Hello! Many of you will be surprised that I'm not dead/abducted by aliens/abandoning this fic.
(I know I take an absurdly long time updating, but I will never abandon a fic I've published. If I'm going to abandon a fic, I do it long before it reaches FFN!)
But the fact that people are still RR this story when it's been 8 months… I'm humbled.
My thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed, inc the guests (I can't reply to you, I'm sorry), and the serial reviewers, you guys are simply awesome.
Replies to reviews are at the bottom, as usual.
And now for what you're really interested in…
Struggling upright, Nico looked around wildly for the next branch to avoid. He stared, incredulous, at the now-frozen tree. Looking back, he realised that the adults were out of sight. Knowing that the trio would be leaving Hagrid's hut soon or risk getting caught, he edged around the tree.
He lost his footing and fell into a small hollow.
He gaped at the tunnel that opened up before him.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Nico made his way down the passage.
The tunnel was long and damp. Nico was on edge for the first few minutes, convinced that this was the way to some monster's lair. The silence was unnerving, with only a slow drip-drip echoing mournfully in the dark damp space.
Nico reached the end of the tunnel and looked about at the desolate shack. There was a good inch of dust on the floor and the furniture looked like it had seen better days. He was alarmed to see that all the windows were boarded, and the doors leading outside wouldn't open.
The son of Hades stopped on the upstairs landing to examine a doorframe with a large chunk taken out and shivered involuntarily.
There was a large echoing snarl, and then yells coming from the tunnel. Nico spun round, hand going for his sword, thinking about the sort of monster that could live here. He backed into the bedroom, hoping that the thing coming wouldn't come upstairs immediately, but knowing that his scent was potent enough to bring a legion of monsters running. His fears were confirmed as he heard bangings and shuffling coming from the hallway, and then the stairs.
He didn't have much time to berate himself, as the giant black dog came in, dragging a struggling Ron behind him. The boy's voice was hoarse, and his pale face was screwed up in pain. His eyes were glazed, and Nico wasn't sure how much more the kid could endure without passing out.
The dog turned on him, a wand in its jaws, and Nico glared at it angrily. He angled his sword so the mutt couldn't try anything, and hurried to his injured year mate.
"Ferula" Nico stated; his voice steady, and he stowed the sword away hurriedly.
Ron's tense expression relaxed slightly, and colour seeped back into his cheeks. When he spotted Nico, however, his face flushed an alarming red.
"You… Get away from me!"
Nico blinked, completely taken aback. The redhead's next words sent a wave of ice through him.
"I know what you are, thought you could keep it a secret forever did you?" The boy snarled, trying to seem threatening but failing as his voice trailed to a whimper at the end, as he manoeuvred himself onto the bed.
Nico opened his mouth to ask Ron what in Hades was his problem, but another loud clatter announced the rest of the Gryffindor three.
Harry ignored Nico completely, and rushed to Ron's side. Hermione was looking at Nico and the dog, who Nico noted, hadn't changed back into Black.
"Are you okay, Ron?" Harry asked, hovering over his friend, not knowing what to do. "Where's the dog?"
"Not the dog…we should worry about." Ron said through gritted teeth. Harry whirled around, eyes widening when he saw Nico.
The Son of Hades reacted on instinct.
"Expelliarmus!"
Both Harry's and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands. Nico caught them absently, pocketing them.
The dog lunged for Ron again, causing Harry to yell as he put himself in between the rabid canine and his best mate. Hermione ran forwards to try and grab the dog, but couldn't seem to get a good hold on it.
Detracted from the situation, Nico could clearly see when the dog morphed back into Sirius Black, and a shriek from Hermione proved that he wasn't the only one.
The convict staggered backwards, glaring at Ron, or rather, Scabbers who was being almost crushed in Ron's fist.
Hermione looked from Nico, to Sirius and back again.
"I don't believe it!" she burst out suddenly.
Harry was glaring at Nico, looking betrayed. He spared a glance of loathing for Black, but focused on Nico again.
"What in H-, what are you on about?" Nico demanded, a sinking feeling in his stomach, He shifted slightly, uncomfortably aware that Harry was close to attacking him.
Black visibly gathered himself.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend, you father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher." He paused. "I'm grateful…It will make everything much easier…"
Harry lurched forward suddenly, but his two friends restrained him, Hermione shoving Harry behind her, while Ron rose unsteadily to his feet, swaying slightly.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too."
Black looked thrown.
"Sit down," he told Ron quietly "You'll injure your leg even more."
Surprisingly, Ron followed his advice and collapsed back on the bed again.
"D'you hear me? You two'll have to kill all three of us!"
