(Raffey Cassidy as Bibi Marie Matthews)
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take, relationships we are afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make. -unknown
Flourish and Blotts bookshop
Diagon Alley, London
August 13 1992
Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.
"Oh, it's you." Ron said looking at Draco as if he were something umpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?" He said and Artemis immediately remembered Dobby.
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley." Retorted Draco. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those." Ron went as red as his sister. He dropped his books into the cauldron too and started towards Draco, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.
"That's enough, Draco. You stepped over the line." Artemis said. Her calm and collected self was back. But although her voice was hardly any different from usual, Artemis had a way of making people flinch just by the tone of her voice. It was deadly.
And right now she was using her entire aura as a way to survey the message she wanted Draco to recieve. Her usually sweet, liquid silver eyes a stormy grey. One that predicted a true tornado of destructive wind coming your way.
Her rosy cheeks, freckled and soft, would usually make her look like a little angel but a menacing glow seemed to have taken hold of her sweet face.
It was what made Artemis, despite her age, one of the scariest witches at Hogwarts...her near perfect control of her emotions.
Although Draco had known, and grown up with her, for years, he still hadn't gotten used to the sheer force of Artemis's anger. As anyone else would have done, he looked down at his shoes, cowering away from her burning gaze.
"Ron!" Mr. Weasley said, struggling over with the twins and Jace. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."
"Well, well, well....Arthur Weasley." Artemis's uncle Lucius appeared.
Lucius placed his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way his son did.
"Lucius," Mr. Weasley said, nodding coldly.
"Busy time at the ministry, I hear, all those raids - I hope they're paying you overtime?" Lucius reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. "Obviously not." Lucius said and Artemis turned her blazing look to him instead, making Draco sigh softly in relief. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't pay you well for it?"
"Lucius," Artemis said, calmly. He turned towards her. "Some families have different ideas of what disgraces the name of wizard, uncle."
"And you and your father don't share ours and look where it got you, your own mother left you." Lucius sneered.
Artemis flinched inwardly at the harsh truth in his words but on the oitside her impassive yet terrifying look didn't waver for a second.
"At least I know that family is more important then money and blood purity." Mr. Weasley said as Harry placed a hand on Artemis's shoulder. If anyone managed to calm her down when she was like this, it was Harry.
"Clearly," Lucius said, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley.... and I thought your family could sink no lower...."
There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying. Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Lucius, knocking him backwards into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering down on all their heads.
There was a yell of, "Get him, dad!" From Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley was shrieking. "No, Arthur, no." Hermione whimpered and Selena was crying. "Uncle Lucius, please...please stop!" She begged, tearfully. The crowd stampeded backwards, knocking more shelves over.
"Gentleman, please....please!" Cried the assistant, and then, louder than all..."Break it up, there, gents, break it up..." Hagrid was wading towards them through the sea of books.
Jace helped him pull Mr. Weasley and Lucius away from each other and Jace glared. "Uncle!" He reprimanded him angrily. "Is this the example you're trying to be for pureblooded wizards?"
Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Lucius had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools. He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice. "Here girl...take your book...it's the best your father can give you..." Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and they swept from the shop.
"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur." Said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that...no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter...bad blood, that's what it is...only them know how ter behave..." he pointed at Jace, Artemis and Selena. "Come on now...let's get outta here."
The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them from leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury. "A fine example to set for your children...brawling in public...and with the uncle of our guests...what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought..."
"He was pleased." Said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report...said it was all publicity..."
They walked silently back to the Leaky Cauldron, where they said goodbye to the Grangers. "I'm so sorry, Ara. What your uncle said was way out of line and not true."
"Minnie," She whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening in. "I know it sounds crazy but...have you ever noticed the similarities between me and Draco? I mean how many people have grey eyes? Even for wizards it's unusual..."
"But he's family..."
"Because of his mother, but he inherited his eyes from his father..."
"Are you trying to say that...Lucius Malfoy might be your biological father?" Hermione gasped.
Artemis looked down. "I'm just saying that he always had a soft spot for me and he wanted me to go with him when he escorted my mother to Malfoy Manor. He used to say things...I didn't realise what they could've meant at the time. But-"
"So except for weird things Lucius Malfoy said and your eyes...you have no prove whatsoever that your father might not be your father?"
