Chapter 4

Nico

The next day we headed to the platform. Since Mr. Weasley didn't own a car, the ministry had lent the Weasleys a few cars. I was squash between Ron and Fred on the way to the platform. And unfortunately Fred tends to instigate his brother even when I was in between. It was a long few minutes.

When we got there Ron and I had basically ran out of the cramp car. I couldn't last too long in a confined space. I blame ADHD for that. I took my backpack and said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley who gave me a curious face.

"I have to keep my image." I explained "I have to survive in Slytherin for the next few months before…you know."

"Oh." Mrs. Weasley exclaimed then gave me a very motherly hug. "Just take care of yourself. And be careful."

"I will, Mrs. Weasley." Then I looked at the trio. "See you guys at school, we wouldn't want Malfoy to blow a fuse."

"See you, mate."

I then ran towards the barrier and I was again in the familiar old fashioned platform of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

~()~

I wandered in the train looking for a place to stay, when I saw a familiar head of silver blonde hair. I knocked on the door and opened the compartment. Draco, Blaise Crabbe and Goyle looked at the idiot who would dare open the door into their compartment.

"I hear the Slytherin Prince is in this compartment." I said casually crossing my arms and leaning on the door. "You wouldn't happen to know who it is would you?"

"It would depend on who is asking." Draco said his lip twitching, a smirk about to crawl into his face.

"The Half-Blood Slytherin is."

"Nico?"

"The one and only" I said with a smirk as the others invited me in.

"Hey, mate where have you been?"

"You know here and there." I said "What happened with you guys?"

"We had a werewolf for a DADA teacher last year." Draco said "You missed it. He was way better than Lockhart. And Dumbles totally lost his marbles. He let that oaf Hagrid teach classes."

"Hagrid doesn't seem so bad." I noted. "Though I'm not sure he is…safe as a teacher."

"He isn't" Blaise said. "He just doesn't see what's dangerous for students and what's not dangerous. His first lesson was on Hippogriffs. Do you have any idea how dangerous one of those are."

"According to my cousin their very dangerous." I said remembering how proud Percy was in his underwater encyclopedia, curtsey of Tyson and Poseidon. I finally reached more than Fear. If I remember correctly, I just finished Thestrals in my Nic-tionary.

"Yes, and Draco got a scratch for it." Crabbe pointed out. "Show him Draco."

"Alright." Draco said pulling up his sleeve. His arm had a large scratch from the side of his elbow to the back of his wrist.

"Wow" I said "You're lucky. If it were any closer to your pulse you'd die in a minute."

"Father sued the stupid oaf." Draco said "Sadly he wasn't sacked but the hippogriff was executed."

"I see you had an eventful year without me." I said

"Don't worry, I hear this year is going to be more eventful." Draco said "Father told me that the Triwizard Tournament is back this year."

"The what?" I asked feigning confusion. The gods had mentioned the same thing to us. Though right now I am here as a mere student…for now.

"I forgot that you'd live under a rock" Draco muttered. Though I have to admit it was sort of true. "The Triwizard Tournament is a tournament where three Wizarding schools compete. One from each school is chosen to participate in this event. But this year according to father, we are going to have special guests." Draco gave us a smirk. "Demigods."

"Demigods?" Blaise said startled. "I thought they were extinct."

"Many thought they were." Draco said "They were apparently hiding in America for the past few centuries."

"Demigods of which gods?" Blaise asked "Greek or Roman?"

"Both." Draco said "Though they said the Roman ones are more dangerous."

"Not totally true" I said "The Roman Demigods are just…let's say trained. They're just trained more on combat for the protection of their legion. Greek demigods are more on survival."

"And you know this how?"

I pondered for a moment. "I met some they were in my father's line of work."

"And what does your father do anyway."

"Department of Mysteries." I said unsure if there is such a thing as the Department of Mysteries. "I've been born with what others call a talent, and I call a curse. I can see ghosts. I met some of the demigods in both Greek and Roman. Some of them are just our age now when they had died."

"Was that why the ghosts were wary of you when you had entered the Great Hall back in second year."

"Yeah." I said. "Anyways what about the Triwizard Tournament? Why did they stop?"

"According to my father the death toll was way too high." Draco said "So they had to stop it before too many young witches and wizards die."

"That's just sad."

"Do you think Potter and Weasley know of this?"

"They should" I said "Isn't his Prefect brother in the ministry now?"

"Yeah." Draco said "Annoying as hell according to father. And knowing those three. They are probably clueless."

Hogwarts was as magnificent as I remembered it. But this time I was, thankfully, not taking the boats to the castle. There were hundreds of carriages that were tied to a herd of Thestrals and when they had sensed me…

"Master!" most of them had exclaimed through my head. I can't understand how Percy keeps up with this. There was one that actually approached me. It's skeletal face was just like the one of the horse and gave me what looks like a death version of a smile.

"You came back" It said. It was the same Thestral that Luna and I fed. It had grown over the two years the last time I had saw him he was still a foal.

"I have another mission this year. It's nice to see you all again." I said in my head as I pet him.

