Solangelo at Hogwarts Stories:
Disclosure:
I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, nor any of the characters in those books. They belong solely to J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun in this story. Also, I am making Luna a demigod. I like the stories where she is one. I know that doesn't exactly make sense for her in the world that J.K. put together but I thought it would be a nice addition to my fanfiction.
Nico's POV:
I am going to tell you the story of how my boyfriend ended up on our own quest in the UK. Just a warning it's a doozy.
It all started a couple years ago when Will and I were hanging out in the infirmary.
A couple years ago:
Will and I are arguing in the infirmary. Or rather, I am semi-flirting with him while we yell at each other. I really like Will, but he is my best friend, and I don't want to jeopardize it.
Anyway, we are hanging out and then all of a sudden he takes out these headphones and says "We should play this song at someone's funeral" then he put them on my ears and it turned out to be the song Ghost Town by Adam Lambert which made me start laughing because to play it at a funeral would be kind of ironic not to mention the fact that Will specifically did it to me because I was the son of Hades. He's weird like that. He likes to find these kind of depressing songs or ironic ones and play them to me as this joke. It's part of his introduction to modern culture he has been doing for me, but really all it makes me want to do sometimes is learn the drums.
I'd finished looking through some of the files that I was supposed to have been doing which were mostly just a bunch of replies to nymphs/satyrs across the country when he threw a pillow at me. Soon the two of us were in an all-out pillow war. I could probably slay him without trying and he knows it, but I have so much more fun insulting him and dancing around, so we looked insane. Of course, that's when Hazel and Reyna walked in with Frank close behind.
Chiron had wanted to talk to everyone about something big that was happening so the Romans were supposed to get to camp tomorrow, but apparently, they are early, and Will and I are just goofing off.
Hazel's POV:
I came to Camp Half-Blood expecting to find out some grave news so when I walked into the Big House, I did not expect to see my brother and this blonde guy that I vaguely remember from the War with Gaea as a healer rough housing. They were yelling insults at each other and Greek and I think my brother was only half trying which was getting the other guy kind of worked up because it seemed like he was trying to get Nico to hit him harder and Nico had obviously been giggling.
Before I could even say anything, Frank said, "What in the Hades is happening?"
"Don't use my dad's name as a curse word!" Nico exclaimed between laughs.
"Um…okay, but that doesn't really answer my question."
"We're uh…fighting." He was grinning at the blonde boy and the guy was smiling at him. I had never seen my brother so happy and was really confused, but Reyna seemed to be in intense thought like she knew what was going on but wasn't going to say anything.
"Nico, can I talk to you for a moment?" She speaks. Nico nodded and then handed his pillow to the other guy before following Reyna.
Frank and I exchange looks before turning to the blonde guy. He was sort of lanky and had blonde hair with sky-blue eyes. He looked sort of like Jason Grace, but not really. I guess he was cute, but I wasn't about to start crushing on him because I am with Frank wholeheartedly.
"Who are you?" I say eventually after a long awkward silence.
He walks forward and outstretches his hand before saying "I'm Will Solace, son of Apollo, head healer at camp."
"Wait, so was my brother hurt?"
"Not now, although he's in here a lot it's more because we're friends than that he gets injuries all the time."
"Is he always so cheerful?"
"Depends. He's pretty easy to read, but still you got him on a good day."
Easy to read? Since when? Nico is anything but easy to read most of the time. He is moody and difficult, but I love him anyway, so what is going on?
Reyna's POV:
The two of us walk for a little bit before we end up at the canoe lake. We go and sit together at the end of the dock.
"So, you like cheerful blondes huh?"
"Shut up." You can tell that underneath his words he is smiling which makes me happy.
"You know, I'm not going to be mad at you for liking someone right?"
"Yeah, it's just that I don't know if he knows that I like him and I don't want him to know that I like him. He's just really great and I don't want to jeopardize the best thing that has happened since the end of the war."
"I think you should tell him. I can't control you, but if you want to be with him you should say something and not hide who you are."
"I don't know. On the one hand I would love to be with him, but on the other hand I don't want to be humiliated from liking someone who wouldn't like me back."
"Do you know that he wouldn't like you?"
"Not necessarily. I just don't want to make a fool out of myself."
"Let me ask you this: Do you think he would give you shit for liking him?"
"Probably not. But that's not the point. Please don't say anything to Will. It's bad enough that Percy figured out that I like him and won't stop asking me why I like Solace so much. Seriously, I wish he would stop making 'not your type' jokes. It's getting to be pretty annoying."
"If you want, I can beat the crap out of him."
"Thanks, but that probably won't help."
"So…should we head back to the Big House? Also, Will Solace be the blonde guy, isn't he?"
"Yes, of course it's the blonde guy. Also, I am pretty sure whatever Chiron has in store that is important will probably be talked about tonight at the campfire so brace yourself."
We were walking back towards the Big House when I grabbed his arm and said "I have something to talk to you about. I…I…"
"What's wrong Reyna?"
"I… I don't want you to be mad at me. If this thing tonight is going to be a quest, then I am not going and quite frankly I don't plan on being a Roman much longer."
"What's that supposed to mean?" We had stopped by now and he was looking at me in a mixture of confusion and fear.
"I am at the top of the Roman pyramid and it has brought me nothing but pain. Aphrodite cursed me years ago telling me that I will never find love where I look for it, and well I want to join the Hunters of Artemis like Thalia, but I don't want to lose you in the process. You are like the brother I never had and the one that I trust above all others. I felt like I needed to tell you before anyone else."
He looked at me for a moment before saying "I might not agree with it, but if it will make you happy than I am powerless to stop it, plus you told me first. That's more than Bianca ever did."
I smiled and gave him a hug before we got back to the Big House.
Chiron's POV:
It's after dinner and I have a big offer to make to the demigods in my camp.
"Campers, as you know I called in the Romans as well because I needed to discuss something with all of you. I have a friend in Britain named Albus Dumbledore. He is a renowned legacy of Hecate and a wizard. I know that you probably think I am making this up, but yes there is a wizarding community in the world they just like to keep hidden. Today, I am asking if two campers would be willing to go on a quest."
