Warning: Implicit scene of death

Listening to – Fade by Alan Walker

Words: 3719

The day after Sally's Birthday was about as interesting as the regular day in Frost Mansion.

Nico was getting somewhat settled in. Christmas was a fun and new thing for most of the members. The upcoming New Year had everyone rather jittery since they had decided to go to the town's Ball drop at midnight.

Until then, things were pretty normal.

"You're insane, Harry." Percy muttered looking at the dead squirrel in Harry's hands.

DJ cringed and backed away from him. Harry huffed. "Will you relax? It's dead. There's nothing wrong with it."

Nico wrinkled his nose as the smell got to him. It took him a few days to figure out that Harry wasn't too grossed out by a lot of stuff. Especially stuff that looks like it's been dead for at least a week. The squirrel was on its back, looking stiff and dry. Its tail, which may have once been bushy, now sagged, half-frozen, beside Harry's wrist. Harry didn't seem perturbed. He just held the animal with a bit of caution.

"Why did you even pick it up?" DJ complained.

"What was I to do? Leave it on the ground for the vultures? I just want to bury him."

"Bury him outside."

"Oh no." Harry snarked. "I was going to dig up a tile and put him under that!"

Percy turned his head to look through the windows at Sally, Sirius and Remus. The three were discussing something about nothing in the living room while the rest of them were on the back porch outside the kitchen. With spacious grounds surrounding the house, it was no wonder that Harry found what he did. But did he have to bring it with him?

Harry pushed open the door and tip-toed into the kitchen. "I'm just going to clean him up and find a box for him. I don't want him to freeze."

Percy rolled his eyes and pulled off his mitten and coat. The four boys shook snow off their over-clothes and took off their boots. Nico had never seen a blanket of snow like the one outside the house. The Lotus Hotel and Casino lifestyle can ruin one's sense of climatic perception.

"Hold him." Harry said, looking at Percy. Percy's jaw dropped.

"Nuh uh. I don't like dead things."

"I'm asking you to hold him, not cuddle with him."

"DJ, you take him."

"No way."

Nico sighed. "I'll do it." Really, he didn't mind. He'd just found out that his dad was Hades, Lord of the Dead. So he should probably play his part with stuff like that. Unfortunately, the stench from the squirrel made Nico nauseous.

"Thanks, Nico. At least, someone has guts here." Harry said pointedly.

"I would have held it, if its guts weren't hanging out." DJ murmured.

Harry smirked and grabbed a bowl from the nearest cabinet. He placed it under the tap and filled it with water. Nico wished he hadn't removed his gloves before touching the dead squirrel.

"Wait, you're serious?" Percy asked incredulously.

"When am I not?"

"Are you really going to wash him?"

Harry closed the tap and levelled him with a look. "It's quite common to wash the body before burial or cremation. We're honouring him."

"I know that!"

"What do you want to do, Percy? Make him a shroud?"

"Most people don't deal with dead animals. Well, some do. But that's called taxi depot."

DJ shot him a strange look after shaking the snow out of his hair. "You mean Taxidermy."

Nico could tell that Percy messed up certain terms on purpose. Whether he did it to rile others up or if he did it for his own amusement, the youngest wasn't sure, but he found it interesting. Everyone had their own little unique signal. Just that morning, he had seen DJ clean up his room very methodically, which contrasted vastly with how Percy started the day. The two boys were practically opposites. DJ seemed far too meticulous. Percy couldn't be too bothered with cleanliness.

Nico had just learnt the word meticulous. It was Percy's idea to keep a word for every day to help catch up with the English language. Nico had already found it quite difficult to read full sentences, not having read a book in far too long. He'd decided to try the one-word-once-a-week approach.

Meanwhile, he was still holding the dead squirrel.

Harry placed the bowl on the kitchen island and rolled up his sleeves. He took the squirrel from Nico. Gratefully handing him over, Nico watched as Harry dipped him in the water, slowly and surely rubbing his thumbs over the receding fur and skin.

"I used to do a lot of this during the summers." Harry explained. He turned the squirrel over, massaging the tiny body. The water was murky brown.

DJ stared at him. "Couldn't you have found another hobby to do over the summer?"

"I lived right next to a forest, DJ. What did you expect?"

"I dunno! You could have spent time with your family."

Harry looked sour at that and DJ shut up. Percy exhaled. "You really were lonely, weren't you?"

"Don't push it."

"Sorry."

Nico wasn't sure where the conversation had gone and why it had died. The kitchen was silent and they watched Harry drain the dirt and blood and refill the bowl. He cleaned and rinsed the squirrel twice before placing him on the island.

