Artemis Hexley and the Mystery at Hogwarts

Chapter 9: Behind the Locked Door

The other girls in Artemis' dormitory had been almost as relieved as she was to see Fergus safe and sound and no longer sleeping. To celebrate his clean bill of health, Penny missed an Astronomy club meeting, Rowan took a break from the library, and Tonks broke into the kitchens and stole some milk for Fergus and an array of puddings for the girls. The four of them spent an evening eating the puddings and playing games in the dormitory, until Jane Court interrupted their fun, telling them that they were making far too much noise.

"Spoilsport," said Tonks, rolling her eyes and packing away the Exploding Snap cards.

Artemis finished her slice of Bakewell tart, and stowed another away on her bookshelf to eat the next day.

"Penny," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible, "you don't happen to have the rest of that calming draught, do you?"

"Yes, it's in my sock drawer," said Penny, climbing into bed. "I was thinking of giving it to Ben. He might need it at some point."

"Yes, he might," Artemis nodded. Keeping her voice breezy, she added, "I could take it to him for you, if you like."

Penny, Tonks and Rowan all stared at her, frowning.

"What?" She asked them.

"Artemis," said Rowan, shaking her head. "You're really not a great liar, are you?"

"I don't know what you mean, Rowan."

"Right," Rowan grinned. "So you aren't planning on using the rest of that calming draught on Mrs Norris?"

"You are?" Tonks said, raising her eyebrows. "Artemis, I've got say, I'm impressed."

"Wait, why are you giving a calming draught to Mrs Norris?" Penny asked.

Artemis sighed, and shot a reproachful look at Rowan, who shrugged. She told Penny and Tonks all about the fifth floor corridor.

"So," Rowan said, once Artemis had finished, "you have the calming draught to keep Mrs Norris out of your way, but what about Filch?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead yet," said Artemis.

"Ah, don't you worry," Tonks said. "You leave Filch to me."

"To us, you mean," Penny corrected her. "I want to help."

"You do?" Artemis asked, and both Tonks and Penny nodded emphatically. "That's great, but it has to be a secret. No one else can know, just us and Ben."

"We need a plan," said Rowan, and she opened the drawer of her bedside table, reached in, and pulled out a quill and notebook. "I'll do it now."

"Rowan, it's bedtime."

"I'm a night owl," she said, and she started to scribble. "Trust me, by breakfast, I'll have something sorted for us."

The next morning, over breakfast, Artemis and her friends discussed their plan to break into the locked room in the forbidden corridor on the fifth floor.

"I am going to give Mrs Norris the rest of Penny's calming solution," Rowan told them all. "Professor Kettleburn said to Artemis that it will make cats sleep for an hour or two, which should definitely be enough time to open that door and take a look around."

"Ben, you should unlock the door," said Artemis.

"Why me?" Ben asked, his eyes wide.

"Because, Ben, you're the best at the unlocking charm. Much better than me."

"But I don't even want to go through the door!" Ben protested. "Not if what's behind it might be cursed, like you said."

"You don't have to go through the door if you don't want to," Artemis said. "If you'd prefer, you can stay outside and keep watch while Rowan and I take a look."