Hiya...I am so so SO sorry I never got to updating, I was just so BUSY! I promise I'll update soon, but I gotta work on some of my other stories. 'Kay? Also, I am very thankful for all of you who have followed and favorited, very thankful for Random Person for sticking with me, also to IAmBehindYou123. Thank you very much! You are much appreciated. I also suggest rereading Frank and Percy. I kinda wrote a little on and revised. Thank you all!
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or the quotes from the Harry Potter books in this story.
Nico
Nico hated almost everything about the Slytherins. He hated their superior smirks, their high attitude, their arrogance. His consolation was that he had a single room in the Slytherin Dorm, and he also found out that Hazel had a single room. One other thing that Nico hated...was their Head of House. Snape. He hated him with all his guts, since Snape had sneered at him for being dyslexic. So he trailed Harry and the others.
"There, look."
"Where?"
"Next to the tall kid with the red hair, the brown-haired girl and the other people...his friends?"
"Wearing the glasses?"
"Did you see his scar?"
"Did you see his face?"
Whispers followed Harry everywhere. Nico himself was sick of it, being jostled around like a rag doll. It was also hard to find his way to class. Hazel, Frank, Jason, Percy, Leo, Calypso, and Piper were all holding hands not to get lost. Nico found himself holding Hazel's hand.
It was hard figuring out where you were, though the ghosts tried to help him, him being the Ghost King and all. Even Peeves obeyed him, in which Nico was especially proud of. He did not need to have the poltergeist drop wastepaper baskets on his head or pelt him with chalk or even sneak up on him invisible, grab his nose, and yell, "GOT YOUR CONK!"
Filch, the caretaker, steered clear of Nico. For some reason, Filch seemed to dislike Nico the most, and avoided him as much as possible. Nico was exceptionally glad of that. The caretaker was very stingy, and for some reason, he really didn't get the appeal to have Filch's hot, stinking breath down his neck.
Mrs. Norris was Filch's cat. Because Nico radiated death, Mrs. Norris steered well away from him as well. She absolutely hated every ounce of his being, and hissed every time Nico came within fifteen feet of her. Not that Nico wanted to go within fifteen feet of her. He didn't trust the cat.
When they sat at their table for breakfast, Hazel and Nico broke away from the group and went to Slytherins table.
"This is like Camp," said Nico to Hazel, frowning. "Sitting at tables by your parent."
"Also like in our camp," agreed Hazel. "Seated at the table by Cohort."
"What classes do we have?" asked Nico, nibbling a pomegranate seed.
"Double Potions with the Gryffindors," answered Hazel. Her face lit up. "I get to be with Frank!"
"Great," sighed Nico, feeling disgusted. "We get to see the Gryffindors get tortured by Snape. Great entertainment."
"Oh come on," laughed Hazel. "He can't be that bad, can he?"
When Hazel saw the look on his face, she chewed her lip.
"We'll see," muttered Nico darkly.
Potions lessons took place in the castle dungeons. It was colder there than in the castle, and was creepy. Nico approved. He just didn't like the pickled animals floating in glass jars around the walls.
Snape started the class by taking a roll of paper and reading off the names. He paused at the demigods.
"Ah yes," Snape said maliciously. "The Americans who are in Hogwarts. They must be stupid, since they cannot read the board."
"Professor," said Nico, spitting the word out like it was poison. "I'll have you know that we Americans aren't stupid. We are dyslexic. Hear that? Dyslexic. And ADHD."
"He's right," growled Hazel, golden eyes flickering with anger.
"We aren't stupid," agreed Percy.
"Just powerful," said Jason, his hair sparking.
"Agreed!" said Leo, tiny flames dancing in his hair. Calypso put her hand on his, and the flames died out.
"Well well well," said Snape smoothly. "Ten points to Slytherin for each of you, for your bravery. And three points off Gryffindor for cheekiness."
