YOU ALL KNOW THAT I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS.
HARRY'S P.O.V
I was doing my homework when the Common Room doors burst open. I looked up to see what all the commotion was about and saw Ron, Hermione, Percy, Reyna and Clarisse standing there. Ron and Hermione saw me and pulled me into a hug. After breaking out of the hug, Ron asked, "Where were you all this time, mate?"
I winced. "Well, I needed to calm down. You can't expect me to remain calm after a bout like that. Where were you all?"
"Well these four were running around the castle looking for us. Nico helped them find where I was." Percy said.
"Sadly, we didn't find him in an instant," Reyna said.
"Where was he?"
"Swimming in the Black Lake, of course." He said while opening his bag.
My jaw dropped. "What?! That's not safe! The giant squid and mermen are dangerous, and the water's extremely cold!"
"It's fine for me since my father specializes in water, and I inherited some of it. I'll go and take a nap. See you later." He said, before entering the boys' dorm.
Once all the Royals were out of earshot, Hermione said, "Listen, we need to go to the library."
"What? Why?" I asked.
"That Royal, Nico, used something that looked like Umbrakinesis."
"What's Umbrakinesis?"
"I'll tell you when we reach the library."
We ran out of the Common Room and made our way to the library. Hermione got a book on kinesis and its laws in the Wizarding World. She found something about Umbrakinesis and read it out loud.
"Umbrakinesis, or Sciakinesis, is the ability to mentally generate and manipulate darkness, the absence of light. One with this ability can even deactivate and repulse or travel through a shadow, which is known as Umbraportation or Shadow Travel. While this is Dark Magic, the Ministry has no laws against this, though learning it is tedious. Many wizards have tried to master it, and failed, some losing their life along the way. Even Dark Wizards Tom Marvolo Riddle and Gellert Grindelwald have tried, and failed, to master Umbrakinesis, barely making it alive with minor injuries. The only wizards who have been able to master this are from the Olympia family. The most well-known wizards who use this are King Hadrian Olympia, Sir Thanatos Olympia and Lady Nyx Olympia." She finished.
It took us all a minute to digest that. After we got over our shock Ron asked, "Does that mean Nico surpassed You-Know-Who?"
"I-I think so," I said, still getting over my shock.
"Think what?" A slightly familiar voice said. I nearly jumped out of my seat at the sudden intrusion. I turned around and gasped.
Leaning against the wall, Nico di Angelo was blending into the shadows, crossing his arms. He looked slightly miffed.
"Why are you here?" Hermione asked.
"Can't I come to the library when I want to?" he retorted.
"I mean why are you listening to our conservation?"
"I have all the rights to listen to someone's conversation when they talk about me behind my back."
"Do you mind if we ask you some questions?"
"Yes, I do mind."
"Oh, come on. Just a few questions."
"Nope. Ask someone else, there's nothing special about me."
"Then how did you surpass Voldemort?" I asked. Ron and Hermione shuddered horribly.
He smiled a thin, creepy smile. "He hasn't been to the places I have. He hasn't been through what I have. He'd be insane or dead if he had."
Well, that was a weird answer.
"You do know that you're underestimating him? He's tortured and killed so many people!" Ron said.
"He also relies too much on his Death Eaters. If he were really that evil, he would kill everyone in cold blood."
"I bet you just say that for the sake of saying it. You don't understand the pain of losing someone close to you, you slimy snake!" I roared.
Sure, that was harsh, but I was angry. His life probably wasn't as painful as mine.
He glared at me, his black eyes piercing into me like pieces of jagged obsidian. The room seemed to dim and his aura seemed to become full of malice. He looked like he was ready to lunge at me when Will Solace came in. The room brightened immediately.
"Nico? What in the name of Hera are you doing?" he asked as he went to Nico's side.
"Just talking." All his evil intent vanished.
Will put his hand on Nico's back as if he were examining him. "Gods, Nico. You should really eat more."
"I don't need it." He said.
"Nico, just because you can survive a day by eating one fruit doesn't mean you shouldn't eat two meals per day. And it's better if you sleep for some time now. I'll ask Draco to wake you up before dinner."
He sighed, but agreed and went to Slytherin's common room.
"So, what was going on here?" Will asked us.
"Well, he underestimated Voldemort, so I told him that he didn't understand because he hadn't lost someone close to him in a war.
Will raised an eyebrow at this. "You do know that Nico lost his sister in a battle?"
"Nico had a sister?!" I thought.
"Anyways, I've got to get going. I still have to complete my homework." He said and left.
"We'd better get going too," Ron said. I'd forgotten that he was there, he'd become so quiet.
So we walked out of the library and went to the common room.
The rest of the night was uneventful. We ate dinner, but I was still thinking about what Nico had said. I knew that Hermione and Ron were also thinking about it, Hermione barely touching her food, and Ron wasn't talking as much as he would normally.
"He hasn't been to the places I have. He hasn't been through what I have. He'd be insane or dead if he had." Nico had said.
What could be so scary that it would drive Voldemort insane?
The next day was exhausting. We had double Charms, Basic fighting with the Slytherins, Survival Skills and Battle Strategies (SSBS), and double Transfiguration.
Double Charms wasn't the best start for the day. Professor Flitwick had spent the first 15 minutes of his lesson lecturing the class on the importance of O.W.L.s. Then we worked on Summoning Charms, and then he gave us the biggest pile of Charms homework I had ever seen.
As I exited Charms, I saw Percy talking with Nico. I overheard some of their conversation.
"Just had Defense now," Nico said.
"Really? What do you think about the teacher?" Percy asked.
"She's a hag. I understand why you blew up in class. Was Alecto like this when she taught you Pre-Algebra?"
"She was something like that. She once asked me to erase the answers from old textbooks until midnight."
"That makes sense. She hates math. Who's better; Umbridge or Alecto?"
"I have to say Alecto. It would be a bit harsh to compare her to Umbridge, even though she's tried to kill me multiple times."
"Okay then. Do I have to come to your class?"
"You don't, since you know everything we'll be teaching, though it's best if Draco comes, since he'd have forgotten everything."
"I'll go to the common room then. Bye." Percy waved as Nico shadow traveled.
After listening to this, I got a new name. I also realized I was late for class and made my way to the Basic Fighting classroom.
A/N- Another over! I don't understand why I keep postponing the class, but oh well. I also didn't plan the 'talk with Nico' part. Anyways I gotta go now. R&R and I'll see you next time!
~ANNABETH MCGRACE.