It had been several months since the battle with Gaea, but I could tell that nobody was particularly interested. They were all enjoying the downtime too much. It looked like Percy was going to say something along with Annabeth which is when there was an intervention.
"I'll do it." I was surprised that Nico would have said anything. "Look, I have heard of wizards before and I think you might be talking about a problem that my father has had for a long time, so I want a piece of this even if it is just to keep Annabeth and Percy for signing themselves up for something again."
Percy and Annabeth looked at him gratefully. They would have done anything that was needed to be done but I could tell that they would have grumbled through it.
"Okay, I'll do it too. If Nico is going than I am probably the only one he can tolerate for long periods of time besides the seven, plus it will be cool to go on a major quest." That was Will Solace. I knew him and Nico were friends, so this wasn't the most shocking thing ever, but it was interesting to see Hazel study them. I had seen her looking at them earlier with puzzlement. It's true that I don't entirely understand their bond. It's something that I would have never expected under normal circumstances but am not necessarily mad about because Will has allowed Nico to branch out and become friends with a bunch of other people whether Nico totally appreciates it.
"Very well, Nico and Will I will talk about the quest with you a little bit more tomorrow morning. In the meantime, let's get this camp fire started.
Hazel's POV:
Nico had just volunteered for something. As we walked to our cabin, I kept sneaking glances at him. He didn't look mad at all about going on a quest which was weird because normally he doesn't like getting roped into things.
I was getting ready to turn in when the praetors came over. Reyna had a look on her face like she wanted to tease someone but knew that she shouldn't which puzzled me.
She looked at Nico and said "Well, somebody is happy."
"So…."
"So…you get to hang out more with Solace." She said it in a way that was borderline suggestive which confused me.
"Why are you saying it that way?" I asked.
"Because she knows it will get under my skin because she is right, and she knows that I am not going to be mad about hanging out with him."
"Okay, so he was right when he said earlier that he can read you pretty well in terms of you being able to tolerate him." Frank said.
"Well, I could probably tolerate him more than anybody but that is beside the point."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I speak. I wasn't sure how to take that. He is my brother and I love him. I don't get what is happening that he would like this Will guy so much.
Nico looks at Reyna and she raises her eyebrows. "Well, go ahead Reyna. Explain it to them."
"Are you sure Nico? I would think that they should hear it from you."
"It might be funnier if you say it."
"Okay… the reason that Nico is so happy about the quest is that he likes Solace."
"I thought we already established that." I spoke.
"No…I mean…"
"Wait…you mean that Nico has a crush on this Will guy?" Frank asked.
"WHAT?! Nico is this true?" I speak.
"Mmm hmm. Your boyfriend is right."
"Wait, so my brother is gay?"
"Precisely." Says Reyna.
"You know what? I can live with that."
Nico smiled at me then. Both Frank and I were shocked but as the shock began to dissipate, I started wondering if my brother had ever crushed on someone else other than this Will Solace.
"Nico, did you ever like anyone else that way?"
"Only one, and he knows that I used to like him, but he doesn't care. He just wants me to be happy because he knows that though I loved him all he gave me was pain."
Who could it be? I knew that he didn't know that many people, so it was probably one of the seven and Leo is gone, so…maybe Jason. He had changed mid trip and became part of team Nico.
"Was he Jason?"
"No, but you are on the right track in terms of what the guy was like."
"It was Percy. I always wondered why you didn't seem to like him, and he seemed wary of you." Says Frank.
"Yeah, it was Percy. I both hated him and loved him for a very long time, but it is not something that I am proud of. I am glad to have known him, but I know now that he wasn't the one for me. Plus, he didn't know back then he just didn't get how I ticked, and it freaked him out because he couldn't figure out where my loyalties were."
We all talked for a little while longer before Reyna and Frank left to go hang out in the Ares Cabin at camp. I had just gotten into bed when I thought of something.
"Nico, why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I didn't know how you would react. You are my sister and I love you, but we are from a different time. One where people like me weren't allowed anyone to love and I was worried you would think me a sin."
"You aren't a sin and loving another boy doesn't make you any less of a man. I want you to know that." I went over to his bed and got under the covers with him.
"Thanks for that. I needed it. I love you Hazel."
"Love you too Nico." I drift off into a field of dreams.
Will's POV:
Chiron told me that we will have our meeting in thirty minutes, so I head over to the Hades cabin to get Nico. He sleeps like the dead. It's ironic. When he is sleeping, he really does show that he is the angel. He's an angel to me. Ever since he came back, we've been getting closer. I'm just scared that he won't love me back, so I don't ever say a thing.
I walk in to find the two children of Hades in his bed spread apart but looking peaceful. I walk over to Nico and try to wake him up by calling his name, but it only succeeded in waking up Hazel.
She looked at me and said, "How come you are in here?"
"Chiron wants us to come to the Big House in a half an hour and he is sort of a zombie in the morning, so I wanted to give him a heads up, but he sleeps like the dead." She nodded and even giggled a little.
I slowly bend down and shake Nico a little bit and when that doesn't work, I jostle him a little. Finally, he murmurs to me "Will, please stop shaking me or I am going to kick you where the sun doesn't shine. What in the Hera is up?"
Hazel gave me a look and I just shrugged sheepishly as Nico got up.
"Chiron wants you to be at the Big House in half an hour. I figured I should wake you up."
"Thanks, I'll be there by then."
I left after Nico got out of bed and started rummaging around his dresser while his sister was asking him questions in hushed tones. Maybe all the children of Hades were silent.
Soon Chiron had told us all about Tom Riddle, Hogwarts, the wizarding world and had Hecate bless us so that we would have knowledge enough to get by and even excel if we tried.
"One last thing." Chiron said.
"Okay, what is it?" I speak.
"There is a young demigod who has had some training here who already goes to Hogwarts. She is somewhat of an inconsistent camper, but I thought you should know. Her name is Luna Lovegood, and she is a daughter of Iris."
I had heard that name before, but it hadn't been for a while. After giving it, some thought I realized it had been one of the younger girls in the Hermes cabin back when Luke was still in camp. She had an accent and dirty blonde hair.
"The girl who had all those conspiracy theories and lives with her dad in some small town in England?"
"Yep, so you do remember her."
"Vaguely."
"That's a good start nonetheless."