"No, but-"
"Then I wouldn't worry about it, Ara. I'm sure it's nothing. And if it is any consolation, I find that your eyes differ like day and night from the Malfoys'. They might be about the same colour but theirs are pale and lifeless while yours change with your mood. Like they have a life of their own. And not like you read in those Muggle books were feelings makes your eyes turn a shade darker...yours actually do. Like magic."
Artemis was stunned. No one had ever told her, her eyes actually change colour depending on her mood.
"I'll see you on the train." Hermione hugged her goodbye and Artemis waved as she disappeared with her parents.
Artemis hoped Hermione was right. That Artemis had no reason to worry about some things Lucius seemed to imply.
But deep down...she knew something was off. It was just a matter of time before she found out the whole truth. One way or another.
~~~~
The end of summer vacation came too quickly. They were looking forwards to going back to Hogwarts, but this month at The Burrow had been amazing.
Artemis had slept better than she'd done in years thanks to Harry's presence. She slowly started to gain her energy and with that her observance skills back.
They were mostly preocuppied with the small chance that Lucius Malfoy might be her father. Well, small chance...there was actually quite a big chance.
First of all, Artemis was the only one of her siblings not having inherited some of her father's werewolf instincts.
Second of all, Artemis had known for years that infidelity was not exactly a strange concept to Jasmine.
And last, and probably the most important one: there had already been proof that Jasmine has had a relationship with Lucius a year before Artemis was born...
Artemis winced at the memory. She quickly thought about something else.
Ron was standing in a corner, talking to Jace, who looked mightily amused.
Oh, right, Artemis had finally figured out that mystery too. She sort of understood what Fred, George, Ginny and Jace had all been hinting at. Artemis was fearing Ron might have a little crush on her. She really hoped not.
She didn't want to hurt him or lead him on. She didn't like him like that...Well, she never really liked Ron much as a friend either. It had been better since the end of last year between them but it would be a long time before Artemis forgave him for the things he said about Hermione.
At least for now, her strategy was to steer clear of him until he stopped liking her. Probably not the best idea but she really had no other plan.
Ginny thought it was all pretty hilarious but still helped Artemis avoid her brother.
On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a delicious dinner that included all of Artemis's favourite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred, George and Jace rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks. They filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.
The Burrow
Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon
September 1 1992
The next morning was chaos. Everyone got up at dawn and still barely managed to depart on time. Artemis had already packed her trunk the day before and she only needed to put the last of her things in there. "You'll write, right?" Selena hugged her sister. "What am I going to do without all of you this year?" She teared up.
"Listen, Molly is going to take care of you like you're one of her own and then...when dad is ready to really let go of mother, you can go back there. I think you'll have a lot of fun here, Lena, and Lulu can visit you everyday."
"It's not the same, though." She sighed and sat down on Ginny's bed, which was now hers for the time-being. "I miss my own family. Mrs. Weasley is great and I would love to have her as my mother but...she isn't. I liked being here over the summer. I really did. But I had you and Jace, and Ginny...and now...I'm all alone again."
"Lena, how I wish you could come with me." Artemis said sadly as she sat down next to Selena. She wrapped an arm around her small frame and
Selena turned to cry on her shoulder. "I'm going to miss you so much, Ari."
"I'm going to miss you too." Artemis choked and kissed her head.
"Artemis? You ready?" Harry called.
"Coming!" She turned back to Selena. "Let's go." She held out her hand and Selena took it in hers.
Artemis couldn't believe her eyes when she saw eleven people, eight large trunks, two owls, one cat and a rat disappear inside one small Ford Anglia. Even though she grew up with magic, it could still surprise her at times.
Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard. Artemis turned back for a last look at the house. She barely had time to wonder when she'd see it again when they were back...George had forgotten his box of Filibuster Fireworks. Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick. They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary.
"I'll buy you a new one..." Artemis tried but Ginny shook her head, and they were now running very late. Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife. "Molly, dear..."
"No, Arthur..."
"No one would see...this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed...that'd get us up in the air...then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any wiser..."
"I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight..." They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.
"Percy first." Said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through a brick wall. Percy strode briskly forwards and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next, followed by Fred and George with Jace and Selena close behind. "I'll take Ginny and you three come right after us." Mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny's hand and set off. In the blink of an eye they were gone.