"There'll only be one murder here tonight." Black grinned dementedly.
"Why's that? Didn't care before, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter? Gone soft in Azkaban, stooped to getting schoolboy to do your dirty work!" Harry taunted.
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" he roared at Hermione suddenly, quelling her frantic protests and springing at the emaciated man.
The two wrestled on the floor, the wand in Black's hand hissing and sparking.
Hermione looked lost, it seemed like she didn't know whether to intervene, or say and help Ron, whose complexion had gone pasty again. Nico stood by awkwardly, wishing for all the diamonds and gems of Hades that he wasn't present. He had already considered trying to leave, but didn't fancy imagining what Black would say about him in his absence, and didn't want to face the trio's questions afterwards.
Finally, the convict's hand found Harry's throat, choking the young wizard. Hermione swung her foot, wildly. Black faltered, and Ron threw himself into the fray.
Nico darted around, picking up Ron's wand as it clattered to the floor. He felt safer, knowing that the warring parties couldn't attack each other with magic.
"NO YOU DON'T!" Harry shouted, but Nico had jumped back out of the way, pressing back against the wall, his sword out.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Harry yelled at his two friends.
Black was slumped half upright against a wall, while Nico held his sword, glaring, almost daring the others to try something. Nobody could use magic, and he was the only one with a blade.
"You killed my parents." Harry accused, panting slightly.
"I don't deny it. But… if you knew the whole story…"
A quiet noise sounded from the passage.
Hermione immediately started screaming for help.
Professor Lupin charged into the room, looking determined, immediately disarming Nico. The sword was wrenched from the demigod's grip and clattered to the middle of the floor. Lupin noticeably avoiding looking at it, let alone touching it.
"Where is he, Sirius?" The professor asked quietly.
Black pointed at Scabbers.
Lupin stared at the convict as if he'd never seen him before. "But then … why hasn't he shown himself before… unless… he was … and you switched… without telling me?"
Black nodded.
Harry interrupted, confused and wary. Lupin ignored him, instead going up to Black and hugging him tight.
"NO!" Hermione shrieked. Lupin froze, and untangled himself from the escaped convict.
She whimpered, staring wide-eyed between the professor, the prisoner and Nico. "You-a-and him! And all this time, I've been covering up for you!"
"I should never have trusted you! You've been helping Black, you're with Y-You-Know-Who's son, you're plotting to kill Harry, you're a werewolf!"
Nico looked at Hermione as if he'd never seen her before. You-Know-Who's son?
"Oh don't pretend you don't know!" Ron spat at him, seeing his look of bewilderment, "We're not stupid. Did you really think that you could just attend Hogwarts and people wouldn't realise?"
"What?" Nico asked, completely blind-sided. "You think I'm what?!"
"You're Voldemort's son!" Harry said impatiently.
Nico let out a strangled noise as he choked back hysterical laughter, basking in relief as he realised that they didn't really know his secret.
"Not up to your usual standard, Hermione, only one out of four, I'm afraid." Lupin intervened, his voice friendly, but his shoulders tense. "As far as I'm aware, Mr di Angelo is in the wrong place at the wrong time, I've not been helping Sirius, and I certainly don't want Harry dead … But, I won't deny that I am a werewolf." He shivered slightly.
Ron shifted on the bed slightly. Nico's eyes narrowed. The boy was obviously trying to shift away from Lupin, only to draw attention to himself by whimpering.
The teacher started forward, his face only showing concern.
"Get away from me Werewolf!"
Nico looked away from the genuine hurt that shone in the teacher's eyes. He would not feel sorry for a monster. He would not feel indignant or vindicated or anything on behalf of Lupin!
"How long have you known?"
Nico cut off the reply, he didn't care about when Granger had found out, he'd known from the beginning!
"You saw, in the Defence lesson, you SAW my father, and he's NOT Voldemort!"
"He looked like Tom Riddle!"
"You saw a tall man with dark hair in a robe; it could have been SNAPE for all you know!"
"SO you're SNAPE'S son?" Ron swore.
"NO!"
"Then why did you boggart show Harry, saying you'd betrayed him?"
"OH come on, it looked NOTHING like Potter!"
"Who the bloody hell was it then?!"
"It's not any of YOUR business!"
"ENOUGH!" Lupin roared.
There was a beat of silence.
"What would Lupin have to do with anything to do with me? And where did you get the idea of Voldemort's son from?" Nico asked Hermione, panting slightly from the shouting. Lupin glared at him, but the Son of Hades ignored it.
