I was tucked up in the tightly fitted bedding, the adrenaline that pumped through my body making it difficult to sleep, though I could feel my body begin to feel heavy.

The moonlight shone through the small window and the springs in the bed creaked and pinged with every little movement I made to get comfortable. Which was a little difficult to do, but I couldn't complain.

It felt odd to truly be alone.

Though for two years I was confined to my bedroom, only being allowed to leave for the bathroom or for food (unless my siblings were home and then I ate alone) ... I knew I wasn't ever alone. Just ignored.

I could get out of bed now, turn on all the lights, walk around the hallway outside with shoes on and no one could stop me.

I could get out of bed now and decide to go for a late night walk. I could have a late night shower. I could wake up tomorrow and not make the bed, not brush my hair and go and buy a short skirt. All because I can.

I won't, obviously. I understood I should actually get back to sleep, finally and tomorrow I will probably have to be discreet about what I do- perhaps for a while I'll have to lay low.

Somehow during my racing thoughts I fell asleep. Dreaming about the possibilities of the life ahead of me.

I was awoken by loud running down the hallway outside my door, followed by layered sounds of children laughing.

"Can you do a cartwheel? Look!" One of them shouted.

"Girls, be quiet." A mother sounded, heels sounding down the hallway also.

The walls were unbelievably thin as noticed last night. But the sounds made me smile. The sounds signified free living!

I looked at the clock on the dresser opposite me, 9:50am.

A lie in felt amazing, I was never allowed to sleep past 7:30am. Of course, I was never checked on enough for them to realise I took a short nap in the afternoon most days but it felt amazing to not have to join anyone for breakfast.

At the thought of breakfast however, my stomach gurgled slightly. I had somehow found a comfortable position in the springy bed and didn't feel the need to succumb to my hunger just yet. Anyway, I was meeting Narcissa at noon and I wasn't sure if she had packed me any money to buy any food. I've never had my own.

Despite being curled up, I looked at the sunshine that beamed through the tiny window and started to daydream of all the things I could do.

I could explore muggle territory if I wanted!
I could get a job and open my own bank account!
I could visit any shop I wanted to!
I could take long wanders around parks and go on my own trips!
I could get a pet!
I could wear whatever I please!

I threw the covers off of me and jumped out of bed, walking over to the sunshine spot in the room and feeling the warmth on my face.

I rummaged through my suitcase and got changed. Nothing out of the ordinary, yet and ruffled up my shorter hair in the mirror. I didn't have to brush it perfectly if I didn't want to.

I finished off getting ready and decided to adventure outside of the room.

There was a clattering from plates downstairs and the smell of scrambled eggs. As I walked down, a small girl rushed past me in the opposite direction, not bothering to say 'excuse me' or apologise for the slight collusion. I didn't mind, it was quite refreshing seeing a child act so brazen and not worried about being polite.

"Sorry about her, she likes running." A tired looking woman scootched past me to go follow her.

There were a number of, I assumed, travellers sat around the tables. Mostly already finished breakfast and were chatting amongst themselves. Many were beginning to leave for their days ahead.

The pub beginning to empty out as I had seen it both times before.

I took a seat in a corner, near a window and just waited for Narcissa whilst watching the world pass by.

"A hot drink and food is included in your stay" the old cranky woman approached me after a while.

I was snapped out of daydream and didn't know what to reply.

"We've run out of breakfast now. We serve it between seven to ten. But 'ere." She slid a bowl of hot soup in my direction and a mug of tea. The flavours perhaps not going to work that well together, but I was grateful nonetheless.

I had just finished my interesting soup when I saw long dark hair look around the tables. Narcissa.

She spotted me in the corner but went to the bar first.

She ended up coming over with two butter beers and placing them down in front of me.

"How did you sleep?" She asked without saying hello.

"Not too bad." I took my glass.

"Why don't you take your empty stuff to the bar and then we'll speak." She sat and got herself comfortable.

I did as I was told.

*

"So I can stay here for the entire week?" I double checked.

"Yes that room is yours for the week and then I have to sort something out. It's cheap but the price does begin to add up."

"What do I do about money?" I asked genuinely, it was the only thing that truly panicked me about this situation.

"You have money." She looked at me as if I were stupid.

"Huh?" I responded...stupidly.

"Well, you are eighteen now and a member of the black family. You have a savings account, we're a wealthy family." She said as if I should have already known.
"Taking control of your bank account is what you need to do today before it's rinsed out of anger." She said matter-of-factly.

"I wouldn't have thought they'd bother with me." I was shocked.

"Yesterday they believed you were about to marry, they wouldn't have sent you away without showing off their own wealth. It's the way it works. The brides side pays for the wedding." She smirked at me.

"I have wedding money in my account?!" My mouth opened wide.

"Not for too long if you don't remove them from accessing your account." She lightly laughed at my reaction.

"I can do that?!"

"Artemis, what's not clicking? You're an adult now and you can legally take full ownership of an account that was opened in your name."

She handed me a key. The key to my Gringotts locker. I didn't ask how she managed to get her hands on it.

After our butterbeers we began to leave the leaky cauldron. Narcissa pulled out a cape before we could and pulled it over me, making sure the hood was up. The same for her too.

"You're not coming with me?" I asked her as she began to head in the opposite direction to Gringotts.

"I can't risk anyone seeing me with you this early on." She sighed.
"Change the ownership of the account to you being the only person to access it. You have the week at the leaky cauldron and I'll see you on the last day, at noon again. Try and figure out your next steps." She talked me through it all again.

We said a very brief goodbye and I was on my own again, walking with purpose to Gringotts.

Nerves meant my hands trembled slightly as I pushed the heavy door to the bank open and walked in.

It was quiet, with only the sounds of typewriters and change clincking being heard, perhaps the odd mumble from the goblins discussing their business.

I reached the information desk.

"Name please." A goblin said loudly.

"Artemis Black."

He glanced down his glasses at me and cleared his throat.

"Key please."

I showed it to him but not handing it over.

"Vault 584" I said out loud, reading the number off of the key.

He sat back and began flicking through a large book of documents.

"Follow me." He hopped off of his chair and held out his hand for the key.

"Oh actually, I'm here to claim full ownership of the account." I said as confidently as I could, though my voice slightly cracked.

He jumped back on his chair and gave me a questioning look.

"I'd need a signature from Cygnus Black to remove him from the contract." He said plainly.

"Oh." I said defeatedly.

I shoved the key back into the clock pocket and was about to turn back around, until I could feel a folded up piece of paper that I hadn't noticed before.

I pulled it out and unfolded it.

My fathers signature. With consent to be removed from the account, and ownership to be handed over to me and my husband. This must have been written for my wedding.

I spun back around and placed the paper on the goblins desk. Narcissa had thought of everything and had risked so much receiving this document, stolen from my fathers office. Where she also destroyed the consent form I signed.

He scanned over it and began to scribble on another piece of parchment, handing it over to another goblin and ordering them to type up a new agreement for the account.

"And who is the husband?" He asked me.

"I don't have one yet. It's just in preparation for the future, if I marry." I lied about what my fathers signature was for.

No more questions were asked.

"Sign here please."

"What am I signing?" I finally asked, learning a big lesson never to sign anything without checking.

"That you're the only active owner of the account." He looked at me confused, as if I had forgotten why i was here.

"And what would happen if my father were to attempt to access it?" I asked curiously, whilst signing the papers.

"He couldn't without consent from you."

"Fantastic. Can I view the vault?"

"Follow me."

And I finally handed him the key.

(Sorry if this chapter was boring, this is just a filler to explain the beginning of her independent journey and show why she won't be needing a job asap)