big dog like Fang locked up in a hut. It ent fair."
Artemis frowned. Surely there had to be something she could do to help. But how? Suddenly, she had an idea.
"Hagrid," she said, "I have a cat. He's only a kitten, still, and he's really friendly, so he wouldn't be too scary. Maybe if Fang met Fergus, he'd realise that not all cats are as awful as that horrid Mrs Norris."
"Tha's no' a bad idea," said Hagrid. "Yeh an' Fergus don't mind helpin' ou' me an' Fang, do yeh?"
"Hagrid, there's nothing Fergus and I would like to do more. I helped Ben get over his fear of flying, I'm sure I can help Fang get over his fear of cats."
Artemis took Fergus down to Hagrid's hut the following day. Unfortunately, Fang's fear of cats was worse than she had anticipated. The moment the puppy saw Fergus winding himself around Artemis' feet he darted under an armchair, where he remained, shaking, for more than fifteen minutes.
"Maybe we should have introduced them outside," Artemis sighed, picking up the kitten and rubbing under his titian chin with her forefinger.
"Never min', Artemis," Hagrid said sadly, as he lured Fang out from under the armchair with a large raw steak. "Thanks fer tryin'."
"I'm not finished," said Artemis. "I'll try again."
"I dunno, I think this migh' be jus' the way Fang is now."
Fang had dragged the steak to the corner of the room and was now chewing on it whilst eyeing Artemis and Fergus warily.
"We can't just give up," Artemis protested. "Let me talk to Rowan, she knows loads about cats. We'll think of something, I promise."
Artemis talked to Rowan and Ben about her dilemma over dinner that evening. Rowan was a bit of an expert when it came to cats; they were her favourite animal and she had her own cat at home, a large tabby called Fuzzclaw. Sadly, though, she had no bright ideas when it came to helping Fang and Fergus become friends.
"It sounds like this is a problem with Fang, not with Fergus," she said. "We need someone who knows a lot about dogs, not cats. Could you write to your uncle?"
"He's a magizoologist, Rowan. There's nothing magical about dogs," Artemis shook her head. "If it were a fairy who was scared of cats, or a plimpy or a salamander, maybe..."
"Have you thought about giving Fang a calming draught?" Ben piped up.
"A calming draught?" Rowan wrinkled her nose. "I thought they were just to help with exam nerves."
"They're good for nerves generally," said Ben. "Madam Pomfrey gives them to me sometimes when I'm having an off day. They make me feel less scared of everything, they might help Fang feel less scared of cats."
"That's a brilliant idea, Ben," said Artemis. "I'll go to the Hospital Wing after dinner, see if Madam Pomfrey will give me a calming draught to use on Fang."
Madam Pomfrey, the school Healer, was less helpful than Artemis had hoped.
"Miss Hexley, what do you think this is? A veterinary hospital? Do any of my patients have fur or scales?"
"No..."
"Then unless you are unwell, I suggest you leave," Madam Pomfrey ushered her towards the door. "I do not supply potions for animal use."
"No luck, then?" Rowan was waiting for Artemis outside the Hospital Wing.
"Apparently Madam Pomfrey only treats people," Artemis sighed, shaking her head. "Looks like we won't be able to get hold of a calming draught after all."
"Well," Rowan stopped suddenly, looking thoughtful, "we could always make a calming draught."
"Have you made one before?"
"No," said Rowan, shaking her head, "but I bet Penny has. Why don't you ask her for help?"
Penny and Tonks both returned at the end of the Easter holidays, and Artemis wasted no time in asking her if she could help her make a calming draught. Penny seemed delighted to be asked, and agreed instantly.
"It's a very simple potion," she said, setting up her favourite cauldron on the floor of the girls dormitory the following evening, "and it doesn't take long to brew."
Artemis helped Penny to brew the calming draught. Artemis didn't sit near Penny in Potions class, and had never seen her at work before. She was impressed. Penny brewed the potion sitting cross-legged on the ground with a determined expression on her face, wand gripped between her teeth as she used both her hands to expertly prepare and measure out ingredients.
"What I don't understand," said Penny, once the potion was finished, "is why Ben couldn't just get a calming draught from Madam Pomfrey."
"The calming draught isn't for Ben," Artemis said. "It's for Fang, Hagrid's puppy. Fergus and I are trying to help him be less afraid of cats."
"Artemis, you didn't say you were going to give the potion to a dog!"
"Is it not safe for dogs?"
"I don't know, I've never used it on animals before," Penny said. "I'd like to think it would be safe, but-"
Penny was interrupted mid-sentence a soft thump that came from behind the cauldron.
"Fergus!" Artemis exclaimed, horrified. The kitten was lying on the floor next to the cauldron, unconscious.
"He must have drank the potion!" Penny gasped. "What do we do?"
"I'll take him to the Hospital Wing straight away," said Artemis, scooping up Fergus' limp little body.
"I'll clear this up so no one else comes along and drinks it," Penny said, already pouring the leftover potion into a bottle. "Good luck, Artemis!"
