Ophidian | Fred Weasley ✔

23

Chapter Twenty-three:

(E X P E C T O   P A T R O N U M)

Artemis speed walked through the corridors with her books clutched to her chest for dear life. Joining a secret club alongside taking 14 advanced classes and having head girl duties had not been one of the greatest ideas she'd had.

Her badge had alerted her that the D.A. meeting had begun 15 minutes prior and she would've been there on time had she not been stopped by the pink toad. The obnoxious woman had went on to try and persuade the dark haired witch to join the inquisitorial squad and Artemis had declined but she wasn't having it. After 15 minutes of politely refusing and telling her that Artemis didn't have the time in between classes and her head girl duties, the pink toad had finally let Artemis off, her fake smile replaced by a frown.

"And you call yourself a gryffindor?! What a joke!" The slytherin witch stopped immediately on hearing that and turned around to find a group of third year Ravenclaws cornering someone, but she couldn't make out who as the Ravenclaws towered over them.

"J-just let me g-go...I-I don't—"

"Did we say you could speak?!" The shortest of the three said as he raised his hand to hit them. Artemis had walked close enough to them and caught his hand in time.

"Who the fuck–" He began but stopped as soon as he saw her.

"What is going on here?" She asked calmly dropping his hand, her glare setting on the three Ravenclaws. Two of them cowering behind the short one who had raised his hand.

"We were just talking." One of them finally spoke, followed by the other two nodding their heads in agreement.

"That didn't seem like just talking." Artemis said folding her arms.

"It was! Ask him!" The shortest one said pointing to the kid they were bullying. Artemis turned her head to the kid noticing a familiar head of dark hair.

"Yuko?" She asked as he looked up, teary eyed. "Were they bullying you?" The dark haired witch asked slowly. He turned to look at the three before turning to her and repeated the action twice before slowly shaking his head indicating a no.

"Are you sure?" She asked again only to be interrupted by one of them.

"He already said no!"

"Was I talking to you?" Artemis snapped turning her head at him. He shut up. She turned to look at Yuko one last time who didn't meet her eyes before she turned back to them.

"Leave. Get to your classes." Artemis said dismissing them. They made a move to leave before she stopped them again.

"And that will be 5 points from Ravenclaw."

"But he said we weren't bullying him!"

"I know. The points were for the use of profanities." The green eyed witch said smiling sickly at them. "Now leave." She said dropping the act, her face becoming icy again. They didn't waste another second before scurrying off.

Artemis turned her attention to Yuko. She sat down on the seat to her left and patted the spot next to her gesturing him to sit down as well. He meekly walked over and sat down, on the verge of tears. The corridors were almost deserted, people having retired to their common rooms or the rest being in classes.