[IMPORTANT] Author's Note: Is anyone interested in beta-ing this story? If you are, please PM me! Also, thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review this. I love you guys!
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Random Chick: Sorry for the long wait, I was on vacation, so I didn't have time to update :P I was using the literal meaning of Stygian, which is "very dark".
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P.S: This chapter was written with the help of my friend, Sarah.
The shadows moved faster. The crack grew wider. Faster. Wider. Faster. Wider. The shadows exploded, disintegrating in the air, and an army of skeletons emerged from the hole.
A writhing mass of tangled brittle bones clawed their way towards the magical inhabitants of Hogwarts. Horrified shrieks punctuated the air and Harry himself felt cold, so cold… how his parents felt when they died. How they were now, just another broken being in that sea of bones.
Harry forced himself to push that thought to the back of his worried mind while trying desperately to ignore the fact that the remains of Ron's steak and kidney pie, now an unattractive jumble, had tumbled out of his mouth- which was now agape in perfect O while he gawked at the display. Harry stifled a fit of laughter as several girls in their vicinity squealed and jumped back from the rather foul-smelling mush at their feet.
"Oi, watch yourself mate." Harry admonished Ron, albeit with an enormous grin on his face. The paralyzing coldness and fear was –thanks to Ron's inability to not regurgitate his dinner.
"Nico di Angelo, son of Hades."
Harry once again steadied his gaze at the strange, no, interesting-fascinating, pale teenager. Hades?
"That's the Greek god of death Harry, in case you were wondering." Hermione's whispered but her usual smug, know-it-all tone was marred by shock and fright. And perhaps it was just Harry's imagination, but he could have sworn that there were traces of awe in Hermione's comment.
What was Dumbledore thinking, bringing in these strangers-freaks- from the outside into the Triwizard Tournament? Into Hogwarts?
The thought gnawed relentlessly at Harry's mind and apparently he wasn't the only one. Around him, Hogwarts students were furiously exchanging hushed words of attack at the Camp Half-Blood teenagers.
Who are they, and what the bloody hell is wrong with them? filled the field with a frenzy.
The pale boy's face had was now flushed, but whether from the exertion of his display of embarrassment Harry did not know. However, Chiron had stepped in and pulled Nico out of the center of attention with a tense smile at the magicians cluttering the field.
Harry felt a tugging sense of sadness when he caught a glimpse of Nico's face, drawn in with that painful expression of loneliness. That Harry could relate to-be bullied and excluded as an outcast when he was with the Muggles. Even with his fellow wizards.
Harry was pulled back from his thoughts by Dumbledore's booming voice resonating across the field. "I wish to thank Camp Half-Blood for their wonderful display of their magical prowess."
"And now, my honored students and guests, let us head back for the dormitories and prepare ourselves for the day ahead. Off you go, chop-chop!"
Harry was jostled along by the throng of excited Gryffindors. The sounds of chatter buzzed around his ears about Camp Half-Blood and their powers. Powers that even Harry had to admit were unusual and that was saying a lot. They were, after all, wizards.
"Hey mate, good show right?" Ron muttered at his side. Harry was now flanked by his best friends, Hermione now clomping along with the two of them as they headed for the great oak doors.
"Yeah, sure." Harry muttered under his breath, sleep and fatigue now clouding his mind.
"Should be bloody well exciting at the Tournament then. Wonder who'll be chosen out of that band of Americans."
"Huh?" Harry's noise of puzzlement made Ron groan in annoyance.
"Camp Half-Blood mate, you've got to pay more attention to what I say, you know?" Ron's exasperation clearly showing.
"Sorry, just…tired I guess." Harry apologized with a grimace on his face as a searing bolt of pain shot through his forehead.