Chapter 7: Different Return

Artemis spent every moment of Saturday, once he was released from the hospital wing, and of Sunday in the library researching magical remedies for every illness in existence. There had to be something that could help.

It was Sunday night when Hermione Granger wandered into the library. She saw him, and moved to the other side of the library.

On a whim, which was horribly unusual for him, he moved toward her.

"Doing homework, I assume, Miss Granger?" He asked.

"I'm just doing a bit of research."

"On what?" He asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't," he admitted. "There is something I do want to know, however."

"And what is that?"

He tried to ignore the number of words. "I keep hearing about Harry Potter. What exactly did he do?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I shocked that you don't know."

"I was a bit preoccupied last May."

"Preoccupied how?" She asked, like she knew the answer.

"Answer my question, and maybe I will answer yours."

"He defeated Voldemort," Hermione said. "Anyone could tell you that."

"But I wanted you to tell me."

"Why?"

"Because you are his friend. Because you were there."

"Why are you here?"

"In the library, or at Hogwarts?"

"Both."

"Research."

"Which does that answer?"

He tried not to wince. "Both."

"You were never a student here." It wasn't a question.

"No."

"Which school did you go to?"

"I think you know the answer."

Her eyes went big. "What do you mean?"

He winced again. "Take a guess."

"You didn't." She said. "Because you're a squib."

"A squib?" He'd read enough to know what the term meant and was suitably amused. "Interesting."

"Aren't you?" She asked. "No one's ever seen you do magic."

"I did have magic once," he said, honestly to his surprise.

"What happened?"

He smiled, a frightening sight. "You're supposed to be clever. Figure it out." If she was as clever as her reputation said, and he imagined she was, she was halfway to understanding.

As he went back to his research, he wondered why he'd gone over there at all. He had no reason to tell her what he had.

Part of the reason was obvious and hated. He knew it. He'd known it since he'd been revived.

He'd died.

And he'd come back different.

…

Hermione decided she didn't need to do research the instant Professor Fowl left her. She moved for the door at a speed that was just under bolting.

She nearly bumped straight into Luna as she rushed out.

"Hello, Hermione." She said.

"Luna, do you think Professor Fowl is odd?"

"Well, what do you mean by odd?"

"I'm not sure." She frowned. "Do you think he's dangerous?"

"I think he's probably ill."

"Why do you say that?"

"I was in the library yesterday because I thought I saw a Crumple-Horned Snorkack and I said hello. He didn't even look up from what he was reading. He was researching magical remedies."

"For what?"

"It seemed like everything."

...

In his first class on Monday morning, a seventh year Ravenclaw girl tried to convince Artemis that some creature was flying by his ear. He couldn't actually see it, but he had known fairies for too long to disbelieve things like that.

On the other hand, there was no proof that anything was there.

He had the Gryffindor seventh years right after lunch. He tried his best to not look at Hermione Granger as she walked in.

"Are you feeling better, Professor Fowl?" She asked as she walked by his desk.

"I'm perfectly fine, Miss Granger."

Five words, he thought. Five was a safe number.

He wanted to slap himself for even thinking it.

He needed to do something simple. He racked his brains for a charm or spell that all the students this age should know.

"Do you all know how to do a stunning spell?" He asked, glad he had a pillow in his desk.

A couple of nods. One or two kids shook their head.

"Would anyone like to demonstrate for those who are unsure?"

A boy raised his hand. Neville Longbottom, Artemis remembered.

"Go right ahead, Mr. Longbottom."

"Who should I stun?" He asked, standing.

"Any volunteers?"

Eventually a boy named Dean volunteered and Artemis put the pillow on the floor.

Neville said the spell, but it missed Dean completely, bouncing off the wall.

Artemis collapsed to the ground, again.

…

Everyone immediately freaked out.

"I knocked out the teacher." Neville said, much calmer than he would've been in previous years.

"Calm down." Hermione said.

She was surprised when people actually listened.

She stood. "Rennervate." She pointed her wand at Professor Fowl.

"Should we just leave?" Parvati asked.
"Probably." Someone else said.

Professor Fowl started to stir.

"He'll be mad if we leave."

"He'll be mad that Neville stunned him."

Neville turned pink.

"Leave him alone." Ginny scowled.

"He's waking up." Hermione said.

His eyes opened with a start and he inspected the faces around them.

"Well, hello there."

"Are you alright, Professor Fowl?" Someone asked.

He laughed. "Oh, I'm not Arty. Although, I suppose he's in here somewhere." He tapped his head.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"My name is Orion Fowl. Has anyone seen my princess?"

"What?" Ginny asked.

"The princess." He repeated as if it were obvious, standing. "Have you seen-?" Suddenly, he collapsed as if he'd been shocked and fell to the ground.

Hermione was sure she saw a shimmer of light behind him but she blinked and it was gone.

"What the bloody hell?" Ginny asked, as everyone began to murmur to each other.

"I have no idea."

…

Holly Short was far past irritated. She'd been following Artemis around since he'd called her, and was worried that he didn't notice her because of his deteriorating mental state.

A complete relapse of Atlantis Complex was just the cherry on top.

Shocking him was partly for his own safety, but mostly because she really wanted to.