Back at Fowl Manor, Artemis sat in a chair, head in hands. Had he done the right thing? Now any chances of being with Holly were dashed. But, he had to. It would have been impossible.

            Artemis ran his hand through his hair, wishing Holly was next to him. He carefully scanned the room for a shimmering mist, or even a cocked gun. But Artemis was alone.

            Artemis’s hand reached his ear. An unfamiliar shape met his hands. Artemis was puzzled. He gripped his ear. It was definitely his ear, but what had happened? The tip felt almost- pointed.

            Realization flooded through Artemis. He rushed to a mirror, grasping the glass with one hand while pulling back his hair with another.

            He had been right. His ear was now completely pointed. He checked the other. Yes, both of his ears were now pointed.

            Artemis flopped onto a chair, horrified. If his ears were now pointed, what else had changed? Artemis suddenly realized that the chair was a bit too roomy. It had used to fit him perfectly, but now he could curl both legs up, and still have room…

            He was shrinking.

            Artemis measured himself. He had shrunk five inches. The magic was slowly changing him into an elf.

            Artemis was shocked. He hadn’t realized this would happen. It altered his entire lifestyle. He would live for the lifespan of an elf, meaning his family and friends would die long before he was gone.

            Artemis shook with tears he refused to let out. Think on the positive side, he thought miserably. Now you and Holly can be together. If she’ll ever forgive you.

            “Hey, Artemis,” a voice said casually from the middle of the room. Artemis spun around to find Holly, panting slightly. A grin stretched from pointed ear to pointed ear.

            “Are you- shorter?” Holly said in an innocent voice. Artemis scowled.

            “Yes, I’m shorter. As you might have guessed, I am slowly turning into an elf. Holly-” Artemis reached forward and grasped Holly’s hand-“please forgive me. I was only thinking of you. But now that I am an elf, we might still be able to be together.”

            Holly smiled. “Okay, Mud- ah, fairy boy,” she grinned. “I think I’ll just call you Artemis.”

            “Glad to hear it,” Artemis said sadly. Holly leaned forward.

            “Something wrong?” she asked.

            “Holly, my family and friends are going to die off when I still look seventeen!” Artemis cried. “I will have to move underground, leaving everything I care about! Well, most of what I care about,” he added quickly. Holly’s face was expressionless.

            “Artemis, you’re not going to be truly happy as an elf, are you?” Holly said slowly. Artemis shook his head. Holly thought a moment, then clapped her hands together.

            “Okay, then,” she said. “I have an idea. It’s dangerous, but I’ll feel guilty unless I do it.”

            Artemis tried to say something, but Holly ducked into a spare room. Blue light spilled out from under the door, and booms like thunder exploded through the hall. Artemis flung open the door to find Holly bent over five bowls, filling the bowls with every bit of magic she had. He rushed forward, but she turned and shouted,

            “No! I’m not hurting myself, Artemis, it’s okay. Just give me an hour.”

            Then she simply pointed at Artemis, and the elf-boy was flung from the room. The door closed automatically, and locked.

            One hour later, Holly came out of the room, exhausted, but looking proud and exited. She was carrying the five bowls, which were filled with something that looked like molten magic soup.

            “This is Everlastenora,” Holly explained. “My mother’s best friend fell for a human, but he was going to die. My mom made this soup, using most of her magic. He drank it, and lived for as long as his true love. My mother lost her magic, forever, though. I asked her once if she regretted helping her friend. She said, “Holly, I don’t regret a thing. My friend is happier then she ever could be, and all I’ve lost is the ability to control humans and to heal bruises. I still live for thousands of years, so what’s to regret?” My mother was so wonderful,” Holly said dreamily, before snapping back to the present.

            “Holly, I can’t let you do this,” Artemis said urgently. Holly shook her head.

            “The spell’s irreversible. If I drank this soup, it would probably kill me.”

            “Well, take mine then!” Artemis said desperately. “I don’t even deserve my magic! And I’ll still live for thousands of years.”

            “Keep your magic, Artemis,” Holly said sternly. “It’s rightfully yours now. You stole it, you keep it. Like the gold, remember?”

            But Artemis did not want to keep his ill-gotten magic. After all Holly was doing, it wasn’t right to keep this magic. He silently created a simple plan to give Holly his magic.

            “Stay the night?” he asked. Holly nodded.

            “Sure. I’m completely wiped out. Do you mind if I just crash for a while?”

            Artemis nodded, and Holly gratefully walked to Artemis’s bedroom, collapsing on the bed. She was asleep in less than a minute.

            Artemis snuck into his room, sitting on the bed beside Holly. He couldn’t help but look at her for a moment, taking in her sleeping features. They were so peaceful, and beautiful. He shook himself a bit, and rested a hand on Holly’s arm. Artemis took a small letter opener from his desk and pricked his hand with it. Soon, little blue sparks surrounded the wound. He diverted each one to Holly’s arm.

            More blue sparks sparkled on Artemis’s hand. If he diverted each one, then all of his magic would have to run out. If the boy let so much as one spark heal the cut, then he had to start over.

            Soon, every drop of magic was gone. Holly seemed to glow for a moment, and her eyes flickered open.

            “Artemis, what happened?” she said sleepily. “I feel- different.”

            Artemis patted her arm. “I don’t know what you mean. Everything’s fine, you’re the same. Go back to sleep.”

            Holly glared suspiciously at Artemis for a minute, before sinking back into the pillows and drifting into sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some other stories by songfic_freak:

• Oh, Valencia
• Update
• Artemis Fowl and the Incredible Time Machine
• What if Holly had been killed by the troll in Fowl Manor?
• I'm not that girl

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