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Chapter Text

Nico wished he could have one date with Will Solace without everything going to Hell, literally.

Paris, with its bustling streets and the smell of pastries in the air.

Nico hated it.

That might sound pessimistic, but it was true.

The day wasn't too hot or too cold, and he was walking with his boyfriend on his promised date.

Really, it was the people.

There. We're. So. Many. People.

But Will seemed to be enjoying it and Nico decided not to complain.

So, he supposed, he wasn't all that upset when he saw the shimmering form of a ghost appear in the entrance of a deserted street.

"Will." Nico whispered, bringing his boyfriend's attention to the ghost.

"Would I be right to suppose that we will now be heading toward the suspiciously transparent figure?" Will deadpanned.

Nico rolled his eyes, and tugged Will over to the empty street.

The ghost appeared as a middle aged man, dressed in formal dress clothes. He didn't appear to be in any pain, despite the gun hole right beside his gut.

Frowning, Nico stepped closer, hand creeping to his sword. Which was, as always, hanging at his belt.

"What do you want?"

The ghost didn't say anything, only extended one hand forward.

With a groan Nico moved to take it before pausing and reaching back for Will.

"He's coming too." It wasn't a question.

Nico Di Angelo took the ghosts hand, apparently corporal, and everything turned into shadows.

°°°

"Hello, father." Nico drawled. Hand still tight around Will's, who was bent over, gasping for breath.

Shadow travelling always did that to his boyfriend. Probably something to do with the lack of sunlight, and his father being the god of the sun.

"Nico." His father, Hades, greeted him with a stern nod, before gesturing beside him to a woman with stern green eyes and obsideeon black hair.

She was definitely a goddess, two unknown animals circling her feet.

"Lady Hecate." Nico realized, bowing low, Will following suit.

"Children, I am glad you could join us." Hecate's voice was inhuman, like a whisper on the wind.

"Please, M'lady, but I don't think we had much of a choice." Nico shrugged.

"Oh, nonsense, there's always a choice. But you," She grinned, "appear to have made the right one."

Nico stiffened and stepped in front of Will, raising his sword slightly in defense.

Will responded by stepping to the side, standing with Nico and not behind him.

"Why are we here Lord Hades?" Will asked.

"I will let Hecate explain." Hades sighed, flicking his hand as if signaling for the goddess to continue.

Hecate scowled at him, but still turned to the boys.

"Yes, well, I am in need of assistance and I believe you two boys will do nicely. Hades and I have a job for you."

Nico groaned internally, why? Just why?

He knew it had been coming, that or advice, but a quest seemed far more likely.

And there it was.

"A quest?" Will asked.

"No, a prophecy has not been issued, we can call it a favor." Nico now hated favors.

"But, and do not take this as a refusal, we cannot do a quest without a prophecy it is against tradition." Nico said, it wasn't a refusal exactly, more like tactical escape.

"Nico," His father sighed again,

"Sorry father, Lady Hecate, but we will be on our way. I'll hopefully never see you again." Nico started to dissolve into shadows, taking Will with him.

Then it just stopped.

"Your not dismissed yet, son, and you can have your prophecy."

"I actually don't want--"

"Will and Nico, the annoying child,
shall go off to Hogwarts
To do their quest
And hopefully do it right." Hades voice was monotoned, bored, as he spoke their prophecy,

"Now, as the prophecy clearly says you two will be sent off to Hogwarts and do the quest. Hecate will explain. Now, listen."

"Do prophecies need to rhyme?" Nico hissed loudly at Will.

"How should I know?" Will hissed back.

"Your dad is the god of prophecies."

"Touché"

"Okay," Hecate clapped her hands together, "So, as the prophecy states you will go to Hogwarts, and do your quest. It's fairly simple--"

"Excuse me for asking," Nico interrupted, ignoring Hecate's glare, "But what is a 'Hogwarts'?"

"It's a school for wizards, where wizard younglings go to use wands and what not. I created it ages ago. To be honest it's been getting a little boring, but they make excellent butterbea-- Anyways, now Voldemort, a wizard, is trying to destroy it, and humans as well, muggles as they call them. Now, this is where you come in. Voldemort is technically supposed to be dead, clearly he isn't, so your job is to kill him. Simple."

Nico squinted at her,

"And how do we kill him?" Hecate pouted, not liking the question.

"Well, he has used a form of wizarding magic called Horcruxes to split his soul into seven fragments. So I suppose you will need to get to those first and destroy them."

"And I guess this is 'simple' too?" Nico drawled, voice heavy with skepticism.

"Exactly! So you'll be going there posing as 5th years, and to make you transition better you will find that you know all the information you need to make plausible 5th years. I also need you to look after three students that will be at the heart of this upcoming war. You will find all the things you need in your cabins when you get back, I will send you off tomorrow at around dinner time. So, be ready."

"Okay, soooo. . . Can we go now?"

"Go on, and get back to your date. Oh! And I know for a fact that the hot chocolate at 'The Cake Shop' in Paris is to die for. I hope you enjoy!"

"Bye." Nico turned to leave when his father called him back.

"Nico, you cannot fail. If you do not just the wizarding world will be at stake."

Chapter Text

*Will's POV*

Let's just say, after that, neither Nico or Will were in the mood for Paris.

"Can we go back now?" Nico asked, Will agreed feverishly.

°°°

Appearing in the Hades cabin Nico stumbled against Will exhausted from the shadow travelling.

"Okay, death boy, its way past your bed time, you need sleep. We'll have a busy day tomorrow."

Nico huffed something against Will's chest that sounded sort of like,

"Mmmuhph, okay mom." Will grinned,

"It's daddy to you." Nico looked up at him frowning,

"Wha--nevermind." He sighed, once again falling against Will.

"Yes, see how quick your agreeing with me." Will chirped. Leading Nico over to his bed, and setting him down.

When Nico was laying in his bed Will turned heading toward the door.

"Stay?" Nico mumbled, Will turned considering.

On one hand if he stayed Austin or Kayla were liable to find out which would end in countless hours of teasing.

On the other hand . . .

Well, it was Nico.

"Sure, Sunshine." Will crawled in bed next to his boyfriend, engulfing him in his arms before they both fell asleep.

°°°

*Nico's POV*

He hadn't noticed the two black packs at the foot of his bed the night before.

Now, after Will shook him awake and left to get them both breakfast, Nico sat on his bed sorting through the bag labeled "Nico Di' Angelo" It wasn't much, some Unicorn drought, Ambrosia, drachmas, a bag of weird coins, and a note with more "detailed" instructions.

Will came back laden with two plates of scrambled eggs, strawberries, and bacon, handing one to Nico he sat down opposite his boyfriend and started eating.

"After we're both done eating I think we should head down to the canoe lake, there's that one spot I want to visit again, along the forest edge that we saw a few days ago, remember?" Will asked, between bites.

"Okay, fine, but we need to tell Chiron first about the quest thing, before we, you know, dissapear off the face of the earth." Nico nodded.

Will rolled his eyes at Nico's dramatics,

"It's only England, Sunshine." Nico grimaced,

"Is there a difference?"

°°°

Sometimes Nico wished that the days would last longer, that way he could have spent longer then a few hours alone with Will.

But alas. Apollo apparently wanted to get off early.

Dinner time seemed to creep up on them.

The sun setting.

Until Nico and Will realized they were no longer at Camp Half-blood.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

A dirty old pub is not the place Nico would chose to randomly appear without any forewarning.

But, to be fair, Nico would prefer to just NOT appear or disappear without forewarning.

But Hecate, it seems, thinks differently.

"Hello, we're looking for a Diagon Alley?" Will asked the person behind the bar off of the slip of paper that had been in Nico's bag.

It was the first address, the second one was probably a house or something, maybe the school. Nico had no idea.

"You look a little old for first years, don'tcha?" The barman said with his ruff voice.

"Ahhh, we're exchange students, sir, and a little lost as well." Will smiled charmingly, it was from his dad's side. Nico stood a back, arms crossed and scowled at the man.

"Yep yep, just back here." The barman came out from around the counter and moved toward a door, opening it up to show them a chilly courtyard.

"Over here now." The gruff man directed them over the the far wall and took out . . . A stick? Nico shook his head, and looked again. Yes, it was a stick. Maybe this guy was going to attack them.

He wouldn't last very long with just a stick though. He was a idiot if he thought he could.

Nico's hand crept toward his sword, hidden, he supposed, by the mist.

Then the barman did the strangest thing, he laid the stick against the wall and tapped it. 3 times.

Both Will and Nico were gawking at him now, the man just chuckled.

"You've never heard of Diagon Alley? The Leaky Cauldron is famous you 'know." Nico could practically see his chest puff with pride. He was going to roll his eyes but froze when the wall started to disappear.

Almost as if the wall was folding in on itself forming a archway.

"What?" Will stammered. The barman grinned as if anticipating their reactions,

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, boys."

°°°

Nico wasn't entirely sure what to think.

The so called Diagon Alley was very interesting, with lots to look at. But then again, there were even more people then in Paris.

Nico definitely didn't like that part.

Which was why he didn't argue when Will carefully slipped his hand into Nico's, thanking the barman, and ignoring the weird look their joined hands were getting.

The first stop on their list was a book shop, Flowers and Bolts Books or something like that.

Book shopping was hard, neither he or Will could read the titles they needed and had to ask the skeptical shop boy, who seemed to think he was above Nico and Will because he didn't have dyslexia.

That interaction hadn't gone well.

"Nico, what did I tell you, no underworld magic." Will scolded as he dragged Nico back out of the shop, yelling coming from behind them.

"The guy deserved it." Nico argued.

"I--" Will sighed, "Just, don't do it again, you can't turn into Nico Shadow goo on me, you need to keep yourself alive, remember."

"Let's just get our shopping done."

°°°

They was a store to buy sticks.

To say Nico was confused would be a understatement.

That is until he realized these were wands, the things Hecate had mentioned. They let the wizards do magic. A old man ushered them into the store, talking about wands and what the best combinations did.

Nico might have zoned out, he might not have, who knows.

Then the man was handing Will a stick, no wand after wand. They didn't seem to do anything, until one created a fountain of light that seemed to shoot out of the tip and twist around Nico who, in character, tried his best to escape it.

The man chuckled,

"I believe this is the one." Nico blushed, before realizing the man meant the wand.

Will, apparently had heard it as Nico had since he was also blushing.

"Ashwood and unicorn hair, very nice, very nice." The man continued, oblivious to their reactions,

"Your turn, my boy."

All the wands felt dead and lifeless in Nico's hand. Like he was carrying a rock, or something of kind. It wasn't until the old man placed a cool (temperature wise) grey wand in Nico's hand and the room instantly got colder.

As it sometimes does when he lost control of his powers. But it wasn't him, or at least his demigod powers, that was the cause of the sudden drop in temperature.

"Interesting, interesting," The man mused, "Dragon heartstring and Aspen, a very strong combination, I suspect you will be very powerful, my son." Nico just glared.

°°°

Number 12, Grimmauld Place. That's all the note said now, the rest seemed to have disappeared.

This was mildly annoying, what if he wanted to go back and check something!?

But at least they knew they were on the right track.

"Mister Doctor Sir?" Nico said, smiling sweetly up at his boyfriend, mockingly, " Do you, maybe, I don't know, think it's okay for me to, you know Shadow travel us to the place we need to go. I mean it might not be necessary but--"

"Just go ahead, Neeks." Will said with a long suffering sigh. Nico winked, "Okay Doctor Solace," awarded with Will's fierce blush before pulling them both into shadows.

Chapter Text

They landed in a dark hall, a damp rotting smell creating the urge to cover his nose and mouth with his shirt.

Nico stumbled, Will managing to catch the smaller boy in time but not before a lamp or umbrella stand crashed to the ground.

Both demigods froze, clinging to each other in a supposed entry way.

Until a voice called out,

"Who's there?"

Nico could feel them, in the darkness, the shadows, his domain.

There were four, two men and two girls. All seemingly pointing wands at them.

Slowly, Nico formed a barrier around him and Will out of the shadows, protecting them in case the four tried anything.

"We were told you knew we were coming," Will stammered, indeed the note had said that, "That you were expecting us, I'm Will Solace, and this is Nico, the exchange students?"

Nico could feel them lower the wands, slightly. But one dropped hers completely and rushed forward.

She was a kindly looking woman, though admittedly stressed, with bright red hair and freckles.

"I'm Molly Weasley, dears, you can call me Molly, Dumbledore told us you would be coming, he just didn't say when." She tried to give them a hug, but Nico casually stepped to the side.

"It's nice to meet you." Will said, graciously excepting the hug.

"Molly," Reprimanded one of the men with a gruff voice, "That was daft."

"Oh Moody, you know as well as I do that Dumbledore warned us of their arrival." Molly turned to the voice, where a hunched over man loomed.

He was glaring at Will and Nico with a normal and glass eye. His face was scarred, and the glint in his eye of someone who had seen death countless times.

Subtly Nico strengthened his barriers, having let them fall when Molly had came closer.

He had realized it would probably look strange if she couldn't come within a meter of them and was blocked seemingly by shadows.

Hecate's note had been very clear on this point:

Do not, under any circumstances let a wizard discover your identity of a Demigod, they know nothing of the Mythical World.

"Hello I'm Tonks!" A green haired girl bounded forward, but didn't try to touch them, which was good, she wouldn't have been able to with Nico's shields. "Now, be honest, do you think greens my colour? I was thinking purple--"

"They are probably tired, how about you ask them for fashion advice later, Tonks." The last person said, also stepping forward.

Nico's shield might as well have been made from iron now.

The man, ragged looking, had long knotted hair and a gaunt face. He might have been handsome once, but starvation had clearly lessened his appearance.

"You can call me Sirius, and--" But the starved looking man was cut off when another man ran into the room waving a piece of paper in the air like it was on fire.

"We need to get a move on! According to Dumbledore the Ministry is heading to Harry's house now! To destroy his wand!"

After that the hall broke into chaos, Nico and Will apparently forgotten.

There was shouting and multiple owls flying in and out of the hall, apparently delivering letters to and from number 12, Grimmauld Place. Someone started shrieking at the top of their lungs causing Nico to start and grab ahold of Will's hand.

It wasn't until a owl almost flew straight into Will when Mrs. Weasley grabbed them both by the collar, Nico nearly drawing his sword at the sudden contact, and bringing them deeper into the house.

"I'm sorry about that, boys, I'll have Ron and Hermione show you your rooms, everything should have calmed down by morning."

"Mom?" Another voice, younger, echoed down the staircase and a red headed, lanky boy appeared, quickly followed by a bushy, browned haired girl, who was holding her place in a book with her finger.

"Ron, Hermione, this is Will and Nico, they will be staying with us until school starts. They're the new exchange students we told you about. Can you show them their room, I'm sure it won't be much of a hassle, your rooms are right besides theirs." Molly said sweetly.

"Ya, sure, but, mom? What's with all the yelling?" The red headed one, Ron, asked.

"Oh that, nothing, just last minute preparations, Harry will be arriving soon, Moody, Tonks, Lupin, and the others are going to fetch him now."

"Wait wh--" Ron started.

"Nevermind that now, show Nico and Will their room, off you go now." Mrs. Weasley shooed them up the stairs, before disappearing back into the hall.

"Maybe if we get Fred and George first we might be able to hear what--"

"Ron!" The bushy haired girl cut in, "You heard your mother, we need to show Will and Nico their rooms."

"But--" Ron was cut off by a glare before sighing and gesturing behind him, "Come'on."

°°°

They were led, albeit reluctantly, into a relatively cozy bedroom with two beds pushed to opposite ends with one joined wardrobe between the two beds.

"So, what school did you guys go to before coming here?" Hermione asked, "Not in England, surely, you don't have the accent."

"Oh, um, no," Will supplied, obviously at a loss of what to say.

Nico rolled his eyes and supplied an excuse,

"It was this sort of boarding school, I say boarding school in the loosest sense possible, it was more of a camp. With different groups seperated into cabins."

"Sort of like Hogwarts's houses then." Ron put in.

"Houses?" Will asked.

"Blimey, you really don't know anything then, about Hogwarts, I mean?" Ron was utterly flabbergasted.

Hermione sighed, "There are four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I suppose because you'll be new this year you'll be sorted with the first years, but I don't think I have ever read anything about exchange students I don't suppose--"

"You don't want to be in Slytherin, mate," Ron cut Hermione off, "All the evil wizards were in Slytherin, they're all evil."

"Why are they all evil?" Will asked, genuinely curious.

"They all practice dark magic, it's creepy." Rob shuddered for emphasis.

The room seemed to get colder, and Nico began to feel his anger rise toward the red head.

Will, obviously sensing this put a hand on Nico's shoulder. As if telling him Calm down, I'm here, lean on me.

Ron looked like he was about to say something when they heard a a thud from a nearby room.

"Harry!" Hermione cried excitedly, rushing out of the room, Ron following quickly after her.

Will and Nico were left alone in the room, staring around them.

Trunks had appeared at the feet of both beds, filled with what Nico supposed was all the school supplies they had bought.

At the time he hadn't noticed it, being as how he had been faced with four unnamed wizards pointing highly dangerous sticks at them, but all their school supplies had disappeared when they had shadow travelled.

Upon opening a trunk Nico discovered that, yes, all their buying's were now in the trunk, minus the backpacks which lay on their beds.

"Do you think we should. . . " Will trailed off when they heard shouting coming from a nearby room.

