Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nico was walking to the dining pavilion with Will, the cacodemons running around their feet, when the Fates decided to alter the course of his life. 

Again.

"Will! Nico! I need you to do something for me." They turn around to see Lou Ellen sprinting towards them. She stops before them, gasping, and thrusts a stick into Nico's hands. "Try to make it work."

"You want me to do what?" Nico raises a brow as he holds the stick Lou had handed him, used to the weird shit that his boyfriend's best friend bothered them with.

"Wave it around, focus your magic into it, whatever you want." She shrugs, straightening up. "Just try to get it to react, I guess." 

Will grins, petting the cacodemon on his shoulder. "I did it yesterday and got nothing. Are you guys just going around to everyone and asking on the off chance it catches fire?" 

"I'd rather it doesn't catch fire, thanks." Lou snorts. "It's hard enough trying to get a wand in the States, let alone a replacement for a broken one." 

"A wand?" Nico questions.

"Yep." Lou nods. "Normally, we Hecate kids don't bother with them and all, but one of my brothers, Dominic, has a Disciple of Hecate for a dad, so he's going to try to go to Ilvermorny during the school year if the monsters don't show up and try to take him out. It's the first time we've had a legacy of a Disciple show up here in decades, and he's got a half-sister who's of age the year after next. He asked if we'd be willing to help them with all the magic stuff. Renya said a few legacies in New Rome are in a similar situation. If they can't go to the wizard schools without becoming targets for monsters, we want to try to supplement their education here." 

"So what's that got to do with me waving sticks around?" Nico asks.

"The legacies lack the control of the magic that my siblings and I possess, so they require wands to harness it effectively." Lou bit her lip. "Which means that the Disciples and their descendants are more suited for this. None of us has attended wizarding schools, though, meaning we can't teach them their methods. That's why we're seeking out demigods we know can defend themselves to check if they have an affinity for this type of magic. If we can send them to these schools and then have them return with knowledge for the kids, it would benefit them, you know? We want to prevent any of them from becoming Obscuri."

"So, I'm waving this stick around, hoping to tap into some wizard magic so I can get into a wizard school, borrow their lesson plans, and return here to teach demigods how to wave sticks around and do magic?" Nico grins, twirling the wand between his fingers. 

"If you can get it to work and agree to it, then yes. Yes, you are." Lou smirks. "Come on, death breath. Impress me." 

Nico twirls the stick. Nothing happens. He waves it at the grass, which causes the end to let out sparks, and they jump.

"Di immortales." Lou laughs. "Yes! That's two demigods we can send out! Please, Nico, please say you'll do it!"  

"I just want lunch." Nico sighs, waving the wand and watching the sparks change colors. 

"I'll grab some food and meet you at the Hecate cabin. Lou will need to fill you in on everything you're going to be doing if you're going to become a magical teacher. See you in a few, okay?" Will laughs, kissing Nico's cheek before running off, the baby shadow monsters trailing behind him. 

"Alright, come on." Nico grins as Lou cheers, dragging him toward her cabin. He sees Chiara, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Tyche, on the other side of the cabin, holding a wand. She must be the other demigod they plan to infiltrate the wizarding schools.

"So, how exactly are we going to do this? Claim I'm an exchange student or something? Where is Ilvermorny, anyway?" Nico sat at the table and watched as Lou brought over a crate of wooden pieces and boxes. They were unloaded onto the table with care as she started to explain.

"Ilvermorny is located in the Appalachian Mountains, somewhere near Pennsylvania. This is going to be complicated, though, since, technically, you don't exist," Lou tells him as she arranges the wood pieces in front of him. "Chiara is heading to Ilvermorny because the Magical Congress of the United States of America, or MACUSA, insists on proof of your identity. A mortal birth certificate, a Social Security number, or a Wiccaning verification—none of which we have on file for you. Instead, you will be attending one of the schools in Europe. We didn't hear back from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Durmstrang Institute essentially told us to fuck off, so you will be going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland. It's regarded as the top magical school in the United Kingdom, and the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, seemed friendly enough when Chiron asked about their acceptance of exchange students. They're essentially one of the thirteen Ivy League wizarding boarding schools and are considered one of the best institutes of magic worldwide. They're hosting a tournament this year with two other Ivy League magic schools—the ones I just mentioned—and Chiron is looking into our chances of attending. If we tell them that your parents are non-magical, they won't require any additional identity documentation."

"What are these, then?" Nico looks at the wood that Lou is placing in front of him. 

"You'll need to have a wand to do magic to blend in with the Disciples, and we can't exactly take you to a wizard's wand shop to buy one, but Leo owes me a favor. You need to pick a type of wood and a magical core that speaks to you." She nods to the wood. "A wizard's wand is like a demigod's weapon. It's an extension of yourself and unique to you alone. You'll know when it's the right one." 

"And now the bad news." Nico picks up one of the pieces of wood, frowns, and puts it down. He picks up another, turns it over, and exchanges it for a different one.

"Hogwarts only accepts exchange students for like, a month, which isn't enough time to learn everything, unless they're just starting. So, to make the most of it, you must be an eleven-year-old first-year and stay until you're seventeen." 

"Fuck that." Nico stands up, slamming the piece of wood down on the table.

"Please, wait, Nico!" Lou grabs his arm. "It's only a spell to make you look eleven, not transform you into your eleven-year-old self. And…and there's a time aspect-"

"No!" Nico jerks away from her, his back hitting the table. "No! I'm not going anywhere near time magic, Lou, I can't—"

"Whoa, what's going on?" Will enters the cabin, sets down the plates of food, and pulls Nico to him. Nico hugs back, trembling. Lou explains their plan to send Nico to Hogwarts under a time spell, three years into the past, so that he can start this coming year as his fourteen-year-old self. The spell won't affect Nico overseas or them here. It would compress ten months of schooling into ten days. They'd reapply the aging spell to make him twelve before his second year and again for his third year as a thirteen-year-old. He'd finish the summer at camp and go to London in late August for his fourth year, staying for ten months. If he decides to continue after that, he'd attend Hogwarts until he was seventeen and return to teach demigods wizard's magic to survive in the mortal, magical, and godly worlds. 

The more he listened to Lou explain how complicated this was, the more his excitement outweighed his fear. This was setting him up for years in the making, and it already sounded like it would take up the majority of his life. 

It was a plan.

It was a future . 

He wouldn't just be reacting to what was happening in the present moment, but also planning for his future. Percy and Annabeth were attending college, and Will had already announced that he would be attending medical school to become a doctor and healer at camp. He'd envied them for having a plan for their lives, and this could be his—someone who could protect people by showing them how to defend themselves. 

A teacher, like Chiron.

And all he had to do was go back to living under a time spell for a few weeks while years passed around him. He shudders. Pulling away from Will, he turns to Lou. 

"Alright, I need to step out for a minute." He swallows, squeezing Will's hand. "I'm going to take a walk to the arena and see if I can get one of the others to teach my sword class today. Then, I need to talk to Mr. D and eat lunch with my boyfriend. I'll come back here afterward. If I'm doing this, I need to know everything." 

Lou gives him a sad smile and nods. 

"Leo! I'm cashing in my favor!" 

The Hephaestus cabin went from the overwhelming noise of hammers and drills, a radio playing 80's rock, and the sound of crackling fire, to silence. Even the forge seemed to reduce to embers. Lou Ellen grinned from where she stood in the doorway, with Nico and Will behind her. Leo stands up, and one of his brothers makes a cross over his chest and kisses his fingers, which he raises in salute to Leo before everyone returns to their projects. Leo flips his brother off and leads their group back outside so he can hear them better. 

"And how am I selling my soul to you today?" Leo grins, wiping the grease from his hands onto an old shirt and throwing it over his shoulder. 

"Nico tested positive for the Disciple magic, so we need to get him a wand for wizard school. Who better to make it than Leo Valdez?" 

"Seriously?" Leo exclaims, his mouth agape. "But a wand—you said it's their primary weapon. It's the main protection he'll have over there! Why not get one from a professional wand maker who knows what they're doing?"

"Because it's you, Leo." Nico crosses his arms over his chest. "You built the Argo 2. You found Bunker Nine, got Festus to work again, and attached his wings. You make all the weapons my sword classes use. I wouldn't trust any wand you didn't make to do the job properly and protect me." 

Leo gives Nico a barely visible smile and pulls him into a hug. Nico stiffens for only a second before hugging him back. "I trust you, Leo, and I'll trust whatever wand you make me as if it's my stygian sword." 

"It's like you want me to cry, you asshole." Leo pulls back. "Alright, show me what I'm working with." 

Lou carefully hands him the box she's holding. "This contains a Threstral hair, which is going to be the wand's core. It's rare, and I only have one, so please be careful. I doubt I can get another, and Nico reacted to this one the strongest of what I have with me." 

"What's a Threstral?" Leo asks, cradling the box with the gentleness he reserves for his machines and his younger brother, Harley.

"It's like an undead Pegasus," Will chuckles, watching Leo flinch, gripping the box tighter while keeping it away from his body.

"Of course it is. And the wood?" Nico tries to offer the piece of pine he selected to the other boy, but hesitates. After a moment's reluctance, he finally places it in Leo's hand, causing Leo to laugh. "No worries, Neeks; I promise to take good care of it."

"I know you will," Nico nods.

"I've got to get to the infirmary for my shift. I'll see you later, okay?" Will hugs Nico, who leans up to kiss him before waving him off.

"You two are adorable," Lou grins. Nico pushes her shoulder.

"Come on, Romeo." Leo guides them into his cabin and back into the secluded workroom, setting everything on the desk. "Okay, Lou, what exactly do we need for this to work properly?" 

"Not sure. The wand is carved from a specific type of wood with magical properties, and the core is sealed within. If it doesn't explode, we're golden." Lou sits on the bed. "It depends on how the magic interacts."  

"Okay. Let's start with shaping the wood." Leo grabs some tools from the desk and sits with the wood block. "Lou, show me yours so I can estimate the thickness. It'll take some time if y'all want to chat." 

Lou hands over her wand, and Nico listens as she explains more about Hogwarts, the wizarding world, and some of what Nico would need to know to fit in. Leo occasionally hands Nico the wood and asks if it feels right. It did, but not quite. Leo nods, waits for Nico to hand it back, and returns to shaving the wood into the correct shape.

"Try this." Leo hands him a carved stick, and Nico weighs it in his fingers, waves it around. It's almost perfectly balanced and feels right in his hand. Leo grins. "That's it, isn't it? Okay, time to figure out how to fit the core in."

Nico eyes the shaving tools but hands the wand back to Leo. He nods, pushing the tools aside and putting the wood on the table. The remaining pieces from the carved chunk sit just out of reach on the desk, just in case he needs to start over. He places the box with the Thestral hair beside the wand, contemplating. 

"You said it reacts to magic, right?" Leo asks Lou, who was dozing on his bed. "If I use magic on it, will it help or ruin it?"

"Either." Lou sighs. "I don't know. I've never seen someone make a wand. With wizards, it's like a family trade kind of thing. They're secretive about it. You could probably do anything and get results, good or bad."  

"You could cut it in half. Or burn it." Nico stares at the wood.  

"What?" Lou's head snaps up to look at him.  

"Dude, I just spent like an hour carving this thing." Leo snorts. "If you want me to start over, fine, but I can use this for something else."  

"No, I mean…" Nico shakes his head. "Like burn a hole in the middle to hollow it out. It just feels right."  

"Okay, I'm going to need to do a test so I don't char this whole thing up." Leo grabs one of the spare pieces and starts experimenting with his flames. 

Nico stands up and says, "I'll be right back," before rushing out of the cabin and heading to his own, where Mrs. O'Leary is napping on the porch. After giving her a scratch behind the ear, he slips inside. He pets the sleeping Cocoa Puffs on his bed before kneeling to rummage through the trash can. Recently, he had groomed the hellhound and noticed— jackpot!  

He retrieves the item, puts everything else back, and then hurries to Leo's cabin. As he enters, he tries not to disrupt Leo while placing the whisker on the desk. Leo looks up from where he is focused on burning a hole in the wand. "What's that?" 

"Mrs. O'Leary shed one of her whiskers the other day. Do you think you could use it for the wand, too?" 

"Like, as part of the core? Maybe." Leo goes back to his work, and Nico observes. It was strange to see such a thin flame, as if Leo had ignited dental floss and wedged it into a stick. The pungent scent of burning pine fills the air as Leo continues to work on the wand. 

"I've never heard of a wand with a dual-core before," Lou frowns.

"Well, how many demigods do you know who use wands?" Leo asks. "Especially one of the Big Three kids? Nico needs a hella powerful wand to channel his powers properly. Where did you get this, anyway? Most woods would have heated up or caught fire by now. You said it had to be wood with magical properties, right?" 

"Yeah." Lou hums. "I don't know; Nico had it when he returned from lunch with Will earlier." 

"It's a branch from Thalia's tree." Nico grins when they both freeze. "I messaged her and New Rome after talking to Mr. D and told them what was happening. Thalia said she was going to stop by this summer, and I didn't want her to get here while I was gone and get pissed that no one told her. After what happened with Jason, she no longer likes being out of the loop with the camps. I asked if I could use one of the branches Peleus chews on for the wand, and she said it was fine." 

"This is a branch from Thalia's pine, infused with the Golden Fleece's magic that a dragon chewed on. And we're adding an undead pegasus and hellhound to it." Leo clarifies. When Nico shrugs, the boy laughs under his breath. "Yeah, I'd say that's got some hella magic in it. If this wand doesn't work, I'll melt my favorite hammer." 

Nico and Lou laugh as Leo pulls the Threstral hair out of the box. He twists and braids the two hairs together, using pine sap to give them a sturdier form. Then, using a needle, he guides them into the hollow wood. Once they're in, he fills the small hole with more sap and ashes from the charred practice piece.

"Now what?" Leo turned to Lou. He gasps as the wood in his hand starts to heat up and drops it in shock. "Everyone back!"

Leo yanks Nico and Lou from the room, slamming the door shut just in case. He goes over to the far wall and flips a switch, causing a blue light to shine out into the forge. The sound of the other Hephaestus kids working goes silent. After a few minutes of nothing happening, Lou tries the door. Silence. Leo walks past her and heads back to the room, followed by Nico and Lou. The atmosphere felt heavier, yet everything remained unchanged from earlier. The wand rested on the desk, its soft yellow-white wood darkening to a rich golden hue at the thicker base, exuding a soft glow. It seemed well-sanded, polished, and perfectly unified. Nico couldn't see where Leo had burned a hole in it.

"Well, go on," Leo urged him forward. "It's yours."

As Nico approached, the wand emitted a sound deeper than anything so small should be able to produce. It was a rumble, a purr, a sound he recognized from Mrs. O'Leary and the Puffs, which they made several times daily. 

He touches it. 

The noise stopped. 

A tingling dances up his arm, a golden frost crawling across Leo's workbench as he picks it up. It was warm and cold simultaneously, like he had stuck his hand directly under a sunbeam in winter. He grins when sparks shoot out of the top. Leo cheers and leaves to give his siblings the all clear.

It was perfect.

"So this won't hurt, right?" Nico asks as he watches Lou counting out and bottling her homemade pills.

"Not at all," Lou replies, capping the bottle and handing it to him. "You won't feel anything when we cast the spell, which lasts a few days. It's best to take these pills at least once a week to maintain the effect until the end of the term. When the year ends, you'll return here and we'll let it wear off. Then we can reapply it for a twelve-year-old you before the next round."

"And the wizards won't be able to undo it, right?" Will asks, frowning as he examines the bottle in Nico's hands.

"They're not powerful enough," Lou agrees. "Unless there's another child of Hecate present who knows the counterspell. However, remember that any changes you make to your appearance will be permanent. So no tattoos, shaving your head, or dyeing your hair wild colors, thinking it will disappear when the spell does."

"You just have to spoil everything, don't you?" Nico asks Lou with a grin. "Have you tested the spell?"

"Chiron and Albus have been discussing your enrollment since yesterday. Albus is sending letters from three years ago on different days, even though there are only a few minutes between Chiron's replies. I'd say it's working." Lou responds softly. "You'll be able to reach us once a month, and we'll receive calls daily. If it becomes overwhelming, you can always come home early. We'll find another solution for Dominic and the others." 

"No, it's fine. Let's do this." Nico rolls his shoulders in determination.

"Wait." Will rises and draws Nico into a kiss. "Because I'm not kissing an eleven-year-old."

Nico laughs, pulling Will into a second kiss, then a third, before separating. Lou smiles while Leo whistles at them. Nico signals Lou to start the spell, and Will releases his hand as he shrinks. When it was done, he examined himself, noting that only a few things had changed. He wasn't as muscular as he had been or as thin; his skin had darkened, and he was shorter than he had been. Aside from the scars and longer hair, he resembled how he looked when he was running with Midas. 

"I always knew you were short as a kid." Leo snickers. 

Nico raises his eyebrow, but Chiron knocks on the infirmary door before he can retort. He smiles, "Ah, there you are, Mr. Di Angelo. Albus has sent your acceptance letter, supply list, and instructions on where to meet the groundskeeper so he can accompany you to get your school books. Are you ready to go?" 

"You let the others know, right?" Nico asks him as Lou uses her wand to shrink Nico's clothes to fit him.

"We contacted New Rome, your father, and the Blofis residence," Chiron smiles. "Sally and Paul said to have fun and to try not to blow up the school. Percy and Annabeth are sad they can't see you off, but they will be here tomorrow, as will the others, to see you for the first IM. Thalia arrives in two days, so you will get to speak to her in three months." 

"Okay." Nico takes a deep breath. "I'm ready." 

They follow Chiron out of the infirmary, and Nico flinches at the noise that starts up as the cabins cheer. All the campers there for the summer gather around to see Nico off to London. Lou introduces Dominic, the 11-year-old boy who hugs Nico, thanking him for volunteering to help him and his sister. Chiron calls out for them to return to their activities, and Nico grabs the suitcase they had pulled from the Big House attic, which is filled with some of his clothes. He would be shadow-traveling to England, as it is the fastest way to get there, which Will is not happy about.

"I expect a call from you, your first night there, ya hear me?" Will grins as he tucks a piece of Nico's hair behind his ear. Nico had pulled the long hair back into a half-bun with his wand sticking through the hair tie, his bangs framing his face. 

"That's a whole month away," Nico murmurs against the palm on his cheek. 

Will presses a kiss to his forehead. "It's just 24 hours until I see you again."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." He presses another kiss to his hair and pulls away. "Best not be late." 

Lou Ellen hands him a glass orb. "There's another one in the suitcase when you're ready to come home. Just break it and think of camp when you shadow-travel. It'll bring you right back. Good luck, Neeks."

"Don't call me that. See you in a few months." Nico steps back under the shade of a tree and drops the orb, slipping into the shadows and letting them cloak him. Upon exiting the shadows, he was faced with a brick wall in the alley, and he brushed away the stinging in his eyes. After a deep breath, he steps onto the sidewalk, looking down at his letter and the building sign beside him.

The Leaky Cauldron.

Stepping inside, he noticed it was dark, stuffy, and full of people. He kept his suitcase close as he made his way to the bar and kept an eye out for the man who was supposed to be meeting him there. The groundskeeper of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid, was said to be a large man with long dark hair and a beard. Nico didn't see anyone matching that description.

"Can I help you?" The barman says as he notices him.

"Sorry, I'm supposed to be meeting someone here named Hagrid?" Nico shoves his way to the front. "My letter said he's gonna take me school shopping, but I don't know what he looks like."

"Ah, an American." The barman laughs in surprise. "I'm Tom. Hagrid isn't here, but he should be soon enough. Why's a Yank going to Hogwarts, anyhow?"  

"It's not safe back home, and the school I was supposed to attend is shut down for the year. My Headmaster still wanted us to get schooling," Nico tells him. "Can I get a room here until term starts? I don't know enough about London to get a hotel, and I doubt the normies will let a kid in without an adult."  

"Yeah, I can set you up in a room. Got any money for me?" Tom puts the glass down and leans over the counter.  

"Do you take bills or only wizard currency?" Nico pulls out his wallet. "'Cause if you don't, I can't pay you until I exchange it."  

"I take Muggle money. That's what they're called here. So what are you?" Tom tells him the total for a room for the next few weeks, and he counts it out.  

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you call the Muggles normies like you're not one, but you don't seem to know much about our world. Half-blood then?" 

"I guess. My family wasn't sure if I could do magic." Nico shrugged. "It seems cool, though."

"I got you in room 13." Tom hands him a key. "Go put your bags down, and then you can wait for Hagrid down here."

"Thank you." Nico takes his key and suitcase upstairs to room 13, dodging around a cleaner. The room is located next to the train tracks, and it shakes as the trains pass, but it has a bed that doesn't emit smoke when Nico puts his bag on it, so it isn't the worst place he's slept. He makes it downstairs and sits at the bar, talking with Tom until Hagrid arrives.

Nico knows it's him as soon as the room quiets when the front door opens. Tom smiles and reaches for a glass. "There you are! Your guest has been waiting for almost half an hour for you. Do you want the usual, Hagrid?"

"No can do, I'm afraid." A profound voice answers, and Nico turns to see a man almost as large as a cyclops with a messy beard and long hair, placing a hand on a young boy's shoulder. "I'm on official Hogwarts business today. Ah! There he is! You must be the American Dumbledore told me 'bout."  

"I am." Nico moves to greet them, holding his hand out to Hagrid. "I'm Nico di Angelo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Chapter Text

A wizard. Harry could hardly believe it, even as he remembered Hagrid making flames appear, giving Dudley a pig's tail, sending a letter with an owl last night, and just now making their rowboat fly across the water as if it had a motor. As they got off the train that brought them into central London, Hagrid finished complaining about the tiny seats and turned to Harry. "Right, now we have one more stop before we get your supplies, but he's on the way. Come on." 

"He?" Harry followed Hagrid up the stairs and onto Charing Cross Road. "Are we going to meet someone else?" 

"Aye, we are. Another student is arriving at Hogwarts for his first year." Hagrid towered above the crowd, with Harry trailing closely behind. "An exchange student from across the pond. He'll be studying here instead of at Ilvermorny, so we're gonna pick him up and grab his supplies. This is the first time I believe Hogwarts has welcomed an exchange student from the United States, but Dumbledore approved, so we'll see how it goes." 

"He's from America?" Harry exclaimed, his eyes wide with curiosity. "What's he like?" 

"No idea, I've never met him," Hagrid replied, stopping to place a hand on Harry's shoulder. "There it is, The Leaky Cauldron. That's where we'll meet him and pick up your supplies."

It was crowded when they walked in, and it went silent as soon as they opened the door. Harry stepped back to hide against Hagrid's side as the barman greeted them. "There you are! Your guest has been waiting almost half an hour for you. Do you want the usual, Hagrid?"

"No can do, I'm afraid," Hagrid said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm on official Hogwarts business today. Ah! There he is! You must be the American Dumbledore told me 'bout."

"I am." A boy moved to greet them, holding his hand out to Hagrid. "I'm Nico di Angelo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Nico di Angelo was a slender, pale boy with messy hair, held in place by a golden pin. He wore all black, with a leather jacket and a chain belt. He was exactly the kind of kid the Dursleys would despise at first sight, making him automatically cool in Harry's eyes. However, Harry's attention was drawn to the prominent scars on Nico's face, which were much larger and more noticeable than his scar, which was hidden by his hair. Although Nico didn't smile, Harry sensed that he shared the same cautious thrill at learning about what they were doing here. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper at Hogwarts. I'll be taking you to buy your school supplies," Hagrid said, shaking his hand. 

"And you?" Nico turned to Harry and held out his hand again. The boy had an aura of death around him, concentrated on his head. Nico narrowed his eyes as his bangs moved to reveal a small scar in an uneven zigzag with tinier scars branching off of it. It looked like a lightning bolt. His olive skin was even lighter around the scar as if illuminating it. No wonder he hid it with his hair.

"I'm Harry." Harry shakes his hand. "Harry Potter."  

"Is it really…?" The barman, Tom, breathes out. He comes out from behind the bar to shake Harry's hand. "It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Potter. It is an absolute honor."  

Suddenly, they were surrounded by witches and wizards, all trying to shake Harry's hand. Hagrid encourages them to move toward the back of the pub, with Nico on his other side, as they slowly work their way through the crowd.  

They come across a man in a head wrap, and Hagrid stops the two of them to greet him. "Professor Quirrell! It's good to see you out and about. Harry, Nico, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be teaching you at Hogwarts."  

"Really?" Harry grins. "What do you teach, sir?"  

"D-defense against the d-d-dark a-arts, Mr. Potter. And you are?" Professor Quirrell looks at Nico.

"Nico di Angelo." Instead of offering his hand, Nico stared at the man before him. He sensed the same death aura surrounding this individual as he did with Harry, which intensified the longer they stood there. Nico's instincts, honed over three years of war, warned him that something was amiss. "Hagrid's taking us to get our school supplies for Hogwarts."

"Well, I shouldn't keep you, then," Quirrell stammered, giving them a frightened smile as Hagrid led them away.  

"Is he okay?" Harry asks Hagrid as he guides them into a narrow alley enclosed by brick walls.  

"Quirrell? He's always been nervous, but it's worsened recently. The poor fellow had a nervous breakdown after encountering a hag about a year ago," Hagrid replied, pulling out his umbrella and muttering to himself as he studied the wall.  

"So, what did you do to attract a fan club?" Nico asked Harry, turning to him with his hands in his pockets. 

"I didn't do anything," Harry protested. "My parents, they… They're dead now, so I get all the credit for it, I guess." 

"Ah." Nico shifts uncomfortably. "That sucks, sorry. I'm guessing it was something good to get that reaction." 

"Blimey, do you not know who he is?" Hagrid looks up, turning to Nico. "He's Harry Potter, the son of James and Lily Potter."

"Okay? My father's name is Aidoneus." Nico raises an eyebrow. "My mom's name was Maria."

"That's a pretty name," Harry tilts his head. "Was?"

"Thanks." Nico nods. "She died when I was 8."

"Sorry about your mum," Harry tells him. "I think what Hagrid means is that my parents were killed trying to defeat Voldemort."

"Who's Vol de morte?"  

"Don't say his name," Hagrid whispers, his face pale. "You-Know-Who is the darkest, most evil wizard of the last two generations."

"I think he's like the wizard Hitler or something," Harry whispers. 

"Alright then." Nico shrugs. "So why are you famous?"

"He tried to kill me, I guess, and ended up killing himself. It happened when I was a baby, so I don't remember anything." Harry waves it off, then turns to Hagrid. "How do we get our supplies from a brick wall?"

"Ah, right. Here we are; watch closely now." Hagrid taps the bricks in a pattern, and Nico and Harry watch in awe as the bricks shift and rearrange into an archway leading to a busy street full of witches and wizards.  

Hagrid grins. "Welcome to Diagon Alley." 

All kinds of shops caught their attention as they made their way to Gringotts, the bank. A group of women was complaining about the cost of dragon liver; a man was arguing with a shopkeeper over whether pewter or iron worked best for cauldrons; a group of kids came shoving each other out of one shop, their arms full of candy; another boy jumped as an owl came to a screeching stop on a sign above his head.

"It's amazing!" Nico heard a voice cry from one of the shops selling…were those brooms? Harry looked just as confused. "The new Nimbus 2000! My dad said it's the best racing broom on the market—"

Occasionally, something would catch one of the boys' attention, and they'd tap the other on the shoulder to point it out. Nico hadn't felt this kind of childish wonder since he had discovered Myth-O-Magic, and seeing Harry's identical looks of awe eased him.  

"You said Harry's parents left him money, but what about me? All I have are dollar bills, which don't seem like they'll cut it here," Nico says as they enter the bank.  

"You'll have to exchange it then," Hagrid tells him. "We'll set you up with someone who can do the exchange for you while I take Harry down to his vault, and then we'll meet at the door. Does that sound good?"  

Nico nods and is paired with a man from the exchange department, while Hagrid and Harry are escorted elsewhere by a short, tan man with pointed ears and a fanged grin. 

The man introduced himself as Damian Westlake, and when Nico asked, he broke down the wizarding currency as well as he could. A Knut is equivalent to a nickel or dime in U.S. currency. A Sickle consists of 29 Knuts, whereas a Galleon is equivalent to 17 Sickles, or 493 Knuts. The Galleon is the largest denomination of currency in terms of both size and value. Nico then opens his wallet, which was magically connected to his vault in his father's palace, and withdraws enough money to hopefully last him through the school year. 

"Can I open a vault here at Gringotts so I don't have to lug all this back to Hogwarts?" Nico asks when he realizes just how much his allowance is worth. 

"Of course you can, sir." Damian prepares the key himself: Vault 883. Nico thanked him when he gave him a bag to take some of the coins, and he swiped the stacks of coins that were already laid out on the counter. After exchanging some of it into British Pounds, just in case, he leaves the banker to take the rest to deposit into his vault. He returns to the front of the bank and tries not to think of the equivalent of thousands of dollars worth of gold, silver, and bronze he has in his pocket. 

"Got everything sorted out then?" Hagrid asks. The man looks pale and shaky, and Harry is clutching his own bag of money tightly.

"I opened an account so I wouldn't have to carry it all," Nico tells them as they step outside. "Are you okay?"

"I hate those carts." Hagrid shakes his head. "I'm gonna pop back into the pub and talk to Tom about getting you some transportation to the train station when term starts, Nico. You two don't mind, do you? I need a bit of a pick-me-up after ridin' 'round those tunnels. You two can take the time to get fitted for your robes. Bloody boring that."

"That's fine. We'll meet up with you in a bit, then." Harry smiles. 

Nico nods and waits for the man to leave before leading Harry back down the street to where Hagrid had pointed out Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "So, tunnels, huh?"

Harry grinned and told him about the tunnels, the cart they rode in, and how a dragon supposedly guarded the lower vaults. He tells him about Vault 713, which contains only a single item that Hagrid was grabbing for Dumbledore, how only the bankers can open it, and how they only check if someone tries to break in once every ten years. He gets quiet when he tells him about his vault—Vault 687—with the mountains of gold, silver, and bronze. The money was all his parents had left for him, and it was the most he'd ever had. It was more than his aunt and uncle had ever had in their entire lives. "Do you think they'll tell them—my aunt and uncle? Do you think they'll tell them how much money I've got?" 

"I doubt it." Nico squints at the signs adorning the buildings. The magic caused the words to shift and change colors, rendering them unreadable to him. "If they were going to, you'd think they would have mentioned it when they took you in, when you were a baby. If they didn't, it might be because your parents wished to keep it a secret, or it was left solely for you in their will, preventing others from accessing it. It may be because they're Muggles; they can't use wizard currency to pay for essentials like bills or food. They likely receive financial support to look after you, similar to the situation with foster kids in the States."

"Oh." Harry got quiet. He stops and points to one of the shops. "Here it is."

Nico follows him in, and a woman smiles at them from the counter. "Hogwarts for the two of you, then? Come on. We have another here already, so I'm afraid one of you will have to wait."

"He can go first." Nico nudges Harry forward. Harry is the actual wizard here, so it is more important for him to get his supplies. Nico pulls out his list. "We'll also need pointed hats, gloves, and winter cloaks. Do we get those here, or will we need to go elsewhere?"

"We have the cloaks here, but not the hats or gloves," she says. "Those you'll get right down the street there."

"Thank you, ma'am." 

"Alright then. Follow me." She leads them back and gestures for Harry to stand on the footstool next to a blonde boy. She points to a stool off to the side for Nico and grabs a robe to drape over Harry's clothes, already pinning it in place. "You can sit there, dear. And you'll need to take your jacket off when you come up so we can get the right measurements."

"Yes, ma'am." Nico sat.

"So polite, this boy." The two women giggle.

"Are you a foreigner?" asks the blonde boy, scrunching his nose. "What brings you here?"

"We're getting our uniforms for Hogwarts," Nico replies.

"Will you be enrolling?" The boy looked surprised. "I was not aware that the school accepted international students."

"I doubt I'm the only one in our year." Nico crosses his arms over his chest. "Are you a first-year, too?"

"Obviously." The young boy inhales sharply. "My father is gathering my textbooks while my mother is considering appropriate wands. I intend to persuade them to examine brooms afterwards. Can you believe that first-year students are not permitted to bring their own brooms? My father has already stated that he would purchase a new one for me, as my previous broom became outdated a month ago. I'll need to devise a method to bring it onto the train discreetly."

Harry's nose twitches as he looks at the blonde boy; he looks bored. He reminds Harry of his cousin Dudley. Glancing at Nico, the foreign boy also looks bored, if not annoyed. Meeting Harry's eyes, Nico jerks his chin in the blonde's direction and rolls his eyes as far back as possible. Harry grinned; Nico didn't like the boy either.

"Do either of you have brooms?" the boy asks.

"No," Harry says.

"A couple, but not like what they have here," Nico tells them. 

"Is it not per the standard for Quidditch?" The blonde asks.

"No." Nico stares at him. 

The boy shifts as if uncomfortable, then glares at Nico. "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," Nico replies.

"Alright, dear, all done. You next?" The witch interrupts before he can open his mouth. The blonde boy hops down with a huff, knocking Nico's shoulder as they pass each other.

"I look forward to seeing you at school," he remarks with a sneer. "Both of you."

Nico doesn't reply, which seems to irritate the boy even more. He storms out as Nico gets on the footstool and removes his jacket. Harry had gotten used to seeing the scars on Nico's face, but the ones on his bare arms made his mouth drop. They were claw marks, deep scratches that encircled his bicep. Other, smaller ones covered both arms. It looked brutal. On his right forearm was what appeared to be ink in the form of an unconnected circle of leaves. Inside was a cross with a crescent moon facing up, and a black dot sat in the center of the points. Under it were the letters S.P.Q.R. and two black lines. Did he have a tattoo? At eleven?

"Oh my." The witch seemed unsure as she lifted the robes, her eyes flickering between the tattoo and a wicked-looking burn. She relaxes as Nico holds his arms out. "Are you alright, dear?"  

"I'm fine." Nico looks uncomfortable as he notices all three of them staring at him. "My dad's whole family deals with magical creatures a lot. And one of the hounds had puppies recently, so she's on edge. I got burned when I went to weigh them. It'll heal up soon enough."  

The two witches sighed in relief and got to measuring and pinning their robes. Nico looked up. "What is Quidditch?"  

Harry almost laughs; he wasn't the only one wondering, then. The witch, working on his robes, looked up. "It's a sport that wizards play. Quite a big deal here, I'm afraid. But no worries, love. You two will learn, just like everyone else does. Yes, you will. All right, dear, all done."  

"Can I wait here for Nico to finish?" Harry asks.  

"Of course," the witch says as she takes the robes, already mumbling and adjusting. Harry sits down. "If you don't know what Quidditch is either, do you have a real broom?"

"Sure, I do," Nico smirks. "But I use it to sweep the floor, not play sports." 

Harry chuckles. "I don't think that's what he meant."

"If his interpretation of my response does not align with what I said, I cannot be held responsible." Nico shrugs as the witch, pinning his robes, tells him he's done. He puts his jacket back on and relaxes as it covers his arms. "Come on, let's pay and then find Hagrid. Is our list the same?" 

They pay for their three sets of robes and their winter coats, 17 Galleons each, before making their way onto the street while comparing their list of school supplies. Harry leads them to the store where they purchase their hats, eight Sickles each, and the dragon scale protective gloves for a Galleon a pair. Hagrid finds them in front of the candy shop, looking at a fountain that lets out singing bubbles. He takes them to get their quills and ink, and Nico seems just as intrigued by the color-changing ink as Harry is.

"Why not just use pens and notebooks, though?" Nico asks Hagrid, and Harry has to agree. The ink vials will surely spill, and he knows how hard it is to get ink out of clothes. 

"The kind of paper that Muggles use is too thin, so when wizards are doing research outside or near certain potions, it begins to disintegrate. The parchment is made from plant fibers and withstands water better and lasts longer," Hagrid tells them. "And pens just don't transfer well to the thicker parchment. Quills and ink have worked fine for centuries; there's no point in changing it now."

"Why don't they just make the paper waterproof then?" Harry asks. "Surely they have a spell for that?"

Hagrid didn't have an answer to that. After getting their school books, he had to drag Nico and Harry out of Flourish and Blotts. Harry had wanted to get a book on curses and jinxes to use on Dudley, and Nico looked ready to grab one of everything. The visit to the apothecary had made Nico a little queasy as he looked at all the body parts and live animals, which were used for bait or as ingredients in potions. They retrieved their cauldrons, scales, and telescopes and had already made a trip back to the Leaky Cauldron to store their belongings in Nico's room, so they wouldn't have to carry them through the thickening crowd. All that was left was to get their wands.

"I already have one," Nico says, pulling the gold pin from his hair. Harry hadn't realized it was a wand. It was at least ten inches long, and its thicker base was gold; however, as it approached the tip, it transitioned to a pale, yellowish, off-white color. It was pretty and simple, and Harry told him so. Nico nods his thanks.

"Well, blimey that. Alright then, Harry, we'll be needin' to go to Ollivander's for yours." Hagrid points up the street to an old stone building with a wand on a cushion in the window. "And I still need to get you a present for your birthday."

"You don't have to—"

"It's your birthday?" Nico looks at him. Harry nods. "Well…Happy birthday, then."

"...Thanks," Harry whispers, the tips of his ears turning red as a smile creeps onto his face. Next to Hagrid, Nico was the only person he could remember wishing him a happy birthday in years.

"I'll tell you what, I'll get you a pet." Hagrid nods to himself. "You can take it to Hogwarts; it says so right there. Not a toad, mind you. They went out of fashion years ago. Cats make me sneeze—an owl! That's it; I'll get you an owl. They are very useful; they carry your post and all. Come on then, owl or wand first?"  

They go to get an owl. Harry walks up and down the shop, amazed at everything. There is a second floor of cages, and owls are on the railings and rafters, looking down at everyone. They have toads and snakes in glass cases towards the front, and the cats roam around, sunning themselves in the windows and sprawling on the counter as the saleswitch checks people out. He doesn't know what a pygmy puff or a double-ended newt is, so he stays away from their cages.  

Nico steps up next to him. "How much do you think they go for?"  

"I have no idea," Harry tells him, looking at all the different owls flying around. "Do you think they use magic to keep the store clean?"  

"They'd have to. Otherwise, it would be full of shit, or people cleaning the shit." Nico snorts.

"You curse a lot." Harry looks at him.

"My family cusses a lot, and so do the kids at my school in the States. I guess I've gotten used to it." Nico looks at a cage with a bright pink bird and moves away after reading that it has a silencing charm on it, so its song won't drive you mad. No, thank you.

"You already go to a wizarding school?" Harry asks him. 

"Sort of. It's complicated," Nico replies with a frown. "It's not exactly a school because there aren't many of us who can perform this kind of magic. It's a mix between a group home and a summer camp. Unlike Ilvermorny, it's not connected to the U.S. Department of Magical Education. And I was born in Italy, so we were uncertain about my acceptance since I'm technically not a U.S. citizen. However, I've recently started staying at Delphi's, and they don't have an age-out policy. Which means that after I graduate from Hogwarts, I can continue my studies there until at least my twenties. By then, I should be teaching."

"You want to be a professor?" Harry asks.

"I think so," Nico responds with a shrug. "It's the best plan I've got. I don't know what else I would do except work for my father, and I'm already helping to teach some younger kids at camp since there's only one genuine teacher and the director."

"There you two are!" Hagrid calls out to them. "Come on, we're picking out your owl now. Nico, did you decide if you want one as well?" 

"Yeah, I'll get one." Nico and Harry follow Hagrid and one of the store employees to the second floor. 

"You can hold out your arm and wait for one to land on you, or you can point one out, and we can get it into a cage," the witch tells them. "Once you pick one, it'll listen to you, so it doesn't matter either way."

Harry goes first again, standing with his arm out and waiting. It only takes a second before a white owl with black spots on its wings and golden eyes comes and lands on his arm. He laughs as the bird reaches up to nibble on his hair with a soft trill. The witch nods. "Snowy owl, female, about two years old. She's a good one, always really sweet. I'll grab a cage for her then."

"Thank you." Harry turns to Hagrid. "Are you sure I can get her?"

"Of course, you can." Hagrid huffs. Harry grins, petting her feathers.