And then, Harry picked up a knife.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked, warily.

Harry gave them each a menacing stare. "Making dinner."

They stared as Harry push the knife into the squirrel creating a small incision. Suddenly, Nico's vision went dark as someone rushed over to him and clapped their hands over his face.

"Are you crazy?!" Percy whisper-yelled and Nico wondered why Percy was covering his eyes.

"Pepe, that was a joke."

"Worst joke I've ever heard." DJ protested.

Nico tried to pull Percy's palms away from his eyes, unsuccessfully.

"I'm just removing the dirt from inside his body."

"But –"

"You can leave if you want. I've been doing this for a few years and I know how to clean up."

Nico felt Percy guiding him out the kitchen. He wondered if it was wrong of him to want to know how Harry would do it. He batted his hands away from his face and looked back. "I wanna watch."

DJ and Percy stopped to look at him.

"Watch what?" Sally asked, getting up from the couch and walking over to them. "How was your walk?"

Percy automatically moved so that he was blocking her view into the kitchen. Nico heard Harry rushing out the door.

"We built a snowman." Percy said, smiling widely. DJ nodded vigorously and Nico was obliged to the same. It felt fun being in on a secret but he didn't like keeping something from Ms. Jackson. She had been so very nice to him, buying him clothes, feeding him and getting him a small gift for Christmas.

"That's good. But it's colder here than it is in New York, so wash your hands and face with hot water right away. Where's Harry?"

"Bathroom." Percy said while DJ said at the same time, "Still outside."

Nico slipped away as the two boys tried to explain the blunder. He shot a brief smile at Remus who had looked up as he went out the front door and then ran towards were Harry could've gone to. The entire landscape was white capped with trees scattered around the area. Cold wind bustled around him and Nico shivered, rubbing his arms for heat. He looked around and spotted Harry in his brown shirt walking towards the trees.

It took barely a few seconds to catch up with him. Harry turned around in surprise, "Hey, Nico. You have quiet feet."

"Thanks. Um... what are you gonna do now?"

Harry held out the squirrel once again to Nico. It was easier to hold him this time. The wind made it harder to get the odour of the dead. Harry drew out his wand and pointed at the ground, muttering something. The snow over a small spot melted away. The ground caved in as some of the mud spilled upwards and a small hole was made.

"What did you say?" Nico asked, handing over the squirrel to him. Harry placed it in the hole and pushed the mud on top of it.

"I said 'Heat' and 'Dig' in Latin. Latin's the premise for most of our spells. Older the language, stronger the magic." Harry shifted some of the snow to cover the space.

"So, you actually use to do stuff like this before?"

"Yes. It was a good way to kill time. You won't believe how many dead animals you can find in a forest. There's a river in the forest I lived in. I'd wash the animals there and then bury them."

Nico frowned. "You lived in the forest?"

Harry stood up. "I meant that I lived near a forest."

He walked back to the house and Nico scrambled to his feet. "Doesn't it weird you out?"

"Now you sound like Percy."

"I was just asking – "

"I know. Better you than him. Percy use to bring injured animals into the house to nurse them. That gave Sally enough of a scare. I didn't tell her about what I brought into the house, because I knew she would definitely not have appreciated it. But it's just a stigma, Nico. Dead doesn't mean non-existent. It's still there. It's not dangerous. All you have to remember is to wash your hands afterwards."

Harry pushed open the kitchen door and Nico walked in, nodding. "What's stigma?"

...

In the evening, they had a guest. Lawrence Ketler had dropped by the house from the fireplace, covered in soot and holding a couple of parchment sheets with him. Sirius's attorney represent had started to explain in big words how to apply for guardianship for Harry and DJ, officially.

"I'm Harry's godfather!" Sirius protested. "It doesn't have to be complicated!"

"If you're going to take both the Potters in as your wards, then you'll have to register with the Ministry. You'll need a signed statement from the previous guardians, a recognition from the Department of Child Welfare and a reference letter from an official. If you're lucky, we can avoid a court case."

After Sirius had started to spew strange words, Sally had dismissed Nico and Percy upstairs. Percy had then proceeded to explain the situation to Nico, followed by a joke, which seemed as incomprehensible as Harry's had been.

"Get it?" Percy grinned, nudging Nico's elbow. The latter wasn't exactly sure what was funny, but it seemed to cause a riot within Percy.

"Ketler is here to call the Potters Black!" Percy guffawed. Nico still wasn't sure of the funny part, but it didn't matter because Harry had just then stormed past them on the stairs and stalked into his room, slamming the door behind him.

As they watched, DJ trudged up the stairs at a bored pace.

