Thursday, September 3rd:
HERBOLOGY CLASSROOM:
When the group had arrived at the school, the cousins had informed Draco about their family secret room; he agreed to help them immediately.
He couldn't wait to find the place with them, so they could have their own space.
Currently, Blaise, Artemis, and Draco were standing in the herbology room, with overcoats and gloves protecting their uniform, earmuffs around their necks in preparation for the creatures they were going to deal with today.
Draco's goons stood near him, trying to make conversation but he kept ignoring them.
Artemis felt nauseous about being around the plants, she didn't want to see any insects or bugs, she hated them with a passion. Blaise noticed his cousin's uncomfortable state and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Morning everyone"
"Good Morning Professor Sprout" they lazily replied
"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, second years" Professor Sprout happily starts.
Last night they announced that we have a new DADA teacher. After what happened last year, with Quirrell being a spy for the Dark Lord, they needed a new teacher, and surprise surprise they didn't give it to Snape.
Artemis had already been informed about the school hiring Gilderoy Lockhart, she was pissed and so were the other Slytherin students. She thought he had felt off like he was overcompensating for something.
She could tell that he wasn't as smart as Snape and he was an arrogant wizard but she hoped that he would prove her wrong.
"Today we're going to re-pot Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" Professor Sprout asks
The muggleborn gryffindor shot her hand up, "Mandrake or Mandragora" Granger started
"Merlin, it's too early to hear her voice" Artemis mumbles, Hermione gave her a quick side glare and the Seramore smiled right back.
"It is used to return those who have been petrified, to their original state" She kept blabbing on and on about who knows what.
"Excellent, 10 points to Gryffindor" Sprout happily says, Draco gives Potter and Weasley a side glare as they smile for getting those ten points
"Oh please, Gryffindor's get points for wiping their arse" Artemis mumbles causing, Blaise and Draco to chuckle next to her. "Professor sprout." She spoke, attracting everyone's attention, "what Granger forgot to mention is that a mature mandrake, when it is unearthed, would kill any person who hears it but young mandrake screams would knock a person out for several hours." she flicks her hair back, Blaise mimics her resulting in him receiving a smack on the back of the head.
"Well done, 10 points to Slytherin." Draco and Blaise start grinning as Weasley and Potter's smiles fade and Granger mumbles to herself, wishing she would mention the fact.
"Maybe I'll find a mature mandrake and place it in the Gryffindorks common room," Draco whispers with a sly smirk.
Blaise nodded, "I'm already thinking of how to steal this without that old bat seeing me."
"Nothing like talking about the attempted homicide to wake me up," Artemis responded sarcastically, Draco winks at her, while Blaise fake gagged
They are instructed to put their earmuffs on, Artemis does it quickly because she is not risking anything. Sprout then shows us an example of what we should do as she pulls the weird plant out of the soil causing it to start crying, and no surprise Longbottom faints. "Longbottoms have been neglecting his earmuffs" Professor Sprout sighed
The class laughed, "No ma'am, he's just fainted" Finnigan replied, checking on the unconscious Longbottom.
'It's like Merlin spilled a person. Artemis cringes at the scene.
Draco starts to stupidly play with the plant, he gets bitten and viciously glares at the Mandrake, "Mr.Maltoy, you have to participate" sprout scoldd as she sees him no longer working.
"That beast bit me, I refuse" he protested as he crosses his arms. Artemis wanted to stop as she kept feeling the insects crawl in the soil.
"It's only a baby Malfoy," Weasley chuckles from across the table, pleased that the grey-eyed boy is in pain.
"Take your earmuffs off Weasley and say that again," Artemis shouted with a sickly smile, she receives a glare from the boy. 'The chosen one' tells him to calm down.
Draco groans as he looks at his slightly red finger. "D, there's no blood, and you call me dramatic" the pureblood witch whispers glancing over at his finger as he searches for the tiniest drop of blood.
If only my periods were like that. Artemis wishes.
"Well, it feels like there should be" he whispers to the cousins who snickered.
***
DADA LESSON:
During the break, Theo and Blaise continued to taunt Weasley about him receiving a howler, he went to draw his broken wand but Draco knocked him out before he could do any damage.