I wasn't sure if that reassured me. Sure, Luna was fun, but she was also one of the oddest people I had ever met. She would believe anything. I know that demigods must have a good imagination, but STILL.
I must have been making a face because Nico was raising his eyebrows at me before we left.
"Will, what was with the face?"
"I know that girl and well, she is a little out there."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Her dad is really into conspiracies so she will literally believe anything, but then again if she is part of the wizarding and demigod world, I suppose it makes sense. All I am saying is that it wouldn't surprise me if she was the weirdo even amongst witches. I don't have anything against weird normally, but I still don't want to rely completely on her for help. Plus, she is younger than us. Think twelve years old."
Nico nodded thoughtfully. "When did you last see her?"
"Christmas the year after the war with the titans. That was when she got claimed. The time before that was the summer before you came to camp. Like Chiron said, she isn't the most frequent camper. Then again, I suppose even she has a better record than you do Death Breath.
We packed in the next few days and then Nico shadow traveled us to London under my supervision. He was lucky that I got him into our room at the Leaky Cauldron before he passed out. I figured that we would wait till morning to look at our lists and go shop because he was totally out.
He came to about eleven that night. He was so cute when he slept. I couldn't help but look. When he slept all his worries went from his face and he looked like the adorable fourteen-year-old boy that I had fallen madly in love with.
"Will, what time is it?"
"Eleven o'clock at night. How are you feeling?"
"Famished."
I handed him a sandwich and while he ate, I checked his vitals to make sure that he would be okay. He was fine so I just gave him a thumbs up.
"Can we look at those supply lists now?"
"Sure, let me get them." I took them out of my pocket, and we scanned them to find out all the different items we would need.
Nico had decided to wear a ACDC band t-shirt along with black skinny jeans, a leather jacket, and his purple converse. Suffice to say, he stood out in a crowd of wizards like a sore thumb. Everyone was looking at him and I could tell that it was making him uncomfortable.
Eventually, we ran into Hermione Granger, we were lucky I guess in the sense that we had stumbled upon one of the golden trios. She helped us as we went to each shop. Unfortunately, she had to go before we went into the wand shop and the animal store.
Walking into Ollivander's was an odd experience. I wanted to know what wand we would each get.
"Hello gentlemen." An elderly man came out and introduced himself as Mr. Ollivander.
"What can I do for you today? You seem a little old to be getting wands."
"We broke ours, so we were hoping to get new ones." Nico replied. Simple enough. Mr. Ollivander seemed shocked by the fact that we were Americans, but still beckoned me forward and started giving me wands. Most of which made things in the room start to explode. After a while he gave me a wand that was a foot long with unicorn hair and was made of cedar. The minute I touched it there was a power surge in the room and Nico smiled at me.
Next was Nico. As it turns out he was even harder to match then me. I could tell that he was starting to get a little bit annoyed. However, as Mr. Ollivander was going by the shelves, he noticed a wand in the back that seemed to want out. It was a wand that was 10 inches long with a dragon-heartstring core. Thankfully, it worked on Nico.
I wasn't sure what to think when Nico saw the menagerie and started to turn back, but I grabbed the back of his jacket and pointed him back at the door.
"What's wrong Neeks?"
"I don't think any of the animals will like me, and I am worried that I will cause a disturbance. Living things usually hate me."
"Nico come on. Let's get some owls. They can't hate you. Not every animal hates you. I know I don't. He rolled his eyes but walked in anyway.
We walked over to the owls and soon a barn owl was nestling its head on my shoulder.
"I guess he likes you." Nico said. He looked at the other owls with a small frown.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I am not sure that I want an owl."
I cocked my head to the side with an expression like a questioning owl and he started laughing. I went to go pay for my owl before circling around the room to find him playing with this tiny little white and black kitten that was cuddling up to him. It had one blue eye and one green eye. He looked back at me when I tapped his shoulder and picked it up before following me to the register. As we left the shop, I turned to him?"
"What should we name them?"
"Well, it might be good to give them Greek related names."
"I don't know. I think we have enough of those to think about already. I think I'll call my owl Oscar."
"Oscar. That's ridiculous."
"Yeah, well it's ridiculous to have a pet owl to begin with. So there."
Nico started giggling at that which turned some heads and then I said, "Are you going to name that kitten after somebody that you knew?"
"No. I think that I am going to call her Elena. I think it's a pretty name. Personally, I think you should only name people after people for the most part if it is someone that you knew."
"I guess that makes sense and I like your choice of names."
Full disclosure: I made the part above as an introduction, but now that we are getting into the meat of everything it is just a bunch of crossover stuff based on different years as if they went from 3rd to 5th year and then were there a little in Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
3rd year
Hermione's POV:
I had just gotten onto the train and met up with Harry and Ron. As it turned out the only compartment left had those two boys, I had met in Diagon Alley in there. Nico was wearing punk like clothes and Will was wearing a t-shirt with jeans. They are both cute, but I don't think that either one is my type.
"Hey Will! Hi Nico!"
"Hey Hermione." They chorused.
Harry and Ron looked a little bit confused, so I said "I met them in Diagon Alley. They are exchange students from America. However, I don't know who that is." I was gesturing to an older man who was on the train. I thought the train only ever brought children to Hogwarts.
"His name is Professor R.J. Lupin." Nico added.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked.
"His case, isn't it?" I had just noticed that the professor's suitcase had his initials on it. Nico nodded at me wordlessly.
"Do you know who I am?" Harry asked.
"Why, you are the famous Mr. Potter, but I figured you didn't want anyone making that big of a deal of it. Nico's cousin is pretty much famous where we come from and it gets under his skin when people gush over him."
"Except when it's Annabeth." Nico said.
"Who's Annabeth?" Harry questioned.
"His long-time girlfriend. She's smart and has these calculating grey eyes. When they were younger all they seemed to do was fight, but they were just trying to hide the fact that they liked each other. Everyone could always see it, but Percy is such a seaweed brain as Annabeth likes to say that he didn't realize it until four years after they met."
The trolley came by then and then we all got changed into our robes. Nico didn't look particularly happy to have been stuck with them. I get the sense that he likes what he likes and doesn't necessarily change unless he must.