"But-" Nico sputtered. He hadn't meant to be brave. He'd meant to be scornful.
Frank's cheeks were red in anger.
Piper's eyes were giving off a death ray. Anyone within three miles would have died. "You will give us our points back," she charmspoke the Slytherin Head.
"Three points to Gryffindor," said Snape, eyes glazing over.
All three Gryffindors who had spoken up glared at Snape angrily. Apparently giving the points back wasn't enough.
"Nothing," said Snape sharply. He then turned back to the roll of paper. "Yes," he said quietly, voice glinting with malice. "Harry Potter. Our new...celebrity."
Draco Malfoy and his followers Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Nico felt disgust rise in his throat and curled his lip. He sent a Death Glare in their directions. They faltered and frowned. Snape finished reading off the names, and looked up. His eyes were black and cold, like Nyx's. They were empty and made you think of the River Cocytus.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," Snape began. His voice was barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. Snape had the gift of keeping you silent without an effort. Like Nico himself. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stop death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence filled the classroom. Hazel shivered next to Nico. Percy and Jason exchanged looks. Frank's cheeks were once again scarlet with anger, and flames were dancing through Leo's hair again. Calypso and Piper were seething, Nico could see the fury in their eyes. Harry and Ron seemed irritated. Hermione looked desperate to prove herself not a dunderhead.
"Potter!" said Snape, ruining the silence of the classroom. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Angered spirits who would chase after you to get their food back, thought Nico. He looked at Harry sympathetically. Harry looked shell-shocked. Nico glanced at Hermione. Her hand was up, and she was biting her lip.
"I don't know, sir," Harry answered finally.
"Tut, tut-fame clearly isn't everything," Snape said in mock-sympathy, lips curled into a sneer, ignoring Hermione's hand. He turned to Leo.
"Let's try with you, Mr. Valdez," he said, black eyes glinting with sadistic joy. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Hermione's hand went up again.
"Hmm," said Leo, frowning in mock-thoughtfulness. "Probably in the 'Land of Funny Words'."
"One point off Gryffindor for cheekiness," growled Snape as a ripple of giggles passed through the Gryffindors.
"Stupid Valdez," muttered Nico, as Hazel gasped. Snape turned and pointed to Calypso.
"Miss Titan," he said, lips curving upwards in a smirk of triumph. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"There is no difference," said Calypso confidently. "They are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite."
"Correct," said Snape, his smirk sliding off his face. "One point to Gryffindor."
"Good for Gryffindor," whispered Hazel.
"Listen, Potter, Valdez," snapped Snape turning to the two boys. "Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death."
Dad isn't going to like that, frowned Nico.
"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat," continued Snape. "and will save you from most poisons. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
There was a sudden rustling of parchment and rummaging for quills and ink. Nico scratched it down in Ancient Greek. He would ask Annabeth or Reyna to turn his homework into English for him.
Things went even worse as the lesson continued. Snape put them into pairs and made them mix up a simple potion to cure boils. He walked around in his long cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles that pricked Nico's fingers and crush snake fangs who's powder got all over Nico's hands. Snape criticized almost everyone except for Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of green acid smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon.
Somehow Neville had managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the floor, burning holes into people's shoes. Nico jumped onto his stool and helped Hazel onto hers, as the rest of the class scrambled onto their stools. Neville had been soaked in his potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in agony as red boils sprang up from all over his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with a wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"
Neville whimpered and Nico watched, disgusted, as boils popped up all over Neville's nose.
"Poor Neville," said Hazel in a low tone of voice. "Snape really is awful."
"Take him up to the hospital wing," spat Snape at Seamus, then rounded on Harry and Ron. "You-Potter-why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" Nico winced in sympathy. "Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you?" continued Snape. "That's another point lost for Gryffindor."
At five to three, Nico met up with Harry and Ron. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"We're meeting up with two Ravenclaw girls, Annabeth and Reyna," answered Harry. "Then we're going down to Hagrid's. Do you know them?"
