A/N: Wowee… I was actually expecting flamers for creating a new character out of nowhere, but you guys really cheered me up :)

Now, disclaimer: I don't own. I.D.O. See, it's so weird- the first letters of 'I don't own' spell out 'I do'! So I DO own Nico and Harry! Muahaha!

..Ok, just kidding. On with the story!


"Oh, I do hope he's alright, he was ever so pleasant, and such a joy to be around," Hermione fretted.

Ron and Harry exchanged glances.

"He was so kind, even with his unfortunate past, and horrible past experiences-"

"Hermione," Ron interrupted, "Have you found anything out about him yet?

She stiffened immediately.

"Oh, is that your business? I should think not."

Her voice came out strangely strangled.

"No,no" interjected Harry. "You were just supposed to be finding about his past, remember? To prove Ron wrong?"

He added the last sentence when she glared at him with such ferocity he shuddered.

"Well, I know enough about him to confirm he is NOT Voldemort's son." She declared indignantly.

"Really? So, who's his dad then?" Ron asked.

"Well… I… actually don't know." Hermione confessed.

"Aha!" Ron hollered. "He's tricked you, hasn't he? Made you think he was all good and stuff-"

"He is not whatever you think he may be! He is a hardworking student who has a natural affinity for fine literature-"

Enlightenment dawned on Ron's face.

"So! You like him because he's all studious like you, is he? The fact he's like you isn't worth defending him over, though, Hermione!"

"Shut up, Ronald Bilius Weasley!" She spat, glowering. "I have not been tricked in any manner! Nico is just-"

"Just what?" Harry was surprised at the words that just emerged from his mouth.

Ron grinned, while Hermione stared at him, aghast.

"He's- he's just-"

"Hermione, you have to admit, Ron's idea does make sense," Harry tried to reason.

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say.

"I'll have you know," she said in an oddly quiet and controlled voice, "That I am refusing to speak to you from this moment on. Good day."

"Whaa- Hermione!" Ron was clearly shocked by this. In a few moments, the shock changed to anger.

"Slimy git," He said venomously. "Stealing our Hermione like that, I'll show him…"

Harry sighed. "Ron." His friend looked up for a moment, pausing his ranting on how evil and malicious that scheming little(At this point, Ron inserted a few choice words) Nico was momentarily.

"Now is probably not the best time."

They stared after Hermione's retreating back for a while.

"Not much of a loss, though, is it?" Ron noted after a while. "She didn't speak to us at all for a while, always hanging out with him."

And, Harry realized, that was completely true.


When Nico woke up, the first thought that hit him was;

There's too much white.

Actually, no-the first thought that hit him was Argheuugh it hurts. There's too much white was his second thought.

But that would just be weird if he said Argheuugh it hurts, so instead he said in a strangely feeble voice,

"Too much white."

Then he attempted to turn around and bury his face in his pillow so he wouldn't have to look at that gods dang white, but he was surprisingly weak at the moment and managed to accidentally fling himself off the bed.

Crash.

Oh, joy.

He groaned as he attempted to pull himself up, but slipped in his white pajamas and crashed to the floor again, accidentally pulling down a flower vase on his way down. He winced at the pain near his stomach- he had landed on a shard of glass from who-knows-where (most likely the vase) the second time he fell.

His blood was quickly staining his clothes, and he wished that he just had some ambrosia-

No, Nico, he scolded himself. Wishes are useless.

He trudged toward the rack of potions, fumbling through and trying to find a healing one.

He didn't notice the strange absence of Madame Pomfrey until it was too late.

"Boy," an amused-yet angry- voice hissed. "You do not trifle with me."

He whirled around and grit his teeth. "You."

"Yes, and might I add the strangest thing happened while you were asleep? Your father decided to avenge you, and I did not like that at all."

"My father? He did?"

She laughed.

"Oh, not Hades, the old fool. He couldn't care less for you."

Nico tried to ignore his heart falling and smashing against the bottom of his stomach… of course his father didn't care for him, it was foolish for Nico to latch onto hope so easily-

"Such curious things I have heard about you. Recently, I heard the rumor that your father was…"

"Who?" He demanded. He was shaking with anger.

"Why," she tilted her head, "him, of course. The-Man-Whose-Name-Must-Be-Hyphenated. You know him very well, I think… he's been haunting your dreams lately, and causing you so much fear… I am gladdened that he should do that for me. I should like you to have a taste of fear for once…" She spoke scathingly.

"Your one of his people. Those who dare support him, those who dare to taunt my father so with their silly names."

"Death Eater? No, I'm not one of them. I am very well connected, yes, but being only half blood, you see, carries many disadvantages."

Nico scowled. He was so hoping to trip her up, find evidence to get her thrown out before she could pose a great danger to his mission… Scratch that, she was already a big danger to his mission…

"And, unfortunately, The-One-Whose-Name-Must-Be-Hyphenated has not granted me the boon of slaying you. He is convinced that you would join him, that you would cave in eventually, with time."

He stiffened.

"But," she raised her wand, and he was certain she saw the panic in his eyes-

"He has not forbidden me from making your life a living Tartarus."