Right now, the pureblood 5 were all headed to their Defense Against the Dark arts class and none of them were looking forward to it. The girls walked ahead with linked pinkies, the boys stood behind making sure none of the older boys leered at Daphne and Artemis.
They've been overprotective since the train ride and didn't want to take any chances.
"I hope I don't fall asleep in this class" Theo yawned as all five of them walk along the hallway. Artemis shot him a concerned glance since he seemed more tired than usual, he waved her off.
"Please don't because I'm tired of giving you my notes. " Daphne groaned.
"You mean my notes." Artemis inputted, Draco and her were the only two that paid attention. Blaise cared because he wanted to use the spells against everyone, while Theo struggled to care despite being intelligent and Daphne mentally analysed and pointed out the teachers' insecurities.
"Yeah but I add little stars to parchments to make it look unique." The Seramore witch playfully rolled her eyes at her friend.
"What do all those girls see in Lockhart anyways," Draco says disgustedly. From what he saw of the man he thought he looked average and didn't get the appeal.
"Rumour has it he dyes his hair " Blaise casually says.
"Wait what!" Theo raises a brow.
Draco chuckles, "Who started the rumour?"
"Me obviously, I just want to spread a rumour about the wanker so carry it on," Blaise explains. After a summer with his distant cousins, he heard a lot of gossips, only some of it was true, not like he cared, so he made a promise to himself that he would start rumours about a lot of people this year. "And don't let anyone know it was me," he added.
"Fine B I'll help." Theo frustratedly said as they walk into the DADA classroom and find their seats. Draco is quick to sit next to Artemis and even pulls her chair out for her, Blaise quickly followed and did the same for Daphne, while Theo is left to sit next to Gregory. "Don't talk to me." he looks away before the Goyle wizard can even reply.
Artemis turns to the boy, noticing his sullen look, "Sorry T." she mocked.
He holds back a smile, "You owe me a lot of licorice wands, Temi." before looking at the rest, "all of you." They laughed but stopped. They saw the dirty blonde bitch of a teacher walk down the steps.
He passed many portraits of himself. There was even a painting of himself...painting himself.
Artemis was surprised that her Aunt Lia hadn't done that yet.
"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, me, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, third class" He went on and on about how amazing he is and all about his 'charming' smile, Which made Theo gag and put his head on the table.
"Rumor has it, his teeth are fake," Blaise whispers to the Slytherin sound of the class.
Some people were mesmerised by his smile; Granger and Bones, while the rest of the class looked at each other confused.
"He's not enough to make me question my sexuality," Theo whispered to Artemis, making her snort, Draco narrows his eyes at them but Daphne reaches over and flicks his ear, causing his attention to go back to the Narcissist.
"I must ask you not to scream. it might PROVOKE THEM!" he dramatically yelled as he unveils the cage of little blue creatures.
"Cornish Pixies!?" Finnigan laughs.
They all chuckled as the little pixies try to escape the small cage "Freshly caught, Cornish Pixies!" Lockhart corrected "Laugh if you will, Mr.Finnigan, but pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighters."
"Let's see what you make of them" he smirks as he quickly opens the cage, letting more than 50 pixies fly all over the room.
The pixies fly over and start grabbing Artemis' hair, she hits them away with her book, "that felt targeted," she says to her cousin, he nods before grabbing Daphne's hand.
"Let's just go!" Draco shouts above all of the commotions in the room.
"Yeah let's go!" Blaise shouts as he leads us out of the room. Draco quickly grabs Artemis's hand and she grabs Theo's, Blaise drags Daphne and all five of them run out of the room, dodging pixies and people on the way out.
***
QUIDDITCH FIELD:
Artemis and Draco were standing proudly on the field in front of the rest of the Quidditch team.
They looked like royalty, which they technically were.
Bloody Prince and Princess of Slytherin.
"Welcome to the team" Flint congratulated them as they about to head into the locker rooms. It's been a little while since we've returned to school. "Before we change, it is mandatory to do introductions" Flint continued.
"So, I'm Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin team and chaser." Artemis liked Marcus, she knew that he was a dick but he was funny and surprisingly not creepy so she felt somewhat comfortable around him.