Cradling Fergus in her arms, Artemis ran full pelt to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was in the process of administering a potion to a willowy girl with very pale blonde hair who Artemis thought she recognised from some of her classes. The Healer did not take well to Artemis' interruption.
"Artemis Hexley, how many times do I need to tell you that I do not treat animals?" Madam Pomfrey said in a shrilly voice. "This really is most unsanitary!"
"Fergus isn't unsanitary, Madam Pomfrey, he's sick," said Artemis. She was so desperate that she was nearing tears, and she nevercried. "Please, I just need to make sure that he's okay."
"I said no, Miss Hexley," Madam Pomfrey said. "Now if you excuse me, I have patients to attend to. Patients that I am appropriately qualified to treat."
Artemis could have screamed in frustration and terror, but at that moment, the blonde girl who had been taking the potion from Madam Pomfrey placed a hand gently on her arm.
"Here, let me see if I can do anything," she said quietly, pointing her wand at Fergus. "Episkey!"
Nothing happened. Artemis looked up at the girl.
"He won't wake up," she said, her heart pounding in her throat. "He drank mine and Penny's calming draught, and now he won't wake up."
"I'm sorry, Artemis," said the girl. Artemis was too upset to bother asking how she knew her name. "It looks like he's just sleeping. Why don't you try taking him to Professor Kettleburn just in case? He's probably still out in the castle grounds."
"That's a good idea, I'll do that now," Artemis nodded. "Thanks, um..."
"Chiara," said the girl. She smiled kindly at Artemis. "You should go quickly, before he goes home to Hogsmeade, and before it gets dark."
Artemis thanked Chiara again, and ran out to the grounds, where she found Professor Kettleburn, the one-legged and one-armed Care of Magical Creatures professor, in Hagrid's garden, where they were both looking closely at a bushel of dirigible plums. Artemis held Fergus out to Professor Kettleburn, and begged him to help.
"He's perfectly alright," he said, having examined Fergus closely, "just in a very deep sleep. But I would not recommend testing potions on your pets in future."
"It was an accident, Professor," said Artemis. She explained everything to Professor Kettleburn.
"Well, maybe this is a blessing in disguise," he said, adjusting his eyepatch. "Why don't you see how Fang responds to a sleeping cat?"
Artemis nodded, and Hagrid brought Fang out to the garden to see Fergus. Fang sniffed the sleeping kitten, and promptly flumped down onto the ground to lie next to him.
"It's workin'," Hagrid whispered to Artemis.
As Fergus started to stir, Fang shifted over and sat up, looking at Hagrid and wagging his tail. The soft thudding noise of Fang's tail hitting the earth seemed to wake Fergus up further, and soon he opened his bright green eyes and miaowed gently, as if he were wondering how he'd come to be in Hagrid's garden.
"Fergus, you're okay!"
Artemis knelt down next to Fergus and picked him up, clutching him to her chest and burying her face in his soft ginger fur until he squirmed. She put him back on the ground, and the kitten started to approach Fang, who cowered slightly, but didn't back away. As Fergus rubbed his cheek against Fang's wrinkly foreleg, the puppy bowed his head and sniffed the down between Fergus's ears.
"Look, Hagrid," Artemis gasped, "they're making friends!"
As Fergus became more and more lively, he started to gently bat Fang's paws with his own. The puppy seemed confused, but returned the gesture, before rolling over on the ground, getting up and bowing at the kitten, yapping and swishing his tail from side to side.
"Woul' yeh jus' look at them playin'!" Hagrid said. He was almost crying with delight.
Artemis grinned and turned to Professor Kettleburn.
"Thank you so much for saving Fergus, Professor," she said, resisting the urge to hug the teacher.
"I don't know about saving, I didn't really do much, did I?" Professor Kettleburn laughed. "Still, you're welcome, Miss..."
"Hexley," said Artemis, and she waited for the tight-lips and raised eyebrows that usually came whenever she introduced herself to a teacher, but to her surprise, Professor Kettleburn cocked his head and frowned at her.
"You're Sally's little girl?" He asked, and Artemis nodded. "I know your Uncle Newt. How is the old boy? Last I heard he was in Scandinavia somewhere."
"Norway. He spent six months there looking at Ridgebacks," Professor Kettleburn and Hagrid shared looks of envy. Artemis smiled to herself. She knew that Hagrid was obsessed with dragons. "He came back just before Christmas."
"Well, I'll be sure to tell him we met," Professor Kettleburn said. "I'm sure he'll be very proud of how you looked after your kitten today."
"I don't know. I don't think you're meant to let your cat drink potions straight from the cauldron."
"Accidents happen," said Professor Kettleburn. For a moment, Artemis wondered whether he was talking about Fergus or about his own missing limbs. "It's not your fault. Calming draught is very sweet, and cats love it. It's harmless, but it will make them sleep soundly for an hour or so."
"Right," Artemis nodded. The seeds of a plan were being planted in her head. "That's useful to know."
"Well, we'd all best be off inside. It's getting dark, and there's a full moon tonight," Professor Kettleburn smiled wryly at Artemis. "It was a pleasure to meet you, young lady. We will make a magizoologist out of you yet, I think."