We had been eating some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans when Nico picked out a red one. When he put it in his mouth his eyes widened, and he looked like he was going to throw up. He spit out the confection and glared at it. Will was looking at him with a question.
"Pomegranate." He said to Will. Will nodded as if that explained anything. I exchanged glances with Harry and Ron before taking one out. It was coconut so I didn't have to spit it out.
After that I started reading one of the older Daily Prophets out loud to Harry and we started discussing it before suddenly everything started to go cold. Will looked at Nico in an almost accusatory manner but Nico just shrugged. Frost began to coat the windows and a hooded figure came through the doors. Harry went rigid and started to scream. Nico started screaming even more than Harry. It was blood curdling, and he began to shake like he was having a seizure. Will seemed to be bothered quite a bit but he only made a couple strangled noises. I on the other hand only felt a slight chill.
The professor woke up to a scene of utter chaos. Will came to not soon after and turned to the professor.
"Professor, would you happen to have any chocolate?"
To my surprise the professor handed a bunch of chocolate over to him. He bit off a chunk and then handed some other pieces to Ron, Harry, and I. Then he managed to get Nico to calm down before giving some chocolate to him.
"What are those things?"
"Dementors. They make you remember your worst memories and make you feel like you are drowning in them. The only thing that you can do really is eat some chocolate afterwards. They have them in Azkaban prison." Will informed.
What could have possibly sent Harry, and Will into such a funk? What made Nico's reaction to the dementor the worst to the point where Will was visibly worried about the guy. There was something weird about them, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
Harry, Ron, and I got off the train and left to go get on one of the horseless carriages as Nico and Will went to go visit Hagrid.
After the sorting hat song and the newest students had been sorted Professor Dumbledore came forward.
"I am pleased to announce that this year Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are hosting two exchange students from America. We will now call their names and have them sorted into their houses."
"Di Angelo, Nico!" Nico walked over boldly and sat on the stool. However, when the hat was put on his head his eyes grew wide and he seemed annoyed, angry, and almost embarrassed even.
He grimaced and closed his eyes right before the sorting hat did something I had never seen it do. It screamed bloody murder.
"Gryffindor! Gryffindor! How are you not insane?!"
"Who said he wasn't?" Will said off to the side. Nico gave him a half-glare half-smile and then hesitantly walked over to our table but not before he handed the sorting hat back to Mrs. McGonagall.
Next, Will sat down. The sorting hat seemed a bit surprised by what it saw, but eventually said "Gryffindor!" and he came over to sit next to Nico who seemed to almost relax when Solace sat down next to him.
I didn't think much more about it as I tucked into my meal.
Nico's POV:
As we ate the meal, I finally figured out what had been bothering me on the train. Harry's scar. I had been able to figure out that there was an extra soul fragment in the compartment. When I told Will about it later, we ended up in Dumbledore's office. He said that he had had his suspicions about the scar for years and we ended up having an extended conversation about Horcruxes, and everything Dumbledore had ever known about Riddle. Some of which I knew and some of which I didn't. Either way I was going to have to keep a close eye on Harry.
Will and I are walking down towards the Forbidden Forest with the Golden Trio. It turned out the Hagrid had been promoted to Professor this year. I was happy for him. Although I have had my doubts about giants before he is nice, and I am excited to see what he has in store for us. Only Dumbledore, and that Luna girl really know that we are demigods.
We walk with Hagrid into the woods and that's when I see it. It is a hippogriff, half-horse half-eagle. A definite no-no for me. This could be an issue. I look at Will with slightly worried eyes and he tries to give me a reassuring glance.
Hagrid asks us if anyone has been able to open their books. Everyone says that they couldn't that seems to make him disappointed. I surprise myself by raising my hand. Will looks at me in awe. I had figured it out when he wasn't around.
Hagrid called on me and I start to explain "It took me a while, but I realized that the book was probably lashing out because it was scared. You need to comfort it. Anything in the world of the living responds to comfort. You shouldn't just immediately decide that someone or something is violent just because it is evil. Sometimes you lash out because you are scared, not because you have any real animosity." Everyone looks at me surprised. Hermione gives me a smile and then comforts her own book. Will gives me a look that says. "Speaking from experience?" All I wanted people to see was that you couldn't judge the book by its cover.
Harry gets up in front and gets flown around a bit. Draco Malfoy who's basically Harry's at school nemesis decides that this is a good time to try to tease the hippogriff. Not a good idea. Will was busy looking into his book, so I ran forward and did a quick block with my sword to make sure that the beast didn't hurt Malfoy. I don't like him, but I still don't want him to get charged. I give the hippogriff the stink eye and it backs off as I pray to Zeus and Poseidon that it won't decide to trample me instead of backing up. Thankfully, it does the latter.
"Will!"
Will helps Draco to get up and gives him some tips for the wound. The rest of everybody was talking about I was apparently good with sticks. That's the Mist for you. Mortals only see what they can understand, even magical ones.
4th year
Nico's POV:
Other than having a run-in with a werewolf at the end of last year when helping Harry's friends the quest so far has been uneventful. I had to apologize to Lupin for having wounded him with the silver, but I don't think he was that mad. I think he was more ashamed that he almost hurt Harry. I was a little more shaken by the experience than I wanted to admit. Will and I ended up talking after that again. We even talked a little bit more about how we need to be on the look for more horcruxes this year and make more notes. We probably seem like total weirdos making so many notes, but we are trying to save people and that comes with a price. Time. Working together with Dumbledore we hope to have something that Harry can use to help him defeat Voldemort and finish his prophecy.
I think I have hidden my crush well, but I still open to him more than anyone else. Hazel thinks that I should tell Will that I am in love with him, but I am too scared. I am scared that I will lose him and that I will be alone in the world again. We generally make a good team. We even managed to do okay on our assignments and exams last year. Anyway, with the help of Chiron we have been keeping mostly caught up with the news in the wizarding world.
Over the summer Percy and the others couldn't stop trying to get Will and I to talk about the wizarding world. It turns out that despite being relieved about not being in another war that demigods still like drama. It's weird for me, but at least I get to spend time with Will during the year. I met that Luna girl last year and she really is a handful. I spent a bunch of time this summer helping her out with fighting techniques. Drew Tanaka seemed to think that I was wasting my time helping her which only made me want to work with Luna more. Drew Tanaka is one of those demigods that I am sure has faced and killed monsters but lives in enough of a bubble to make fun of the seven.
