A Piece of Mind

Chapter [9]

Artemis made his way to the dungeons, hoping he was going in the correct direction.

He was very curious about the contents of the parchment paper clasped in his pale hand, but the ribbon was tied so tightly he thought it might attack him if it was unwrapped. Considering the author of the note it was plausible.

He sighed as he rounded a corner and was met with another dead end. The castle was truly alive; it moved constantly, throwing Artemis off when his mind wandered, corridors opening and leading you astray.

He had made a map of the school in his head, based off of old maps he'd found in books, and estimated where Snape's office would be. All the doors in the school were unhelpfully and identically bare, so Artemis took a shot in the dark and knocked on the door.

When no one answered, he turned the knob and opened it a crack. A broom toppled out, almost hitting Artemis in the head as he side-stepped out of the way. It fell the rest of the way to the floor in a loud clatter, which echoed in the quiet hall. It was a closet. Not what he was looking for. Though the thought did cross his mind that a few months ago he would never be so reckless as to open a door with unknown contents. Magic had changed him, and just like magic, he was a little less... rigid.

He tried the room over and knocked. Thankfully, someone answered.

"Enter."

Artemis approached a desk covered in papers and a few jars of potions. More potions and ingredients filled the surrounding walls floor to ceiling, just as anyone else would fill a room with books.

"Mister Fowl. What are you doing here, outside of class?" Severus asked slowly, menacingly.

"Professor Umbridge sent me to give you this," said Artemis, handing Professor Snape the note. The man wrinkled his nose at the frilly pink ribbon he had to untie from the parchment. For a long time, nothing was said. Snape read through the letter, and then again. Finally, he looked up.

"You received detention," said Professor Snape. Artemis didn't answer. This was obvious. "For, and I quote, 'Distributing the class', 'Insulting the Ministry', 'Insinuating how I ought to run my classroom', and 'Mocking my personality'." Snape raised an eyebrow at that last phrase, silently finding it unprofessional and yet fitting for the toad of a teacher upstairs.

Snape put down the glittery paper slowly, glaring. Artemis politely looked back, unfazed.

"You are new to Hogwarts. So I will make it clear if you have not already figured it out," drawled Professor Snape coldly. "You represent the Slytherin house while here, and by earring detention, you taint its reputation. You will give your respect to the teachers here at this school. You will keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself until you learn which ones you cannot voice aloud. You will stay out of trouble, or I'll double it. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor." The word was starting to lose its meaning.

"Good. You will be at her door at 5 in the evening tomorrow and any other day she deems fit. You will not complain. And if I hear you find yourself in detention again, I will make sure you have one with me as well," said Snape sharply. "You may go."

Artemis stood, turned, and walked out the door. At that moment, he missed Butler solely for the petty reason that here, Artemis was defenseless to both adult and peer dominance. He seems to have taken for granted, not his lavish life, but the benefits of having the chance to prove oneself. Here, he was grouped into the norm so automatically, something he had briefly considered before coming and could not stop thinking about since arriving.

He was surrounded by magic users with years more experience than he. He was not physically fit in any way that counted. And, most upsettingly to the young genius, he was utterly alone. No one he trusted enough to call a friend, only feeble acquaintances based on no more than a few hours of interactions, no connections, no one to trust.