CHAPTER TWOOO. You know how writers often go to lakes or calming places for writing inspiration? Well, I'm at one right now and I'm inspired. But it ain't quiet. Cuz family. I have a very big extended family.

Wonderful Betaing stuff by Ayano's Theory of Relativity.

Year 2:

Will had spent the entirety of this first year gazing at Nico di Angelo from afar. This year he was determined to at least be friends with him. The dark, mysterious Gryffindor had all but sunk his hooks into the Ravenclaw.

At the welcome back feast, before the first years had entered the Great Hall, Will decided to make his move. He cautiously stood up from the Ravenclaw table, despite protests from his friends Kayla and Austin about how they had left him high and dry over the summer and were doing it again.

The blond boy weaved through the crowds of reconnecting teens, using Nico's black hair as a beacon. Will tapped the shoulder of the boy he was enraptured with, only to be met once more with deep chocolatey eyes and the inability to speak.

Nico turned quickly when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He expected one of his cousins or something, but was faced instead with a pair of the most sparkly blue eyes he had ever seen. Freckles scattered across the blond boy's face, resembling Nico's favorite constellations from Astronomy class.

"H-hi. Nico di Angelo?" the boy in front of him stuttered.

"The one and only," Nico replied.

"I'm Will. Will Solace. Ravenclaw," the cute boy rambled, his cheeks taking on a dusting of pink.

"I know," Nico said simply.

"You do?" Will asked.

Nico raised an eyebrow, "We had three or four classes together last year, remember?"

"Of course," Will assured him, "I just didn't think you noticed me."

"How could I not? You were always raising your hand in class," the Gryffindor countered as Will blushed even harder.

Before either boy could say another word, Nico was tackled in a flying hug by a girl in Slytherin robes. She appeared to be a few years older than him with her hair in a braid and ever changing kaleidoscope eyes.

"Nico!" she cried out, wrapping her arms tightly around the startled boy.

"Piper- can't- breathe," Nico choked out.

The Cherokee girl released him, "Why didn't you write?"

"I was busy," he mumbled in reply.

The rest of Nico's friends began to gather around him and ask questions about his summer. Will stood awkwardly to the side as Nico tried to separate himself from the center of a group hug he never wanted to be apart of in the first place.

"I'm sorry," he gasped to Will once he was finally free, "What was it you wanted to say?"

"Nothing," Will answered quietly when he noticed a few of Nico's friends watching him out of the corner of their eyes, "Just wanted to say hi. That's all."

Will's entire face was pink by this point as he mumbled a goodbye and walked back over to the Ravenclaw table. He seemed very distracted, leading him to accidentally trip on his own robes. Nico giggled unintentionally, and Will responded to the laugh with his own little smile of embarrassment.

"I think he likes you," Jason said, nudging his fellow Gryffindor with his elbow.

"Don't be ridiculous," Nico retorted, but he couldn't help wondering if maybe Jason was right.

The headmistress coughed to get their attention and signal that the first years would soon enter and be sorted. Jason pulled Nico down onto a bench along with their other friends in Gryffindor. Those in the other houses dispersed as well.

Piper looped her arm around Thalia's and they headed over to Slytherin. Percy was already floating notes from the Hufflepuff table over to Annabeth at Ravenclaw while Frank rolled his eyes at his best friend. Leo wasn't even paying attention to it despite the fact that he was sitting next to the curly haired blond. Rather, he was tinkering with pieces of metal that he seemed to pull out of thin air.

Nico looked around at his table, seeing Jason talk with the Stoll twins and other scattered people laughing and catching up. He turned his head around and saw Solace talking to a girl with short green hair and a boy with dreadlocks. The dark haired boy wouldn't have even noticed that the first years had come in if not for his half sister Hazel timidly waving at him from the back of the pack.

Nico returned the wave, but went back to watching Solace. The only time his focus shifted was when Hazel's name was called and she was placed in Hufflepuff. Though they weren't in the same house, he knew Hazel would be well watched out for with Percy and Frank at her side. Luckily for him the rest of dinner was uneventful.

On the first official day of school, Will, along with the rest of the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, had the misfortune of potions as his first class. It was almost a given by this point that when a class required you to partner up Will was with Kayla, no matter the house they were with. Stepping into the dungeons with his standard pewter pot, textbooks, and various ingredients, Will assumed this time would be the same.

"Hey Solace!" called a voice from across the room.

Will scanned for the speaker before settling his gaze on Nico di Angelo in the corner. He was already seated and taking out some boomslang and lacewing.

"You need a partner?" Nico asked.

For a moment Will thought he was speaking to someone else. Why would Nico di Angelo be asking him of all people? His cute little face was directed only at him though. Will slowly smiled and nodded, knowing Kayla would kill him later but not caring in the slightest. She'd understand, wouldn't she? A small smile spread across the lips of his new Gryffindor partner as Will placed his bag down and pulled the second year potions textbook out onto the table.

Kayla stepped through the door at that moment, rolling her eyes at whatever Austin was saying. When she spotted Will across the room with Nico she placed her hand on her chest, feigning deep hurt. She seemed to have gotten over it quickly enough though as she grabbed Lou Ellen by the arm and dragged her over to an empty table near Will and Nico.

The teacher started class, telling them about which potion they'd be studying, but Will was busy reading a note from his two female friends.

You're telling us everything later. LE & K

Bloody hell.

Happy Harry Potter's birthday weekend thing! I've been binge watching. I think my favorite one is- dammit. Okay I don't know exactly. Which one is your favorite?