Will and I are standing on the platform looking around for the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry, Luna, or maybe even Neville. I wish that guy would stand up for himself. He is more than just his reputation, but still I kept noticing his aptitude for Herbology. I keep wondering about the gods and how much they know about this world. My dad knew about Tom Riddle and all that jazz so…
"Hey, Will?"
"What, Death Breath?"
"I have a theory, but you are going to have to bear with me."
"Oh no, you are turning into Luna." I glared at him. He just smiled at me and said. "I'm just kidding. Don't be so sulky. So, what's making you so thoughtful?"
"I was thinking about Neville and his aptitude for Herbology and how he was supposedly from one of the sacred 28. Families like the Malfoys who have been pure blood for centuries. So, I started thinking that maybe the reason that these families have been trying to stay pure is because they have godly blood, but the wizards and witches have forgotten why they started the whole thing in the first place so generations later nobody can figure out why exactly they are so big on keeping their blood pure, but that just like in the olden times a lot of people could learn to use magic even without the help of a godly boost. One that doesn't even matter anymore really because it is so diluted which could mean more tension because the pure bloods are going to stand by the idea that they are better, even if they are on the same level generations later. "
Will was gaping at me. Of course, this is when Fred and George walk over and say "William, you better close your mouth mate, or you'll catch a fly."
Will obediently closed his mouth and said to me "That's brilliant." Fred and George gave him funny looks. "Oh, not the fly thing. You walked over here after Nico told me a fascinating theory which I did not think him smart enough to have come up with."
"Hey!" I swatted Will but we were both smiling. Dam, I am lovesick for this guy even when he is being a pain in the ass.
We got on the train with Ron, Hermione, and Harry and talked about the incident at the Quidditch World Cup on the way. It turned out that they had gone there.
I have never seen such a big woman in my life, and that is saying something when you have seen gods. Well, if you counted the statue of Athena than I suppose the first statement would be true but…
Madam Maxim head of Beaxbatons. She must be a half-giantess because she is even taller than Hagrid and that is saying something. All these girls come out from behind her along with a couple boys and they look, well, dainty. All the girls seem like those good ballerina dancers that guys pretend like they don't like watching, but they normally do. Most of the dudes seemed to be ogling a tall pretty girl with silvery blonde hair.
I am not attracted to girls so I just kind of watch the idiocy of all the guys. I almost start to chuckle when a dude at the Slytherin started blowing a kiss.
Ron started excitedly talking about her and Krum after the Durmstrang boys had come into the dining hall. Hermione was bugging him about it. Secretly, I think that those two have feelings for each other under all the animosity, but that they won't admit it. At least, not for a while anyway.
There was something interesting about her, sure, but I don't think that it was just looks. I think that she might have some sort of Aphrodite like charm thing going on with her for her to have that effect on most boys. Almost like those empousa for the Greeks.
Will's POV:
Defense Against the Dark Arts has a new teacher. This guy named Alastor Moody. Something about the guy sets Nico on edge so I am a little bit hesitant to walk into his class on the first day, worried that Neeks will do something rash.
Maybe there was a reason for Nico to be wary of him. Soon the guy was talking about the Three Unforgivable Curses and having Neville watch as he tortured a spider which seemed to disturb the boy beyond words. Hermione had to have the professor stop. He makes her mention the killing curse. The temperature in the room drops a couple degrees which several students notice. I want to tell Nico to calm down, but I am pretty fired up too. What kind of messed up society would create a curse that could kill on command?
By the time class is over Nico is beyond livid, he is ready to go to Dumbledore and ask if there is any way to get a new teacher. I was about to leave the classroom when he called the trio and me back in saying he wanted to have a word with the Professor. The Professor led us to his office and that's when hell broke loose. Nico pinned the guy to the wall and told us to open the trunk. I didn't know what had gotten into him. Nico isn't normally like this, but sure enough there was an imprisoned Alastor Moody in the box. He must have sensed the soul. Dumbledore was very thankful that we caught the trick.
After that we both tried to be a bit more alert. It turned out that the man who had been impersonating Alastor Moody was Barty Crouch Jr., a man who was supposed to have died in Azkaban many years prior.
We had a lot of fun putting that together with some of Dumbledore's memories.
Hermione Granger's POV:
Seeing Nico pick up on the fact that that wasn't Professor Moody solidifies the fact that he isn't normal in my mind. I have been able to tell that he is different ever since the incident with the chocolate, but I didn't realize how much power that the guy possesses. I can tell he is one for secrets and one willing to face danger. Last year, after we were at the Shrieking Shack, he had taken out a silver blade and defended us against the werewolf, which was brave, but not something that made me swoon.
It was puzzling though. He seemed so in his element fighting a werewolf. He also seemed in his element when he kept the hippogriff at bay.
I remember asking him "How come you are so good at fighting the werewolf?"
He gave me a smile that seemed almost evil and then pulled up his sleeves to reveal gashes on both arms that were thick and had scarred into deep crevices in his skin. "Where do you think that I got these?"
That had shocked me. I suppose I should have asked if he'd been bitten too but I suppose the fact that he didn't turn into a werewolf too showed me that. Harry, Ron, and I exchanged a look like "Who is this guy?"
All we ever get from them is that they are from New York and that Nico has a rocky path, but that doesn't keep me from trusting them. Even though Nico is dark I think that we all know, Will especially that he is on Harry's side.
Will's POV:
Partway through the Triwizard tournament there is a ball, and all the kids were excited about it, except Nico and me. Even if by some miracle he likes me I don't think that he would ever really want to go to the ball other than it is sort of our duty.
We were sitting around with the other guys when Fred and George started bugging us guys about the dance again. Frankly, Nico and I are surprised that Hermione and Ron aren't going together. I could tell that she was telling the truth when she said that there was a different guy, she was going with, but I don't know who it is. I know it's not Neville. Everyone knows that he is sweet on her, but I know that she doesn't like her that way. Neville's going with Ginny. I think that the only reason that Ron is okay with this is the fact that he knows that they won't last as a couple.