"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU?"

Nico had already drawn his sword, not really processing the words being shouted, just the sound of raised voices, letting his instincts guide him.

"WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"

Nico skidded around the corner, and stopped, taking in the situation quickly.

Ron and Hermione were watching another kid, this one with black hair and green eyes that reminded Nico starkly of a certain Percy Jackson.

Great, Nico thought bitterly, Just what I need, another Percy.

The Percy Jackson look alike was the one yelling,

"BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME WHATS HAPPENING?" Nico's ears were started to ring with the shouting so he casually stepped in,

"If you continue yelling like that your not going to be able to talk for a week. Do you need a cough drop? I'm sure Will has one on him, somewhere. . ."

This effectively stopped Percy 2.0 who was now gaping at Nico, and Will who had came up behind his boyfriend.

"Who--who--" Black-hair-green-eyes spluttered, Such a Percy move.

Nico sighed, "Who am I?" Well, I could ask you the same thing."

"Harry! We were trying to tell you! This is Nico and Will, they're exchange students, and apparently will be helping Dumbledore with something with the Order."

This last bit was news to Nico, who had to resist saying We are, are we?

"Oh," Said Percy's twin, "Uh, sorry about that."

The Percy doppelganger blushed sheepishly, "I'm not usually like that, it's, uh, been a weird day,"

"Isn't it always," Will joked, shaking the boy's hand, "I'm Will, and this," He gestured at Nico, "Is my boyfriend, Nico."

"What?" Ron cried, head whipping back and forth between the two demigods. His face incredulous.

"Oh, I'm sorry did you not understand Will? My name is Nico." Nico said, punctuating each word, keeping his face carefully blank.

"But! Boys can't date boys!" Ron cried, face twisting in confusion.

Nico glowered at him, trying not to flinch.

Will casually slipped his hand in Nico's and squeezed tightly.

"You'll find, Ronald, that it is entirely possible." Will said calmly, still smiling, though not as bright.

Ron still looked very confused but the Percy cut-out smiled at them both, though hesitantly,
"Nice to meet you, I'm Harry Potter."

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

Two loud cracks broke through the silence after Harry introduced himself.

It looked as if Hermione had been about to say something, but it turned into a scream as two more red heads appeared directly infront of Nico.

Who had, of course, drawn his sword.

"What the ha--" Will stumbled back, nearly taking Nico with him, since he had wrapped his hand around Nico's, who stumbled as well. But managed to stay upright.

Hastily Nico shove his sword away seeing no immediate threat.

"Stop doing that!" Hermione cried to the two red heads, who looked similar to Ron, but broader and shorter.

"Who are you two?" Nico asked, resisting the urge to save his sword in their faces, just to point out that if he hadn't been quicker at realizing he wasn't being attacked the two of them would probably have been skewered.

"Who are you?" Said one, looking between Nico and Will.

"We're the new exchange students," Will spoke up, stepping forward to shake the boy's hand.

Nico watched warily, eyeing their, presently empty, hands.

"Ahh," said the other one, "The new exchange students, Nicolas and William." He grinned at them.

"It's Nico and Will," Nico corrected, basically snarling, annoyed at how they had almost made him blow his cover.

"Well we," said the one that had talked first proudly, "Are Fred and George Weasley!" Finished the other.

"Great, great." Nico brushed them off, too tired to think of a snappy comeback.

"Now that the screaming is over?" Nico phrased this as a question, looking over at Harry suspiciously,

"Ya." Harry nodded, blushing slightly.

"Will and I are going back to our room, preferably to sleep" Nico grumbled dragging Will with them who bid a hasty goodbye to the wizards.

"You two passed your Apparition tests, then?" Nico heard Harry ask, supposedly to the two red heads, Fred and George, who were, also, evidently, twins, before he closed the door blocking out their conversation and made his way back over to his and Will's room. Will following behind.

°°°

Nico and hoped that maybe being in a different magical community the nightmares wouldn't haunt him, or at least be lessened.

But no, that night they came in full force.

He was in Tartures again.

The body of a god stretching long before him. The air stung his lungs, as if it was really made of the shards of glass he was walking on. It was as if the very air was cutting away at his flesh.

He had just been ambushed by about a dozen empousai and had only just managed to cut them all down. But now he was bleeding.

And it burned.

As if his blood was turning to fire.

Then he was standing in the ruins of a building, Bianca crying beside him,

"Take them away"

"I HATE YOU!" Nico cried, throwing away one of the causes of Bianca's death.

The other was standing right in front of him, looking at a lose to do.

Percy Jackson, with his dark black hair and sea green eyes.

The very first demigod Nico had seen in action.

He was Nico's favourite game, Mythomagic, brought to life.

How much he hated him.

How much he hated himself.

Cupid telling him again and again that he was weak,

"Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone."

"Nico! Nico!" The sweet voice woke him up, drenched in sweat, throat sore from screaming.

Then Nico was sobbing, the person wrapped they're arms around him, squeezing tight.

"It's okay, it's okay, your safe, your safe." The person repeated the mantra over and over again, as if saying it again would make it come true.

Nico doubted it.

He was never safe.

He didn't deserve to feel safe.

He was disgusting.

A monster.

"Nico! I know what your thinking, and your wrong. You are perfect. And nothing is or ever was wrong with you. You are Nico Di Angelo and you are loved."

"Will?" Nico croaked into the other's shirt, now soaked through with tears.

"Yes, my love?"

"I didn't wake up anyone else, did I?" Will gave a sad little chuckle.

"No, I don't think you did, but even so, it's nothing to worry over. You've been through so much, and that, I think, gives you the right to scream as much as you want."

Nico laughed as well, though it sounded more like a turtle dying then anything.

"I love you." Nico felt another tear slip down his cheek.

"I love you too, now go back to sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow." Will ordered.

"Will you stay with me?" The smaller boy asked weakly.

"Always."

°°°

Nico woke up the next morning, with his arms and legs wrapped around the older boy in his bed.

He flushed, before quickly untangling himself and making his way downstairs.

He could hear more yelling but this time he didn't draw his sword.

They must do a lot of yelling around here, Nico thought glumly.

He really didn't like the yelling.

"WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!"

Nico made it to the entryway, vividly brighter then it had been when Nico had first seen it.

By the door, with a large sack by his feet was a stumpy sort of man that smelled of stale whiskey so strong that Nico could smell him from the door.

"AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING STOLEN CAULDRONS INTO THE HOUSE--"

"Who are you?" The man asked, spotting Nico and directing Mrs. Weasley's anger away from himself.

"Oh! Good afternoon, Nico," Mrs. Weasley chirped, still slightly red in the face from yelling, "You missed dinner last night, you and Will must be starving! You two must have horrible jetlag it's almost noon. I'll be with you in a moment, but for now there's some cake and sandwiches in the kitchen. I just need to deal with this." She waved her hand at the man, who grunted and eyed Nico warily.

Nico studied him.

He supposed the man must be welcome here, to not have at least 4 wands pointed at him like he and Will had upon their arrival, or at least expected.

Nico thought, thinking back to Mrs. Weasley's yelling, probably not entirely welcomed.

With a shrug Nico made his way into what he assumed was the kitchen, occupied by cupboards and what looked like a stove.

Of course the biggest giveaway was the huge tray, that was positioned precariously on the edge of a counter, loaded with sandwiches and cake.

Looking at the food Nico was reminded of his nightmare and the taste of glass in his throat.

Suddenly he wasn't hungry.

"Good morning." Will stumbled downstairs, the jetlag probably effecting him more since it was around 9 at night back at home.

Which was normally when Will went to bed.

His sleep schedule was focused on the schedule of his father. When the sun disappeared Will would go to sleep and when it rose Will was up.

So, right now Will would be fast asleep.

Nico's sleeping schedule was more fluid. If he even slept at all. Maybe the jetlag did effect him and he just didn't notice. As used to being tired as he was.

It was a sad thought.

But Nico pushed it from his mind with a snort at the disheveled appearance of his boyfriend.

"Afternoon, actually." He corrected.

"What?" Will said, still groggy from lack of sleep, which was ridiculous since he had gotten at least 19 hours of it.

"It's about 2 in the day. Here," Nico said, pushing the tray toward Will, "Mrs. Weasley said to eat something, we skipped dinner."

Still bleary eyed Will reached for two sandwiches and started eating. When he was on his third he noticed Nico hadn't eaten anything.

"You should eat too." Nico shook his head,
"Not hungry."

The blonde boy frowned, "Is this about your nightmare?"

When Nico nodded Will walked over and enveloped the black haired boy in a hug.

"Your safe, your safe, Nico." He was going to cry again as Will smoothed down his hair, with no avail.

"Okay, you don't need to eat a lot, but we'll do small amounts okay. For now just start with this." Will said, handing Nico a bit of his sandwich.

Slowly Nico raised the sandwich to his mouth, stomach turning from just looking at the food.

He was going to be sick.

"Nico, Nico, it's okay, breath out and in." Will said calmly, rubbing his lower back.

"Don't focus on your stomach or the food, focus on my voice, okay?" Nico nodded.

"So, I'm wondering what Hogwarts will be like, we still don't have any more details on our quest. We just know we need to kill this guy, which is super vague." Will laughed, and Nico bit into the sandwich.

It wasn't as bad as he thought, but the nausea was still there.

"Good, that's good, do you think you can eat more?" Nico nodded, taking another bit and forced it down.

"Okay, personally I can't wait for school to start, I think it'll really be interesting. I wonder what house we'll be in. I'll have to ask Hermione how that all works she didn't get to explain it all. I'm sure there's some characteristics you need for each house or something or else it would just seem too random, you know?" Will's voice was successfully distracting him, and Nico had finished his sandwich without throwing up.

He was still hungry, but didn't want to take another sandwich for fear of seeming greedy.

Thankfully Will sensed this and grabbed another one and handed it to Nico.

"You can eat more, Neeks, if you want to, your probably starving."

"Thanks." Nico mumbled around his sandwich.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked, worriedly.

"Fine."

"Nico," Will warned.

"Fine, I'm still feeling a little sick but not as much as before. And I feel exhausted. But that's normal. I am fine, Will." His boyfriend frowned, but eventually sighed in defeat as Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Will. Is it okay for me to take the food up to the others they were just dealing with Doxys, nasty little devils, you can come up as well if you wish."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." Nico said politely.

°°°

*Will's POV*

The next few days were filled with Mrs. Weasley directing them to clean up the house.

She tried to tell him and Nico that they didn't need to help, and that they should focus on recovering from their journey.

But they always refused, helping whenever it was needed.

They still hadn't heard anything about their quest and the days seemed to take forever to pass.

It wasn't until Harry had left for his trial, because apparently he had preformed magic which wasn't allowed for someone underaged and infront of a human (his cousin), that Will and Nico heard something.

Harry had been gone for a while, and everyone was tense. With Sirius pacing the kitchen for the hundredth time and Mrs. Weasley busying herself with making her fifth batch of cookies. Making it incredibly hot in the kitchen.

This caused Nico and Will to sit in the newly cleaned parlor with the twins, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, Ron's younger sister.

The others were playing a strange game with exploding cards, they called it Exploding Snakes or something. But Will could tell no one was really paying attention, jumping at every small noise and glancing toward the entryway.

When the doorbell rang everyone practically rocketed to their feet and peered around the corner as Mrs. Weasley practically ran to the front door.

When she opened the door it wasn't Harry standing there, but instead a very old man with a long white beard.

Everyone started asking questions.

"Dumbledore!?"

"Where's Harry?"

"What happened?"

"Did Harry get off?"

"Children!" Mrs. Weasley cried, "So sorry, Dumbledore, were all a little tense. I suppose your here about the hearing, how did it go?"

"My apologies, Molly," The old man spoke in a gravely voice, "I am just here to speak with Nico and Will for a moment then I'll be out of your hair."

Nico tensed besides Will, probably sizing up the possible threat.

"Come on boys," Molly ushered them back into the dinning room, shutting the door behind Dumbledore, "we'll let you speak in private, then."

The old man, Dumbledore, turned to Will and Nico, "Molly is a good woman. Now, children, from how I understand it you two are here on a mission."

"It depends who's asking." Nico glared.

"I am," Dumbledore said cheerily, "I thought that was rather obvious."

"Yes we're on a quest." Will put in before Nico could do something rash, "Though we weren't really told exactly what we are doing."

"Oh yes! That's because that's my job." Dumbledore took a seat in one of the many wooden chairs surrounding the table. "Take a seat and I'll explain."

Will sat, and slowly Nico did as well, eyes never leaving Dumbledore.

"About a year ago I discovered something that would put the wizarding world in grave danger but it is also information that could save it, if used properly. You see, boys, I discovered that the Wizarding World's greatest enemy, Voldemort, decided to split his soul."

"Into seven pieces," Nico mumbled besides Will.

Dumbledore looked surprised, he hadn't known this.

"I never-- I mean, I suspected, but." He rambled to himself. "This, this is so much worse."

"We already know about the Horcruxs," Nico snapped, "And we know we are here to destroy them, what we don't know is what the Horcruxes are. I can sense them, all of them, but there is strong magic surrounding each. Some more then others. I need to know how to destroy them and someone to get them since wizarding magic was made to protect them I'll need wizarding magic to get to them."

"Well," Dumbledore said slowly, thinking, "I would hazard a guess to say that Voldemort would have chosen very particular items to hide his soul. As a child he would collect trinkets from his excursions, I suspect this has not changed. One has already been destroyed, his childhood diary that Harry stabbed with a Basilisk Fang in his second year. The others . . . I have ideas, none of them substantial, unfortunately."

"What are they?" Nico asked.

"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Your 'un-substantial' ideas, what are they?" Will's boyfriend's voice was cold.

"I believe that Tom Riddle, Voldemort's original name, wanted to make at least 4 of his Horcruxes four objects of the four Hogwarts founders. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Rowena Ravenclaw. Fortunately we know that he failed to make at least one of them, Gryffindor's sword. But I suspect he managed to obtain the other three."

"So that's 4," Nico counted, "What about the other 3?"

"As I said before Voldemort was sentimental, or at least proud. This leads me to think he also created a Horcrux relating to his family. The other two, I believe are much more complicated."

"Complicated how?" Will asked hesitantly.

"I believe, and now, you mustn't tell anyone this, that the last two Horcruxes are living things."

When neither Nico nor Will reacted to this new information Dumbledore continued, "His snake, Nagini and," Dumbledore was barely whispering now, only moving his lips,
"Harry Potter."

°°°

When Harry came back with Mr. Weasley everyone went into an uproar.

Fred, George and Ginny began dancing while yelling:
"He got off, he got off, he got off. . ."

While everyone tried to talk over them. Harry, Will remarked, still looked a little sick, probably post nerves, but he was smiling.

Will sat at the table, with Nico staring distantly off into nowhere. Not even picking at his food.

"Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast." Mrs. Weasley chirped.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat themselves down opposite Will and Nico, both flanking Harry like guards.

"Congratulations." Will said, for both him and Nico, since Nico didn't seem able to do anything more then stare at nothing for the moment.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked around mouthfuls of mashed potato, swinging his fork at Nico and sending potatoes everywhere.

"Honestly, Ron." Hermione sighed, grabbing the red headed boy's fork before it too went flying, "Have some manners."

"Sorry," Ron grunted, his mouth full.

Harry let out a choked laugh and Hermione just groaned.

"But what is wrong with him?" Ron asked again, this time without the fork.

"Oh, huh I think he's just distracted." Will said absently, truth be told he was also distracted, thinking about what they would have to do.

"Is it about what Dumbledore came to talk to you two about?" Hermione asked, at this Harry spun to face them.

"Dumbledore! Dumbledore was here!"
"Ya mate, I suspect he came here right after you got off." Ron answered his friend provoking a scowl from Harry.

"How come he spoke to you. He didn't even look at me during my hearing." He seethed.

Everyone shuffled uncomfortable, other then Nico, who still wasn't paying attention.

Luckily, they were all saved from the awkward silence by Mrs. Weasley roaring
"SHUT UP!" As Ginny, Fred, and George's chant grew deafening.

°°°

"He's too happy," Nico grumbled, "I don't trust him."

They were sitting on the edge of one of their beds, Nico playing with Will's fingers as he spoke.

Nico had been silent for the rest of the day, not really paying attention to anything going on around him.

Now everyone was in bed and it was okay to talk.

Will thought he might have to drag it out of his boyfriend, about what was bothering him, but surprisingly Nico started talking first.

"Hey!" Will protested, "I'm happy." Nico blushed.

"Ya, but your different." Now Will was red as well.

"So, do you want to talk about--"

"No! I don't, unless you do, because if you want me to I will, Will."

"Why don't you want to talk about it?" Nico paused as if thinking about it.

"Because I--" He blushed, "I just want one normal night with my boyfriend. We can talk about everything tomorrow." Will felt himself smirk.

"Well I think we can arrange that, don't you?" Nico grinned.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

The day they were to go to Hogwarts was a frantic one. They would be having a guard, supposedly to protect Harry.

A few days before, everyone had received letters attached to a owl with their school lists attached.

Ron and Hermione had gotten badges that Harry didn't look very happy about.

Mrs. Weasley, however, treated it like a big deal and Nico was extremely confused until Harry, reluctantly, explained to him what a 'Prefect' was.

"People who are picked for their good grades and stuff to do things like uphold the rules and shepherd first years."