"Miles Bletchley, keeper." the wizard barely spoke so Artemis didn't notice him that much but he was good at keeping.
"Graham Montague chaser." Draco glared at him, he brought Artemis closer to him, many noticed this action but decided not to speak on it.
"Adrian Pucey chaser."
"Derrick Peregrine, beater"
"Lucian Bole, beater"
"Malfoy, you'll be our new seeker"
"And last but not least, Seramore, our new chaser." he grinned at her, Marcus was just glad that the team looked on point and stronger than last year. And the fact they had a girl on the team added points for diversity.
"Got it?" Flint explained and they nod and he turns to the witch, "Since you're the only uh- female on the team, you get the women's locker room all to yourself" Flint points to the direction of the locker rooms."It's just right across from the guy's room." she nodded, "While Malfoy, you get to follow us into the guy's locker room" they start walking towards the locker rooms.
Artemis started to get changed in the room, the room was warm, it comforted her. She was glad that she was the first girl they had on the team, regardless of any nepotism that may have been involved she knew that she was a great chaser. Her father and many of their cousins were chasers, due to their speed and agility.
She was happy to be on the team, she needed something to take her repressed emotions out on, and even though she was a chaser that doesn't mean she won't fight like a beater.
Also, she knew that her flying lessons were not enough exercise for her, so she needed to join the team.
She wasn't bothered that Graham was on the team, she wouldn't pay him any attention, and she was glad that he thought that she and Draco were in a relationship because to her, there were no romantic feelings involved in their friendship.
She approached the rest of the boys on the large green field, they all stood with their new brooms in their hands and fresh quidditch uniforms on.
Draco scooted over to make space for Artemis, she winked at him causing him to blush and making the rest of the team try to conceal their laughs. Graham did not look too happy but he wore a fake smile on his face.
He didn't like the idea of Draco being her boyfriend. So he made a mission for him to be her friend.
"Alright everyone here?" Flint asked, they all nod. "Good, I have a note from Snape, meaning we have the pitch all to ourselves today" Flint explained as he led them out.
But sadly he was wrong since they started to see a herd of red robes approach them, "where do you think you're going, Flint?" Wood asked impatiently.
Artemis and Draco were hidden behind the taller members of their team. "Quidditch practice," he answered boredly.
"booked the pitch for Gryffindor today."
"Easy wood I've got a note." He hands it to the Gryffindor captain and he starts to read it allowed, the opposing team look confused when they read the words, 'new seeker and chaser'
"Who are they?"
The two best friends smirk just like the team, parted to allow them to step forward.
"Malfoy and Art- i mean Seramore?" Potter said in disbelief.
The witch tilted her head, "Why so serious Harold?"
"That's not all that's new this year" Draco smirked ftttt showing off his new broom.
"Those are Nimbus 2001s!" Weasley gasped as he notices the shiny black brooms. Artemis looks at the redhead who was standing next to the muggle-born witch, she didn't even realize that they were there. "How'd you get those?"
"A gift from Draco's father" Flint smirked as he nudges Draco.
"That's right, it costs more than what your family earns in a year, Weasley, because unlike some, my father can afford the best" Draco smirked.
Artemis cringed as she tried 'thinking in poor' but she couldn't, She nudges the boy, "calm down and save it for the matches."
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Granger said matter-of-factly. "They got in on pure talent" Granger continued and starts to eye the Seramore witch.
Artemis shoots her a cold look, "Oh so Potter can get on the team based on fame despite being the first year and it's okay," she steps closer to the bushy-haired witch, "but it's wrong if we get on our team, during the right year?" She stood toe to toe with the girl looking between her and Weasley, "or are you just mad that your boyfriend has some competition?" she laughed, "you're such an advocate for following the rules yet you turn a blind eye when your house does it, sounds hypocritical to me."
"She's brilliant," Marcus says but mainly to himself. The rest of the team nodded along.
Draco joins Artemis and glares at Granger and Weasley not liking how they were looking at his friend, "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood" Draco snarls as he glared at Granger.
Artemis snaps her head towards the boy as people begin mumbling the slur.
