Disclaimer!

These characters do not belong to me nor do I make any money off this story. I am only writing Fan Fiction. The characters belong to their respective authors J.K Rowling and Rick Riordan. I only own this piece of fanfiction.

Thank you for correcting me. Don't be hesitant to tell me about other mistakes and offer suggestions, it helps me improve my writing.

Also sorry if I didn't a great job at how Hagrid talks, it was my best attempt.

I hope you enjoy Joining Forces. Thank you for reading this fanfiction. :)

Nico POV:

I sat at the Slytherin table quietly eating breakfast. Last night, after parting with Percy and Annabeth, I went back to the Slytherin male dormitories. It was past curfew, but I was quiet, expecting some of the students to be awake. I clutched the pouch firmly in one hand, trying to stop the drachmas inside from moving. Tucking myself into bed, I didn't relinquish my grasp. In the morning I had placed the pouch under my bed casting an invisibility charm on it when no one was looking.

"Di Angelo!" Draco called, sliding into the empty space next to me. "Draco," I responded, "You're here awfully late,"

He laughed. "It isn't late Di Angelo. It's just on time. I needed to use the restroom. You were just in time as well, weren't you?" It was true, I had arrived only minutes before Draco. "Yes, I was. How'd you know?"

"I expected you to wake up later. After all, you came back late as well," I clenched my fists under the table, but quickly released. I looked at Draco, "Oh?"

"You're lucky you didn't get any points taken from Slytherin. Quite the rule breaker aren't you?"

"Don't worry about me," I said, "I won't get any points taken. You should worry about other things,"

"I knew you'd be a great Slytherin the moment you came to our table, and I was right. What were you doing out past curfew anyway?"

"Oh, Dumbledore wanted to see us," From the corner of my eye I saw Percy look over, I turned around and mouthed to him Don't worry before turning back to Draco. Percy nodded and turns back to the Gryffindor table, but I can tell he's still listening, worrying. If the trio from Gryffindor knew, and McGonagall as well, it wouldn't be too long before others might find out. "Oh, you mean your friends from CHB! What did he want from you?" Draco asked, realization striking when he saw me look over.

"Only wanted to ask how our experience at Hogwarts was so far,"

"And how did you answer?"

"What else?" I said, "It's great."

Percy POV:

I was relieved that Nico didn't reveal anything. I trusted him, yes, but it was still worrying, though I felt that I should have been the one who had to we had to be worried about. I looked over at Harry, Hermione, and Ron from moment to moment, waiting for them to ask me about Dumbledore as Draco did. When I had returned it was quite obvious to me that Harry and Ron weren't asleep though they pretended. I kept the pouch of drachmas with me as I went to bed, not daring to let them know about it. I still had it now, in my bag underneath all the textbooks. I'd have to find some time alone to make it invisible, hide it or something.

"Why do you keep looking at Harry, Hermione and Ron?" Neville asked as we all continued to eat. "Oh, I just thought...they were going to ask me something?" Neville looked at the trio. Ron put down his spoon, and nodded begrudgingly, "Actually, we do want to ask you something. What were you doing back so late?"

"Didn't you, Harry, and Hermione also return to the dormitories past curfew?" Another Gryffindor piped in, his voice lowered.

"Well, we-" Ron began, "we didn't get any points taken off."

"Neither did I."

"Percy, you left again."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Dumbledore wanted to see Nico, Annabeth, and I. He asked us what we thought of Hogwarts so far," If it worked on all the Slytherins, why not the nosy trio and the rest of the Gryffindors, right?

Wrong.

Most Gryffindors bought the idea, but I could tell the people whose suspicions needed to go, didn't. "And what did you say?" Neville asked, "Do you like Hogwarts?"

"Yeah! It's a great school!"

Soon breakfast we had to go to our classes. I was glad we had at least some classes together, although most of them were separate. It made sense though, everything was rushed, and we were in different houses. For us, age didn't matter in our lessons either. We were on the same level of magic anyway: newb. However, we took classes often for students who had experienced 6 past years of magic at Hogwarts. Chiron mentioned something about needing to know more than just basics when we investigate the threat. Hoisting my bag up, I glanced at the textbooks. I can't blow my cover, I reminded myself.

Harry POV:

We had just finished Transfiguration and were heading off to the last class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures which Hagrid taught. Since we wouldn't be taking our NEWTs until the eighth year that Dumbledore added to our Hogwarts education, Hermione, Ron and I were able to add the class to our schedules. It'd be nice spending more time with Hagrid.

Bellatrix is back. The thought came into my mind again, I just couldn't shake the realization out of my head. I was beginning to make out an idea of the events when Colin had come back. Maybe someone's bringing back all the people who had died due to Voldemort's cause, but then Bellatrix. She had died in the battle, but who would want to bring her back? Who was her associate?

Remember. What did it mean? Did it have to do with the sudden transfer of Americans to Hogwarts? I considered again the idea of them being Death Eaters from America, perhaps Bellatrix was telling him to remember where his allegiance lies. If they were Death Eaters though, why would Dumbledore let them come to Hogwarts? Maybe, they were in a similar situation to the one Malfoy was in, who had changed some sort after the war. We were still bitter rivals, but it was different from when Voldemort was around. I looked to the side of me where Ron and Hermione walked in silence, they were probably thinking the same things I was.

"Oi! 'Arry! Ron! Hermione!" I looked up from my musings to see Hagrid waving us over. Today's lesson was near the forbidden forest, a place where students were restricted from entering. It wasn't the first time, a lesson was near the forest, but still, I wondered. "Hello, Hagrid," I said, walking over. He swept me up into his arms and hugged me, "So happy yer in my class again!" He exclaimed.

"Since Dumbledore added an extra year, and was taking things easier I was able to fit it in," I replied, hugging back, "I'm glad about it too."

"Dumbledore, always such a great man," He remarked turning to Ron and Hermione giving them the same hug he gave me. As we waited for the rest of the class to arrive. The three Americans had grouped together, a considerable distance from us as they chatted quietly. I frowned. What were they hiding? I'm overthinking things. I told myself, after all, they probably just want to be with each other during classes like how Hermione, Ron and I are together.

"Gather 'round everyone!" Hagrid called, as the last of the students reached the area. "I've got a treat for you!" I wasn't so sure. Most of the time, things Hagrid considered amazing surprises, weren't the same as what we'd consider them. Although, he had said more or less the same thing during his first lesson in my third year, and the Hippogriffs were really fantastic. "I was actually planning on something else for today's class, but when I encountered this amazin' creature, I knew you'd have to see!" I was starting to get curious.

"Behold!" Hagrid called, and a creature emerged from near where Hagrid was standing. I gawked at it in interest as it stepped out from the shadows of the forbidden forest. It had a strong muscular physique, standing on its hind legs wearing nothing but an underwear. Fur covered most of its body, but the most interesting part was that it looked human, only that it had the head of a bull.