"Blasted thing!" They turn to look at the witch as a loud, high-pitched whinny follows her outcry. She is carrying a cage, with a small, dark owl swooping on her. "Stop that! It isn't yours, you bloody menace!"

As it lands on the railing, it trills again, prompting Nico to approach the owl. The feathers around its head are dark brown, transitioning to auburn, with a tawny tail and underbelly. But the real marvel lies in its eyes—deep black adorned with white and red spots, resembling the night sky. Nico recalls Annabeth mentioning her mother's sacred animal enough times to recognize that this owl is blind. Yet, it navigates around the witch who has claimed its favorite cage and knows the location of the railing. Nico extends his arm, and the owl's ear tufts perk up as it trills again, hopping from the railing to his arm, its gaze never wavering from his. Yeah, this owl can see him. 

"That wretched bird is a nuisance," the witch scowls. "Some fool attempted to crossbreed a screech owl with an Augurey, and we ended up with that creature after he got in trouble with the Ministry. They deemed it normal enough for sale, but the infernal bird is more trouble than it's worth. We've had the blasted thing for nearly 15 years now."

"I want him." Nico doesn't take his eyes off the owl. He wasn't aware of what an Augurey was, but it had to be a magical creature to have survived this long. A screech owl typically lives around 3 to 7 years, meaning this one was already twice the average age. The screech owl and the snake were his father's sacred animals. The owl tilted its head and bowed before flying up to his shoulder and nestling under the collar of his jacket.

"I'm not sure I can sell him to you. I'll ask, but honestly, I'd be happy to see him gone." The witch leads them back down to the ground floor and goes behind the counter to ask about the screech owl.

"Hagrid, what's an Augurey?" Harry asks. Nico looks up from where the man was letting the owl nibble at his fingers.

"It's a magical peafowl from Ireland," Hagrid smiles. "Irish Phoenix is what they're commonly referred to. They get a bit of a bad reputation for their cries foretelling someone's death, which is a load of shite. They sing when it rains, that's all. They're not as colorful as normal phoenixes and a bit scrawnier, but they're beautiful birds. Ah, look at his eyes; he's amazing."

"He can't see like that, though," Harry says. "The way his eyes are means he's blind." 

"A normal owl might be, but he's magic," Nico says as the owl comes out to land on his arm, looking at Harry. The owl tilts his head and then blinks. When his eyes open again, they are normal and an orangish-red color. The red and brown faded away from his feathers, leaving them in shades of gray; the only color left was his tail, an iridescent black with shimmering green. Nico blinks in surprise. "Whoa."

Harry's mouth drops open, and Hagrid laughs delightedly. The saleswitch comes out with an older man who agrees to both sales. Harry's owl and her cage cost 9 Galleons, and Harry stutters his thanks when Hagrid hands over the money. Nico understands Harry's hesitation; it is easily over $300 for the bird. But for a magic owl already trained and that will live a long time? It is a good enough investment. Nico's owl costs a little more, 16 Galleons, as the bird is a hybrid. That is almost double Harry's. The cage is thrown in free for Nico simply because they never thought they'd be able to get rid of the owl. 

"He hides all the time in those cages up there," the man tells him. "Never comes out, that one. He's not aggressive or anything, but he gets nippy when we try to get him out on the floor. He doesn't like people much. And he always shifts to his other form, making everyone think he's blind. No one wants a blind owl; no, they don't. We were going to send him to a special reservation for magical creatures, but I suppose he was waiting for the right lad to come along. He must like you." 

"I like him too," Nico says as he pays. The owl gives a little trill and tries to bite the coins, so Nico pulls out a Knut for it to carry. It rejects the cage when offered, instead curling up against Nico's neck as they make their way to Ollivander's. He can't wait to see Annabeth react to him having an owl.

"Any thoughts on a name?" Hagrid asks them as they approach the stone building.

"I have no idea." Harry shakes his head.

Nico holds his arm up for the owl to hop onto and stares at the bird as if it could tell Nico what he wants. The owl's eyes flash from red to a starry night to red again. Nico nods. "Alexiares. I can call you Alex."

The owl closes its eyes and tilts its head up as if preening at its new name.

"What does that mean?" Harry asks.

"It's the name of an immortal Greek warrior who defends Olympus with his brother," Nico tells him. "It means to guard against death and ruin. Alex is a Greek name that means defender of mankind. You said he's kind of like a phoenix hybrid, right, Hagrid?"

"I did." Hagrid opens the door to Ollivander's, and they follow him inside. "That's a good name, a strong name. Mr. Ollivander, you there?" 

"Hello."

Harry and Nico jump as an older man emerges from behind a shelf. He smiles. "I've wondered when I'd see you here, Mr. Potter. Yes, I suppose it is that time, isn't it?"

"Told him there was no place better." Hagrid grins, sitting on the small stool by the door. "Told 'em if yer needing a wand, you want one from Ollivander's, that I did."

Nico stands back near the window with Hagrid as the man comes up and measures Harry's arm. Nico stares at all the wand boxes on the shelves and feels longing as he thinks of sitting with Leo and Lou Ellen while making his own wand. He missed them already, and it hadn't even been a day. It gets awkward when Mr. Ollivander starts talking about Harry's parents' wands and Voldemort's, standing so close to Harry that the boy almost retreats from him. He does step back when Ollivander nearly touches his scar.

"Terribly sorry." Ollivander suddenly turns and hands a wand to Harry. "Here you are, beechwood and dragon heartstring. Go on, give it a wave."

Harry did, and the files on the back shelf flew off, scattering papers everywhere. Ollivander snatched the wand away and handed him another.

"Maple and phoenix feather." A flower vase shattered.

"No, no, no. Now, this one has ebony and unicorn hair. No, that won't do."

Nico is captivated as each wand either wreaks havoc on Ollivander's shop, fails to work, or is snatched by the man before Harry can even try it. They spend an hour there, and the pile of rejected wands keeps rising. While Harry grows more frustrated with each refusal, Ollivander appears almost delighted. So when he returns with a new wand, looking serious, Nico straightens up in anticipation.

"I wonder…" Ollivander says softly as he hands the wand to Harry. Harry gives it a wave, and red and gold sparks fly from the tip. Hagrid and Ollivander cheer, Harry beams, and Nico feels relieved. Ollivander wraps Harry's wand with a simple murmur, "Holly and phoenix feather. How curious…very curious." 

"What's curious?" Harry asks. Nico pulls out seven Galleons to pay for his wand as a gift and tries to calculate the cost. If Knuts were pennies, a Sickle a little more than two dollars, and a Galleon just under thirty-seven dollars, then the wand was… two hundred and sixty? Maybe a little less. He guesses it is a decent price to invest in a wand you'd only replace if lost, stolen, or broken.  

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter." Ollivander hands Harry the package with his wand and accepts Nico's coins, despite Harry trying to protest that he could pay for it himself. "The phoenix that gave the feather in your wand has only ever given one other. I'm curious that you should be destined for this wand…when its brother gave you that scar." 

Nico tensed when the man's silver gaze fell on him. "I would say it's your turn, but you're not here for me. Are you?"  

"No, sir. I already have my wand," Nico responds.  

"Heirloom wands work well for certain people, but having one that is truly yours is preferable," Ollivander muses, scanning him. "However, yours was made specifically for you. May I?" 

Nico takes his wand from his hair and extends it toward Ollivander, who delicately picks it up. When he returned it to Nico's hand, a golden frost had formed around his fingers.

"I'm so sorry," Nico says, gripping his wand tightly as Hagrid approaches. Harry watches in astonishment as Ollivander giggles with delight. 

"No, no. It's perfectly fine." He raises his hand, revealing that the frost has vanished; his skin appears slightly paler but unharmed. Bringing the back of his hand closer to Nico's wand, it emits a low rumble, almost like a growl. Ollivander chuckles once more. "Very protective of you. I've spent my life among wands and seldom encountered one as powerful as this. Pine is a distinguished and serene wood renowned for its strength, protective qualities, purity, longevity, wisdom, and healing abilities. While I've observed pine wands being protective, none have done so with such intensity. And this core is quite unusual as well. Do you happen to know who crafted this wand?"

"One of my cousins." Nico ignores the looks both Hagrid and Harry send him.

"The wand selects its wizard just as we select our wands, and I must say both of you have made excellent choices." Ollivander nods to Nico and his wand, seemingly unfazed. "We can expect great accomplishments from you, Mr. Di Angelo, and Mr. Potter."

They leave Ollivander to clean up his shop with an unsteady air. Nico sighs, "Well, that was fun."

Harry laughs. "I could have bought my wand, but thanks."

"You've bought all of your other supplies. Consider it a birthday gift," Nico tells the boy. Harry's eyes widened, and he held the box with his wand tightly.

"I've never seen a wand act like that," Hagrid says. "Gave me a right scare it did. Ah, well, no harm done. Got everything, do we? We should still be, yep, still got a bit of time before yer train, Harry. Come along; let's collect yer things from Nico's room and head out then."

They returned to the Leaky Cauldron and grabbed Harry's things, piling everything onto the cart. Nico helped them get downstairs and waited by the door to see them off.

"Here you are, Nico." Hagrid hands him a ticket. "September 1st, King's Cross station. Tom is driving you into town and dropping you off. You'll want to arrive by 10:30 at the latest. The train leaves at 11."

"Thanks, Hagrid." Nico nods. "I'll see you on the train then, Harry?"

"Yeah." Harry sighs in relief, grinning. "See you then. What are you going to do until September?"

"Probably wander around Diagon Alley, get used to London. Might call my cousins to let them know I'm settling in." Nico snorts. "A bunch of worrywarts they are."

"Then…I'll see you in a few weeks." Hagrid guides Harry out of the pub, and Nico tells Tom he's going back out to explore. He goes into the alley and pulls his wand from his hair, touching the bricks in the same pattern Hagrid showed them. Nico lets a small grin slip as the wall rearranges into an archway. Still biting his coin, Alex gives a short trill as Nico steps onto the wizarding street. First, he needed to find a camera that worked with magic. Then, he was going back to Flourish and Blotts. He had books to buy for his demigod students.

Chapter Text

"Will, come on! Nico sent a letter!"  

Will looked up from his bunk at Lou Ellen standing in the doorway, and then he, Kayla, and Austin quickly followed her to the pavilion. An hour and a half had passed since they'd seen the son of Hades leave, and he had already sent a letter? Suddenly, Will remembered that Nico would be experiencing time differently from him and began to wonder how long it might have felt for Nico.  

Chiron was already at the table with Mr. D, holding the letter and a package. Hearing the commotion, a few other campers rushed over, with little Dominic hopping in excitement in front of the centaur. The others gathered around to listen as Chiron opened the letter, cleared his throat, and began to read. 

"Dear Campers, I've been in London for nearly two days now, and the wizards here are… instead of repeating what Mr. Di Angelo has written, I'll stick with the word 'unusual.' I found some books about the wizarding world while gathering my school supplies, and have included a second set of textbooks that I'm sending to the Hecate cabin. Lou, please let me know if there are any specific items you'd like me to search for. The Athena cabin will probably find this amusing: owls are used for delivering mail here and are one of the creatures we're allowed to bring to school. I've also attached some photos from my trip to the wizarding strip mall."

Chiron hands out the photos to the campers, and they gasp as the images come to life. He smiles at Malcolm as he gives him a particular photo and continues reading the letter. "Isn't it amazing that their pictures move? Chiron, there's one of me and my owl, Alexiares. He's a half-phoenix and can change colors; it's incredible! Be sure the Athena cabin gets to see him."  

Will looks over Malcolm's shoulder and the other Athena campers to see the photo. As the picture was taken, Nico was talking to someone: a gray screech owl with red eyes on his arm. They couldn't hear anything, but the owl's ear tufts lifted, and it blinked, changing colors to a brown and red owl with galaxy eyes. Nico stopped talking and turned to the owl, petting its head. The picture restarts. It was adorable, and the Athena cabin immediately started cooing over the bird in the picture. It gets passed around, and Will turns back to Chiron as he starts reading again.

"Leo, I'm bringing the camera home for you and Lou Ellen to take apart and play with—"  

"YES!" Chiron smiles while the campers laugh at Leo's cheers.

"—Don't worry, I can get another one. I'll send more pictures later, and I'll also bring some of their candies home in ten days, because some of them are weird. While walking around yesterday, I realized I had forgotten to pack my cane. If you could send it to me, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, I'll buy one here. I miss you all, and you can expect to hear from me in 24 hours. If I time it right, it should be around dinner after my first day at Hogwarts. Nico."

The campers gather around the books and photos, and Will smiles as he finds one of Nico's that's awkward. He must have been holding the camera, trying to take a selfie. It was jerky, flipping this way and that, and way too close to his face. He drops the camera at some point, and Will can see he's barefoot. It ends with him setting the camera on a wooden table and rolling his eyes before it starts over. He would have to see if Chiron had a photo album they could use to collect them all. 

Nico thought Diagon Alley was fantastic. As he stepped out of a clothing store, he slipped on his sweater right outside and ignored the witch who had tailored it for him, laughing and cooing through the door. The oversized black sweater was warm, with white CHB letters and a pegasus that magically reared up and flew in a circle before settling beneath the letters again. After seeing similar apparel on his first day following Hagrid and Harry's departure, he rushed to check for custom prints. He needed to remember to return for more for his friends at camp. He adjusted the sleeve over the wand holder strapped to his forearm, ensuring his collapsible cane with an arm grip was secured to his belt. Merging into the street, he followed the crowd as it drew him closer to the Leaky Cauldron. 

Then he turns left.

Knockturn Alley was near the pub and notably less busy. He stumbled upon it by chance when a surge of wizards flocked to Diagon Alley for their school supplies, causing him to be pushed down the stone steps. His exploration granted him a glimpse into a different wizarding community: pure-bloods. He avoided Bertha, the woman selling fingers, and visited one of the apothecaries to check out their potion ingredients. Lou had asked him to look for unicorn draught, so if he depleted his supply of nectar and ambrosia, he would still have something effective for demigods until more could be sent. While in Diagon Alley, he was turned away when he mentioned using more than hair or one of the harvested horns, which cost almost $800 each. He was curious about how these people would react.

"Unicorn, eh?" the woman at the shop asks. Nico ignores the covered cage next to him as something bone-like cracks. "Nah, kid. I'll sell a lot of stuff to shady people, but even then, unicorns... only someone truly evil would hurt one of them."

"I don't want to hurt one," Nico glares. "We had a herd of them back home. We used them for healing purposes." 

"Healing, huh?" She looked interested now. "How's that? I could find someone willing to get it for you, depending on what you need. For the right price."

"It's experimental," Nico tells her. "The last person who tried it died."

"Ah." She leaned back. "Well, no, we haven't got anything unicorn. If you want hair or a horn, go to Diagon Alley." 

"Thank you, then." Nico exits. Borgin and Burke's is another dead end, though Mr. Borgin is oddly talkative about some items as if he sensed Nico's magic stirring with particular objects. He stops for lunch at the White Wyvern, a pub located in Knockturn Alley, before heading back to Diagon Alley.

His final visit is to the bookstore Flourish and Blotts, where he greets the wizard at the counter with a wave. The man responds in kind, just as he had done every day since he arrived. Nico fulfilled his promise to get educational books for Lou, and she had sent him a letter detailing specific titles that he had arranged to be delivered here, along with his cane and a note from Will that made him roll his eyes in fondness.

"Hey, Magnus, did the rest of the books come in yet? I leave for Hogwarts in less than an hour, and I'd rather not wait to have them shipped to the school." Nico leans against the counter.

"Hey, kid. Yeah, the last one arrived ten minutes ago with the morning post." Magnus grabbed the packages and piled them up on the desk. "Are you sure you can pay for all this? 26 Galleons, 6 Sickles, and 8 Knuts." 

Nico believes that $975 for 23 textbooks is fair, so he hands the money to Magnus. Once, Will had remarked that just one of his medical school textbooks would have cost $1,200 to $1,500 if he hadn't found it secondhand. The man nods, accepting the money, while Nico collects the books. Nico thanks him for holding the door and returns to his room at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hey, girl." Nico grins as he opens the door to his room, which he has been staying in for almost a month. Mrs. O'Leary is on the floor next to the bed, shrunk down to a manageable size, and wagging her tail as she watches Alexiares preen his wing. She barks as Nico sets the books down, reaching out to scratch her ear. "You ready?"

She barks again while Nico fills her saddlebags with the textbooks and another letter with pictures before sending her off. She enters the room's shadows and returns to the future Camp Half-Blood. Once she's gone, he double-checks that he has everything and puts Alex in his cage. He slides the chain with the coin from Will over his neck, tucking it under his shirt so it lies over his heart. Patting it to ensure it's secure, he grabs his luggage, Alex, and the room key before going downstairs.

"Hey, kid, are you ready to go?" Tom asks as Nico slides into a seat at the bar.

"Just about." Nico nods, placing his key on the counter and sliding it over. "Thank you for letting me stay and giving me a ride to the station." 

"Not to worry; it sometimes happens with half-bloods and Muggle-borns." Tom chuckles. "Well, it's slow now, and traffic might be an issue if we wait longer. We should have enough time to get to the station. Johnny! You've got the bar!" 

The regulars wave to Nico as they leave, having seen him come and go for the last few weeks. Tom drives him to the train station and rides with him to King's Cross, having twenty minutes to spare due to a slight delay. He points Nico toward platforms nine and ten and tells him to head toward the back half of the pillars, then jumps back on the train going to central London. Nico pushes his cart of supplies through the station and looks for the platform labeled "9 3/4." A fourth of the way from the main doors, he finds platform nine, platform ten, and a panicking Harry Potter.

"Harry!"

The boy looks up, relieved to see a familiar face. "Nico! I have no idea what…"

"What?"

"There's no such thing as platform nine and three-quarters." Harry shakes his head. "My aunt and uncle had a fit dropping me off when I told them. Look, see? Platform Nine is here, and Ten is there. But nothing in between. And the ticket man thought I was having a laugh at him. There has to be a mistake. How do we get on the train when we can't find it?" 

They look at the platforms, their carts right next to each other. Alex whinnies at Harry's snowy owl. Nico frowns. "Well, shit."  

Harry laughs, almost crying. "What happens if we miss the train?"  

"Owl them, I guess?" Nico shrugs. "We can't be the only first-years who have missed it."  

"—packed with Muggles, like always. Come on, keep up! We—"  

Nico and Harry share a look and follow the voice. They see a woman leading a group of red-haired children, one of whom also has an owl, and they get closer as they come to a stop before one of the pillars.  

"Percy, you go first." The oldest of the boys pushes his cart to the wall between the two platforms, and the boys watch as he disappears into the crowd.  

"How did he—?"

"The bricks are magic, like in Diagon Alley," Nico tells Harry after seeing the boy go through the wall. 

Harry lets out a small "oh," turning back to see the twins going through one after another. Harry pushes his cart forward, with Nico right behind him. "Excuse me, ma'am." 

She turns and smiles slightly upon spotting them and their owls. "Hello, dears. Off to Hogwarts, are you? First years by the looks of it; it's Ron's first time, too."  

Nico and Ron exchange a brief nod while Harry grins awkwardly. "Yes, ma'am, but I don't—how do we...?"  

"Get onto the platform?" Her smile was warm. "No worries, dear. Just walk between platforms nine and ten, and you'll come out on the other side. Don't worry about hitting the wall; you won't. If you're nervous, it's best to run at it."  

"Good luck," the girl huffs.  

"Now, now, Ginny dear, that's enough. You'll be heading to Hogwarts next year yourself," the mother gently scolds her. 

"Run into a brick wall." Nico nods. "Seems legit. Rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first? Lesser concussion wins?" 

Harry and Ron snort, and the little girl gives a choked laugh. Harry moves his cart in front and runs with Nico right behind him.

"Whoa." Harry gasps as he steps through the wall and emerges to find a massive red steam engine before him. He shifts his cart aside to let Nico through. Upon seeing the train, Nico quickly moves his cart next to Harry's and pulls out a camera to snap a photo. 

"I told my family I'd take pictures for them," Nico explains upon noticing Harry's expression. "One of my younger cousins is about to start at Ilvermorny in three years, so he's curious to see if Hogwarts is better. Maybe he can talk his dad into letting him come here instead." 

They grab their carts and move forward, looking for a compartment to sit in. Most students gather in the front, so they move to the back of the train to avoid the crowd. Nico lifts his trunk first and climbs up, and Harry gives him both owls. Nico moves them into the nearest compartment and then goes to help Harry.

"Need a hand there?"

"Yes, please."

"Oi, Fred! Help us out here!"

"Thank you."

"What's that?"

"Are you really him? Harry Potter?"

"Yes…That's my name." 

Nico notices the red-haired twins staring at Harry. Harry's luggage had already been loaded onto the train by the time he returned. Harry fidgets uneasily, and Nico squints at them. "Are you okay, Harry?"  

The twins flinch, their eyes widening as they gaze at him. Nico knew he could appear intimidating; people frequently pointed it out. With his long hair, dark attire, chain belt, black steel-toe hiking boots, leather jacket, and scars, he had a certain look. The bags under his eyes and his resting bitch face added to the effect. He projected trouble, which suited him just fine. The twins, however, were not impressed. Well, they were, but not in the way Nico had hoped for. 

"Wicked scar, mate!"

"Are you a foreigner? Where are you from?"

"I think he's American! Percy told us, remember? All the Prefects were briefed in case he gets sorted into our house."

"Bloody hell." The twins were almost as giddy to meet him as they were to see Harry.

"Fred! George! Where did you two go off to?"

"Coming, Mum!"

"You'll never believe who we just met!" They hop off the train and return to their mother and younger siblings. Harry and Nico share a look and shrug, grab Harry's trunk, and go back to their compartment.

"They're weird," Nico says, sitting in the seat next to the window after they load Harry's trunk next to Nico's.

"They're nice enough; they helped me get my trunk on the train." Harry frowns as he sits across from him. He looks out the window where they are gathered, the twins' mom scolding them for something they said.

"Oh, they're nice; I'm not saying they're not. Weird can be good," Nico agrees. "Doesn't mean they're not weird, though."

"I guess." Harry grins. The whistle blows, and the three redheaded boys leap onto the train, waving goodbye as they leave the station. The little girl waves back, running down the platform until she hits the end.

"Did you pick a name for your owl?" Nico asks, glancing up at the two owls secured above their seats. 

"Hedwig." Harry smiles as the snowy owl trills. "I read the name in one of our textbooks and liked how it sounded."

"That's an old German name meaning warrior," Nico nods. "It suits her."

The two of them spent the first hour catching up on what they had been doing since they met at the Leaky Cauldron, mostly with Harry talking about how the Dursleys had spent the rest of the summer ignoring him. They heard a knock on the door before it opened.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" They turn to see the youngest of the redheads in the doorway. "Everywhere else is full, and my brother's friend has his tarantula out in their compartment. I hate spiders."

"Not at all, please," Harry says, gesturing for him to join them, then he looks at Nico, unsure. Nico shrugs, and the boy nods and sits beside Harry. Nico pulled out one of the books he had bought on wizard history and got comfortable. Harry notices Ron sneaking glances at both of them, and the next time he looks at him, Harry smiles.

"Ron." He blurts out. Nico looks up, and Ron clears his throat, embarrassed. "I mean-uh…My name is Ron. Ronald Weasley." 

"Nico." Nico gives a lazy wave, his focus back on his book.  

"I'm Harry." Harry reaches out to shake Ron's hand, who smiles and accepts. "Harry Potter."  

"Really?" Ron's mouth drops open. "I thought Fred and George were having a laugh. Do you have the—I mean…"  

"Yes, he has a scar." Nico rolls his eyes, gesturing to his cheek. "So do I."  

"Oh, uh…that was rude of me, I guess. Sorry." Ron looks at Harry.  

"It's fine." Harry smiles, moving his fringe to show the boy the scar.  

"Wicked." Ron breathes.  

"Why does everyone want to see your scar?" Nico frowns.

"I don't know." Harry shrugs.

"Oh!" Ron looks at Nico. "You're the foreigner. I suppose it's not as well-known in the States; the war didn't have as significant an impact on them. The scar is from where You-Know-Who tried to kill him. They say it's the only thing he left before he disappeared. Besides Harry, of course. That's why you're famous, you know?" 

"Really?" Nico sits up, closing his book.

The compartment door opens, and an older woman looks in. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Nico and Harry get up and make their way over. Nico points out a few candies to Harry. "I don't know what that is. Those are good, though. I don't think I've tried these—are they jelly beans?"

Harry buys a little of everything and brings it in for the three to share. Ron quickly abandons the sandwiches that his mom made and grabs a licorice wand. Corn beef—he hates corn beef sandwiches. Fred loved them, and George liked them well enough, but preferred hash with relish. However, his mum knew Ron hated corned beef… didn't she remember? She must have been tired last night and mixed up their lunches.

"So, are all of your family wizards? I assume that's who you were with on the platform. I saw your brothers get on the train, and your mum said your sister starts next year," Harry asks Ron, then looks at Nico. "And you said your cousin starts school in three years, right?"

"Dominic, yeah. His younger sister will start two years after him. Everyone on my dad's side has some magic," Nico agrees.

"All seven of us have magic," Ron says while chewing on a piece of candy. "My two eldest brothers have already graduated, and Ginny's not old enough, which she's having a real fit about. Percy's a Prefect this year, so Mum and Dad got him a new owl. I've got his old rat, Scabbers."

Ron pulls a sleeping gray rat out of his jacket pocket. "I've got Bill's old robes and Charlie's old wand, too."

"I have a cousin named Percy," Nico says. "It's a nickname, though, because he hates being addressed by his full name."

"I thought you were supposed to get a new wand for the first year?" Harry asks.

"Ollivander said something about heirloom wands," Nico reminds him.

Ron nods solemnly, his ears pink. "Yeah, they couldn't afford—I mean, yeah, it's an heirloom wand, I guess."

"There's nothing wrong with not being able to afford things. I've never had money before, either." Harry frowns as he tells them about living with the Dursleys and wearing his cousin's old clothes, which cheers Ron up a bit. Nico opens the jelly beans and grabs a green one.

"Oh, ew!" Ron laughs. "You gotta be careful with those. When they say every flavor, they mean it. You don't have to eat the nasty ones, you know?"

"What did you get?" Harry grins.

"Grass." Nico shrugs. "And you learn not to be picky about flavor when you're homeless, and most of your food is stolen or comes out of a trash can."

Nico stares at them as he eats another one. Both boys' eyes widen in horror. He blinks. "Peppermint. Nice."

"You're homeless?" Ron breathes. "But how did you get your supplies? Hogwarts doesn't do charity."

"Didn't you spend over 26 Galleons on books last month?" Harry frowns. Ron's eyes grow wider.

"The books were for my school in New York and were paid for by the Director. Not my money." Nico corrected him. "And my dad's money paid for my school supplies."

"Your owl was 16 Galleons. That's hundreds of pounds." Harry raises an eyebrow.

"He gave me an allowance," Nico shrugs.  

"Bloody hell," Ron breathes. "You're rich! You can't be homeless if your dad has enough money to be the Lord of a small country and give you that kind of money for no reason."  

Nico glares. "Just because my dad has money doesn't mean I do. I don't live with him, and I go months at a time without speaking with, let alone seeing, my father. I spent three years sleeping outside and eating whatever I could find. So yes, I would consider myself homeless, Ronald."  

Nico pulls his book back out and turns away from the two of them. They're quiet while they talk and eat the sweets Harry bought. After a few moments of silence, the compartment opens again, and three boys enter. Harry recognizes the blonde from the robe shop and glances at Nico to see his reaction. Nico doesn't look up.

"Is what they're saying true?" The blonde boy looks at Harry, ignoring the other two. "Harry Potter has arrived at Hogwarts. You must be him; am I correct? I did not have the opportunity to introduce myself to you earlier. Allow me to present Crabbe and Goyle. I'm Malfoy: Draco Malfoy." 

Nico snorts, and Ron coughs to hide his laughter. Draco turns and sneers at them. "Do you think my name is funny? You're just a foreigner; you shouldn't even be allowed to attend a school as prestigious as Hogwarts. And I don't need to ask for your name: red hair and secondhand rags that don't fit. You must be a Weasley." 

Nico hardly glances up from his book, and Ron's face reddens. Draco grins and faces Harry, extending his hand. "You will quickly find out, Potter, that certain wizarding families are superior to others. Given your fame, you wouldn't want to be associated with outsiders and blood traitors like them. You ought to avoid getting accustomed to the wrong crowd."

"I think I can tell who the wrong crowd is myself, thanks," Harry says as he turns away from Draco.

"It's French," Nico comments, flipping the page, and the others turn to him. "The Malfoys are a pure-blood family mostly located in England now, but their wealth was initially acquired in France before a branch of the family relocated with the Norman invasion. The name still retains its French origins, though, indicating that one is equally regarded as a foreigner as I am."

"Excuse me?" Draco's head turns sharply to look at Nico, and the two other boys straighten up.

"I admit I find your name amusing, particularly when you present yourself like a fictional character from Muggle entertainment." Nico placed his book on the seat and stood to meet Draco's gaze. "Most names possess a humorous quality when one delves into their true meanings. For instance, Ronald's name means 'king,' and weasels are often associated with deceitfulness. The name Ley translates to 'land' or 'ground.' Ronald's name can be interpreted as 'a king of a deceitful land' or 'a deceitful kingdom.' Harry's name means 'the ruler of a pottery house.' Crabbe refers to a crustacean, a bottom feeder, while Goyles are reputed to be so unattractive they repel evil spirits."

"Now, as for you," Nico pointed to each individual as he explained their names, his expression hardening as he focused on Draco. "Malfoy derives from a French expression signifying a lack of faith or having minimal belief. Draco refers to a dragon, a considerable lizard, or a serpent. So I ask you, a foreign lizard devoid of faith: do you not find the significance of names somewhat amusing?" 

Silence. 

Crabbe and Goyle shifted their feet and looked at Draco, waiting for his reaction. Ron looks at Harry, bewildered. Harry shook his head, and his mouth dropped open. Draco and Nico never broke eye contact, glaring at each other. 

"L-like your name is any better." One of the bigger boys stutters. 

"Nico di Angelo. My name possesses both Greek and Italian origins. The name Nico signifies victory or darkness, depending on the interpretation. The surname di Angelo translates to "of the angels." One might interpret my name as black angel, dark angel, victorious angel, the victory of the angels, the victory of the angelic people, or the angel of death." Nico directs his gaze towards the boy who previously spoke before returning his attention to Draco. "Take your pick."

Draco swallows. Harry could see that Nico made him nervous. The other two seem to notice they aren't going to win the argument, and the one closest to Ron reaches out as if he is going to grab their snacks. Nico catches his hand and pulls. The boy ends up kneeling with his arm extended behind him and Nico's arm around his throat, causing him to gasp for breath. His eyes never leave Draco's. He holds the boy, applying pressure until his face goes from red to purple.

"Vincent!" The other boy takes a half step forward before thinking better of it.

"Nico, let him go," Harry stutters. The boy is getting weaker in Nico's hold. He was going to pass out, and then they'd get in trouble.

"Get out." Nico shoves the boy in front of the blonde, who grabs him and starts pulling him away. The other boy helps lift the coughing one to his feet, and they all run. Nico slams the door shut and returns to his seat, pulling off his jacket. The pegasus's wings flutter as he sits down.

"You were brilliant," Ron says in awe. "Bloody terrifying, but brilliant."

"Assholes like that enjoy it when they can see their words affect you." Nico stares at Ron blankly. "Try not to give them that kind of satisfaction."

"Right." Ron gulps. Harry hands Nico a chocolate frog, who nods his thanks, opening it. 

"AH!" Nico drops the candy shaped like a frog as it jumps from the container. Ron catches it, howling with laughter, and it stiffens again. Nico stares at it, breathing heavily. 

"What was that?" Ron gasps between giggles. "Why did you scream?"

"It jumped at me!" 

"It's not going to hurt you."

"No, what it's not supposed to do is move!"

"It's just a magic spell! They've only got the one jump in them."

"It's chocolate! Chocolate should not have free will! Especially not if it's going to jump at me!"

"What card did you get? Aw, you dropped it under the seat." 

"Excuse me? Sorry, I wasn't looking at the card when my food attacked me!"

Harry laughed until it was hard to breathe, and his sides hurt. It took a few minutes for them to calm down, as each time Ron or Harry looked at the other chocolate frogs, they'd start giggling again. Nico had gone back to reading his book, his ears red. Ron was the first to notice the sweater.

"Where did you get that?" Ron asks. "And what does CHB mean?"

"Cognitio Honos Bellor," Nico mumbles the first thing he can think of, not even taking his eyes off his book, while chewing on one of the jelly beans. Chocolate. Ha. "It's Latin, and I had it made in a shop in Diagon Alley."

"What does it mean?" Ron looked confused. 

"Well…cognitio means knowledge. Honos was a Roman god of honor so that the word can mean honor, dignity, or respect. Bellor means to fight or to struggle." Nico looks up and shrugs. He takes another jelly bean and spits it out the window. Pomegranate. "I guess you can say it's our school motto: to learn, to honor, to fight."

"Cool," Ron nods. "Why the winged horse?"

"We use them at the school for transportation, so they're basically our mascots," Nico tells him.

"What's your school called, anyway?"

"Delphi's."

"Doesn't she tell people their futures in Greek mythology?" Harry asks.

"Yeah, she's an oracle," Nico smirks.

"What about your tattoo? The one on your arm; what does it mean?" Harry asks. Ron freezes, suddenly white with fear. 

Nico raises an eyebrow but lifts his sleeve to show them. Ron breathes heavily when he notices it. "Bloody hell, don't scare me like that."  

"Like what?" Nico frowns.  

"You-Know-Who used to brand the people who followed him," Ron tells them. "A skull and snake on the left arm. It was how they identified who was loyal to him."  

"Oh, sorry," Harry apologizes. "So what does it mean?"

"Well, my family is divided into two factions: one resides in New York, where I attend school, and the other is based in California," Nico informs them. "In California, the school leaders receive tattoos to signify their rank. It's similar to your brother's Prefect badge, but we remain leaders even after graduation unless we die or retire. The lines on the tattoos indicate the years of service." 

"Wow. So you're a soldier or something?" Ron frowns. "Isn't eleven really young?"  

"I'm a diplomat, and all of us start training young. I have this because I represent my father during council meetings," Nico tells them. "Most of our parents are busy with their jobs, so they send one of their children to act as their ambassador. My sister lives there full-time and became one of the core leaders last year; her boyfriend is a Praetor, the second-highest rank you can achieve, equivalent to a deputy headmaster. My best friend, Renya, is the other Praetor."  

Nico grins at the tattoo as he speaks about his school, and Harry smiles. "So what do the symbols and letters mean?" 

"These are laurel leaves awarded to warriors who attain victory. This symbol represents my father. The letters are an inscription that reads Senatus Populusque Romanus, meaning The Senate and People of Rome." Nico explains to them. "Their school drew heavy inspiration from the Romans, and this was the motto of the Roman Empire. It serves as a reminder that we owe our service to our families and our people just as much as we serve ourselves. These tattoos are sacred, receiving even one is among the highest honors of our people."

Nico picks up his book again, signaling the end of the conversation. Harry and Ron share a glance, then return to their candy. Just as it was getting dark, their compartment door opened again, and a girl with frizzy hair, already in her Hogwarts robes, frowned at them. "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one." 

"No, sorry, we haven't," Harry told her. 

"Oh, is that our history of magic textbook?" She perks up at the sight of Nico reading. "I've already read all of mine over the summer. I'm the first witch in my family, so I figured it was better to be prepared. I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?" 

"Nico." The boy flips a page. "And no, it's not." 

"I'm Harry." 

"Ron Weasley," Ron says, his mouth full of food. 

"A pleasure." Hermione wrinkles her nose. She notices Ron's wand on the seat, and her eyes light up again. "Were you doing magic? I've only done a few spells, but they've all worked out for me. Allow me?" 

She comes into the cabin and sits next to Nico, who moves his feet with a raised eyebrow before she sits on them. She points her wand at Harry's face, causing him to stiffen in surprise. "Oculus Reparo."

The round glasses on Harry's face start to shift, bending back into place. The tiny crack in the glass repairs itself. The tape holding them together falls off, leaving the glasses brand new. Harry takes them off to look them over in awe before putting them back on.

"Impressive," Nico tells her.

"Do any of you know which house you want?" she asks, picking up Nico's book to look at the title. "I've been asking around, and I think the most pleasant of them all must be Gryffindor."

"Houses?" Nico asks, taking the book back as Hermione hands it to him.

"Hogwarts is split into four houses based on the school's founders," Ron says. "My whole family has been Gryffindors. And any house is better than Slytherin, even Hufflepuff. No good wizards come out of that snake pit. They're all rotten, right to their cores."

"That's the house You-Know-Who is from. Hagrid mentioned it, but I didn't understand that it was a schoolhouse," Harry says.

"Yeah," Ron agrees. "So did the Malfoys. They were his followers during the war. They were acquitted on a technicality, though, so none were imprisoned. Bet that boy, Draco, is one of those snakes and proud of it."

They all go quiet at the mention of the dark wizard. Hermione stands up, moving toward the door. "I think it's about time you three get changed. We will be arriving at the school soon."

"Well, we're not going to with you standing there holding the door open for all the train to see us," Ron rolls his eyes.

Hermione huffs but leaves, closing the door behind her. Nico shifts uncomfortably but turns around to change, Harry doing the same.

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" Ron gasps. Harry turns to see Ron staring at Nico, who has removed his shirt, revealing some of his scars. Nico glares.

"Ron." Ron turns to Harry, who gives him a pointed look and motions for him to turn around.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Ron turns and puts on his robes, and the other two do the same.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave all luggage on the train," an overhead voice calls through each compartment. Ron and Harry scramble to stuff the rest of the candy into their pockets while Nico returns his book to his bag. They follow the crowd onto the platform, and Harry shivers in the cold.

"First-years! First year over here!" They push through the crowd, dragging Ron with them until they stand before Hagrid. Once there was a crowd of eleven-year-olds surrounding him, and he guided them from the station to the edge of a lake, where boats and lanterns lined the shore. The night sky is full of stars, and a castle sits on a cliff in the distance. The windows light up the stone walls and reflect off the water below.

"It's beautiful," Hermione gasps.

Harry nudges Nico. "Picture-worthy, don't you think?"

Nico grins and pulls out his camera as they climb onto the boat, already trying to get the best angle. Ron looks at him, confused. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking a picture for my cousin," Nico mumbles. He pulls away after a minute, and the picture prints out.

"Why does it take so long?" Harry asks while Hagrid instructs everyone to get in the boats, four to a boat. Hermione joins the three of them with only a huff. 

Nico pulls out one of the photos he'd taken on the train and motions Harry closer to the lantern so he can see. The boats start moving. Harry stares at the picture and sees the landscape behind them moving, the version of himself in the picture waving.

"They move?" Harry gasps.

"Yep." Nico nods. "They're like miniature videos, so developing takes a second. Check it out."

Harry looks up in awe at the castle as it gets closer. "Whoa."

Nico grins and carefully switches seats with Hermione to take another photo, making sure not to rock the boat too much. This time, he gets a picture of the others' faces glowing under the lantern light as the castle draws nearer. Dominic would love this.

Chapter Text

The boats floated slowly across the lake, giving Nico ample time to appreciate the massive castle. They passed a semi-floating structure: a boathouse with a ramp leading into the lake, lit by lanterns. Behind it was a stone staircase built into the cliff, with fire braziers lighting the way up. Nico took a picture of the boathouse and stairs, then another as they rounded the cliff to the other side, where he saw the castle in its entirety for the first time. The cliff they had approached from had only a smaller section of the castle, several stories lower than the portions he now saw connected by bridges and consisting mostly of turrets. At the far end was a glass dome greenhouse. 

"Wow!" Hermione exclaims. "This is amazing." 

"Is this really where my parents went to school?" Harry breathes. "We get to live here for seven years?"

Nico nudges Harry with his boot and waits for the boy to look at him before he points the camera at him. Harry grins, waves at the camera, and then points out where the boats are heading: directly under the castle's stone walls, toward what looks like a cave with hanging vines.