Hermione started. "I … well, it was R-Ron's idea, 'cause you always turned up when Harry's facing Y-You-Know-Who. I-it did seem a bit far-fetched for you to be there both times and now this… you've been hanging around the other Slytherins when you weren't that friendly with them before this year. You sneak out a lot and no-one knows where you go, I heard the teachers talking. And Riddle said he wanted to get close to Harry... …well…" she petered off, flushing in embarrassment.
Nico folded his arms and glared.
"Well, you can hardly blame us for thinking something's up!" Ron burst out suddenly.
Nico rolled his eyes.
"It's my business. You could have ASKED me before hurling dangerous accusations around."
"Would you have answered?" Harry asked curiously.
"Answered what?"
"Our questions."
"No."
"Well then that just proves you can't be trusted!" Ron declared hotly.
"Enough, please, we have more important business to deal with now. However, I would suggest in future being straight with your friends, if you don't want them to –Sirius NO!"
Black had lunged for Ron, and Lupin shot forward to intercede, dragging the skeletal man back
"WAIT! You can't do it just like that – they need to understand – we've got to explain -"
"I DID MY WAITING! TWELVE YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!"
"You owe Harry the truth, Sirius."
The convict went limp. Harry, it seemed, was the former prisoner's only weak spot.
"If you haven't been helping him," Harry spat, "how did you know he was here?"
"The map. The Marauder's map. I was in my office examining it…"
"You know how to work it…"
"Of course I know how to work it, I'm Moony, I helped write it."
Harry almost interrupted, but Lupin forged on.
"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully because I had an idea that you three would try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" He paused. "You might have been wearing you father's cloak, Harry."
"How'd you know about the cloak?"
Lupin waved him off.
"The number of times I've seen James disappear under it. The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility cloak, you still appear on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid and set off back towards the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."
"What, no we weren't, Nico was already here when we arrived!"
"I couldn't believe my eyes" Lupin talked over him, pacing. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning, how could he be with you?"
"No one was with us!" Harry insisted.
"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labelled Sirius Black. I saw him collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow…"
"One of us!" Ron cut in angrily.
"No Ron, two of you."
Nico's eyes strayed to Scabbers, who was squirming in Ron's grip. If a rat could look deathly terrified, Nico supposed he was doing a good impression. The demigod didn't like being here, and now that everyone had had their turn shouting at him, he was inclined to leave. He shuffled towards the door, slowly. He was aware that he'd be taking everyone's wands with him, but if he was honest, he couldn't care less.
"Do you think I could have a look at your rat?"
The sudden change in topic left the Gryffindors slightly wrong footed.
"What? What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat." Sirius interrupted suddenly.
"What d'you mean – of course he's a rat –"
"No he's not. He's a wizard" Lupin rebuffed softly.
"An Animagus, by the name of Peter Pettigrew".
It took a few moments for the trio to digest this.
"You're mental." Ron said finally.
"Ridiculous!"
'Riddikulus' Nico thought wildly, his ADHD making him more jumpy now that the tension from before had lessened.
"Peter Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry put in.
Sirius' face twisted into a snarl.
"I meant to. But little Peter got the better of me … not this time though!"
Lupin restrained Sirius before he could make a move for the rat again. While the convict panted, and the three Gryffindors tried to make sense of what they were being told. There was a loud creak from downstairs.
Nico's eyes narrowed. His instincts were on high alert. He moved towards the door and opened it fully. He stepped out into the landing, pulling out his wand, and feeling vulnerable without his sword.
He shifted downstairs carefully. The argument about Peter/Scabbers had started up again, but it seemed like Lupin had taken over the narrative.
Suddenly, Nico was thrown off his feet, his wand clattered out of sight. Scrambling upright, he froze when he saw Snape appear out of thin air, Harry's invisibility cloak shimmering in the air behind him.
The teacher sneered, reached forward and gripped Nico by the arm, shoving him back up the stairs and holding him in the doorway of the room containing everyone.
"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," Lupin was saying. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed... Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."
Nico shifted on his feet, causing Snape to grip his arm tighter, and dig his wand into the back of his neck.
Black snarled his impatience, and Lupin placated him absently.
"… Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did... And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."
Nico coughed, warily. They ignored him. Snape's grip was now painful. Nico felt a spell settle over him. He hummed experimentally, and wasn't really surprised when no sound came out.
"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course... he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed..."
Everyone except Nico was hanging onto Lupin's every word. The scarred face hardened, and his voice became laced with self-disgust.
"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me... and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it... so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."
"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"
Nico flicked his arm suddenly, this time catching people's attention. He widened his eyes and jerked his head, trying to convey the message. Lupin walked forward, concerned. Snape dropped his arm. Nico moved away from the doorway, allowing Lupin to peer outside.