Fred is going with Angelina Johnson, but I don't think George is going with anyone. I get the sense that George is the less flamboyant twin. Ron and Harry just don't have enough confidence to go talk to one of the girls which I find vaguely hilarious, and well me I'm in love with my best friend. A teenage guy.
"Who are you taking to the dance?" Fred asks Nico.
"Nobody. I'm not going to ask someone out."
"Why not?"
"I'm not big into dances. The last one I was at wasn't necessarily the start of a peaceful life, more like the destruction of me." He said it with such anger and defeat in his tone that I knew that I would have to make sure that he was okay.
"What do you mean? Some girl stood you up?"
"No, just I don't want to talk about it."
"But…"
"Fred, I know that you are trying to help, but I am not talking about this right now. Okay! Just leave it the hell alone!" He was shouting and kind of crying and my heart was breaking. Then, he ran out of the common room.
Everyone looked at me questioningly.
"What?"
"What was that about?" Ron asked.
I knit my eyebrows together. I know that he had met Percy and been introduced to the demigod world after a dance at the old military school he attended, but that wasn't something that would have made him that upset normally. I guess I was partly stumped. I knew he was upset, but why exactly? Why would someone who was so angelic, and everything not go to the dance.
"I'm not entirely sure. I better go talk to him."
I run out of the common room and see him exiting to the courtyard. He is running and I am trying to catch up as he runs into the Forbidden Forest. I get that the forest is forbidden for the students, but I don't think that Dumbledore would get too mad at us for being in there. We have faced bigger threats after all.
Nico sits at the base of a tree and when I call his name, he tells me to go away. I can't leave him like this, and he knows it. He probably wants me to stay but would never admit it. I pull him into a big hug, and he buries his face in my chest. I'm a little bit surprised that he is letting me hold him, but I am so happy about it that I don't really care.
I lifted his face. Nico was crying and I wanted him to be all better. Before I realized what, I was doing I took his lips in my own and kissed him. He was so surprised that he leapt back. He looked at me with wide eyes and I thought for sure our friendship was over, but then he smiled and leaned forward and kissed me for real. His lips were soft and as we deepened the kiss, I realized I had never been happier in my life. When I pulled away, he was smiling.
"Will, I really really like you and I am sorry that I leapt back. I had wanted to kiss you for so long that when it happened, I had trouble processing it."
I took Nico into my lap and held him. I would have thought that he would be mad for doing something like that, but he just cuddled up and kissed me on the cheek.
"Nico?"
"Yeah?"
"You are being way cuddlier than I ever thought you would be."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No, it's adorable."
"Thanks for finding me out here and for kissing me. You did what I didn't have the courage to do."
"Oh, Nico don't be hard on yourself. It took me over a year to kiss you. I was really scared you wouldn't like me."
"I thought you only liked girls Solace and I didn't want to ha has a crush on a straight boy again."
"Technically, I am bisexual. But I would pick you over any other guy or girl in the world because I love you and I want you to be comfortable around me."
"Okay, but can I ask a favor?"
"Can we not tell everyone at Hogwarts that we are together? At least not yet. The seven, Reyna, and Coach Hedge already know that I'm gay, but…"
"I get it." I really did. Nico was a gay guy from another time and all I wanted to do was cradle and love him from sundown to sunrise, but I knew we had to get back inside."
"Nico come on let's get back to the castle. It's almost curfew and I need an excuse to not be hugging you." He smiled at me, got up, and then started heading back to the castle.
The guys were surprised when we came in smiling and my only regret for the night was that I didn't have a camera to take a picture of them with in that moment. It was priceless. We still had to deal with Malfoy being annoying about us not having dates to the dance, but it was totally worth it.
5th year
Nico's POV:
This past summer was interesting. I exchanged letters with the golden trio, but I didn't put many details. They don't know that I am a demigod, so it is hard to tell them much of anything about my life. Luna came back to camp with us again this summer and I helped her with fighting a little bit, but I was also dating Solace. Everyone at camp claimed that they knew we were into each other and were extremely supportive. Luna even fell in love…with Will's younger brother, Rolf Scamander. He is an adventurous guy who loves her to the moon in back and says that she makes his head go into the clouds which is ironic since she is an Iris girl.
Will and I arrive at Number 12 Grimmauld Place in late summer. I got stuck with the golden trio and Ron's family which wasn't the best situation because Will and I couldn't really do anything without anyone finding out, and the twins were being prats like always.
One day, we are cleaning out the drawing room when Ron's mom finds a locket. I feel faint and Will barely grabs me before I hit the floor.
"Give me the locket!" Ron's mom hands it over. It has a fragment of soul from the same person as the one in Harry's head, which can only mean that it is a horcrux of Voldemort's. Not good. I send a concerned look towards Will.
"Dumbledore's going to want to see this."
We have a big conversation about it with Dumbledore and eventually destroy the horcrux together using the sword of Gryffindor. Will and I look over the notes we have been compiling. Most of it is all the journeys that Harry has been through, but some of it is all about Riddle. Dumbledore has been showing us all sorts of clips from his life, so we have determined that a lot of the horcruxes probably have to do with the founders of Hogwarts. The locker had been Slytherin's. After all, Tom Riddle was an orphan and the only place he could call home was Hogwarts.
I am sitting next to Will in the living room of the house drawing when Hermione walks over.
"I didn't know you did anything creative. Is that your girlfriend?"
"No, that's Bianca."
"Who is she?"
"My older sister. She died when I was ten. I like drawing things that happened in my life because it helps me to make sense of them. I find comfort in it. It makes me feel like I am in control of myself."
"I thought you were in control of yourself."
"Really? Most of the time I am barely holding it together."
Harry is not happy. The Chosen One almost got expelled from Hogwarts and he isn't in a good mood. Last year Cedric died during the Triwizard tournament and only some like Will and I believe that Voldemort is back.
Plus, we have this new Umbridge lady for a teacher who I would very much like to vanquish, but I know it isn't my place. I just don't like that she has so much power over the school. As school progresses, I can tell that she isn't changing anything for the better.
One day Hermione comes up to me looking all hesitant and whispers that her and Harry are starting a defense against the dark arts club. That could be interesting. I make sure to tell her to recruit Luna. She looks at me and nods.