"Mind your heads!" Hagrid warns as he maneuvers his boat to hover outside the cave entrance, holding the vines above everyone's heads while they duck. Once under the mountain, two torches on either side of the opening illuminated the cave. The boats line up, single file, along one side of the stream until everyone is together, with Hagrid bringing up the rear. As his boat glides past them, he calls out, "When we arrive at the docks, I'll help you get out of your boats, but stay together until I'm done, understand? Then we can head up to the castle."

The boats follow Hagrid's lead until they reach a cavern featuring docks on both sides. His boat glides to the end, where a sandbank meets the water. Hagrid stands up and climbs out only after the boat comes to a stop. He gently pushes it away, allowing it to dock at one of the decks, where a rope secures itself to a metal hoop.

"Alright, next!" he calls as the next boat makes it onto the sandbank. He assists four students in stepping out, instructing them to wait by the gated entrance before he sends the now-empty boat back into the water. The next boat also arrives at the sand, and the process continues until all the students are gathered by the gate, with Hagrid giving a final push to the last boat to return it to the water. 

"Everyone here then? Right, follow me." Hagrid quickly counts, nods, and then goes to the gate, pulling out a large ring of keys. After shuffling through them for a moment, he unlocks the gate. He gestures for them to go first and tells them to wait in the courtyard. A group of boys races up the staircase two at a time with loud, cackling laughter. Nico follows Harry and Ron in the middle of the group, and they wait for Hagrid with the others once they reach the courtyard.

"Whoa, it's huge." Ron points to the castle in front of them. Nico raises an eyebrow when he realizes how tall the building is. The half in front of them is only two or three stories tall, which is what he'd expect from a typical Scottish castle built in the tenth century. The other half towers over the small castle, like the New York skyscrapers towering over the city. Across the ravine, there are even taller towers with turrets hanging off them and windows everywhere. At some point in the last few hundred years, someone transformed a functional castle into a magical palace and called it a boarding school. Nico notices the differences in stonework between the buildings they are approaching—the original castle—and the surrounding buildings, which are the obvious additions. Hermione, somewhere behind him, is muttering about a book she read about the school and how it had been expanded three times to accommodate the wizarding community. Nico smiles as she rambles; it reminds him of walking around New York with Annabeth.

Hagrid escorts the last remaining stragglers and secures the gate, shaking it to confirm it's locked. He then guides them up a staircase to the left, leading them into an arcade—a tunnel adorned with arches that encloses a stone courtyard. Walking through the arcade, Harry notices that Hagrid is leading them right up to a set of grand wooden doors. Once he had ensured everyone was present, he knocked loudly, and the sound reverberated around them. The door swung open to reveal an older woman with dark hair and a stern demeanor, dressed in dark green robes and a pointed hat, who stood waiting, impatiently tapping her fingers against the door. 

"The first-year students, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid booms over the voices of the eleven-year-old crowd.

"Thank you, Hagrid." The woman nods, and Hagrid turns away, leaving them for her to manage. "Come inside, then, gather around here in the antechamber. Come on."

The children push into the antechamber to await further instructions. Nico takes in the tall ceiling, the marble staircase adjacent to the door they entered through, and the two hallways leading off into the castle. To the right, another set of large wooden doors stands, through which he can hear a crowd. The woman closes the door leading outside with a heavy thud of wood and metal that echoes around the hall. They all remain silent; they can only hear her heels clicking against the stone as she moves to stand between them and the grand doors.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Minerva McGonagall, and you shall address me as Professor McGonagall or simply Professor." Her voice echoes around them. "The start-of-year banquet shall begin shortly; however, before you join your peers at the dining table, you will be assigned to one of the four houses. They are Gryffindor, the house of bravery, although their daring spirit and chivalry may sometimes lead them into challenging predicaments. Hufflepuff, the house of justice, unafraid of peril, and remarkably patient, loyal companionship can be found among them. Ravenclaw, the house of wisdom, continually pursues knowledge, and numerous world scholars have emerged wearing blue robes. Last is Slytherin, the house of ambition. Individuals from this house exhibit cunning alongside resourcefulness and are known for relentlessly pursuing their objectives. Many distinguished wizards have originated from all four houses, just as there have been those who are...less commendable." 

She looks at the gathered children with a stoic aura. The air surrounding the first years was tangible with nervous magic. "You will reside at Hogwarts for ten months yearly over seven years. During this period, your assigned house will serve as a familial unit; you will dine together, reside in the same dormitories, attend classes together, and accumulate or forfeit house points based on your conduct. Commendable behavior will be acknowledged and rewarded, while any infractions of the rules will incur penalties. After the academic year, the house that has amassed the highest points will receive the House Cup. The victorious house will be granted special privileges for the following year, such as preferential access to the Quidditch pitch and exclusive excursions to Hogsmeade for third-year students and above. The Sorting Ceremony will commence shortly; please take this opportunity to arrange yourselves accordingly."

McGonagall gives them all a last look before entering the large doors in front of them, a wave of noise creeping out before the doors shut again.

"Ew! Is that a toad?"

"Trevor!"

Ron and Harry snicker with the other students as a boy jolts forward to get his toad and almost slips on the stone floor. Nico catches him by his robe and hauls him to his feet before reaching down, grabbing the amphibian, and placing it in his hands. "Careful, Neville. You should find somewhere to put him before someone steps on him."

"Thank you," Neville whispers, his ears red. Nico turns back to the doors and feels the boy settle beside him. 

"If you are all done, we are ready for you now." Professor McGonagall has returned. "Please line up and proceed in my direction." 

The doors swung open as they moved forward in a single-file line. All the seated students were silent as they watched them trail behind the Professor. The only noise came from the first years when they gasped and whispered to themselves at the size of the room and the floating candles. The ceiling appeared to open up to the starry night sky. Banners flew above each table, depicting which table belonged to which house.

At the far left, Slytherin was depicted in green and silver, with a snake coiled to strike.

Ravenclaw, situated next to them on the left, was represented by a blue and bronze emblem, an eagle flapping its wings against an invisible wind.

To their immediate right, Hufflepuff was yellow and black, a honey badger standing tall with its teeth bared.

To the far right, Gryffindor was bright red and gold, a lion roaring silently. 

Nico noticed nervously that ghosts were wandering around, and he breathed a little easier when one passed over their line without seeing him.

"It's bewitched to look like that," Hermione says behind him. "The ceiling is supposed to reflect the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."

"Do you think it'll rain on us during storms?" a girl whispers.

"I don't believe so."

"Can you imagine what it'll look like if it snows during Christmas?" a boy asks with glee.

If it did, Nico would definitely be getting that picture. Already, he was tempted to pull out his camera. They gathered along the dais before a long table full of adults seated, where a pointed hat sat on a stool, McGonagall standing next to it with a rolled-up parchment. They must be the other professors. McGonagall clears her throat as the last of the new students stops before them. "Upon hearing the calling of your name, you will approach the dias, whereupon the sorting hat will be positioned upon your head, after which you will take your seat alongside your newly assigned house."

Nico watches as Ron leans closer to Harry. "I'm going to kill Fred. He said we'd have to fight a troll!"

"That would have been interesting," Nico whispers to him. Both boys look back at him. "But how would they sort us like that?"  

"I don't know," Ron huffs.

"Abbott, Hannah," McGonagall calls out. The girl steps forward to take a seat, and McGonagall places the hat on her head. After a moment, the hat calls out, "Hufflepuff!"

McGonagall lifts the hat off her head, and the girl races over to the cheering table of yellow and black. McGonagall reads the next name off the list, "Bones, Susan."

"Hufflepuff!" And so it went for each new student.

Boot, Terrance. Ravenclaw.

Brocklehurst, Amanda. Ravenclaw.

Brown, Lavender. Gryffindor.

Bulstrode, Millicent. Slytherin.

Conner, Michael. Ravenclaw.

Cornfoot, Stephen. Ravenclaw.

Crabbe, Vincent. Slytherin.

Davis, Teresa. Slytherin.

"Di Angelo, Niccolo." Nico winces as he hears his full name. He steps around Harry and Ron to climb the dais where McGonagall waits. 

"I prefer Nico, Professor," he tells her as he sits down.

"I will take that into consideration." She sets the hat on his head without saying another word, and Nico smirks. She was going to be his favorite teacher. 

"Interesting. " Nico forces himself to freeze so he doesn't jump at the sound of the hat's voice in his head. " How very interesting to see an American enter this school. Oh, I see, how very noble of you. Time travel, eh? And what is—ah! Well, now. It has been a long time since a demigod came to Hogwarts. Though you are not one of our Lady's children."

"Are you going to tell them?" Nico thinks to the hat.

"Do they need to know so I can sort you?"

"Maybe later, if it becomes unavoidable. But not unnecessarily. I don't want any trouble or any reasons for them to kick me out before I have what I came here for."

"I see. Well then, in that case… Slytherin!" McGonagall lifts the hat from his head, and he sees Harry and Ron looking at him warily before he sits down at the table on the far left. Crabbe shifts away from him, closer to the other students, and Nico sits at the very edge of the table with a smirk. The next student approaches the sorting hat.

Dunbar, Fay. Gryffindor.

Entwhistle, Kevin. Ravenclaw.

Finch-Fletchley, Justin. Hufflepuff.

Finnigan, Seamus. Gryffindor.

Goldstein, Anthony. Ravenclaw.

"Granger, Hermione." Harry looks away from where he was watching Nico to see the girl from the train whispering to herself to calm down as she approaches the stool and has the hat placed on her head.

"Mental that one, isn't she?" Ron breathes next to him. Harry gives him a slight grin and nudges his shoulder, causing Ron to grin back.

"Gryffindor!" the hat calls out. Nico sees Ron groan as the bushy-haired girl sits down. Harry pats his shoulder.

Greengrass, Daphne. Slytherin.

Goyle, Gregory. Slytherin. He joins Crabbe and sits as far away from Nico as he can.

Hopkins, Wayne. Hufflepuff.

Jones, Megan. Hufflepuff.

Laughland, Leanne. Hufflepuff.

Lee, Susanna. Ravenclaw. One of the boys from Gryffindor, Ron's older brother's friend, who has the spider, stands and cheers as the girl joins the table of blue and bronze. Nico tries to remember his name. Lee Jordan, he thinks. The girl must be a relative of his.

Longbottom, Neville. Gryffindor. Nico checks to make sure he still has his toad. Yep, it's right there in the hood of his robe.

MacDougal, Morag. Ravenclaw.

Macmillan, Ernest. Hufflepuff. 

Malfoy, Draco. Slytherin. The hat hadn't even touched his head before calling out to the house. He sneers at Nico as he passes by, and when Nico only stares him down, he swallows and joins his friends as far away from him as the first years can get.

Malone, Roger. Ravenclaw.

Moon, Lily. Hufflepuff.

Morris, Kellah. Gryffindor.

Nott, Theodore. Slytherin.

Parkinson, Pansy. Slytherin.

Patil, Padma. Ravenclaw.

Patil, Parvati. Gryffindor.

Perks, Sally-Anne. Hufflepuff.

Petrou, Amanda. Ravenclaw.

Pike, Bronson. Slytherin.

"Potter, Henry." The hall buzzed with whispers.

"Is it really him?" 

"Is that Harry Potter?"

"Did it say Potter? No way!"

Harry looks around; was there someone else with the last name Potter? Ron gently pushes Harry to encourage him to move forward. Everyone's full name must be on the parchment, Harry realises, even if they were referred to by something else. Harry ascends the dais, glancing back to see everyone straining for a glimpse of him before the hat is placed on his head.

"Well now, let's see…difficult, very difficult," the hat begins. Harry is startled to hear it speak, but no one else reacts. "They can't hear me until I decide otherwise. Now, where shall I place you? A sharp mind, considerable courage, a wish to prove your worth—interesting, indeed."

"Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose..."

"Why did you place Nico in Slytherin?"

"Because that's where he will excel." The hat pauses briefly. "You could also thrive there. Slytherin will help you achieve greatness, but Gryffindor will help you become great. Ultimately, it's your choice."

" Not Slytherin," Harry replies firmly. " Not…not his house. "

"Not Slytherin, eh? Better be… Gryffindor!" The table on the far right bursts into cheers, and as Professor McGonagall removes the hat from Harry's head, he glances at Nico first. Nico smiles and claps for him as Harry approaches the table, sitting next to Neville and across from Hermione. Ron's brothers welcome him; Percy shakes his hand while the twins shout, ' We got Potter!' The sorting continues.

Quartey, Bem. Gryffindor.

Rivers, Oliver. Ravenclaw.

Ropier, Sophia. Slytherin. 

Runcorn, Alice. Gryffindor.

Smith, Zacharias. Hufflepuff. 

Thomas, Dean. Gryffindor.

Turpin, Lisa. Ravenclaw.

Vane, Emilia. Slytherin.

"Weasley, Ronald." Harry and Nico both watch as the red-haired boy goes to sit on the stool. Much like Draco's sorting, the hat barely touched his head before calling out, "Gryffindor!"  

Ron joins Harry at the Gryffindor table, and the last person is called up. Zabini, Blaise, gets placed in Slytherin, and as he confidently walks to the green and silver table, a man stands up from the professors' table. He is easily the oldest among the group gathered, with long white hair and an equally long beard. All the teachers turned to him when he got to his feet, as did the older students, so Nico assumed he was the Headmaster—Albus Dumbledore, who had allowed Nico into the school.

"Before we commence the feast to honor our new students, I have a few announcements to make for the start of term." His gentle voice resonated throughout the room. "First, I must inform you that Professor Quirrell will be stepping down as the Muggle Studies professor to assume the role of the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Please join me in welcoming our new Muggle Studies professor, Madam Charity Burbage." 

Scattered applause filled the room as two individuals at the head table stood and offered a slight bow before taking their seats. Dumbledore joined in the clapping before speaking again. "I'd like to extend a personal welcome to our new exchange students: Bem Quartey from Nigeria, here due to his father's recent ministry position; Padma and Parvati Patil from Maharashtra, India; and Nico di Angelo from the United States, participating in a work exchange from his wizarding school in New York." 

Nico, the Patil twins, and Bem rose to acknowledge the applause before settling back into their seats. "Misses Patil, your parents, and Mr. Di Angelo, the Headmaster at your school, have contacted me regarding your special needs in religious studies. Your heads of houses, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape, will inform you about these accommodations after the feast."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Nico rises once more, projecting his voice. "We are grateful for Hogwarts' thoughtful consideration of our needs."

The other three exchange students voice their agreement as Nico sits back down. Ron asks Harry, "Did Nico tell you anything about his religious studies?"

"No. But he doesn't talk much about his family." Harry shakes his head. "The most he's ever said was to both of us on the train. Maybe it's something from his dad's side? We know he doesn't have the best relationship with them."

"I wonder what's so important about it that he's getting special treatment," Ron murmured. 

Hermione scowls at him. "In case you've forgotten, we have two exchange students, one of whom is also being accommodated for religious reasons. It's most likely dietary needs or a private place to pray, so people like you aren't harassing them."

Ron glares at her, but Dumbledore's voice cuts him off. "For our first-year students: it is imperative to recognize that the Dark Forest is strictly off-limits to all students who a professor or the groundskeeper, Hagrid, does not accompany."

Hagrid gave a little wave when Dumbledore gestured to him. "I would like to inform all students that our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you all regarding the restriction of access to the third-floor corridor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Tower this year. This measure has been implemented due to ongoing renovations necessitated by various incidents over the summer. No one should attempt to enter this area unless they are prepared to face potentially severe consequences, including a most unfortunate death. With that said, let us proceed to enjoy the feast."

He claps his hands, and food appears on the plates in the middle of the table. Harry's mouth drops open. Ron is already putting things on his plate, and Percy passes Harry the potatoes. While he doesn't consider that the Dursleys ever starved him, he has also never been allowed access to this much food before. Taking a little bit of everything, a commotion at the Slytherin table causes him and Ron to look over their shoulders. A tall man with black hair and a hooked nose levitates a brazier down the dias and sets it next to Nico before pointing his wand at it. As a fire crackles to life, the man leans down to say something to Nico, who nods, and the man leaves to return to his spot next to Professor Quirrell. Nico takes his plate, laden with food, and scrapes it into the fire. The flames flare up and turn green, causing the students closest to Nico to back away from him as he bows his head, as if in prayer.

"Bloody hell, he's mental." Ron's laugh is breathy, as if startled out of him. "Why would you waste perfectly good food?"

Harry had to agree; it seemed like a waste, especially to someone like him and Ron, who hadn't been allowed to eat this kind of food before or couldn't afford it. But Nico had been homeless; he had less access to food than either of them. Why was he throwing it away? Harry watched as the flames died down and changed to a normal color. Nico fills his plate again and starts eating. The Malfoy boy and his friends seem to be making fun of Nico, who is now sitting alone with a wide gap between him and the other students. Nico stares them down as he eats, occasionally tossing a roll, chicken leg, or something else into the fire. The Slytherins flinched each time it flared up until they seemed to get the message and were content to ignore Nico. Harry tunes back in to listen to his housemates as they talk about their families, and when dessert comes out, he glances at Nico, seeing him scraping more food into the fire.

When it was time for the students to go to their dorms, four professors got up. Harry watched as Professor McGonagall, the stern-faced witch who had performed the sorting ceremony, stood before the Gryffindor table. "Follow me."

The entire table stood to follow her, and she led them out of the dining hall toward the marble staircase. A cluster of Ravenclaws followed behind a man who couldn't have been more than three feet tall. Harry glanced back to see Nico joining the other Slytherins, following the black-haired man who had given him the brazier down the hallway closest to them. The Hufflepuffs trailed a stout woman with graying curly hair right behind them. Harry, Ron, and the others followed McGonagall up the main staircase to the first floor and turned left. The Ravenclaws turned right at the next junction, while the Gryffindors followed McGonagall down corridor after corridor until they reached a part of the castle where the tapestries turned red. She leads them to a staircase, which they climb to the seventh floor. They turned down another corridor until they came to a dead end, facing a large portrait of an obese woman in an old-fashioned pink dress and corset, her brown hair in ringlets and half-hidden by a large pink hat with a sheer veil. She smiled at them as they approached, "Welcome to Hogwarts, first years. What is the password?"

"Caput Draconis," McGonagall spoke loudly and clearly so they could hear it. 

The portrait swings open, revealing a circular tunnel leading into a large room. Percy, one of the fifth-year Gryffindor Prefects, goes first to lead them inside. They gather in a large room, and Harry notices the size of the room first, as it is huge and two stories tall. It was exactly what he thought a castle would look like. Multiple chandeliers hung over the room, illuminating it, and a balcony overlooked the central area. A large fireplace with lions carved into the stone and a golden metal grate kept the flames under control while warming the room. A collection of trophies stood on the mantle beneath a portrait of an older, ginger man in armor. There were couches, armchairs, and desks scattered around, bookshelves against the walls, and portraits of what Harry assumed were famous witches and wizards who had graduated from Hogwarts' Gryffindor House hanging everywhere. The stone walls were adorned with red tapestries featuring golden lions in the same style as their banner at the feast, and the light wooden floors were covered with colorful, plush rugs of various shapes and sizes.

The other Gryffindors, second years and above, started to mingle around the room, greeting friends and classmates and gathering around the fireplace and tables to hang out before bed. McGonagall addresses them while Percy and another Prefect, a seventh-year who introduces herself as Ella King, guide them up a set of steps through an archway into a smaller room with two staircases, one leading upstairs and one leading down. The walls were made of wood, and the floor was stone, so their footsteps echoed as they ascended the steps. Harry notices a board with papers pinned to it, along with a plaque listing names and years next to it.

Head Boy/Girl

Michael Frimley - Hufflepuff

Susanna Hesleden - Ravenclaw 

Gryffindor Prefects 

Jada Angela - 7th year

Ella Joe King - 7th year

Remigio Oliver - 6th year 

Riley Frazier - 6th year

Percy Weasley - 5th year 

Aiden O'Connor - 5th year 

They stay there until McGonagall comes in and stands on the step above them.

"Welcome to Gryffindor." Her voice was slightly warmer than it had been in the dining hall. "I am Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House, for those who may not have been paying attention. You will have the opportunity to settle into your dormitories tomorrow. Your Prefects will provide you with a tour of the grounds of Hogwarts as you prepare to commence your classes on Wednesday. During breakfast tomorrow, you will receive your academic year schedules, detailing the classes you will attend each day and their respective times. Your Prefects will now escort you to your dormitory rooms. Miss Patil, may I have a moment of your time?"

Percy and Ella take over as McGonagall takes Parvati to the side to speak with her. Ella steps forward and smiles as she greets them. "Welcome to Gryffindor, the best house Hogwarts has to offer, if you ask me. Now, the girls' and boys' dormitories are divided into separate sections of the tower: the girls' dorms are located above the common room, and the boys' dorms are situated below. Now, the second-floor balcony is accessible to everyone, but going further up is prohibited unless you are a girl. This shouldn't be a problem until you get a bit older, but I will warn you that the stairs leading up to the girls' dorms are charmed to repel males as a safety feature. The same cannot be said for the boys' dorms; however, if a girl is caught in your rooms, you will be dealing with McGonagall, who will notify your families and have a conversation with you, your roommates, and the girl who is found. Sometimes, if there are multiple incidents in a short period, she'll decide to include the other years in that conversation as well. Trust me, you do not want us to find out if we have to attend that assembly because of you. We will make your lives hell for the next seven years. Don't be that person."

Percy steps forward, "Your things have already been brought up from the train and placed in your dormitories. Two rooms are set aside for each year, with five beds in each room. If you are unhappy with the room assigned to you, you are welcome to move your belongings to another room if there is space available or if someone is willing to switch with you. Gentlemen, follow me."

Percy leads the six boys down while Ella takes the girls upstairs. They stop on the first landing between two doors marked for first years. "Bem Quarty, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan, you three will be in room A. Ron, Harry Potter, and Neville Longbottom, you three will be in room B. Remember, curfew is at ten-thirty, so you need to be in the common room by ten. They start setting out breakfast at five during school days, and classes usually start at seven, which is when your tour begins tomorrow. Please try to arrive in the Great Hall, where we just had dinner, by seven. If you need help getting downstairs, the other Prefects and I will wait in the common room to show you where to go. I'll leave you six to get unpacked."

Percy leaves. Harry follows Ron and Neville into their room, and Ron complains about getting up early in the morning. There are five beds facing the center of the room, each with white sheets, red drapes, and comforters surrounding a heater. Each bed has a nightstand and a small desk on one side, with a wardrobe for their clothes on the other. Their trunks are on three of the five beds, and Harry goes to the bed where Hedwig is sitting in her cage. Next to him is Ron's bed, evident by the cage with his pet rat, Scabbers. The third bed is Neville's, with a package next to his trunk and a small glass aquarium for his toad on the desk closest to his bed. The last two were empty. The others changed into their sleepwear and climbed into bed, falling asleep almost immediately. Harry sits by the window after letting Hedwig out of her cage, tears in his eyes as he watches the waves of the lake ripple in the moonlight.

"I'm a wizard," he whispers. "Just like you, mum. Dad." 

Nico follows the teacher and the other Slytherins back into the entrance hall and down a long corridor, past several rooms, until they reach a set of stairs leading down with a sign that reads, 'Dungeon Corridor: Potions, Slytherin Dungeons, Hufflepuff Dungeons, Kitchens, Laundry Room.' The Hufflepuffs follow them to the first landing and then turn right down the hall while the Slytherins go left, down a second staircase. The floor and walls are made of stone, and the floor is adorned with a coat of arms featuring a serpent; the outer border of the chamber is designed to resemble scales. There were multiple corridors leading off to the sides, and along the back wall were two silver braziers, the stands carved to resemble some magical creature—a horned cobra with embedded emeralds on its forehead. They stop before the wall, and the teacher snaps, "Pure-blood." 

The serpentine floor pattern rises to create an arch, while the wall under it starts to shift the way it had at the Leaky Cauldron to enter Diagon Alley. While the other first years seem surprised, Nico doesn't react as the stones reveal a large set of wooden doors with Celtic designs carved into them and snake handles. The teacher lets the Prefects lead the group of students inside. The first thing Nico sees upon entering the chamber is a fountain of a mermaid with a conch shell pouring water into a cauldron, a mural in sea glass behind it of Hogwarts Castle on the cliff, surrounded by a forest. The main focus is on the lake, with multiple shades of dark blue glass making up the water, accompanied by greens, reds, lighter blues, and yellows that depict schools of fish and coral. Nico is amazed to see them moving around the mural as if swimming. A purple mass in one corner moves, drawing his attention, and he sees the tentacles of a squid waving at the first years as they stare. A few older students pass by and wave back or give the squid a high five.

Nico grins as they follow them down a spiraling staircase to the level below, the sound of water growing louder as they descend. At the bottom of the stairs are two more statues of mermaids and a koi pond with lily pads and fish. A snake's head is against the far wall, allowing water to pour from its hissing mouth into the pond. Four koi swim around with a few large goldfish. Next to the pond is a board with a plaque featuring names and years.

Head Boy/Girl

Michael Frimley - Hufflepuff

Susanna Hesleden - Ravenclaw 

Slytherin Prefects 

Alex Sykes - 7th year

Megan Rowstock - 7th year

Diana Carter - 6th year 

Gemma Farley - 6th year

Norman Stacey - 5th year 

Tabitha Bainbridge - 5th year

Directly across from the pond was a fireplace and a couple of couches, where two of the Prefects directed the first-years while the older students went through an archway to the right into the second part of the common room. To the left was what appeared to be a third section, and Nico could see a large, bisected staircase and a stone statue of an older man. He attempts to join the others before the fireplace, but a hand on his shoulder stops him. The teacher waits until everyone has settled and introductions have started before gesturing for Nico to follow him.

Nico follows the teacher, Professor Snape, to an archway just off the side of the room they were in. Their steps on the stone floor echo as he leads him to an alcove just inside the corridor. Nico blinks as he looks up and notices that part of the ceiling outside the two adjacent rooms is made of stained glass, and that the world beyond it is distorted. Then, a fish swims over them, and Nico realizes that they are underwater and that the blue glow coming through is from the water above them. Snape cleared his throat, and Nico quickly shuffled closer as the teacher opened the door.

"This will be your dorm," Snape tells him. "Generally, we have two dorms for our students each year, with three to five students per room. However, considering your training requirements, you will have just one dormmate. This should provide ample space for your activities." 

"Thank you, sir." Nico nods. Snape looks down his nose at him and leaves. Nico looks around the room and notices how empty it seems without five beds. There are only two on the far side of the room, next to each other. Nico goes over to the one where Alexiares is waiting and lets him out of his cage before grabbing his camera and taking a picture of his dorm, making a slow circle to get everything. The ceiling here is also made of glass, offering a view of the lake. He had just started to unpack his suitcase when the door opened again. 

"You must be mistaken. I cannot share a dormitory with him!" Nico sighed as he looked at the door where Snape stood with Draco Malfoy. Draco turns to Snape. "Have him transfer to the other dorm. If I have to share my room, the least you can do is pair me with someone of my standing, like Nott or Zabini."

"Dumbledore has asked that our visitor be provided with a singular room, similar to what you and your father requested," Snape sneers. "I managed to arrange it so you can share it with just one person instead of four. Be thankful, or I'll place you with the others–six to a room–for the next seven years." 

Snape leaves again, and Draco stands there fuming. Nico can hear the other students in the common room and the other dorms. He raises an eyebrow. "Are you coming in or proceeding to the other dormitory so that Vincent and Gregory can protect you?"

"I do not fear you," Draco asserted with a hiss. 

"In that case, come in and close the door," Nico replies with a smirk.

Draco stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Nico laughed softly and made his way to the bathroom, which was airy, adorned with soft green tiles, and featured a sea glass chandelier that cast vibrant colors on the walls. It looked stunning. He turned on the shower and the sunlamp, which Will packed for him. He plans to have Will send another one next month so that he can have a spare.

Positioning the light to strike the water perfectly, he waits until he notices the rainbow it creates and retrieves a drachma. After casting a silencing charm over the bathroom and confirming the door is locked, he tosses the coin into the shimmering rainbow. "Iris, please accept my offering and show me the campers at my Camp Half-Blood." 

The drachma disappears, and the rainbow shimmers. The amphitheater comes into focus right next to Chiron. He hears a cheer go up as everyone waves to him, and Chiron allows it for a moment before settling everyone down. He smiles, "Nico, we've been expecting your call. How are you?"

"It's been crazy," Nico breathes. "Are Percy and Annabeth there yet? I have more photos, and this castle is amazing." 

Will steps forward from where he had been helping his siblings with the sing-along. "It's only been about 13 hours since you left camp, sunshine."  

"Shit, really?" Nico blinks. "I was in London for almost a month. It's already September; I just got to Hogwarts."  

"It's still July 12th, Nico," Lou Ellen tells him gently. 

"Oh." Nico swallows. A couple of the campers look sympathetic. Dominic gets closer to the Iris Message.

"What's it like there?" he demands. "Have you learned anything cool yet? Where are you?"

"I'm in my dorm's bathroom, hiding from my roommate. And I've learned a few spells already." Nico laughs. "Thanks, Chiron, for trying to get me a room by myself. I've got only one roommate instead of five like the other dorm."

"Whoa." Dominic ends up stealing most of the camp's time with Nico, though Lou Ellen and a few of their siblings also get to ask questions between the boys. Will watches with a smile; he misses his boyfriend, and he does not doubt that Nico misses him too. However, it was nice that Nico was accepting the campers more. He talks about some of the people he'd gotten to know, like Harry and Ron, and about his house, Slytherin, and his asshole roommate, Draco Malfoy. 

"I think it's time the younger campers get ready for bed," Chiron said softly. The younger campers groan and complain as their older siblings lead them away.  

"Come on, Nicky." Lou wraps her arm around Dominic's shoulders.  

"Don't call me that. I'm not—" he yawns, stumbling as he stands up. "—tired. I wanna talk to Nico."  

"We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" Nico tells him. "It's late here, too, and my roommate will probably be looking to get into the room soon. I'll send some pictures in the morning, so you'll probably get them early. I'll have Mrs. O'Leary meet you first thing, alright?"  

"Okay." Dominic yawns again. Will helps Lou get Dominic onto her back to carry him to their cabin. "Night, Nic—"  

Nico laughs as Dominic yawns a third time. "Goodnight, Nicky." 

"Not my name," Dominic mumbles as Lou walks away. Will and Leo are the last to see Nico off as Chiron makes his way with the campers to ensure they get to their cabins.

"How's the wand?" Leo asks.

"Still holding up," Nico says, blinking slowly. He is more tired than he thought. "Classes don't begin until the day after tomorrow. But the wand maker in Diagon Alley said he's rarely seen one so powerful, so there's that."

"Of course it is; I made it," Leo laughs, waving goodbye. "It was good to see you, Nico. Percy and the others should be coming in tomorrow, and Thalia and Renya are visiting the day after that."

"Geia, asteri mou," Will whispers once they are alone. Nico feels his heart leap into his throat. My star. Will started calling him that soon after they returned from Tartarus. "How are you?"  

"Geia, liakada mou." Nico greets him in return. Will blushes like he always does when Nico calls him his sunshine. "I miss you. How are the Puffs?"  

"We miss you, too. They sleep in my cabin most nights." The cacodemons climb Will's shoulders to see Nico, all of them making a sad, trilling sound. 

Nico laughs wetly. "Gods, how am I going to do this, Will? It's only been a day for you guys, but over here it's…"  

"I know. We take it one day at a time, okay?" Will tells him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Nico smiles sadly. "The sunlamp is dead, so I'll need another one tomorrow."  

"I'll send another with Mrs. O'Leary," Will reassures him.  

"See you in a month, Care Bear."  

"See you in 24 hours, darlin'."  

"Don't you dare, Solace; that's not fair—" The Iris Message disappears, and Will's smile fades. Just 24 hours and a whole month away.

Nico takes a moment to gather himself, switching the shower off before stepping out of the bathroom in his magic camp sweater and sweatpants. The Slytherin dormitories feel slightly chillier than the rest of the castle, likely due to being underground, which helps maintain a steady temperature. If the temperature remained consistent throughout the year, it would be cozy regardless of the outside weather. Noticing that Draco is still absent and his belongings untouched, Nico leaves their room, searching for him.

Rather than returning to the antechamber he had entered from, he walked further down the corridor, passing each room and observing that all the students were boys. The girls must have separate dorms. The floor gradually slopes, although Nico doesn't realize this until he finds himself in the third antechamber, positioned just a few steps above the others, at the base of the staircase. He ascends the stairs and arrives at the old man statue. Before it, candles are lit on the steps beside an empty offering plate. Here, he notices a plaque, which he takes a moment to read: 'Salazar Slytherin—Hogwarts Founder.'  

Interesting.

Salazar's statue held scrolls under one arm and a human skull in the other hand, in a mimic of Shakspear's famous pose. Although the statue was crafted from white marble, the painted skull was genuine—Nico could sense it. He smirks; what could be more intense than showcasing your skull in the hand of your statue in a school dorm named after you? Nico places a piece of candy from the train on the offering plate; he appreciates the older man's dramatic flair. 

Nico goes up the stairs on either side of the statue and finds two rooms on the right, set aside for the Head Boy and the Head Girl, both of which are empty for the year. On the left is a staircase leading up to Snape's private chambers. He goes back down the stairs and passes through both antechambers to see the last part of the common room. 

Two fireplaces flanking the room cast a warm glow over the otherwise blue and green space. The stone walls appeared painted, reflecting the soft blue hue from the expansive windows and glass ceiling. The floor featured black carpeting, which Nico found somewhat odd for a place designed around water. Black leather sofas and armchairs surrounded the fireplaces, with tables and desks scattered throughout the room. To the left of the archway stood a trophy case filled with various trophies and plaques. On the right was a spacious enclosure crafted from dark wood and glass, illuminated by a lamp highlighting a large branch with a red corn snake slithering across the enclosure's floor. 

Most of the older students had already retreated to their dorms, with just a few lingering to chat and chuckle about the first-years gazing out the windows at the lake. Curious, he approaches to see what they are up to, noticing that the upper halves of the windows are adorned with stained glass depicting various underwater scenes and creatures. The light filtering through casts colorful patterns on the walls. As he nears his classmates, he hears a melody from the windows. Was there a nymph in the lake? Suddenly, a large shape glided past, prompting Nico to move closer and stop beside Blaise Zabini. 

"I had heard stories of a giant squid at Hogwarts but never expected to see it," he mutters. Nico hums thoughtfully and turns away from the windows in search of his roommate. Draco, sitting on a leather couch with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, was seated around one of the fireplaces playing a game, so that was where he headed next.

"Hello, little lizard," Nico grinned as the other two flinched, and Draco turned sharply to glare at him. "I'm heading to bed. Try not to create excessive noise when you eventually stop hiding from me and come to our dorm. Goodnight, my esteemed crustacean and gargoyle." 

Nico ignores the three of them when they shout after him, and he goes back to his room, climbs into bed, and closes the curtains before casting a silencing charm. There is no need to wake Draco if he has demigod dreams or nightmares. He fiddles with the gold coin Will had given him, turning it over in his hand while staring up at the glass ceiling of their room, watching the fish swim by. 

The Slytherin dorms reminded him of Cabin 3 from the few times he'd visited Percy at camp. Or the rental at Montauk, where Nico joined their family last year before Percy went to California to check out the college campus in New Rome. The windows resemble one of Aunt Sally's art projects, the stained glass pieces hung in the living room of their apartment in New York. The cold and dark underground feeling reminds him of his rooms in the underworld palace where he'd stayed while visiting his father. The sound of water from the fountain in the common room reminds him of the ocean at camp and even the rivers in Italy that he used to fall asleep to when his mother and Bianca were still alive. 

This whole place reminded him of home.

He listens as Draco comes in silently and takes a shower before climbing into his own bed. 

It was going to be a long year. 

The following day, Nico gets up early and changes into jeans and boots. He throws his outer robe over his sweater and enters the common room, his camera in hand. He checks the corners to see which will give him the most coverage. He ends up right next to the snake, which has a nameplate: Emerys. He chuckles; they named their snake after Merlin.

"Do you mind?" he whispers to the snake, holding up the camera. The snake flicks its tongue at him, so he takes a picture, turns around, and takes another of the common room. After it prints out, he checks it and notices that, at some point, what looks like a mermaid has come up to one of the windows and looked into the room. He watches as it approaches the window, looks around, and sees him before swimming away. He goes to the second antechamber and takes another photo, along with a close-up of the koi pond. Then, he takes a picture of the Salazar Slytherin statue and notices a few more candies on the offering plate.

As the others start waking up, he leaves the dungeons and goes upstairs. He takes a picture of the mural and waves at the squid before leaving the Slytherin dorms. He then takes a picture of the Entrance Hall and the grand staircase before going to the large doors leading outside. He opens the doors to take a picture of the courtyard with the sun rising over the hills in the background, then goes to the Great Hall to take a picture of the ceiling. 

"Yes, I, too, love to keep mementos of what is precious and magical." A voice speaks up from behind him. Nico turns to see Dumbledore standing there, smiling. "Though personally, I believe the dinner sky is more magnificent." 

"It is," Nico agrees. "But my cousin's girlfriend loves architecture, and the ceiling arches are amazing. She'll love them." 

"Well then, by all means," Dumbledore smiles wider. "How do you like Hogwarts so far, Mr. Di Angelo?" 

"I appreciate the opportunity to be here," Nico expresses thoughtfully. "I believe my school will value having someone well-educated in magic." 

"No need to be so formal, Mr. Di Angelo," Dumbledore chuckles. "Are you planning to take more pictures?"  

"If it is allowed."  

"Of course. Just be mindful of what shows up in them. We all have our secrets."  

"Yes, sir." Nico takes the warning at face value.  

"Will you also take a picture of the Great Hall tonight?"  

"Probably not," Nico thinks after a moment. "There are too many people."  

"Well, then, if I may?" Dumbledore waves his wand, and the sky fills with stars. The floating candles then appear and light themselves. 

"Thanks." Nico raises the camera and takes the picture, waiting for it to develop before nodding at the Headmaster. The sky shifts back to the rafters. Nico catches the older wizard's attention again, waving at his outfit. "Do we need to be in uniform outside of classes, or is this fine for the tour?"  

"The uniform is required exclusively during class sessions and formal events such as the welcome and year-end celebrations," Dumbledore tells him. "Under other conditions, you are permitted to wear attire of your choice, provided it is legitimate clothing."  

Nico thought there was a story behind that comment, possibly related to past students, but he didn't ask for details as he saw others joining them in the hallway. "Do we have to sit at our house tables for every meal? I want to chat with my friends in Gryffindor."

Dumbledore smiles at him, as if considering something he said amusing. "While most students prefer to stay with their own houses during meals, there's no official rule against them mingling."

"Most, but not all," Nico notes, prompting a chuckle from Dumbledore as he strolls away.

"You are quite intriguing, Nico di Angelo. Most intriguing, indeed," he calls back over his shoulder. "I look forward to observing how you influence my school." 

Nico goes to the Slytherin table, to the end closest to the dais, where the brazier stands, and lights it as food appears on the table. As usual, he burns part of his breakfast as offerings for his father, Hestia, Apollo, and Mr. D, adding Hecate to the list as he had done the night before, and waits for Harry and Ron to show up for breakfast. It only takes another twenty minutes before they arrive and sit next to Ron's older brothers. Nico gets up, ignoring everyone else's looks as he extinguishes the fire and approaches them. 

"All I'm saying is that we should be able to sleep in," Ron complained. "Why do we have to be here early if we don't have classes today?"  

"Because the school is huge and they don't want to spend all day showing us kids around when the Prefects have unpacking to do," Nico says, startling them as he sits between Harry and Neville. "How's y'all's night? Pass the biscuits, will ya, Ron?"  

"What?" Ron blinks. The other Gryffindors go quiet when they realize a Slytherin is sitting with them. "What did you say? And there aren't any biscuits at breakfast. Or is that an American thing? Every meal comes with a dessert?"  

Nico stares at Ron as he stands and leans over the table to grab the bread basket before sitting back down. "Biscuits. And I asked how your first night at Hogwarts was."  

"Those aren't biscuits; they're scones," Ron frowns. "And it was fine."

"In America, these are biscuits. The desserts you're talking about are cookies, and those are scones." Nico points to a plate of pastries a little further down the table. "And those can also be considered desserts."

