12/28/13

Chapter Thirteen

Artyfox's pov. 

"Come on Lily," I begged, clutching her arm as she attempted to work on last minute homework. "Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with chocolate frogs on top?"

"Fee, I love you, but I'm not about to spend my Christmas break with James Potter!" She replied brushing me off.

"You won't be spending any time with him just at his house!"

"Okay, well I don't want to spend all of break at his house," she wrinkled her nose in disgust as she said this. 

"Technically it's not all of break. Just The second half. And their will be a ball!"

She made a face. "You don't like balls. You told me so yourself."

"EXACTLY!" I shouted pounding down my fist and caused several people around us to jump. "Sorry. But that's why I need you there with me. So what do you say?"

"No."

"You didn't even think about it!"

"Oh I'm sorry let me think about it. Hmmm no."

"Please?"

"No."

I grabbed her and turned her to face me, jutting out my bottom lip into what I hoped was a very good puppy pout. 

"No, no, no and finally NO!"

"Fine then you're not getting your Christmas present," I said sticking my tongue out at her. 

"Well then I guess that means you won't get yours," she said and I gasped, placing a hand over my heart as though shocked. 

"How could you be so heartless."

"You won't sway me."

"What if I buy you all the candy you want from Honeydukes for two months?"

"Twelve months."

"Three!"

"Till the end of the school year."

"Four and a half months and that's my final offer take it or leave it."

She made a face. "Fine but I get to choose which months I get my candy."

"Fiiiiinnnnne," I groaned but perked right back up. "So your coming?"

She huffed out a large breath. "Fine. Christmas afternoon right?"

"Yeah. Whatever times good but bring a nice dress. His parents through a ball that night."

***

"WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!!" I heard James voice scream in my ear as he pounced on me. I growled and pulled the covers over my head. 

"Go away."

"But it's CHRISTMAS MORNING!!! Get up so we can open presents."

"So go open them. I sleep."

"Mummy says we can't open them without you."

I sighed but pulled the covers off to see James face with a large grin on it. 

"Lily's coming today right?" 

"Yes and you will leave her alone, got it?"

He pouted. "Fine. Now come on! PRESENT TIME!"

He tugged me out of bed and down the stairs to we're everybody was waiting by the Christmas tree. 

"Nice pyjamas," Sirius said smirking. I rolled my eyes. 

"Just give me my presents."

"Greedy much?" He said but handed me my presents. 

Almost an hour later we had all finished opening our presents. I had received a few books from Lily, Quidditch gear from James, Chocolate from both Peter and Remus. My parents had sent a very strong letter along with a ring and letter from Jeremy. 

Dear Fiona,

            I cannot wait till the day you are back and we are finally married. Until then my love. 

Jeremy

"What's that?"

"Nothing, just...nothing," I said stuffing the letter in the ring box before snapping it closed and shoving it my pocket. Auntie Dorea gave me a look like she knew-which she probably did- before gesturing me over to her. When she wrapped me in a hug I heard her whisper in my ear. "I'm sorry darling, but don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid, or at least not that much. I just-" I had to resist looking over at Sirius. "-I just don't want to marry Jeremy. I don't love him. How could I marry someone I don't love?"

A small sad smile graced her lips. "Darling, the best advice I can give you is to follow your heart." 

She kissed my forehead before letting me go. Just as I was sitting down I heard James as he said "hey Padfoot, here's a letter from that girl for you."

"Thanks Prongs." My head snapped up when I realised it wasn't Peter who responded but Sirius. 

"Wait," I said reaching out my hand in his direction and causing him to stop opening the letter. "You're Padfoot?"

Him and his friends shared a look before he nodded. "Yeah Padfoot's my nickname."

My eyes grew big. The letter I had written was for when I thought Peter was Padfoot. 

"Give me that!" I shouted pouncing on him and reaching for the letter. I leaned over him as he held the letter above my head. "You can't read that!"

"Why not? It's for me."

"Fee, just sit down." 

I hmped but sat down and Sirius opened the letter. 