Actually even after Nico knew what it was he still didn't get what all the fuss was about.

Both Nico and Will sat at the dinning room table calmly eating breakfast, or Will was, Nico couldn't stomach food after he had woken up screaming during the night three times.

He knew if he tried to eat it would just come right back up.

Instead, Will settled for him just drinking orange juice.

Which was exactly what Nico was doing when Ginny fell down the stairs with two trunks in tow.

He tried not to laugh as Mrs. Weasley started shrieking at the twins, "-COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS-"

"Do you think we should get our trunks ready to leave?" Will asked, Nico rolled his eyes.

"I already sent them ahead, they'll be there when we arrive."

Will spit out his milk, "You used underworld magic!" He whispered, outraged.

Nico knew that if they presently were not trying to keep their demigodyness a secret Will would be yelling as loud as Mrs. Weasley.

"No Will, I kicked them all the way to Hogwarts." He said, voice dripping sarcasm.

"How are you feeling?" Will said, jumping up and placing a hand on Nico's forehead, which he promptly swatted away.

"Like a Demigod drinking orange juice, thanks for asking." Nico said sarcastically, punctuating his sentence with a long sip of his drink.

Will scowled at him until Nico shrugged, "I'm fine, it wasn't hard, just a flick of my wrist and poof, gone."

This caused Will to groan in exasperation.

"I bet that's what you said when you agreed to carrying a 40 foot statue." Nico huffed.

"I'm pretty sure I just said that I would do it. And it was actually 38 feet, not 40." Will rolled his eyes.

"Same difference, now drink some of this." He handed his boyfriend a water bottle of unicorn drought.

When Nico was about to protest Will held up one finger.

"Don't."

Still grumbling Nico took a swig of the drink, it tasted like the tea his mother used to make, and handed it back to Will.

"There. I'm fine. Peachy. Let's go now."

°°°

They arrived at King's Cross on foot.

Sirius scaring cats along the way in the form of a giant black dog. When they were in the station they stood between the numbers 9 and 10.

"Okay let's go." Mrs. Weasley commanded marching everyone toward a very substantial brick wall.

Will and Nico stopped staring in obvious confusion.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione noticed and stopped as well.

"You just need to walk in, it doesn't hurt." Hermione reassured them.

"You want us," Nico said, pointing toward him and Will, "to walk into a wall, on purpose?"

The three wizards smiled knowingly at each other.

"If your scared you can run through," Harry offered, causing Nico to scoff.

"Why should I be scared?" Indeed he had basically taught himself to shadow travel by running into walls.

A brick column was not as scary as Tartarus.

It would have to try a lot harder to scare him.

Harry looked like he was going to say something to reassure Nico, probably something about it was okay to be scared.

Nico snorted at the thought.

Like this Percy Jackson knock-off had any idea what real fear was.

He watched as the twins disappeared into the wall.

Mrs. Weasley waiting for everyone else, gesturing for them to hurry as Ginny followed the twins.

Rolling his eyes at the estranged look of the wizards Nico walked casually up to the wall, and, as if he had done it hundreds of times, slipped right in.

°°°

With Ron and Hermione off to go do prefect duties Nico, Will, Ginny and Harry set off to find a compartment.

In the very last carriage they ran across a round, blonde haired boy who seemed to recognize Ginny and Harry.

"Hi, Harry," he painted, "Hi, Ginny. . . every where's full. . . I can't find a seat. . . "

He hadn't seemed to have noticed Nico and Will yet, which, in all honesty, was fine by Nico.

"Hello," Will said, extending his hand, "I'm Will Solace." The blonde boy looked disconcerted for minute before shaking Will's hand and smiling.

"Neville Longbottom."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny said, having squeezed past Neville to look into the compartment behind him. "There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here-"

Neville mumbled some nonsense about not wanting to disturb anyone and after reassuring Neville that this Loony girl was indeed all right Ginny opened the compartment and pulled her trunk inside.

"Hi, Luna, is it OK if we take these seats?" Nico startled, then felt his face heat with embarrassment.

He had thought her name was Loony, but now, realized it was a mean nickname.

He felt ashamed of himself for even thinking . . .

"Nico? Nico, it's okay," Will said, basically reading his mind, "it's fine, everything's okay."

Nico nodded mutely and followed the others into the compartment just in time to hear Ginny say, "Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," said the girl, Luna.

"That reminds me," Will spoke up, " What are the school houses, I mean, I know their names, but what do you have to do to be in each one?"

"Oh!" Hermione piped up, poking her head in, Ron right behind her, "I forgot you two don't know that yet. So Gryffindors have the common traits of courage, nerve, and bravery. Ravenclaw is intelligence, learning, and wit. Hufflepuff is loyalty, hard work, and patience. And Slytherin is cunning, resourcefulness, and leadership."

"You don't want to be in Slytherin, mate," added Ron.

"You already told them that, idiot." Said Hermione smacking him on the arm.

As Hermione and Ron continued to bicker, the conversation drifted away from Nico and Will.

"I don't think I caught your name." Said Neville politely to Nico eventually, leaning over toward the demigods.

"That's because I didn't give it." Nico said back, just as politely.

"This is Nico." Will said with a long suffering sigh, "And he's not always like this, he's just anxious."

"No I'm not!" Nico protested loudly, "And I am always like this."

But he was anxious, just a little bit.

"So how do you get sorted?" He asked the question that had been floating around in his mind since Hermione had listed the attributes of each house.

How did they decide if someone was brave or cunning?

"You put on the sorting hat," Neville started to explain, "Then it looks into your memories, so you see them too, to see which house you fit best."

(I don't actually know if this is how the sorting hat works, but I'm doing it this way for the plot of the story.)

Nico almost wished he hadn't asked.

He started tapping his foot, and felt his pupils dilate as he started to panic.

He couldn't look back into his memories, he would lose it.

Nico could feel himself starting to lose it now.

This was not going to go well.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

It did not go well.

That was certainly one way to say it.

But we're not quite at that part of the story yet . . .

°°°

Nico had been trying not to think about the robes.

Obviously he had bought them, but he had really tried not to think much about them.

They were big and bulky and possibly one of the most impractical things Nico had ever worn.

Not accounting for that one time when he had stupidly let Percy dare him to. . .

But that is a story for another time.

Unfortunately, they eventually had to change into their school robes, Nico making noises of discomfort while he and Will changed in an empty compartment. The fabric was itchy, and felt uncomfortable against his skin.

"Do we honestly have to wear these?" Nico complained to Will, who looked equally unhappy about the clothing situation.

"It's not like there's much of a choice, and they are all black." Will pouted causing Nico to snort.

"That was, like, the only thing I didn't mind about them."

"Why am I not surprised?"

°°°

After what seemed like days the train finally hissed to a stop and Nico practically bolted off, Will not that far behind.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could have stood it, being stuck in that tiny compartment any longer.

The air slowly turning stuffy.

You could call him claustrophobic.

Nico just said he 'had an intense hatred for anything even remotely resembling a bronze jar.'

Will called it PTSD.

It all meant the same thing to Nico: he didn't like being stuck in a train compartment for hours on end.

The other students started filing off the train and Will grabbed Nico, pulling him over to the side, hugging the smaller boy to him.

Trying to comfort his very highly strung up boyfriend by running soft kisses along the hair at the nape of his neck.

Eventually Nico's heartbeat slowed to a appropriate rate and together they went to look for Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

It wasn't very hard, to be honest, they just needed to follow the pointed stares and whispers about a certain lighting scar boy.

"Where's Hagrid?" They heard Harry ask, when they caught up to them.

"I don't know," said Ginny, "and where did the exchange students go to?"

"They ran off practically as soon as the train stopped," answered Hermione, "Nico looked like he had seen a ghost."

"But, honestly," Nico cut in, talking over their shoulders, "is it that hard, I mean I know I don't have the best tan." Hermione blushed.

"Where did you guys go to?" Ginny asked, "You disappeared."

"That's my specialty," Nico winked at Will who rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Death Boy. Will chided, dragging Nico after Harry, and the others who were heading, he guessed, to the carriages that would take them to Hogwarts.

What Nico did not expect when they got closer to the dark shapes, that were the carriages, was a strong aura of death surrounding them.

"Will?" Nico stumbled, "Oh gods, the death, it's like. . . Oh gods." He had never felt anything like this before.

"Nico!" Will cried out as Nico's legs crumpled beneath him.

°°°

Nico awoke moments later, first noticing Will leaning over him and the cool liquid slipping down his throat, unicorn draught probably.

"Stop, stop! I'm fine."

"You sure mate," that was Ron, he, Harry, and Hermione had all gathered around Nico as well, "you just collapsed. What happened?"

"I--" at first Nico didn't remember, but then he felt it again, the strong aura of death, "ugh, it's still there."

When Will continued to look concerned Nico pushed him aside and stood up.

Dusting off his pants and ignoring the way his vision turned into black spots as the blood drained from his head.

"There, I'm fine. Let's go." He was curious to discover what the death aura was.

Anyways, it didn't seem dangerous, just strong.

He knew exactly what it was as soon as he saw the skeletal horses attached to the carriages.

"They're beautiful." He murmured, hurrying forward.

Now that he was used to the strong aura it didn't effect him as much.

Before, it had felt like a sudden rush of power, too sudden for his body to process.

Now it was a slow constant flow, refreshing.

"What are you guys?" He whispered, running a hand over the closest one's muzzle.

"Nico?" Will said, walking up behind his boyfriend, eyeing the creatures wearily. "Is this, are these why you collapsed?"

Nico nodded, wandering around the dark creature, trailing his hand over them.

The others seemed to have noticed Nico's presence and were slowly making their way over to him.

One nudged his arm like how a animal would ask for food.

"I don't have any-- Oh ya, okay." Kneeling down he pulled up a bone from beneath his feet, not that far down and handed it to the creature who took it graciously.

Like how a dog would take a bone.

Nico was pretty certain it wouldn't try to eat it, maybe it just enjoyed the smell.

Nico turned around and saw the others, looking at him strangely.

Harry looked disgusted and awed, Luna looked distant. Hermione and Ron just looked confused.

"Nico! Watch out!" Harry cried, yelping as one of the creatures came up behind Nico and started playfully nibbling on his ear.

Nico started to giggle. In his defense, it tickled.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, dumbfounded.

"There-- there are these weird creatures." Harry spluttered, "And Nico, Nico, one just tried to eat Nico!" He cried, voice shrill.

"Let's just all get in the carriage," said Will quickly, ushering them all inside.

°°°

Seeing Hogwarts for the first time might have been more impressive if Nico hadn't seen Olympus.

But he had, so Nico barely batted an eye as Harry, Ron and Hermione lead them into the castle.

A older lady with her grey hair pulled back into a tight bun, and a stern face dressed in black robes swept over to them.

"I am Professor McGonagall, and you are William Solace and Nico Di' Angelo."

It wasn't a question and Nico was too busy playing with the hem of the ridiculous robs for him to snap a quick retort.

"You will come with me now to be sorted." She walked away again and with a quick glance at each other Will and Nico followed.

Nico didn't have any patience for the professor's speech and didn't really pay attention as they walked into the Great Hall.

But he did have enough sense about him to glare at the strange looks he and his boyfriend's connected hands were getting. Quickly shutting down the weird looks.

He felt Will tense when the hat started to sing but Nico barely noticed, his heart was racing again with nerves.

He had never felt this nerves before, except for when he had met Cupid . . .

Stop, he told himself, there will be plenty of time for self reflection when your hat shuffles through your memories like playing cards.

Nico had thought about that Neville might be wrong, that he might not relive his worst memories. But he had quickly decided that it was better to be nervous and have nothing happen then to be hopeful and have those hopes crushed.

Nico was going to be sick.

His heart was leaping out of his chest as one by one the first years went up and sat on the stool, the 'sorting hat' covering their eyes.

Nothing interesting happened other then the hat screaming out a house after less then a minute.

When there was only Will and Nico Professor McGonagall stepped forward,
"As you have all evidently noticed we are joined this year by two exchange students who will be in their fifth year. I trust they will be treated with respect and will now be sorted into their house." The hall fell silent as McGonagall looked at her scroll.

"Solace, William."

Nico only really started to panic when Will left his side.

His gaze kept flitting around the room and he was basically drenched in sweat.

Nico knew that he was probably making it worse. That he was probably stressing for nothing.

But he didn't know what he would do if he went back, there. . .

"GRYFFINDOR!" Yelled out the hat, it had taken longer then for the first years and Nico could have sworn Will stumbled walking to the cheering, red and gold table.

Oh gods

Oh gods

Oh gods

"Di Angelo, Nico."

He was honestly surprised no one else could hear his heart beat, you would have thought he was running a marathon for how fast and loud it was beating.

Nico sat on the stole, looking out at the hundreds upon hundreds of students as the hat was dropped over his face and covered his eyes.

The blackness made it worse.

Another Demigod here? Well, well you are a nervous one. Don't worry, your friend was nervous too.

Boyfriend, Nico corrected, through his nervous daze.

Ah yes, my apologies. Now like I told your friend this will be easier if you calm down. Can you do that? Nico tried to steady his breathing, tried, and failed.

Try one more time, child, if you are unable to do it The Sorting will be difficult for you.

Nico didn't bother to try to calm himself again, it would probably take hours, and he didn't want to sit up here for hours. So he did something probably incredibly rash and stupid.

Do it

Don't say I didn't warn you. The hat sing-songed.

Those were the last words Nico heard before he was thrown into his memories.

Maria Di' Angelo was smiling at her youngest son, who cried and hugged her leg.
He hadn't known it then, this dark feeling that was seeping into his bones, that was the feeling of impending death.
He had known, but hadn't understood what he had known.
"Hush, my little darling," she cooed, "Everything will be alright. We will stay together, you don't need to worry. I promise."
Those were the last words she ever told him.

The building falling around him, father saving him and Bianca. But mama, mama's broken body. His father's golden tears as he cursed to the gods.
"Take them away."

"Chase me Bianca!" A 9 year old Nico cried, ducking behind a arcade game as his sister searched behind each one. He was covering his mouth stifling his laugh as his sister sang a soft lullaby.
"GOTCHA!" She cried, grabbing Nico around the waist and lifting him up.
"Put me down! Put me down!" He screeched, but he was laughing.
"Will you find me again?" Nico asked, looking up at his sister with adoring eyes.
"Always."

A lawyer coming to get him and Bianca.

A school that looked like a medieval castle, when Nico first saw it he tugged on Bianca's coat
"Look! They have turrets! How cool is that?" Bianca just shushed him.

Dr. Thorn had came over to Nico and Bianca during the school dance, neither of them had wanted to come but he had insisted, saying that they both needed to socialize more.

That this would be good for them.
He had came over and asked them both to follow him, he had to talk to them about their father.

The green eyed boy running into the room, how he had protected Nico and his sister.
He was the first Demigod Nico had ever seen in action.

Percy took Nico by the arm, promising to keep his sister, Bianca, safe.
Nico believed him.
Nico looked into his sea-green eyes and thought, How can he possibly fail? This is a real hero.
He was Nico's favourite game, Mythomagic, brought to life.

He felt it again, that cold seeping into his bones when he was talking to a camper about his Mythomagic game.
He had faltered in his chattering, the camper didn't notice.

Later that night Nico dreamed of a soul more familiar to him then his own standing trial.
Being judged.
He could feel her soul drifting away as if only a petal on the wind.
She was gone.
The only one left.
And she was gone.

He knew it before Percy ever got to tell him, but still he hated Percy Jackson.
When he took Nico aside Nico had screamed and called him a liar.
He felt more betrayed then he had ever felt in his entire life.
But still . . . when the skeletons came Nico couldn't let them hurt him. He had called for the earth to swallow then up, and then he'd run away - terrified of his own powers, and his own emotions.

Running through the labyrinth, the ghost of King Midas haunting him. Telling him what he needed to do to raise Bianca.
Telling him he was disgusting, worthless.

Bianca telling him that she didn't blame Percy, and that Nico didn't either, not really, he blamed her.
The truth hurts. But it's still the truth.

Percy, telling him to go back to his father. Nico realizing that Percy no longer trusted him.
And it was his fault.

The second titan war, how the camper's happiness at seeing him quickly turning to disgust and fear.

Hades showing him Camp Jupiter.
"You can't tell either camp about the other, Nico, not yet."

Finding Hazel in the fields of Asphodel.

Bringing back one sister when he couldn't bring back the other.

Nico could feel hot tears running down his cheeks, could feel himself shake. The liquid fire.

That was when Nico started to scream.

Tartarus the burning air, where only the worst people come.
Where all the monsters with no souls resided, this was their home.
And Nico was there, alone.

The arai swarming around him, scratching at him with their talons taunting him until he sliced through them with his sword.
Feeling not only the pain of the hundreds of kills he had made, but the disappointment of his father, how exhausted he had made Bianca.
Nico had curled up and cried, too weak, too worthless.

The goddess of sorrow telling him he was perfect.

Getting captured by the twin giants.
The stale air in the bronze jar.

Watching the pomegranate seeds disappear one by one.
Until there was only left.
And Nico was sure he was going to die.

Watching Percy fall into hell.
Watching Percy not take his hand.
Watching him chose her over him.

Traveling to the doors of death.

Everyday trying to feel if he was still alive.

Cupid, telling him he was a coward. Forcing him to accept a truth Nico wasn't sure he himself was ready to accept.