"Mental, the lot of you." Ron shakes his head. "What are you even doing over here? You're a Slytherin."

"And you're a Gryffindor." Nico raises an eyebrow. "I didn't realize our friendship was forbidden now, Romeo."

Harry laughs, along with a couple of the others around them. Ron rolls his eyes. Harry turns to Nico. "Our night was fine; we fell asleep as soon as we got to our dorm. How was yours?"

"Could've been better; could've been worse." Nico shrugs. "I have to share a room with Draco Malfoy, but I called my school and let them know I'm settling in. My cousins say hi, by the way." 

"What's your school like?" Seamus Finnigan leans forward, intrigued. 

Nico responds to questions about the camps without allowing them to pry too much, while also explaining the meanings of certain unfamiliar terms to the students. Eventually, Professor McGonagall arrives with their class schedules; she raises an eyebrow at Nico before handing him his schedule, which he gratefully accepts. Nico snaps another selfie with Harry and Ron chatting in the background while the twins wave at the camera.

Alexiares swoops down to the table, and Nico places the photos he took into an envelope and seals it. "Hey, Alex."

"Is that your owl?" Dean asks. "How's he flying if he's blind?" 

"Who said he can't see where he's going just 'cause he's blind?" Nico says as he hands Alex the photos, and the owl takes off through the open window. He'd take it to Mrs. O'Leary, who would then take it to camp.

"What?" Dean blinks, confused. Harry and Ron snicker while Nico smirks, finishing off his first biscuit. 

"What's up with the brazier anyway?" Fred asks.

"Yeah, why do you burn your food? Is that an American thing?" George speaks up. The others also look intrigued. 

"It's a religious thing, actually; a ritual from my dad's family that we perform at school," Nico tells them. "We burn offerings for the gods, and they grant us good luck and answer prayers if they're satisfied." 

"You believe in multiple gods?" Harry asks, wide-eyed. 

"Of course I do," Nico replied with a frown, glancing at the other wizards. "I learned that wizards descend from those who once worshipped the Greek goddess Hecate. She is one of the goddesses of magic and was known to bless her followers with magical abilities, which were then passed down to their children and grandchildren, and so on. Don't you have any gods here?" 

"Really?" Hermione suddenly looks interested in the conversation.

"It's something we're taught at my school in New York," Nico says, nodding. "That's why we haven't engaged much with other aspects of the wizarding world until now. The American wizards have largely moved away from that belief. I didn't realize you guys don't believe in them either."

"So you were raised in a wizard cult?" The table went silent as Harry asked the question.

"What gave it away?" Nico snorts. "The seclusion from society, or the daddy issues?" 

The other half-bloods and the Muggle-borns laughed, but the pure-bloods looked confused. Soon, the Prefects were calling for the first years to gather around, and Nico made his way back over to the Slytherins, ignoring the sneers he received from the others as he munched on a second biscuit from the Gryffindor table. He hoped he had enough film to take pictures of the castle and its grounds.

Chapter Text

September 3rd was the first day of class for students, and it began with the most intriguing yet boring class Nico could have imagined. A ghost taught History of Magic at seven in the morning, and it was so ridiculous that he almost laughed. Professor Binns did not notice him, aside from briefly pausing at his name during the roll, and then he started his lecture. Within ten minutes, they were fighting sleep—all 48 of them.

All the years had classes together, regardless of their houses, because the school was considered small, with fewer than 500 students. It surprised Nico, who had expected more, considering the size of the castle. Lou Ellen told him that Hogwarts had once had over a thousand students because the castle was filled with people from all over Europe. Then, larger schools like Beauxbaton and Durmstrang gained popularity in Europe. At the same time, smaller schools emerged in areas with higher concentrations of wizards, leading families to send their children to schools closer to home. With the emergence of newer schools, Hogwarts became a school that only those of higher status could attend, except for a select number of Muggle-borns admitted each year. This was due to the limited staff and resources available to accommodate that many children, causing them to reduce their selection pool to strictly the United Kingdom. However, under certain circumstances, they allow foreign exchange students to attend.

Nico, Hermione, and a handful of others were the only ones still taking notes when the bell rang for them to get to their next class. Nico stayed behind as the other first-years fled the room and approached the teacher. "Mr. Binns? Can I ask you a question real quick?"

Binns looks up. "Ah, Mr. Di Angelo. What is it?"

There was no acknowledgment of his blood or status among the undead, no mention of his father, nothing. Nico breathes a sigh of relief, the tightness in his chest lifting. "I was wondering if you had any recommendations for history books that go a little more into detail about—"

Charms was an easy class once Nico knew which spell they were working on. It was all about precision: precise body language, precise wand movement, and precise word annunciation. It wasn't Nico's best subject, as he couldn't read Professor Flitwick's handwriting. He didn't bother trying after the first attempt gave him a headache. He sat next to Hannah Abbott, a girl from the Hufflepuff house, and although she rolled her eyes when Nico asked her to read something for him, she always did, as he seemed to understand the practical aspects that she appeared to struggle with.

"Can't you just read the board like everyone else?" she hissed at him after he'd asked her to translate something for him for the third time.

"No," he told her, blank-faced. "I'm dyslexic, and English isn't my first language. It's technically my fourth. I have no idea what the board says, and Flitwick doesn't make it any easier with his tiny cursive writing."

She blushed in embarrassment but didn't protest when he asked another question. Nico corrected her wrist during their next exercise, and she nodded in agreement. He returned it, glad they had come to a silent understanding.

"Transfiguration is arguably one of the most challenging subjects offered at Hogwarts, whether in terms of comprehension or practical application." McGonagall looks down her nose at them as she stands in front of the first-year class. "This subject is not intended for individuals who cannot comprehend it. Should I be informed of any inappropriate conduct by any of you, I will have no choice but to dismiss you from my class before you utter 'Hogsmeade."

Transfiguration was going to be his favorite class simply because McGonagall taught it. She was the only teacher so far who had noticed he was having trouble reading the board and asked what was wrong by slipping him a piece of paper as she walked up the aisle between desks instead of calling the entire class's attention to him. He explained, and she collected the paper and read it. She tapped his book during her next walkthrough with a sharp, "Pay attention, Mr. Di Angelo, or I will take house points." When he looked again, the paper was black with white letters, and the whole text was Greek. He smiled as he turned to the right page.

Loud stomping grew closer to the classroom from the hallway before the door opened, and Ron and Harry came tumbling through. After explaining human transformation and assigning them to write out its dangers, McGonagall transformed into a cat to watch over them. She now watched Ron and Harry come in late, and Nico bit his lip to stop from grinning, even as Draco next to him snickered.

"Made it. Can you imagine old McGonagall's face if she had seen us?" Ron laughed breathlessly. 

Oh boy , Nico thinks as he watches McGonagall jump off her desk and transform in mid-air, so she walks toward them. Harry and Ron's jaws are on the ground.

The teacher cleared her throat. "Could you please explain why you arrived in my classroom significantly later than your peers?"

"We got lost," Harry tells her sheepishly. "And Filch saw us and started yelling—"

"It may be prudent to provide you with a map, Mr. Potter, to prevent similar situations from arising." She raises an eyebrow. "I assume you do not need assistance locating your seats or books?"

Ron and Harry sit in front of Nico and Draco and pull out their textbooks. Nico smiles as he goes back to translating his own. This is definitely his favorite class and teacher. When the bell rings, Nico marches right up to her and asks her to teach him the spell she used on his book so that he can also change the ones for the other classes.

She smiles as he manages it on his fifth try.

He smiles, too. This would be a game-changer for them; the Athena cabin would love it.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a joke of a class, and Quirrell was a joke of a teacher. The room smelled of garlic and incense, and it was too dark to see the students' books. Their first lesson was more of a meet-and-greet, during which the students got to know Quirrell, who avoided answering any of their questions outright.

Nico turned on his stool, pulling his hand out of his robe where he'd used the shadows to summon a Rubik's cube, and placed it in front of Harry. "Mess that up for me, will ya?"

Harry shrugged, grabbed it, and started to turn it to mix and match the colors while Ron and Hermione stared.

"What is that?"

"Why aren't you paying attention to the professor?" 

Nico looks at them. "It's a toy, and I'm bored. I need something to do before my ADHD kicks in, and I start counting how many times he stutters when he tries to say anything starting with the letter A. That would be considered rude. Thanks, Harry."

Nico grabs the Rubik's cube and turns around to solve it as Ron and Harry try not to laugh loudly behind him. Blaise glances over to where he sat next to Nico at the noise, glances back at the Professor, and then registers what he'd seen. He turns back to Nico, who ignores him. As he turns the sides of the cube to match the colors, Blaise settles in to watch him, more intrigued by the colorful moving block than by the class.

At lunch, Nico again sat with Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table, much to everyone's confusion and Dumbledore's amusement. He waves Snape off when he goes to drag Nico back to the Slytherin table, and McGonagall gives him a raised eyebrow. Nico looks at her innocently as he eats his sandwich, and she clicks her tongue, but Nico sees her smile as she leaves, so he figures it is okay.

"Why were you guys late anyway?" he asks Harry. "You said something about Filch."

"We were trying to get a door opened because we thought we were on the right floor, but it ended up being the forbidden corridor," Harry sighs. "He didn't believe us when we told him we didn't realize it."  

"Transfiguration is on the first floor of the East Wing," Nico raises an eyebrow. Hermione cleared her throat. He rolls his eyes, correcting himself. "First floor, ground floor, it's the same thing."  

"Not here, it isn't," she sniffs.  

"The third floor of the South Wing is the one sealed off. And you'd have to go outside over the bridge to get there." Nico ignores her. "You must have been really lost, huh?"  

"Filch hates everyone here except that bloody cat of his," Ron scowls. "Why's he even here if he hates it so much?"  

Nico didn't know, so he passed the water jug when asked and ate his lunch.

...

Herbology was the final class of the day, held in the greenhouses of the South Wing. It was a large glass dome with a huge tree in the middle and with separate wings for the individual greenhouse classrooms. The greenhouses numbered one to nine, and the last three doors remained locked, accessible only to Madam Sprout during designated classes. Neville thrived in this class, and Nico promptly teamed up with him, although none of their classmates appeared keen to join—their loss.

Neville read parts of the assignments to Nico, who hadn't updated all his textbooks. They only had this class three days a week, while older students had double periods of Herbology. Nico reciprocated by keeping Draco and his friends away from Neville during class, although his glare had a limited effect from across the tunnel.

By next Thursday, Nico had a basic enough routine in his classes that, of course, it had to change. Not by much, but he was still annoyed to learn that Thursday afternoons were now reserved for flying lessons.

Fuck. His. Life.

He made an extra offering to Zeus during lunch, though he typically only did it during breakfast and dinner. Harry and Ron notice that he has gone to sit with the Slytherins. They tried to catch his eye as he followed the Slytherin first years out of the Great Hall, past the Entrance Hall, down the corridor in the Transfiguration Department, through the West Tower, over the bridge to the Clock Tower, and into the courtyard, where one of the professors waited with fifty brooms. 

"Is everyone present? Excellent! Take a broom and follow me!" She picks up the spare brooms herself and guides them outside to the field beside the Clock Tower, providing ample space to spread out. After they gather around her, she observes them with her golden eyes and then instructs them to form two lines facing each other, placing the brooms on the ground beside their feet. Nico stands beside Hermione and across from Neville, and Harry and Ron stand beside him, which means they were able to catch Nico's attention finally. They motioned him over, but before he could join them, Madam Hooch introduced herself and explained that the class would only be once a week during their first year because it was the first time many of them had ever ridden a broom. When she asked the students to raise their hands if they'd ridden one before, all the pure-bloods and about half of the half-bloods did so, except for Harry, Nico, and Neville. None of the Muggle-borns' hands were raised.

"What are you playing at, Di Angelo?" Draco calls from his position a few feet away. "Were you not boasting about possessing a collection of brooms at your residence?"

"When did I say that?" Nico directed his gaze towards him, capturing the entire class's attention. Great. "I said I have a broom at home, which I do. It fulfills its purpose effectively by sweeping floors. When did I say I owned a racing broom or knew how to ride one? Or were you merely presuming that was my intended meaning?" 

"Enough!" Hooch calls out as the students laugh. Draco's face turns red in embarrassment. "Now that I have your attention, you will stand on the left side of your broom, hold your right hand over it, and say 'up' with conviction. Now, begin."

"Up." Harry's broom immediately flew into his hand. He grins. "Whoa."

"Up. Up. Up!" Ron's broom shoots up, smacking him in the face. Harry and Nico laugh along with everyone else who has seen it, while Ron rubs his nose grumpily. "Shut up, both of you. You're not even trying, Nico."

Nico could feel the magic gathering in those around him, which was discouraging. Instead, he turned to where Neville was struggling. "Neville, take a deep breath, set your shoulders straight, and say it like you're declaring you will be a Herbologist. Try getting on the other side of the broom since you're left-handed." 

Neville steps over the broom, takes a breath, holds out his left hand, and says "up" without stuttering. The broom comes up and hits his hand, and he fumbles with it. It hits the ground again.

"Good job. Try again, and this time catch it." Neville grins and tries again. Ron and a few other students who had been paying attention do the same thing and catch their brooms as well.

"Mr. Di Angelo, please join us at some point today so we can proceed with our lesson." Madam Hooch stood in front of Hermione, who had managed to raise her broom. Everyone else had as well, except for him. Draco stood smirking as he held his. 

Nico doesn't take his eyes off Hooch as he holds his hand over the broom, which rises without him saying anything. She narrows her eyes and takes the broom from him, returning it to the others and bringing back a new one. Placing it on the ground at his feet, she barks, "Again."

Nico does. Again, it rises without a word. She nods. "Impressive. To do that wordlessly at your age, you must have a strong core and focused intention. Alright, enough standing around!" 

Nico glances at Draco, who is glaring at him, and he returns it with a smirk. Looking at Ron and Harry, it changes to a smile at their awed expressions. He shrugs and whispers loudly to them, "Confidence. And a whole lot of luck; I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it a second time." 

Neville grins as they laugh, and Hermione scoffs. Hooch starts instructing them on how to mount the brooms properly, Harry and Ron snickering as she corrects Draco. "When I blow the whistle, you're going to lean forward, kick off the ground—easy does it—and hover before setting back down. Then— Longbottom !"

Neville had already started and leaned too far, and the broom had begun to rise before shooting straight up. Ten feet, twenty, fifty, and climbing fast. Nico notices the boy's grip slipping as the broom goes vertical, and he gets on his own broom. He doesn't think as he flies up to catch Neville as he slips from the broom into a free fall of almost a hundred feet. Neville's terrified scream turns to one of pain as Nico catches his arm, his shoulder pulling out of its socket.

"Hold on!" Nico yells as he tries to steer the broom one-handed back to the ground. Twenty feet from the dirt, the hair rises on the back of Nico's neck.

No. Please, uncle, no. Nico thinks. It was close enough. "Neville! Brace yourself!"

"What? AH!" Neville drops to the ground.

Ah, fuck . Nico's body seizes.  

...

Harry watches as Nico climbs higher and higher on the broom and catches Neville. Though he worries about Neville's pain-filled screaming, he cheers with the others as Nico guides them down to the ground. He's confused when Nico drops Neville before they are close, but then lightning hits Nico once, twice, three times. The Slytherin boy hits the dirt hard enough to pull the grass away, leaving a smoking trail of scorched earth.

His broom disintegrated.

Nico isn't moving.

"NICO!" The entire class runs forward. 

"Get back!" Hooch rushes to the front and kneels beside him. Ron and Harry squeeze in closer, and Harry gasps as he sees Hooch desperately trying to extinguish the flames on Nico's robes. She quickly transfigures one of the Ravenclaw students' cloaks into a gurney before gently transferring Nico onto it. The gurney hovers above them as she moves forward, calling for Neville to stay close. Two Hufflepuffs assist him to her side, being cautious of his shoulder. 

"If I come back and see even one of you with your feet off the ground, I'll walk you straight to Dumbledore myself! Wait here for another professor!" The rest of them were left out on the practice pitch by themselves. Some of the kids had dropped their brooms immediately, not wanting to risk it. Four of them were quietly crying. And then there were the Slytherins.

"Did you see him trying to catch his fat ass?" Malfoy laughs. Pike, Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle were beside him, laughing as well. Zabini and Nott spoke with the other Slytherin girls, none of whom seemed to care that Neville was hurt and Nico might be dead.

"Oh, you're a right bastard, Malfoy." Hannah Abbott remarked with displeasure.

"Pardon? Do you harbor feelings for the overly emotional Longbottom, Abbott?" Pansy Parkinson retorted with scorn. "Or does your interest lie with the foreigner? We've all seen your close interactions during Charms class."

"Look at this!" Malfoy exclaimed, displaying a golden medallion attached to its fractured chain. "I've seen Di Angelo with this item numerous times. I was unaware that it held monetary value. Do you believe it could serve to replace the broom he destroyed?"  

His group of followers laughed again, and Harry saw red. He marches over to him. "Give it here, Malfoy; it's not yours." 

"No. I am his roommate; therefore, retaining possession of it on his behalf is more logical," Malfoy smirked, tightening his grip on the broom. "However, I think I shall place it somewhere for him to find. Perhaps on the roof?"  

Malfoy flies above them, and Harry grabs his broom to go after him. He ignores Hermione when she tries to explain that the professors will be there soon, and he flies up to meet the Slytherin. "Give it here, Malfoy!"  

Malfoy scowls when he sees Harry in front of him. It changes into a smirk as he tosses the coin in his hand, the chain gone. "Why don't you fetch it for him?"  

He turns and hurls it toward the school. Harry watches in slow motion as it drifts farther away; he has to admit, Malfoy has a powerful throw. Leaning forward, he shoots past the Slytherin, racing after the flash of gold. It strikes a window and drops. Harry changes course just before impact, his feet brushing against the bricks as he reaches for the coin. He seizes it and pulls himself up. He's thrown off the broom, tumbling before springing to his feet. The others cheer, with Ron in the front, beaming widely.  

"HARRY POTTER!" 

Oh shit. Harry watches as Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid march towards him, splitting the crowd. Malfoy is already among the Slytherins again, snickering as Harry faces the head of Gryffindor's house. 

"You will come with me," she fumes. "NOW!"  

"Alright, the rest of you, back inside," Hagrid says, helping Flitwick gather the brooms and ushering the others in.  

Harry follows McGonagall, the medallion in his hand almost as heavy as the stone sinking in his stomach. 

"—What could it have been? The poor boy was struck by lightning on a clear day, Albus! There is not a single cloud in the sky! Undoubtedly, it was the result of magic!"  

Nico sat up, already looking for his wand and his clothes. He must have been in a hospital, or at least in the medical wing of the school, and the only doctors he trusted to put their hands on him were three years in the future in New York. He ignores the whispers from the office close to his bed.  

"I haven't witnessed scars like these since Remus, Albus." A woman begins to speak, and then, recalling that he ought to be asleep, she returns to her whispers. "If you've admitted another of them into the school, the other professors and I should have been notified so we can handle him."  

Another? Another demigod or…? She'd said something about his scars. Nico gets closer to the door, using the shadows to conceal him and the sound of his steps. 

"Madam Pomfrey presents a valid argument. Admitting Lupin was one thing, but Headmaster, the consequences of that decision are evident." A measured tone follows, and Nico identifies it as Snape, the head of Slytherin house. "A werewolf inherently poses a threat; around the children, it's an unwarranted risk to their safety. Must I remind you of the incident that affected me when—"  

"I am aware, Severus. As you undoubtedly recall, it was not the individual afflicted with such a condition who bore responsibility for those occurrences but rather his peers. And you were equally complicit in those events," Dumbledore states. 

Not a demigod, then, but a werewolf. One who was Snape's age if they'd been in school together. Someone must have recognized the scars on his arm that Lycaon gave him during the war with Gaea as those associated with werewolves, and now they were worried about him being one.

Wrong kind of half-breed.

Nico smirked and faded into the shadows cast by the giant arches of the medical wing, ending up in his dorm's bathroom. He peeks into the bedroom, but Draco isn't there. He grabs a change of clothes, his crutch cane, and his soap, then returns to the bathroom. He was already feeling the drain on his body and grabbed his desk chair to drag into the shower. He'd seen a spell in his textbook that he could use to dry it off later.

"Bloody hell!" Draco yells when Nico comes out of the bathroom an hour later, wearing only his sweats and leaning heavily on his cane.

Draco was pale as he looked at his dormmate. The other boy had always given off a dangerous air as if waiting for a reason to snap. Draco had often felt the same from his mother during the few times she'd argued with his father or from his aunt Bellatrix during the one time he'd met her. He could feel the nobility and strength of magic in him, the same way he could feel his father's or Dumbledore's. Nico di Angelo was powerful. Worse, he knew he was, and he knew how to use that power. And yet, watching him stagger to his bed on a cane, his body covered in bruises and scars after being hit by lightning multiple times, Nico di Angelo looked… like a boy. One not much different from himself. His chest, back, and right shoulder were covered in bright red Lichtenberg marks. 

"This school is indeed going to the dogs if you have already been discharged from the hospital wing." Draco scowls to hide his wince when Nico leans against his bedpost, right on a sizable star-shaped scar. "It's barely been a day."  

"They didn't." Nico pants. "I left. I doubt they noticed when I did it, but they probably know I'm gone by now."  

"Why would you even consider that?" Draco asked, perplexed. "If I had been hit by lightning even once, I'd spend a week in that bed just to avoid classes."  

"I don't trust most healers." Nico gathers the strength to sit on the bed and meets Draco's gaze. "And I have things to take care of. What day is it?"  

"Friday. Lunch is in an hour. You missed Potions," Draco tells him.  

He'd lost a whole day then. Nico scowls; he hates losing time. "I'm going to lie down. Don't be an annoying lizard."  

Nico swings his legs up and closes his curtains as Draco throws a curse at him. It bounces off the protection he put on his bed, and Nico lies there until he hears Draco swear and slam their door twenty minutes before lunch starts. He'd lasted longer than Nico thought he would.  

Nico gets up and grabs the sun lamp, his weekly vitamin, and one of the vials of nectar from his bag. He takes the medicine and the nectar, turns on the sun lamp, and sets it on the desk next to his bed so it shines down on him. He feels himself start to heal and regain strength. He lies down in his bed and decides to take a nap anyway.

"Mr. Snape?" Nico opens the door to the potions room in the dungeons.  

"Can I help you, Di Angelo?" Snape is at his desk, working on grading, if the vials of potions and a stack of parchments are any indication.  

"Maybe," Nico says, walking up to him, causing Snape to look up with a raised eyebrow. "I missed your first class because I was in the hospital wing. Is there any way to make it up or get the work the class did today?"  

"Perhaps. I do not have any classes scheduled after one o'clock; therefore, you are welcome to remain here unless you have other commitments."  

"No, sir. Thank you." Nico sets his potions book and supplies down at one of the tables and waits for the Professor to give him instructions. Snape goes back to his grading. Nico frowns. "Mr. Snape?"

"What is it?" Snape doesn't look up from where he was frowning at one of the papers.

"What were we working on today?"

"A straightforward tincture for the treatment of boils, although a significant number of your classmates seem to struggle with following simple instructions." Professor Snape scoffs at the paper and makes a note. "Refer to chapter three of your textbook unless you require a review of chapters one and two, as those sections provide information regarding the maintenance of the supplies necessary for participation in my class."

Nico sits down with his textbook to begin reading the ingredients and steps to brew a potion that cures someone of boils, as Snape had said. "Did you just review it, or did they attempt to make it?" 

"I instruct first-year students on only one day of the week, Di Angelo. What benefit would it bring any of you to refrain from participating in my class?" Snape remarks with disdain. "You may spend your time reviewing the brewing of potions, but you shall not waste mine." 

"So you just let a group of 48 eleven-year-olds start a potion in the first two weeks of school without prior knowledge? Without any instruction on how to do so safely? Isn't that dangerous?" Nico closes his book and looks at Snape.

"It's only dangerous if the person brewing the potion is a moron." Snape set the paper aside and looked at Nico, uninterested in the conversation.

"Not everyone has a basic understanding of potions from day one." Nico stares at him.

"Pity." Snape sniffs.

"Trial and error, then. That's how this class is going to be." 

"I learned that method successfully, and many of my students have earned satisfactory grades throughout the years." Snape glares back at Nico. Nico clenches his jaw and nods. He gathers his supplies and heads for the door. Snape calls after him. "And where are you going?"  

"To find a competent teacher to teach me potions." Nico yanks the door open and turns to Snape. "Not a glorified, overpaid tutor who does nothing more than supervise while everyone fumbles around him. I'll come to class to learn from you when you pull your head out of your ass and act like you have something to teach me. Otherwise, I'll learn by trial and error, just as you did in another classroom. You're welcome to join me if you ever feel like doing your job."

"Fifty points from Slytherin," Snape growls through gritted teeth. "I refuse to be disrespected in my classroom by some foreign brat who thinks he knows it all."

Nico scoffs. "It appears I know more than you. I instruct the younger kids' classes at my school in New York due to a teacher shortage. There's no way I will allow one of my students to do something hazardous just because it's inconvenient to teach them. To me, you're a bigger joke than Quirrell."

Snape rose from his desk. "That will be another fifty—"

"Take them all. You can have every single point Slytherin has earned so far. I. Don't. Care." As Nico's anger intensified, he felt frost spreading across the floor and creeping up the walls. He noticed Snape's eyes widen in response to it. "Do you think house points are important? A few gems in an hourglass are meaningless in the real world, Snape. Winning that ridiculous house cup is meaningless to the life-or-death stakes that some of these potions will improve. It's time for you to reevaluate your priorities."

Nico slams the door shut in Snape's face before returning to his common room, feeling that the encounter was a complete waste of time. He strides down the dungeon corridor, moving past various classrooms and a spacious banquet hall, until he arrives at the main dungeon chamber and makes a right turn. 

"Pureblood," he snaps, as the scaled-patterned stone shifts and the bricks part to reveal the entrance to the Slytherin common room. He pushes the door open, waves to the squid, and storms down the spiral staircase. After crossing the common room and entering his dorm, he grabs his other textbooks before returning to the main area. He settles into the couch in front of the large fireplace and opens his Potions and Herbology textbooks and the Fantastic Beasts book he purchased in Diagon Alley. He plans to review his upcoming assignments and learn how the ingredients work together, as self-study is expected of him. Ignoring the other students, even hours later, when they start leaving for dinner, he concentrates on cross-referencing the ingredients; the crackling fire and soothing fountain sounds provide a calming backdrop as he reads. He sets aside the other books and dives into Fantastic Beasts, captivated by the creatures of the magical world. When he reaches the chapter on unicorns, he moves to lie on the couch and puts his feet up on the armrest. He needs to learn more about how wizards utilize them, if he was hoping to create unicorn draught while he's here. 

"Do you believe Filch will bring them before the old witch for expulsion?" There was Draco with his followers. Nico sinks deeper into the couch, attempting to ignore them. Dinner must have just ended. "I can't wait to see their expressions. Envision Potter facing expulsion during his first month of school." 

Harry. 

"And why would he be the one to get expelled, little lizard?" Nico rises, slamming his textbook onto the table. The three flinched from where they were coming down the mail staircase. "If this is regarding the brooms, I'm the one who'll be in trouble." 

"No, it's not the broom that's the issue. Although he should have faced expulsion for that." Draco scowls. "He took his broom and flew around until McGonagall caught him. Instead of punishment, he's been rewarded; he's now the youngest Quidditch Seeker in a century. I knew that old hag would show favoritism towards Potter." 

"I believe it's because he's a Gryffindor, and she leads their house." Nico arches an eyebrow. "Flitwick supports Ravenclaws, while Sprout backs Hufflepuffs. Snape also shows some preference for us, as much as he's able." 

"That's irrelevant," Draco retorts sharply.

"Oh, stop sulking, Draco. Not everyone will spoil you or prioritize you as your parents do." Nico rolls his eyes. Draco's mother at least spoiled her son. Treats and letters every morning like clockwork. 

"Excuse me?" Draco's face goes red. 

"Why is Harry facing expulsion?" Nico interrupts, arms crossed. "Vincent, Gregory?"  

Both boys scowled at the use of their first names. Nico realized this was a notable difference from the US, as people here typically used last names unless they were close friends. They remained silent. Draco turned his nose up. "I challenged Potter to a duel, and he and Weasley will be caught wandering the castle after curfew. We've already tipped off Filch about their intentions."  

"You will also be in trouble if you're caught in a duel with him after curfew," Nico evaluates Draco, then shakes his head. "No. You instructed him to meet at a certain place, but you have no intention of going. You're too much of a coward."

Nico strode past Draco and the two boys, making his way to the stairs leading out of the common room.

"What did you just call me?" Draco yells after him.

"Run away, little lizard, before you piss me off," Nico says over his shoulder. 

A group of Slytherins descends the staircase with urgency, led by the fifth-year Prefects. Upon spotting him, they approach with determination. Norman Stacy confronts Nico, brandishing his wand threateningly. "You! How the bloody hell did you lose one hundred house points in a single day?! And to Snape, no less!" 

"WHAT?" Draco exclaims from behind the group.

Nico's glare intensifies, causing a noticeable drop in temperature. Several Slytherins begin to tremble, and the breath of the Prefects condenses in front of Nico like a mist. They remain motionless under Nico's piercing gaze. "Get the hell out of my face. Now."

The Slytherins disperse. Nico walks past them and ascends the stairs, exiting the dungeons and walking down the corridor to enter the Entrance Hall. He glances into the Great Hall, hoping to locate Harry and warn him, but it is already deserted. He decides to head upstairs. Since it is the students' study time, most are either in their common rooms or one of the study halls.

"Hey, Nico!" Nico turns to see Neville approaching as he reaches the first floor.

"Hey, Neville," Nico replies with a nod. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's okay. Madam Pomfrey treated it yesterday, but wanted to ensure it fully healed. I got the last bit done a few hours ago, but it really tired me out. I think I missed lunch," Neville responds, rolling his shoulders.

"And dinner. Have you seen Harry?" Nico walks with him to the next staircase. "Apparently, Malfoy challenged him, and now he's going to get in trouble for something stupid. I thought I'd at least warn him."

"They're probably in the common room by now. They don't hang out in the study halls with the others." Neville frowns. "I don't know if I can let you inside, but I can get him for you."

"I'd appreciate the effort, at least," Nico smiles. "How's it coming along with the extra work on the bowtruckle essay?"

"I still need two more inches," Neville sighs. "I didn't get to thank you. For trying to save me, I mean. So, thanks. I heard you got struck by lightning?"

"Three times," Nico grins. He and Neville talk all the way to the seventh floor and turn left. They go down the corridors to enter Gryffindor Tower, and Neville takes the lead. They walk until they reach a portrait of a large woman in a pink dress.

"I'm afraid I can't let you in, dear. Gryffindors only pass this point, you understand?" she says, looking at Nico's Slytherin robes. 

"That's fine, madam. I can wait here. I need to speak with someone," Nico says.

She turns to Neville. "Password? And be a dear and whisper it to me."

Nico understood the silent request, so he nodded and stepped away, covering his ears. Neville steps closer to the portrait. After a few minutes, he looks at the other boy. "Alright, Neville?"

"I forgot the password," he sighs.

"Ah." Nico turns to the portrait. "And he can't get in without it, can he?"

"Afraid not, my dear." 

"Are we allowed to wait out here? In case anyone else arrives?" The portrait gestures invitingly to a nearby bench, and Nico settles onto it, patting the space next to him for Neville to join. "Well, we've got some time. Tell me more about bowtruckles. You mentioned there's a group at school?"  

"A group of them is called a branch. Hehe, a branch of bowtruckles. Do you get it? Because they're stick creatures living in trees?" Nico smiles as Neville chuckles. Neville reminds him so much of Frank, though he shares the same corny humor as Austin and Cecil, and laughs easily like Will. 

When the portrait opened up again, it was after midnight. Nico nudges Neville, who had fallen asleep against him, and they both stand as Harry and Ron sneak out of the portrait, with Hermione right behind them. Nico sticks his hand through before the portrait closes since the Lady of Gryffindor left to speak with someone an hour ago.

"You're going to get us in trouble, and I, for one, don't want to lose the house cup to Slytherin!" Hermione was hissing.

"Damn, Hermione, tell me how you really feel." Nico grins as she yelps, and all three of them turn around.

"You're okay!" Harry breathes.

"Bloody hell, mate, you scared us," Ron swears. "What are you doing here? And Neville? I thought you were still in the hospital wing?"

"We got let out—"

"I did; you just disappeared." Neville cuts him off.

"—and I heard you got challenged." Nico ignores Neville. "I came to warn you. Draco was bragging about how he told Filch. He won't be there; he's just trying to get you in trouble."

"I told you!" Hermione turns around to look at Harry and Ron.

"Why should we trust you?" Ron scowls. "You're a Slytherin and his roommate. How can we be sure you're not just trying to prevent us from going so Malfoy can boast about us being too scared to fight him?"  

Nico glares and then opens the portrait door. "Neville, you need to get some sleep since you're still recovering. I'll see you tomorrow."  

"Uh, right. Bye, Nico." Neville heads inside. Nico lets the portrait shut, and Hermione gasps when she sees the Lady gone, realizing they are stuck out there until she gets back. 

"I expect that the Slytherins, given their emphasis on pure-blood lineage and superior attitudes, will discriminate based on something as stupid as the color of a school uniform. However, I wasn't expecting such prejudiced behavior from you, Ron." Nico folds his arms over his chest. Ron flinches, his eyes widening, and he opens his mouth to protest. "Don't. You claimed I can't be trusted simply because I'm a Slytherin. We were friends, and now, because my tie is green and yours is red, that's not the case anymore?"

"That's not what—"

"Isn't it?" Nico scoffs. "I deal with that crap in my common room. Hell, I deal with it within my own family. I don't get to choose not to be around them. But I refuse to allow myself to be surrounded by friends who say that crap as well. And the fact that not only are you like that, but you're also teaching Harry and Hermione to be like that too…"

Nico shakes his head and starts to walk away. Harry stops him, frowning angrily. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Precisely what I said." Nico spins around and shoots them a glare. "You may have had wizarding parents, Harry, but Muggles raised you. Hermione is a Muggle-born. Although my dad has magical abilities, he isn't a wizard, and my mom is a Muggle. All three of us are entirely unfamiliar with this world. Essentially, we are all Muggle-borns. The first wizard we met, developed a friendship with, and got to know is Ron."

He now faces Ron. "The way you communicate shapes how we perceive this world. If you harbor prejudice, we will notice it. I don't even enjoy my housemates' company and often defend you instead of getting to know the kids I'll be living with for the next seven years. And Harry, you criticize Slytherin as much as he does, even though you nearly became one of us." 

"Harry wouldn't be put in that snake pit—"

"Except I almost was." Harry turns his frown from Nico to Ron. "The sorting hat almost put me in Slytherin. It said I'd do well there and in Gryffindor. It let me decide which house I went into, and I chose Gryffindor. And…I chose it because…"

"Because Ron told you Slytherins are evil," Nico says when he realizes Harry isn't going to say it. Admit it.  

"H-Harry I… I didn't mean—"

"Would we still have been friends? If the hat ignored me and put me in Slytherin?"  

"Of course we would have been, Harry!"

"But not me," Nico says. Ron's eyes don't meet his, and his face turns red. Harry's face falls as he realizes the unspoken agreement. Nico wonders if the redhead had said he'd still be Harry's friend if he were a Slytherin because Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived, but he decides against saying so. That accusation would hurt Harry more than it would hurt Ron. "Right...well. Good luck with Filch. I'm going back to the snake pit."

Nico goes to leave, but Hermione catches his arm. "You can't! It's well after curfew; you'll get caught!"

"Are we just going to wait out here then?" Nico looks over her shoulder at the boys who won't meet his eyes. 

"We could go check?" Ron flinches as Nico's glare refocuses on him. "Just to see, I mean."

"To see whether I'm lying to you." Nico scoffs. "Fine. When are you supposed to meet?"

"In fifteen minutes." Ron looks at his feet.

"Let's go then." Nico turns to the girl. "Hermione, you can stay here until the Lady returns, or come with us. She said she'd be back in a few, but that was an hour ago. A couple of ghosts have been by a few times already. Depending on which one sees you, they might get you in trouble."

"Fine." She straightens her shoulders.

They start down the hall to reach the main stairs, quietly slip down until they arrive on the third floor, and head over to Ravenclaw Tower, where the entrance to the suspension bridge is located. They sneak across the wooden bridge and slip into the Astronomy Tower, with Harry and Ron acting as lookouts. They make their way down the corridor leading to the Defense Tower, where the Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Charms classes are held, heading toward the section known as the Tapestry Corridor. As midnight approaches, they reach the part of the third floor dedicated to the suits of armor and trophies the school possesses. When half an hour had passed, Nico was almost smugly glaring at Ron. 

The redhead shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe he's running late?"

"Or maybe I was right, and—"

"They're around here somewhere, girl. Find them, that's it." Filch. Harry and Ron exchanged horror-filled glances, and Hermione pulled them away from where they were hiding and back into the armory corridor. She bumped into a suit of armor, which crashed to the ground.

"Run!" Harry yells, and they take off.

Ron led the way, dashing down one corridor and then another. Harry maintains a good pace with the other boy despite his shorter legs, but Hermione stumbles a few times, so Nico slows down to help her. He watches as the boys rush through a tapestry and grabs Hermione to prevent her from overshooting it, nudging her to follow the others. Using the shadows to hide them better, he ends up behind them and releases the shadows once they reach the tunnel's midpoint. He discovers them at the tunnel's end, leaning against the wall by the Charm's room, trying to catch their breath. "I think we lost him." 

"How are you okay after that?" Ron pants.

"I've done worse than that little run." Nico stares at him.

"I'm sorry," Ron said, straightening up. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you, and I—"

"Oh, naughty, naughty children!" Peeves, the poltergeist, cackled at them as he hung out of the Charms door. "What shall we do with you? I should call Filch."

"Peeves, please don't!"

"Get out of the way!"

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" he hollers. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN—"

While the others had already begun running, Nico directed his powers at Peeves. "You will remain silent, do you understand?" 

Peeves looked back at him in fear, unable to utter a word or move. His lips twitched as if trying to scream, but Nico rushed after the Gryffindors, who were struggling with a door.

Ron shouted, "It's locked!" 

"Alohomora!" Hermione said, waving her wand at the door, which swung open. They all entered quickly, with Ron and Harry slamming it shut behind them. Nico joined them, leaning against the door to ensure Peeves wouldn't make a sound. Filch shouted at Peeves for wasting his time, prompting a collective sigh of relief from the group. Then Hermione pulled at their shirts. 

"For Merlin's sake, what do you want?" Ron snapped at her. They turned to face her and found themselves in a corridor—the forbidden corridor on the third floor—where a massive three-headed dog was growling at them.

"Aw shit. Out!" Nico flung the door open, pulling them into the corridor and slamming it shut as the dog charged at them, teeth bared. Peeves and Filch were nowhere to be seen. Harry and Ron grabbed Hermione, and the four bolted for safety. They hurried down the corridor, cutting back to the Astronomy Tower and then across the suspension bridge linking it to Ravenclaw Tower. Ron led them to the seventh floor and down the left corridor towards Gryffindor Tower. After a few more turns, they reached a dead end outside the Gryffindor common room.

The Lady was back. "And what are you doing out of bed?" 

"Caput Draconis!" Harry pants. "Caput Draconis!" 

"Well, there's no reason to shout," the portrait swung open. "He can't come in, though."

"Oh, come on!" Ron grabs Nico by the robe and drags him in. They scramble down the circular tunnel and into the common room, where they collapse onto the couches in front of the fireplace. "Bloody hell. What is that thing doing in the school?"

"Cerberus." Nico pants. "That was a cerberus. How the hell did they get a cerberus?"

"A what?" Harry asks.

"The dog was a cerberus. A three-headed magical canine that grows abnormally large," Nico tells him. "Remember how I said my dad deals with magical creatures? He has a cerberus that guards his house. That one in the corridor is a baby if it can fit in there. Otherwise, they're extremely malnourished because they're supposed to be huge when fully grown."

"A baby?!" Ron gasps.

"Did none of you use your eyes?" Hermione snaps.