"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily, turning back to the room. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore A year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons... you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me -"
Black made a derisive noise.
"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to... hoping he could get us expelled..."
"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we - er - didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field... anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it - if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf - but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life... Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was..."
"So that's why Snape hates you, because he thought you were in on the joke."
"That's right." The potion's master revealed himself.
Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry jumped.
"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you..."
The expression on Snape's face was one of twisted triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes showing his suppressed glee. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along."
Nico glanced at Lupin, realising what that meant…
"…And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."
Lupin attempted to explain, but Snape talked over him.
"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout -"
"Severus, you're making a mistake," Lupin urged. "You haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill Harry -"
"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, looking like Christmas had come early. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf -"
"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
That got an explosive reaction out of the other man, who was otherwise insensible to what Lupin was saying.
Thin ropes snaked around the professor, binding him tightly at the wrists, ankles and mouth. He toppled over, narrowly missing landing on Nico's sword.
Black let out an inhuman roar of rage, starting forward.
Snape jabbed his wand under the man's neck.
"Give me a reason, I beg you."
Black halted, but didn't back away. The hatred between the two men was almost palpable.
Spotting the sword on the floor, he turned to Nico.
"Well, well, Di Angelo, Mr Malfoy alleged you had concealed a sword, but no evidence was ever found… Hand it over, NOW."
The son of Hades bent and picked up the offending weapon. He hesitated.
"Sir, I really don't think…" Until now, Nico hadn't seen anybody not associated with the underworld attempt to wield Stygian Iron.
"NOW Mr di Angelo, you are facing suspension, continue and I will make sure you expelled."
Nico spun the sword in his hand like a tennis racquet, considering the request. He deliberately faltered, waiting.
The potions master's patience snapped and he lunged, wrenching the sword from Nico's grasp.
CLANG.
The sword dropped like it weighed a ton. Snape gripped his hand, hissing as the flesh turned a mottled black. The black taint continued through his veins, disappearing into the professor's robe. Clutching the side of his head, the potions master keeled over.
Nico's eyes widened. He darted forward and retrieved his weapon.
"I did try to warn you Professor, sorry." He told the unconscious form.
After being freed from his bonds by Black, Lupin approached the unconscious man and prodded the blackened limb.
"Just discoloured, nothing irreversible."
Black scowled, while Nico released a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. It was true, the black taint was already fading, but he had felt the sword drain the life-force from the potions master. If he'd held the sword any longer, it would have been fatal.
"However, I am unsure how you managed to smuggle a cursed object into the school, Mr di Angelo. Severus is right, you are facing suspension at the very least, and now…"
Nico folded his arms and glared at the werewolf mutinously.
"According to the Hogwarts charter, paragraph 14, subsection c, addendum 1: If a case for can be made for a reasonable requirement for protection (ie threat to life), a student may equip himself with a i) Short Sword ii) Dagger iii) Ceremonial knife or other blade, under the understanding that they are fully responsible of, and are liable for, any and all incidents (even in the event of theft) involving said blade, up to and including death, dismemberment, rituals, etc."
Nico paused. While the paragraph in the charter did exist, it had been repealed in the early 18th century, when the statute of secrecy and the withdrawal from the muggle world came into effect.
Lupin looked flabbergasted.
"And you can make a case for reasonable requirement for protection?" Hermione asked, her voice half sceptical, half snobbish.
"I can actually." Nico replied, his voice cold and hard.
"But, Mr di Angelo, you can't deny your sword did just curse a professor…"
"It's not unusual for swords to be charmed to only work for the worthy. Professor Snape should have been more careful."
Lupin seemed to sense that Nico wasn't going to budge on this.
"… It's time we cleared up here. You boy – give me Peter, please. Now."
"The faster you give him over, the quicker they prove whether Scabbers is Pettigrew, one way or the other." Nico said quietly.
"Give it to him Ron." Harry told him.
"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron seemed extremely reluctant.
"Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."
Finally, Ron held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. The rat hadn't stopped squirming since being the centre of attention, and now began to squeak incessantly, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.
Black had already divested Snape of his wand. He approached Lupin holding struggling rat.
"Together?" he said quietly.
"I think so, said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One - two - THREE!"
The transformation of Scabbers to Peter Pettigrew was frankly disturbing. The rat elongated, the limbs stretched, the fur melted into the expanding body and the tail disappeared. The head swelled like a balloon as the features rearranged to form a human face.
At the end of the process, a dishevelled and decidedly rodent-looking man stood where Scabbers had been.
"Hello, Peter." Lupin said calmly, as if nothing unusual had happened. Nico was reluctantly impressed with the man's poise, werewolves didn't take betrayal lightly.