Moving through shadows across the world.
Feeling his life force being sucked away with each shadow jump.

Bryce Lawrence.

Leo's death.

How he knew, that he would never, ever be excepted.

Never be anything more then the worthless child of Hades he had always been.

He wanted it all to stop.

He wished it would.

He wished.

Chapter Text

*Will's POV*

He knew this wasn't going to go well as soon as he saw Nico's face before it was mostly covered by the hat.

The undiluted terror in those eyes.

He knew Nico was crying, though he couldn't hear it, could see him shaking even from as far away as he was.

Shadows started to swirl around him, the lights flickering out.

Will could hear muttering, the other students wondering what was going on.

Will made a move to go up but Ron and Harry blocked him.

"Let me go!" Will hissed at them, "I need to help him!".

"No way," Ron hissed back, "Can't you feel it?" Until Ron had mentioned it Will indeed hadn't noticed, but the temperature had dropped to the point that it was just above freezing.

"You can't go up there." Harry said, "He's probably evil, you can practically feel the dark magic. He's not safe." Will opened his mouth to snap at him.

When Nico started screaming.

And Will knew what Nico was seeing.

Tartarus.

Cursing Will pushed past the two wizards, so forcefully that both Harry and Ron tumbled to the ground at his feet. But Will was already sprinting up the aisle.

The next person to stop him was Professor McGonagall.

"William!" She cried, "You mustn't go in there, you have no idea--" Will shook her off and headed closer to Nico.

By now it was well below freezing, it being even colder this close to Nico. And all the torches had given out.

So it was dark.

Which is a very good thing, Will thought, particularly when the ground opened up and skeletons began to crawl out, but they didn't seem to be able to climb out of the pit.

Students were crying out in fear.

Hundreds upon hundreds of ghosts flew through the walls, omitting an unearthly glow over the fake room.

They seemed to not notice anything but the boy dressed all in black.

Floating toward him.

Will could feel himself crying, as he ran towards the wall of shadows blocking him from Nico. The shadows didn't try to stop him as he ran through them.
Once he was through they closed rank again, as if they were gates.

"Nico! Nico!" Will approached the small black haired boy.

He could barely hear the cries of the students and teachers now, all his attention focused on Nico.

It would be hard to tell from a distance but pure darkness was whipping around Nico, shadows, almost like wind.

Nico was cradling himself in a fetal position. He wasn't making any noise anymore but Will could tell he was completely undone.

That was when the first memory hit Will.

He squeezed his eyes shut but it was like the image was projected straight into his mind.

It was Will, telling Nico be was disgusting, that he was a monster.

That had never happened.

But it was almost worse to realize that this was what Nico dreamed about.

This was a nightmare.

"Nico, Nico, love, you're safe. I would never say those things. You're safe. You're safe. You're safe." Will reached out and touched Nico gently on the shoulder.

The other boy flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I never will. Never." The hat had fallen off of Nico and Will glared at it.

This is all your fault he thought furiously at it, the hat, of course, did not answer.

Will tried again to touch Nico on the shoulder.

This time, Nico let him.

"I love you, I love you, Nico, I won't hurt you."
Will hugged him, and Nico flinched, but didn't move away.

"I remember the time you kissed me for the first time. You were so embarrassed. You're adorable when you blush. Did you know that? Remember how after you shadow travelled us the the factory you took me out for dinner after. You even held my hand. That was my favourite part. Even above the cheese you had in your hair for the entire trip." Will laughed, and Nico joined him, though it was more like a sob.

But it was still a noise.

"Can you look at me Nico?" Will asked, moving back only slightly so he could lift Nico's chin up so their eyes could meet.

He looked into those dark eyes, filled with so much guilt and pain, and so, so broken.

Will kissed him.

Nico sank into the kiss. It tasted like salt and Nico. It was more emotional then any kiss they had ever shared before, with Nico's memories flashing in Will's mind.

Because now he knew, don't get him wrong Nico had told him what he had been through, but seeing each memory, each moment in time, was different, closer.

"I love you." He gasped into Nico's mouth.

"I love you." He said again.

"I love you." Nico finished, voice raw from crying.

Will could have stayed like this forever, Nico in his arms, him in Nico's. Holding on to each other as if they were the only things that held them together.

The glue keeping them from breaking.

But Nico broke away, the moment the dark shadows covering them disappeared.

He hadn't noticed before but the lights had returned to the rest of the Great Hall, meaning they had all clearly seen the shadows whirling around the both of them.

Around Nico.

Slowly, so not to startle anyone, Will picked up the sorting hat, making sure to squeeze it a bit too tightly and put it back on its stool.

The hat was silent. And Will was internally wondering if they had broken it.

This thought was punctured with it's mouth opening up and screaming,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

No one clapped.

Will didn't expect then too.

They only stared as Nico stumbled back into Will's arms.

"Well," Nico said with a weak laugh, "That was one Hell of a first impression."

Chapter Text

*Harry's POV*

At first Harry thought Hogwarts was under attack.

And he thought it was Dementors.

The way the lights all flickered out, and the cold that swept over him.

Except there was no screaming.

This is what made Harry realize it wasn't Dementors.

It was the exchange student, the short one, the one who had already been sitting on the sorting stool for five minutes.

He had looked as if he was going to be sick when he went up there. But no longer then three minutes after the hat had been placed on his head shadows gathered around him.

Clinging to him.

When Will stood up, knocking his chair to the ground Harry acted on instinct, standing up as well and blocking him, Ron following suit.

"Let me go! I need to help him!" Will hissed between clenched teeth.

"No way!" Ron hissed back, Can't you feel it?"

"You can't go up there." Harry added, "He's probably evil, you can practically feel the dark magic. He's not safe."

That's when the screams started.

°°°

Harry didn't even have time to react before Will was shoving past him and Ron, both tumbling to the floor.

Hermione helped them too their feet, and they spun around trying to catch Will, but he had disappeared.

It wasn't just Nico screaming now, Harry could hear other students as well and at first he was confused.

Nothing was really happening, sure the temperature had dropped and the lights had turned out, but it was nothing to scream over.

Then he turned around and saw the ghosts.

Hundreds of them, more then Harry had ever seen before, were appearing all around them.

Heads bowed, as they formed a tight circle around the perimeter of the Great Hall.

Now, with the ghostly glow (forgive the pun) Harry could make out more of what was happening.

And so, apparently, could everyone else.

The screams and mutterings grew louder.

"I wonder what's happening," Hermione started whispering hastily, "There's no record of this ever happening before, at least not what I've read. . . And there are no spells like that in any book in Hogwarts's library, unless it's in the restricted section. And then it would have to be very powerful dark magic. But the teachers. . . I don't get it, shouldn't they be more concerned?"

Indeed, while some of the teachers, like Grubby Plank and the toad-like woman were shooting spells at the ever growing swarm of shadows now surrounding Nico the other teachers, like Professor McGonagall were just trying to calm the other students, and only occasionally shooting concerned glances over their shoulders at the shadow storm.

Dumbledore hadn't moved at all.

Then Nico screamed again and another wave of darkness seemed to roll off of him.

When it hit Harry he was thrown into the past.

Or, at least, what he assumed it to be the past.

Death

Pain

Darkness

Images flashed behind his eyes, so fast, Harry couldn't make any of them out, but he could feel the raw emotions.

Could feel the anguish.

The un-healed wounds.

And it terrified him

Then the images disappeared, and Harry was left standing in a, now, re-lit Great Hall.

The shadows starting to fade slowly and the lanterns flickering back to life.

Light blinded Harry, who had to blink multiple times before his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness before he could see what was happening again.

With the lights now on Harry could see the shadow whirlwind disappearing fast, revealing two boys in the center of it all.

One had dark black hair and the other was blonde. Will and Nico, he realized.

They were holding onto each other tightly, hugging, he assumed.

Then, when the shadows had fully dispersed Will stood up and picked up the Sorting Hat which had been knocked some feet away and walked it back over to its stool, laying it down.

He did this so calmly Harry would have thought that he had just imagined everything, but the horrified looks of his fellow students said otherwise.

The silence that followed after Will put down the Sorting Hat was torture. No one seemed to know what had or would happen. Until . . .

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat's voice boomed across the hall.

No one clapped, or made a sound.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered,
"No way! That kid is clearly evil! It should have been Slytherin! I wonder. . . " He paused, "if that kid did something to the hat, evil magic or something,"

Ron wasn't the only one whispering now, some people who weren't already standing had stood, craning their necks to get a better look.

Nico basically fell into Will's arms and might have said something to the blonde boy before his body went limp.

Will started to panic, checking Nico's pulse and pulling out a water bottle. Dripping the golden contents down the other boy's throat.

He looked up at Dumbledore and seemed to say something. Dumbledore nodded and said something back.

Oh!?! so both the exchange students were on speaking terms with the headmaster? That was more then Harry got, he stewed bitterly.

Without a backward glance Will picked up Nico and hurried out of the hall.

The silence after Will left was deafening, broken when Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands together.

"Now, I believe your evening entertainment to be over. So, tuck in!"

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

Nico woke up in a strange bed, his head was pounding.

He rolled over, emptying the contents of his stomach over the side of his bed.

"There, there, Neeks," Someone said, rubbing soothing circles on his lower back, "I've got you."

"Ugh, what happened?" He heard Will give a weird little noise from somewhere behind him, between a laugh and a sigh.

"You, Death Boy, used underworld magic." He said accusingly, Nico turned into his side to see Will standing on the other side of his bed, hands on his hips.

Trying, emphasis on trying, to look threatening.

"Wha--" Nico started to ask, then he remembered.

"Oh Styx!" Nico choked out, trying to blink away the tears threatening to form. "Where are we? Did we have to leave? I'm sorry, I messed up, please don't hate me."

He was crying now. And Will instantly dropped his hands, moving them to Nico's cheeks.

"Calm down, my love, deep breaths." When Nico's breathing slowed Will sat down on the bed, causing it to dip slightly.

"To answer your questions, we're still in Hogwarts, in the infirmary, I brought you here after you collapsed."

He didn't remember collapsing.

"And I could never hate you." Will said sternly. Before hastily kissing him. Gone before Nico even had time to react.

"Now, I think you need to sleep some more, but first, I gave you some Unicorn drought so I need you to eat this now." He handed Nico a red flat slab.

Nico, still bleary eyed from sleep took a moment to process what was in his hand,
"a, KitKat bar?"

"Yep." Will nodded, "I figure sugar might help you recover faster."

"Wait," Nico said slowly, something about how Will said that, "How long was I asleep?" He had slept for days sometimes weeks before.

Will pursed his lips, "Well, we missed our first 4 lessons, but our second last class is going to start in half an hour so we'll have to go to that one , but all in all it wasn't that long." Nico breathed a sigh of relief.

"Which classes do we have to go to?"

"Uhh, double defense against the dark arts, I think, I still need to get someone to translate our schedules into Greek. I had to ask Hermione." Nico groaned at the mention of other people.

"So, how many people think I'm evil now?" Will hesitated before saying.

"About the entire school, except for I think 3 people."

"3?" Honestly, he was surprised.

"Ya, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and me."

"Okay, great, well, I guess it's time for me to get up then." Nico swung himself out of the bed, avoiding his sick that had apparently landed in a bucket that Will had strategically placed by his bedside.

°°°

"That Umbridge woman better not give us any. . ." They were walking a little bit behind Harry, Don, and Hermione, close enough to hear what they were saying, but not close enough for them to notice Nico and Will were there.

"Who's Umbridge?" Nico hissed at his boyfriend.

"She's the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, from what I've heard she gave a funny speech last night after we left."

"Who told you that?" Nico asked.
"Uhh, nobody." Will muttered sheepishly, "and I am a very good listener. Very, very good. Excellent, even." Nico laughed.

"So what? You hid behind drapes and stuff?"

"Pretty much." Nico went to laugh, then froze.

"Why didn't you just ask someone? Are people not talking to you?"

"What? Oh, no, I-- I just didn't feel like it." Nico glared, William Solace was a terrible liar.

"This is my fault isn't it! It's because I lost control!" His heart was beating faster, everything was too loud, too bright.
"But--But I don't get it!" Nico panicked, "Why aren't people talking to you! You didn't do anything wrong! It wasn't you how lost control of your powers! And besides they probably would have thought you were a blessing form the gods if you started glowing. Pun not intended."

Will had stopped walking, and pulled Nico back when he tried to get past him.

"Neeks, Nico. It's not your fault, okay. It's theirs. But, you can't get upset if someone is rude to you or I, alright."

"No promises." Nico huffed, getting back in control of himself.

"Let's just go get this over with."

It was a very very good thing Nico made no promises. If he had, he would have broken it in less then fifteen minutes. And that wouldn't have even been a record.

°°°

Nico had never seen the toad like teacher before. He supposed she had probably been in the Hall, but he had been too nervous to notice her.

He couldn't think of any other word to describe her other then a comparison to a toad.

And even that was wrong.

She was much worse.

"Well, good afternoon!" She chirped cheerfully. Some people murmured a half hearted 'good afternoon' back. Nico didn't bother.

He and Will had taken seats at the very back of the class, Nico desperately trying to ignore the looks the other students were giving him.

Even the comments about him being evil he could deal with, it wasn't anything he hadn't heard before. But it was the glares and comments flung at Will that made him clench his fists and have to reign in his power.

He was shaking by the time Umbridge walked in. He hadn't always been like this, he had had a decent amount of control over his powers, more so then some demigods, but sometimes he thought it was harder for him.

But now, after his explosion of power the night before, it was like a knot in him had been untied. The knot that kept his powers in check. So now Nico was vibrating with the effort of not exploding again at the slightest comment.

That was another thing. He should have been utterly exhausted, and even with the long period of sleep, he wasn't tired. Well, he was tired, but he didn't feel any different then normal.

That was strange.

"Tut, tut. That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time, please. Good afternoon, class." Nico just scowled deeper.

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." The students chanted back.

Like little parrots.

Nico smirked at this thought, and unfortunately, Umbridge noticed.

"Whatever do you find so funny, Mr. Angelo."

"It's Di Angelo," Nico corrected. Glaring at her, "and it's none of your business what I find funny. But your clothing choices certainly don't help." The 'professor' flushed crimson.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Angelo." Nico stared at her blankly, he had no idea what these points were supposed to be, they sounded almost like a ranking system.

"Wait, wait, wait, are you threatening me by taking away figurative points!?" He asked, incredulous.

"Oh my gods, that is probably the weakest--" Will pulled him down, apparently he had stood up.

"Nico." He hissed warningly, "The temperature has dropped about ten degrees, calm down."

"Fine, fine," Nico sighed, "continue," he waved his hand in Umbridge's direction, "your a teacher, so teach." Sinking back down in his chair.

"That will be detention, Mr. Di Angelo." Umbridge hissed.

"Oh look, you remember my name after all, joyful." Nico huffed, "What are you going to do? Stab me with a pen? Painful."

Will rolled his eyes, grabbing Nico's hand under the desk.

"Well then, since we're done with that, disappointing, interruption, let's continue. Wands away, quills out." Will looked around confused, but Nico knew what a quill was, he had seen someone at the Lotus Casino use one.

"They're the feather things we bought at that weird smelling store, remember?"

"Oh! I knew I recognized that word somewhere." Will thanked Nico, pulling out the required materials.

Umbridge then instructed them all to copy out a whatever she had written on the board.

There was one, supper tiny, totally unimportant detail, both Nico and Will were dyslexic.

"Can you read it?" Will whispered.

"Can you?" Nico asked, feeling that this question was extremely redundant.

"Ya okay, sorry, stupid question." Will said, raising his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Solace." Umbridge said.

"Um, Professor? I'm afraid I can't--"
Nico stepped on his foot, cutting off his boyfriend's sentence with a yelp.

"My deepest apologies," Nico said, calmly, "He was just trying to get out of doing some work, I'm sure you understand."

Umbridge scowled, but clearly could not find a way to take away points or give either of them detentions.

Since, neither of them had done anything wrong.

"Nico!?" Will moaned, once Umbridge had waved from them to continue and was no longer watching them.

"What?"

"Now we can't read it."

"Do you want to read it?" Nico raised a delicate eyebrow. When Will didn't answer he continued, "I didn't think so."

They both pretended to write out the words on the board until Umbridge told them all to read chapter 1.

Nico didn't even bother to open his book, leaning back into his chair, he looked around the room.

Will had his book open, but Nico could tell his boyfriend wasn't actually reading.

Everyone else had their books open and were reading feverishly.

Except for Hermione.

The bushy haired girl was staring fixedly at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air.

It wasn't until about 5 minutes until anyone noticed, Harry, and after that everyone started to stare at Hermione.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" Umbridge said, her voice falsely sweet.

"Not about the chapter, no."

"Well, we're reading just now. If you have any other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about the course aims."

"And your name is?" Umbridge raised an eyebrow.

"Hermione Granger," Nico tuned them out losing interest in this petty conversation. He started playing with a shadow around his hand, making it dive and whip around his fingers.

He could feel his power building up again, he needed to do something with it before it boiled over.

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Interrupted Nico's silent thought, "You will be joining Mr. Di' Angelo in my office tomorrow evening at five o'clock."

"Congratulations, Potter," Nico drawled, "we must be very special to have been granted such a honor, and on our first day too."

"Shut it, Di Angelo." Harry snapped. Nico lay a hand delicately on his chest.

