/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟛.𝟣

"there are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that receives it." ~ Edith Wharton

~september 1976~

On the first night of term, Artemis walked up to the common room with Remus, talking his ear off the entire time about her summer. "Oh- and I was searching for a copy of that new book, The Shining, everywhere and couldn't find one, so Sirius had the bright idea to break into the back room of the local bookstore at, like, two in the morning. So we did that, but I didn't want to steal then book 'cause that felt wrong, so we sat in the bookstore all night while I read it. Anyway- it's really good, I ended up buying you a copy, here."

"Thank you," said Remus, taking the book. "And just out of curiosity, did you take a breath through that entire story?"

"Nope." Artemis let out a breathy laugh and pulled Remus up the stairs to the portrait of the fat lady by his sleeve. "Did you have a nice summer?"

Remus shrugged. "Your letters were nice."

She gave him a deadpan stare. "That's not an answer."

"It wasn't awful, Art, just wasn't the greatest." They'd reached the circle of couches and chairs their friend group always sat in now, already occupied by James, Sirius, and Peter. "Drop it for now," Remus murmured in her ear. "We can talk later."

Artemis nodded and then forced a grin. "Peter!"

"Hey!" Peter scrambled up from the floor and pulled Artemis into a tight hug. It always weirded her out that he was taller than her. He hadn't grown up much until late, and he was the last of the boys to pass her up. "How was your summer? James and Sirius told me a bit about it. Did you have fun at the beach?"

"It was great," Artemis laughed, sitting down on the couch next to Sirius and resting her feet in his lap. "Really, it was." Then, her face darkened. "Hey, have you guys noticed anything... weird?"

James sat forward in his seat immediately. "You mean how everyone keeps bloody staring at you? Yeah, I have noticed."

"It's because of Bones," Sirius said calmly, but his insides were seething. He'd noticed it since the train, but hadn't wanted to say anything to upset Art. Stares kept following her wherever she went and he could hear the occasional whisper about the teacher-student scandal of the year before.

Artemis nodded slowly, trying to cover up the defeat in her eyes. She had to change the subject before anyone else said anything. She shifted and leaned over to Sirius, resting her head on his shoulder. "Did you see how much Henry Washington grew up this year?" she whispered to him.

"Yeah, he's cute, why?"

"I think I want to date him," Artemis said matter-of-factly. "I mean, properly date him. I've never done that before, you know."