"Remus, Sirius, my old friends…" The man looked like he was about to suffer a heart attack. He lunged for the door, only to be shoved back by Black and Lupin. The desperate man turned to the others.
"Ron, you won't let them kill me, I was a good pet, a good rat…"
Nico snorted from his corner. Everyone looked at him, expectantly. He coughed.
"Well, if he made a better rat than human… I mean, it's hardly anything to boast about…" Nico said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Pettigrew let out a choking sort of noise and lunged for Harry.
"Harry, you look so much like your father like James…"
"How dare you speak to Harry? How dare you speak about James in front of him!" Black spat, outraged.
"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort didn't you?" Lupin threw in, reminding Pettigrew that he'd find no mercy here.
Nico stepped next to Harry.
"You know where this is going." He said quietly. "They're going to kill him."
"I didn't mean to. The Dark Lord, you have no idea of the weapons he possesses, ask yourself Sirius, what was to be gained from fighting him?"
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"
Harry looked at Nico, unsure. The demigod raised an eyebrow.
"What do you think the consequences of that are going to be?" Harry blinked.
"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"
There was a silence, which was only broken by Pettigrew's snivelling.
"You should have realised Peter. If Voldemort didn't kill you then we would. Goodbye." Black said quietly. Both he and Lupin raised their wands.
"Wait!" Harry stepped in front of Pettigrew.
"Harry, this man…" Lupin began, obviously trying to control himself.
"I know what he is. We'll take him to the castle."
Pettigrew began to sob in gratitude. He made to grab Harry's legs from where he was on the floor.
"Get off! I said we'd take him to the castle. After that the Dementors can have you."
Pettigrew blanched.
They left the shrieking shack all together, Nico picking up his sword on the way out, and reluctantly handing back the others' wands.
Nico suggested knocking Pettigrew out, which Sirius did with glee. After some argument, it was decided to take Snape with them, so he couldn't go off telling people about Black before they could get Peter to the castle. Black levitated the potions professor, while Lupin took care of the rodent.
When they got outside, Nico froze in sudden remembrance. He stared at Lupin, who was staring straight back. His eyes glowed amber, and his face was distinctly hairier.
The change from man to werewolf had begun.
The demigod gulped, and sprinted for the forest.
He could hear the Gryffindors yelling after him, their shouts cut off by a loud, long howl.
The sound of undergrowth rustling behind him made Nico to gather the shadows around himself, and disappear. There was an angry snarl as the werewolf missed his prey and crashed into a tree.
A few metres away, Nico reappeared, halfway up an old oak. Wolves couldn't climb, but Nico wasn't sure about werewolves.
The Lupin-wolf was under his tree in seconds, scratching at the bark, and growling. Adrenaline pumping, Nico tried the 'Stupefy' incantation that Black had used on Pettigrew. A bolt of red shot towards the animal, and missed. Cursing himself for not practising fighting with only magic, Nico shot the spell a couple more times as well as a few other curses, succeeding in hitting the animal once, but with little effect.
Suddenly a great black thing collided with the werewolf. Nico stopped firing curses, trying to see what was happening through the gloom.
Recognising Black as the dog, Nico decided that he could perhaps travel away while the werewolf was occupied.
He reappeared next to the Whomping Willow. Ron was moaning in pain, and Snape and Pettigrew were still unconscious.
"Where's Harry?" Nico asked, bewildered. Hermione jumped.
"You! You left us! With a werewolf!"
"Did the werewolf even look at you twice, before running after me?"
The girl paused, her righteous indignation quelled slightly in face of this conundrum.
"You, you couldn't have known he'd..."
"Oh believe me, I knew." Nico said bitterly. Kneeling next to the unconscious potions professor, he asked Hermione if she knew the counter-curse. Shakily, the girl told him.
"Enervate" Nico whispered.
Snape opened his eyes. Nico sat back on his haunches.
"Di Angelo! I will have you expelled for this!" Sitting up, the professor's yes widened minutely when he saw an unconscious Pettigrew.
"Yes, of course Professor, can we get the real betrayer of the Potters up to the castle before you boot me out the grounds?"
The potions master glared at him, before turning his wand on Pettigrew.
"Wait! Sir, Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf… then Black followed him and Harry went after him, we can't just leave them!"
Sneering, Snape made in the direction Hermione pointed, grumbling something about foolish Gryffindors.
After he left, Nico told Hermione he'd carry Ron, if she'd levitate Pettigrew. They managed to make it halfway back to the castle before a chill began to seep into Nico's bones. He stumbled.