"I'm wounded." He said dryly. Then to Will he stage whispered.

"I wonder where they get their insults, they are so original." Harry got up from his seat, causing it to crash to the floor.

"And the hot tempers too," Nico mused, still loud enough for everyone to hear him.

"Stop talking about me, you bloody death eater."

Everyone stopped talking, possibly even breathing.

The silence was broken by Nico's laugh.

"Wha--what did--did you just call me?" He spluttered uncontrollably.

If possible the fear in the room grew tenfold.

"Did--did you just say I-- I eat Thantos?!?" Nico was doubled over laughing now,
"Gods, your insults, gods."

"ENOUGH!" Umbridge screeched, her face practically purple from rave, this did not help Nico's case of spontaneous giggles.

"Both of you, take this note to your Head of House."

Still chuckling Nico followed Harry out of the classroom, shooting a quick look at Will, who, expectedly, rolled his eyes.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

After dealing with a horribly angry Professor McGonagall, Nico made his way to the Dinning Hall.

It was going to be dinner soon, at least he hoped, in truth he had no idea when dinner was, but Nico also had no idea where to find the Gryffindor head quarters or whatever they were called.

So Nico sat there, fiddling with shadows again, until other students started to file into the Hall.

He knew instantly that he should have just skipped dinner all together.

He could practically feel the whispers and accusations flung at him, even though he probably wasn't supposed to.

"Evil."

"Dark magic."

"Should've been Slytherin."

"Death Eater."

Though, that last comment he didn't mind so much, it almost made everything worth it.

Almost.

Finally Will bothered to show up, plopping down next to Nico and grabbing his hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I forgot you hadn't been to the Gryffindor common room before. If I had--"

"Shh." Nico put a finger up to his boyfriend's lips, effectively stopping his blabbering.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not mad, you can calm down." Will smiled cheekily against Nico's lips, brushing his lips against each digit of his finger.

Nico's face was officially on fire.

Sometimes he seriously thought he was Leo, or at least had his powers.

"Will!" He hissed, but did it really matter if people knew he was gay? They already thought he was evil, after all. So it couldn't really get much worse.

Maybe they would start calling him 'The Gay Death Eater."

Nico would die if he heard that.

Die.

Will smiled at him, and Nico melted.

"I love you." Will pecked him on the cheek, before turning to the newly appeared food.

"You have to eat something, Neeks." Will chided when Nico didn't make a move toward the food.

"I'm not hungry." He mumbled.

"Just three bits, okay? Three bits." Will said kindly. Putting the smallest piece of chicken he could find on Nico's plate.

Soothingly, as Nico cautiously bit into the food, Will rubbed small circles on his back.

It sort of worked, but the chicken still felt like rubber in his mouth.

"This is disgusting." Nico said. Fighting the nausea building in his stomach.

"That's rubbish," said Ron cut in bitterly, "The food is great." He clearly wanted to add more, maybe one of Nico's new cute little nicknames, but Nico smoothly cut in.

"All your comments are just making you seem even more stupid then you appear, Ronald." The red head flushed but didn't say anything more. Muttering under his breath the boy turned away.

Nico wasn't quite sure what to think, little more then a day ago they had been, friends?, or at least, civilized to each other.

Now Nico had officially been blacklisted.

And he wasn't entirely sure he even cared.

If those people were willing to drop someone that fast, then . . . well . . . Nico definitely didn't want to be friends with them.

But it certainly made his job of protecting them a lot harder.

°°°

Nico and Will retreated to their apparent rooms when Hermione was yelling at the twins about testing their things on younger students.

Nico hadn't been that pleased either, it reminded him of Midas, almost.

He could feel his power building again, with his temper, and the thought of his old mentor, so he didn't protest much when Will decided it was time for them both to get some sleep.

"Will you be okay?" Will asked, worry creasing his brows. Nico knew what he meant 'will you be alright without me sleeping with you?' he didn't think he had slept without Will once, since they had started dating.

And when he did the nightmares always got worse.

"I-- I think so. And you'll just be right beside me?" Nico asked, ducking his head in embarrassment.

He didn't like this, admitting that he was weak, it, it just felt wrong.

But it was Will.

And Will knew.

"Neeks, you're right, I will be here, right beside you, okay?" His boyfriend said, coming to sit next to Nico, dressed in flannel pants, and a t-shirt, cupping his face.

When Will pulled Nico in for a kiss he might as well have softened his heart, the heart that turned into a puddle every time their lips met.

The kiss was strong and soft all at once.

Like Will.

Gods he loved this boy.

"Okay." Nico gasped, nodding his head.

Will got up, walking slowly over to his own bed, only letting go of Nico's hand when he got to far away.

Nico watched as his boyfriend got into the bed beside him.

"Will?" He peeped.

"Ya?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

°°°

Nico would love to say he didn't wake up screaming.

But that would be a lie.

He wasn't even surprised when the first dream hit.

A girl, with silky black hair, sat, with her back to Nico.

She looked young, 12 maybe. Her shoulders shook and Nico warily approached her, hand on his sword.

Then she turned around.

Bianca.

She was crying, though silently, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Why didn't you save me Nico? Why?" She said through her tears. Mixing with blood.

The blood was like a flower, unfurling for the first time, tasting the bitter air.
Spreading from her chest, staining the pure white gown she wore.

Her hair hung around her face, limp, as if already excepting the fate of death, even her eyes were blank.

But still, she cried.

"Why Nico? I thought you loved me!"

"Bianca! B! I do, I do, I do love you, no, I'll fix this. Please don't leave me! Not again." Nico was on his knees now as well, desperately trying to staunch the flow of blood.

But Bianca pushed him away, disgust on her face.

"Get your hands off me, Fag!"

"But--but."

"It's too late," Bianca sighed, her sudden anger gone, "I'm dead, you failed me, Nico. You failed me. I could never love you. No one ever could."

So, Nico did a classic fiction move, and woke up screaming.

"B! No!" The room was dark, so, so dark. And Nico wasn't sure if it was from him, or if it was just at the height of night.

He stumbled up, banging his head on a bed post and crashing to the floor.

"No, no no." He sobbed into his arms. Cradling himself.

He needed to get out of here.

There were people here.

People he didn't want to see him breaking down.

He needed--

"Don't you dare Nico Di' Angelo!"

Will!

William Solace's voice broke Nico away from his thoughts. And suddenly there was light. Like, literal light, a candle was lit, also helped by Will's faint glow, turned down for fitting in purposes.

"Will?"

"I'm here, Sunshine, right here."

"What in the balzin--"

"Turn off that light!"

"Shut it!"

"What's happening?"

Apparently the other boy's were awake.

And, to make matters worse, they could see Nico on the floor. Could clearly see he had been crying, they might have even heard him screaming.

"None of your bloody business." Nico hissed at them, waving his hand so the light was snuffed out.

Will quickly stopped glowing when the light faded.

Nico could hear Harry getting up and grabbing for his wand.

So, Nico did the one reasonably thing he could do, he snatched it first.

"Hey! Where's my wand?" The other boy's quickly realized that there's had mysteriously disappeared as well.

Oops.

"I'm sure you'll find them in the morning," Nico said, still in Will's arms.

"What happened, Mate?" Ron asked.

"I. Am. Not. Your. Mate." Nico said, trying to not let his voice quiver.

"Whatever." Ron said, rolling over.

"Are you okay?" Will whispered in Nico's ear, too quiet for the others to hear.

"I'm fine, fine."

"Do you think you'll be able to get back to sleep?" No.

"Could--could you?"

"Of course." Will replied, knowing what Nico needed.

"Come here my love." Carefully Will carried Nico back to his bed.

Nico was that small, and after adjusting the covers around the smaller boy he joined him.

Cuddling up to him, tangling their legs together, and pulling his boyfriend close.

"It's all right, your safe. Safe."

If only Nico wished he could believe it.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

The next day Nico glared at anyone who tried to bring up the previous night's incident.

And it wasn't until lunch though that he was finally cornered in the library by both Ron and Harry, Ron scowling behind Harry, like a perfect little lap dog.

"What was last night about anyway?" Harry had asked, Ron nodded along with him.
"Leave us alone guys." Will sighed.

"Why should we listen to you, Fairy?" Ron snapped, face bright red.

That was when Nico exploded.

To be fair, he had felt his power growing since the night before, and even doing small unnoticeable things didn't seem to help. So this exhaustion of power felt more then good it was wonderful.

"Do. Not. Call. Him. A. Fairy." Nico said very, very slowly, walking toward Ronald Weasley with his red hair and freckled face.

Slowly the shadows started to gather around him, pinning Ronald to the book shelf.

"Do you understand me?" Nico growled, stopping inches from the other boy's face. But he didn't touch him.

Just stood there, watching Ronald tremble, waiting for his answer.

"Yes."

"Good." Nico smiled, snapping his fingers and the shadows disappeared.

Then Nico was at Will's side again and beamed charmingly at them all.

"Well, as much as I enjoy this enlightening conversation we must be going, and I believe Ronald and Harry have to learn how moonstones work in potions so we'll be going now. Good luck."

°°°

"Did you have to do that, Nico?" Will complained as he and Nico started heading out early to the school grounds where apparently Care of Magical Creatures took place.

The day had become cool and breezy, occasionally they felt a drop of rain land on their faces.

"Yes I did." Nico replied, his fake smile having dropped as soon as he turned away from the three wizards.

They arrived at a grubby looking cabin, no one was around.

"Why?" Will breathed down his neck, having suddenly gotten much closer to his boyfriend.

"He called you a Fairy, isn't that rude?" Will smiled at him then leaned forward, connecting their lips.

"I--I love you." Nico gasped in-between kisses. Will had backed him up against the tree, their bodies flush against the other's.
"I--" Will broke off, as Nico ran his tongue over his bottom lip. Then, in the back of his mind, he felt a single aura approaching.
Nico shoved Will away from him then attacked Will's hair. Ruffling it back into place.

"Wha--"

"Someone is coming." Nico hissed, pressing a chaste kiss on Will's lips before stepping back and running a hand through his own hair.

Sure enough, a older lady with graying hair and a prominent chin, who Nico supposed must be the teacher, walked around the corner of the hut.

"What are you boy's doing here so early? Don't you have lunch?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am, Nico and I just ate fast." Will grinned, showing off all of his boyish charm.

Giving no sign of his . . . prior activities.

The professor smiled kindly at Will, never having spared a glance for Nico and strode off.

Will turned to Nico, probably about to say something but he never got a chance, not before Harry, Ronald and Hermione walked up to the hut. They were all glaring at Nico, but didn't say anything.

Ronald had probably told them about how Nico had threatened him again. He wasn't sure what had happened, his powers had overflowed again, and this time it seemed to be because of his temper. Though, admittedly, it had been steadily growing ever since Nico had arrived in this wizarding world. Overflowing then filling up again. A never ending cycle.

A very loud laugh broke through Nico's depressing thought as he sat in the grass waiting for the other students to arrive. He looked up seeing that a group of students dressed with green were walking toward them. Slytherins he supposed.

At the head was a pale blonde boy, with shape features, he looked smug, having apparently just told a joke.

The boy's eyes wondered over the group in the grass landing on Will and Nico. His grin faltered and he came toward them.

"Oi! I'm Draco Malfoy, and your Nico Di' Angelo." He extended his hand, completely ignoring Will. He had eyes only for Nico.

"And this is Will." Nico gestured to his boyfriend, not taking Draco's hand. "My boyfriend." Draco's face twisted in a practiced disgust,

"A f*g then, two of them no less, I don't understand why Dumbledore felt the need to punish us so severely." He laughed, his friends chuckling along, though eyeing Nico warily.

"Move along," Nico said turning back to Will, but stiffened when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder, and whipped around.
"Don't touch me!" He growled low in his throat. His shoulders were shaking and he could feel his powers boiling over.

He didn't understand it.

Why were his powers always like this now? It was exhausting, always needing to rein them in. To prevent himself from doing something stupid like murdering this kid, heck everyone in this clearing (besides Will), in a heartbeat.

"Draco," Will said warning, "Back away." Thankfully, Draco listened, moving to the far side of the group, his cronies following behind.

"Everyone here?" Barked Professor Grubby-Plank, evidently not paying attention to anything going on, her attention fixed on a table laden with sticks.
Nico recognized them as Bowtruckles.

It was odd, he realized, that was the first time Nico had noticed information popping into his head. It was from Hecate's blessing, all the other times it had slipped the information subtly into his head. As if through a back door and Nico hadn't even noticed. It had been happening since they had first arrived in the wizarding world.

After that Nico didn't pay attention. He had zoned completely out throughout both care of magical creatures and herbology, which was next.

He only shook out of his daze when he and Will were walking back up to the castle.

"So, what do you think?" Will asked, startling Nico, neither of them had talked much since they had kissed.

"About what?"

"About everything," Will sighed, "Voldemort, the students, the Horcruxes, etc." Nico groaned, tipping his head back. He had been skirting that subject.

"I think I should be able to track down all the Horcruxes easily. But doing so without blowing our cover and keeping Harry, Ron, and Hermione safe will be the hard part. How are you supposed to take care of a group of people who hate you?"

"They don't hate you." Will protested. Nico shot him a skeptical look.

"Try saying that without lying." He drawled.

"You never know," Will took both of Nico's hands in his, "But we'll figure it out, right? Together."

"Together." Nico agreed.

°°°

At five Nico bade Will goodbye and shadow traveled directly in front of Dolores door, he had scouted where it was early that day after getting back into the castle, and knocked.

"Come in." said a sugary voice, Nico sighed resolutely and pushed into the room.

And was instantly blinded by the pink.

Every surface was draped in lace and cloth, several cases filled with dried flowers. And the walls were covered in ornamental plates, each decorated with a large technicolored kitten wearing a different bow around it's neck.

Nico honestly thought he had walked into Aphrodite's beauty parlor.

Just a note of warning - NEVER DO THAT! You will never be the same.

"Good evening, Mr. Angelo." Nico didn't bother correcting her. If she wanted to sound stupid she could sound stupid. He really couldn't care less.

Nico didn't respond just situated himself in one of the two straight-backed chairs besides a lace covered table.

After deciding that Nico was not, in fact, going to say anything, Umbridge continued,
"You'll wait here until Mr. Potter arrives." No sooner then she had said this there was a second knock on the door.

"Come in." Umbridge sang, Nico rolled his eyes as the door opened and Harry walked in.

The other boy froze as he took in the overdone room.

"Good evening, Mr Potter." Harry's eyes locked on Nico's and he scowled before turning back to Umbridge.

"Evening, Professor Umbridge." He said stiffly, Umbridge sniffed,

"You, at least, seem to have been taught the proper manners to show towards your elders, Mr Potter." Nico's eyes were going to permanently stay rolled back if he didn't stop now.

When Harry stayed frozen in the doorway, Umbridge waved her hand toward the table next to Nico.

"Well, sit down."

"Er," Harry said, still not moving, "Professor Umbridge. Er - before we start, I - I wanted to ask you a . . . a favour." Nico snorted and Harry shot another glared at him.

"Oh, yes?" Umbridge hummed.

"Well, I'm . . . I'm in the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And I was supposed to be at the tryouts for the new Keeper at five o'clock on Friday and I was wondering - was wondering whether I could skip detention that night and do it - do it another night . . . instead . . ."

Nico had heard mentions of this 'Quidditch', apparently people willingly got on brooms to fly like 500 feet off the ground looking for balls.

Nico thought it sounded stupid.

But then again at Camp they ran around in monster infested woods with swords and various other deadly weapons at night. Trying to get a piece of fabric. Maybe he couldn't talk.

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. This is your punishment for spreading evil, nasty, attention-seeking stories, Mr. Potter, and punishments certainly cannot be adjusted to suit the guilty one's convenience." Harry didn't seem all that surprised as Umbridge continued her lengthy speech about how he would continue with his well deserved punishment. But his face was turning red, entertainingly red. Umbridge was grinning, obviously enjoying this.

Harry looked as if he would start shouting but, with what seemed to take a large amount of effort, dropped his schoolbag beside the chair left for him and sat down.

"There, we're getting better at controlling our temper already, aren't we? Now, the two of you are going to be doing some lines for me. No, not with your quill." Harry had started to been down to open his bag, Nico hadn't moved.

"You're going to be using a rather special one. Here you are." She handed them both a long, thin black quill with a very sharp point. Nico wrinkled his nose at the dark power radiating from the small writing device.

"Now, Mr Potter, I want you to write I must not tell lies. And Mr. Angelo will write I will respect my elders."

Nico felt the urge to point out that in all technicalities he was her elder but decided that that would not be a very good thing to say to keep off the radar.

"How many times?" Harry asked, with a horrible imitation of politeness.

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in," The knowledge finally clicked in Nico's mind, the knowledge bestowed upon him by Hecate. He recognized the quill, and knew how it worked.

Nico smiled.

"Off you go."

Nico watched as Harry slowly realized what was missing.

"You haven't given us any ink."

"Oh, you won't need ink." Umbridge said, with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.

Nico turned back to his paper and started writing, ignoring the sting of pain in his hand.

He heard Harry let out a gasp and knew that the other boy had noticed where the ink was coming from.

"Yes?" Umbridge asked,

"Nothing." Harry muttered.

Nico could feel Umbridge's eyes boring into him, waiting for a reaction. He lifted his head, meeting and holding her stare.