"Reyna's my best friend," Nico answered as a voice interrupted him.
"There you are!" Hazel huffed, coming up next to him.
"We're also meeting up with Percy Jackson, not my brother," said Ron with a small laugh. "Also with Calypso, Leo, Piper, Jason, and Frank."
"Good to know," said Nico. "Can we come?"
"Sure!" said Harry with a grin, as one unfamiliar shape and two very familiar shapes came up in front. Six shapes followed them.
"Hey," Annabeth greeted them. "How was your first day?"
"Horrible," groaned Percy and came up next to her.
"Mine was nice," said Hermione with a smile.
Jason and Leo stayed together, as Calypso and Piper rolled their eyes. Hazel hugged Frank. Reyna said nothing and went over to Nico's side. He flashed her a grateful smile.
"Come on," said Harry and led the way across the castle grounds. Hagrid's house was a small wooden one at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the door.
When Percy knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang-back."
Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.
"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."
He let them in, struggling with an enormous black boarhound. It looked like a hellhound. There was only one room. Nico didn't pay much attention to the surroundings, but he sat down on the couch, the others following him.
"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid. He looked up. "So many of you?"
"This is Ron," said Harry.
"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest." He put rock cakes onto a plate and poured boiling water into a large teapot.
"These are Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, Calypso, Leo, Piper, Jason, Reyna, and Nico," introduced Harry.
"All from Gryffindor?" asked Hagrid, frowning.
"No," answered Annabeth. "Reyna and I are from Ravenclaw, and Nico and Hazel are from Slytherin. The rest of them are from Gryffindor."
"Oh," said Hagrid.
The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth. Nico noticed Hazel, Reyna, Annabeth, Piper, Frank, and Jason pretend to enjoy the cakes. Percy was using his water powers to try and soften the cake up. Calypso had turned her cake into a soft, buttery scone. Leo was roasting his rock cake with fire behind his chair. Nico shrugged and threw the rock cake into a shadow travel void behind him. He listened, and a distinct, "Ow!" in Malfoy's voice from the castle grounds told him he'd met his mark.
They started telling Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Percy's knee and drooled all over his robes. Percy didn't mind, probably because he was used to it, having Mrs. O'Leary and all.
They were all delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."
"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her-Filch puts her up to it."
Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson.
"He really seemed to hate me."
"And us Americans," cut in Leo. "We aren't 'bratty' at all. Well, maybe Drew is. Scratch that. Drew is a bratty brat."
"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"
Nico noticed that he didn't quite meet Harry's eye as he said that.
But then Hagrid paused. "Who's Drew?"
"Nobody important," said Piper quickly.
"How's yer brother Charlie?" asked Hagrid, turning to Ron. "I liked him a lot-great with animals."
While Ron told Hagrid about the dragons, with the demigods asking questions once in a while, Nico noticed Harry pick up a piece of the newspaper. He seemed to skim it, then said suddenly, "Hagrid! That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!
There was no doubt about it. Hagrid didn't meet Harry's eye that time. He grunted and offered everyone a rock cake.
When Hazel and Nico walked back to the castle for dinner, Nico thought that something didn't add up. Hagrid hadn't met Harry's eye when talking about Gringotts and Snape. What was behind that? What had happened at Gringotts? Was Hagrid hiding something? And what?
A/N
I'm back! Finally! It has been too long. Do you like the plotline so far? Is it fun?
Leo: I don't get why I'm so cheeky.
You just are cause I say so. If I want you cutting your wrists, you'll do so. I'm the authoress here!
Leo: Hmph.
Jason: I don't get why they can't know we're demigods!
Sit on it. Think about it. Slap some sense into Percy.
Jason: Okay. *slaps Percy*
Percy: Ow! *chases Jason around*
Harry: I don't get it. Demigods?
Hermione: Half human half god.
Ron: What?
Just listen to Hermione guys.