"The door, yeah." Nico runs his hands down his face. "They're usually really good dogs unless they're guarding something. Then they can be dangerous."

"So, what? Is it guarding the corridor?" Ron asks. "I don't think that little wooden door will hold it back, even if it is locked."

"It was standing on a trap door," Hermione sighs. "Whatever it's guarding is probably under there. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before one of you comes up with another clever idea to get us killed. Or worse, expelled."

Hermione leaves, going up the stairs to her dorm. Ron shakes his head. "She needs to sort out her priorities."

Harry agrees, but Nico shakes his head. "Being Muggle-born, she's in a different situation. If she gets expelled from Hogwarts, she will be black listed from any other wizarding school in the country, meaning she'll miss out on the opportunity to learn magic and be a part of the British wizarding community. If you're expelled, Ron, you return to a magical family. For her, it means returning to a Muggle life, knowing about magic yet being excluded from it. Could you handle it, Harry? Returning to the Dursleys, away from Ron and Hogwarts, and not being allowed to return or do magic again? I'd rather die than give up my powers." 

Harry goes pale while Ron averts his gaze. Nico seizes the opportunity to glance around. If the Slytherin dungeon reminded him of a spring lake, then Gryffindor Tower resembled a summer night bonfire, where the campers would gather to sing after receiving their end-of-the-year beads. It radiated warmth and brightness. "Well, this is nice. Seems cozy. It's warmer than the Slytherin common room. How exactly am I going to get there anyway?"

"You could stay here?" Harry looks at Ron. Ron seems to realize that Harry is looking to him for guidance, and his eyes widen in surprise. He looks at Nico, who raises an eyebrow.

"Well, he can't sleep in the common room," Ron says. "If any other students come here, they might see him. I'm not sure if he'll get in trouble for sleeping in the wrong house. But there are two extra beds in our room. He can sleep there, and then we'll get up early to sneak him out before breakfast."

"Then that's what we'll do." Harry grins and stands up. "Come on, we'll show you where it is."

"Hey, Nico," Ron whispers to him as they follow Harry downstairs. Nico glances at him out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry."

"Just try to do better," he replies softly. "When Harry and Hermione are unsure, they'll ask you for guidance. If Harry is truly as significant as people say, others will seek his help in the future. Whether you want it or not, you will be shaping the lives of many generations of wizards. You need to figure out how to lead, little king, before you deceive the entire kingdom."

Chapter Text

Harry and Ron woke Nico early the next morning by slamming into his bed and calling out his name in a panic. He jumped up and looked around for danger, but he only saw four empty beds and two eleven-year-olds standing over him in their pajamas. He lay back down and put his pillow over his face with a loud groan.

"Nico, this is serious!" Harry hisses, yanking the pillow away. 

"What?" Nico whines. "It's too early for this."  

"No, it's too late. We overslept," Ron tells him.  

"So? It's Saturday, and we don't have classes," Nico says, rolling over.  

"And you're not in the right dorm," Harry reminds him. "Everyone's already up and hanging out in the common room. How will we get you back to the Slytherins downstairs without anyone realizing you spent the night?"  

"Ah." Nico sits up, running his hands over his face. "Right. That."  

"Yeah, that," Ron shakes his head.  

"We could always plead ignorance. We're first-years. How are you two supposed to know it's against the rules?"  

"Is it against the rules?" Harry looks at Ron.  

The red-haired boy almost says something sarcastic, then realizes both of them are waiting for his response. He reconsiders his words. "I'm not sure if it is or not."  

"Then we go with Nico's plan. Oh, right!" Harry pulls out the coin from his pocket. "I meant to give that back to you. It fell off after you got hit by lightning. Malfoy was being a prat and was going to put it on the roof. I thought McGonagall was going to expel me when she saw me on the broom going after it."  

"Yeah, Draco mentioned you got the Seeker position on Gryffindor's Quidditch team." As Harry gives him the coin, Nico sighs in relief, running his finger over the sun's outline. "Thank you for getting it back."  

"What is it anyway?" Ron asks.  

"A gift from someone very important to me," Nico smiles, thinking about his boyfriend. "Alright, I need to clean up."  

The boys lounge on their beds while Nico is in the bathroom, and Harry updates Ron about his encounter with Hagrid. "Do you remember that vault that was broken into on my birthday? The one mentioned in that Daily Prophet article we read at Hagrid's? The article stated that Vault 713 had been emptied earlier that day. That's the very vault that Hagrid and I went to. He emptied it and mentioned it was a secret between him and Dumbledore. I'd bet that's what the dog is guarding, wouldn't you?"  

"It's possible," Ron agrees. "Did he say what it was?"  

"No."  

"It must be really dangerous."  

"Or valuable," Nico remarks as he emerges from the bathroom dressed in jeans and his CHB sweater. "Hagrid mentioned that Gringotts is the safest place in the UK, apart from Hogwarts. If they knew someone intended to steal something, relocating it would be wise."  

"He claimed it was the safest place in the world," Harry counters.  

"And I have my doubts," Nico responds, moving toward the door. "Given there are places I've visited that I'm sure none of you wizards know about."  

"You wizards? You say that like you aren't one," Ron grumbles, getting up. Nico turns away so they don't see his smirk.

"I guess so," Harry says as they leave and go upstairs, heading to the common room. "I just want to know what it was."

"What the bloody hell?" Kenneth Fowley, a fifth-year, stops them as they make their way to the portrait. Everyone was watching them now. "Why is there a Slytherin in our common room?!"

"Ron." Percy, Ron's older brother, approaches them. "You're not supposed to let anyone who's not a Gryffindor into the Tower."  

"Why do you think it's his fault?" Nico narrows his eyes as he moves between the two brothers. "We were studying and lost track of time. I wouldn't have been able to return to my common room before curfew, so they offered me a place to stay. None of you minded my presence here last night." 

"You weren't here last night," Kenneth argues.  

"Wasn't I?" Nico raises an eyebrow. "You need to pay more attention to your surroundings if you don't remember me sitting with Harry, Neville, and Ron over there."  

Nico points to a table off to the side of the room, and most of the Gryffindors look over and see Neville sitting there with his books. He looks up. "He's right. We were working on my bowtruckle essay for Professor Quirrell."  

Percy goes to look over Neville's shoulder. The parchment has multiple handwriting styles, and he can't be sure one isn't Nico's. "Well, I suppose…regardless, don't do it again."  

"It's not illegal for them to hang out with people in other houses." Nico turns his nose up and then turns, throwing his arms over Ron and Harry's shoulders. "Don't listen to him; he's just jealous that he doesn't have friends in other houses who let him into their common rooms."  

Nico leads them out before the two can laugh and blow their cover. Ron and Harry are rolling as soon as they are on the other side of the Lady's portrait. Nico grins at her. "Thank you, madam, for not leaving me to Filch's mercy. I'd hate to get detention two weeks into school."

"Madam, you call me. I shouldn't find you as charming as I do," she tells him. "Now go on. This better not become a habit."

"I make no promises I can't keep," Nico tells her. The three boys descend the stairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. "Well, that went well."

"I'll say," Harry laughs. "You just tricked the entire house into thinking you were there last night."

"Technically, I was there last night. And we need to keep that story up so no one realizes what happened," Nico reminds them.

"How did you get Neville to lie, anyway?" Ron asks. "You didn't see him this morning, and yet he covered for us."

"Friends help each other out," Nico shrugs. They enter the Great Hall, and Nico parts ways with the others to go to the Slytherin table, where Malfoy looks surprised to see him and the two Gryffindor boys. Nico takes a moment to lean down next to him. "Next time you try to get me or my friends expelled because you got embarrassed, I'll do worse than choke you out, little lizard."

Nico sits down at his spot next to the brazier and lights it. He grabs some breakfast and tosses it in while making his regular offerings. He sees Neville and Hermione come in. Neville goes to sit by Harry and Ron while Hermione sits away from them, pointedly ignoring them, which doesn't work since they aren't paying any attention to her. The owls arrive with the mail and find their owners. The Malfoy owl comes by with the expected box of sweets and a letter from his mum, which the boy enjoys immensely. There's a loud commotion as something other than an owl comes through the arches, carrying a large black box, Alexiares at its heel with his own package. Everyone gasps as a silver animatronic dragon flies over to the tables. The teachers rise to their feet in surprise, and the dragon laps around as if looking for someone. Then, it flies over to where Nico is standing, a grin on his face. "Aracris! Over here!"

Nico stretches out his arms as the metal dragon hovers above him, delivering a box into his hands. He places the box on the table beside him and gestures for the dragon to land. The dragon flaps its wings and presents a disk in its mouth to Nico. He catches it just as Alexiares drops the box he is carrying onto the table. The dragon perches on the box while Nico pets Alex and offers him a treat. The owl trills before flying off, and Nico presses the disk. A hologram of Leo appears, and to the surprise of everyone listening in, he begins speaking to Nico in Ancient Greek. 

"Hey, Nico! Annabeth has been helping me learn Greek, so I hope you can understand me. I hope everything is going well at school! We noticed you left your sword behind, and we figured you'd need it for your training, so we decided to send it to you with permission from Dumbledore. I've sent Aracris to track you down and programmed him to follow Alex. Percy and Annabeth returned safely from their trip to New Rome, and Aunt Sally baked cookies, so Alex should have some ready for you. Chiron asked me to include a letter to the Headmaster with the packages to spare an extra trip. We're excited to see you this summer! We miss you, cousin!"

The hologram disappears. Nico grins as he pockets the disk. A letter for Dumbledore is secured with a string atop a box of Sally's cookies. Aracris snatches it and hops onto Nico's shoulder, prompting a chuckle as he collects his packages and douses the brazier's fire. He approaches the dais, where Dumbledore awaits with a warm smile. "Sorry about that, sir. My cousins can be…dramatic. Here you go, it's from my Headmaster."

"Thank you, Mr. Di Angelo," Dumbledore says, taking the letter from the animatronic and petting Aracris with a finger. "How imaginative."

"Ah, he's beautiful," Hagrid breathes.

"Leo loves dragons." Nico smiles and grabs the metal dragon off his shoulder, handing it to Hagrid. "Just don't squeeze it. It's not a real dragon, just metal and gears, so it will break much easier than an actual hatchling. Mr. Dumbledore, may I be excused so I can put my training equipment away?"

"Of course." 

Aracris's teeth whirl, making it sound like he is purring as he settles into Hagrid's arm, causing the man to laugh with glee. Nico takes the long way out, past the Gryffindors, to see Ron and Harry's faces. He almost laughs again as he sees their slack jaws. "Meet me by Hagrid's later?"

"Definitely," Ron tells him, craning to see the metal dragon in Hagrid's hands. "Is it real?"

"Nope. My cousin made it. The one who made my wand," Nico tells them. "He's always making stuff. You should see Festus and the Argo. Now that's impressive."

"Festus?" Hermione looks up from where she was, also trying to see the dragon. "And the Argo? Like Jason and the Argonauts?"

"Yeah, that Argo. Leo built a life-size working model of the ship and got it to fly. We use it for large-scale transportation at school." Nico laughs at their faces. "And Festus is like Aracris, but gold and the size of an actual dragon. We ride around on him back home when he lets us, though Leo is his favorite. And he's not even the real one. See y'all later."

"The real one?!" Ron exclaims. Nico steps out of the hall with his packages. The gasps and shouts of excitement ready him for Aracris's weight landing on him as soon as he opens the Great Hall doors. He strides through the Entrance Hall and heads down the corridor to the dungeons, turning left at the landing to enter the Slytherin common room.

"Pure-blood." The floor design rises, revealing the doorway. Nico waves at the squid and takes the steps two at a time, the sound of the fountain softening the sound of his footsteps. He perches on the stone edge of the koi pond, waiting for the other boy to arrive, with Aracris hissing around his neck. He hears a gasp and smirks, gliding his finger over the water. The white and golden koi swims up to nibble at his fingers, and then he stands. "Afraid of the dragon, little lizard?"

"How do you have a dragon?" Draco demands as he follows him into their room.

"It's not mine. It's my cousin Leo's dragon." Nico puts the box on the bed and opens it.

"What did they send you? And which language was that?" Draco asks him. Nico, in response, takes his sword from the box and pulls it out of its sheath. The sharp zing of metal causes Draco to step back. Nico swings the black sword around his hand and resheathes it. He sets it on the bed and looks in the box: a collapsible training post, two wooden swords, an old MP3 Will had given him, and a solar charger for it.

"You can't have a sword!" Draco gasps.

"I can, actually," Nico replies. "That's one reason the Headmaster at my school in New York wanted me to have my own room. We all undergo training in swordplay. Dumbledore and Snape approved it, as did all the heads of houses, just in case I ended up in their house. I can keep it so long as I don't use it against the students. Besides, none of you could handle it anyway."

"What does that mean?" Draco frowns.

"It's like a wand. Try to use it without permission, and it reacts badly," Nico tells him. "Mine will attack your magic if you even hold it without permission, let alone try to wield it. If any of you get any bright ideas, you'll find yourselves waking up in the hospital wing. If you even wake up."

"You can't have something that dangerous in here!" Draco tells him.

"Oh, please, you're a pure-blood," Nico grumbles. "Like you don't have just as many dangerous items at home. Leave my things alone, and you won't have to worry about it."

Draco takes another step back and watches him put the sword down with wide eyes. "Am I expected to sleep alongside you and that sword in this chamber?"

"You're more than welcome to join the other boys." Nico rolls his eyes, pulls out the metal post, and sets it up, raising it to its full height. He presses the button on the top, and multiple metal arms emerge, each rounded off with a rubber tip. The post swings around for a second and then comes to a stop.

"And what is that?" Draco demands.

"It's a training post. It's not like anyone here can swing a sword around to spar with me, so this will do." Aracris flies to the bed closest to him as Nico pulls off his sweater and grabs his sword. "Either get out or get in your bed out of the way. I haven't practiced in a month, and I'm not losing my sword the first day I get it back because you were an idiot and stood too close."

Draco scowls and picks up his books, planning to tackle his homework assignments. He observes the other boy practicing basic sword maneuvers, which Nico teaches the camp's younger children. Although Nico notices Draco watching him, he chooses to ignore it. Aracris approaches the blonde boy, observing him closely while baring his teeth. Draco flinches, and as Nico remains occupied, Aracris curls up, ready to go to sleep to conserve energy. Keeping an eye on Nico to ensure he stays focused on his sword work, Draco reaches out to gently brush his fingers over the metal of Aracris's wing. A smile spreads across his face when the dragon purrs in response. Nico acts unaware of Draco's actions, as it's clear Draco is trying to hide his interest in the metal dragon. Nico continues his practice by moving on to more complex maneuvers, increasing his speed, and creating a loud, metal-clashing sound that reverberates throughout the room. 

"What the hell are you doing in there?!" A voice calls out from the door. Nico rolls his eyes, pausing to let Draco pass him before resuming his practice. Draco opens the door to see the sixth-year Prefect, Gemma Farley, standing there. He glares at Draco. "Well?"

"It's him." Draco moves aside to let Farley look into the room. "It appears that he has been granted permission by the Headmaster. The sword was contained within the package he received in the Great Hall."

"I see." Farley looks astonished as Nico dodges an arm, blocks another with his sword, spins around a third, and swiftly stops the next two. "That stays in this room, Di Angelo! Is that clear?"

"Of course," Nico retorts. "One of you idiots might get hurt otherwise."

"Keep the noise down." Farley frowns and leaves, glaring at Draco as if blaming him for Nico's behavior. Draco shuts the door and casts a silencing spell before returning to bed, and Nico allows him to pass by before he resumes. Draco keeps his books open to give the appearance of studying while he observes, one hand petting the small metal dragon, careful when he thinks Nico isn't looking.

Nico always notices but pretends he doesn't. 

"Can I pet it?" Ron asks as Nico meets up with him and Harry on their way to Hagrid's hut. He stares at Aracris, who sits on Nico's shoulder.

"Yeah." Nico whistles, and Aracris flaps his wings, flying over to Ron's open hands. The boy stops walking, gasping in awe as he looks at the dragon. Nico hands Harry the package of cookies and raises his camera to take a picture of Ron holding the little dragon. Harry reaches over to scratch under Aracris's chin, and the dragon makes the purring noise again, pushing his head into Harry's hand. Nico grins as the picture prints out, and he holds out his hand. Aracris flies back to him, and they keep walking.

"My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania," Ron says. "Real ones. He'd love this little guy."

"Really?" Nico looks at him. Ron nods, telling them about his two eldest brothers: Charlie, the dragon tamer, who graduated seven years ago, and Bill, the curse breaker, who graduated the year before Charlie.

"You said Festus was the size of an actual dragon?" Harry waits for Nico to nod in agreement. "You also said that he wasn't the real one, meaning you have a real dragon at your school in New York?"

"Yeah!" Ron turns to Nico. "What kind of dragon is it? How do you keep it contained?"

"Peleus isn't contained, though he doesn't tend to roam outside the grounds, and he protects our school," Nico tells them. Ron's eyes go wide. "He's a colchian dragon. I cannot discuss him without my director's permission. He's part of our school's security system, so giving away too much information about him can be dangerous."

"You have a dragon that guards your school?" Harry grins.

"How do you guys avoid him if he's running loose?!" Ron exclaims.

"We don't avoid him; the older kids guard the border with him," Nico tells them. "Sometimes we take the little kids over to sit with him while he's resting so they can get used to each other. I've even fed him by hand before. He's not dangerous to those who live there."

"You've WHAT?"  

"Well, there you are!" Hagrid met them outside the hut, where he was feeding his chickens. He looks at Ron and Harry's faces and frowns. "You two alright?"

"Yeah, they're fine, Hagrid. I was telling them about Delphi's," Nico tells him. 

He dismisses the surprised expression of the man. Hagrid has remained polite yet reserved since he'd been assigned to Slytherin, and that morning marked their first open exchange since their arrival. The rooster fluffs as they near, poised to strike at Nico's leg. Aracris jumps down and hisses at the bird, prompting laughter from Hagrid when the rooster retreats with a loud croak. "He's quite the spirited creature! He has a remarkable personality, considering he's not made of flesh and bones."

"Yeah, Leo's good at that." Nico grins as they all go inside. Hagrid invites them to sit at the table while he takes the recliner by the fireplace. Once seated, Aracris flies over to him and curls up on the man's chest and stomach with a whirring purr of his teeth. Hagrid beams, gently petting the mechanical dragon's head. "He's got another one, Festus, the size of an actual dragon, and he taught him Morse Code. They frequently talk to each other. Festus is pretty funny."

"He talks to his metal dragon?" Harry looks at him.

"And it talks back?" Ron looks confused. "What language is Morse Code?"

"Morse Code is like knocks or blinks of lights in a pattern to communicate from a distance," Harry tells him. "Muggles use it on ships to talk to each other or people on land." 

Nico knocks on the table in a set pattern Leo had taught him, 'Can you hear me?' Aracris perks up, letting out a whirling of his teeth as if in answer. "Like that. Looks like they're teaching Aracris how to do it, too."

"Cool," Harry breathes. "So what's in the box?"

Nico smirked as he opened the package and pulled out a cookie to hand to Harry. "My Aunt Sally's famous recipe."

"The biscuit is blue!" Harry gasps. Ron's jaw drops open, and even Hagrid looks intrigued. 

"Yep." Nico hands one to Ron and gently gives one to Hagrid as well, careful not to disturb Aracris. "She's well known for them among our family. It's some joke between her and her son, my cousin Percy, that I told you about."

"Bloody brilliant," Ron says around a bite. "How are they still warm?"

"Lou Ellen, Dominic's older sister," Nico tells them. "She probably charmed the box to keep them fresh."

"Amazing," Harry says as he takes a bite. Even Hagrid seems to enjoy it if his smile is anything to go by.

"Yeah, she is." Nico smiles, taking a cookie for himself. He'll have to remember to see Sally during his few days this summer.

Nico spends his weekend with his Gryffindor friends during the day and trains in the evening while Draco observes him, pretending to study. By Sunday, he had finished his box of cookies, which he shared with Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, and the twins at dinner. Later that night, while they study in their dorms, he offers Draco one of the last cookies to silence his complaints about sitting elsewhere during meals. Draco falls silent when Nico suggests he can dine with his other friends since no school rules prevent it. Upon realizing that Draco lacks friends outside Slytherin, Nico decides not to mention it again. Draco savors his cookie slowly. If Nico had not seen him eyeing the box with the others, he might have thought he disliked them.

Classes resumed on Monday, and by Wednesday, Nico recalled the discussion he had overheard among the teachers in the infirmary when Snape attempted to prevent him from attending Astronomy class. It wasn't until the second week of October, when the teacher volunteered to guide students to and from the Astronomy Tower, that he could see Nico underneath the full moon and realize that he wouldn't transform into a werewolf and attack anyone. He remained in a terrible mood for the rest of the night, dropping off each student in the specific areas where the on-duty Prefects would take them back to their dormitories.

As the last to descend the stairs to the dungeons, Nico observed Snape preparing to leave and responded with a low "aawwoo~."

Snape swung around, wand raised, to find Nico laughing at his expense. He sneered, "Do you find this situation humorous, boy?"

"Totally," Nico smirked. "Next time, maybe ask instead of assuming things. I wasn't bitten when I was attacked last year by a werewolf in Puerto Rico. And maybe you should ensure that students aren't listening before you start gossiping about them with other teachers. Night, Snape."

His little joke cost him ten points. Despite the clear skies on Thursday, Nico stayed on the ground during flying lessons, losing another ten points from Slytherin. On Friday, Nico remained in the common room reading his Potions book while the others went to class, costing them another ten points. The Slytherins spent two weeks calling him names and trying to intimidate him before backing off when he did nothing more than stare at them. Nico had yet to attend one of Snape's lessons, though he did take over one of the other potion rooms in the dungeons to attempt to make the potions he had studied. He had managed a few attempts on the broom during lessons but stayed close enough to the ground that at the slightest change of wind, he could drop to the earth beneath him. 

Monday, October 13th, was Harry's first official Gryffindor practice with their team captain, Oliver Wood. Breakfast was typical; Nico sacrificed offerings to old gods, then sent moving Polaroids three years into the future via a blind owl and a hellhound, and Draco Malfoy got another box of sweets from his mum. Afterward, they all ate the food that magically appeared. Nico was still trying to figure that one out.

Then Hedwig came flying in with what was obviously a broom and a note. Nico watched Harry read the note first, looked up at the teacher's table, and then grabbed the broom. He and Ron ran from the Great Hall. Draco, Vincent, and Gregory got to their feet, and Nico reached over to shove his roommate down.

"Get off of me." Draco glares at him. "First-year students are prohibited from having their brooms if you'd recall. He could face expulsion if we prove that it is one."

"Your infatuation for Harry is endearing, lizard, truly." Nico ignores the sputtering that comes out of Draco's mouth. "However, if Harry is an orphan, who do you suppose provided it? Perhaps the individual who permitted him to join the team in the first place?"

"McGonagall." Vincent scowls.

"Or Dumbledore," Nico tells them. "Attempting to cause trouble for him with the individuals who originally provided it isn't going to amount to anything. It will only lead to frustration when your expectations are unmet."

"I do not possess an infatuation for Potter." Draco huffs, sitting back down. The two other boys do the same.

"Obsession, then." Nico rolls his eyes. "If you were to invest as much effort into your school work as you do in attempting to create difficulties for him, you might find yourself at the top of the class rather than Hermione."

Draco glared at him and left; the other two followed him. Judging it to have been enough time for Harry and Ron to at least be halfway to Gryffindor Tower, Nico made no move to stop them. 

Children , Nico thinks, shaking his head. He finishes his breakfast, then heads out to History of Magic.

It wasn't until after they finished their classes that Nico asked about the broom. He caught up to them as they left the greenhouses. "Well, which one is it?"

"It's a Nimbus 2000." Ron was almost skipping down the corridor into the Dark Tower. "It's bloody brilliant, is what it is. I've never seen a Nimbus in person before, and now I've gotten to touch one. It's amazing."

"Isn't that the new one?" Nico asks Harry. "We saw it on display in Diagon Alley when we went to get school supplies."

"Yeah, that's the one. Want to come see us unwrap it?" Harry asks him.

"Uh, of course I do." Nico grins. The three take off at a run across the corridor leading into the Astronomy Tower. They chase each other down corridor after corridor, up a set of stairs, across the suspension bridge into Ravenclaw Tower, and then up the staircase to the seventh floor before cutting over to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Caput Draconis," Harry says as they reach the portrait of the Lady of Gryffindor. 

"I can't let non-Gryffindors in, boys. I've told you this." Nico looks at her innocently when she very deliberately looks at his uniform. 

He slips his green and silver tie off and tucks it into his pocket. "We'll be sure to let any non-Gryffindors know that, ma'am. Caput Draconis, please."

She rolls her eyes, but opens up, and Harry and Ron grin. Nico walks in first, calling out to the fifth-year student as he now did every time Nico saw him, "Hello, Kenneth! I'm here again! We're going to plan world domination after we paint each other's nails!"

"Get lost, Slytherin!" 

"He still doesn't know my name." Nico shakes his head and follows Ron and Harry to their room. "One of these days, I'm going to take a page out of Mr. D's book and start calling him the wrong one on purpose. But he'd probably like that, wouldn't he?"

"Who's Mr. D?" Ron asks. Once they reach the room, Harry approaches his bed and pulls the broom from under it. 

"Technically, he's the Director at Delphi's, but he hates his job, so Chiron does most of his duties," Nico says. "Well, go on. Open it."

Harry does, and Ron helps remove the packaging. The broom is brand new, with neat twigs and a freshly polished mahogany handle. Even Nico has to admit it looks amazing. "When are you going to practice again?"

"It's an hour before dinner, so around seven, with Wood," Harry tells them. "We're going to be out in the Quidditch stadium." 

"Can we come watch?" Ron asks.

"You might be able to," Nico says. "However, I am in a different house. Sports teams are protective about keeping their strategies secret to prevent other teams from exploiting them. They may not even allow fellow Gryffindors, let alone Slytherins, to observe. Plus, I need to focus on my training." 

Ron looks at him. "What kind of training do you do?"

"Swords." Harry and Ron stared at him. Nico shrugs. "You have Quidditch; we have Capture the Flag and War Games. If I want to be able to participate when I go home this summer, I can't spend the year getting rusty." 

"But this isn't a real practice." Ron points out. "It's just teaching Harry the rules of the game. We could at least ask, right?"

"I mean, there's no harm in it." Nico shrugs. "Just so long as we realize he might say no."

"You hardly ride a broom at all!" Ron protests.

"'Cause I don't want to get hit with lightning again," Nico argues. "Three times was enough, thanks."

"Okay, okay! Guys! We'll ask and try not to get our hopes up. Afterward, can we watch you do your training?" Harry asks.

"I don't know," Nico says. "The Slytherin Prefect says my sword and training post have to stay in my dorm. I could probably ask Snape or one of the other professors if I can move it outside on the weekends to have more room." 

"You have a sword here?" Harry seemed excited. 

"Yeah, that's what Aracris brought me."

"I miss that little guy." Harry sighs. "Hagrid does, too. He's talked about dragons every time we see him since he left."

"Snape probably won't let you," Ron grumbles. "I think Filch likes more people in this school than he does."

"Yeah, he's an ass." Nico sighs. "If I go to Dumbledore, he can't do anything. But I also don't want Dumbledore to take my sword privileges away." 

"Are you staying for the holidays next month or returning to the States?" Ron asks him. 

"Probably staying here," Nico says. "My cousins all visit their Muggle family members during the holidays, and some are on the other side of the country." 

"Can't you just make a day trip?" Ron asks.

Nico turns his gaze to him. "...No. Do you not know how big North America is? Driving from New York to California takes 41 hours without any breaks for gas, food, or sleep. If you factor those in, it nearly becomes a three-day journey, or longer if you don't have someone to take turns driving. When I visit my sister, the journey from my school to hers takes a week. Considering I have cousins in almost every state—and in Canada and the southern countries—it would take months to visit them all. We usually hang out at school whenever we have the chance."

Ron's jaw drops in disbelief. Even Harry looks taken aback. "What do you mean by southern countries? I thought it was just America, Canada, and Mexico over there. Unless you're talking about South America."

"There are 23 countries in North America, guys. Central America, the island countries, and Greenland are all a part of the North American continent. That's like claiming the UK is all there is of Europe." Nico sighs. "If you are staying over the holidays, I might be able to persuade the teachers to let me train in the courtyard or one of the other classrooms for you to watch. Otherwise, I'll sneak you into my dorm since the other Slytherins won't be around."

"None of them?" 

"Most of them are going home." Nico shakes his head. "So, before we go see if Wood will let me and Ron tag along…"

Nico reaches into his pocket, uses the shadows to summon the vials, and then holds them up to Ron and Harry. "I'm going to freak Kenneth Fowley and some pure-bloods out."

Harry laughs while Nico sits on his trunk and opens the black nail polish. Ron leans over, "Are you actually going to paint them?"

"Yep, Will, Cecil, and Austin do this sometimes," Nico says. "Kayla, Will's sister, likes having sleepovers with her friends. When Will and I said we hadn't been to one before, Cecil took us to Will's and Austin's rooms to show us what it was like. We enjoyed it, so we kept doing it."

"Isn't it weird?" Harry asks, watching as Nico paints all but his middle finger black on his left hand and the middle one on his right. "To have painted nails as a bloke?"

"Only if you make it weird," Nico tells him, grabbing the orange nail polish. "My cousin Percy lets his girlfriend paint his. He paints her nails any color she wants, but he only lets her paint his blue or orange."

"I've never done that before." Harry looks thoughtful, then crawls to the edge of the bed, closer to Nico. "Can you paint mine before the game? Red and gold, I mean."

"Sure." Nico starts painting the rest of his nails orange. 

"Is it easy to remove?" Ron asks.

"Yeah, why? Do you want me to paint yours, too?" Nico looks up. "I'll have to buy gold, but I have red."

"For the game, sure." Ron nods. Nico dries his hands with a wave and returns the nail polish to his pocket. The three of them head upstairs with Harry's broom.

"Angelina! Do you know where Oliver is?" Harry asks one of the chasers. "He's supposed to be training me later today, and I have a question for him."

"He's by the pitch inspecting the Quidditch gear," she informs them. Harry expresses his thanks as they head towards the portrait.

Nico waves at his favorite fifth-year, flashing his painted nails. "Goodbye, Kenneth!"

"Get. Out !" 

"He'll come around," Nico says, and Ron and Harry laugh.

Chapter Text

"This is Quidditch. Each team consists of seven players, and there are four balls: the quaffle, two bludgers, and the snitch. Each team includes three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, and one seeker." Oliver Wood announces, setting the wooden trunk on the field before the three boys. He places the bats on the ground and opens the chest. Ron holds their brooms while Nico and Harry peer inside. 

They had come to ask Wood if Nico could learn about Quidditch as well, since Ron argued that 'they were both Muggle-borns in practice.' Oliver was surprised to see a Slytherin among them and even more taken aback by their claim that he was a Muggle-born Slytherin. Since it wasn't a team practice, Oliver welcomed the others to join Harry, excited about introducing them to the sport, which prompted him to start Harry's practice a few hours earlier than planned.

"This ball is referred to as the quaffle. The chasers are responsible for this particular ball, and their job is to try to score points by successfully passing it through one of the three hoops positioned at the end of the pitch." Oliver explains, handing the gorged reddish-brown ball to Harry, who turns it in his palms and then passes it to Nico. Oliver gestures toward the three large hoop poles at varying heights at either end of the pitch. "The tallest hoop scores ten points, while the middle and lowest hoops are worth five points each. As the keeper, I defend the hoops and stop the opposing team's chasers from scoring. Do you understand?"

"Sounds easy enough," Harry says. "Are those supposed to act like that?"

Oliver looks at the chest with a grin. "Bludgers. Here, take that. Go on, Harry, let them go. There, that clasps right there."

He hands the bat to Nico, who twirls it absentmindedly while Harry reaches down. Oliver's eyes widen. "Wait, only one—"

Harry lets them both go, and the bludgers fly up into the air. "Sorry!"

"It's all right; that was my fault." Oliver kept his eyes on the two balls as they started to descend. "Nico, hand me the—"

Whack!

Whack!

Nico hit both bludgers, one right after the other, toward the hoops on either side of the field, getting one through the highest goal and the other through the middle. Oliver whistles. "15 points. Well…Next year, you'll be a force to be reckoned with if you try out as a beater. I wouldn't want to face you on the field. Are you certain you can't charm the professors into getting you on Gryffindor as a backup? You already eat with us and sleep in our dorms if Percy's to be believed."

"McGonagall would love that, but I think Snape would be a right git." Nico laughs, handing Harry the bat and watching as the bludgers start returning. "I'll grab the left if you got the right?"

"Fair enough." Oliver turns to receive the other ball.

"Duck!" Ron hit the ground as the bludger flew over his head. Nico and Oliver grab onto the bludgers as they hit them and wrestle them back into the trunk, securing them in place. 

"Bloody hell, that was amazing!" Ron chuckles as he stands up. "My brothers, Fred and George, are our beaters. They handle the bludgers, keeping them away from us and sending them towards the other team."  

"They're practically human bludgers themselves," Oliver chuckles. He retrieves the smallest ball from a compartment in the trunk and hands it to Harry. "But you, Potter, are our seeker. This is the ball you need to focus on. Don't let it slip away, or we might lose it, and then Madam Hooch will be furious with us."  

Nico observes as the tiny golden ball develops wings and flaps them like a hummingbird. Oliver beams at Harry's reaction. "This is the golden snitch, and it's worth 150 points. Only by catching this can we end the game. If you catch it, we win automatically unless the other team is up 150 points. Only seekers can catch it, but not within the first forty minutes of the game. The record for the longest professional game is three months, but they usually don't last more than a weekend here if we're fortunate."

"So even if he sees the snitch ten minutes into the game, he can't catch it?" Nico looks at Oliver. "Why?"

"Hogwarts rules." Oliver shrugs. "A while back, an exceptionally talented Slytherin seeker was hailed as a real genius on a broom. They established that rule after he set a record for the shortest game in Hogwarts history, lasting just under two minutes. His presence on the team made everyone unhappy because the games were brief, prompting them to impose the limit. Following the implementation of the forty-minute rule, he ended the initial game in forty minutes and six seconds. Meeting him and discovering how he accomplished it would have been incredible."

"I have never heard of this guy. Why can't we meet him?" Ron demands. Harry knew that Ron was a huge Quidditch fan, so the fact that he didn't know him was weird.

"He died." Oliver's smile faded. "He ultimately joined You-Know-Who and died in the war. I've spotted his plaque in the trophy room, though, and I can show it to you later. Now, come on, hand me the snitch. We can't afford to lose it, so we'll practice using walnuts. They're roughly the same size as a snitch. Do you have your broom?"

Ron hands Harry his Nimbus, and they watch Harry and Oliver get up in the air. Ron comes over to Nico, "It's weird that nobody mentions him—the one who set a Quidditch record. Do you think it's due to his Death Eater connection? It wouldn't make sense otherwise."

"The what?" Nico laughs. "What is a Death Eater?"

"That's what they called themselves." Ron rubs at his arm, where Nico remembers him saying Voldemort's followers were branded. Nico stopped laughing.

"It might have something to do with it," Nico says. "History is often reduced to black and white, portraying good versus evil. People overlook the fact that individuals labeled as bad are still human beings. They have lives, hobbies, friendships, and families. This guy could have been a Death Eater and an excellent Quidditch player. He could have been the top student of his year, or a slacker. Perhaps he was perceived as overly noisy by his classmates or so quiet that he went unnoticed. Yet, he will ultimately be remembered solely for his wrongdoings. Slytherins are almost always pure-blood families or half-bloods who aspire to be regarded as pure-bloods. Families like that carry expectations that may not align with personal desires."

"It doesn't seem fair, does it?" Ron frowns.

"War is never fair," Nico tells him. "And who knows what this guy was actually like? Perhaps he was an older man by the time he joined them, whose experiences changed how he saw the world. Perhaps he was a kid who didn't know any better."

"Maybe…" Ron turns to him. "Do you ever think about what we would have done in a war like that?"

"I don't have to think about it, Ron. I know exactly what I would have done." Nico looks troubled as he runs his hand over his tattoo. Shaking his head, he mounts his broom, offering Ron a sad smile. "Come on, Harry seems a bit bored with only Oliver tossing things at him."

Ron watches Nico as he rises into the sky. Nico had explained that the tattoos were given to their school leaders, and laurel leaves were awarded to those who succeeded in battle, much like what a war general would receive.

What kind of war could Nico have fought to feel so certain about his answer?

The rest of October flew by so quickly that one day, Nico looked up and realized it was almost Halloween. He still needed to call the camp for the month, which now meant it would be late at night back home. Deciding he would at least have to check in with Chiron, Nico plans to call them after the Halloween feast.

Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, and Hermione teamed up with him in History of Magic to teach him a more effective study method, although they could not read his notes since they were written in Greek. A few weeks prior, the two Hufflepuff girls had noticed his nail polish and insisted on knowing where he got it, having forgotten their own and sulking about it. During one of Binn's weekly lectures, the three would sit at the back of the class with the other Hufflepuffs, painting their nails while the others took notes. Afterward, Hermione would assist him in organizing their notes several times a week, during which he spent time in the Gryffindor common room helping Neville, Harry, and Ron with their studies.

Halloween fell on a Friday that year, and the Hufflepuffs organized a sleepover in their common room to marathon scary movies, thanks to a third-year student named Grace, who fixed up a projector and DVD player during their Muggle studies class. Hannah and Susan invited Nico, playfully insisting he could come only if he brought his nail polish and History of Magic notes. He agreed; he missed the sleepovers in the Apollo cabin, and from what they shared, the Hufflepuffs' dorms would be quite similar. 

The day before Halloween, Mr. Flitwick instructed the students to try to levitate their feathers during Charms class. None of the students had managed to succeed. Nico was assisting Neville, who had forgotten the necessary flick of his wrist before trying the spell. He attempted to ignore the heated argument between Ron and Hermione in front of them despite Ron's increasingly erratic wand movements. 

"Ah, well done, Miss Granger! Look here, class!" Flitwick praises from his stack of books, ensuring everyone can see him. Hermione's feather hovers alone as Ron glares at it in annoyance. 

Oh boy.  Sometimes, when Nico felt particularly petty about Ron's attitude, he wondered if the redheaded pure-blood didn't surround himself with people he thought wouldn't be better at magic than he was, because they didn't grow up around it, on purpose. Muggles raised Harry and Hermione, while Dean and Seamus were half-bloods. Neville was the only pure-blood friend Ron had besides his siblings, and he felt very anxious about using magic. Ron often became sulky and slightly hostile whenever they accomplished something he couldn't. Nico narrowed his eyes at the boy, and class resumed as usual. By the time the bell rang for their next class, Hermione was still the only one who had made her feather float. 

"Great job, Hermione. How'd you do it?" He walks beside her as she skips from the room.

"It's simple." She beams at him. Nico notices how most students avoid her, as she is eager about their new world in a way that intimidates the others. But Nico lived at camp with the Athena cabin; he knew how to manage it. "Most of the others were saying the incantation wrong. It's supposed to be—"

“It’s Win- gar -dee-um Lev-ee- OH -sa, not Lev-ee-oh- sar !” A voice ahead of them cuts through the noise of the hallway. Nico frowns as he recognizes it. By the flush on Hermione's face, she does as well. The group ahead has paused in the corridor, and Ron is easy enough to pick out as the tallest boy around with red hair. "She's a bloody nuisance! It's no wonder she doesn't have friends! Who'd want to be belittled for breathing wrong?"

"Hermione—" Nico tries to catch her arm, but she slips past him, tears streaming down her face. She shoves through the crowd, knocking into Ron and Harry, and their whole group quiets.

"I think she heard you," Harry says, his shoulders slumping.

"No fucking shit!" Nico snarls. They turn around, but Nico glares at Ron. "What? The Muggle-born shows up the pure-blood in magic, so you have to humiliate her in front of our entire class? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Ron flushes. "She was—"

"Running away from you in tears? I noticed. We all did," Nico interrupts. "If you didn't catch it, most of us help each other when someone makes a mistake. I corrected Neville's technique, Blaise corrected Theo's pronunciation, and many of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws worked together to sort it out. That's how it works when you attempt to befriend others."