"Yes?" He asked sweetly, imitating her falsely sweet voice.

"Any problems with you, Mr Angelo?" She asked,

"None that I've noticed, though I have had some problems spelling 'elders' I was wondering if you could prehaps write it out for me." He offered her the quill, still smiling charmingly.

Umbridge flinched, as Nico made the room drop at least ten degrees in temperature.

"Continue writing, Mr Angelo." She snapped, turning back to her work.

"As you wish." Nico muttered, continuing to mark up the parchment with his blood.

°°°

It wasn't until several hours had passed before anyone spoke again, though Nico could see Harry flinch slightly every time the words "I must not tell lies" bit deeper into his flesh.

It was amusing to watch the evidence of the boy's low pain tolerance.

"Come here." Umbridge said, calling both boy's forward.

"Hand." Harry extended his first, Nico saw that there was no mark on his hand yet, but the skin was a irritated red.

You could see the cut on Nico's. He had made sure of it.

"Tut, tut, I don't seem to have made much of an impression yet. Well, we'll just have to try again tomorrow evening, won't we?" Harry shuffled uncomfortably, taking back his hand from Umbridge's stubby fingers.

"You next, Mr Angelo." He gave her his hand, and her smug smile quickly became one of confusion.

He might have misspelt some of the words.

"What is this?" She asked through clenched teeth, her sweet voice barely there.

"It says ad augusta per angusta," Nico said slowly, "It's Latin for through difficulties to honours. I thought it was more appropriate."

"You thought wrong!" Umbridge said, voice unnaturally high at his disobedience.

"Did I?" Nico asked, before stalking out of the room.

Chapter Text

*Harry's POV*

"Harry! I can't believe she did that to you!" Hermione cried. Harry hadn't intended to tell Ron and Hermione what had happened in Umbridge's office. But he needed to tell them about Di Angelo.

How the boy hadn't even flinched when he was carving into his own skin.

How he had blatantly disobeyed Umbridge, then walked away from her.

Like he wasn't scared.

"That's not the point!" Harry snapped, "Di Angelo didn't even react, and it wasn't as if it was just a ping prick! It was creepy! I saw him smile when she handed us the quills! He obviously knew what they were! And he found it funny!"

He was probably over reacting, but then he remembered how the room had dropped in temperature when Umbridge had asked Di Angelo if he was having any problems.

How Umbridge had flinched.

Nico Di Angelo had made Umbridge flinch.

"Don't forget the Sorting! There's no way that kid isn't evil!" Ron put in. Hermione sighed, warily.

"But we can't do anything. We'll just have to watch out for him, for now."

°°°

*Nico's POV*

So far Nico considered himself lucky that he hadn't run into any ghosts at Hogwarts.

He could feel them, hundreds of souls in the castle's walls.

More so then he had felt anywhere outside the Underworld, except for maybe the Labyrinth.

But, of course, as soon as Nico voiced these thoughts to Will the first ghost appeared before Nico.

Right in the middle of a dreadful charms lesson.

It was two days after the first detention and they were practicing vanishing spells with professor Flitwick at the front of the room directing them.

Nico knew that all the ghosts knew he was there. But what he hadn't realized that he had put all the ghosts in a sort of daze after his blow up of power.

And that now, they were only just shaking it off.

Which was why a ghost floated aimlessly through the wall.

"Nick!?" Harry asked, startled, as many of the other students screeched.

Nico froze upon seeing the ghost, shifting lower in his seat.

It was too late.

'Nick' had spotted him.

"My King," the Ghost floated over to him, bowing low, "I must ask for your forgiveness, and your mercy."

The other students were staring at Nico confusedly, while Will looked unsure of what to do or how to act.

"What are you doing here?" Everyone was already staring at him, and this saved him the time of tracking down all the ghosts so Nico saw no reason not to continue with the conversation.

"I was taken through the doors by accident, My Lord, please forgive me." He begged. Nico waved his hand.

"I will forgive you, and all the other ghosts here on one condition."

"Anything."

"Don't come near me while I'm here, unless I call on you. That goes for every ghost here."

"Yes My Lord." Then the ghost hurriedly floated out of the room.

The room was dead silent.

Everyone was staring at him.

"What are you all looking at?"

Nico snapped, sliding back into his chair and performing a perfect vanishing charm.

°°°

Professor Snape was probably Nico's favourite teacher. The fact that his classes were in the dungeons, underground, in Nico's domain, probably helped as well.

At least he was his favourite teacher. And potions was his favourite class.

Until something happened.

Something bad.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

It was the final day of Nico's detention with Umbridge. But that wasn't what he was focused on.

It was the cold, numb feeling he had felt in his chest since he had woken up.

Now that he thought about it he had felt it for a while, but it wasn't until that Friday it had became really noticable.

It was like a frost in his chest, covering his body slowly.

The feeling grew throughout the day, until, in the class right after lunch, Potions, Nico felt it.

Felt the death

Him dying

He screamed out in pain

He must have fallen to the floor

Will was cradling his body

People were whispering loudly, wondering what was going on

Nico didn't notice any of it

All Nico felt was pain

As he died

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

He had been his first real friend.

The first person to tell Nico that people would and could except him.

Jason Grace.

He had hated him at first: the way Jason pressured him to stay at camp, to tell others about himself.

He had tried to convince Nico that others could love him.

He was the first one who had told Nico that.

Not even Bianca. . .

Now he was gone.

Nico remembered how, when he turned 15 Jason had organized a surprise birthday for Nico. He had known before hand, of course, Percy was horrible at keeping secrets, so he hadn't actually been surprised. But, still. . .

Jason had given Nico a book. About a boy scared to come out as gay.

About a boy who was loved but didn't know it.

Who was scared of himself.

Nico had cried when he read it.

Afterward he had hugged Jason.

And Jason had hugged him back.

Jason was, had been, his brother.

The older brother who loved you and protected you and was with you through everything.

Now he was gone.

Nico had never told him how much Jason had meant to him.

Had never told him he was grateful and loved him.

He wished . . .

If only we had more time . . .

Chapter Text

Nico half stumbled into Umbridge's office for his last detention. He didn't really remember how he got there.

He must have walked.

He still didn't think he had told Will about the quills yet, about the scar on his hand.

Nico had started wearing gloves.

Everything was blurry.

He remembered the coldness and how the pain had hit him in the heart.

He remembered knowing with certainty that Jason Grace was dead.

But now Nico was in Umbridge's office ready to carve out the words of strength and endurance on his skin.

What irony.

"You know what to do, Mr Angelo." Umbridge said, smiling sweetly at him. Nico glared and sat down.

He started scribbling furiously. Relishing the pain.

Each time he scratched the words out on paper they disappeared, carving a deeper scar onto his hand.

It burned, like fire, Nico welcomed it.

ad augusta per angusta, to survive hardships

ad augusta per angusta, through difficulties to honours

ad augusta per angusta, survivor

Nico didn't realize he had started crying.

°°°

Nico scurried out of the room as soon as Umbridge checked his hand.

He didn't hear the footsteps running up behind him, so it surprised him when a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

It was Harry.

"You're crying." He pointed out. Nico scowled at him,

"What's your point." Harry shoved Nico against the wall, hard.

Harry was bigger then Nico, which wasn't unusual since Nico was small.

He could have broken Harry's grip on him in seconds. But he had no energy left.

ad augusta per angusta

What a joke.

"I know your a death eater, Di Angelo." Harry hissed, pointing his wand at Nico's neck.

"I don't have any proof yet, but I will." Harry made a move, grabbing downward and Nico acted on instinct.

Kicking upward and twisting out of the bigger boy's grip. Harry was groaning, clutching his stomach when Nico shoved Harry away from from.

The boy fell, head hitting the stone floor.

Nico didn't see if he got back up.

He had already shadow travelled away.

He hoped he was dead.

°°°

*Harry's POV*

Harry woke up in the infirmary.

"That was a awful spill you took there, Potter," Madame Pomfrey said upon seeing him awake, bustling around his bedside, "You should be good to go now, Ms Granger and Mr Weasley have been up to see you, but had to step out to speak with the headmaster."

Harry's head didn't hurt anymore, not as he stood up on wobbly feet. He thanked Madame Pomfrey and walked out of the infirmary, heading for the Gryffindor common room.

"HARRY!" Hermione cried, flinging herself on him.

"Are you alright, Mate?" Ron said, coming up behind her.

"I'm fine."

"They said you fell down the stairs." Harry scowled.

"Well, I didn't. It was Di Angelo." Hermione and Ron gaped at him.

"Why?" Harry fidgeted nervously, he didn't want to tell them how he had cornered Nico.

He also didn't want to tell them how Nico had overpowered him so easily.

He had been about to grab Nico's arm to check for the dark mark when the smaller boy had acted out.

Harry knew he had acted rashly, that he been stupid. But the pain that had rushed through his head when Umbridge had touched him had almost muted his thoughts.

"I don't know, he just acted out." Harry lied through his teeth.

"That's because he's evil." Ron said, "Well, I'm glad your okay, Mate." Harry smiled weakly.

"This is getting dangerous," Hermione spoke up, eyebrows creased in thought, "We should go to Dumbledore, tell him about Nico. There's no doubt that he's not who he says he is."

"It's not like he can go around introducing himself as a Death Eater everywhere he goes." Ron pointed out.

"Ohhh Ron, we have no proof that he is a death eater." Hermione huffed, returning to the book she had been reading.

Then Harry remembered something.

"Say, Ron, how did tryouts go?" Ron beamed at him.

"Your looking at Gryffindor's newest keeper." He said proudly.

"That's brilliant, Ron!" Harry said, forgetting about his guilt for the moment.
Ron preened from the praise and Hermione looked about to say something when she caught sight of the Weasley twins handing out more nosebleed nuggets and stormed off toward them.

Ron and Harry bent their heads, hoping to appear to into their conversation to notice Hermione scolding the twins.

"Did you see him come in?"

"No, I haven't seen him since he left to go to detention." Ron answered, causing Harry to frown,

"I wonder where he went off to."

°°°

The next morning Harry wrote a letter to Sirius, he needed to tell him about his scar hurting when Umbridge touched him the day before, but most of all Di Angelo.

Dear Snuffles,
Hope your OK, the first week back here's been terrible, I'm really glad it's the weekend.
We've got a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge. She's nearly as nice as your mum.
I wrote for two reasons.
The thing I wrote to you about last summer happened again last night when I was doing a detention with Umbridge.
The other thing is about the new exchange students, the angel in particular. I don't think they agree with us, I think they are against us.
We're all missing our biggest friend, we hope he'll be back soon.
Please write back quickly.
Best,
Harry

A surprisingly long amount of time had passed for such a short letter. Sunlight had crept halfway across the room while he had been working on it and he could now hear distant sounds of movement from the dormitories above.

As Harry left for the Owlery he saw Di Angelo.

Saw him step out of the shadows.

Harry froze, watching as the dark haired boy seemed to solidify and continue on his way as if nothing had happened.

So, of course, Harry followed.

Nearly Headless Nick appeared in front of Di Angelo who scowled at the ghost.

"What do you want?"

"Please, my king, I would not go down that way if I were you, Peeves is planning an amusing joke on the next person to pass the bust of Paracelsus halfway down the corridor."

Now it was Harry's turn to scowl, why had Nick felt obligated to tell Nico that. He would have paid to see the death eater get pranked in a way that probably involved the statue falling on his head.

"Great, thanks." Nico hummed walking through Nick and continuing on his way.

That was one more thing to add to his ever growing list of reasons that Nico was a death eater. He didn't react at all to walking through a ghost.

Harry had never seen anyone not react to the cold feeling touching a spirit gave you.

Confused Harry followed after Nico, pausing at the beginning of the corridor to watch from a distance.

He had been right, he realized that as the statue fell straight for Di Angelo. Who had calmly looked up as if sensing change in air movement.

Then, he snapped his fingers?

And the bust was no longer there.

Harry gaped.

"Tantalus Grenkin, show yourself!" Nico called, and Harry scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

His confusion only grew as Peeves appeared before Nico.

"My--my King, my greatest apologies, I-- I did not realize." Harry could see Nico roll his eyes.

"I want to know why you haven't updated your reservation for my father in decades? He is getting impatient. Last night he sent me a letter directing me to you and your position." The pale boy pulled out a piece of paper.

"Tantalus Grenkin, poltergeist, date of death 1329, last update of poltergeist status was in 1659 about 8 hundred years over due," Peeves seemed to be shrinking as Nico spoke, "You've been given a choice, return to the underworld and complete the update, or become a average ghost once again." Nico's voice caused Harry to shiver though he was not cold. His voice was void of any emotion, cold, almost dead.

"Choose, Tantalus Grenkin." Peeves was shaking.

"I'll go, I'll go right away, my King." Then he was gone. Harry stood staring at Nico who still hadn't moved, his letter long forgotten.

"Did you enjoy the show, Harry Potter?" Nico Di' Angelo asked, turning around, a fearsome grin on his face.

Chapter Text

*Harry's POV*

"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked when Harry got back from the common room, his letter crumpled in his grip. Nico hadn't said anything, hadn't even turned around. But Harry had known that Nico had known Harry had seen everything.

Of course, Nico asking if he had enjoyed it had done a major job in confirming this theory.

He had been frozen, unable to move, and then the dark haired boy just, disappeared.

Harry had run back, and then hurriedly explained to Ron and Hermione what had happened.

"I think we should go to the Headmaster now," Hermione looked grim, "Something's definitely not right, he ought to know about it."

"We can't, we have Quidditch practice," Ron whined, "Can't we do it after?"

"Fine," Hermione huffed, and looked to be about to say something else when the Daily Prophet soared in on the leg of a screech owl.

°°°

*Nico's POV*

At breakfast an owl had delivered a letter to him, explaining that Dumbledore wished for both Nico and Will to come to his office later in the day, but would first like for them to attend the Gryffindor Quidditch practice, as the three wizards they were to watch would be there.

Rolling his eyes at the aspect of watching over-confident wand waving people flying around on broomsticks like cliché witches Nico stalked off after Will toward the open grounds.

It couldn't be that bad?

Could it?

°°°

It was that bad.

Nico had felt his powers reaching a boiling point again after the shock of Jason's death had begun to wear off, it was worse now. He could feel it all the time, every soul in the giant castle was on his radar. Every body buried he could feel as if he knew it personally.

It was the worst. This power.

Nico hoped that the Headmaster would give them a more direct task that evening, something where he could use this unstoppable flow of power building in him. He also promised himself to ask Annabeth about it when he got the time, why his power had changed this much in such a short amount of time.

But right then he had to watch Quidditch. And he was not enjoying it.

Even the sight of seeing that many people up in the sky, Zeus's territory made him sick to his stomach.

On good days Zeus was lenient with the Big Three children coming (if briefly) in his domain. This was not a good day.

Which was why Nico should have been much more careful about being so close to objects that could send you higher then what was probably possible at a moment's notice.

It was right after the Gryffindor Quidditch practice when Malfoy and his goons walked over to Nico and Will. They had chosen to stand on the sidelines, and not in the stands, Nico not wanting his feet to leave the ground. And being closer to the ground would be easier to work with if something indeed went wrong.

The players left, after Katie was taken to the hospital wing, were still on the field chatting as they packed up their things.

"Hey! Fairies!" Malfoy called pushing Will to the ground. Nico growled, hand itching to pull out his sword.

"Get away from him." The air had started to get colder and the other Gryffindors had started to notice was was going on.

"Nico, don't," Will warned, getting to his feet, "I'm fine."

The other night he had warned Nico about using his powers so publicly. That people were becoming overly suspicious of them, and that could ruin the mission.

"If you need help just ask for it, Neeks, okay?" He has said, "I know I don't get it, but you can tell me okay, if you need help controlling your powers. I'm sure there's something we can do to help it."

Nico clenched his hands, his face breaking into a sweat, as he tried to reign in his powers. He felt his legs give up and he clutched himself, trying to prevent an explosion. He couldn't hear Will as he cried out as Malfoy kicked him in the gut.

He didn't even feel it.

He also didn't feel it as the blonde Slytherin tied his wrist to a broomstick.

He couldn't have been prepared for when he felt himself shoot into the air, his legs leaving the ground.

That, when he felt his powers weaken, the air whip around him as he dangled alarmingly high off the ground.

With his powers weakened Nico was able to gain control, enough to see Malfoy sitting on the broom leering at him.

But that wasn't what concerned him.

And not even the 100 meter drop awaiting him.

Okay, well, maybe a little.

But mainly it was the way the sky had darkened.

How thunder had started in the distance.

Well, this is just great, Nico thought bitterly. Struggling to untie the knot.

"Oh no you don't, f*g," Malfoy kicked him, this time in the face. Nico could feel the blood dripping down his face, falling to the ground. The ground that he could no longer see.

They were too high up.

Lightning cracked around them.

Nico started working frantically on the knot.

"You really are stupid, you know that? If you untie yourself you'll fall to your death. Besides you'll never untie it, I jinxed it." He said proudly. Nico groaned.

"Idiot," Nico cursed, "You are going to get me and yourself killed. In fact," He laughed widely, gesturing around them with his free hand, "You've just doomed us both!"

It was only then that Malfoy noticed the storm brewing around them. His mask of smugness flickered for a moment, but only a moment.

"A little rain doesn't scare me. What about you, Di Angelo? Scared of getting wet?" Nico scoffed.