The Seramore witch wanted to slap Draco, she heard the word a lot whenever she was staying at Malfoy manor. She knew that he had gotten it from his father; her uncle, but it is still wrong to say.
Despite popular beliefs, Artemis didn't use the word if she was going to insult someone she wouldn't use slurs.
She couldn't since she was a minority amongst the wizarding community as she's a young black witch.
So instead she would attack their insecurities and use that as her own personal weapon.
"Bloody hell." she shook her head and Draco almost regrets saying it...almost. She sees the tears forming in Granger's eyes and if Artemis wasn't emotionally constipated she would've felt sympathy for the girl, but right now she was just pissed off.
Pissed off because her day was ruined.
Pissed off because she was accused of being talentless by someone who couldn't even fly a broom properly.
And pissed off because her best friend was acting like a fool.
"You'll pay for that one Malfoy" Weasley glared at Draco and lifts his wand, Artemis got pulled back by Marcus so she wouldn't get hit.
"EAT SLUGS!"
Due to Ronalds' dodgy wand, the spell backfires before it hits the platinum-haired boy and hits himself instead. The Weasley boy got thrown back and hit the floor and instantly starts to go pale. His team rushed to help him and the Slytherins laughed.
Artemis smiles at the sight, but Draco can see the rage in her eyes, he knew he was in trouble.
After the spectacle, they practiced until the sun went down and they were all exhausted."I can't feel my legs.." Artemis groaned as they walked back to the locker rooms. "I wish there was a spell for this." The rest of the team was already getting changed but she and Draco were closer to the field than the door.
I need to make a spell for this. She says in her mind.
"Come on" Draco mumbled and he gets in front of her gesturing for her to get on his back, she shook her head, "Arty, are you still mad?"
"Yup."
"Why?" The argument happened hours ago and he thought she would be over it by now.
"She looked like she was about to cry."
"So? She deserved it, she said you didn't deserve your spot and I didn't deserve mine. Plus you like seeing her cry."
"Yes, and I stopped myself from laughing because of what you said."
"Fine, I'll say the word, less, okay like a compromise."
"I'll compromise you through that bloody window." She nodded her head and the glass. He winced and gulps.
"Fine I'm sorry and I'll try okay, forgive me please." he pleaded. Unfortunately, the cruel word was in his vocabulary and it probably wouldn't leave it any time soon.
She hides a smile by jumping on his back and he carries her towards her changing room. She loves when he begs for her forgiveness.
The two are completely unaware of a certain blonde pureblood smiling at the scene.
***
Tuesday, September 8th:
HALLWAY:
Finally, after a long day and after dinner the pureblood 5 were all heading down to their dorms but stopped when the floor was soaked with water.
"This better not ruin my shoes." Artemis groaned. She was wearing chunky platform Mary Jane shoes, matching with Daphne. Even though it was leather material, she didn't want toilet water touching them.
"Myrtle flooded the bathroom, again," Daphne groaned. "That freak just couldn't wait until I was asleep"
Artemis nodded, "Merlin if this is how she is when she is dead, imagine how she was when she was alive."
Theo scrunched his face, trying to avoid the water, "A whiny cow." Draco and Blaise snickered.
They cautiously continued walking down the wet hallway, groaning and whining as they went along. They reach the corridor and they see Potter, Granger, and Weasley standing in the middle looking at the wall.
They all gasp, "Is that blood?" Draco whispered to them, he grabbed Artemis's hand and brought her back slightly.
"That's Mrs.Norris" Blaise points at the cat hanging from its tail, Theo grabs him and pulls him back. The Nott wizard would prefer to see a dead person than a dead animal.
He hated cats but still, he didn't want to see a dead one.
"Is it dead?" daphne nervously asked.
"No, it's just resting " Artemis responded sarcastically, receiving a glare in return, but they begin to link pinkies, both feeling uncomfortable by the atmosphere.
"Enemies of the heir beware?" Draco read the blood-covered wall aloud and quickly turns to the three Gryffindors.
The Seramore witch nudges her best friend and mouths, 'The heir of Slytherin'.
He nods and looks towards the Gryffindors, "You'll be next mudbloods" he glared at Granger and Artemis smacks him in the back of the head. He gulps nervously, he remembers their conversation from last week. The other purebloods laugh at the platinum-haired boy's scared demeanor.
