AN: Hey all.

Late again.

As always.

Anyways, hope you enjoy! I hope to get another chapter up soon.

Major thanks to everyone who sent in summaries!

And thank you to all of you who have followed, favorited, and reviewed!

Artemis woke as early as always on Boxing Day. He felt none of the remaining holiday spirit- he hadn't felt it the days before Christmas, either. This had the positive consequence that he'd kept up and completed his homework during the first week of holidays. Now, with no classes or homework and free range over the castle and grounds, he could focus on additional LEP work and, hopefully, get word back from Foaly about the egg.

When he'd asked Holly about it in the gardens the previous night, but she'd merely shrugged and said he was "working on it". This was slightly maddening to Artemis, but he contented himself with reading and visiting Butler, whom he was more glad than ever to have with the depressing, snowy weather and the pain of not being able to go home for the holidays and see his family.

The day before the holidays ended, Artemis was seated inside Butler's well-insulated, perfectly camouflaged tent, chatting with the massive bodyguard, when the flap suddenly unzipped, moved aside, and rezipped seemingly by itself. Artemis couldn't hold back a small smile.

"Nice of you to join us, Captain Short," he said, and the fairy in question shimmered into view. She took her helmet off and ran fingers through her short red hair, offering a smile to both occupants.

"Thanks, Mud Boy," she shot at Artemis before turning to Butler and offering a warm hello and a handshake. Artemis moved over on his cot- Butler kept two inside for seats and emergency- and Holly seated herself next to him gratefully. For the first time, Artemis noticed the large pack on her back.

"Is that-?" he asked, hopeful. Holly grinned and shifted the pack off her narrow shoulders and swung it into her lap, unzipping the top to reveal the gleam of gold.

"The egg?" Butler questioned, leaning forward over Holly and Artemis. Holly nodded, unzipped the backpack all the way, and pulled out the large egg carefully, handing it to Artemis.

He promptly opened the egg, and was not greeted with the horrid screeching of before, but a recorded message from Foaly.

"Hope this message finds you alive and at least somewhat well," the centaur chuckled. "Well, you had me working on that thing for a while, Mud Boy. Not nice. But, genius that I am, I managed to figure it out. Well, actually, the clue wasn't hard. All you needed was someone with the gift of tongues, which I suppose you didn't get along with your stolen magic. Probably something to do with how your Mud Man brain is wired." Just as Artemis was getting the urge to hurry along a recording, Foaly refocused.

"Aaaanyways," the centaur whinnied. "Holly has a copy of the clue written out. I'll wait a few moments for you to read that."

Holly was ready and waiting with a sheet of paper. Artemis took it and quickly read.

Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour, the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

Artemis looked up and breathed, "the lake" at the same moment Foaly's recorded voice said the same words triumphantly.

"That's right, Mud Boy. Time for a swim."

Artemis paled.

"I really hope you have a plan, Foaly."

The next day, Artemis unfolded the paper to see a picture of the groundkeeper, Hagrid, and an article titled DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE. He quickly scanned the article- rubbish writing and journalism. It was clearly meant to generate shock and disgust, but it seemed to him rather like a witch hunt. He snorted, frowned, and folded the newspaper back up, placing it in his bag and returning to his meal. As he ate, he became aware of Malfoy laughing gleefully, and shortly thereafter it was because of the article.

"I can't wait to see Potter's face!" he exclaimed, before lowering his voice, obviously assuming only Crabbe and Goyle would hear. He tended to ignore Artemis completely at this point. "This is definitely worth the risk, Skeeter proved herself. I guess being an unregistered Animagus has its perks."

Crabbe and Goyle agreed blankly after a long moment, and Malfoy let out a long-suffering sigh.

Artemis was thinking while he sipped his tea.

From what it sounded like, Rita Skeeter was an unregistered Animagus using her form to get 'interviews' from select students in order to dish up dirt on teachers. Normally, Artemis wouldn't bother doing anything with this information, but he remembered Skeeter's clawed hand gripping his arm tightly, shoving him into a broom closet, and her eagerness to get him in front of the camera.

If you play with the bee, you get the sting, he thought, and then was promptly appalled at his melodramatics. Too much time spent listening to Opal's demented rants.

He shook his head and left the breakfast table, walking purposefully.

Artemis was infinitely surprised when, as he was walking into the Great Hall for dinner that night, a hand caught his sleeve. He turned sharply to see Potter and his two constant companions, Hermione and Weasley. Artemis paused, tugging his sleeve away and raising a single eyebrow in the universal way that means "what could you possibly want with me, peasant?".

Harry stepped back and looked suddenly hesitant. With an annoyed little sigh, Hermione stepped forward to orate.

"Dumbledore spoke to us. He told us you were the one who reported Skeeter."

"Ah," Artemis said, everything suddenly clear. He edged towards the Great Hall a bit. He really did not want to go through this.

"I don't know how you found out, but thank you," Harry said suddenly, stepping forward. "It was a really decent thing to do."

Artemis snorted. "I'm sure anyone would have done the same."

"Nah, mate," the ginger spoke up. "Especially not a bloody Slytherin."

Artemis fixed Weasley with a withering stare, his blue eye icy and his hazel one sparking.

"I would think the Boy who Lived wouldn't surround himself with those so shallow and closed-minded as to judge an entire house based on a few individuals' actions," he stated calmly. Weasley went bright red and sputtered like an engine on a cold morning. Hermione placed a cautionary hand on his elbow, and frowned at Artemis.

"Well, anyways, we just wanted to thank you. That awful Skeeter woman needed to be stopped."

Artemis nodded in agreement. He was about to make an escape when a thought occurred to him. If he told Potter about the clue- no doubt he hadn't even begun to decipher it yet- he could gain an ally and possibly obtain information about the boy's previous encounters with Voldemort, as well as ensuring that Potter would succeed in his tasks, thus drawing attention away from himself.

The Slytherin turned back to the Golden Trio and smiled slightly, endeavoring to keep it as non-predatory as possible.

''Would you like to come to Hogsmeade with me during the next visit?"

All three pairs of eyes narrowed suspiciously. Artemis sighed, but had to admit he'd he distrustful in their shoes.

"I can help Harry with the golden egg." he said bluntly.

This made their eyes widened, and Hermione turned slowly to Harry.

"You almost have it figured out, don't you, Harry?" she said, hopefully.

Harry rubbed his hand on the back of his neck and looked away. "Er..."

Hermione groaned.

"Why would you want to help Harry, anyways?" Weasley asked suspiciously, and Artemis adjusted his metal picture of the ginger to be less dim-witted before answering.

"Because I've had outside help to figure it out, and I don't want more attention drawn to me than necessary," he answered honestly- he left some pertinent details out, true, but it wasn't like Artemis was renowned for being honest in general.

There was a hushed and heated discussion between the three Gryffindors, which ended with Hermione staring down Artemis while the two boys lurked behind.

"We'll wait in the Entrance Hall," she snapped before taking Harry 's and Ron's arms and pulling them into the Great Hall.