At the start of term, I had hung out with Luna, Ginny, Neville, and the golden trio on the train, and Luna although strange isn't someone that I would take lightly. She sees the world in all it's beauty and is someone who has made peace with the fact that it isn't always perfect. However, Hermione still doesn't think very much of her. I hope that Luna can prove to Hermione that she is cool too.
Will's POV:
Harry shows us all this meeting place that he is found up on the seventh floor for us. Nico looks like he swallowed a golf ball, and I am worried about him. He does well on all the spells, but I can tell something is bothering him.
At the end of the meeting, I go over to him and say, "Death boy, what's wrong?"
"I think I just figured out why the seventh floor has been making me feel funny."
Ever since we first came to Hogwarts, Nico acted funny on the seventh floor. He said there was something about it that seemed like he should be getting a "Duh!" moment that never seemed to come, at least until now.
"Hermione said that this room only opens up to you to be what you need. I think there's a horcrux in here, but I didn't realize it until I had it near Harry."
"Oh, well isn't that good?"
"Yeah, but we're going to have to retrieve it later. I don't feel like losing any more sleep." I start to silently chuckle because we are in the hallways.
We finally find the horcrux a couple days later. Turns out that it is some long-lost artifact. A diadem, which is a type of crown. Supposedly it was Ravenclaw's. We stab it with the sword of Gryffindor.
Harry's POV:
I have been running the DA for a while now and I have been making some good progress. Everyone knows all these great new spells. Nico and Will are pretty good at it, and have been helping Neville a little bit, but Hermione is still the top student.
Today, I try to teach patronuses. I am pleasantly surprised when a rabbit comes out of Luna's wand, an otter from Hermione's, a horse from Ginny's, and a dog come from Ron's wand. Will managed to pull one off next, but I noticed that Nico wasn't even trying. I really don't get that guy sometimes. He gets moody at the weirdest moment and the only person who seems to understand him is Will. Occasionally Luna catches on which has freaked me out on more than one occasion because she doesn't pick up on social constructs most of the time.
At the end of the lesson with most of everyone gone except for Will, Nico, Hermione, Ron, and I Will goes over to Nico and says "Nico, you should try. Why haven't you?" He said it really gently and Nico replied "I'm scared of what it will be. That it will be a monster…" He dropped after that and it seemed like he had meant to say more but couldn't get the words out.
"You aren't a monster Nico. Just try. It can't be that bad."
Nico extends his wand and says "Expecto Patronum!" A lean cat comes out the tip of the wand and tackles Will. Will and Nico are cracking up like crazy while I stand there with Ron and Hermione confused. They confuse me a lot. I am proud of Nico making a Patronus, but I don't really get what's so funny.
We all just arrived in the Department of Mysteries. I brought everyone that I could muster, and I fear that it won't be enough. It doesn't take long before we are split up.
After maybe twenty minutes of fighting, we all find ourselves with knives to our necks. Suddenly Will yells.
"Nico now!" Nico screamed. It was a blood curdling scream like the one on the train from 3rd year. The whole department shook, and cracks started to spread across the ground. Then he freed himself and almost cut the head of his former captor with a sword. I wondered if somehow it was that stick from years ago but that we weren't seeing it clearly then. He overpowered that guy and then started manipulating the shadows so that the other Death Eaters dispersed. He blocked a bunch of spells with his sword, but there were too many for him to handle at once. Then an arrow sprouted from one of the Death Eaters cloaks and their wand was taken away. Will was holding a bronze bow and had a quiver of arrows that he was using to help Nico out. It was crazy how much acrobatics that Italian guy knew. A spell was sent towards Ginny and Luna. Will had somehow healed Luna a little so she was now in tip top shape.
She stepped forward and used a dagger to shield Neville and Ginny from the spells of the Death Eaters. It was crazy. She took out a shield and used that to help defend against two Death Eaters. Meanwhile Nico was battling seven all at once and winning. He was crazy good. Part of me wondered why he'd been holding out on us all these years, but I suppose he had his reasons. He is doing all sorts of wandless magic. Dark magic. It's freaking out Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Ron, and I, but Will and Luna don't seem to mind. They are just trying to keep us safe. Nico manipulates the shadows so that they wrap around Death Eaters and then Will disarms them. It is surreal to see someone with that much power at our age. Luna was having trouble keeping up with the Death Eaters. She screams defiantly and it's like a color bomb resonates from her. All the Death Eaters in the room are suddenly wearing brightly colored clothing and she is wearing a bright orange t-shirt with the words "Camp Half-Blood" written on it. She had an orange quill in her hair too. I felt like there was some significance to this, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
Skeletons crawl from the cracks in the floor and pin down some of the Death Eaters. Some Order of the Phoenix members show up, but there isn't anything for them to do except calm down my friends and me. After Bellatrix kills Sirius Black, I chase her down and run into Voldemort. I am freaking out about what to do when Nico comes forward and starts to deflect Voldemort's spells. My friends come into the room to find Voldemort disarming Nico. Then Nico is suddenly tackling Voldemort who had been twenty feet from him only a second before. It was Apparition the best I could tell, but you aren't supposed to do that till you are a bloody sixth year. The two are battling it out on the ground when Nico's eyes go practically black, and to my surprise Voldemort yells "Get out of my head, you monster!"
Something about that sentence shakes him up and he stands back. Voldemort gets up and starts to saunter over to Nico.
"Why do you fight for them? If your genetics are anything to go by then you should be on my side of the fence. Your family, are the biggest killers the world has ever seen, so why aren't you on my side. I'd give you all the pain and misery you want."
I didn't know how to react. I was starting to go numb. Voldemort hits Nico on the shoulders expecting him to fall down, but Nico looks him straight in the eyes and says "I am not my brothers, and I didn't lose my older sister and my mother for you to sit here and try to lecture me about my family when I am actually trying to defend the few people who actually believed that I could be something other than a stone-cold killer. I may be a murderer, but I'm not going to do it for your pleasure."
Voldemort and he continued to fight. Dumbledore shows up around the time that Voldemort almost consumes Nico with black flames. Will intervenes and tells Dumbledore "He's running out of energy. It may not seem like it, but the second he shadows travels or sends the skeletons back to the gates of hell he's out cold. You are going to have to get in there."
