"Petrificus totalus!"
"Suddenly, Nico couldn't move. Not at all. What the heck was going on here?
A man stepped out from the shadows, he wore black from head to toe. The man chuckled evilly. "Got-cha." He grabbed Nico's petrified arm, and with a loud CRACK, the two of them were gone.
Nico appeared in a dark room, in a dungeon of some sort.
"Releaso!" the man said, pointing his wand at him.
Nico found he could move again. This was too easy. He closed his eyes and consentrated, trying to shadow travel.
"Going somewhere, eh? I don't think so." a different man came into the room, wearing the same black cloak. Following him, were two women.
"CRUSIO!" the man cried.
Nico felt unbearable pain throughout his body. He would've screamed, but he forgot how to make sounds. He saw his life flash right before his eyes. He was being held in the gentle arms of a dark-haired woman, who Nico realized was his mother. Then he was five years old, racing bycicles with Bianca in the streets of Washington DC. He was fighting Dr. Thorn in Maine. Then...he remembered Percy giving him that terrible news. The news that his sister would not be returning. The news that would change his life forever.
Nico tried to stand up, but he staggered and fell down. He knew there was no way he'd be able to shadow travel in this condition. It was over, he might as well just give up now. His vision was already getting blurry, soon it would all be over, no more pain, no more suffering...
"What are you doing?" a voice demanded.
"Bianca?"
She smiled and touched his shoulder, the way she used to when he was younger. Whenever Nico was upset, Bianca used to comfort him. He didn't realize how much he missed that comfort. Right after her death, he often craved that feeling with her by his side, but eventually, he grew to accept the reality. Bianca was not coming back. So he learned to suck it up when he was feeling angry or sad, he had toughen up. But now, he suddenly longed for that feeling again.
"Nico, you can't give up now!"
"Why not? There's nothing left to fight for."
"Yes there is! There always is. I died so that you would be able to keep going. Don't back down now."
Nico found himself crying. "Why? Why did you leave me all alone, Bianca? I wasn't ready."
"Yes you were. You came this far, and you have far more to come. It's not your time yet." He image began to fade. "I have faith in you."
"Bianca, wait!"
"Good luck, Nico," she called.
"Don't leave me!"
But she was gone. And Nico had never felt so alone before.
The pain suddenly stopped. Just like that. But Nico still felt weak.
He opened his eyes. It took him a second to remember where he was. The people were standing over him.
One of the lady's laughed hysterically. "Good one, Lucius! Now my turn! Avada Ke-"
"No!" the man shouted. "What are you doing?"
"Getting rid of the little brat."
"Bellatrix, are you insane?" he demanded. "This boy could be the key."
"What key?"
"His father is Hades."
"Impossible! That little wimp is the son of the lord of the dead."
"It fits Draco's discription."
"We'll see about that. DRACO!"
A boy ran down the stairs. Nico realized with horror, that this was the boy Mrs. O'Leary freaked out.
"Is this death-boy?"
"Um..." he reguarded Nico carefully, showing even a bit of pity in his face.
"Well?"
"I...I think so."
Lucius slapped him. "What did you say?"
"I mean, yes! This is defenetly him!"
"Good. Listen, boy. You're our now, so don't bother trying to escape. And just to be sure...IMPERIO!"
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