Setting Ron down, much to the red-head's relief, he pulled out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" His raven appeared, and Nico sighed, feeling the cold recede slightly. Concentrating, he grasped Ron again, and they carried on.
Before they got ten metres, a Dementor glided into sight. Nico's raven flew towards the creature, which stood still and held up a hand. The demigod gritted his teeth as he felt old battle wounds reopening. The raven flickered and died.
"Expecto Patronum!" Nico repeated, to no effect. He shot other spells, including Incendio, hoping to drive it off. The demigod could hear Hermione trying to help. She'd dropped Pettigrew, and was repeated the Patronus incantation, but was sounding more hopeless every time she said it.
Nico sent a barrage of sparks at the creature in a last ditched attempt. Gasping, he slid to the ground, his limbs feeling like lead, and his nerves on fire. He could no longer tell if he felt lightheaded because of the Dementor, or because of blood loss.
The Dementor lowered his hood.
He knew no more.
Nico gasped awake. Looking around wildly, he saw he was surrounded by crisp white sheets, gleaming bedpans and dark gaping mouths of the ogival windows in the hospital wing.
Groaning slightly, he took stock of the multitude of gauze and strapping around his various injuries.
On the bedside table was his wand, but he couldn't see his sword anywhere.
"It was confiscated by Madame Pomfrey when we were brought in. She wants Professor Dumbledore to examine it."
Nico snapped around to glare at Hermione. She looked pale, but there was a hint of self-righteousness in her face that Nico took immediate offense to.
"Granger, I told you in the shack, that sword is my protection. The werewolf didn't even glance at you, the Dementor ignored you, and you still stand there with your sanctimonious smirk and superior attitude and tell me that I have no right to defend myself? Perhaps you'd have preferred me to let that troll crush you rather than save your life. Or had you forgotten that?"
The girl's eyes widened at Nico's sudden display of temper.
"So I brought a sword only I can use, surely that's a good thing? Or would you rather it got lost, or stolen, for any unscrupulous bastard to use? Do you forget you are a witch? What is your wand if not a weapon? I know how to fight with a sword, yes; but are you really telling me that faced with that, you'd forget you can do magic?"
Hermione looked conflicted, but to Nico that wasn't enough. He wanted her to grow up, but she was determined not to.
He had seen one war, and was on the edge of another, a world away.
This girl was still innocent.
Cynically, Nico wondered how long that would last for.
They were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey, who shooed Hermione back to her bed, before turning to Nico.
"Well, Mr di Angelo, I - "
"Madame Pomfrey, could my school bag be brought up here? I'd quite like a –a book. To read."
The nurse looked taken aback, and more than a little irate at being interrupted in such a manner.
"I promise not to move from the bed or cause any fuss, but I would like my bag."
Eyeing Nico strangely, Madame Pomfrey did have his bag brought up to him, but insisted he not exert himself. While she grumbled about his impertinence, she seemed to appreciate the tone he used (reasonable, and not at all wheedling or whiny) and the request would have been quite polite too, had he not cut her off mid-speech.
For his part, Nico tried not to be disappointed that the nurse didn't go and fetch his bag in person, allowing him to grab his sword from her office. He didn't understand why the sword hadn't gone directly to the Headmaster. Professor Snape would have had ample time to rage about his disfigured arm, and demand he be expelled. So why hadn't he been? Where were the Aurors, the law enforcement? His wand was still intact, but did that mean there would be a hearing before he was thrown out?
Sipping blue birthday cake-flavoured juice, Nico berated himself once again that he didn't keep a hip-flask of nectar, or have ambrosia in his pockets. With just the one gulp, he'd cleared his lingering headache, healed some minor scratches and the more major wounds were looking days if not weeks old, rather than a mere few hours.
He then quietly undid some of the irksome bandages, annoying Madame Pomfrey, until she saw the state of his healing injuries.
"You must have quite a magical core, Mr di Angelo. Not many people have the strength of mind or magic to heal themselves so drastically."
Nico thanked her absently. He hadn't wanted her to poke her nose in, but he supposed it was the price he had to pay to get rid of the excess of gauze. Honestly, any more and he'd resemble a Mummy from ancient Egypt.
About a half hour later, the peace was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps and raised voices.
"Shocking business … shocking … miracle none of them died … never heard the like … by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…."
"Thank you minister"
"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"
"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."
Was it really possible to ooze smugness?
The voices were getting louder; and the footsteps closer.
"Nasty curse on your hand, Black's work I imagine?"
"Actually, it was one of my own students, Minister…"
Nico gritted his teeth. At this point, he wouldn't mind being kicked out of Hogwarts, but magic had just started being useful for combat; and not just fancy tricks. Turning his back on such a skill would be foolish.