"I wish it would just be rain." Nico's mind was running through options. He doubted he would get the knot untied, his sword was out of reach, and even then the fall would kill him, he didn't have a wand, and even so he doubted he would be able to preform a spell that could save himself. He would never be able to convince Malfoy to fly them both down. But . . .

There was the chance that someone would be able to create a spell to cushion one's fall. He hoped Hermione had enough integrity to save someone she despised.

It was the best option.

"Jump!" Nico screamed at Malfoy over the howling wind.

"Are you mad?!" Malfoy cackled, "I finally have you and now you want me to, what? Die on purpose?!"

"He doesn't want you!" Nico screamed and Malfoy crinkled his brow in confusion.

"Who?" But Nico had already kicked upward, knocking Malfoy off the broom and into the open air. Nico preying silently to his father that he had not just accidentally killed him.

But there was a chance for him to survive. Nico, not so much.

He just wished he could have said goodbye to Will first.

Nico didn't have time to get on the broom, wasn't given a chance to get to safety before the first bolt of lightning hit.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

Nico now knew his least favourite sport.

And it wasn't capture the flag.

Well, at least he didn't die.

This time.

°°°

"By all the bloody gods, Nico!" Was the first thing Nico heard when he slowly cracked open his eyes. A worried tanned, blonde surfer looking guy was looking over him.

Will.

"Hey, Sunshine, fancy seeing you here," Then he paused, he remembered lots of light, wind, loud thunder. He was probably dead.

Wait, if he was dead then why was Will here?

"Is this heaven? It must be if you're here." Nico smirked up at his boyfriend.

"Don't you dare joke after scaring me like that, Di Angelo!" Nico squinted up at William Solace, this time seeing the worried crease between his brows, his red and puffy eyes. The overall tightness of his features.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Nico said, reaching up to cup Will's face. Then Will broke down clutching Nico closer to him.

"It's my fault, if I hadn't asked you to not use your powers, then you wouldn't have been able to be tied to the broom. And you wouldn't have even ended up in the sky. It's all my fault. It's--" Will rambled, Nico moved a finger over his lips.

"It's not, okay, not your fault, not any of it. Trust me." Will's smile was watery, but there. Nico smiled softly back.

"How long was I out this time?"

"It's not that bad, just a day, it's right after breakfast on Monday." Will smiled, kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Mmm." Nico mumbled, leaning forward and deepening the kiss. He tried to sit up to get better access to Will but the blonde boy pushed him down again.

"Don't, you need to rest," Will said, moving back away from his boyfriend slightly, "And I'll leave if I'm too much of a distraction." Nico pouted up at him.

"Full of ourselves, I see."

"Exactly." Will chuckled. And Nico pulled him down again.

"Oh!" A small voice gasped, causing Nico and Will to jump apart, Will looking sheepish and Nico scowling.

He took this time to take in his surroundings, he recognized it as the hospital wing. He was becoming very familiar with this part of Hogwarts.

"Hello," Will said, bustling over to the small girl who had been the one to interrupt them.

She was young, 12, perhaps, well, not that young, Nico reprimanded himself. That's how old he was when . . . when things happened. War-like things.

"Um, uhh," the girl stuttered. And Nico's frown deepened, but quickly smoothed it out. She could be nervous about just talking to older kids, or just embarrassment from catching them kissing. Not necessarily because it had been two boys kissing.

"What?" Nico snapped, and Will shot him a look over his shoulder.

"Pro--professor, Dumble--Dumbledore, wis--wishes, to see--see you," She stuttered, "He, he said, to--to, come, to, his, offi--office no--now." Now it was Will's turn to scowl, but he still managed to smile at the girl and thank her. She bolted as soon as her message was delivered, scared out of her mind.

But Nico didn't dwell on it, if it was Monday then that meant their Saturday meeting with Dumbledore was long overdo.

He swung his legs off, over the bed and was about to stand up and Will was in front of him. Blocking his way.

"And just where do you think your going?" He asked in his bossy healers voice. Nico rolled his eyes.

"She just said Dumbledore wanted to see us. What?" He asked at Will's scandalized expression as he, once again, tried to stand. "Were you planning on just ignoring him?"

"Yes, actually," Will nodded his head, still scowling, "You need to rest, you're not fully healed yet." Nico bit back some remark about him never going to be fully healed, but he knew Will would like that even less.

"Well, too bad, we're going," Nico said firmly, maneuvering around his boyfriend, "Or at least I'm going." Nico said, stumbling out the Hospital Wing door.

He heard Will groan loudly catching the door before it slammed shut, and wrapped one arm around Nico's waist, holding him up.

This was probably a good thing because, seconds later, Nico's legs collapsed under him.

"See, you still need to rest." Will scolded.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, besides it was only a day." Nico grunted

"It was two, Neeks!" Will protested

"You said one!"

"It was basically two."
"Two is not one!"

"Some difference." Will huffed, but didn't try to lead Nico back to the bed. Instead, he waited until Nico's legs found their strength before directing them to where Dumbledore's office sat waiting for them.

°°°

After getting lost more times then either would like to admit Nico and Will made it to Dumbledore's office.

Ignoring the fact that they had to have Professor McGonagall show them the way.

"Here it is, boys. Professor Dumbledore sent me to get you, and to show you up. Liquorice Wands." The last of part was directed toward the large stone gargoyle that sprung aside at her commanding tone. Or maybe at the correct password.

The two boys nodded and thanked her, before continuing up the winding staircase themselves.

"Ah, Mr Di Angelo and Mr Solace." Dumbledore said, looking up from a large stack of papers. "How nice of you to join me." Nico frowned.

"Well it wouldn't have been the most polite to just ignore you, since your were the one to ask for us." He pointed out, casting Will a significant look, which, he, pointedly ignored.

"Well, yes, that is correct," Dumbledore hummed, "Before we begin would either of you fancy a lemon drop?" He asked, gesturing to container on his desk. Nico felt his eyebrows raising on their own accord, but it was Will who raised his hands, saying,

"No thank you, I'm good."

"Same." Nico said after a moment.

"Very well, straight to business then," Dumbledore clapped his hands together, like a toddler excited about it's new game, "As you already know we are in a search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. And has I have come to realize," he winked at Nico, "There is indeed 7 in total. Now, you, Mr Di Angelo, mentioned being able to sense the pieces of the soul. So, after some extensive research I have discovered a ceremony of sorts that just might solve our problems." The old wizard reached into his desk and pulled out a old leather bag as well as a rolled up piece of parchment.

"These, I believe, will suffice," Dumbledore said, "And I believe this will be an excellent channel for your powers Mr Di Angelo." Dumbledore pulled out an honest to goodness human skull out from his robe's and extended it for Nico to take. The moment he did he was flooded with even more power he stumbled by the raw death energy radiating from the object.

It was fresh.

Catching Nico before he fell, Will cast a dirty look at Dumbledore and held up his hands as if to pause the events taking place.

"Wait, wait, wait. What exactly are you asking Nico to do?" Dumbledore frowned, as if unused to being questioned.

"The skull will be used to channel Mr Di Angelo's power, into a single object that then will be able to direct us to the exact location of the Horcrux."

"Channel his magic how?"

"I believe it will be as simple as pushing his power into the skull."

"So will this be draining or costly to Nico? Will he lose his power?"

"I believe his power to be extendable, and will not drain completely. It will also only take a small amount of his power, and should grant Mr Di Angelo full control of the skull."

"But what if--"

"Gods, Will," Nico groaned, interrupting him, "He doesn't need to take a survey."

"Really?" Will pouted, "But I already printed them out."

"Mr Solace, I must assure you that I have taken Mr Di Angelo's safety into great consideration. You are, after all, my students and I wish no harm to come of you." Dumbledore attempted to reassure Nico's boyfriend, if only he could tell him that was a lost cause. Will huffed, unsatisfied,

"Why do I doubt that?"

"Do not get me wrong, Mr Solace, I am glad that Mr Di Angelo is up and well but this is vital to the mission. And that reminds me! As I'm sure it would delight you to here, Mr Malfoy made it through without a scrape as well. Ms Granger was able to preform a jinx to cushion his fall."

Nico realized he hadn't even thought if his preys had been answered, that Malfoy had survived and not, in fact, died. Did he feel guilty? He didn't think so.

"But, in the end," Dumbledore slid in, interrupting Nico's thoughts, "It is Mr Di Angelo's choice."

"Neeks," Will said warningly. But Nico shook his head.

"Will, we need to do this. It's the quest."

"This isn't a quest!" Will fought back, "There wasn't even a prophecy, at least, not one that was said without being layered in sarcasm."

"I'll do it."
Will's shoulders slumped.

"Fine, but we'll do it in the dungeons, underground." Nico considered arguing but, he supposed, it would strengthen him, being in his father's domain. And he would be least likely to blackout.

"I see no reason to disagree with this." Dumbledore nodded sagely, at that moment reminding Nico unmistakably of Chiron. He wondered if they knew each other.

"Lead the way, Sunshine." Will said, dragging Nico out of the office and down the stairs.

°°°

"We will do it in here," Dumbledore instructed, stopping in their, now, empty potions room, "I asked for Professor Snape to leave us for a moment, and the class should not be arriving for many moments.

"Okay then, what do I do?" Nico asked, stopping in the center of the room, surrounded by cauldrons and floating animals in strange glowing liquid.

Will stood across the room from the door, scowling at Dumbledore as he approached Nico. The look clearly said 'I will slice you up into tiny little pieces if you dare hurt my boyfriend.'

"All you must do is hold the skull, tightly, in your grip. Think of the seven Horcruxes, and your wish to know their location. Then repeat the words: Absentis inveniri memoriam oblitus. Úbi sum? Three times."

"Wait, if we only needed the skull what's with the paper and bag?" Nico asked, eyebrows close together in his confusion.

"I will be taking notes." Dumbledore said simply. Will looked ready to explode at the old wizard, his fists clenched and eyes blazing.

"Okay, should I start?" Nico asked, holding the skull in a death grip. (Excuse the pun)

"Yes, begin."

°°°

*Harry's POV*

When Sirius had appeared in the Gryffindor common room Harry and asked again about Nico Di Angelo and Will Solace. And Sirius had nothing. He left them with only more questions.

His godfather had been unable to find any information on Nico Di Angelo. Neither were registered as wizards, and there had been no records at all of Nico Di Angelo.

Will, however, Sirius had been able to find all sorts of mundane things on him. His mother, apparently, was a country singer. And most likely a muggle. There was never any mention of his birth father, so he, Harry and the other's assumed, must be the wizard.

"Unless he's a muggle born." Hermione had added.

Nico Di Angelo, on the other hand, didn't exist. In neither muggle or wizard worlds

This did not make him seem very innocent.

But when they had tried to share their newly discovered information with Professor Dumbledore he had brushed them aside. Saying,

"I know of this, and of both their situations, Harry, and believe me that they are trustworthy. I trust both of them completely."

"Like you trust Snape?" Harry had snapped bitterly. Dumbledore had just smiled.

"Yes, Harry, like how I trust Professor Snape." Harry hadn't tried after that, instead, choosing to lay in his bed for almost the entirety of Sunday stewing over all he knew.

He was not proud to admit that the idea of Dumbledore himself, being a death eater had, in fact, passed his mind at least once.

He never mentioned this passing thought to Hermione and Ron, it was too ridiculous to even bother speaking about.

They had just finished up a very full History of Magic lesson and were now walking to Potions, having escaped the clutches of Professor Binns early.

"I wonder if Nico has woken up yet." Hermione wondered allowed, they hadn't been allowed to see Di Angelo after he had fallen from the clouds and had landed in a heap next to pieces of a broken broomstick.

Will had been surprisingly calm about everything. Telling them to get back then laying his wand on Nico's skin and started to murmur incomprehensible words under his breath. They had all watched as Di Angelo had started to glow golden sunlight and watched as his broken body slowly started to fix itself back together.

"That was seriously powerful healing magic, Will used. He must be more powerful than we realized." Hermione added, Harry humming in agreement.

He had never really thought about the blonde exchange student before, most of his focus had been on Nico, the suspicious one.

But Will had never seemed like much to him.

Relatively quiet.

Always in the background. He had never seemed that powerful. But he had practically brought Di Angelo back from the dead. Making him someone not to be reckoned with.

They had rounded the corridor when they felt the cold sweep over them.

It was normally cold in the dungeons, but it was different at that moment. And Harry and felt it before.

In the Dinning Hall.

In the library.

On the Quidditch Pitch.

He could recognize it now. The coldness he associated with Nico Di Angelo.

Harry drew his wand.

Chapter Text

*Harry's POV*

In all honesty he wished he could get used to Nico Di Angelo, if only so he would stop being so surprised.

Sure, he recognized the air of cold that would surround him whenever he seemed to lose control. But it was the shadows that really got to Harry.

The way they swarmed around him so thickly you could only see the thin outline of his ghostly skin.

He had only see the shadows twice, both times it had been fairly dark, the shadows of the books stealing away some of the effect.

But when he rounded the corner and into the potions room he could finally see just how frightening Di Angelo could be.

He stood there, in the center of the room, shadows thickening around him, clutching a human skull tightly in his grip.

He was speaking, low and powerful into the dead silence.

"Absentis inveniri memoriam oblitus. Úbi sum? Absentis inveniri memoriam oblitus. Úbi sum? Absentis inveniri memoriam oblitus. Úbi sum?" Harry shivered in the doorway but still managed to lift his wand and point it directly at Nico Di Angelo.

"Stupefy!" A bolt of red shot from his wand heading straight for Di Angelo.

Then the strangest thing happened.

It just, bounced right off.

The spell never hit Di Angelo, never even came close. Upon touching the first shadow it rebounded off of it as of it was a physical thing and came flying straight for Harry.

He ducked.

Which, was very unlucky for Ron, who had just ran in behind him.

"Harry watch o--!" Harry looked back just in time to see Hermione catch Ron and lay him gently on the ground, raising her own wand as well.

But Di Angelo wasn't even looking at them, all his focus was directed at the skull in his hands.

Hermione gasped, and Harry thought nothing of it, they were, after all, in a truly strange and frightening situation, not until she cried out.

"Professor Dumbledore!?" Harry whipped his head around and, indeed, Dumbledore stood at the edge of the room with a look Harry had never seen on his face before.

Was that, panic?

"Harry, go!" Will Solace was there as well, and he had noticed Harry and his friends as well now. He was looking nervously between Nico and them. As if unsure what to do. Who to protect.

Up until that moment Do Angelo had been silent. Even the whirling shadows made no noise. But then, Harry could just barely see, Nico tip his head back and moan, softly.

Dumbledore looked full on terrified now. He had his wand out, but it wasn't pointed at Di Angelo.

It was pointed at, Harry?

"One's, here," Di Angelo's voice was low and raspy in his throat, "It's, so, strong." His eyes had been squeezed shut, and when he snapped them open Harry could see that they were black. No pupil, no iris, his entire eye looked as if one had spilled ink in it.

And he was looking right at Harry.

He raised his hand.

"BEGONE!" He screamed, and Harry fell to his knees.

°°°

*Will's POV*

When Will jumped he didn't think much of it.

He only saw Harry Potter, on the floor, dying. And his boyfriend killing him.

But it wasn't his boyfriend.

So Will leaped for Nico, managing to make it through the shadow shield, who knows how? And tackle Nico to the ground.

He heard his boyfriend grunt in pain. Then he went still.

Carefully, Will rolled off him and checked his pulse.

Still alive.

Will breathed a sigh of relief, and looked around the room.

Without the shadows there the room seemed much larger then before. By the doorway Harry was still on his knees, coughing violently, but still alive. Hermione was helping him, while Ron lay unconscious behind them.

Then there was Dumbledore.

Will stood up slowly, walking toward Dumbledore, fury radiating off him in waves.

"WHAT IN ALL THE BLOODY HELLS WAS THAT!?" He screamed in Dumbledore's face.

"NICO ALMOST DIED!" Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, he did not, Harry did." Will didn't care about Harry, and, as far as he was concerned, Nico had almost died.

"I didn't, Will." Nico seemed to have woken up from whatever state he was in struggling to his feet. Will rushed to help him.

"Then what happened?" He asked, voice softer now that it was directed at Nico, but only slightly.

"It was just so powerful."

"Did it at least work?" Will snapped, this time at Dumbledore, who seemed to have been examining the skull Nico had dropped when Will jumped him.

"Mmm, yes, it appears so."

"It appears so," Will muttered glaring at Dumbledore. He had been about to say something else when another voice bellowed throughout the room.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?"

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?"

Nico struggled to regain his footing, still leaning against his boyfriend, at the sound of his father.

He didn't have time to process what it could mean before his father was standing before him, glowering down at them all.

"Must I repeat myself?" He asked, a low growl in his voice.

"Please, father," Nico said, bowing politely, "Tell us what you would like to know, what has happened?" Will and Dumbledore had both fallen to their knees, while Harry and Hermione just stood with their mouths agape.

"There was a very powerful burst of magic, involving you, Nico Di Angelo. Would you like to explain, Albus?" Will was still scowling at his feet.

"Yes, my lord, I fear it was a tracking spell that would enable us to locate the Horcruxes. But something seems to have gone amiss. For, it was only supposed to be able to locate them. But now, well, now the person with the power to the spell should be able to destroy a Horcrux just by touching it." Dumbledore said, surprisingly calm for someone presently facing the god of the dead. One of the most powerful Olympians.