A few of the other students who had been laughing with the boys hung their heads, refusing to meet Nico's eyes. They say nothing as he gets closer to Ron and Harry. "You need to apologize. Before she decides that you're not worth trying to make friends with anymore."

Nico pushes past their group and storms through the corridors, over the stone bridge to the Ravenclaw Tower, and through the courtyard to the Transfiguration classroom. He informs Professor McGonagall that Hermione has returned to the tower because she didn't feel well and offers to take notes on her behalf. He situates himself beside Blaise, maintaining his distance from Harry and Ron. DADA and flying lessons proceed similarly; Nico only has to glare at them for them to understand. He wouldn't talk to them until they apologized to Hermione. 

By Friday, only her dorm mates had seen her. To everyone's surprise, including Snape's, Nico attended his first potions class of the year. The potions master finally agreed to let him in after Nico created a non-toxic mushroom cloud in another room, pulling the boy into his class. Snape showed him how to clean a cauldron, prepare the ingredients, and ensure the burners are simmered properly. As a one-on-one mentor, he wasn't too bad, but in a classroom full of struggling students, it was clear Snape preferred to wash his hands of it all. Nico's initial impression of him was spot on; he was a brilliant tutor for those already skilled in potions but ill-suited for beginners like them. He belonged in a professional potions lab rather than a classroom. 

Nico stared him into submission after explaining that he was there to take notes for a friend who was sick, so Snape stuck him with Neville and Seamus, with instructions to keep them from setting something on fire. The potion was one that Snape had shown him last week, so he guided the others through the steps while following along as best as he could. Neville told him it was the first passable grade he'd gotten in that class, and Nico was tempted to start attending for that reason alone. Then Draco and his friends started laughing when Snape reprimanded Harry and Ron for something. Nico decided to participate in the class starting next week and continue taking the extra courses when possible. He spends the afternoon in his dorm playing loud music and running through his sword drills with the door open. Any of his housemates who come to the door to yell at him quickly walk away when they see him with the scars and the blade. Draco curled up on the couch closest to the hall where their dorms are and occasionally looked up from his books to see if he was done. He finally comes in after his playlist has run through at least five times, and they have to start getting ready for dinner. Draco waits for him to get out of the shower to make sure he changes into his robes, but leaves with his friends before Nico is ready. 

The Great Hall was decorated for Halloween, with the usual floating candles replaced by floating jack-o'-lanterns. A storm was brewing outside, and lightning flashed across the ceiling, mimicking the thunder. Nico stood in the doorway for a moment while others filed in, taking his camera and getting a view of the entire room. Amazingly, he managed to capture some ghosts that floated around and appeared in the picture. He went to sit at his place at the Slytherin table, waving to Susan and Hannah as he passed them. He offered extra food to the gods and dug in, occasionally looking up at the Gryffindors for his friends. He could see Neville, Harry, and Ron sitting with their yearmates. It took him a moment to find Hermione, and he could only see her because she had gotten up from the table and walked briskly out of the Great Hall. He looked back to see Neville speaking with Harry and Ron, who looked uncomfortable. She still hadn't returned by the time the desserts were brought out. 

"TROLL!" The doors of the Great Hall swung open with a crash as Quirrell rushed in, screaming in sheer terror. He halted in the center of the Hall, prompting Dumbledore and the other professors to rise from their seats. "Troll—in the dungeons…thought you ought to know…"

He collapsed. The hall was quiet for a moment before chaos erupted among the children. The professors attempted to soothe them, and Dumbledore had to raise his voice to grab their attention, making everyone still. When silence returned, Dumbledore spoke: "Please remain calm. Prefects will escort their houses to the dormitories while the professors join me in the dungeon. You will finish your feast in your common rooms."

Dumbledore and the other professors exit through the antechamber while Nico leaps onto the table, racing to get in front of the crowd. "Gemma!"

He jumps down from the table, shoving past several other students. The Slytherin Prefects shoot him glares; Diana Carter is already heading towards the doors as Gemma Farley looks at him. "Now is not the time for—"

"The Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms are in the dungeons," Nico cuts him off. "What happens if we run into the troll before we get to them?"  

The Slytherins circle them while the Prefects exchange worried looks. Nearby, the Hufflepuffs grasp each other's robes to keep their housemates from leaving. Nico shakes his head, "No. We can't simply send everyone down there mindlessly, hoping for the best. Take the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs down the hall to Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom. Once everyone is inside, barricade the doors with desks; it should buy you some time if it attempts to enter. Panicking and sending everyone downstairs will lead them to one of the dorms. Get everyone settled, stay quiet, and have the older kids ready to fight if it does break in. Move!"

The Hufflepuff Prefects begin guiding their students to the classroom, followed closely by the Slytherins, who hesitate only briefly at taking orders from a first-year. They implement a last-minute buddy system where older students pair up with younger ones to lead them off. A couple of seventh-year students from both houses check the stairs for anyone who might have gotten too far ahead and not heard the new directions. Nico remains at the entrance, advising anyone wearing a green or yellow tie to avoid entering the dungeons and instead proceed to the Transfiguration classroom. Strangely, when Nico looked up, he discovered that Quirrell had vanished, no longer lying unconscious on the floor. He hadn't noticed him leave through the door, nor was he assisting in ushering out the remaining stragglers. 

When Nico checked the Great Hall, Kenneth, the fifth-year Gryffindor, and two second-year Ravenclaws were all that remained. Nico turned to the older boy and said, "Get them to their dorms. Both of you are in the Towers; it'll be safe there. Go." 

"Well, come on." Kenneth grabs his robes, ready to drag him along. "You're in our dorm often enough, Di Angelo, and I'm not letting a first-year student run around while there's a troll on the loose." 

"I'll be fine." Nico shrugs out of his robes and hurries out of reach. "They're your priority right now. Go!"

"Di Angelo!" Kenneth calls, then stops. He swears as he gathers the Ravenclaws and leads them upstairs. 

Nico dashed down the hallway toward the stairs leading to the dungeons. The shadows enveloped him as he entered the corridor, transporting him directly into his dorm. He seized his sword, only to freeze upon hearing a familiar ringing in his ears—the ominous signal he had come to fear. Someone was going to die. Then it stopped. Whoever it was had either gotten away and was no longer in danger, or they hadn't, and he was too late. He reached out with his powers, encasing the entire school to pinpoint the source of the ringing. His shadow moved again, depositing him on the second floor outside the girls' bathroom. Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the chamber, accompanied by the shouts of two boys. Nico burst through the door, slamming it against the wall. Harry and Ron stood on one side of the troll, hurling pieces of the broken stalls, while Hermione lay trapped beneath the debris on the other side. 

Hermione had left the Great Hall before Quirrell came in. She was unaware of the troll, which was not in the dungeons. Harry smacks the troll with a door handle, and Ron shouts insults at it, briefly grabbing its attention. Hermione begins to crawl toward the sinks, causing the troll to shift its gaze in her direction. She cries out as the troll brings its club down onto the sink beside her, breaking the porcelain into pieces.

Nico shoves through the two boys and stabs the troll in the leg while it's distracted, provoking a painful roar. The troll bends down to swat at Nico, who rolls away to where the stalls used to be. He shouts at Harry and Ron while reaching for his sword again, "Get Hermione out of there!"

"Hermione! Come on!" Harry inches around the troll and its club, reaching for her. She is frozen in terror and huddles under the sink. Nico goes to pull his sword from the troll's leg, but it grabs him, pushing him against the wall and raising its club. Nico pushes against its hand, dodging enough that the club barely grazes him.

"Ron, do something!" Harry reaches Hermione and pulls her out from under the sink. They keep low to avoid catching the troll's attention while out in the open. "Stay down, okay? Come on, I've got you."

"What am I supposed to do?!" Ron cries out in fear.

"Anything! It's going to kill him!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The club was levitating above them when it swung again, and still, the troll's fist made contact with the wall, sending broken tiles raining down on Nico. One cut his face right above the eyebrow, and blood started dripping into his eye. He hissed and closed it just as the club hit the troll in the head, causing it to drop him at its feet. 

He grabbed his sword and yanked, severing the leg, which caused the troll to roar again. He scrambled out from under it as it fell and swung again, beheading it. The troll stopped making noises and slumped into the pile of rubble, dead. Its head rolled towards the sink, where Hermione, Harry, and Ron huddled together. Nico winced as he stood up fully, grabbing his side and leaning on his sword. Hermione was crying again, and Harry and Ron didn't look too far off from it. 

"Good job with that charm, Ron. Are you guys okay?" Nico breathes. Harry nods, and they stand, Hermione wiping her eyes.

"I-It's dead," Ron stutters. "You killed it."  

"Yeah, I did. And we're still alive." Nico agrees. There was a flurry of movement and a loud gasp, and then the teachers were there.

"Great Godric," McGonagall clutches her chest as she looks at the mess in the bathroom. "What has happened here?"  

"Well, what happened was—"

"—and we knew that she—"

"—it was my fault, professor, and—"

While Hermione and the boys start weaving a story about what happened, Nico carefully navigates the chaos to avoid twisting his ankle. McGonagall reprimands them, subtracting and awarding house points. Nico notices that Snape has a bleeding leg but doesn't draw attention to it, hoping that his head of house won't bring attention to his own injuries. 

"I trust you four comprehend the extraordinary fortune you possess. It is not often that first-year students encounter a fully grown mountain troll and emerge unscathed from the experience, much less kill one," McGonagall remarked, pivoting towards them. "Are any of you injured?"

"We're alright, Professors. Just a little dusty. Nico, however..." Hermione spins to face him, and he tries to appear innocent, but the teacher gasps upon seeing him. 

"Oh my!" Pomfrey is already there, gently pressing on the cut on his head. "Oh, you poor dear."

"I'm fine; it's just a cut and perhaps some cracked ribs," Nico dismisses her concern. "Mrs. McGonagall—"

"Cracked ribs?!"

"—The troll was supposed to be in the dungeons." Nico ignores the healer, which he is sure he will regret doing later. "So are the Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms. We didn't think it was safe to go down there, so the students are behind a barricade of desks in your classroom. They've been warned against making any noise. If the troll is dead, can one of you go fetch them and let them know they can return to their dorms?" 

As soon as Nico spoke, Snape and Sprout headed down the hallway. McGonagall guided them out of the bathroom, leading the three Gryffindors upstairs. Harry and Ron exchanged glances at Nico, limping down the hall with Pomfrey, using his sword as a crutch. He appeared more injured than he let on, and they would need to check on him in the morning to ensure he was alright. Hermione remained silent, following behind the older witch, and as they approached the portrait of the Lady, they noticed a commotion. Percy and the twins were in a heated argument with a few other Gryffindor Prefects. The eldest Weasley spotted them first and squeezed past the others. 

"Ron!" Percy puts his hands on Ron's shoulders, checking him over. The twins are right there as well. "Where were you?!"  

"Is that blood?"  

"Are you hurt?"  

"Everyone is all right." McGonagall gets their attention. "The troll is gone, and only one has sustained an injury. You may all head back to the dormitories."

The three elder Weasleys usher the kids into the Tower. Harry and Hermione give the siblings a moment to guide Ron to the couches by the fireplace. Harry notices Percy's hand trembling as he gently brushes some of Ron's hair back from his forehead to assess a scratch. The twins sit beside him, whispering comforting words. Harry turns away as Ron reaches out to embrace Percy, burying his face in his chest. The twins join in, offering support as the reality of the situation sets in for the boy, and tears fall.

Hermione appeared unsure about what to do, so Harry gave her a napkin to clean the dirt on her face. She chuckled, her voice slightly shaky. "You all came to find me?"  

"We did," he responds. She embraces him, and he awkwardly returns the hug. "Of course we did, Hermione."  

"I appreciate it," she murmurs. 

"You guys okay?" Oliver Wood comes over with two glasses of water and hands them to them. He checks them over, using his wand to heal a few scratches.

"Yeah." Harry smiles, tired. "We're going to be okay."

McGonagall leads the three Gryffindors out of the bathroom and upstairs while Pomfrey takes Nico down the hall into the West Tower, heading towards the infirmary. Although he has bruised ribs that are not cracked, it was a near miss, according to the older woman. Nico allows her to tend to him before curling up in his bed, waiting for her to return to her office for the night so he can sneak out. He moves through the shadows to reach the dark bathroom in his dormitory. He cast a spell to illuminate his wand and proceeded to the bedroom to retrieve his sunlamp, a drachma, and one of the vials of nectar. Returning to the infirmary, he utilizes the lamp and prism he received the previous week to produce a rainbow effect. He closes the curtains and casts a silencing charm before focusing on the rainbow. He takes the drachma and gently tosses it in. "Oh, Iris, please accept my offer. Can you show me Chiron from my Camp Half-Blood?" 

"—Should have called! I'm serious!" Lou Ellen spoke with Chiron and Annabeth, while Percy paced behind them.

"Hey." He croaks, catching their attention.

"Nico!" Lou breathes a sigh of relief as they crowd around. "Calling it a little close there today."

"Why are you covered in blood?" Will emerges from the side and frowns, looking concerned. The others were suddenly much more focused on his appearance.

"What the hell?"

"Nico! Are you okay?"

"Neeks, what happened? Are you alright?" 

"Children, quiet down," Chiron calls them to order. He is in his wheelchair and moves closer. "What happened to you, child?"

"I'm fine. It's Halloween right now, and we had a big feast. A troll broke into the castle and nearly harmed one of my classmates. I killed it, but they've got me in the hospital wing to keep an eye on a potential concussion, bruised ribs, and a few cuts." Nico waves at his face with a yawn. "But all the students are safe, and I think I made a new friend out of it, so..."

"Looking on the bright side, huh?" Percy smiles at him. "You listen to the healers, okay? And no more fighting trolls."

"Yes, Mom," Nico grins tiredly. 

"I'll see if Mom will be willing to send you some cookies for Christmas. That's tomorrow or the next day, right?"  

"Tomorrow's November," Nico hums. "It's the start of Quidditch season, and I promised to paint Harry's nails for his game. I need gold and silver. December is the day after, so Christmas should be in the afternoon or early evening."  

"We'll figure it out. And I'll send the nail polish to you in a second, so it arrives in the morning." Annabeth looks concerned as she examines him. "You're pale, Nico. Are you okay?"  

"I'm exhausted," he admits. "I expended too much of my powers tracking the troll, so I'll use the sunlamp to sleep tonight. Since it's the weekend, I plan to study outdoors and soak up the sunlight tomorrow."  

"We'll jump off here then, okay?" Will tells him gently. "Get some sleep."  

"No," Nico whines. "It's been like three months already; I miss you guys…can't you talk to me until I fall asleep? What's been going on at camp and in New Rome?"  

"Okay, Neeks. Tomorrow, you can tell us what Quidditch is." Percy smiles sadly as he moves to sit on the couch, Annabeth and the others getting closer. It had been a long time since Nico had expressed a desire to be around people, so hearing that he missed them was a relief, though the fact that Percy couldn't do anything to help upset him. They tell him about what they've been up to, and Nico falls asleep to the sound of his family's voices.

Chapter Text

On November 1st, when Harry and Ron reached the common room, they found Hermione, Ron's brother Percy, and Kenneth Fowley holding a Slytherin cloak, waiting for them. 

"What are you all doing here?" Harry inquires.  

"We're coming with you to see Nico," Hermione replies. "He spent the night in the infirmary, right?"

She wasn't seeking permission. Harry and Ron exchanged glances and shrugged, as neither knew where they were going. Percy guided them downstairs, down corridor after corridor until they were on the second floor of the West Tower, before knocking on a large set of wooden doors. He opened them after a moment, allowing everyone to enter, bringing up the rear. Nico was seated on a bed while Madam Pomfrey examined him. Hermione bit her lip upon seeing his scarred arms, the cut that bisected his eyebrow, and the patches of yellow and green bruises adorning his side. The others remained silent as they approached. 

"Hey, guys." Nico gives a small wave. "What's going on?"

"We just wanted to express our thanks," Percy says stiffly, avoiding eye contact with the bandages Pomfrey was wrapping around him. "For helping Ron last night."

"He's my friend," Nico replies. Percy nods, then turns to squeeze Ron's shoulder before heading out.

"He's such a prat," Ron sighs. "Sorry about him."

"He was just worried about you, though he was a bit awkward in showing it," Nico smiles. "He's a good brother."

Ron shifts uncomfortably. "Still..."

Nico chuckles and then glances at Kenneth. "Hey, Kenneth. Did you and the Ravenclaws make it to the dorms, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks," Kenneth replies, looking uneasy. He places Nico's cloak on the bed and turns to leave. "I guess it's fine if you visit sometimes, Di Angelo." 

"Aw! I was worried about you, too, Kenny!" Nico calls after him.

"Piss off, Slytherin!" Kenneth shouts as he storms out, his ears burning red.

"I knew he knew my name," Nico replies, nodding. Harry and Ron chuckle while Hermione fidgets, feeling left out of the joke. Pomfrey helps Nico into his sweater and cloak before Ron and Harry support him as they walk towards the door, since Nico's legs are still shaky from overexerting his powers. Hermione carries his sunlamp, trailing behind them. Just as they reach the door, Snape enters the infirmary, holding Nico's cane.

"Di Angelo," he states, capturing their attention. Harry, Ron, and Hermione remain silent as the potion master looks at them. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."  

"Professor," they respond.

"Hello, Severus. Where are you three going?" Pomfrey stops them at the door, hands on her hips. "I couldn't check you over last night, which is unacceptable. Come with me, and I'll have you on your way."

"But we don't–"

"Mr. Weasley, come here. Now." 

"Yes, ma'am." Harry helps Nico lean against the wall, then pulls Ron inside, with Hermione following, while Snape dismisses the Gryffindors with a sneer. 

"Mr. Malfoy indicated that you would likely require this, and this camera was found in the Great Hall. I presume that it, too, belongs to you, as you have an obsession with documenting your adolescence." Professor Snape grasps his cane in one hand and his camera in the other, with the photograph taken by Nico held delicately between two fingers.

"Thank you, sir," Nico says while securing the cane to his arm and hanging the camera around his neck. "I'm grateful you brought it up here."

He looks over the picture to ensure it is undamaged. He notices the second one by chance. It is of the bathroom from last night: the broken stalls, the dust in the air, the sink sprinkling water from the ruined pipes, and the beheaded troll. Nico looks up at the potion master. "Did you get the troll's snot?"

Snape narrows his gaze. "Pardon me?" 

"Well, troll snot is a potion ingredient, isn't it?" Nico raises an eyebrow. "And it's hard to get. You're not going to tell me you had a troll's head full of that shit and didn't collect it, are you?" 

"Of course I did, boy." Snape scowls. "And you will watch your language."

Nico nods. "It would have been a wasted opportunity if you hadn't. Troll snot is hard to obtain because they're so dangerous. It would be expensive to restock for classes otherwise. And the extra might make you a pretty penny."

"Spoken like a genuine Slytherin," Snape hums, tucking his arms into the sleeves of his cloak.

"And what about your leg, Snape?" Nico inquires. "Are you here for Madam Pomfrey to examine it?"

"That's not your concern, boy." Snape's expression turns stern once more.

"Not for now, it isn't." Nico and Snape lock eyes.

"Are you ready to leave, Nico?" Harry asks as the three of them approach.

Snape sniffs, spins around, and departs without saying another word. Harry frowns while watching him as they escort Nico downstairs toward the Transfiguration Courtyard. "He's limping." 

"What?" Hermione whispers. 

"Snape. He's limping. Wasn't he hurt last night during the incident with the troll? There was blood on his leg in the bathroom," Harry explains.

"We saw him while searching for Hermione, remember? He was heading to the third floor," Ron remarked. "Do you think he was attempting to bypass that dog? The—what did you refer to it as?"  

"A cerberus," Nico responded, making his way down the corridor with a noticeable limp. "And if his leg was still attached, it didn't see him as a legitimate threat to whatever it is safeguarding."  

The three Gryffindors fell silent as they arrived at the courtyard. Nico, relying on his friends and his cane, exhaled deeply upon settling onto one of the benches, his legs trembling beneath the strain of his weight. "I hate this. I used to be capable of doing shit for hours or even days without experiencing discomfort. Now, I can barely walk."  

Nico frowned and shifted as if debating kicking the cane away from him. His anger dissipates with a measured breath, and he glares at it. He turned to Hermione and motioned for her to pass him the lamp. He turned it over, revealing the bottom resembling a solar panel, and positioned it in a sunny location beside him to charge. 

"What is that thing anyway?" Hermione asks. "It was really warm."

"It's a sun lamp," Nico explains. "I have a vitamin D deficiency, so my doctor advised me to use it since I don't get much sunlight, even more so now that I'm in the dungeons with the other Slytherins. It emulates sunlight, so I charge it with the actual sun." 

"Interesting." Hermione looks it over carefully, making sure she doesn't move it from its current charging position. A breeze comes through the courtyard, making it slightly chilly. Hermione sighs, "I'm such an idiot. I missed two days of classes because I was crying like a little girl. I'll have to ask the professors if I can make up the work."

Ron averts his gaze while Harry fidgets. Nico grins. "I informed the teachers that you were unwell and took notes for you. Since we didn't cover anything practical in the classes you missed, a brief review should suffice to bring you up to speed."

"He even went to potions just to take notes for you," Ron mentions. "It's the only class he's attended all year."

"Really?" Hermione beams at him. "Thank you."

November in the UK mirrored New York—rainy, windy, and cold. Harry spent afternoons practicing on the Quidditch pitch with the Gryffindor team, taking note of their usual strategies. No substitutions were allowed without a reserve team member, meaning that if one of their players got injured, their position remained vacant, forcing the remaining players to adjust their play. Wood had sought out more recruits, but after seven consecutive years of Gryffindor losing the Quidditch Cup, the older students showed little interest in trying out, while first-years were not permitted. Harry's debut match was scheduled for the second week of November against Slytherin. They needed to win at least two of their three games to qualify for the finals in April, and it was an understatement to say Harry felt nervous. 

"Can't you at least eat some toast?" Ron pushes Harry's plate towards him. "You can't play on an empty stomach; you might faint."

"Ron's right, Harry; you have to eat something," Hermione tells him.

"I'm not hungry," Harry mumbles, pushing the plate away again.

"Well, tough shit." Nico sinks into the seat across from him, beside Hermione. He fills a goblet with orange juice and grabs a banana before placing it in front of Harry. "Take it from someone who has gone days without food—Ron's right. You're going to faint. At least drink that if you're not eating; it will help."  

Harry nods and takes the juice, reluctant to argue with Nico when he speaks like that. He drinks, takes the banana, and forces down a few bites. Hermione frowns, "What do you mean?"  

"Nico knows what he's talking about; he was homeless," Ron explains to her as Nico digs into his pocket for the nail polish Annabeth sent him. 

"The longest I went without real food was about two weeks, and I felt nearly comatose. I got one of the first meals I had after that from a dumpster outside a French café for myself and two others I was with," Nico recounts. The table fell quieter, with other Gryffindors listening intently, including the twins and Oliver. "The manager chased me away when he discovered me, and I dropped some food. Did you know that the taste of dirt can vary depending on the country? I mean, it's noticeably different."

Harry finishes his banana and eats the toast, too. Ron and Nico share a nod, and Harry pretends not to notice that they have ganged up on him to make him eat and have won. Manipulative Slytherin, Harry thinks, directing a smile at Nico. He points at the vials on the table. "That's for us, right?"  

"If you still want me to do it," Nico smiles back as Harry puts his hand on the table in front of him and opens the red polish. "Anything in particular?"

"Go for it." Harry shrugs. Nico paints all the nails on his right hand red and all but the ring finger on his left. He uses his wand to dry them and paints the last nail gold. For Harry's right hand, he adds a snitch design—a golden ball on the middle finger—with gold lines on the others to resemble wings. He paints a red 'G' on the gold nail of his left hand, dries it off, and smiles as Harry admires his nails.

"Is that alright?"

"They're brilliant!" Harry laughs and grabs a piece of bacon, suddenly hungry.

Nico paints his left hand green with a silver middle finger and his right hand red with a gold middle finger. "Now I can support both my house and friends. Good luck today, Harry."

"Thanks." Harry grins.

"They look good." George looks over.

"Might have you do ours next. What do you say, Di Angelo?" Fred chimes in. "You can do our whole team, yeah?"

"Only if you win, boys." Nico raises his glass to salute them, and they do the same, standing and chugging their glasses to the cheers of their friend Lee Jordan. Other Gryffindors join in when they notice the twins. They set their glasses down, grab Harry, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team gets up to change into their uniforms.

"I'll see you guys later, okay?" Harry calls out as they leave the Great Hall.

"Mine too! Except the G on both instead of a snitch since I'm not playing." Ron reaches over, and Nico paints his nails as he wishes. He dries them, and Ron grins. "You're sure they'll come off easily, right?"

"Yep, I had my cousin send more nail polish and remover." Nico turns to Hermione. "Do you want me to do yours as well?"

Hermione requests the same nails as Ron. Nico was still painting her right hand when Draco and his followers passed them. "Well, how surprising, Di Angelo, to learn that you enjoy painting your nails like a poof. Is this practice commonplace in your country? And Weasley, I thought that your family could not descend further."

Nico interrupts Ron before the boy can deliver a cutting remark and looks toward Draco. "My family often partakes in this tradition. Before our sports games back home, some relatives would paint each other's nails as good luck charms, showing that there were no hard feelings, regardless of the outcome. Our games can become quite intense, you see. Is it not impolite to make such comments here, as it is in my country? One wouldn't insult someone's battle paint before a major fight. Likewise, mocking someone's religious customs is completely unacceptable. Given your family's ancient heritage, I expect someone of your stature to show more regard for such matters." 

Nico clicked his tongue in exaggerated disappointment while Draco became visibly uneasy. Crabbe and Goyle shifted their weight in uncertainty, and Nico arched an eyebrow. "Or are you jealous that I didn't propose doing yours to express support for Slytherin? I have green and silver if that interests you."  

Nico waved his hand to display the Slytherin colors, prompting Draco and the others to leave in irritation. Hermione hid her grin behind her hair, and Ron seized a breakfast roll, chuckling. "I'll never tire of watching you put him in his place."

"And I'll never stop reminding you that you technically share the same standing as him." Nico glances at Ron, who gives a shy smile. "I know you don't like him, Ron, and that's perfectly fine. I'm not asking you to be fond of that asshole. However, turning it into an issue about his family or blood status doesn't help your case. It just makes you sound like him. If you dislike Draco, keep your reasons focused solely on that."  

"Right," Ron replies, clearing his throat. "About the game! Did you hear that the Ravenclaws got a new beater to replace…"  

Ron continues discussing Quidditch throughout breakfast, even after Nico finishes with Hermione's nails, and they head down to the stadium. 

As Harry watched his teammates don their Quidditch uniforms, he began to regret having eaten breakfast; however little it might have been. His nerves were so intense that he felt on the verge of vomiting. While Katie demonstrated how to secure his leg guards, Oliver cleared his throat. The whole team stood together, and Harry took his place between Angelina and Fred, who offered him an encouraging smile. 

"Alright, ladies, listen up." Oliver grins as the twins curtsey to him. Angelina coughs, and he turns to their chasers—her, Alicia, and Katie—with a curtsey of his own, holding the edges of his red uniform tunic out like a skirt. "And the most esteemed gentlemen of Gryffindor." 

"Damn right, I am." Angelina cheers. Katie grins from where she is leaning on her broom, and Alicia rolls her eyes. "And don't you forget it again, Wood."

"Inside joke." Fred whispers to Harry, seeing his confusion. "Wood took over as captain when the previous one graduated last year. The captain was a real bigot; he would never address the girls directly. The first practice after he was made captain, Wood called us all a bunch of sissy girls and said that Angelina was the only one of us with enough balls on a broom to be called a proper gent."

Harry snorts, then covers his mouth, embarrassed, as the noise escapes him. Angelina winks at him, and in a moment of bravery, surrounded by his new friends, he gives her a small bow. The entire team erupts into laughter and cheering, and the tightness in his chest disappears.

"Alright!" Oliver calls for their attention again. "We're going up against Slytherin, which means keeping an eye out for any foul play. Harry, remember the forty-minute rule: even if you see the snitch, wait for the siren before diving in. Otherwise, you'll want to stay above the game to see the whole field."

"Got it." Harry nods, his hand tightening on his Nimbus. 

Oliver provided each of them with specific instructions for their roles. While waiting for Hooch to call them onto the field, the older kids offered their captain some guidance. Most of the tips were sensible and fitting for a sports game. However, Harry found himself puzzled by Katie's comment that Oliver should wait until after the match to kiss a bludger. Was this some superstitious ritual for good luck? Uncle Vernon always made him prepare the same meal when his favorite football team played, as if that would boost their chances of winning. Was it a similar concept? Shouldn't you kiss it before the game instead? Did everyone have to do this, or was it just him? Harry only realized he had misunderstood when Oliver gave Katie the middle finger, sending the entire team into another round of laughter. So it wasn't a pre-game superstition, just a joke. Harry stood on the sidelines, checking his gear again and feeling uneasy as the only one left out of the loop. 

"Feeling nervous, Harry?" Oliver asks as he leans against the wall next to him.

"A bit," Harry replies. "What was that joke about the bludger?" 

Oliver chuckles. "The only thing I remember about my first game was that I spent the whole time so nervous I thought I would pass out. Two minutes in, I got hit by a bludger and ended up in the hospital wing for a week. I've become notorious for getting hit by a bludger every season. That's what Katie was referring to when she mentioned it."

Noticing Harry's fearful expression and wide eyes, Oliver gently places his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe, Harry. Fred and George will keep them away from you. Stay focused until you're ready to catch the snitch, and you won't be targeted. Take a deep breath. Let's go!"

The others gather around as Oliver guides them toward the team's entrance to the stadium. They all mount their brooms, and Oliver ensures the twins have their bats before the door rises, sending them racing onto the field. Meanwhile, the Slytherins are already flying laps, and Harry notices that the field is now brightly decorated with the four house colors.

"Welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season!" The crowd cheers as Jordan's voice comes over the speakers and echoes around them. "Let's give them another hand, ladies and gentlemen; it's Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!"

Eighteen columns encircled the stadium—four for each house and two for professors, scouts, and parents watching. The towers housed changing rooms, an announcer's box, and a scoreboard. The lower seating area was level with the goals, packed with students cheering as Gryffindor entered and began laps around the field. The columns were arranged like the Great Hall's table: Slytherin on the left, then Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, with Gryffindor beside them, before more Slytherins. Harry spotted Hagrid in the Gryffindor stands near their team's tower, with Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Nico beside him. The Slytherin leaned toward Ron, gesturing animatedly, leaving him puzzled. Hermione nudged them, pointing, prompting Ron to smile and wave back as they cheered. Nico aimed his camera at him, and Harry waved, hoping he got a good shot.

Oliver waves him down to the pitch, where the others gather around Madam Hooch. She sets one foot on the crate where the balls are stored and looks up at the two teams hovering over her. "Alright! I want a nice, clean game from all of you! Players, to your positions!"

Harry and Slytherin's seeker, Terrence Higgs, takes their positions high above the rest. Oliver Wood heads to the left goal, while Slytherin's keeper, Miles Bletchley, positions himself in front of the right goal. The six chasers hover above the central circle, with three on either side of Hooch. Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell are on the left, while Marcus Flint, Graham Montague, and Adrian Pucey stand on the right. The Weasley twins flank the girls, holding their bats, while two boys join the Slytherin chasers: Peregrine Derrick and Lucian Bole, their beaters.

Oliver taught Harry about players and positions during training. He drilled him on game rules, penalties, and illegal plays while throwing walnuts for him to dive after. Harry was quizzed on each house's Quidditch teams, their favorite moves, what to watch for, and their weaknesses. The team information needed updating as players changed, but he had a sufficient grasp of the basics before their first game. Marcus Flint was the key player to watch this year. The Slytherin, like Oliver, was a fifth-year and the new team captain. Marcus had kicked all the girls off the team and replaced them with other boys. Oliver had ensured that his team understood he would be targeting their chasers hard, as all of them were female. Angelina had bared her teeth in a smile, and they'd moved on quickly. 

Hooch kicks the chest open, and the bludgers and the snitch fly out, taking off around the stadium as she grabs the quaffle. "Ready! Set!"

She blows the whistle and throws the quaffle into the air. She mounts her broom to referee, and Angelina takes the quaffle, flying past Flint and Montague.

And the game began.

Nico had never been into sports, but Quidditch appealed to him more than the games he watched at home. It might be the rapid pace or the excitement of flying rather than running. The game is similar to soccer or lacrosse but incorporates hockey's contact rules. Jordan's humorous announcements stood out, especially when McGonagall had to correct him. Nico might go just for those moments, although it felt strange without the usual music he heard at games back home. 

He leans over to ask Ron about it, but ends up explaining Muggle games to him. Hermione nudges them as the Gryffindor team appears, and they wave at Harry. Nico raises his camera to capture Harry on his broom, waving, with other players soaring in the background. Oliver calls Harry to the center, and Hooch starts the game by releasing the balls. 

Angelina had gotten to the ball first, dodging Marcus and Adrian and speeding off toward the Slytherin goalposts with the other five chasers on her heels. She drops the ball below her to Alicia as two Slytherins try to cage her in. Alicia flies past them all, and the Slytherins follow her. Angelina approaches her side, and she goes to pass it back, but Marcus intercepts it. They all make circles to go after him, but he has put enough space between them to attempt to score, only for Oliver to catch the ball and throw it to Katie. And down the field they went. A bludger comes off the side and grazes her back, causing her to drop the ball while trying to dodge it, and Adrian catches it, turning back to the Gryffindor goals, only for Fred to send the bludger after him. Angelina grabs the quaffle and takes off, pushing her way through the crowd. She makes it to the Slytherin side and throws. Bletchley misses it, and the crowd screams as Gryffindor gets the game's first score. 

"Angelina Johnson scores! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Nico claps as Jordan announces the score, and some of the older kids give him weird looks, which he ignores. The score on either side of the pitch changes to display: 'Gryffindor 10, Slytherin 0.'

The game continued like that, the chasers passing the quaffle back and forth and trying to score, the beaters hitting the bludgers at the other team, until a loud buzzer sounded. Harry saw Higgs dive into the game, and he followed, circling the pitch. Jordan's voice echoed around them, "It's been forty minutes, ladies and gentlemen; the seekers are free to catch the snitch!"

"And so it begins." Ron smiles. Nico leans his arms on the railing, observing the game intently. Marcus has the quaffle, and he kicks at her when Katie comes up behind him to grab it. She flies away before it connects, and then follows him all the way to the goalpost. As soon as he passes the white sand below them, the others disperse, and Marcus throws the quaffle toward the goals. Oliver blocks it, and Alicia catches it as it drops, taking off again. She and Angelina pass the quaffle back and forth to throw off the Slytherin chasers, and then Alicia throws it behind her to Katie, who flies above all of them and throws it at the Slytherin goal. Bletchley catches it and throws it at Adrian, and it starts anew.

"So only one person besides the keeper can cross the sand?" Nico asks Ron.

"Yeah, only one chaser can be in the scoring range at a time," Ron confirms. "The others stay clear of it just in case the ref wants to be a right cunt and penalize them for being too close."

"Ron!" Hermione scowls. "You can't say that!"

"Say what?" Ron frowns. Nico ignores them and focuses back on the game.

Slytherin had the quaffle again, and this time, when Oliver catches the ball and throws it to Alicia, Marcus takes the beater bat from Lucian Bole and hits the bludger toward Oliver. The Gryffindor keeper takes the bludger to the stomach; the force throws him against the goal, and he falls to the ground, unconscious. The stands immediately roar in anger. Hooch blows the whistle, and Slytherin receives a penalty. Angelina throws the quaffle through the highest goalpost while Hooch takes Oliver to the tower with a blue cross, where two of Pomfrey's assistant medi-witches wait for them. No one comes out to replace Oliver.

"That's bullshit." Nico glared at the Slytherins in the stands, who were laughing, and a few of the older Gryffindor kids glared at him in return. Ron and Hermione straighten up on either side of him in silent support against their own house. They watch as Slytherin gets their first goal of the game, then as two of their chasers close in on Alicia. Nico scowls, "They're going to pinch her."

"They're going to do what?" Ron asks. The Slytherins get on either side of her and herd her toward one of the towers, taking the quaffle and splitting off just before they hit, leaving Alicia to crash and fall by herself. She stays down, and Hooch levitates her to the medi-witches as well. Ron stands beside Nico, fuming. "How is that not a foal?!"

Harry dives. The crowd roars as Higgs goes after him, and Nico can see the glint of gold. "Harry sees the snitch!" 

Then Marcus crashes into Harry, sending them off course, and Ron curses as Hooch blows the whistle to penalize them. Katie scored for Gryffindor another goal. The snitch is gone, and Harry is flying up to get a better look at the field when his broom rolls and then jerks under him.

"Hermione, let me borrow those." Nico takes her binoculars and focuses them on Harry.

"What's wrong with his broom?" Hagrid murmurs.

Nico returns the binoculars to Hermione as she extends her hand. Instead of looking at Harry, she shifts her gaze to the crowd and then focuses on the professor's box overhead. "It's Snape! He's jinxing the broom!"

"What do we do?" Ron asks.

"I'll handle it." She hands the binoculars back to Nico and then takes off, pushing through the students. The crowd finally sensed something was off, muttering and pointing at Harry, with a few Slytherins laughing as Harry's broom bucked. Suddenly, it rolled again, throwing him off, and he barely clung on with his fingers. Nico observed Draco and his friends; the initial fear on Draco's face shifted to amusement when one of the boys nudged him. He then glanced at the faculty box where Snape muttered, and other teachers looked on at Harry with concern. Some had their wands drawn as if ready to assist. A few remained focused solely on Harry: Snape, Dumbledore, and Quirrell. 

"Come on, they have to do something, right?" Ron was still watching Harry.

The Weasley twins circled Harry, attempting to pull him from the broom onto theirs, but each time they got close, it lifted him higher. A stir erupted in the faculty box when several teachers recoiled from Snape, pointing at his cloak. Nico zoomed in and noticed the flames just beginning to lick at the fabric. Did Hermione set a teacher on fire?! Snape quickly turned to extinguish the fire, McGonagall helping him, while Dumbledore's and Quirrell's gazes remained locked on Harry. Then, one teacher collided with another, causing a chain reaction that sent the entire back row of teachers tumbling, Quirrell included. Dumbledore turned to assist one of them. Nico shifted his gaze back to the flying boy, who settled back onto his broom. So it had indeed been one of them. 

"Neville, he's fine, look. There he goes." Nico points out to Neville, who has buried his face in his hands, and Ron, who is watching the teachers, as Harry flies toward Higgs, and they breathe sighs of relief. Harry slams into the Slytherin seeker, and they fly around the field before diving. They'd seen the snitch then. They were getting close to the ground, almost too close. The Slytherin seeker pulls away about ten meters from the field, but Harry keeps going. He pulls up at the last minute, his feet grazing the grass as the snitch starts flying in a zigzag in front of him. 

"Bloody hell!" Ron cheers. "He pulled off a Wonski Feint! Brilliant!"

Nico wasn't sure what that was, but he was impressed that Harry hadn't crashed into the ground. Even more so when Harry went to stand on the flying broom, his arm outstretched to grab the snitch. Nico smacked Ron's arm before lifting his camera to get a picture of the boy. "Fuck, is he allowed to do that?!"

"Get it, Harry!" Ron screams gleefully.

Harry's foot moves closer to the edge of the broom, and he goes flying head over heels. The crowd gives a loud gasp as he rolls on the grass and gets to his knees, heaving. He brings one hand to his mouth, and Nico raises the binoculars to zoom in on him. In his hand was a golden ball.

"He's got the snitch," Nico tells them as Harry raises his hand above his head and Hooch blows the whistle. Nico takes his camera and snaps another picture. He is glad that the zoom on the camera is better than some mortal ones and that he can actually see Harry's face from so far away. The boy grins widely, the snitch's wings beating softly before folding back into the ball.

"Harry Potter has caught the golden snitch, earning 150 points! This brings the final score to 180 to 35!" The crowd cheered at Jordan's announcement while the Slytherins scowled at Harry on the pitch. "Gryffindor wins the game!"

