----------------------> WHILE SHE DID NOT HAVE PREFECT PATROLS THAT DAY, Artemis Potter felt that Astronomy provided more than enough of an opportunity for Tom Riddle and herself to explore every level of awkwardness that one could humanely achieve. She was correct.
Both she and Tom were early to the class that day, and of course Gen and Roman abandoned her the moment they saw him sitting pristinely in the front of his class and reading their Astronomy textbook like the perfect student he was.
After mentally cursing her friends in two different languages, she sat down beside Tom Riddle, not bothering to look at him as she took out that day's newspaper and continued solving the crossword puzzle from where she had left it off earlier that day.
Artemis could vaguely hear their Professor entering the classroom and asking them to compare the distance between the stars and planets along with their change in colour compared to the readings they had taken the previous week. However, she had been too absorbed in finishing the last few questions in her -actually, Roman's- newspaper, that it was only when Tom Riddle pulled the paper out from under her quill did she finally look up, shooting him an angry look.
"Don't you know that you're never supposed to interrupt someone solving puzzles? They could have some very crosswords if you do," Artemis' tone evolved from angry to joking, as she grinned proudly at her pun. "I haven't solved the daily riddle yet though, would you like to help me with that Mr Riddle?"
Unfortunately, Tom was unamused and raised a pointed perfect eyebrow. "Funny."
"I'm aware."
Tom shook his head mournfully. "You're useless."
"Hey! I'm not entirely useless," Artemis said offendedly. "I can be used as a bad example."
"A horrible example, really."
"See? You accepted it yourself!"
Tom rolled his eyes at her antics, and gestured to the telescope near them, causing Artemis to stand up and move towards it.
"You write, I see? Same as last time?" She asked, but Tom shook his head.
"No, I want to see it this time."
"But you have the prettier handwriting!"
"-And practising will help you develop the prettier handwriting you desperately need," Tom said dryly, prompting Artemis to very maturely blow him a raspberry. "So move."
"Why?"
"You're blocking the view." He said matter-of-factly.
Artemis huffed, flipping her hair dramatically. "I am the view." She stated but nevertheless stepped to the side.
Artemis took hold of a copy of their report from last week and a fresh sheet of parchment from their table as she dutifully noted down all the measurements and observations Tom called out, not bothering to cross check the facts for herself, knowing for sure that the Slytherin wouldn't risk his marks.
"Oh, my Merlin!"
Tom felt startled by her abrupt shout, tearing his eyes from the telescope and facing her. "What is it?"
Artemis pointed to a moving light in the sky, jumping giddily on her feet. "It's a shooting star!" She exclaimed happily, like a little child that had found the hidden jar of cookies.
Tom raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"Close your eyes. Fast." Artemis said, shutting her own tightly. "We need to make a wish."
"I will most certainly not!"
"Close it or I'll apply a conjunctivitis right here and right now! Close it, Riddle, I mean it. We are going to make a wish and we are going to make it now!"
Tom looked stunned by her burst of passion and slowly nodded, closing his eyes.
"Make a wish," She whispered in a low tone. "My father told me that shooting star wishes always come true."
"And you actually believe that?" He asked, eyes closed.
"Tom, if floating leaves in a teacup can predict the future, are you really going to be sceptical about a falling star having the ability to grant wishes?"
Tom Riddle did not answer.
"Make a wish."
"You make one first."
"Fine!" Artemis cleared her throat, trying to remember the way she had done it with her parents and brothers when she had been younger.
She knew she had wished for ice-cream for breakfast, something that had come true the very next day. Artemis was sure that she had wished it out loud, and assuming that technique to work, she decided to once more employ it.
"I wish..." she trailed off, not having the knowledge of exactly what she wanted. But then, she remembered the hours long, futile conversation with Professor Flitwick about her occupation. "I hope that I get a job where I can boss people around and give them orders. I wish to know exactly which career it is I want to pursue by the end of summer, please." Artemis nudged Tom with the elbows of her arms even as her eyes remained shut. "Your turn."
Having never wished upon a star before, Tom imitated Artemis. "I wish... I wish to achieve immortality." He said before slowly opening his eyes, making Artemis open her eyes as well and give him an odd look.
"Okay, this is the second time you've mentioned immortality in my presence," Artemis noted, eyebrows knitted together in a frown. "Why do you want to be immortal so badly?"
"Why don't you want to be immortal?" Tom retorted. "To never fear death... To never die... It sounds wonderful. Beautiful."
"It sounds sad," Artemis said.
Tom shot her a look. "It's glorious."
"It's lonely."
"Stopping death... Defeating death... It's the greatest achievement in the world."
"It's the worst thing that could ever happen to someone," Artemis said. "Can you imagine being alive even as your family and friends faded into the inevitable oblivion? Having no-one to talk to? Not having someone to love? It sounds absolutely dreadful. I think I'd rather kiss the dementors than be immortal."
"Oblivion is not inevitable," Tom objected as if those two words were the only ones that mattered in her mini-speech.
Artemis snorted. "Tell that to the Roman Empire, who once believed themselves to be eternal. Actually, tell that to any and every empire that ever existed. They're all gone now, Tom, and the ground they once proudly ruled is now bathed in blood and littered with bones. Oblivion is inevitable, and that is a fact."
"Facts can change," Tom protested, "You argued about that just this morning with Professor Slughorn."
Artemis held up her hands in the universal surrender motion. "No need to get so worked up over that. Geez, Riddle! By the way, you got offended so quickly, one would have thought I questioned your virtue or insulted your mother." She joked, before realising that Tom's mother was currently six feet under and thus, leading her to immediately slap a hand over her mouth.
However, Artemis had no way of knowing that Tom Riddle could not have cared less about his mother, as he continued their discussion before she could begin showering him with apologies.
"I'm not getting worked up," Tom said, shooting her a glare. "All I'm saying is that immortality is a blessing, not a curse."
Artemis gave him a sad smile. "You'd like to think that, don't you? I'm sure the gods envy us for being mortal."
"The gods sit on the thrones and laugh as we perish," Tom stated.
Artemis sighed tiredly, realising that he was more stubborn than a Ravenclaw when it came to accepting different viewpoints. "I respect your opinion, Tom Riddle, and I'm not going to argue with that because I cannot control your perspective. However, I think it is only fair if you extend the same courtesy to me."
"Oh really? And what do you think?" Tom asked, a hint of mockery present in his voice. "Why is being immortal -never-dying- so sad?"
Artemis ignored his tone, once again giving him a half-smile. "Just because a person is not going to die certainly doesn't mean that they are living."
Tom's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What does that mean?"
"Someday..." Artemis said. "Someday, I hope you are blessed with the opportunity to decipher those words yourself." She paused, glancing at him. "Do you really want to be immortal?"
"More than anything else," Tom replied.
"Okay." Artemis took the divider they used to measure the distance of celestial bodies on charts and placed the sharp end on one of the walls of their classroom.
Tom's eyes widened. "What are you doing?! That's defacing property!"
Artemis ignored him, writing three letters onto the wall and revealing it proudly to Tom Riddle with a grin. "There!"
Tom looked where the letters 'T', 'M' and 'R' were written in the loopy handwriting that belonged to Artemis Potter and directed a raised eyebrow at her.
"Am I supposed to congratulate you for vandalising our school?"
"No, you are supposed to thank me for making you immortal!" Artemis grinned, tracing the hollowed letters with a finger. "Now, even when we've all died and become stars and space dust, your name will be here -on the walls of Hogwarts- forever in stone." She turned to him, the loveliest smile adorning her beautiful face. "Congratulations, Tom Riddle. You have achieved immortality."