Hermoine notices Artemis' action and feels taken back by it; she didn't expect a Slytherin to defend her.
Mr.Filch pushes past some Gryffindors "What's going on here?" he mumbled in his raspy voice.
"Yikes." Theo and Blaise spoke in unison.
"Here we go," Daphne mumbled, wishing she brought a snack.
Mrs.Norris was precious to Mr.Filch. If Mrs.Norris is dead he'll blame Potter and his friends, but mainly Potter. But Artemis had a feeling nothing would happen to the boy. "Go on. Make way, make way" he groaned as he pushes to the front of the crowd "Potter...what are you d-" he notices his cat hanging on the wall "Mrs.Norris.....you've..murdered my cat?" He asked.
Artemis' eyes widened, "Who knew Potter had it in him."
Mr finch looked like he was struggling to breathe, "I'll kill ya.." he hiccuped and got in the 12-year-old boy's face.
"I'LL KILL YA" he yelled.
"ARGUS" Dumbledore shouts, we all move to the side for Dumbledore and the rest of the professors to reach Potter and Mr.Filch "Argus I-" he notices the cat and blood on the wall "Everyone... will proceed to the dormitories immediately" he calmly says and all four houses went their separate ways.
***
GIRLS ROOM:
Artemis and Draco briefly explained to their friends what might happen this year in the far corner of the common room.
Pansy and Millicent tried to approach them but one look from Artemis and they begrudgingly backed away.
The group felt uncomfortable after finding out the information, despite not showing much affection towards any students who were not pureblood, they didn't want them to die, especially since they were only 12.
There may have been a clear divide regarding the blood hierarchy in the school and it would be obvious who Dumbledore would blame if a student died.
Slytherins.
When Snape entered the common room, he asked if anyone knew anything about the chamber but everyone appeared as clueless as him.
He may have looked at his normal emotionless self but Artemis saw the panic lingering in his eyes.
Everyone went to their dorms and when the door shut, Daphne began to pace across their room. Artemis sat on her bed looking at the girl, "Daph can you sit down, stressing won't help."
"Missy, I can't sit down because my stomach feels like it's about to fall out of my arse and I don't want to ruin my outfit." She motioned to her pristine uniform and continued pacing.
"Your starting to sound like Theo." Artemis mumbled, "If it makes you feel any better it's unlikely that anything will happen to us since it's not going to be attacking purebloods."
Daphne stopped pacing and looked at her friend, "Actually that does make me feel better," but then her eyes widened, "but there are attractive half-blood boys." she groaned.
Artemis squinted her eyes, "Like..."
Daphne thought for a moment, "Dean Thomas."
Artemis hummed in agreement, "You aren't wrong." during class it seemed like all she did was take notes but she was subtly eying her peers, she realized that most of her year was very attractive.
Daphne scrunched her face, "But he's a Gryffindor, so eww, but still he's still nice to look at, what if he dies?"
"You'll still have Blaise." Daphne bit her lip thinking about the boy, "stop making that face he's still my cousin."
"Right, sorry, but just in case that never happens, I need backups." She sat down on her bed.
"I could not be asked to deal with more than one person." Artemis groaned. She currently likes talking to 5 people and one of them was her. Dealing with crushes and relationships was not on her mind.
Daphne grinned and raised a brow, "You do deal with more than one person." she thought back to how she was bored and left her free period to see her friends Quidditch practice, she wanted to support both Draco and Artemis, but she didn't want to look like a creep, so she thought it was best to hide behind a tree and look from a distance.
She noticed a lot of the boys on the team checking Artemis out, while Draco was glaring and scolding them all.
"Who?"
The blonde lifted her hand and started counting, "Harry, Draco, Marcu-"
She cut her friend off, "One, I don't like harry, not even as a friend, I'm only nice to him because my mother told me to get the 'chosen one' to like me, so he would be less likely to suspect me if anything went wrong on school grounds, so I can't act like a bitch to him. "
"But you are a bitch." The blonde added.
"I know but he can't know that, and have you noticed he never calls me out when I'm cursing his friends?" Daphne nodded, "exactly he never says anything because-"
"He has a crush on you." the blonde witch says with an obvious tone.