Dumbledore and Nico fight Voldemort at once for a little and then Nico goes off to the side to fix the department and lead the skeletons back to the gates of hell I suppose.
Will walks over to Luna and says "Good job! Be sure to tell Rolf about it!"
"Who's Rolf?" Ginny asks.
"Her boyfriend, Will's younger brother. His full name is Rolf Scamander. I think you've heard of his grandfather. She's totally and irrevocably in love with him."
"Don't you think that it's quite early to fall in love?" Hermione asks.
"Love is ruthless, and it has no mercy. Love can be deceiving. Sometimes it eats you alive and spits you out because you know the one that you love will never love you back because they love someone else. And then, occasionally if you are interesting enough or lucky enough someone comes along and makes everything make sense. That's what love is. Love makes you be able to see beyond the storm in your mind and makes you find the peace within. It knows no boundaries of time and space. It picks up all the pieces and figures out what puzzle they make even if they don't make what everyone thought it was." I had never heard Nico talk about love before. He made it sound as if he had met Love which sounds loonier than Lovegood.
"You make it sound like you are in love with someone?" Neville says.
"Who said he wasn't?" Luna points out. Nico promptly passes out and Will catches him right before he crashes into the floor.
I can barely believe what I just saw. That amount of wandless magic shouldn't be possible and yet it is. I simply don't get it. How could someone acquire so much talent and at what cost? Will runs over to Nico along with the rest of us. He hands a square of something to Luna. Luna is bleeding in several places but when she eats the bar she suddenly heals right up.
Ron reaches for a square only for Will to slap his wrist. "No!"
"Why the bloody not? I am bleeding to."
"It'll kill you, that's why!"
Ron and I look at him for a second before realizing that he is serious. "Why did you give some to Luna then? Do you even care about her life?" I ask.
"I do and the reason I gave it to her was because I know that she can handle it in her system. Full humans can't. It would burn you from the inside. Us halfsies, we can eat ambrosia, drink nectar, and drink unicorn draught."
He pulled out a flask and propped Nico's mouth open. He poured in a glittering liquid and color starts to come back to Nico's face.
"Is that unicorn draught?" Hermione asks him.
"Yep. He can have nectar and ambrosia, but I have found that this works the best because it helps to cleanse his system of all the darkness. I am just glad that he didn't push so hard he started going into smoke. It happened a couple times and I don't want it happening again."
I didn't know what to say to that, and the Order of the Phoenix decides that we need to get back to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Some of the adults offer to carry Nico, but Will is insistent telling him that if it isn't him someone is likely going to get punched in the face or kicked in the groin. Nobody argues after that.
Everyone has pretty much healed up. Will has been helping Madame Pomfrey out like they're old chums. It is kind of weird, but I am just glad everyone is alright. Only one thing is bothering me. Nico.
"Hey Luna."
"Yes?"
"How come Voldemort said that stuff about Nico's family being killers and how he should be on his side?"
"Nico's father is the same as the father of Hitler and Mussolini. He's not proud of it. Mussolini would have killed him back then too if he didn't get trapped in time for seventy years, but the main thing is that Nico doesn't like it when people aren't allowed to flourish. When they are being discriminated against for no reason or being told who they can and cannot love. He is someone who wants to believe in justice. He wants to believe that things can get better for him and all of us."
"You said something about love, which girl does he fancy?"
That sets her off. Luna starts laughing so hard she is holding her stomach. "Oh gods, you really have no idea. It's been right under your noses. There isn't a girl. He's in love with Will, and Will loves him back. You ever wonder why they wouldn't go with girls to the dance? It's because they loved each other and have loved each other for years. Where we come from in New York, you hold onto who you love and hope you can spend as much time as possible with them because people like us we don't live past our thirties and truth be told Nico should have died years ago."
It's a lot to take in. Ron looks like someone took a cannon to his head. Hermione seems to see the logic in what Luna is saying. I mean, without her saying it out loud I would have never guessed that those two were gay. I would have thought that Nico was more of an emo guy who would take advantage of girls, but I guess I was wrong to misjudge him. He doesn't want to be misjudged and frankly doesn't want anyone to be misjudged. That's why he is here helping us.
Smiling in the corner, Ginny suddenly says "So you're dating Will's brother?"
Luna blushes and tries to hide it with her hand, but we start teasing her and eventually she pulls out a picture of her with a guy who has reddish blonde hair and his arm draped around her. He vaguely looks like Will, half-brothers maybe.
I don't know if all that stuff Nico said about love is true, but I think that if anything is true it's that seeing the look on someone's face when they are in love it's wonderful. Wonderful to see them so happy and ready to face the world.
Nico's POV:
I wake up to all my friends apologizing and telling me that they know about Will and I and that they are happy for us which is nice. After the whole situation, Will and I write some more down in our notes. We think there is still time before the real battle begins and it will be no longer our duty to fight for Harry. There's a point at which where everyone will have to stop defending him and start to fulfill his prophecy.
6th year
Nico and I didn't go back to Hogwarts for our 6th year and Dumbledore told us that he would tell us when to give Harry all the notes that we had for him.
Unfortunately, Chiron found out that Dumbledore had died at the hands of Severus Snape and we were to come to England to attend the funeral.
Before we went, I put all the notes we had in a box and told Will that we needed to hand them over with the hope that Harry and his friends could complete their quest. He's the chosen one for a reason after all.
At the funeral, Ginny seems pretty upset. I always liked her maybe because she is so fiery, but I think it is because Harry broke up with her. Luna and Neville were trying to console her.
"Harry!" Will calls. Harry, Ron, and Hermione look over in surprise before they walk over to us.
"You are here to pay your respects to Dumbledore. I can't believe you came all this way for him."
"He was incredible. But that's not all that we came here for." I hand Harry the box containing all our notes.
"What's this?"
"A present. It's all the notes that we made on you, the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort, and the Death Eaters over the years. It should be able to help you end Voldemort. One thing though, don't open the last folder until the end. I mean it. It's no laughing matter. You'll understand when you get there."
That folder explains how Harry himself is a horcrux. I didn't want him freaking out and killing the horcrux inside him first, so…yeah.
We all exchange goodbyes and Will and I leave England wanting to believe that Harry and his small band of friends could prevail.
The End.
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