Red light. Pain, pain, pain…

His screams echoed through the room, and no one was there to hear them.


When he awoke the next day, he found fresh bandages applied to his wound from the glass shard. He blinked blearily, cursing the white once more before turning and actually gasping out loud from the pain near his stomach. Fortunately, though, the pain receded quickly.

That didn't stop him from cursing the vase.

"Stupid vase… who would bring me flowers, anyhow, no one cares about me-"

He caught sight of a letter, partially soaked from the water in the vase(the glass remains had been cleaned up, thank the gods) lying on the table. He rubbed his eyes, sure that he was seeing things.

Nope. It was still there.

Sighing, he grasped the letter and cautiously peeled the wet card open. He stopped mentally cursing when he saw who it was from.

Hermione. He smiled fondly. He hadn't known her very long, but already he felt strongly towards her. It was like she was the sister he never had. That's what he told himself, anyways.

He cursed again, this time at Aphrodite.

Aphrodite didn't like that.

Somehow, a dove found its way through the window, pecking angrily at his head for a few moments before dropping another letter on his lap.

He opened it, bracing himself for a cloud of perfume and pink mist to explode out of it and a shower of rose thorns to rain down on him.

Nothing came, except the faint smell of moonflowers.

He did the sensible thing.

He read the letter.

Nico,

I heard about what happened in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I hope you're alright. Anyways, Char (that's Carlotta's nickname, she has an affinity for fire magic) insisted we all sign this sympathy note, though many of us barely know you. We, I'm sure you're wondering, are Char's friends. Oh, and please get well soon, Char's going ballistic, even though you two aren't particularily close. She's going to get herself killed someday, she's far too naïve and caring.

~Jenns

At the bottom of the letter where the signatures of many people; there was Luna (he recalled the girl on the train) and Dee, (who left a rather vicious note saying that she/he didn't approve of him as he was creepy on the side), and some girl named Ginny, and a boy named Devyn, and another boy named Beck (what was wrong with these parents? he wondered), and a girl named Maddie, and Arika, who requested he call her Captain Falcon (Nico guessed it was a video game character).

And in really big bubble letters that actually flew off the paper and danced around, Char's signature was accompanied by a pokemon card that had 'get well soon' scribbled on the back of it.

He grinned ear to ear at this one, and it wasn't even an evil grin, surprisingly. He took notice of a group of what looked like 6th years waving up at him from the courtyard, and he waved back, recognizing Carlotta's beaming face amongst them. Hey! They mouthed. It's Saturday, why dontcha come hang out if you're well enough?

"Be right down!" He shouted over the wind.

Evidently, they were really good at mouthing and lip-reading, as though the breeze carried away all sound, they got his message, and began to wave and smile even more.

He leapt out of the bed with a renewed energy, ignoring Madame Pomfrey's shouts of displeasure, and shadow traveled quickly to the dormitory he shared with Ron, Harry and the others; he ignored them as they yelled at him for waking them up, pulling his black pants, 'Dead Men Tell No Tales" tee, and some combat boots on, as well as his aviator's jacket. He quickly slipped his silver skull ring onto his slim fingers, then turned to find the door blocked, unfortunately, by Harry-in-his-pajamas.

"Get out of my way."

"How did you get in here? You just walked straight out of the shadows!" Harry sounded furious.

"Is that a bad thing? Walking out of the shadows? It's very convenient, not having to walk."

"That's umbrakinesis," Neville spoke up shakily. A quick glance in his direction confirmed that Neville was trembling violently.

"It's dark magic," Neville continued. "Very dark magic." His eyes were wide and fear shone in them.

"You see?" Ron shouted. "He's a Dark Wizard! Probably descended from the lot of them-"

"Shut up!"

"So what? Going to kill me with your Dark Magic? Huh?" Ron sneered.

"Who is it in your family that's serving You-Know-Who? I bet they all are- I bet they're all evil, just like you!" Harry joined in.

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh, so I don't, huh? Have you forgotten the Sorting? The incident in Defense Against the Dark Arts? There has to be a reason the Dark Destroying spell affected you like that!"

And for a cold, eerie moment, Nico was silent. Then:

"You don't know what you're talking about, Potter. It's true I was born with strange magic, but I'm not evil. You, of all people, should know this, seeing as you carry part of Tom within you. It's not my powers that define who I am, it's what I do with them."

And Harry was silent.

Nico walked past him, and for a split second, their eyes met.

So you are Voldemort's son, his eyes said.

Maybe, Nico's replied.

And he was gone.


To be honest, Nico's eyes- they didn't say maybe. The look in Harry's suggested to Nico that he was accusing him of being evil again. The look Nico gave him back was intended to say,

You can believe what you want to believe.

Unfortunately, Harry took that as a yes, Nico was Voldemort's son.

Not a good thing.

Ron spoke up some time after Nico had left.

"Harry, you're not just going to let him walk away, are you? Oi, Harry, snap out of it…"

Harry didn't hear anything. He just turned and went back to bed.


Nico joined the others in the courtyard, grinning.

