(A/N I meant to have this up a week ago, I swear! I'm so so sorry. But have no fear, the next chapters are planned out and should be up quicker. And guys, I think I should tell you, we're almost done. Review. I'm so sorry again.)
Chapter 37: People Help
Nico
"What's everybody freaking out about?" I asked.
"O.W.L's start today, remember?" Trevor said.
"What's that again?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"Uh, no…?"
Trevor put his head in his hands. "Do you care at all what your future will be like?"
"Not really."
"Have fun failing!" He shook his head.
"I will." I laughed.
Maybe I should have studied a little bit because on I left most of the questions blank. Not a big deal, but whatever.
At lunch Trevor was going through a book of spells.
"How d'you think you did?" He asked. "I think on number twenty-three I missed-"
"Trevor, you did fine. I'm sure."
"What about you?"
"Me? Oh, I bombed it. Probably got everything wrong."
"You don't sound too disappointed."
"It doesn't matter. I'm going back to America after this year and these won't affect anything."
"Lucky. These are going to affect my whole life."
"Hai fatto bene per l'amor di dio!"
"What?"
"Never mind."
Harry
The one thing I noticed with all the studying going on was that Nico seemed like he couldn't care less about his O.W.L.'s. Actually, I hadn't seen him carrying around any books or notes to study.
"Have you noticed Nico?" I asked Ron and Hermione. "I don't think he's even trying to study."
"I don't think he cares." Hermione hid a small smile.
"Why not?" Ron asked. "These are really important."
This time she didn't try too hard to hide the smile, like she knew something we didn't. Well, she always knew things we didn't, but that's not the point.
"Hermione?" I asked.
"Sorry," She said. "It's nothing."
Nico
The second day of exams, after breakfast, Hermione approached me.
"Hey," I said.
"I want more answers," She said.
"About what?" I glanced around, glad I was one of the first to breakfast.
"Who… What are you protecting Harry from?"
"Nothing worse than I've faced before. You would call him Voldemort."
"You've faced worse?"
I laughed. "Hermione, come on. I've charged a titan. I've been through hell. I think I can take a mortal who's done nothing, but cause my dad some extra paperwork."
She nodded. "Extra paperwork?"
"Riddle is a real trouble maker, huh?"
"Yeah," She started to walk away.
"Wait," I said.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me, if he does anything stupid, you'll come get me first."
"Sure."
"No, Hermione. I need a real promise."
"I promise to come get you when Harry does anything stupid," She said. "Do you not trust me?"
"Oh, I trust you," I said. "I think the problem is that you still don't trust me."
She nodded and left without another word.
Trevor sat down beside me. "What'd she want?"
"Nothing."
"Nico?"
"It's nothing."
"I'm still annoyed at you, Di Angelo, and you are… I thought we were friends."
I gave him a long look. "That's the thing, Trevor. If I told you the truth, we wouldn't be."
Harry
Hermione walked over from the Slytherin table.
"What were you doing over there?" I asked.
"Nothing, Harry."
"You were talking to Nico?"
"Yes, so? He's not as bad as you think."
"About what?"
"The O.W.L.'s! That's all there is to talk about."
"Hermione?"
"What?" Her tone was so sharp it surprised me.
"Never mind."
Nico
That night in the dorm, Trevor was refusing to talk to me.
Felix was trying to talk to him, but I ignored it.
It was probably for the best, the farther from me, the safer he would be. It wasn't in my nature to have friends.
I couldn't sleep. Eventually, long after the others went to bed, I stormed out. I went into the bathroom and turned on a sink.
I threw a coin into the mist. "Goddess accept my offering. Show me Hazel Levesque at Camp Jupiter."
She was in the barracks, in pajamas, probably about to go to bed.
"Nico?" She noticed the message. "Nico!"
"Hey Hazel."
"Wait one minute, isn't it about three am in Scotland?"
"I have no idea, maybe."
"Nico!"
"I need some advice."
"From me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I need people help."