The team gathered around Harry, and Nico nudged Ron. "Let's find Hermione and wait for Harry outside the changing rooms. Hagrid! We'll bring Harry to you afterward, okay?"

Chapter Text

"It was Snape," Ron claims, accepting a mug of tea. Harry, Nico, and Hermione are seated at the table as Hagrid pours himself a drink. "He was cursing Harry's broom. We all saw it."

"That's possible," Nico says, setting his mug on the table, "but it could have been anyone in that tower."

"You need to maintain eye contact to cast a spell like that, and Snape wasn't blinking," Hermione points out with a frown.

"Neither was Dumbledore," Nico retorts. "Eye contact is crucial for counter-jinxes, too. Not to mention how many people had their wands drawn. While Snape is a top candidate, he isn't the only suspect."

"I suppose," Hermione sighs. "If he were jinxing the broom, then you'd expect someone would have heard him and intervened."

Ron looks upset that they weren't on the same page. "But Snape was also bitten by that three-headed dog on Halloween! Doesn't that make him even more suspicious?"

"That's a fair point," Harry murmurs, sipping his tea.

"Who told you four about Fluffy?" Hagrid suddenly straightens up.

" Fluffy ?" Ron exclaims.

"You know about the three-headed dog on the third floor?" Harry asks, turning to Hagrid.

"Of course, I know about him," Hagrid chuckles. "He's mine. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the—"

"Guard the what?" Harry interrupts.

Nico lets out a sigh. The kid didn't know the first thing about gathering information. Hagrid clamps his mouth shut. "I shouldn't have mentioned that. Don't ask me any more questions about it."

"But Snape is trying to steal whatever the dog is guarding," Ron insists.

"Severus Snape is a Hogwarts professor," Hagrid responds. "He's not going to steal something he's helping protect in the first place. Now stop that! You kids don't need to be meddling in such dangerous affairs. What that dog is guarding is supposed to be a secret between Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel."

"Hagrid!" Nico interrupts Harry before he can ask about the name they just heard. "Where did you even get a cerberus? The cerberi are a regulated magical breed. You can't just buy one from any pet shop; you need special permits."

"Cerberus? Is that what he is?" Hagrid glances at Nico. "I got him from a Greek lad at the pub last year. He gave me some paperwork for him. Just there."

"Greek?" Nico muses, deep in thought. He thanks Hagrid when the man points to some scrolls on the shelf, moving to examine them. "Do you remember what he looked like?" 

"No, not really. An older man with white hair and his dog. He had a slight accent. Why? How do you know about them?" Hagrid asks.

"My family deals with magical creatures pretty often," Nico replies, tapping his fingers as he considers. "My dad owns a cerberus that guards his home, but she's bigger. You said Fluffy was only a year old? Do you recall if the Greek knew if he was a purebred or a mutt?"

"I don't remember off the top of my head," Hagrid hummed. "But it should be in the paperwork."

Nico nods, pulling out a separate scroll filled with documents. Fluffy is indeed a purebred. "If he is a purebred, it explains his small size, considering he's just a puppy. Purebred pits are a medium to large breed."

"You mentioned he was small compared to your dad's." Hermione reminds him.

"My dad's cerberus is a Rottweiler," Nico explains as he returns the paperwork. "They're an extra-large breed; it's similar to comparing the size of a purebred Rottweiler and a purebred Pitbull."

"And he's just a puppy?" Harry glances at Ron, disbelief evident on his face.

"Cerberi can live for hundreds of years if cared for properly," Nico shrugs. "My dad's cerberus holds the record as the oldest in our family, going back generations, and I have no idea how old she truly is. Hagrid, you should be careful about who learns about Fluffy. No recognized breeder is listed on the paperwork, which suggests he might have been bred illegally. I can check if my cousin can help trace the person who sold him to you."

The rest of their visit with Hagrid involved discussions about Fluffy and other magical creatures that Hagrid had previously cared for, including those he wished he could own. Dragons got brought up, and all four British wizards mentioned how much they missed Aracris. As dinner approached, they bid farewell to Hagrid and made their way back to the castle.

"So, does anyone know who Nicolas Flamel is?" Nico asks once they are out of earshot of Hagrid's hut.

"No," Harry says with a frown. "We could have asked Hagrid."

"He wouldn't have told us anything. I'm not sure he realized he mentioned the name," Nico responds as they reach the Bell Towers. "He didn't want to give us any information; we were lucky he let that slip. If we had reacted as soon as he said it, he would have shut the conversation down and maybe even kicked us out to avoid having us ask further questions."

"That's true," Ron agrees. They walk through the corridors into the Astronomy Tower and out into the courtyard. "My dad does the same with my mum regarding bills or work. Once he notices we're listening, he gets quiet or asks us to leave while setting up privacy charms. If we had confronted Hagrid, we wouldn't have gotten anything from him. So, how do we determine who he is? His name sounds familiar, so he might be someone famous."

"I suppose we should check the library," Hermione suggests as they head down the corridors of Gryffindor Tower, passing the study hall. Harry and Ron groan while Nico grimaces. They cross the Transfiguration Courtyard and enter the Central Tower, going down the hallway leading to the Entrance Hall.

"The librarian might not let me help," Nico shares as they walk past the marble staircase and into the Great Hall. "I'm dyslexic and have trouble reading English. McGonagall taught me the charm of switching a book's text to another language, and the librarian gets upset when I change library books, even if I undo the charm before leaving."

"In that case, we'll search the library," Harry suggests as they halt outside the doors. "Could you contact your family to see if they've heard of him? He might not be from England."

"I'll check with them later, but there's no guarantee they'll have any information. Can we meet in the library after dinner?" Nico proposes. After they nod in agreement, he breaks away from their group and heads to the Slytherin table, where the brazier is already lit and awaiting his arrival.

"Nothing." Ron groans, slamming his head against the book. "There's nothing here."

"Shh!" Hermione looks over her shoulder at the desk where the librarian is eyeing them.

"Shh, yourself." Ron sighs, sitting back up. "Anything?"

"Nothing." Hermione frowns, turning to the others. "Nico, Harry?"

"Nope." Harry closes his book and leans over to look at the page Nico is glaring at. "Nothing there either."

Nico scowls and shuts the book. "It would be easier if I could read the damn thing."

"Are you still up for contacting your family?" Harry asks.

"I'm calling them to check in with my school so I can ask Lou tonight." Nico hums, tapping his fingers. "I'm not much help here, and I think we need to head back to our dorms."

"Yeah, they'll start calling for curfew in a few minutes. Come on, we should return these to where we got them." Hermione stands up, and the three boys follow her, grabbing their stacks of books to return them to the shelves.

Nico heads to the dungeons and sees Draco working on an essay in the common room alongside the other first years. He then goes to their dorm and locks himself in the bathroom with the prism, sunlamp, and a drachma. "Iris, please accept my offer. Could you show me Camp Half-Blood?"

Lou Ellen sat in the big house, skimming a thick book on the History of Magic with Dominic beside her and a notebook in hand. A stack of books lay on the table, and Nico squinted as he tried to read some of the titles, including a Book of Charms, grade one, by Chadwick Boot, which he hadn't sent. Chiara must also be sending them textbooks during the week. He caught them during a study session. "Hey, Lou, Nicky."

"Nico!" Dominic grins, setting his paper down.

"Hey, Nico." Lou waves. "Nicky, why don't you let the others know Nico's calling?"

"That's not my name," Dominic sighs. "Okay. Nico, don't hang up until I come back!"

"Don't worry, Nicky, I'll be right here." Nico grins as Dominic groans but runs from the room to tell the others.

"He's adorable," Lou snickers. "Did you notice that he never corrects you about his name? If I didn't know better, I'd say you have a fan."

"Didn't you know? I'm corrupting him. He's my little brother now. Mwahaha," Nico says, deadpan, which makes Lou laugh. Nico grins. "Hey, question for you. Do you recognize the name Nicolas Flamel? A few of my classmates have a pet project here, and his name came up. One of them said it sounded familiar."

"Flamel?" Lou hums. "Yeah, that sounds familiar. I'd have to check our books and get back to you."

"I'd appreciate it. How's Chiara doing? I haven't heard anything about Ilvermorny."

"She's fine. She finds the magic stuff boring and has already said she won't return after this school year. We agreed to it, but it's—" Lou huffs, her jaw tense. "She's working on a school project and said she won't put her whole summer on hold, which is fair. I wish she'd take it more seriously. She's only called once to send textbooks—her books, not extras—so I don't know how she's studying. She's frustrated hanging out with a bunch of eleven-year-olds. I get it; she's eighteen, and they're kids. It's just…"

"Hey, deep breath," Nico says, mimicking her as she does so. "I get it. I'm sorry Ilvermorny didn't work out. I know you had high hopes for that because that's the school Dominic will be attending."

"Nothing we can do about it now," she sighs. "She'll be here a day or two before you return, since the American schools start in August. I'll go over the books you guys send with Dominic, and we'll have to hope it'll be enough."

"Any monster attacks?"

"None that she's told us about." Lou frowns. "I swear, Nico, even one attack at that school, and I'm sending him overseas with you."

"I've been here for a month and already had to fight a troll," Nico reminds her. "And what school he attends will be up to his dad, not us."

"A troll, you said, was probably a prank, and the staff handled it well enough. His dad will understand if this is what it takes to keep him safe. He's the one who contacted us about doing this whole mission in the first place," Lou counters. "And I trust you to take care of him. If he goes to Ilvermorny, then he'll be alone. He's still a kid; he's only eleven years old. I don't want to lose another sibling, Nico; I…After what happened during the war, with my older brother, I can't…"  

"You won't lose me." Dominic had snuck in on them and crawled back onto the couch to hug Lou.  

"He'll be safe, Lou." Percy comes over to squeeze her shoulder in comfort, his expression troubled, and Chiron wheels himself in after him. "Hey, Nico."  

"Hello, my boy, how are you?" Chiron comes to a stop by the couch.  

"Hey, guys." Nico greets them. "I'm doing alright over here. We just had our first Quidditch game; Gryffindor house beat Slytherin house by over a hundred points."  

Once Lou calmed down and they set the textbooks aside, Percy clapped his hands, grinning. "Now then, the most important question. What the hell is Quidditch?"  

Nico laughs. "Oh man, it's awesome. It's like lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and hockey in one game. And they play it on these magical brooms that let them fly, so it all happens, like, fifty feet in the air."  

"Seriously?" Leo's head pops in from the doorway, and he comes over to lean on the couch. "Dude, you have to get me one of those so I can play with it."  

"Are you flying over there?" Percy looked worried, glancing at the ceiling. "Uncle isn't going to be happy about that."  

"Yeah, I know," Nico scoffs. "During our first flying lesson, he hit me with three bolts, which terrified all my classmates. But since it's a mandatory class this year, I can't skip learning to fly on the broom. I'm already failing potions because the teacher is a total jerk, and I haven't been attending. And Defense Against the Dark Arts? That class is a joke, led by a pathetic teacher. It's just all theoretical work. I can't afford to miss my flying lessons if I want to return for the second year."  

"Are you at least being safe?" Percy sighs.

"I am, I promise," Nico reassures them. "And first-years aren't allowed to have their own brooms, so I'll have to be sneaky about it, but I will get you one, Leo."  

Leo cheers, and Chiron gathers everyone's attention to refocus. Nico begins answering questions about Hogwarts and the wizarding world. He demonstrates a few spells to Lou via Iris Messaging, and she promises to try them out against monsters, with Percy offering to assist her. They need to determine whether they can conceal a demigod's scent or presence with these spells before summer ends. She assures him she will write once they've tested it with the results. After the update on Nico's situation in Scotland, Percy and Leo demand a more detailed explanation about Quidditch. Will briefly pops in to check on Nico, telling him he loves him, then ignores the others who coo over them. Percy leaves to check in with Annabeth, reminding Nico that Thalia will be there in the morning to see him and that his mom has more cookies for him. Dominic asks Nico about the texts they are studying, and Nico does his best to help him finish his homework.

A loud banging on the door interrupts them. "Di Angelo, could you hurry up? You have been inside for two hours, and I would appreciate the opportunity to shower before bed!"

"Who is that?" Dominic whispers.

"Wait a minute, lizard!" Nico calls over his shoulder. He switches to Greek when he addresses them again, so Draco won't understand if he overhears. " My roommate, Draco. He's a little impatient—only child syndrome. I gotta get going, but I'll call again tomorrow for Christmas, okay?"

"Bye, Nico!" 

He wipes his hand through the message to cancel it and grabs his stuff, heading to unlock the door. Draco stands there scowling, then frowns in confusion as only Nico leaves the bathroom. "Whom were you conversing with?"

"My American school requested an update regarding my studies." Nico waves the prism, then sets it down on his nightstand and grabs his sword, moving the training equipment to its spot in the middle of the room. "So I was speaking with my director and one of my students to update them on my progress and ensure they were still meeting the required training standards I set for them."

"Right." Draco goes into the bathroom and slams the door. Nico sighs, turns on his music, and falls into his first stance. He'd practice a bit before bed.

Lou Ellen found no information on Nicolas Flamel in their cabin's books, but informed him that they had started searching the ones he and Chiara had sent, along with those in the Athena cabin. The Gryffindor trio expressed disappointment but thanked him, then continued to look through the books in the library. Fortunately, the notice-me-not charm concealed Lou and Cecil from Stymphalian birds, but it failed to hide Percy, meaning Nico owed him a new jacket. Harry, Hermione, and Ron spent most of their time in the library looking for anything on Flamel. Nico avoided joining them, instead wandering around the castle, staying in his common room while watching the older students and avoiding Malfoy. He sometimes asked Blaise for help with homework, which Blaise accepted in exchange for favors, mostly blue cookies from Sally. Otherwise, Nico spent time in the dungeons experimenting with potions. 

"Uh, hello?"

Nico looks up to see Neville in the doorway, looking around nervously. "Hey Neville, what's up?"

"Are you aware of Professor Snape's whereabouts?" Neville moves slowly into the room. "I have a question about the essay on the Hair Raising Potion and wanted to ask him."

"He's in the classroom next door, the one for third to fifth years, grading assignments," Nico explains. "I don't think he'll assist you, though. He's more likely to suggest you figure it out independently by referring to a textbook and then deduct points for interrupting him."

"Oh."

Neville looked ready to cry, so Nico took pity and waved him closer. "I'm about to start one if you want to watch. I'll answer any questions you have, and if I don't know the answer, we'll ask Snape. Come here, take a seat."

"Really?" Neville breathes a sigh of relief as he sits. "Thanks, Nico."

"No worries. Now I've figured it's best to start with prep work," Nico tells him, pulling the ingredients closer and setting them before Neville. "No point in scrambling for them at the last minute. The text doesn't specify anything that needs to be fresh when it goes in, so we can start by dicing and measuring out all the ingredients before we begin. You only need two rat tails, so let's take them out and set them here, first in line, along with the knife, since we need to cut them up. Then—"

Nico guides Neville through each step of the potion, answering his questions and helping him through the process, which involves Neville adding all the ingredients and stirring the cauldron. Snape comes in at one point, and Nico stares him down as he reminds Neville not to stir it more than five times after adding the porcupine quills. Snape says nothing, simply going to his desk and grading the second-years' potions, while Nico refocuses Neville's attention on the potion when the boy shrinks away from the teacher.

"I don't believe that's the case." Nico narrows his eyes at his watch. They would need to let it sit for two minutes before adding the next ingredient. "Adding them too soon will spoil the potion since the boogies need more time to thicken it, so the dust mixes correctly. However, I'm unsure what happens if it sits too long without the dust added."

"Cornish pixie dandruff won't dissolve if the potion is too thick, so you're supposed to add it two minutes after the boogies. Allowing the potion to remain unattended for an extended period will result in clumping when you attempt to add further ingredients." Snape addresses them while he continues grading an essay without looking up. "If you add dandruff before the boogies, they will remain separate from the potion, similar to how water and oil don't mix, rendering it ineffective. If you add it just a minute after the boogies, the mixture will be overly concentrated, causing the potion to remove your hair instead of making it stand on end. You must dilute it appropriately without making it too thick to diminish the effects properly."

"Oh. Thanks, Snape," Nico says while adding the pixie dandruff, and Neville writes what Snape said down on his parchment. Snape doesn't acknowledge them again as they finish the potion. They bottle it into two vials, writing their names on them. Nico guides Neville through the proper cleaning steps, shows him where to put everything away, and then takes their vials to the desk. Snape looks up when he sets them on the desk with the rest of the first-years' potions from class.

"Am I allowed to bring him back here?" Nico asks the potion master. "I can tutor him in potions; maybe he won't make as many mistakes in class."

Snape picks up the vial with Neville's name and turns it, the green liquid leaving small streaks on the glass as it should. "It's not like he can do worse in my class. If it keeps him from sending himself to the hospital wing every week, fine. But I will not babysit him." 

"Of course not. I'll handle the teaching; you focus on supervising, which is what you're good at." Nico moves away from the man and grabs Neville's sleeve as he exits, wanting to leave before Snape can give him another detention. "Let's go, Nev. I need to meet up with the others in the library, and I have some books for you to check out."

"Thank you, sir!" Neville calls over his shoulder as Nico drags him out of the classroom. He stumbles but manages to stay on his feet and follows after Nico. "Thanks, Nico, for helping me."

"No worries, mate." Nico smiles. "Come on. Have you finished reading our Herbology book already?"

When they find the other Gryffindors, they are buried under stacks of books, chest-high. Nico laughs as he sees them. "What are you guys doing?"

"Hey, Nico, hey, Neville!" Ron slams the book shut and turns in his seat. "Are you here to free us?"

"Ron, keep your voice down!" Hermione hisses. Harry waves, not looking up from his book.

"Not yet." Nico sighs. "I'm showing Neville some books to help him with Potions, but I'll return in a second. We still have half an hour before dinner."

Ron groans. Hermione shushes him again, and he glares at her. Nico pulls his gum out of his pocket and hands it to Ron, then another piece to Harry. "The peppermint will help with hunger; just don't blow bubbles or drop it on the books."

They accept it, even as Hermione attempts to refuse. Nico seizes her hand and shoves the gum into it. "You all missed dinner last night, both breakfast and lunch today, and dinner is about to start again. Take the gum, Hermione. You have ten minutes to clean this stuff up before I drag you three to the Great Hall. I'm serious; you won't develop a habit of skipping meals."

Hermione puts the gum in her mouth and blushes when her stomach growls. "Sorry, we just got distracted."

"I know. But it's not healthy to go without food. I'll be back in a few, and then you're all coming with me."

Nico motions for Neville to follow him, and they head upstairs to the library section for older students, pulling him into the Beast aisle. He pulls down a few books, asks Neville to read the covers, and then puts some back. "Knowing what you're working with is important, so these will help. They're books on magical creatures. Chapter six of this book covers Cornish pixies, and chapters twelve and thirteen of this one cover trolls. They'll help you finish the essay if you cross-reference them with your potion book and notes from this afternoon. And maybe ask Hermione to read it over for you; get her out of here for a bit."

"Thank you." Neville beams.

"Go check those out and put them in your dorm; remember the password is 'Caput Draconis.' Then, get down to dinner. You can read them after you eat. I'll go drag them away from their books." Nico returns to the table to find the three already putting their books away, so he picks up a stack and starts to help them.

While Neville went to Madam Pince to check out the books, Ron exaggeratedly stretched as they left the library, heading for the stairs. "I've got a knot in my back from leaning over the table for too long, and my eyes are sore. Can't we pause our search for this guy?"

"Ron, this is important. We need to know who he is," Hermione tells him, rotating her wrist to work out her kinks.

"Do you even have a plan for what to do when you do discover who he is?" Nico asks her.

"No, we don't," Harry tells him when he realizes Hermione has no answer. They cut through the Dark Tower and head downstairs to the ground floor before heading outside, crossing the Viaduct Bridge. 

"Then, while it is important, it's not so important that it must completely take over your free time. Take a few days to decompress, review the notes you've already taken, and then return to it." Nico grins when she agrees. "Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are playing this weekend; who do you think will win?"

"I don't know." Harry tilts his head in thought. Hermione rolls her eyes at the change of subject.

Ron was almost skipping. "Oh man, I can't wait! I heard that Hufflepuff's new seeker, Diggory, is fantastic, and he—"

They listen to Ron's theories about the next Quidditch game as they climb the stairs to enter the Viaduct courtyard, cross over to the Entrance Hall, and then enter the Great Hall, where Nico splits off to the Slytherin table. He sits beside the brazier and pulls out a notebook and pen, waiting for the food to appear. He writes down the notes from the potion he and Neville had made and Snape's comment about the troll boogies and pixie dandruff when Draco and Blaise sit across from him.

"What are those?" Draco demands.

"Muggle stuff." Nico looks up. "Still going to question me, or will you drop it?"

Draco scoffs, but Blaise clears his throat to cut off whatever remark the boy was about to make. "I've noticed that you use these rather than parchment, quills, and ink in class. Could you explain the reasoning behind this preference?" 

Nico nods in acknowledgment and pushes the notebook closer to Blaise. "This is a notebook, and the Muggles use them in schools to organize notes for various subjects. Do you see how all the pages are affixed to the metal rings?" 

Draco leans closer to observe as Blaise examines the pages. "What purpose do the lines serve?" 

Nico flips back to the page he was writing on, becoming aware that fellow first-years and some older Slytherins are also eavesdropping. He points to the page where he neatly wrote his notes on the hair-raising potion in Greek. "The lines assist in maintaining the spacing of the notes. See how my letters remain within the confines of the lines?"

"What are those?" Draco picks up the notebook. "These symbols…Can you explain the reason behind utilizing these peculiar runes?"

"They're Greek letters, not runes. The Greeks have a separate alphabet, which uses characters different from the Roman version that other languages, like English, are based on. I'm Greek and Italian, and writing in Greek is easier for me than writing in English," Nico tells him patiently.

"Remarkable," Blaise murmurs, then looks at the pen in Nico's hand. "And that?" 

Nico reclaims the notebook and turns to the final page, ripping it out, which startles them. He clicks the pen and writes his name. "This is a pen, which is basically a self-filling quill." 

"Pardon?" Draco interjects, astonished.

Nico twists the pen to open it, extracting the ink cartridge. Blaise and Draco watch in amazement while Theodore Nott extends his hand to take the cartridge from Nico for examination.

"The ink is housed within?! You do not need to dip it continuously in the inkwell," he was fascinated with the ink cartridge, rubbing it against the back of his hand and watching as the ink came out on his skin. "And you said Muggles created this?"

"Yes, the ballpoint pen was invented in the 1940s and uses gravity to write." Nico points to the end of the pen. "Inside, there's a tiny metal ball that ink seeps onto during writing, and the pressure from the paper pushes the ball up, allowing the ink to flow out. When it's not being used, it acts as a stopper to keep the ink contained."  

He retrieves the cartridge and reassembles the pen. "If you have the right ink cartridge, you can swap it out. This way, you can change the ink color and control how much the ball releases, affecting the lines' width."  

He takes out another pen and rewrites his name beside the first one. "This pen is a size one, while this one is a size point five. Notice how the lines are thicker with this one?"  

"And Muggles use them frequently?" Draco inquires. "Self-filling quills must be quite expensive."

"Depends on who made them." Nico shrugs. "I've seen some that are over twenty galleons for a single pen, and some are so cheap you can get a box of a hundred for less than two sickles."

"Salazar's beard," Theo breathes. "Can I try?"

Nico pushes the paper and one of the pens toward him, then rips another piece out for Draco and Blaise to take turns writing. He thinks it's both amusing and sad that they're fascinated by something as simple as a pen.

"Do you have more of them?" Blaise asks. "I'll keep helping you with the homework if I get to keep one."

"Yeah, go for it," Nico shrugs. "These also work on parchment, and I've got a whole box. If I run out, I can write to my cousin and get more."

"Cheers, mate." Blaise tucks the pen into his robes as the food appears, while the others hand back the papers and the other pen to Nico. They move back to their regular seats, and Nico makes his sacrifice to the gods before moving to the Hufflepuff table to sit next to Susan and Hannah.

"Hey, guys." He takes his seat and pours some water into a glass. "Have you all settled on a date for the sleepover?"

"Hey, Nico," Susan says. "The sleepover is tonight. We convinced Grace to let us use the projector, but she needs to return it on Monday. Plus, with the Quidditch match tomorrow, we can't be sure the common room will be free."

"Cool. So I'll get my things from the dorm and join you at the bottom of the dungeon stairs after dinner." Nico hands the rolls to Zacharias, another student, and then turns back to their conversation.

"Yep, then we'll guide you to the Hufflepuff common room. We'll need to check what other options we have to watch, as not everyone wants a complete horror marathon since it isn't Halloween anymore." Susan nods. "Can you pass the potatoes?" 

The rest of the dinner conversation was about classes and the upcoming Quidditch game, and Nico walked out with them once it was over. They descend into the dungeons, and they separate at the bottom of the stairs, with the girls going right and Nico going left. He slips through the door after a few of his housemates and then heads to his dorm. He grabs his collection of nail polish, his class notes, his cane, and a change of clothes, which he shoves into a bag before leaving again to meet the girls in the dungeon antechamber.

"Got everything?" Susan asks him as he climbs the steps.

"Yeah. After you." Nico shoulders his bag. They gesture for him to follow, then head down the potions corridor. Just before they pass the first year's potion room, they turn right, and Nico sees a closet and a portrait of a bowl of fruit.

"So this is a somewhat infamous secret known by the Hufflepuff kids," Hannah tells him. Susan tickles the pear in the painting, and it shudders before turning into a doorknob. He follows the girls through and ends up in the kitchen, where small creatures with big eyes and even bigger ears come to greet them.

"First years have come to the kitchens!" one of them exclaims. "How can we serve our newest students?" 

Susan gives Hannah a pointed look and nods at Nico. They wanted him to ask, huh? Nico fidgets awkwardly under the girls' gaze but turns to address the creature. "We're hosting a small gathering in the Hufflepuff common room, and we'd appreciate your help collecting some snacks, if it's not too much trouble, ma'am." 

"Ma'am?! Oh no, sir! Minky is a house elf; it is not necessary to refer to Minky as such. Wait, just here, I am getting you something to eat. Ma'am, he calls Minky." The creature murmurs to herself before snapping her fingers. Boxes of candy, chips, and other snacks, along with some orange drink in glass bottles, appear on a nearby table. So, that was the mystery of how the food appeared in the Great Hall: magical creatures and what must have been a transportation spell.

"You're rather unusual for a member of Slytherin," Susan remarked, tilting her head. "I do not believe I have ever encountered an individual who refers to a house-elf as 'ma'am.'"  

Nico responded with a frown. "It is polite to address someone formally, particularly when requesting a favor."

"Most house elves are enslaved beasts," Hannah tells him. "Everyone knows that."

Nico glares. "Yeah, fuck that. She's intelligent, so she's not a beast. And I'm Muggle-raised, so no, I didn't know. Is it a requirement for wizards to have a house elf here?"

"I suppose not. Only the older families possess them, really, due to their estates." Hannah replies. "Your speech is peculiar, too. At times, it's casual, but at others, it's so formal I might mistake you for a pure-blood."

Nico sighs, "I suppose it's a result of my upbringing as a diplomat. My grandfather was a politician in Italy some years ago, and he had high expectations for our family's reputation. My mother taught my sister and me proper manners from a young age to ensure we didn't misbehave in front of our neighbors, especially since we were already criticized as illegitimate children born to a married man who was not of the church. My father's family is wealthy and influential, which means we must maintain a certain level of formality and etiquette to avoid offending them. I often adjust my speech depending on who I'm talking to, being as casual or formal as the situation requires. Over the past few weeks, I have spent significant time watching the pure-bloods in my common room."

Nico takes a deep breath. "I may not be completely familiar with your culture, so I don't want to speak too quickly about the situation with the house elves. I think it's truly fucked up and inhumane to keep such intelligent beings in a position of servitude. But I'm eleven right now; I understand that I cannot change things overnight, so as long as no one tries to impose their views on me, I'll keep my thoughts to myself. However, I firmly believe that no one should be seen as inferior just because you people accept slavery as a norm."

"You are weird," Hannah nods. "I'm glad we're friends."

Nico snorts, then helps them gather snacks and drinks when Minky returns to ask if they need anything else. He thanks the house elf and helps the girls carry the stuff back out of the portrait. Hannah leads them back down the potions corridor, then to the left at the landing, heading towards the Hufflepuff common room. They turn down another corridor and approach an enclave of barrels.

"So technically, no one except Hufflepuffs is meant to be here in the common room, as you know." Hannah pauses and turns to Nico. "But it's pretty well-known around school that you have stayed in Gryffindor Tower. As long as you don't share our password with everyone, I don't see an issue with you knowing it."

"Do you know the Gryffindor password?" Susan inquires.

"I do, but I'm not telling you what it is," Nico replies with a raised eyebrow. "I'm allowed access because I keep that a secret."

Susan nods, looking a bit embarrassed. "Right, sorry. It's unfair to expect you to guard our secret while revealing everyone else's, huh? So, the barrel is two rows up and dead center. Knock on it in the rhythm of Hel-ga Huff-le-puff. Just be careful; if you get it wrong, it'll cover you in vinegar."

Nico knocks, one-two, one-two-three. A section of the large barrel to their left vanishes, unveiling a doorway for Susan and Hannah to lead him through.

Nico's first impression of the Hufflepuff dorms was that they resembled a Hobbit's hole. They were underground, featuring wooden structures and stained glass, and the space was filled with books and plants. There were pots placed on tables, hanging planters, and ivy that climbed the walls and wrapped around the staircase railing. There was a second section of the common room, featuring desks and staircases that separated the two levels, housing the girls' and boys' dorms. The walls feature a gentle yellow hue, and the chairs and couches are predominantly black or dark brown, exuding a plush and inviting appearance. A large fireplace, adorned with a portrait of a woman, sits low, with a kettle hanging over the flames. First-years and a few older students are constructing a fort with pillows, blankets, and sheets near the fireplace. Grace, a third-year student, stands with a frown as she aims the projector at a white sheet against the bookcases, with a portable DVD player already connected to the projector. Both devices were rigged somehow to a car battery, so Nico avoided the area completely. After setting down the food and drinks where Cedric, a fourth-year student, directed him, Nico joined to assist with the fort. It had been months since he had done this with Will's friends, just two weeks after Lester left camp to Ascend before their trip to Tartarus to rescue Bob.

The older students give Nico a few odd looks but ignore him as they play games of Exploding Snaps and Gobstones, while the first-year students diligently review their class notes. During this time, Nico shares safe and generalized stories regarding the camps, deliberately glossing over the more disturbing parts, like the monster attacks and the wars. However, he subtly hints at them as a warning in case he awoke from a nightmare or a demigod dream that night, that they were not to wake him. The Hufflepuffs were understanding, and Nico wondered if it wouldn't have been easier to have been sorted in here instead of Slytherin. 

"So, what did you guys decide on?" Nico grabs some popcorn and a pumpkin soda.

"Since most purebloods have never watched movies, we figured we'd throw them in the deep end immediately." Justin Flinch-Fletchley, a Muggle-born, smiles. "Which do you prefer: Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Star Trek, or The Lord of the Rings?"

"What is Jurassic Park? A movie about dinosaurs?" Nico asks, taking the DVD and looking over the case.

Justin smiles and hands Grace the DVD. "This one first, then! We have the second and third ones, too, if you want to watch them later!"

Nico settles in with his classmates under the fort, the older students sitting around the room with their snacks as the movie starts. For a brief second, he wonders if Neville has convinced Hermione to stay out of the library tonight, then focuses on the projection as a group of men in uniforms and hard hats watch the trees shake.

Chapter Text

Nico hates the cold. As December approaches, the weather shifts from pleasantly chilly, though wet, to downright freezing. Nico, who usually had the body temperature of a corpse, felt utterly miserable with each gust of wind that swept through the corridors. The frigid air in the dungeons often made him yearn to hide under a pile of blankets and one of Will's hoodies. The only good aspect of being below the school was the Slytherin common room, which, despite being considered cold during the first few months, was now warmer than anywhere else in the dungeons except the kitchen. 

Much to the teachers' bemusement, Nico wore his sweater over his school robes. It took just fifty house points, a few days of pleading with Professor Flitwick, and a promise to stay in uniform before he taught Nico a simple heating charm he regularly abused. He continued to wear the sweater beneath his school robes, along with a pair of thermal leggings and fuzzy socks that Piper had sent him after hearing about the coldness he had mentioned in one of the letters he'd written to Hazel. He planned to get her something special when he returned over the summer in exchange for the early Yule gift. 

It was easy to demonstrate the spell to the others, and Ron surprised him with a hug once he had gotten it right, the boy cheering about being able to feel his toes again. Neville asked him to charm Trevor's cage so the amphibian wouldn't die, and he did so while showing Neville how to do it himself. As it grew colder, the other students began to complain. Hermione brought it up with Flitwick, suggesting he teach the others the spell to minimize interruptions during his lessons. Nico narrowed his eyes when he mentioned he would have to ask the Headmaster. Why would he need permission to teach them how to keep themselves warm? 

In the first week of December, Professor McGonagall came around with a roll of parchment to collect the names of all the students staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. Nico was one of the few Slytherins to sign up, making Draco and his friends laugh in his face. 

"Can one imagine the humiliation of remaining at Hogwarts during Yule because your family doesn't want you at home?" Draco, Vincent, and Gregory laughed loudly while Bronson and Pansy snickered under their breath. The other first years watch Nico, waiting to see how he'd react.

"My family prefers I remain in a safe environment rather than return home and become entangled in the war." Despite the noticeable silence that enveloped the common room, Nico focused on his book.  

"What are you talking about, Di Angelo?" Diana scowls with a hint of exasperation.  

"The reason for my presence at Hogwarts, as opposed to Ilvermorny, which is the typical school for American wizards, or remaining at Delphi's, my school for the past three years, is due to the ongoing civil unrest within the factions of my family. My guardians are concerned about my involvement, especially given my experiences from the previous year. They hoped to provide me with the semblance of a normal childhood." Nico finally looked up. "Have none of you considered the origins of my scars?" 

The older students exchanged glances while the younger ones tried to avoid looking him in the face, where the scars stood out against his cheek. Nico grabbed his book and left the room, and Draco didn't glance up once, even as his friends attempted to get his attention. 

No one else mentioned Nico staying there for Christmas.

…

He carefully places his book aside, changes into his winter clothing, and, after verifying that Draco remains distracted in the common room, Nico steps into the shadows of their room and disappears. He reappears in a narrow alleyway between two shops, scanning for any indication of his professors before venturing onto the streets of Diagon Alley. As he looks around, he notices a shop specializing in brooms and related equipment and proceeds there first. He has some holiday shopping to attend to and has promised to get Leo a broom. 

The weekend before the holiday break, Nico stood in the Great Hall, talking to and taking photos of Professor McGonagall and Flitwick while they adorned the trees brought in by Hagrid with decorations. "My cousin mentioned some of the classes in schools in the States follow a curriculum different from Hogwarts. Have you heard about the charm textbooks by Chadwick Boot?" 

"Oh, yes!" Flitwick smiles. "They're a good set, though they're a bit outdated. I believe they were written by one of the sons of the founder of Ilvermorny back in the early 1600s." 

"Would you recommend them?"  

"Absolutely!" Flitwick levitates another ornament onto a branch of the tree. "They're pretty decent, although a bit more challenging than what first-years are doing here. I'm sure you know that American wizards specialize in wordless magic; it's practically an art form for them. They had to be cautious, you see, not to draw the attention of the Pilgrims when they settled, as they didn't have the same places to gather or the wards we have over here. It became their preferred method of magic when the witch trials began. They used to have the largest number of Obscuri in the world." 

"There is no need to concern the boy," McGonagall frowned. "There has not been an Obscurus in decades."

"We know they exist," Nico said, checking the photograph to ensure it showed the entire tree. "Several of my family members have been at risk of becoming one because they tried to hide their magical abilities. Most of us are half-bloods, and since the ban on relationships between wizards and Muggles was only lifted in the last two generations in the US, we worry about attending magical schools. That's why I've been collecting these books. We could supplement their education at Delphi's to help them transition into the world more smoothly. We want to prevent more Obscuri from emerging." 

"Well...that is commendable, Mr. Di Angelo," McGonagall responded, momentarily taken aback, exchanging meaningful glances with Flitwick. Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by Hagrid's entrance into the Great Hall, carrying the final tree, followed closely by Hermione, Harry, and Ron, who appeared bothered.

"Ah, Hagrid! Last one, right? You can put it in the far corner, and we'll get to it once we're finished here." Flitwick beams. 

"Hey, guys," Nico greets them. "What's up?" 

"Malfoy's a right prat," Ron scowls. 

"When isn't he?" Nico snorts, causing Ron and Harry to grin.

"Hello, Nico." Hermione stands beside him, observing as McGonagall magically changes a pinecone into a silver ball and levitates it into the tree. Harry and Ron join her. "These look fantastic!"  

Nico retrieves his camera and captures another shot while Harry points out an ornament on the tree resembling a griffin flapping its wings. They all gaze in wonder at the tree in the photo, and Nico grins as it restarts. "You're heading home for the holidays tomorrow, right, Hermione? All set and ready?"  

"Almost. I still need to return my books to the library before tonight. Ron, have you completed your packing?" She beams up at the redheaded boy.

"There was a change of plans. Mum and Dad are taking Ginny to meet Bill in Romania to visit Charlie, so we're staying here this year. I confirmed it with Professor McGonagall this morning," Ron says with false cheerfulness. Nico frowns, remembering that the Weasleys had been excited to go home since both of their older brothers had promised to spend Christmas with them for the first time in nearly three years. Ron had been looking forward to going home for the entire month. Something must have happened to Charlie to make them change their plans.

"Oh. Well, Nico, do you want to come with us to the library?" she asks.

"Sure." Nico shrugs. "Oh, that just reminded me! Professor McGonagall, would it be possible for me to relocate my training post upstairs during the holidays?"

Professor McGonagall's lips thin a bit. "I guess a few classrooms on the ground floor are currently unused. I'll discuss clearing one for you with Severus and Albus, so long as you keep the other students staying here away from the blades."

"The Care for Magical Creatures room usually remains vacant unless there's bad weather; perhaps we could relocate you there," Flitwick suggests.

"I appreciate it. Goodbye, Professors. Bye, Hagrid!" Nico waves at Hagrid while heading into the hallway with the Gryffindors. "Why are we going to the library the day before the break?"

"I need to return a few books, but I also want to check the restocked books to see if any of them have information on Nicolas Flamel." Harry and Ron groan. 

"Are you serious, Hermione? We've looked hundreds of times!" Ron complains. 

"Well, there has to be something," Hermione huffs as they stop before the main staircase, lowering her voice. "The only place we haven't checked is the restricted section."  

"You need a teacher's signed permission slip to get in there," Harry tells them. "I already asked about that."  

"Great." Hermione smiles at him. "Then that's what you three can do over the break: try to get in there while the school is empty and see if you can find anything. I'll head upstairs and finish packing after I check the library."

They watch as she ascends the stairs, and Ron turns to the other boys. "Does this mean we don't have to go with her?"  

"I guess not," Nico shrugs.  

"Want to play chess?" Ron asks Harry. "I told you I'd show you how to play if you still want to learn."  

"That sounds fantastic," Harry grins. "I want to see them decorate the trees, so can we play in the Great Hall?"

"Sure. I can grab the board from our room and meet you there." Ron grins back and hurries up the stairs. Hermione joined them sometime after the second game, and the four spent the rest of the day in the Great Hall until dinner. They had another feast for the students; most returned home for the holidays.

The next morning, Harry, Ron, and Nico escort Hermione to the castle's North Wing, by the Clock Tower, where Hagrid is helping students into horse-drawn carriages that will take them through the front gates and past Hogsmeade to the train station. Nico takes pictures of the three Gryffindors hugging goodbye, snaps a selfie with Hermione as she waves at the camera over his shoulder, and captures another moment as Hagrid lifts Hermione and places her in the carriage with Lavender, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Draco and his friends occupy the next carriage, and Nico manages to sneak a picture of them. Draco is laughing at something Branson has said, prompting Blaise, beside him, to look up from his book and roll his eyes. When Theo sees Nico taking the picture, he waves, leading Gregory and Vincent to point him out to Draco and Pansy, who share the Prophet newspaper. Draco scowls at him, and Nico snaps another picture, zooming in to focus on the boy's face. Draco's scowl deepens.

