A/N: Another chapter, and this one was actually done rather quickly. I have the beginning of the next chapter done, but I can't promise the same speedy updates since I also need to work on some of my other stories. Sorry.

Moving on, thank you for reading and/or reviewing. It makes me happy.

Disclaimer: I'm not Rick Riordan or J.K. Rowling.

I reread the letter from Hecate for the hundredth time. It's been months since I received the quest and Nico started teaching me to blend in with the wizards, but I still have trouble believing it's all really happening. I let my eyes skim across the page, picking up the basics information like how to get to platform 9 3/4, how to get sorted into Hogwart houses, and how my wand is blessed so that I can do magic without being a wizard. I've memorized this all by heart, yet I still can't shake the feeling I'm forgetting something. The butterflies flying around in my belly aren't helping either. I switch my attention to the other paper in my hand, this one is in my own handwriting, a to-do list. Going through it, I try to convince myself that I'm not missing anything.

1. Learn magic and wizard culture: check.

2. Shadow Travel to London and board the Hogwarts Express: check. We even came early so that there would be an empty compartment for Nico to rest in after the jump which he's doing right now.

at Hogwarts and get sorted.

4. Figure out what is going on at Hogwarts that made Hecate issue a quest.

I'm still working on those last two. By all accounts, nothing unusual should be happening in the wizarding world. According to Nico, their greatest foe was killed about a year ago and most of his followers either died with him or were detained. If Hecate wasn't a goddess, I would almost think she's wrong about this job.

A small gasp coming from Nico's sleeping form pulls me out of my thoughts. His face is scrunched up in agony as he curls in on himself. I wish there was something I could do, but he need to rest after traveling across the ocean with a passenger. I reach towards him when there's a knock on the compartment door.

"It's unlocked," I clear my throat and quickly pull away.

The door opens to reveal a girl with long blonde and bright blue eyes that look like they're taking everything around her at once. "Have you seen a toad," she asks in a dreamy voice that make me wonder if she's related to Hypnos somehow.

"Uh, like a specific toad, or just seen one in general?" This certainly wasn't what I thought my first conversation with a witch would be. Is this normal?

"My friend," she stops for a moment and smiles," lost his toad. His name is Travis," she states matter of factly.

I'm even more confused. "Your friend or the," I trail off as she starts laughing.

"Travis is the toad, my friend is Neville. Have the Wrackspurts gotten to you?" I have no idea what she's talking about.

"No...?" I hope that's the right answer. "I'm Will," I quickly change the subject, praying that she doesn't get suspicious. I hold out my hand.

She grabs my hand between two of her fingers and and shakes it. "I'm Luna, but most people call me Looney Lovegood," she introduces. I can see why. However, that doesn't mean it's nice to call her mean names. I point this out, but she doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Luna!" a boy that kinda reminds me of Frank comes running towards us. "I found him." he proudly holds a toad up for her to see.

"You must be Neville," I make the connection between this boy and the one Luna was talking about. He turns to look at me for the first time before turning back to Luna in search of answers. "I'm Will, Luna mentioned you," I explain. There's no reason to make him think I'm some kind of creeper if I can avoid it.

He relaxes slightly. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new?"He questions, and I suddenly remember what I was forgetting about, a cover story.

I've never been good at coming up with lies on the spot. It's a side effect of having the god of Truth for a father. What to do, what to do? I can't tell them I'm a demigod on a mission for the goddess of magic and crossroads.

"We're the new transfer students," Nico speaks up from behind me. Luna's eyes widen in interest while Neville startles slightly, it's clear he didn't notice there was someone else in the compartment.

"Neeks, you're awake," and just in time too.

He stands and stumbles over to the door, leaning on me for support. He's still weak from shadow traveling. I can feel the darkness in him from where his shoulder is touching mine. If I wasn't so worried about blowing our covers, I would try using my Apollo healing powers on him. Instead, he'll have to wait until Neville and Luna leave and I can get him some medicine from my bag.

"Transfers?" Neville isn't buying the story right away. Luna continues to examine Nico, so I can't figure out if she's still listening to the conversation, let alone believe us.

"To strengthen relations between MUSEA and the Ministry after the war." I don't understand everything Nico's going on about, but it looks like it's convincing Neville.

A student walks between Neville and I, making it obvious that our conversation is taking up most of the hallway. "Uh, would you like to sit down?" I offer so that we won't be in the way.

"We should actually be getting back to our own compartment now that I've found Trevor. Our friends will be wondering where we are," He explains and grabs Luna's hand to lead her back down the train. I nod goodbye before retreating back into the safety of our own compartment.

With a sigh, I collapse onto the bench. Lying is exhausting. "Well that could have gone better," Nico speaks up, plopping down beside me and using me as a pillow.

"I think it went rather well."

Nico rolls his eyes at me. "They're suspicious, that's never a good thing."

"You don't know that, maybe they believed us." I nudge Nico off of me so that I can get up. Grabbing my bag from the over head rack, I take out a canteen of unicorn draught and a square of ambrosia. When I turn to give them to Nico, I'm greeted with his 'are you and idiot' stare.