"Who can use this power?" Hades rumbled.

"Only Mr Di Angelo, my high one."

"Father?" Nico asked stepping up, "Why did the spell go so wrong? Was it to do with my extended powers?"

Hades nodded slightly, "Yes, I believe so. Your powers seemed to have reacted differently to the powers and their source here."

"So they should go back to normal once I return to camp?" Nico asked, excited at the prospect at not having to fight for control every moment of his strange, strange, life.

"It is uncertain."

"What of our task then, shall we continue as it was." Will piped up. Hades nodded.

"You will do as your told, son of Apollo, and I have recently come across information you should find very useful. That one," he pointed directly at Harry, "Will have to die."

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

Apparently Harry Potter needed to die.

But he no longer knew that.

For, the moment Hades had left, disappearing into the shadows, Dumbledore erased Harry and his two friend's memories.

They were in the hospital wing now, being treated for "sever brain trauma". Because they all fell down the stairs.

Nico and Will were in their empty dorm, Nico pacing up and down, unsure what else to do.

"So there are 6 more pieces of a soul left we need to find, destroy them, protect idiots, remain disguised, and follow a not-very specific schedule to prevent the owner of said souls finding out and coming to kill anyone," Nico mapped out the quest, "Thanks dad."

"You've done more difficult and complex things before." Will pointed out. Nico scowled,

"And almost died more times then is probably healthy."

"Definitely not healthy." Will agreed, smiling slightly at their predicament but his hands were shaking.

Nico frowned, he didn't want Will to worry.

"But now I have you, so everything is so much better." Nico walked up towards Will, stopping between both his knees. Ignoring the fact that with Will here he could very well end up dead with Nico. But that was just another risk. Nico's least favourite one, true. But still only one possibility.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked, moving both his hands to Will's shoulders. Will nodded, looking up at Nico through his eyelashes.

He's so beautiful, Nico thought, both inside and out.

The kiss was hot, and heated. Nico ended up straddling Will, his boyfriend, his love.

"I love you," he gasped, "I love you, forever and ever, I love you."

°°°

*Harry's POV*

Harry felt like he was missing something. He felt like that ever since returning to class, after his trip down the stairs.

The funny thing was, however, was that he couldn't remember it. And it wasn't just him either, neither Ron or Hermione had a really clear idea of what had happened.

This did not improve Harry's suspicions.

He was sure his "trip" had had something to do with Di Angelo, and then he had probably erased his memories or something.

"That's ridiculous," Hermione had scolded him, "There's no way Nico is powerful enough to do such magic, why I doubt even Dumble--" Harry had glared at her then reminded her about just how powerful Di Angelo was. And how it was entirely possible that he would be able to preform 'such magic'.

He had zoned out during lunch enough times for even Ron to notice and ask him what was wrong. Harry had just shrugged.

What heightened his suspicions was that he hadn't seen either Di Angelo or Will that day. They seemed to have just disappeared.

At least until he and Ron climbed up the ladder to Divination and saw both boys seated at a table in the very back of the room.

Cautiously Harry set his things a few feet down, directing Ron to sit elsewhere.

The two boys were leaning towards each other, talking adamantly to each other. Their words were in hushed whispers, but Harry still managed to make out some of what they were saying

"We need to do it Will, besides it's not like we have a choice." That was Di Angelo, his voice was hushed and calm. Reassuring.

"No, we do not need to do anything, Nico."

"But my father--"

"It's dangerous."

"It's not like neither of us has ever done dangerous things before, honestly, Will."

"Honestly what?"

"It's just, okay," he sighed, "You don't need to come, you know, you can stay here, watch Harry and the others. Alright."

"Why? Do you not think I can handle myself?" Will's voice was cold now, Harry had never heard his voice like that, he always seemed bubbly.

"No, it's just--" But Will had already stood up, his stool scraping against the stone floor.

"I'll be back, okay, see you later." Then he walked out.

Nico stared after him, utter devastation on his face, but he didn't follow.

Harry didn't even feel bad, after all, it was only a matter of time before Will realized just how bad Nico Di Angelo was. Just how evil.

Moments after Will left Professor Umbridge came through the trap door. For a moment Harry wondered what she was doing there, until he remembered the whole Inquisitor business, and how she would be inspecting each class.

"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawny. You received my note, I trust? Giving the time and date of your inspection?"

Professor Trelawny nodded then went about telling them to divide into pairs. Harry had lost focus, his attention diverted to Di Angelo. Who was staring off into space, his finger drumming absentmindedly on his table face.

"Did you not hear me, Mr Di Angelo?" Trelawny asked, having made it around to Nico's table, "I said to divide into partners."

Di Angelo didn't answer for over a full three minutes, before lazily bringing his attention to her.

"I don't want a partner." He said coldly, "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there's a problem!" Professor Trelawny said, her voice unnaturally high, "You will do as your told Mr Di Angelo!" Nico tapped his chin, faking thought,

"I've always had a problem with that, following instructions, I mean. And I also highly doubt Dumbledore will care if I don't want a partner in," he paused, "what's this class again?" Professor Trelawny flushed crimson and Umbridge chose that moment to come over as well.

"Is there an issue here," she asked in her annoying voice.

"I don't see one." Nico replied lazily, leaning back in his chair.

"Aren't you supposed to be in pairs, Mr Di Angelo." Umbridge said sweetly, "I see Mr Potter is also without a partner, how about you go with him. There's a good boy."

"Bloody brilliant." Nico said with a false British accent, mocking their accent.

"But--" Harry spoke up, looking at the black haired boy with disdain.

"No buts!" Umbridge chirped, turning to Professor Trelawny, "Now, Professor Trelawny, you've been in this post how long, exactly?"

Slowly the two Professors walked away, out of hearing range while Nico stared at Harry blankly.

"You don't want to hear about my dreams " he said bluntly.

"Oh really," Harry scoffed, there was no way this boy had worst dreams then him, "I think you will find me very able."

"Is this your way of getting close to me?" At Harry's confused look he continued, "You know, become my friend or whatever, earn my trust, so then you can learn my secrets and betray me."

"I didn't want to be paired with you." Harry pointed out.

"Who would?" Nico shrugged, sinking farther back into his chair.

°°°

They caught up with Hermione after Divination and together, walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry filling them in about Nico and Will's fight.

He was contemplating what Di Angelo could be up to now when he heard voices in a side corridor, drifting over to them.

°°°

*Nico's POV*

"Will, I'm sorry, alright. That's not what I meant." Nico had found Will hanging around the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and he had dragged his boyfriend down a empty corridor.

"On a scale of 1 to 10 how mad would you say you are at me?" He whispered, Will sighed.

"6, but very quickly sliding to a zero."

"What about now?" Nico asked, mouthing at his neck. Smiling slightly

"Definitely zero now. But--" he pushed Nico away from him, "Okay, listen, Nico, I'm sorry too. I over reacted. I know you didn't mean it like that. It's just sometimes," he paused and Nico frowned hands snaking around Will's back and pulled him closer, never break eye contact.

"Sometimes what?"

"Sometimes," Will took a deep breath, "Well, it's just that you're so powerful. And I'm, well, I'm just not." Nico opened his mouth to interrupt but Will beat him too it.

"Don't bother saying that I am, I know I'm not. And you clearly don't need me. And then there are times like these where I just feel so useless." Tears of frustration formed on his eyes, not quite spilling over, but almost.

Nico brushed them away.

"But you are, Will, so incredibly powerful. I would be dead ten times over if it wasn't for you, so would everyone at camp. I think, no, I know you're one of the most powerful and most important campers there. There is, after all, no point in being powerful if you're not alive to use that power. You keep things alive. You fix broken things. That's more then what most of us can say. Alright?" Will nodded.

"Remember, on Half-blood Hill, when you told me that I was wanted, that people wanted to talk to me, that I had friends?" His boyfriend smiled a watery smile at the memory.

"We were surrounded by monsters at the time, if I recall. And I was wearing all black, while you were wearing a Hawaiian T-shirt." Nico playfully smacked his arm.

"Of course you would remember that, idiot." He was blushing.

"Don't be embarrassed, you looked hot." That did not help with the blushing problem.

"I do want you to come, but it's just, I don't know, you have something to go back to. I don't." It was Will's turn to frown.

"Of course you do, Neeks, it you didn't come back everyone would miss you. Percy, Piper, Hazel, Reyna, Ja--" Will cut himself off, but not before Nico knew what he had been about to say.

Jason.

Nico hadn't really had time to realize or process the idea that Jason was actually dead. He was still holding onto the dim hope that his friend was still alive. That maybe, he had been mistaken.

He could hope.

But he knew it would only hurt more if he let himself.

Nico nodded, burring his head in Will's chest, trying to hide the tears.

"It's alright, okay, everything will be alright." Will whispered. Nico knew that Will didn't know for sure. That he was lying.

But that was the funny thing about hope.

Once you hold it once, you don't want to let go.

Chapter Text

*Nico's POV*

Of course Nico got another detention.

After all, when Harry got one Nico just had to.

It was all fun and games of course.

After Transfiguration Nico saw Harry and the other two hang back to listen to Professor McGonagall and Umbridge's conversation.

"You know," he started, leaning against a nearby column, "You really do seem to make a habit of this eavesdropping thing, Potter. I mean, I've already lost count."

Harry had whipped around glaring at him furiously. But he said nothing as he marched past Nico.

"I'll see you in detention then." Nico nodded as a farewell.

°°°

After a week of carving up his hand Nico was quite sick of Dolores Umbridge.

"You know, Professor," he said sweetly, on their last detention together, "I would like you to thank me for all the hard work and dedication I have put into our detentions."

Umbridge turned purple with confusion, then rage.

"Why, Mr Angelo, would I thank you?"

"Because," Nico hummed softly, Harry had slowed down his packing of his things to listen. Honestly, the eavesdropping!
"I have a hard time believing that the Minister or Professor Dumbledore would approve of your, ah, teaching methods. Nor would my father."

"Watch your mouth, Mr Angelo. I am your elder, and you will treat me as such." She said, nose high in the air.

"Would you like me to get you some wrinkle cream, then? I'm sure I can get my hands on some." Umbridge was flushed with embarrassment, Harry had started coughing in the back of the office, bent over and everything.

"Good day to you, Mr Angelo." Umbridge said coldly, Nico cocked his head, smirking.

"And, thank you." She hissed out from behind clenched teeth.

"Wow, it looked like it physically hurt you to say that." Nico said, smiling in self-satisfaction. Umbridge's face looked to be a wrinkled plum, quite unbecoming, Nico thought to himself.

"Good day to you all!" Nico said, giving a deep bow and exiting the room.

°°°

*Harry's POV*

Harry was beyond nervous. He was now standing infront of a group of people who expected him to what? Tell them about all his adventures?

Harry, in all honesty, hadn't thought much of it, the idea of him teaching about the dark arts, until Hermione had brought it up for a second time.

He had agreed, because he had assumed it would only be Ron, Hermione and a few other people.

This was not a few people.

"What makes me say You-Know-Who is back?" He snapped at Zacharias Smith, "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you didn't believe him, you won't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone."

°°°

Nico and Will had been lying in their shared bed, waiting for noon to hit.

The day before they had gotten a letter from Dumbledore requesting that both of them accompany him on a search for the Horcrux.

"What do you think will happen?" Will asked into the darkness.

They lay separated on the bed, only their hands intertwined.

"I think, that I won't say it will be fine, " Nico said slowly, "because I don't really know. But I will say, that I hope everything will be fine. But I guess we don't really know what to expect."

In truth, Nico was terrified. He didn't like the unknown. And he hated the potentially dangerous unknown.

"So what can we do?" What can I do?"

"Hope, pray that all goes well. And be there for me. That, the knowledge that someone like you could even care for me is, I--I don't even have words." He choked out. His words suddenly becoming harder to say.

He felt Will turn over to face him, a hand tracing his sharp jawline.

"So all I need to do is love you?" Will asked, voice rough, "I can do that."

Nico grinned, and he was just about to lean over to Will when an owl flew in through the window, landing on Nico's chest.

"What the Hades!" Nico shoved the owl off, which landed, disgruntled on the floor.

Will, calm as always, untied the piece of paper attached to the owl's leg, and held it up for both of them to see.

Mr Solace and Mr Di Angelo,
It would be in all our greatest benefits for the both of you to come to my office as soon as possible.
I believe it is the time to collect something long overdue.
Sincerely,
Dumbledore

Nico had barely finished reading the note before he was out of the bed, pulling on random articles of clothing strewn about the room. His sword never left his side, able, as he was, to pull it out of the air surrounding him.

Will was up no later then him, dressing and grabbing an emergency backpack, packed for just that situation.

It was filled with healing ointment, Unicorn drought, Ambrosia, bandages, etc.

"Let's go."

°°°

"You're sure there will be no danger to any of us?" Will asked for what seemed liked the umpteenth time.

"I can promise you as well as anyone who does not truly know can, William." Out of the corner of his eye Nico saw Will scowl. He wasn't entirely sure if it was because of the half answer or if it was the use of his full name.

"I love this guy," Will whispered, "him and his straight answers. He's just like you."

"Hey," Nico defended himself, "I physically cannot give straight answers, it's impossible."

Will ducked his head, fighting a chuckle.

"Take my hand." Dumbledore spoke up, having already handed the skull to Nico, careful not to touch it, and now had outreached hands extended to both of the pair.

Holding the skull was similar to holding a live wire. Thrumming in his hands with power. But it was also painful, in it's own way. The way only power can be painful. Overwhelming.

"No thanks." Nico gritted out.

"You must take my hand for me to apparate us to the proper location."

"Can't I do that, it could be more accurate." Nico gestured to the skull. Dumbledore hesitated.

"What? Scared? An old man like you?" Nico scoffed tauntingly.

"Don't you trust me?" Will was already holding Nico's hand, and gave it a quick squeeze of comfort.

Nico had his hand extended, slightly curling his fingers, a lazy smile fixated on his face.

In truth he was anything but calm or lazy. He was remembering saying very similar words to Jason,

"You asked me about trust, and taking a risk? Well, here you go, son of Jupiter. How much do you trust me?"

He remembered how Percy had not taken his hand, moments before he had slipped into the darkest depths of hell.

How Will had taken his hand on Half-blood Hill.

Dumbledore shook his head.

"I will leave after the two of you." Nico didn't hesitate.

They were already gone.

°°°

It was sort of like shadow travelling, but easier. When Nico shadow travelled he had to focus hard on a certain place.

If he didn't, well, it was better not to think about that.

But with the skull and the spell leading him Nico didn't have to focus as much, he felt less drained when they materialized in the ruins of a house.

But lately he hadn't really felt drained from using his powers anyway.

Nico could feel three remnants of three souls. All ruined, all beaten. All cursed by their descendant.

He could tell they hadn't died in the building, but they had left a small part of their soul in the crumbled foundations. Not quite a Horcrux, not enough to keep one alive, but still a part of their soul.

It happened a lot, people leaving bits of themselves in a place where they had called home. A place where it all started for them. Normally these places were filled with happy memories. But Nico could sense no happiness here.

He shuddered.

"What is it?" Will asked from his side, eyes scanning their surroundings.

Dumbledore wasn't here yet.

Nico seriously doubted he would show.

But, apparently, people could still surprise Nico. Or at least wizards could.

"Be careful," Dumbledore warned, having appeared out of nowhere, "There is dark magic all around us."

Nico snorted, he had felt the magic as well, but it felt like nothing more then a thin curtain.

He raised his hand and made a swiping motion, feeling every spell within a mile of them move aside as well.

"Problem solved." Dumbledore gave him a funny look, but seemed to have deemed it safe. He moved ahead beginning to dig around in the ruins of the house.

Looking for something.

And Nico knew what.

He even knew where it was.

He could see it, distantly, in his mind. A ring, a family ring. With a stone, a very powerful stone as it's center piece.

Nico stepped forward, extending his left hand slowly, his other clutching the skull. He felt the split soul on the ring. Felt it crying out for a reprieve. For an escape.

Nico could, would, give it one.

Now that he was closer he felt himself clench his fist. Summoning the ring to him.

Felt it fly through all the carefully set up barriers, and land perfectly in his palm.

"Hello, little one," Nico cooed to the ring, the stone, drunk on power. "I believe you have somewhere else to be, don't you?"

"Uh, Nico?" Will asked worriedly from behind him.

He ignored his boyfriend, as he brought his index finger and thumb together.

Crumpling the ring between them into only dust.

He felt the piece of soul squirm in his grasp.

Squirm and die.

But the moment Nico touched the stone in the metal setting he felt the death magic in it. And he knew who it's proper owner was.

Nico pocketed the stone, hand brushing against the chilling metal of the locket in his pocket.

He smiled charmingly at Will, who was watching him strangely.

"Two down, five to go."

Chapter Text

Sooo, I wrote this years ago, and I was going to repost it on A03 but that requires me rereading it. And OH! BOY, please, believe me I tried. I really did. But I couldn't do it.
Thus,
I'm rewriting it (because it's physically impossible for me to let a project go completely)

I won't be deleting what's here and I'll post the link to the full (finished) story on Wattpad, cause even if I despise the writing I cannot just destroy it.

I'm sentimental, leave me be!

Anyway,

Here's the link. . .

https://www.wattpad.com/story/271379872-solangelo-goes-to-hogwarts-%7E-because-we-all-love

TA TA

for now. . .