His eyes scanned it and he looked up. 

"What's it say Pads?"

"I'm well." He said looking up at me. I raised an eyebrow as though daring him to go ahead and he cleared his throat and looked down, beginning to read. 

Dear Padfoot,

            I know who you are and at the end of this letter you will know who I am. Well you already know who I am but you will be able to associate my real name, nickname, and face together. But anyway I don't think any of this-by this I mean us-will work out. You see not only am I betrothed to someone else-oh wait you know that already-but I think I love someone completely different. And I don't think you we'd be very good friends either. 

            So in conclusion I think we should just stop and no longer communicate thorough these letters. 

From,

Fiona (Fee) Jackson

Or Artyfox

The boys did their own little gasp thing as they all looked up at me. I drew my knees up to my chest. 

"You're the girl Sirius has been looking for all this time?"

"Why would we not be very good friends?"

"Why Artyfox?"

"You're betrothed? To whom?"

"Wait who do you think you love?"

I held up a hand to stop their flow of questions. 

"When I wrote that letter I thought Padfoot was um Peter. I found one of my letters by his bed one day. And I'm betrothed to a Pureblood back home," I laughed bitterly as I looked down, not like I'm gonna marry him though. As for the nickname, this is why."

I changed into my animagus form which was an arctic fox. My fur was white just like my hair had been and my eyes were the same color. My fluffy white tail stretched out behind me as I made an excited noise before bounding around and turning back into my human form. 

"Now how'd you get Padfoot?" Before my very eyes he turned into a big black and shaggy dog. He bounded towards me knocking me backwards as he licked my face. 

"Okay I see how now," I said laughing and petting his head as he allowed me to sit back up. 

"So this guy...?" Sirius said once he had changed back into his human self. 

I raised an eyebrow. "Um well no. Oh well," I said shrugging my shoulders. "I should probably go get ready for tonight. Later."

I rushed upstairs where I hid out until several hours later. 

"Fee!" Lily shouted throwing my door open and attacking me into a hug. 

"Lily!" I shouted back and she winched and pulled away from me. "Whoops sorry but oh my god I'm so happy your here. That's your bed over there." I pointed to the bed across the room from me and she threw her suitcase down on it. 

"What time is the ball?"

"I think at eight," I answered throwing my body backwards on my bed. 

"Well we should start getting ready them," she said tugging on my arm, "come on Fee!"

"Ugggggh."

***

"I don't feel comfortable doing this," I whispered in Lily's ear as I tugged her away from the stairs. 

"Oh come on it'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say. You look beautiful!"

"So do you!"

I snorted. I was wearing a light blue dress and Lily had curled my silver white hair. 

"Oh shut up, you do."

"No I-" she cut me off. 

"Hey Sirius!" Sirius turned around and walked over as she waved him over. "Doesn't Fiona look pretty?"

"It's Fee," I said through clenched teeth. "And shut up."

I stormed away and down the stairs. 

"Hey wait Fee!" I felt someone grab my hand and thread their fingers through mine. I turned to look at Sirius. "Care to dance?"

He bowed down as best as he could still holding my hand. I giggled and curtsy. 

"I would love to but maybe we should get off the stairs first."

"Ah perhaps you are right my fair lady."

He tugged me the rest of the way down the stairs and out into the makeshift dance floor. Pulling me close to him we began to dance. 

"You look gorgeous," he whispered into my ear. 

I attempted not to blush but I probably wasn't very successful. 

"Thanks."

We danced for several more moments with just the sound of the music and other people's chattering before I said something. 

"Dear stranger," I whispered, "I think I'm in love with you. Yours truly, Artyfox."

He chuckled and pushed a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Dear Artfox, I am in love with you. Love, Padfoot."

"Dear Padfoot, there's something I've been meaning to ask you, but I'm too shy," I looked away. 

"Just tell me." His breath hit my ear. 

"Dear Padfoot, kiss me." I looked up at him through my eyelashes and watched as he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. When he pulled away I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips back against his. 

THE END