" 'Sup with him?" Percy asked turning around.

DJ frowned. "Pardon?"

"What is up with Harry?"

He shrugged. "Something about the court case not sitting well with him. Plus, he thinks he won't get the signed statement for registration."

"Why... oh, yeah."

Nico yawned and rubbed his eyes. He always felt tired during cold weather. Ms. Jackson said it's because he needed to eat more than he did. The fatigue dissipated almost instantly when Harry's muffled shout came through the walls.

"Oh, I hope he isn't breaking the mirror again." DJ looked chary as he walked up to the bedroom from which swears emanated. Percy went up and opened on the door. Nico debated on whether take a nap in his room or wait along with the others and find out what was up with Harry. Unlike what Percy said, having Ketler calling the Potters Black seemed like no joke.

"It's a moot point if you've already decided not to!" Harry was shouting into his cell phone. Nico leaned against the door frame. Harry paced around the room, listening to a muted tirade on the other end of the line. "Well, I'm sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you!"

Percy slouched in and cuffed Harry on the shoulder while snatching away the phone. Harry tried to grab for the device but Percy dodged twice and soon, the pair were running around the room. DJ ran a hand through his hair and sat on Harry's bed. Nico joined him and looked around the room.

Harry's room was decorated in colours of green, brown and midnight blue. It looked soothing as compared to Percy's place where blue reigned or DJ's room where everything was a little too neat for a thirteen year old boy's place. While Nico's room was Spartan compared to the rest, he'd started piling up stuff that was mostly dark shades of black. Ms. Jackson had commented on how black could not have dark shades but hadn't objected to his choice.

Nico sighed again and placed his head on the pillow. The mattress was firm and it was strangely easy to fall asleep to the noise of the two boys wrestling for a phone from which a high pitched voice screamed lowly. The place was warm and the ceiling had lines than spanned all over the space like tiny vines growing into the cold concrete of the house.

...

When he awoke, Nico found himself still in Harry's room. He could've easily rolled over and gone back to sleep but his stomach rumbled and he rubbed his face. He blinked in the darkness and suddenly realised that he hadn't had a dream.

For the past several nights, sleep had been terrible with the stray confused dreams he'd had. There had been times when he'd felt stuck and locked in small spaces, running out of breathe, panicking, crying, bleeding. Right now, Nico felt disoriented, listening to quiet voices from downstairs. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he knew they were talking.

He got out of bed and reached for the door, pulling it slowly. He walked towards the banister to look down. He saw them at the table.

They were having dinner. The six of them were talking about wallpapers. Percy cracked a joke. Harry shoved him. DJ's shoulders were shaking. Sirius made an exaggerated gesture with his fork. Sally and Remus commented with amusement.

A seventh chair had been pulled out. An empty plate sat in front of it and Nico couldn't understand how easily they'd accepted him into their house. If the places had been reversed, he'd have been careful of letting people into his security.

Nico sighed for the last time and blended into the shadow of the hallway, feeling undeserving of a reality that felt too much.

He had wondered why Percy had covered his eyes when Harry had brought the knife down on the squirrel. Nico wasn't that young. He'd crossed ten, surely. He could do whatever he wanted.

I have to get to Bianca.

She hadn't answered him the last couple of times he'd tried to IM her. He had so many questions about himself that only she could answer. Percy could help him understand new stuff, but he couldn't tell when Nico was born. Why was he even in the Casino? Harry had said something about Hades trying to shield him and his sister, but there could have been other ways. Why couldn't they stay with their mother? Where was she? Bianca had always been mum about her.

Another thought hit him. A repeated hit. Why hadn't his father claimed him? Was it for his protection, or something else. Nico was getting the feeling that he was being ignored.

I have to get to the Underworld.

Nico wondered what was more dangerous, trying to break into an all-girls camp or a heavily guarded afterlife situation.

After the Second Task, Harry found himself being hounded by Rita Skeeter.

Not that a scenario involving the persistent pest of a reporter wasn't hounding, but at the moment, Harry was half shivering from the cold. Though it had been a bright morning, clouds quickly took over leaving a morose scene over everyone. Madam Pomfrey had placed quick drying and warming charms on him, but the weather seemed to hate him, blowing frigid continental wind towards him. He pulled his towels and blankets tighter across him as he stepped off the boat and onto shore, only to be confronted by the reporter.

Couple that with a microphone being shoved under his nose along with a large camera posed on Skeeter's personal camera-man's shoulder pointing at Harry with large bright flashes which blinded him, he was starting to feel rotten.