"Ara, you go next." Harry ushered and she disappeared through the brick wall. The bright scarlet train was thankfully still there. Jace hurried to help her get her trunk and her cat Nox into the train before they waved their sister goodbye out of one of the windows. The last whistle sounded and a few seconds later all the doors closed.
Artemis exhaled loudly. "That was stressful. But we made it."
Jace nodded. "Hey, I'm going to see where Fred and George are seated. I'll see you at Hogwarts?"
"Okay, I'm going to try and find Hermione."
Artemis dragged her trunk behind her as she checked the compartments. "Oh hey, Gin." Ginny Weasley had grown very pretty over the summer. Her ginger hair now fell like a mane of fiery red over her shoulders. Her pale skin covered in cute freckles and her warm chocolate-brown eyes glistening with excitement.
Bibi Matthews, Luca's younger sister was standing behind her. Bibi and Kiki were fraternal twins but no one could've ever imagined exactly how much they differed from each other. It was clear that Kiki's absence had ruined this experience for Bibi.
Bibi had always been the more outspoken one. Although she was not nearly as bad as Artemis's friends Victoria and Elizabeth. She had darker brown hair than Kiki, which reached her mid-back while Kiki's was cut quite short. Bibi had a lot of freckles covering her nose and cheeks, but her eyes really captured your attention. They were - like her brother's - a very pretty light-blue. Kiki's were a very light green colour. Nowhere near as impressive as her sister's and always trained on the ground, but pretty nonetheless.
Of all the Matthews, Artemis always had the best relationship with Luca, the worst with Lulu, who she thought was arrogant and she hardly spoke to Bibi and Kiki who'd always kept to themselves.
"Did you find a seat yet?"
"No, we were actually looking for you. Can we sit with you, Ron, Hermione and Harry?"
"Do you think you'll survive being in the same compartment as Harry the entire day?" Artemis laughed and Ginny nudged her playfully.
"I'll try. Oh, there's Hermione!" She pointed at someone behind Artemis.
"HERMIONE!" Artemis yelled, dropping her trunk and running towards one of her best friends. "I haven't seen you in ages."
"It's been less than three weeks, Ara. But I missed you too. The girls and I are in a compartment together. Are you joining us or Harry and Ron?"
"You. If that's okay with Bibi and Ginny..." she turned to the first years. Ginny nodded enthusiastically and together they dragged their trunks inside the compartment.
"HELLO PEOPLE! I'M BACK! MISS ME?" Artemis stormed inside the compartment and was immediately attacked by three girls. "ARA!"
"Girls, this is Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister and this is Bibi Matthews, Luca's younger sister. Ginny, Bibi, these are some of our fellow Gryffindors. Elizabeth Bouchard..." Artemis pointed at a girl with very long, pin-straight black hair and dark, multi-coloured eyes that were a very dark-blue at the moment.
"Call me Effie or Ellie or something. I have been trying to get everyone to stop calling me by my full name but this nutter here keeps introducing me as Elizabeth." She pointed her thumb at Artemis.
"What can I say, Effie...You can't have everything. You're already the prettiest girl in our year and absolutely everybody either loves you or is afraid of you poisoning them."
Elizabeth really was one of the prettiest girls in their year. But Artemis knew not to be fooled by her pretty face. Elizabeth was highly-intelligent. She was a very skilled witch with a talent for Potions. She was tall, even taller than Artemis with very long legs. Her skin was a flawless ivory colour. The only thing interrupting the smooth skin was one birthmark covering a good few inches of her lower back.
"What can I say...I like standing out in the crowd." Elizabeth said and made some funny faces.
"Yes, well, hard not to when you threaten to kill Snape in the middle of the Great Hall. I think everyone pretty much knows your name after that incident." Victoria Dunbar laughed. "I'm Victoria, but most people call me Tori."
She shook hands with the two first-years.
Victoria Dunbar was a short girl with copper-coloured hair that sometimes shifted to red. She had a very freckled face, arms and shoulders. Her eyes were a very peculiar mix of greenish yellow, green, gold and blue. However, unlike Elizabeth's eyes, which constantly changed colour Victoria's never did. Her eyes always remained looking like a rainbow of colours.