"—bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm to judge their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. But with Mr di Angelo, there is a real possibility of the Imperius curse. "
Potter had finally sat up, and was fumbling with his glasses. Hermione was fighting being ushered back to her bed by Madame Pomfrey. Under normal circumstances, Nico would have found the nurse's agitating placations amusing, but for the fact he was trying to eavesdrop and find out how much of a mess he'd landed himself in.
"WHAT!"
Nico jumped out of bed, startled by the sudden noise. Both Gryffindors were looking at Madame Pomfrey with horror.
Having heard the commotion, Snape, Dumbledore and a portly man in a lime green bowler hat entered the ward.
"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said the portly man, whom Nico recognized as the Minister for Magic, "You should be in bed - has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.
"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's -"
Fudge, though, wasn't listening.
"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, but we've got everything under control, so you just relax..."
"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry burst out. "YOUVE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"
"Minister, please listen to us" Hermione implored. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and -"
"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them... Black's done a very good job on them..."
"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.
"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey cut in angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"
"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen -"
But Madam Pomfrey obviously had experience dealing with this sort of ruckus, as she suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; when he choked, she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed. Nico was left silently applauding the woman for a move that had come completely by surprise.
Satisfied that Potter would stay, she turned back to the visitors triumphantly.
"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."
However, the door had opened again, and Dumbledore stepped through. Harry got up again.
Nico stayed back. He didn't like the obvious miscarriage of justice and abuse of power taking place here, but he was pragmatic. If the minister didn't listen to the Boy-who-Lived, why would he listen to him?
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black -"
"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey snapped. "Is this a hospital wing or not? I must insist, Headmaster -"
"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black -"
"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive -"
"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape through his half-moon spectacles.
"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."
Nico coughed, causing the Professor's eye to twitch.
"But that's not true, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You woke in front of the Shack..."
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances -"
"I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy - please leave us."
"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest -"
"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore firmly. "I must insist."
When everyone had left, Hermione and Harry immediately started shouting about Black's innocence, though their protests were quickly redirected by Dumbledore.
"Why didn't Black have a trial, Professor?" Nico cut in. His two classmates froze.
"That is a rather interesting question with an equally complex answer, Mr di Angelo. However, Minister Fudge will not call off the Dementors now that Black is in custody, fair trial or no."
Nico bristled. Black hadn't received a trial at all, let alone a fair one.
He would have protested further, but Dumbledore cut him off.
"What we need is more Time. Sirius Black is being held in the tallest cell of the dark tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law - you know what is at stake... You - must - not - be - seen."
And then he left.
Nico went to retrieve his sword while Hermione fumbled with a necklace. When he came back, Nico saw Hermione was fiddling with a small golden hourglass on a chain that glinted wickedly in the light. Recognizing the symbols around the edge as belonging to Kronos, he ran over to the pair of Gryffindors, and tried to snatch the wretched thing away from them.
He missed, and his hand caught the chain.
Then everything seemed to run backwards, and Nico was frozen in place, unable to neither move nor wrench his hand away.
Hermione and Harry were staring at him in shock, as the chain snapped.
The hourglass slid along the slack chain, catching on a slight kink.
Hermione made to grab it, but instead knocked it away.
It arced gracefully in the air (seeming to take forever and no time at all) before landing with a clang of delicate metal.
Hermione seemed to breathe again, gripping Harry for support.
Nico scowled at them, and went to pick it up.
The thing was surprisingly gritty, and Nico looked at the tiny device curiously, only to see Hermione's eyes widen in horror as the flecks of golden sand fell though the invisible hairline crack and covered Nico's hands and trousers.
Too fast to yell, move, blink, Nico di Angelo disappeared.
…
…
Gasping, Nico looked around in shock. He was in the Hospital Wing still, but neither Harry nor Hermione could be seen.
A feeing of dread settled in his stomach.
He'd time-travelled. But forwards or backwards?
A vision of Thalia snarling at him with her bow drawn.
Backwards then.
But where to go from here?
Epirius.
The House of Hades, and the Doors of Death.
Phew, didn't that take an age? If I said I was holding back publishing the last chapter so it would be the LAST chapter, would you forgive the atrocious wait?
The Gryffindor's got it wrong… and Nico's disappeared. Won't they get a shock next year!
Please review and tell me what you thought!
Stay tuned for the next one… Nico di Angelo and the Goblet of Fire!
Here's a teaser summary (POSSIBLE SPOILERS HOUSE OF HADES!):
Nico has survived Tartarus, and Gaea's hospitality. He's managed to keep the camps from civil war. As a consequence, he's been ostracized and has washed his hands of all demigods, including the Seven.
