Artemis Hexley and the Circle of Khanna

Chapter 16: Wolfsbane

Rita Skeeter's article was all anyone at Hogwarts could talk about for most of March, with whispers and stares following the Hufflepuff girls through every corridor of the school. Artemis ignored them as best as she could, grateful that her closest friends had not asked her any more questions about how and why Rowan had died that night in the forest. She still was not ready to talk about Rowan's death, nor did she feel that she would ever be, but that did not matter. She did not need to talk about it, she just needed to try and move forward. She was determined to live her life as fully and as well as she could for Rowan's sake, no matter how exhausting it was to do so, and how little she actually found herself enjoying it.

Unfortunately, Rita Skeeter's article had done nothing to alleviate the stress Penny felt following Beatrice's mysterious attack at the lakeshore. As the next four weeks passed, Penny grew increasingly anxious and agitated, and by the day of the next full moon, she was more terse and snappy than Artemis had seen her all year.

As for Beatrice herself, she was more concerned with the immediate inconveniences she was facing. In order for the Wolfsbane potion to take effect - if any effect was needed - she had needed to drink the potion each day for the week leading up to the full moon, including the day itself, something she had not taken to without complaint.

"I don't want to take the potion again," she whined to Artemis and Penny as the two girls escorted her to the Hospital Wing for what would hopefully be her final dose of the potion. "It tastes horrid. If only Madam Pomfrey would put some sugar in it or something, it might not be so disgusting to drink."

"Yes, but it wouldn't work," Penny said, in a voice so shrill that Artemis and Bea shared concerned glances. "Wolfsbane potion is particularly complex, which means that it is easily destabilised by minor adjustments to its formulation. You can't just put things in it, especially not sugar, because it denatures the aconite, which is the main active ingredient."

Beatrice said nothing in response to Penny, but she made her feelings known by rolling her eyes and yawning dramatically, and the two sisters quietly bickered the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing. By the time they got there, Artemis had grown tired of listening to them argue. Luckily, just as they arrived, Chiara Lobosca appeared to be leaving.

"Have you been here helping out again?" Artemis asked her, and after a moment of hesitation, Chiara nodded.

"Yes, but I'm done now."

"Great. Do you want to get breakfast?"

"Um, actually-"

"Come on, Chiara, I'm hungry," Artemis linked arms with Chiara and walked out of the Hospital Wing, calling back over her shoulder to the still squabbling Haywood sisters. "Bye, you two! Good luck for later!"

Neither Penny nor Beatrice responded, and as soon as they were out of sight and earshot of the Hospital Wing, Artemis let go of Chiara's arm.

"Sorry," she told her. "They've been rowing all the way here, I thought I should just leave them to it."

"I suppose it's a very stressful time for both of them," Chiara replied, with a strained sort of smile. She looked very stressed herself, paler than usual, and tired, too. Artemis gave her a smile that she hoped made her look approachable.

"Did you want to go for breakfast?"

Chiara shook her head. "I'm okay. Thank you, though."

"Are you sure? You look a bit peaky, no offence."

"I'm not offended, don't worry," Chiara smiled her tense smile again. "But I have been feeling off again the last couple of days."

"The bleeding curse?"