The last girl in the compartment had big baby-blue eyes and long, thick, curly blonde hair that seemed to completely engulve her tiny frame. Her skin was pale but her cheeks never stopped blushing. "And this is Giselle Longbottom. She's a little shy." Elizabeth said. Ginny held up her hand for Giselle to shake but she looked at it as if it were a toiletseat, which in her eyes, it probably was. Ginny looked surprised and a little embarrassed. "Don't worry, young Weasley. It's nothing personal." Elizabeth smiled. "Giselle doesn't like to shake hands. Especially with strangers. It took us over a year before she even considered sitting opposite Ron during dinner."
"That says nothing. I wouldn't want to sit opposite Ron either." Artemis pointed out. She had freed Nox and he immediately jumped on her lap, nuzzling his head against her hand. Ginny reached over to softly pat him.
The seven girls chatted away and nobody noticed the two missing boys. That is until it grew dark and the girls started searching for them. "What if they didn't get in on time?" Artemis whispered to Hermione. "The train literally left just when I boarded."
"No, they have to be somewhere in here. And besides, even if they did miss the train, I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley will find another way to get them to Hogwarts."
"I guess you're right. We should get changed. It's getting dark." They walked back to their compartment. All of the girls changed into their Hogwarts robes and Artemis tucked her wand inside one of the pockets. Nox, who had been walking around freely the entire ride, came back on his own and Artemis placed him in his cage with some food.
"I heard they're planning on changing the uniform next year." Victoria said.
"Really?" Artemis said. "What are they going to change?"
"Let's pray it's the skirts." Elizabeth complained.
"I heard that instead of grey knee-socks we're supposed to wear black tights." Victoria said.
Elizabeth looked up in shock. "They are expecting us to wear tights everyday?" She groaned in annoyance. "My poor mother's salary will be spend buying me new tights all year long, I can tell you that."
"It won't be long now." Artemis smiled at Ginny, who was looking extremely nervous, biting her nails.
The train slowed down and people pushed their way towards the door and onto the tiny, dark platform. Hagrid's familiar voice shouted. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here." The Gryffindor girls said good-bye to Ginny and Bibi, as they joined the first years following Hagrid to the boats.
"So...er...how do we get to school?" Victoria asked. They followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, ("Ew!" Shrieked Giselle as she tried to walk on her toes.) where at least a hunderd stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Artemis could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.
"I still haven't seen Harry and Ron." Artemis whispered to Hermione.
"I know. I'm worried too. I mean...do you think they really missed the train? I bet they'll face a detention for that. It must be some kind of record to get detention before even boarding the train. Oh god, what if they have to go into the Forbidden Forest again like last year...They could die."
"Okay, Hermione, breathe. Missing the train is not a death sentence." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She slouched down in the seat and closed her eyes, placing her feet on Artemis's lap. She decided to be nice and didn't push them of.
The carriage trundled towards a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle.
Victoria was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrents and towers draw nearer. "The castle really is beautiful, isn't it? I would love to draw it completely one day. Every single window."
"Well, you only have like six years left to do it, so I suggest you start soon. It may take a while." Elizabeth laughed. They stepped down and walked up the stone steps to the castle.
"Mia!"
Artemis sighed as she decided between running and facing him. "What, Draco?" She snapped, as she turned to glare at him.
"I just wanted to apologise." He said quietly. "What happened at Flourish and Blotts...My father went too far and I'm sorry that he said that to you."
"Thank you." Artemis gave him a small smile but it turned grim immediately. "How's mother?"
Draco sighed and stared into the distance. It was like he was trying to decide whether to tell her the truth or not. "She is fine." He whispered. "She...she enjoys the things that comes with being a Malfoy..."
"What are you talking about, Draco? I mean my mother might be your mother's twin but I don't see Lucius really agreeing with her living the high life."
Draco's eyes turned hard all of a sudden. "You don't get it, do you? What do you think your mother does when she is staying with us? Let me give you a hint...She is not there to spend time with her sister." Draco pushed past her and disappeared out of sight.
The whole world seemed to freeze as Artemis stood there, her mouth agape.
Did he just...
Did he just imply that...
She wouldn't....would she.
Cheat with her twin sister's husband?
Well...she had done it before...
But look where that got her...
No, Draco must've meant something else.
Who knows maybe they have a familymember Artemis didn't know about. A second cousin her mother could marry to mantain a little bit of her pureblood mania.
Isn't that what always happened in those families? In the Black family most of all.
Second cousins, cousins...siblings...as long as they're pureblood it's all right.
That must be it.