Nico was in this darkened state for what seemed like forever. He focused on his grades to stop himself from thinking, read books to stop himself from wallowing in self pity. The shadows responded too easily and the stares he got grew darker. When the first trip to Hogsmeade finally came up, the Golden Trio took it upon themselves to get him out of his slump.
Harry couldn't go, but Ron and Hermione were sure to drag Nico down to breakfast that morning.
"If you don't go," Ron had finally warned, "I'll tell mum. She'll be here faster than you give her credit for."
With no care left to fight them on it, Nico followed them to the village. It was something different to be out in the fresh air, the cold chill of October stinging his pale face. He walked Anubis along beside them, actually had fun between the shops. He took in the happiness of the wizarding world as much as he could.
That night, however, the wizarding world once again became more than a happy refuge in his mind.
Nico laid with Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the corner of the Great Hall, petting Anubis' head as they whispered to one another.
"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," Ron said.
"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," Hermione said. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"
"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," Ron said. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."
Nico rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but if it was really him, how'd he get in? Dementors are at the borders, you can't apart in Hogwarts..." He frowned. "It better not be some idiot First Year with a prank."
"I don't think that's it," Hermione stressed. "The Fat Lady wouldn't be hiding if it was."
"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"
Nico made a face at Ron. "Why's he got to be so frustrating?"
"The world's been wondering that since the day he was born," Ron agreed.
Nico laid there as the lights went out but didn't even bother trying to sleep. The last thing he needed was a nightmare in front of the whole school, and the rare possibility that Black could attack again...
After hours of silence, whispers finally broke through.
"Any sign of him, Professor?" Percy asked.
"No. All well here?" Dumbledore answered.
"Everything under control, sir."
"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And the Fat Lady, sir?"
"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."
Snape's voice came, then. "Headmaster? The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."
"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"
"All searched…"
"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."
"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" Snape asked.
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."
"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before - ah - the start of term?" Snape asked.
"I do, Severus," Dumbledore said.
"It seems - almost impossible - that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed -"
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," Dumbledore said. "Now, I must go down to the Dementors. I said I would inform them when our search was complete."
"Didn't they want to help, sir?" Percy asked.
"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."
Nico expected them to leave, then, but Dumbledore's energy came closer. Finally, he looked down at Nico as if he could see right through his fake sleep. "Mr. Weasley, will you come with me?"
"Yeah." Nico sat up with a sigh. "How'd you know I was awake?"
"I would have a hard time believing that you would sleep through a situation such as this," Dumbledore answered. He kept his voice low but most of the other students were asleep. "Come, I need your help. We can speak more in my office."
Nico followed him as he went to talk to the dementors before going back to his office, Nico's wand never leaving his hand. "What did you need my help with, sir?"
Dumbledore sat behind his desk. "Have you ever felt Sirius Black's soul before?"
Nico shook his head. "I've never met him, only learned of him."
"Would this make it difficult to find his soul with your abilities?" Dumbledore asked.
Nico shrugged. "I can tell if there's a soul I've never met if I search the grounds for one. Do you want me to?"
Dumbledore nodded. "That would be of everyone's best interest. You will be our extra set of eyes for tonight, incase he would like to make a reappearance."
"Would you like me to do it here?" Nico asked. "I would have to concentrate, go into a trance. Anyone that saw me would think something's up."
Dumbledore stood. "You have full access to whatever you need if it means protecting our students, Mr. Weasley. Know that from now on."
Nico went to the darkest corner of the room and sat Indian style, his back against the wall and his eyes closed. "He is just a wizard, correct? Not a demigod or monster?"
"Yes, but his soul may be as dark as your own." Dumbledore prepared to leave the office. "Remember, young demigod, he's spent years with dementors in Azkaban. No one would be the same after such a fate."
Nico nodded. "Okay... Thank you for the information, Professor."
Once Dumbledore was out of the room, Nico focused on feeling the souls around him. The students were all together in the Great Hall, where Ron's soul was stronger because of his closer relationship with him. Besides Ron, however, too close for comfort, was a soul Nico had never met before.
"Fuck." Nico snapped open his eyes and melted back into the shadows, reappearing beside his brother in the Great Hall. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and he had to wonder what had made his soul radar mess up so badly.
Nico's suspicions didn't let up as the days went on. Every time he would check on the souls around them, he'd always sense the same unknown beside Ron. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe he was accidentally seeing that rat as a human. But he still couldn't let himself write it off.
The first Quidditch game of the season was between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. As Nico could care less about his own house winning, so he wished Harry good luck before sitting in the stands.
That day, he actually went through with protecting Harry Potter.
The dementors had come before anyone could do much. Nico didn't bother thinking why or how, instead racing down onto the field despite the warnings.
And then Harry fell. Nico caught him, barely, and they landed in a crumpled heap on the ground.
The rain was so thick. The wind almost blew them away. As they were surrounded by others, he couldn't help but hiss in pain at his ankle, which had been twisted beneath him.
A grumbled sound came out of his mouth as his brother's face appeared above him. "Never try catching someone in freefall..." And with that last warning, he let the darkness that had been taking over his vision finally envelope him.