"Nico!" Draco said "What are you doing?"

"Saying hi to the Thestrals." I said

"The what?" Draco came closer and squinted. But he still saw nothing. "You must be hallucinating. The carriages are being pulled by magic."

"They're like horses" I said then remembered what Luna had told me. "They can only be seen by those who have seen death."

"Well I suggest that we get into the carriage before we miss the sorting."

I stepped into the carriage; I sat beside Blaise as I noted the rest of the occupants of the carriage. Pansy Parkinson, still as pug faced as she was the first time I met her, wrapped her arm around Draco's. Millicent Bulstrode was beside her reading what looks like a fiction book.

"Who are you?" Pansy asked obnoxiously

"I am so insulted that you didn't recognize me." I said teasingly "And to think all those fun times that we had"

Draco chuckled while Pansy gave me a scowl. Millicent looked up from her book and studied me for a moment.

"Nico, I didn't know you were coming back this year."

"I didn't know either. My father just dropped in on me like a bomb."

"Nico?" Pansy shrieked "Nico di Angelo? Oh. My. Gosh. I couldn't even recognize you anymore. You look different."

"I believe it's called puberty." I said "And training with my crazy cousins."

"Wow." Pansy said "You don't look like that scrawny kid all those years ago."

"Uh…Thanks?"

"So, Nico. How've you been?" Millicent asked. "You were gone last year."

"Well you know I've been here and there. My cousin invited me to join him in a year in a Muggle High School."

"And you agreed?" Draco asked in disgust.

"Well it wasn't like I had anything better to do" I said "My cousin is a few years older than me but is a wicked sword fighter. Apparently my father had thought it was a good idea for me to learn some sword fighting from him."

It wasn't totally true nor was it totally false. I had learned many things from my time in Argo II. Mostly how annoying Jason and Percy can be when they gang up on you. I told them more on my time in High school…well mostly on what Percy tells me about it.

"That sounds terrible." Draco said. "No magic at all?"

"Nope." I said "Though I can truly say it was an experience."

"Guys. We're here." I looked out the window. I saw the magnificent castle that I wandered for an entire year. It was good to be back.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" Dumbledore said "I am sorry to inform you that the Quidditch House Cup would not take place this year." This caused most of the students groan and complains.

"This is due to the event that would take place this October," Dumbledore said "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has the honor of hosting The Triwizard Tournament. This tournament instead of the tournament only between Hogwarts, Beauxbaton Academy of Magic, and Durmstrang Institute. We have invited some special guest. Three groups from The United States of America have accepted our invitation. They aren't Witches or Wizards like us, but they aren't Muggles either. This I'll let them tell you themselves" he smiled mischievously

"In this tournament each group will choose a champion to represent them in the tournament. So the Ministry has added a rule that only those that are of age can join the tournament."

There were many complaints in the crowd but when Dumbledore spoke again they all quiet down.

"I am sure that you will bring glory of the Triwizard Cup to our school." Dumbledore said "The Headmasters of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang along with the trainers of our guests would be coming this October. A meeting of which would lead to unity of the six groups." then Dumbledore sat down and started talking to the other teachers.

The students all started to mutter none stop. This continued till the end of the meal. I headed towards the teacher's table.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked

"I need to ask Dumbledore something. I think my father had sent him my trunk beforehand."

"Alright meet you in the common room?"

"Sure."

When I had arrived by the teachers' table, Dumbledore was talking with one of the new teachers that he had introduced as Alastor Moody.

"Ah Mr. Di Angelo" Dumbledore said in his grandfatherly tone. "Alastor, this is Nico Di Angelo. A representative sent before hand by the demigods in America."

"Which are you then? Hermes? Hecate?" Alastor Moody interrogated.

"Hades."

"Ah… I heard you are in my fourth year class"

"For the first two months." I clarified "Until the others come."

He nodded then gave a smile that promised mischief. "Good, I have something planned for this year. That would help make Defense a little more interesting."

"Ok…" I drawled, then faced Dumbledore. "Professor Chiron told me to ask you on our accommodation and to ask where I have to stay before the others get here."

"Ah, yes like the other schools you may choose to either stay inside the castle or in your Warship. We could also lend you tents same as those used in the Quidditch Cup." he said "I heard this year the Irish won such, a shame for Bulgaria. I am a Bulgarian Fan myself"

"Professor back to the topic" I interceded "I'm not so sure what the Quiditch World Cup is and I don't know what their tents are like. But I think if it were allowed we'd prefer to stay at the open space near the Forbidden Forest."

"The tents are like those that you stayed in when you were at the Weasleys. And I believe that can be arranged." Dumbledore said "as for your accommodation you would be staying in the Slytherin Common Room till then."

"Okay… thanks professor" I said "If you excuse me, professors I have to go to bed I still have classes tomorrow"

HEY EVERYONE! This is possibly the last chapter I would post before school starts again.

Now to answer some of your questions. No Charlie isnt a satyr. Other characters will arrive in future chapters.

OK

Thanks for reading and please leave me something preferably a review :D