But what's this?
The Triwizard Tournament has been brought back to Hogwarts, bringing representatives from Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter across the pond.
With his family determined to win him back, and Slytherin House becoming more and more insular, can he stay true to his roots, continue his quest and avoid falling victim to the Oracle's next prophecy?
Finwitch1: Oh wow! In a twisted way that kinda makes sense! Thanks for telling me, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter :) !
SummerSpirit18: Thanks! Erm, spoilers! And no the blue eyed girl is not Thalia. ;) Hope you liked the ending, thanks for reviewing so often!
RedRangerBelt: Thank you! Spoiler about Hufflepuffs cup, shh! The horcruxes left are the ring, the cup, and locket, he's still got to deal with Harry being a Horcrux… and Nagini (though that shouldn't be so much of a problem…)
dixonhpboosh: Hope it lived up to what you were hoping for! Let me know what you thought of the last chapter, you've been such a great reviewer!
rosiekitsune1, Ike Danger, Loner Kid, Awesomesauce, Night Heartbird, samira vangola: I totally understand your frustration and impatience, but I really hope you enjoyed the last chapter and felt it worth the wait!
Anibelli, LastPower46, ZaffreAmethyst, gisecullen, attlantica, moonshroom420, Puckabrina Percabeth Rules, Stronger123, Littleheartache, sweet little cookie, I NEED LUCK: Wow, thank you! Hope you like the last chapter!
Phantomgirl338: While I know where you're coming from, I have no intention of introducing romance into my Nico series. I'll keep it in mind for later stories, but not right now.
willingwriter: We only see Malfoy's gang in the books, so I've always thought that there must have been some decent Slytherins. Thanks for your review, hope you enjoy the chapter!
RiverBluJay: thank you!
JasonDragonwing: Nice ideas! Nico has trust issues (obviously), so the road back to close friendship will be long and hard. The trio will meet other demigods, and Nico's secret will come out – guaranteed. As for the demigod side, so far they've been very separate in Nico's world. Demigods=America, Wizards=Britain, so the demigod world has been largely ignored in my books, and used only for little references.
The Son Of Hades123: I don't intend to write any serious Nico pairings just yet. The reference to Ginny is more a nod to her reaction to Harry after the Chamber than anything else! Hope you like the last chapter!
countingmoons: Thanks for the review, I hope Lupin was more believable in this chapter! And I hope the resolution of the Nico being in Hogwarts problem was solved to your satisfaction!
Certifiable Genius: I certainly hope to do all the books – or as many as I can. Hermione will get the answer eventually, but sometimes I think she can be a little closed minded, and needs more of a shove rather than subtle hints, to arrive at the right conclusion.
Captured Spirits: Wow, thanks so much! I really hope that the last chapter has met your high expectations!
Rebecca: I really want Malfoy's patronus to be a ferret. But it would probably be a peacock or something equally vain…
TeamLeoValdez: Thank you so much! Wow, I've always been quite annoyed that my stories aren't longer… Glad to know someone disagrees! I really hope you like the last chapter, it's got a lot to live up to!
Eifie: You are fantastic for persevering! I can't say I'd have kept at it in the face of a stubborn smart phone! I feel like my reply is embarrassingly short compared to your review! Thank you soooo much!
The Lupin/Diana was a bit like how Grover acts around Artemis, all love struck and overawed. DEFINITELY NO PAIRING! Diana would castrate him before he got within ten metres of her. She's scary.
I was rather proud of myself for thinking of the sacrifice bottle. I've read fics where the demigods are openly using a brazier while trying to hide their identities… didn't make any sense to me. So, thanks for appreciating my efforts!
Thank you as well for the fic recommendation, I hadn't read that before and loved it! (Don't normally read Jily either, so new world of Harry Potter fanfics now discovered ;) )
And BTW, Stolls v Weasley Twins, next book ;)
Slowtraffic2110: Gracias! aquí está el capítulo final, espero que os guste!
Robin's Egg Blue: I'm so happy you like the series, and that Nico is in character (I love his character so much, I really want to do it justice). As you've just seen, this changes practically nothing of Mark of Athena/House of Hades, though I'm planning flashbacks/introspection during the next fic so the timeline makes sense. Nico and Sirius were at an impasse, both blackmailing the other, though Nico held the advantage while Sirius was thought to be a mass-murderer. Now the situation is more balanced, as Nico could still rat on Sirius, while Sirius has Harry, Ron and Hermione who would be very interested to learn of Nico's abilities. There will be Trio-Nico-Percy interaction in the next fic, promise!