Artemis grimaces, "Ugh, yeah I think I've been way too nice because I catch him staring at me and it's disgusting but anyway... Two, Draco is my best friend."
Daphne scoffs, "Best friend my arse,"
She ignored her friend's comment, "and I just happen to know how to calm him down and deescalate the situations he's in and three, Marcus is acting like a brother to me, plus he's he told me that he could "see the anger in my eyes" so he is being extra nice to me now."
"Hmmm, so you don't like anyone right now?"
Artemis looks away from her, "Daphne you know that I can be very emotion-"
"Frigid, distance, bitchy-"
"Okay okay, yeah all of the above, do you think I could be in a relationship right now or even have a crush?"
"If you open up a bit more then maybe you can."
She sighs dramatically and collapses back into her bed, "But that sounds like a scam."
The Greengrass witch laughs, "yeah it is but it could be fun." She gets up from her bed and starts to take off her uniform.
The brown-eyed girl shakes her head, "Vulnerability is the disease of the masses Daph."
Daphne grinned at and stops unbuttoning her shirt, she pondered before speaking up again, "do you think you would open up to me?"
Artemis raises up on her elbows and looks at her friend, "I'll try.."
The blonde squealed, "Ahah progress."
"Shut up," they laugh, "I mean you can also open up to me about stuff."
"Yeah I know, I trust you."
"I trust you too." They share a grateful smile.
Artemis makes a mental note to eventually tell Daphne about her family room, especially since they were getting closer.
They start to change into their nightwear after brushing their teeth.
Once back in their beds, Artemis starts to braid her hair, while Daphne looks up to the low ceiling, "We need a safe word." the blonde stated.
Artemis shot her friend a look, "Umm we're 12"
Daphne rolled her eyes, "Not like that you weirdo," Artemis snickered "just like if either of us starts to panic or have a nervous breakdown"
"We're 12," she repeated
"Missy shut up, I mean like if we need to get out of a situation, we can say a certain word and we leave."
Artemis finished her braids and put her bonnet on and indulged in the conversations, "Okay, what word?"
"Nothing too odd."
"Peaches?" Artemis blurted out randomly. It was the first word that entered her mind. Pureblood would be too obvious and it was already the password to their dormitories. 'Slytherin' would just be stupid. So she thought of a fruit.
Daphne let out a laugh, "Do you like peaches?"
"Of course, we could easily bring into a conversation without the boys suspecting anything." to be honest the boys were oblivious to a lot of things they said.
"What if we said "I want peaches" and they go "yeah me too" and they try to come with us," Daphne argued.
Artemis shrugged, "We run."
Daphne narrowed her eyes at her friend, "But we both hate running." Since they started the first year, Daphne had never seen her friend run, even if they were late, they still strolled and took their time getting to their class.
If their teacher was a man, Artemis argued and catered to misogyny stating 'that female legs worked slower than mens' and that's why they couldn't make it to their lesson on time and it surprisingly worked. She even got awarded house points for it.
Daphne had to hold back her laugh during her explanations because they were so ridiculously dumb but somehow they worked. She couldn't figure out if Artemis was just very manipulative or the professors were very stupid.
She didn't care, so if they were running late, they always took their time when they went to lessons. In Daphne's eyes running was torture, the only time she ran was when her sister takes her stuff and she chases her around the house.
Artemis was a fast runner but she preferred to save her energy for something more beneficial, like buying clothes or food.
The Seramore witch huffed, "Fine, we could also mention that we're on our periods and they will avoid us like the plague and won't follow us."
Mention the 'P-word to a boy and they will instantly shut up and act like you have a disease.
The room is silent for a minute before Daphne nods, "Okay, so peaches are our word."
"Peaches."
"Peaches."
They both fell asleep but the one thing on Artemis' mind was who the bloody hell is the heir of Slytherin.
***
a/n:
sorry guys I had to change when Mrs. Norris was petrified, in the books she was petrified and died on Halloween. I chose to do it a bit earlier just because, let's hope it works out.
So Artyy made the Quidditch team.
What do you think of Artemis defending Hermione