/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟑.𝟚.𝟤

"no mother is ever, completely, a child's idea of what a mother should be, and I suppose it works the other way around as well." ~ Margaret Atwood

~august 1973~ (continued)

Artemis was half-asleep when she heard a crash from the back garden. She sat bolt upright in bed, listening harder. She didn't know why, but a bad feeling was creeping over her skin, an instinct that something was amiss. She waited in silence for another moment, and then there was another sound from the ground just outside her window- a sort of shuffling. Athena hooted restlessly from her cage. Her heart beating hard in her chest, Artemis slipped out of bed, flicked her lamp on, and grabbed her wand from her bedside table before heading to the window. It was so dark out that night, she could barely see a thing, but she froze when her eyes adjusted and she could make out the slim figure of a person on the ground below. He was standing still, staring up at the house. She couldn't make out his face until he took a step forward, allowing his face to be bathed in the thin light streaming from her bedroom window. Her breath caught in her throat and she choked.

Percy.

It took Artemis longer to get down the stairs because she had to walk on the edges of the steps to avoid waking her mother. She didn't know why Percy was there, but she knew for a fact he wouldn't want to speak to Jane or Alfie. He was there for her. When she finally reached the back door, she unlocked it and ever so carefully eased it open.

She stepped out onto the back steps in her bare feet, shivering in her shorts and t-shirt despite the warmth of the summer night air. "Perc- what- what..." she couldn't finish. She had too many questions circling about her mind, spiraling and confusing her thoughts. "What are you doing here?" she settled on the main question. Percy was wearing elegant dress robes, but his hair was longer than usual and skewed about messily across his forehead. His eyes, one of the only traits he and Artemis shared, were wild and frenzied. He was staring at Artemis like he'd forgotten she'd existed and was only just now reminded that he had a little sister. "What are you doing here?" Artemis repeated herself, closing the door softly behind her and walking out onto the lawn, her feet sinking into the soft grass and her wand still clutched tightly in her hand. She knew she couldn't do magic outside of school, but it was comforting to have the wand with her nonetheless.

"I need your help, Artie," Percy said at last. "I need your help."

"Why're you all dressed up?"

Percy waved her off. "Just came from Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's wedding," he said quickly.

"Bellatrix Black's older sister?" Artemis said, unable to keep the disgust out of her voice.

Percy nodded. "Look, that doesn't matter right now-"

"Are you dating Bellatrix?"

"Artemis," Percy said through gritted teeth. "Focus."

"She's a bit young for you-"