He didn't fool them.

"Something wrong, Nico? Other Gryffindorks give you a hard time?" One dark-haired girl spoke up.

"Hey! Jenns…We are SO not dorks!" A curly haired boy with a mischievous grin retorted.

"Shut up, Beck," she replied coolly. "You really should be used to me and my little sayings by now."

"You know, she's right, Beck," A redhead noted. "You really should be used to her. Even I've gotten used to her constant death threats by now."

"I must agree with Maddie," another redhead ( a dark red, though, not a bright orange) announced. "Your fear of her has gotten quite irritating, for me and my Luigi plushie."

"Yeah," snorted a brunette with glasses. "You mean your video game character dolls."

"Oh, knock it off, Arika, Dee," the dark-haired girl- Jenns- rolled her eyes. "If you start at this again, I really will get my itching powder out."

Apparently, Jenns and her itching powder was something to be feared, as everyone straightened immediately and shut up.

A blond who had been silent for a while cackled. "Oh, very good, Jenns!"

She cast and irritated glance at him. "You shut up too, Devyn. You don't want a replay of the jacket scene, riiiight?"

"Oh, no, ma'am."

"So anyways," she diverted her attention back to him, "Gryffindorks giving you trouble, huh? Don't worry, they're always annoying." She regarded him with something close to sympathy.

"Alright, everyone wants to introduce themselves, so," she waved her hand. "I'm Jennifer Morganthe Willow, Jenns for short, I'm a sixth-year Ravenclaw who was almost put into Slytherin. I'm seventeen, and no, I'm not a Death Eater. Everyone always asks me that, just because I was ALMOST in Slytherin."

She nodded at Arika.

"Arika Loelle Kiliyon," she declared. "Gryffindor, sixth-year, I'll be seventeen in four days, and please call me the Feminine Falcon." She grinned cockily, and a chorus of groans rose from the others.

"Changing your name again, Arika?"

"Oh, so it's the Feminine Falcon, now?"

"Arika…"

"MUAHAHAHA!"

"People!" Jenns clapped her hands once.

They dropped silent.

"Continuing on," she sighed.

"Beck Irole Azardi," the curly-haired boy grinned. His blue eyes twinkled. "Gryffindor, sixth-year, I'm seventeen."

"Maddie-" A glare from Jenns.

"Oh, fine," she sighed. "Madelien Rozii Rals. Gryffindor, sixth-year, seventeen."

"Diilarya- yes, I know it's a weird name, that's why I go by Dee- Hinel Connor, Gryffindor, fifth-year, I'm fifteen."

"Devyn Colke Panne. D' Pain for short, since everyone says I'm a pain in the rear end. Slytherin sixth-year, which is good, I get to annoy Jenns all year long about how she ALMOST got stuck with me and she ought to be grateful. I'm seventeen!"

"And you already know Char. So, Luna and Ginny aren't here, so you can meet them later. They don't know us too well, anyhow. So, we are the outcasts, everyone who's scorned will wind up befriending us at one point or another. No offense to you." Jenns said.

"Uhh.." Nico started.

"D'ya wanna give him the welcome hug?" Arika called out.

"Yeah!" The others- save for Jenns- cheered.

And Nico found himself smothered in a huge group hug, which had dragged a protesting Jenns in.

"And as friendships come and go," Arika.

"Ours will last forever." Maddie.

"Friends always," Carlotta.

"Forever," Beck.

"And never will we part." They spoke in unison.

And looking towards Nico, they silently offered him a place to belong.

So what could he do?

He grinned and stepped forward.

"Friends."

They glared at him, and he swore he could see Jenns sneaking something very pointy out of her back pocket.

"Okay, I get it..."

They continued glaring.

"Fine! Friends forever, okay?" he spat.

"Okay!" Arika exclaimed happily.

Jenns whacked her on the head.


The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur; there was more laughing then Nico had ever experienced at any given time, and jokes, and crazy antics, and for a while, he could forget his life.

Until evening came, and he remembered with a start as Blaise Zabini walked past that he really should be at Slughorns party.

He cursed again.

"Alright, I have to go to Slughorns party. See you guys later." He stated glumly.

And he walked off towards the castle.


A/N: If you are one of the people I based my OC's on, you know who you are! So:

Like it? Hate it? Review! Criticism is appreciated! Compliments are more appreciated! Flames are not so appreciated, but if you do, I shall roast marshmallows!

Again, school has been insane, so if it's messed up or lousy, I apologize.

I read Son of Neptune, and the ending is TORTURE! Torture, I tell you! So my insane anger at Rick Riordan for his stupid cliffhanger may have put me out of my writing mode, so I apologize if the coming chapters are somewhat lame.

Random fact: I have modes. Calculator mode, I am a human calculator (this was very amusing to certain classmates of mine in Math Class). Writing mode, I am a decent author. Angry-at-Rick-Riordan mode, I cannot concentrate on anything but swearing at him and his stupid cliffhangers in my head.

OMG IT"S THE LONGEST CHAPTER TO DATE :0

Sorry if I confused you ^_^

~DarkAngel