"Are you even allowed on the grounds? Especially after what happened during the Yule Ball?" Harry asked crossly, shaking his foot. His socks felt soaked even though he was positive that it had been dried efficiently.

"Oh please, the Ball? That's all done with. Say, how's that lovely woman... Jackson, was it? I didn't catch her full name. But I'm told you know her well." Rita Skeeter waved her acid green quill merrily as if the cold didn't affect her.

"Don't you have anything better to do, Skeeter?" Harry scowled right when the camera flashed again.

"That's unattractive, Harry. Could you contribute to the rumours about Ministry Official Crouch's lack of involvement in the Tournament? What is that about?"

He hated the water and having to take a crash course on swimming from Percy and Ron (who could not find a common ground to agree upon) was bad enough on its own. It had spurred new nightmares of drowning. Harry hated drowning.

And now, he had to put up with this.

"You better hope the Headmaster doesn't hear about this." He warned and stalked off towards the castle.

Harry could see the throngs of spectators slowly ambling towards the castle. The group of Ministry Officials which included Sirius, who insisted on being present for the task, made their way towards the gates. Another patch of students could be seen, loitering near Hagrid's hut. Harry changed directions.

He pulled the towel over his head to vigorously dry his hair. He could have used his wand, but right now, there was a quiet peace drifting in the cold air which he enjoyed. Harry hurried past the first line of forestial trees and started jogging at an even pace, easily recognising his friends, chatting with the Care of Magical Creatures Teacher.

" 'Arry, my boy!" Hagrid boomed, reaching out an enormous hand to pull Harry into a tight squeeze.

The others on the scene included Hermione, Ron, DJ, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Luna, Colin and Percy.

Why wasn't he surprised?

Once his feet could touch the ground, he spun around to confront Percy.

"Before you start complaining, " Percy said, widening his eyes, he lifted a hairy creature in front of Harry's face. "Meet this Niffler. I want to hug it to death, but that would kill him."

Harry pursed his lips at the tiny furry gold digger. The Niffler seemed to flutter about in Percy's hands. Luna reached forwards to stroke its snout.

"Sweet. But what are you doing here?"

"I was back up." Percy explained and then pointed at Ron. "We were in charge of rescuing any and all possible victims from the task."

"Really?" Harry looked at Ron, who seemed to struggle with the indecision to back up Percy or to go behind his back.

"They had other guards for that." Hermione said frowning. "But Ron was assigned to keep an eye on all of us."

"Yeah, wouldn't want Victor fumbling in his Task, would we?" Ron muttered. Seamus snorted and Dean elbowed him.

"Can I keep him?" Percy asked Hagrid, lifting the Niffler and trying to tickle it.

"It'd be bad 'round the house, Percy. Can wreck the whole place within hours. Plus, Board Regulations. Yeh can't remove any magical creature from Hogwarts grounds without strict permission from the Directors." Hagrid handed him a small tub of milk. The Niffler immediately leaned towards it to sip it up.

"Almost lunchtime . Yeh lot better scatter. And dun't get into anymore scraps. Poppy'll go berserk."

"You mean more berserk, where Harry's concerned?" Dean asked, smirking.

"Thanks, mate. Nice to be appreciated." Harry shoved him and the group started walking towards the castle. The air was cold, but the company was warm. For the first time, Harry let go of the fact that Percy was at Hogwarts against rules. He had to be feeling down.

Nico had disappeared on New Year's Eve. They had all waited for a few hours and when it was clear that some of his clothes and a few chip packs were missing, Harry knew that Nico just didn't like spending the days with them.

Percy had taken it rather hard. For some reason, Harry suspected that he blamed himself that Nico had run away. He wasn't at Camp, either and Bianca just wasn't responding to the Iris Messages that Percy had sent.

Maybe Nico was unhappy about something else. Maybe his father contacted him. Maybe he just wanted to be left alone.

Whatever the case, it'd been nearly three months since Nico had been heard from and it left a quiet sense of frustration in almost everyone.

The exception being Harry. Nico was smart enough to handle things. Sure, he might be young, but demigods had the natural instinct to survive against odds and Harry could tell that Nico was one of those prime persons in dealing with crap that they didn't deserve.

Percy had been IMing Harry at odd times in the night, worried about the young boy. Watching him interact giddily with the Niffler made Harry hope that Percy was getting over the self-blame.

He turned around to look at Percy, who was walking along side them. Looks like there would be an addition to the party in the Gryffindor Common Room. And then, Harry blinked.

"Percy, leave the Niffler!"

"Aww!"

Hopefully, the chapters will churn out sooner than expected. Stay tuned, people!

Q: Where was Nico born?

Cabba.