"They recently finished a war. Transfer students or not, I'd almost be more worried if they weren't," he reasons. He takes the godly medicine from me and gulps it down. A little bit of his natural olive colouring returns. It's not perfect, but at least he doesn't look so much like a ghost. "We should probably get dressed. We should be there soon," he suggests. I want to ask how he knows when he's been asleep for most of the trip, but an announcement over the intercom confirms it before I can.

I practically jump into my uniform robes. This ride has taken forever, I can't wait to get off and do something. Nico's slower in changing, still groggy from only recently waking up. Ten agonizing minutes later the train finally screeches to a stop. The hallway fills with students all at once and I have to grab onto Nico's sleeve so that I don't lose him. Outside of the train isn't much better. Off to one side of the clearing we stopped in is a row of black carriages being swarmed by students. On the other side is a giant of a man calling for first years.

"Should we go with them?" I ask, gesturing toward the growing group of eleven year olds. Nico considers it until the man yells something about boats and shakes his head. "Right, Son of Hades and water don't mix," I remember. To the carriages then.

Once again, I grab onto Nico and drag him through the crowd. I try to avoid pushing people out of the way, but really it was unavoidable. At least I shout a quick "excuse me," or "I'm sorry," every time I do. We finally reach a break in the horde of students that let us reach the carriages. Ones that are clearly not being pulled by regular horses.

"It's your Patronus." Yes I know what that astral projection thing is called, it was one of the first things Nico taught me.

He hums in agreement. "A thestral," he clarifies.

We aren't the only ones who notice the bony ponies. In fact, they're the main cause of the congested area. Everyone's staring, or pointing at them while talking with their friends about it. A few even look on the verge of crying for some reason. Before I can get distracted by all of that, I climb into the nearest carriage with Nico entering behind me.

It just so happens that the carriage is already occupied. There's six other people, making it a bit of a hard to squeeze in, but I'm not willing to risk going back out into the mob of people, so it will have to work. The first boy has bright red hair and the freckles to match. Beside him is a girl with bushy, chocolate brown hair that must have had her nose in a book before we came in and a boy with round, wire glasses and unruly black hair who looks really familiar though I don't know why. The last unknown person is a girl version of the first boy who's sitting next to Luna and Neville.

"So we meet again," I greet, taking a seat next to Luna. Her and Neville smile and wave in response.

"Hello, sorry, have we met?" The bushy haired girl speaks up.

Nico answers before I have the chance. "No," he says simply, though you would think he was a lot ruder by the way the girl wrinkles her nose at his response.

"We met Luna and Neville on the train," I quickly explain to try and make up for it. "Mr. Dark and Brooding here is Nico, and I'm Will." Nico huffs at my description of him and crosses his arms only proving my point.

"I'm Hermione Granger." she looks to the other people in the carriage, probably waiting for them to introduce themselves, but glasses is too busy staring at me weirdly and the possible siblings, well, I don't think the boy is really paying attention and the girl only shrugs. "The red heads are Ron and Ginny Weasley, and you already know Luna and Neville," she sighs.

"You forgot to tell us his name." Nico motions to Glasses. I'm sure I've met him before.

"He's Harry Potter," Luna supplies.

That's it! "Dudley's cousin," I realize. All of the wizards and witches freeze. "We used to go to school together."

Recognition flashes across Harry's face at the same time Ron speaks, "but you're American." Hermione slaps him on the arm.

"My mom's a singer," I start, "She toured Europe when I was younger and took me with her, but she still wanted me to go to a regular school which ended up being the same one Harry went to." The carriage starts slowing down as I finish.

"I remember you, the sunny American," Harry cut in.

"You don't know how true you are," Nico snorts. "Inside joke," he adds when all he receives are confused looks.

The carriage comes to a complete stop. We all pile out and I get my first look at the school. The place is huge and medeival looking with its stone arches and fancy pillars everywhere.

"Is there a William Solace and a Nico di Angelo here?" a voice yells over all the commotion of students arriving.

"Blimey, you never said you were a di Angelo," Ron cries.

Nico ignores him and latches onto my arm, leaving me no choice but to be dragged towards the voice and away from our new friends with hardly the chance to shout a goodbye. He doesn't slow him pace until we're standing right in front of a man shorter and more elf like than Leo.

"What was that about?" I question, yanking my arm out of his strong grip.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he feigns ignorance.

"Are you William Solace and Nico di Angelo?" The small wizard interrupts. Nico gives a quick nod in confirmation. "Fantastic, I'm Professor Flitwick; I'm here to escort you to the Great Hall." he walks away, confident that we'll follow. He takes us through a set of large doors to lead us to, surprise, another set of big wooden doors. "Wait here until you hear your names being announced."Before I can ask how we're supposed to hear our names through three inches of solid wood, he's already gone.

"What was Ron talking about?" I try again now that Nico and I are alone.

"Nothing," he denies.

"Nico," I whine.

"Will," he mocks. Letting out a puff of air, he sheds some of his icy exterior. "Nothing important." Surprisingly, a feminine voice saying out names drifts through the door. "I'll tell you later," He promises.

"I'll hold you to that," I tell him as we work together to push the doors open.