𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗥 | 𝗚. 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗟𝗘𝗬

fifty | amortentia

CHRISTMAS HAD COME AND GONE. Artemis Lupin found herself in the corridor with Harry and Hermione after class. Artemis was craving her bed like nothing else. She wasn't exactly sleeping well at all. It was like a heavy brick was constantly on her chest, and she was restless. Almost as if something was coming.

Hermione read the Daily Prophet as she walked alongside Harry and Artemis . The headline was gloomy: "MORE DISAPPEARANCES."

"You have to realize who you are, Harry,"Hermione told him from behind the paper.

"I know who I am, Hermione, alright?"Harry snapped sharply, earning a bard smack to his shoulder from Artemis. She frowned at him, and he returned it,"Sorry."

"So tell me what Arthur said,"Hermione insisted, and Artemis was quite curious about this too.

"If Dumbledore's traveling places, it's news to the Ministry,"Harry explained,"But get this: that night at Borgin & Burkes? It seems Draco was looking at a Vanishing Cabinet."

Just the mention of Draco Malfoy sent a wave of sadness through her. She had heard from him since Slughorn's party. Artemis was honestly worried about him, but he had made his feeling quite clear. He had even been avoid Astoria, according to the Slytherin girl. That made her livid because Astoria had gotten very attached to him over the year. Asta had assured her that she was fine and that she puked get over it, but she knew that the Slytherin was hurt.

Artemis knew that eventually she would get Draco back. There was no way she would be giving up on him. That wasn't the Lupin way.

"What would Draco want with a Vanishing Cabinet?"Hermione asked curiously.

"You tell me,"Harry said.

Artemis frowned, pondering this."He looks different, don't you think? Draco. Almost... ill."

"Who could tell the difference?"Harry asked.

It was just then that she heard Ron's voice down the corridor,"Lav, c'mon. Of course I'll wear it."

They glanced ahead, see Ron and a pouting Lavender. Ron held a golf chain which spelled out "My Sweetheart."

"That's my Won-Won."

"Excuse me, I have to go vomit,"Hermione scrunched her nose.

☽☽☽☼☾☾☾

Potions class was far different now that she had nothing to do with Draco. She had moved table to be with Hermione, and Astoria had joined a Hufflepuff boy nearby. Artemis could tell that her friend was quite enjoying the company of the attractive bloke in the year above them.

"What do you smell, Hermione?" The purple-haired girl questioned the girl with frizzy brown hair as she hovered over the bright pink potion. This was definitely one of the harder potions to brew, but Artemis had done it perfectly. She had even finished before Harry and his stupid book.

"Freshly mown grass, new parchment, and..."Hermione trailed off, clearly not wanting to share."It doesn't matter. What about you, Artie?"

"Mischief,"The purple-haired girl answered with a smirk, earning an eye roll from both of her friends.

"Mischief doesn't have a smell,"Harry commented fondly.

Artemis chuckled and her senses were filled with something completely different. The butterscotch of butterbeer filled her nose with a hint of inky parchment that reminded her of the moment she was given the map. It smelled like night time in the summer when the moon shined brightly down in her, and George. The potion reeked of the ginger boy's fresh scent that reminded her of all the bad things they could get up to.

"It smells like the parchment of a map, the map," Artie mused, fiddling with long side braid that her purple hair was currently sporting."It smells like the moon, or what I imagine it would smell like, and him. It smells like butter beer and bad decisions."

"Alright, Harry, your turn,"Hermione prompted as a red-head boy with a freckled face joined them.

"Thanks for abandoning me, Hermione," The red-head grunted, but he didn't seem angry.

"I smell treacle tarts and quidditch brooms,"Harry shared, but he was clearly holding something back."Ron? You gonna share, mate."

"Bloody hell, no."

"Everyone else did,"The purple-haired girl claimed, but he just ignored her. Clearly, whatever he smelt was obviously embarrassing. Artemis knew that whatever it was, it had to do with Hermione and not Lavender Brown.

"Not everyone is an open book like you, Art," Ron retorted,"Plus, we all know you smelt my bloody brother. You've been in love with him since first year. It doesn't take a genius."

"Clearly."Artemis rolled her eyes before leaning over to Astoria Greengrass."Asta, you want to share?"

"Uh, sure,"Astoria shrugged, leaning in close to the potion to inhale. She closed her eyes to concentrate."It smells like a beach, salty and warm. And apple cinnamon, and..."She frowned,"and a boy...a certain boy that I care about...it smells like sage and orange..."

Artemis frowned, her eyes glancing over at Draco Malfoy who worked silently by himself and she knew exactly what she meant.

☽☽☽☼☾☾☾

Hermione did her homework while Harry and Artemis peered at the Marauder's Map on the comfort of the burgundy couch of the common room. They were the only ones in the dim light of the fire.

"Did you actually expect you could just walk up to Ol' Sluggy and ask him to reveal his deepest, darkest secret?"Hermione asked.

"Honestly, Harry, sometimes I think the Daily Prophet should call you the Dim One,"Artemis commented with a hint of teasing tone.

"Nice,"Harry replied to Artemis.

Hermione rose from her seat, ready to retreat back to her dorm,"You're going to have to persuade him somehow. And now, I'm afraid, you've made it a lot harder."

"She's right, you know?"Artemis backed up,"You've revealed yourself now.

"I think Malfoy's leaving the castle,"Harry blurted out and Hermione stopped dead to look back at Harry. He nodded,"I've seen it. Sometimes... sometimes he just disappears off the Map."

"You know, I've noticed that too, when we spend nights like this...but no one can leave the castle. That's...ridiculous."

"That's... not possible. No one can leave the castle these days. The Map is wrong."

Artemis shook her head,"The Map is never wrong."

Hermione frowned, thinking, then shook her head and turned away.

Artemis sighed, watching Draco appear back on the map."Okay, give it up,"Artemis told him,"You're becoming obsessive over Draco Malfoy of all people. I'm taking the map so you can't stalk him."

"Art-"

"It's creepy, Harry,"Artemis reiterated,"You have a problem."

"But—no you're right, I do,"Harry sighed,"Just keep an eye out for him, will you?"

Artemis nodded and whispered a simple "mischief managed" before returning to her dorm with the map in hand.