"One of these days, his face will freeze that way," Harry grins as the carriages start moving. He waves at Hermione and their friends as they call out their goodbyes.

"If only we were that lucky," Ron snickers, watching the carriages shrink in the distance.  

"Well, come on," Nico gestures back to the castle. "It's freezing out here, and I need to grab my stuff from my dorm before the other Slytherins take over the common room."  

"Will we get to see you practice sword fighting?" Ron quickly follows him into the Clock Tower.  

"Is it real?" Harry asks, smoothly keeping pace behind them. "Like, an actual metal sword?"  

"Yeah, it is. It's the same one I used to defeat the troll during Samhain," Nico tells them as they cross the bridge into Gryffindor Tower. "But you can't touch it. It's like a wand, and you could injure yourself if you're not careful." 

Harry makes a promise, then nudges Ron, who rolls his eyes in response. "Okay, okay. We won't touch your sword." 

"Blimey! I didn't expect we'd have to have this conversation until you were at least a third year." An arm goes around Ron's shoulders as he turns bright red. "Our little Ronniekins is maturing quickly, isn't he, Freddie?"  

Fred smiles as he puts his arm around Harry. "You're right, Georgie. Good job, Nicky. You already know how to set boundaries."  

"I hate both of you!" Ron buries his face in his hands. "What are you two doing here?"  

"We were here to see Jordan off, of course," George answers.  

"Don't worry, Ron, they're just teasing you," Nico says, trying to suppress a grin.

"Yeah, it's perfectly natural for a boy our age to start feeling urges …" Harry laughs as Ron shoves him.

"Don't encourage them!"

The others laugh, and George messes up Ron's hair before letting him go. "Joking aside, you will be careful, right? Wouldn't want to have to send Mum a letter saying you cut off your foot or something."

"We'll be fine!" Ron groans.

"All right, all right," Fred chuckles. "We'll see you guys at lunch. George and I have some unfinished business with Filch's office."

"Those two," Ron sighs as the twins leave and turns to Nico. "Sorry…about them, I mean. They didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine, Ron," Nico replies with a smile.

"I mean it, really; they were just having a laugh," Ron insists.

"Ron, it's fine." Nico's smile fades. "What's wrong with you?"

Ron scratches his nose, feeling a bit nervous. "I remembered something you mentioned a few months back while we were getting ready to duel Malfoy. You said that you're like a Muggle-born, like Hermione, and that much of your understanding of wizard culture comes from me or our classmates. I asked Hermione about the Muggle world to understand what you three would need to learn. One thing she told me was that Muggles can be just as traditional as pure-bloods regarding marriage and their bloodlines. They didn’t mean anything by the whole… uh, sword…thing…and—”

"Ron." Nico interrupts. "I'm not upset about them making a gay joke." 

"Oh." Ron exhales in relief. 

Nico smirks. "I find it more ironic and funny since they don't know I'm gay." 

"What?" Harry's jaw drops. 

Ron blinks. " Oh. "

Nico reveals the medallion; the gold is still warm from where it had rested against his skin. "I mentioned before that someone special gave me this. It was my boyfriend, Will. At first, it was challenging because I grew up in a community that didn't accept it. However, my dad's family has always backed me, and I'm working on being more open about it. It's one reason I paint my nails; I'm no longer ashamed to do so. So, as long as it's not an issue for you, you can be aware of it; just please don't share it with anyone else. I don't know how others will respond, though I doubt the Slytherins will care much since I'm not a pure-blood. They already think I'm less deserving because my mother was a Muggle, and as long as I'm with men, it means there's one less person who could potentially taint their bloodline. I don't want to become the target of every gay joke among the students in their common rooms."

Nico puts the medallion back under his shirt and glances at them nervously. "It's not a problem with you guys that I'm gay…is it?"  

"No," Harry replies. "I know my aunt and uncle hate people who are, but I don't see what's so bad about it."

"I don't care," Ron replies. "My parents have harbored suspicions regarding Charlie for years; they think that's why he's reluctant to bring home a girlfriend. They're just waiting for him to tell them. I think he prefers studying dragons to dating, boys or girls."

Nico smiles, his shoulders dropping as if a weight has been lifted. "I'll tell Hermione on my own later. Let's keep this between us until I'm sure I won't get hexed in the corridor. If you'd like to wait near the Beast room, I can grab my things and meet you there. Flitwick and McGonagall said they got Dumbledore to agree to let me practice there, so they're cleaning it up now. It should be close to Transfiguration."

The boys agree to meet him there after they grab some books to look through for Flamel while Nico practices. They head upstairs while Nico enters the West Tower, heading towards the Dungeon Corridor with a smile. He'd told the first two non-demigod friends he had that he was gay, without being forced to or outed by someone else, and they'd accepted him. He couldn't wait to tell Will and his friends back home.

Jason would have been proud of him.

...

When he enters the classroom designated by the professors for his use, he brings his entire training set, including the wooden practice swords, and his camera. Ron and Harry are already inside, looking through some books they checked out for Hermione. 

"Oh, thank goodness." Harry grins and puts his book down. Ron looks at him, puzzled, but does the same. 

"Well, this is nice. It's warmer, too." Nico shrugs the black case off his shoulder and places it on one of the desks. "This is one of the classrooms used during the year, right?" 

"Yeah, for Care of Magical Creatures." Ron nods. "They usually hold the class outside, but move it here if the weather is bad. Third through seventh years can take it, but not first or second. They want us to get used to the castle before taking eight classes daily." 

"We have to take eight classes a day?" Harry's jaw drops. 

"Or more." Ron grins at the horrified look on Harry's face, and Nico snickers. "But that's only for the third through fifth years. Sixth and seventh years have specialized schedules because they're NEWT classes. Some of them only have two or three classes a day." 

"The classes are specific to the careers they want, right?" Nico asks as he grabs the stand out of the case and sets it up.

"Yeah. My oldest brother, Bill, took nearly a full course load because he needed a NEWT in Runes, Arithmetic, DADA, and Potions to become a curse-breaker. Charlie only took Care of Magical Creatures and Potions. Percy is already researching each one to see which NEWT classes he'll need to work in the Ministry." Ron watches in fascination as Nico sets up the post. 

"Are those wooden swords?" Harry asks, pointing to the two practice swords still in the case. 

"Yes, they are," Nico grins, pulling them out and handing one to each of the boys. "As long as you two don't whack each other in the head with them, I don't see why I can't show you how to use them. Just don't tell Professor McGonagall."  

"This is bloody amazing!" Ron practically vibrates with glee as he makes dramatic movements. He tries to swing the sword around his wrist but drops it, hissing as it lands on his foot.  

"And that's why the practice swords are made of wood, not metal," Nico snorts. "Try not to drop them again. Come here, both of you. I'll show you how to swing it around your wrist correctly."  

Ron eagerly picks up the wooden sword again, and after they both glance over Nico's black sword in awe, they settle into their first lesson. By the end of it, Nico had gone through almost a full roll of film between him taking pictures of Ron and Harry playing and them taking pictures of him training them with the wooden swords.

Nico was the only first-year Slytherin who stayed at school for the holidays. When Ron and Harry invited him to join them and the Weasleys on Christmas Eve, he packed a bag with his clothes and toiletries and went to Gryffindor Tower for a sleepover. They spent time in the common room by the glowing fireplace, where the Weasleys and other Gryffindors taught Harry and Nico how to play Gobstones and Exploding Snap. Fred and George even brought them some hot chocolate from the kitchen, and one of the sixth years set up a record player so they could enjoy the music. This Christmas Eve was different from last year's, which Nico had spent with Percy and his parents before returning to camp the next day. It was a significant improvement over the previous years when he had been homeless and on the run from monsters.

He ends up lying in the empty bed beside Neville's and across from Harry's, talking to Harry and Ron when Alexiares comes knocking at the window, a package in his claws. Nico gets up to let him in, and the owl drops the box on the bed before going to the railing by the fireplace to warm up. Harry is startled as the box expands to a larger size.

"What is that?" Ron asked, sitting up.

Nico closes the window and moves over to the box. Seeing his name on it, he opens it. Inside are brightly wrapped presents and a card. He sets the box on the floor at the end of the bed and sits down, opening the letter while Ron and Harry look inside the box. Nico smiles, and seeing their expectant faces, begins to read. " Dear little bro —Percy, my cousin, is determined to annoy me even in another country— Happy Yule! We got Lou Ellen to enchant the box so everything arrives together. Annabeth —his girlfriend— did the math to ensure it would arrive between Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Please don't ask how she did it; I don't know. Mom sent you more chocolate chip cookies, and I might have stolen one —that bastard— but she also made some melomakarona, and I sent you some of those. They're also blue —if they're anything like what we have at Delphi's, I'll forgive him— so please forgive me —asshole. Thalia and Hazel made it home for the holidays and told me to remind you to call them, or Pinecone Face said she'd make the trip over there herself. Please call her; I don't want to explain to our cousin Arty that we let her second run off to Scotland. We hope you have a great holiday; we love and miss you. Percy. "

Harry and Ron smile as Nico laughs his way through the note from his cousin. Nico chooses not to read the brief message about sending a picture of Estelle, who was now walking, and he feels regret for missing it. He logically understands that he will see them in a few days, but that still feels like months away. He rereads the letter, then sets it aside, noticing a few others attached to some of the gifts; most of them had written him something. He grabs the cookie tin he spots at the top of the box of gifts and opens it, pulling out one of the cookies wrapped in paper with walnuts and sesame seeds, then takes a bite. The flavors of honey, orange, walnut, and a hint of cinnamon melt on his tongue. The subtle kick indicates that Sally used a recipe with orange liqueur. They were perfect.

"What are those?" Ron asks as he grabs one when Nico holds it out, and Harry does the same.  

"They're melomakarona," Nico explains. "Greek honey-soaked Christmas cookies."  

"These are amazing," Ron hums while chewing. Harry nods in agreement as he finishes his off. "Your aunt is as good a baker as my mum. I didn't even think that was possible."  

"Are those from your family?" Harry points to the box of presents.  

"They wanted them to arrive on time, so they sent them a little early," Nico grins. "I'll open them later with you guys. Come on, it's already two in the morning; we need to sleep. You don't think Neville will mind that I'm sleeping here, right?"  

"Who cares?" Ron shrugs. "It's not like he's here."  

"It's still his room, too." Nico shakes his head as they all get under their blankets and turn off the light. "Night, guys."  

"Goodnight, Nico."  

"Night!"

…

"Guys! Wake up! Presents!" Ron wakes them up by throwing a pillow against each of their faces. Nico groans but sits up, tossing the pillow back at Ron, who dodges as he grabs one of the presents at the end of his bed.

"I have presents?" Harry blinks, pulling on his glasses and staring at the boxes. 

"Of course you do." Ron glances over. "What, did you expect us to forget about you?"

Nico watches as Harry opens and closes his mouth as if he's about to say something, but then decides against it. When he looks at Ron, he notices that the red-haired boy is already watching him. He tilts his head at Harry and frowns, and Nico nods. They had both noticed. Harry had shared a bit about his life with his aunt and uncle when they first met, and he'd made a few comments over the last few months that had Nico wondering. Nico remembered feeling the same way during the first few years while chasing after Bianca, but for a kid with a home, not even expecting presents…

"That package is from my mum," Ron says, pointing to one. "I have one too. She makes them every year, and mine is always maroon. I can't stand maroon."

Harry unwraps the lumpy package to find an emerald-green sweater featuring a golden "H" in the center. He gently touches the letter. "She made this?"

"Yeah, she makes one for each of us. Congrats, you're officially an honorary Weasley," Ron chuckles. But as Harry feels the wool in silence, Ron's expression shifts to sadness. "Come on! Try it on to see if it fits."

Nico grins when Harry accidentally knocks off his glasses, eager to pull the sweater over his head. He gives a quick thumbs-up to Ron, who beams back, "You too, Nico. Go ahead. That one is yours, right there, and there should also be some fudge."

Nico notices the box at the end of his bed, still wrapped in crinkly brown paper, and smiles as he retrieves it. He laughs as he opens it to reveal bright orange wool. Ron flinches. "Blimey, mate. I thought mine was a terrible color."

"It's perfect," Nico beams, pulling it on. The front showcases a brown letter N, and Nico wraps his arms around himself, feeling the warmth. "It matches the school colors at Delphi's."

"Oh…well, cheers then, mate." Ron blinks in surprise. "Did you get any candy from Hermione, too? I'll swap my mum's fudge for your chocolate frog cards."

"Probably a good idea; we wouldn't want him to scream again. He'd wake the whole tower." Harry replies while taking a bite of his chocolate frog.

"Oh, piss off." Nico throws a ball of wrapping paper at Harry, who catches it effortlessly with one hand. Bloody seeker, Nico thinks with a smirk. "I'd prefer the non-sentient chocolate any day."

"I still can't believe you're afraid of them," Ron chuckles.

"Just for that, I'm keeping all the Morgana cards." 

"Oi! That's harsh, Di Angelo." Ron laughs as he swaps treats with him, and they continue to open their gifts. 

Ron received clothes from one of his uncles, a few books, a new pair of gloves from Nico, who had noticed a hole in his old ones, and candy from Hermione. Harry received a hand-carved wooden flute from Hagrid, a five-cent piece from his aunt and uncle that he gave to Ron, a box of chocolate frogs from Hermione, and a new wizard's chess set from Nico. Nico received a couple of books from Annabeth about Scottish and Irish mythology, a weapon cleaning kit from Leo, a letter with pictures of New Rome from Hazel and Frank, a portable record player from Austin and Kayla, and a vinyl of "Asteri Mou" by Nikos Vertis from Will, which made Nico blush. He also got the cookies from Sally, which he would take to dinner to share with the others. The last two gifts were from Reyna and Percy. He opened Reyna's gift, a long, brown quill soft to the touch, with a note saying it had been made from a feather from her late Pegasus, Scipio. When Nico opened the box from Percy, his hands shook as he picked up the Hades figurine. A note was inside, and he pulled it out while wiping a tear from his face. 

"Nico?" Harry sounded worried. 

Nico unfolded the note. 

'Nico, I found this while I was cleaning for cabin inspections. I know we've had problems in the past, and her death will always be my biggest mistake and regret. Regardless, she wanted you to have this. I've held onto it since the Labyrinth, hoping to return it to you one day. I remember you burned your old cards and the other figurines, so Mom, Paul, and I have been searching online, and we've located most of the Olympians. 

I'm sorry. Percy.'

"What is it? Are you alright?" Ron gets out of bed and approaches Harry, who is only a step behind. Nico sniffed, folded the note, and tucked it under himself to prevent them from reading it. Then, he picked up the miniature of his father again. Percy had cleaned it up, but some of its robes were melted, and Cerberus was discolored. It looked exactly as it had the last time he'd seen it. 

Nico wiped his eyes again. "I'm fine."  

"I don't think you are, mate. What the hell is that?" Ron glared at the figurine as if it had personally offended him.  

"It's from a game I used to play as a kid." Nico ran his thumb over the miniature's hair. The little grooves had been worn smooth from all the times he'd done this before. "This was the last one I didn't have. My older sister, Bianca, got this for me. She got caught up in an attack right after—this was all I had left of her. I thought I lost it when I became homeless. Percy found it along with the rest of the cards and stuff."  

"I'm sorry, mate." Ron sat on one side of Nico, with Harry on the other, while Nico rubbed the figure's worn head.  

"When did she die?" Harry whispered.  

Nico's breath hitched. "I don't know. Just that it was right before Christmas." 

Harry and Ron embrace Nico as he bends over the box, tears streaming from his eyes, their hearts aching for him. After a few moments, he gathers himself and sifts through the rest of the box, revealing cards to the other boys. Ron chuckles at a picture of a Minotaur in white underwear, while Harry admires a figurine of Dionysus, telling them he thought that the jaguar was cool.  

"Oi, Harry, you still have a present." Ron stands and retrieves the package from the floor.  

Harry opens it, and Nico glances over his shoulder at the patterned fabric. He frowns; there was serious magic coming from it. Harry holds it up for the others to see. "What is it?"  

"Looks like a cloak." Ron pops open a chocolate frog, catching the chocolate as Nico jumps, prompting him to toss his pillow at Ron. Ron ducks with a laugh, checking the card he received.  

"Are you going to try it on?" Nico asks, putting the box of fudge from Mrs. Weasley aside and getting out his camera. "Smile, Harry."  

Harry rolls his eyes and drapes the cloak around his shoulders; the air around him shimmers as the fabric envelopes him, making him disappear. Nico drops the camera.

"Merlin's bloody beard!" Ron exclaims, astonished. "That's an invisibility cloak!"

"My body—" Harry stared wide-eyed at the space below his head. He opens the cloak and breathes more easily as his body becomes visible, then lets it fall closed again.

"Holy shit." Nico poked at the space where Harry had been standing. He was still there. "Who the hell sent you that?"

"If it's real, then it must have been expensive. They're really rare." Ron stood up and grabbed the wrapping, searching it for a name. "There's a note! 'Your father left this in my possession before he died. I believe it's time to return this to you. Use it well.' It's not signed or anything."

"This was my dad's?" Harry pulled the cloak off, simply holding it. 

"Yeah. That's what it says, at least. Here." Ron hands him the note.

"I don't recognize the handwriting," Harry mumbles.

"I'd put it somewhere safe." Harry looks up at Nico as the boy stands and feels the material between his fingers. The air shimmers like a mirage, but Harry remains see-through. "That's a real invisibility cloak and a powerful one at that. You don't want anyone knowing you have it and trying to steal it, or one of the professors taking it from you." 

"He's right. If Filch sees that, you'll never get it back." Ron frowns. "How can you tell it's real? They can make pretty convincing fakes from Demiguise hair."  

"Annabeth had something similar: a hat that made you invisible when you put it on." Nico drops the fabric. "My father has one, too. They're powerful; you can feel the magic radiating off them if you're sensitive enough. This feels similar. It's real, which means it's dangerous for people to be aware of it. It's better to hide it." 

Harry nods and goes to put it in his trunk, tucking the note away as well. He closes it just as Fred and George come bursting into their room. "Merry Christmas!" 

"Look at that, Fred! Nico and Harry got family jumpers as well!" George beams. He and Fred are wearing matching blue sweaters, with a yellow "G" on one and a yellow "F" on the other. 

"Come on, Ron, you have to wear yours too! Put it on!" Fred chuckles. 

"Fine!" Ron groans as he goes to put it on. Nico notices him give a small smile while he straightens it before turning around with an exaggerated huff. Percy stops by to ensure they're all awake, and the twins follow him to tease him into wearing his sweater too. The three of them get dressed and tidy up the room, with Nico putting all his things back in the box to carry to his dorm. He places the Hades figurine in his pocket. 

Nico spends his day showing Ron and Harry how to play Myth-O-Magic while Ron fills them in on the history of the wizard featured on each new chocolate frog card he opens for his collection. He offers any duplicates to Harry or Nico, and in return, Harry presents Ron with a rare card of a French witch, which makes Ron very happy. The Great Hall is adorned with full Yuletide decorations, with all but one of the long tables removed. The brazier has been relocated to the end of the table nearest the double doors, where Nico and his friends are seated. 

"I remember you saying that your family performs a ritual of burning food for your gods," Harry says, tilting his head as he observes Nico pushing a plate of food into the fire. "But what exactly does that accomplish?" 

"It's a practice to honor our ancestors and the deities our families worship," Nico explains, catching Ron's attention. "Burning food is a modern substitute for animal sacrifices on an altar or something similar. We offer food, and in return, they bless us with their gifts."

"What do they gain from burnt food?" Ron asks. "It hardly smells pleasant, and they can't even eat it."  

"Come here." Nico sets his camera aside, next to Fred, and stands up, grabbing a roll and a chicken leg. Ron and Harry position themselves around the brazier, flanking Nico. "Typically, offerings are burned for the gods to share unless you specify a particular deity. I've already burned the communal plate, so I'll dedicate this one to Hecate, the goddess of magic. When performing this ritual, be cautious about the amount you add. They might see it as an insult if you only toss in one roll for all the gods, and giving too much food from a single person may come across as a bribe, which could offend them as well."  

Nico notices that the entire table is watching them, but he ignores it, even as the twins grab Percy, who stands up as if to intervene. Nico throws the food in his hands into the flames. "Now, both of you lean in and see what you smell in the smoke."

Harry goes first, leaning in until he can feel the heat from the fire on his face, and then he sniffs. His eyes widened. "I smell pizza! And fresh bread, and…and strawberries!"

Ron looks intrigued, then leans forward and does the same. His jaw drops. "It smells like my mum's fish and chips!"

Nico chuckles but grabs the back of their robes to pull them away. "Don't inhale anymore. The smoke is the offering, and you don't want to anger them by stealing it." 

"Why does it do that?" Harry is still looking at the fire in wonder. 

"It's similar to gum. It's a tool for them to manage their hunger, though it lacks nutritional value," Nico explains. "While the gods can consume mortal food, they cannot thrive on it; like someone who eats only plain rice every day would eventually starve. For them, much of their food is tasteless, so what truly matters is the intention behind the offering. They derive satisfaction from our offerings' aroma and imagined flavor." 

"Wow." Harry looks up at Nico. "Would...would they be offended if I made them an offering?" 

"No." Nico smiles warmly. "Honestly, I believe they would appreciate the extra food. Gods thrive on worship and have been losing followers for centuries. My family does its best to maintain their strength, but there are so few of us. They can't afford to be choosy, in my opinion." 

"Can you show me how?" Harry beams as Nico nods, guiding him to prepare a plate for his offering. Ron follows suit.

"You scrape all the food into the fire and say that the offerings are for the gods, so they know to take it," Nico tells Harry. "You don't want to offend anyone by dedicating the first offering to just one of them."  

"I burn this food for the gods," Harry says as he pushes the food into the fire. The flames leap, turning green, and Harry scrambles backward. McGonagall stands as if to put out the fire when it returns to its normal height and color. Harry turns to Nico. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Nope." Nico laughs, giving the boy a pat on the shoulder. "The gods accepted your offering. Good job, Harry. Now it's Ron's turn, and if you want, you two can add another offering to a specific deity afterward."

Ron mimics Harry's actions, using the same words, so he is ready for the fire to grow and turn green. He beams as Nico congratulates him. Harry sits back down to start fixing his plate of food, but Ron reaches out to grab one of the blue melomakarona cookies. "Can I offer this?"

"Yeah, go ahead." Nico waves at the fire. 

"Hecate is the Greek goddess of magic, right? How do I offer it to her in Greek?" Ron hesitates. Nico blinks, then stands beside Ron, holding the cookie over the fire. 

"Repeat after me, Prosfero." He says the Greek word slowly. 

“Pros-fair-oh.”

"Fagitó."

“Fa-he-toes.” 

"Stin kardiá sou."

"Stin car-dee-ah sue."

"Ekáti."

“Ee-car-tea.” Ron repeated the words just as slowly, making sure he pronounced each one as closely as possible. 

Nico smiles. "Good enough, since it is your first time speaking Greek. Just say that and then drop the cookie into the flames."

"What does it mean?" Harry asks.

"I offer food to your hearth, Hecate," Nico tells them. "It's a bit old-fashioned and extremely formal and polite."

Ron takes a deep breath. "Prosfero fagito stin kardia sou, Ekati."

He drops the cookie into the fire, and this time, he jumps back as the flames turn dark purple, almost black, and embers soar high into the air. Nico grabs Ron and holds him in place. He watches the embers take the shape of a dog and then charge toward them. Nico murmurs to the boy at his side, "Don't move away from it, no matter what." 

Ron stands frozen as the smoke and embers circle him, slowly getting closer as they rise. It makes one lap around Ron's head before dissolving. Ron breathes a sigh of relief as the flames turn orange. "What the bloody hell was that?"

Nico laughs, pulling Ron into a side hug while rubbing the embers from his hair. "That, little king, was a goddess's blessing! Di immortales! I've never seen one before; she must have liked your offering!"

"Excellent work, Mr. Weasley." They startle at Dumbledore's voice from the table's far end. The older man observes them with a playful sparkle in his eye. "Truly excellent. However, I believe our feast is intended for enjoyment, not for wasting. Let us eat."

"I wouldn't consider taking part in one of my family's religious customs a waste, sir, but if it bothers you all, we'll stop making offerings." Nico bows his head slightly and pulls Ron to his seat, where the boy gazes at the flames with wide-eyed wonder. Ignoring Dumbledore's disapproving glance, Nico puts food on his plate. Percy reaches out to check for any embers in Ron's hair while Fred and George praise him by clasping his shoulders before returning to their meals. Fred hands Nico his camera and a stack of pictures. Nico nudges Ron, who jerks as if waking from a daydream, and together, they begin to eat dinner.

"Was that really a blessing from a god?" Harry asks Nico.

"Yeah, as far as I can tell," Nico says. "The black dog is one of Hecate's sacred animals, alongside the polecat and serpents."

"She blessed me? With what? And why?" Ron stares at his plate, bewildered.

"The gods don't always explain their actions," Nico says, giving Ron's shoulder a reassuring pat. "But if I had to guess, it's been ages since a wizard has made an offering to her, and she's likely trying to inspire you to continue."

"That's right!" Harry exclaims. "You mentioned that your family believes Hecate is the source of a wizard's magic."

"Oh." Ron gazes at the flames, captivated. Nico taps his wand against the brazier, causing the fire to vanish. Ron blinks and then returns his attention to Nico.

"Not too much," Nico cautions, nudging a glass of pumpkin juice closer to his plate. Ron takes it, suddenly feeling parched. The remainder of dinner proceeds as normal, even as it transforms into a party.  

Nico snaps a picture of the hall, adorned with trees and snow tumbling from the ceiling, which disappears before it can touch anyone. The Weasleys and Harry wave at him while other students and professors watch in confusion. Nico captures a shot of McGonagall laughing after receiving a kiss on the cheek from a tipsy Hagrid, and one of Dumbledore talking to Flitwick while sporting a floral bonnet. Both moments made enduring Snape's side-eye all night worthwhile. George grabs the camera from him this time and takes pictures of Nico with Harry and Ron opening Christmas crackers, laughing when Nico and Harry jump at the loud bang and the gifts that spill out. He also captures a moment when Nico shows McGonagall and Flitwick a book from his cracker, getting them to explain the charms that allow it to do that. Nico goes through the pictures that Fred took of Nico demonstrating to Harry and Ron how to make offerings, and Nico blushes at his slack-jawed expression when the dog circles them.

It was late when they finally managed to head to their dorms for bed, and Nico took his box of gifts down into the dungeons. It was time to call home and check in with everyone. He leaves the gifts on his bed and grabs the prism, sunlamp, and a drachma. He sets it up in his dorm instead of carrying everything into the bathroom since Draco has gone home. With a wave of his wand, he places a silencing charm on the room so he doesn't have to deal with others trying to come in because of the noise.

"Iris, please accept my offer and show me Camp Half-Blood." Nico tosses the gold coin into the rainbow, and with a shimmer, the dining pavilion comes into focus. "Chiron?"

The room erupts with cheers as he sees the campers enjoying their dinner. His grin widened as he spotted Hazel, Thalia, Reyna, and Frank sitting at the Poseidon table alongside Percy. "Hey, guys! Happy Yule."

"Nico!" Hazel stands up and waves, and Nico's heart aches to pull his sister into his arms. He missed her.

"Well, well. Look who finally showed up!" Thalia exclaims, "I've been waiting all day to see you, Corpse Breath."

"Well, I've been waiting three months to see you, Pinecone Face, so I win." Nico smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Oh my gods." Thalia breaks into a grin. "Your accent! You're developing a proper posh accent!"  

"His shirt isn't black!" Connor Stoll calls out.

"It's orange! Aw, Neeks, did you miss us?" Travis laughs. 

Nico flips them off in response to the comment, and most of the older kids laugh. He pulls the sweater closer with a sad smile. "Yeah, yeah, I do." 

"We miss you too, asteri mou." Will calls over the murmurs of the campers, causing a few of the Aphrodite kids to let out a soft 'aw.'  

"How was your day? Fill me in on everything." Nico gets comfortable, listening as everyone shares their recent activities. Most campers depart after the meal, leaving only those eager to chat with Nico in the pavilion. As they greet him again, Nico expresses gratitude for each person's gifts. Dominic was interested in the chocolate frogs when Nico described the various gifts he received from others. 

"Oh yeah, Leo." Nico was sifting through the chocolate frog cards, looking for duplicates he could send home to Dominic. "I ordered a few used brooms and a Quidditch training kit for when I return. I'll grab them before I leave this year so we can play next week. You've been studying 'Quidditch Throughout the Ages' and the book on broomsticks, right?"  

"Oh, hell yeah!" Leo pumps his fist in the air in celebration.  

"Here he is, Albus Dumbledore," Nico says, turning it over—the portrait of the Headmaster was empty—and he begins reading the back. "Current Headmaster of Hogwarts…defeated some guy named Grindelwald in 1945—huh, around the same time I was displaced…uh, discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood…OH SHIT!"

"What?" Will sits up straighter. "What is it?"

"He's famous for his research with his partner, the alchemist Nicolas Flamel," Nico reads from the card. "I knew he sounded familiar."

"The alchemist! Oh, that motherfucker!" Lou smacks her forehead. "He's known even to mortals."

"Seriously?" Nico blinks.

Annabeth nods. "He was a French novelist in the 16th century and was infamous for trying to find the Elixir of Life."

"He kind of did," Lou tells them. "It's a potion that grants extended life to the drinker by slowing their aging process. It's a common theory among my siblings that he uses the ichor from the blood of creatures in our world to make it. Or demigod blood. It's not true immortality, but for the period, living to be over two hundred with a life expectancy in their forties or fifties would be considered immortal. He also made a sorcerer's stone that carries the curse of Midas." 

"What stone?" Leo asks 

"A sorcerer's stone is an uncut gem or rough metal that the Wix people used to channel large amounts of magic," Lou explains. "Typically, it's a stone that multiple generations of wizards from a family or coven would use either to manifest something they needed or to protect their family grimoires, homes, and places of worship. It's similar to a touchstone or a wardstone, but serves one specific purpose. We have a sorcerer's stone in the Hecate cabin that provides distilled water for our potions." 

"The Flamel family's sorcerer's stone was famously known as the Philosopher's Stone," Annabeth tells him. "It can turn things into gold." 

Nico nods, picking up his notebook and pen from the side table and jotting everything down. "I'll give them the basics, and hopefully, they'll chill out trying to find who he is before the next Quidditch game. Thanks, guys."

"You're not playing in that weather, are you?" Will frowns.

"No, Quidditch will resume after the holidays when it gets warmer," Nico reassures him. "And I'm a first-year student; we can't be on the teams unless we're given special treatment like Harry was."

"What is Quidditch?" Renya asks.

While Leo tells them about the wizard game, Will, Percy, and Annabeth get closer to the message. Percy smiles at him. "How have you been this month, Nico?"  

"Good," Nico replies, pulling his knees to his chest. "I told Harry and Ron that Will and I are dating, and they didn't hate me. Can you believe that?"  

"They better not," Percy mumbles under his breath.  

"That's amazing, Nico," Will says over his cousin, and Nico laughs. Will's eyes soften as he smiles at him. "I'm so proud of you, asteri mou. I love you."  

"I love you too, ilios mou," Nico whispers. "I'm proud of myself."

"Damn it, Neeks, I'm going to hug the hell out of you in a few days," Percy tells him. "This is awesome news."

Nico reaches into his pocket and pulls out the Hades figurine, holding it up. Percy's eyes flicker when he sees it, and Nico runs his fingers over the smooth hair. "I can't believe you kept it. The last time I remember seeing this was on Geryon's farm. I threw it at you after Bianca's ghost came to talk to us. I've always wondered what happened to it."

"I kept it," Percy replies. "It was important to you. And to her."

"Thank you," Nico whispers.

"Of course, Nico." Percy smiles.

"I missed the bead ceremony, didn't I?" Nico asks, changing the subject. "I knew it was scheduled for late July, but I wasn't certain if it was the final week." 

"Yeah, it was tonight," Will replies.

"Oh." Nico plays with the figurine. "Man, I was excited about earning my first camp bead." 

"Actually, it's your fifth bead." Annabeth chuckles. She pulls out a chain necklace from her pocket and holds it up. Attached to the little links are the beads, making it resemble a charm bracelet. The first bead is white, featuring Thalia's pine tree and the golden fleece. The second is red, displaying the letter Delta and a maze-like design in silver. The third is blue, showcasing the Empire State Building outlined in black, with the names of everyone who died in the Titan war etched in gold and silver. The fourth is split into two colors: purple with an orange trident and a black pegasus, and orange with a purple lightning bolt and black laurel leaves. The fifth and newest one is yellow, with a green snake wrapped around a black bow.

"You...but those can't be mine." Nico sits up and leans closer to the message. "I wasn't at camp during those years."  

Annabeth shakes her head. "Camp will always be your home, Nico. Of course, you have beads. I made sure of it."  

He swallows the lump in his throat. "Thank you. Can you hold onto them for me for a few more days?"  

"Of course." She smiles and puts the necklace back in her pocket.  

Nico wipes his face to dispel the stinging in his eyes before the first tear can fall. He laughs. "Fuck you guys. I've cried more in the last year than my entire life."  

"We love you too, kiddo," Percy tells him, wrapping an arm around Annabeth's waist.  

"Wha—I'm older than you! I'm older than all of you!"  

"Oh, whatever, old man." Thalia grins as the others rejoin the conversation. "You're the baby of the family, and you know it."  

"Estelle is the baby of the family," Nico pouts as they all laugh at him. "Or my eight children running around terrorizing you guys. Where are the Puffs, anyway?"

"Kayla and Austin are babysitting for me." Will grins.

"Yeah, let's talk about that. I go hunting for a few months with my half-sister and come back to you having a boyfriend and being a teen father?" Thalia laughs. "What the Hades, Neeks?"

It feels nice to talk to his friends again. They chatted until the sunlamp started to die, and Nico switched it for another, then the third when that one also died. When the last one gave a final warning, Chiron returned, urging the campers to go to their respective cabins for the night. Nico lay in his bunk, playing the vinyl Will had gotten him, the Dumbledore card in hand. He couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron tomorrow.

Chapter Text

"Nico, over here!" Harry calls out to Nico from their table the next morning. Ron hands him a plate of food he had prepared earlier, along with a second plate for himself. Nico nods in appreciation and ignites the brazier with a simple wave of his wand.  

"That was wordless magic," Ron exclaims, impressed. "Brilliant!"  

Nico makes his offering and yawns, observing Ron as he prepares to take his turn, softly reciting the Greek chant he learned the night before. Nico grins when the fire flickers purple again, and Ron beams with delight before sitting down to enjoy his meal. Harry waits until they have made some progress with their meal before blurting out, "Nico, we discovered something last night!"  

Nico takes a sip of water and replies, "So did I. What did you guys find?" 

"Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I took my dad's cloak and went to the library to see if I could get into the restricted section," Harry told him. Nico glanced around to see if anyone was listening, but the only people at the table were a couple of seventh-years and Percy, all far enough away that they wouldn't overhear. He turned back to Harry to continue. "It was easy to get inside, but the books were eerie. One that I tried to look through started screaming, and Filch almost caught me."

"You didn't tell me that," Ron frowns.  

"I'm sorry, Ron; it completely slipped my mind. I was more focused on what happened afterward," Harry shrugs. "I saw Snape cornering Professor Quirrell. He said they would have another talk once Quirrell knew where his loyalties stood. Then Filch appeared, and they all started searching for me. I hid in one of the unused classrooms and discovered a magic mirror."  

"A magic mirror?" Nico echoes. "Okay. How was it magic?"

Harry looks down at his plate. "I saw some people in it, and the man beside me looked like me. They all did. Except for the woman right at the front, she looked like my Aunt Petunia, with red hair instead of blonde. It had to be my parents."

"He woke me up and dragged me down to see them," Ron tells Nico. "I only saw myself, older, as Quidditch captain and Head Boy. We're not sure what to make of it."  

"Is that the first time you've ever seen them? You're family?" Nico tried to catch the boy's gaze, but Harry remained focused on his plate. He nods. "I'm sorry, Harry."  

"We could check if you can see yours?" Ron suggests. 

Nico declines, shaking his head. "No, I…seeing Bianca would sting, and my memories of my mom are faint. I just saw Hazel last night, and my dad? I haven't seen him since right before school started. I really don't need to see my family."

"Is he not answering when you call home?" Ron asks, frowning. "You've been calling every few weeks for the past four months, and he's never picked up?"

"Ron," Nico turns to face his friend. "I call my school monthly, not my dad's house. My school is in New York, and my dad lives in California. I don't expect him to be there when I call; if he were, I'd worry."

"Oh." Ron shifted in his seat. "Still..."  

"It's fine. What else happened?" Nico turned back to Harry.  

"Nothing much; we went back to bed," Harry shrugged. "I still couldn't find anything on Flamel."  

"Which brings me to my news, right?" Nico smirked as they glanced up, pulling the Dumbledore chocolate frog card from his pocket. "So, Ron, how many of these do you think you have?"

"Hundreds," Ron replies, visibly confused.

"And have you read them all?" Nico asks.

"Of course I have. Enough that I could probably quote any of them from memory." Ron rolls his eyes. "I've been collecting them for years."

"Is that so?" Nico asks as he turns the card over. "So, you know a misprinted card can be very valuable, right?" 

"It depends on the type of misprint," Ron said, glancing at the card in Nico's hand. 

"Well then, I'm going to read this, and you tell me if it's a misprint." Nico's grin was smug. " Albus Dumbledore, the current Headmaster of Hogwarts. Many consider him the greatest wizard of modern times. Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for defeating the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work in alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel– "  

Nico leans away from Ron with a laugh as the boy lunges for the card. " —Professor Dumbledore enjoys —ow!— chamber music and ten-pin bowling. Jesus, Ron, your elbows hurt!" 

"You found him!" Harry hisses excitedly. 

"How could I not have remembered that?" Ron frowns as he reads the card. "I've been looking at these cards my whole life and have hundreds of Dumbledore's. How did I miss this?" 

"When you read the same thing repeatedly, it can become background knowledge," Nico tells him. "Like you said, you've read hundreds of cards. You were the only one of us who knew the name, even if you couldn't remember where you saw it. Can you imagine how difficult our search might have been if you didn't know it?" 

"Nico's right. We might never have found it if you hadn't remembered that it was a famous name," Harry acknowledges. "So, how did you figure it out?"  

"I called my school last night to wish them a Happy Yule and Merry Christmas," Nico tells them, pulling out his notebook. "I was showing Dominic the cards and just happened to read it. They recognized the name when I mentioned he was involved with alchemy. He was a French author in the 16th century and wrote novels that even Muggles know about."  

"Muggles know about him?" Ron's eyes widen.  

"Yeah, he's infamous for trying to find a way to achieve immortality." Nico glances towards the door as more students enter, then lowers his voice. "He has a special sorcerer's stone—that's like a touchstone or a wardstone, Harry—that Annabeth calls the Philosopher's Stone, which contains something similar to the curse of Midas."  

"The old Greek king who could turn anything to gold?" Harry asks. When Nico nods, his jaw drops. "There's a rock that can turn stuff into gold?"

"No." Nico laughs. "When they say 'stone,' they mean something like a gemstone, not just a rock. Technically, you're correct; gemstones can be considered rocks, but not all rocks are gemstones, if you know what I mean."

"Nope." Ron grins. "So it's like a diamond that can turn things into gold."

"A ruby," Nico clarified. "It's also used to create a potion that extends a person's lifespan. The Elixir of Life."

"The Elixir of Life?" Ron and Harry exchange glances.

"Yep. Nicolas Flamel is almost seven hundred years old." 

"Holy crap." Harry gapes at Nico. "No wonder we couldn't find him in the recent history books."  

"This is brilliant, but what does that have to do with anything?" Ron frowns as he takes another bite of his food. 

"Well, what do we know? It starts with Hagrid taking something out of the vault at Gringotts on my birthday, and later, that vault was broken into," Harry reminds them. 

"Dumbledore told everyone to stay away from the third-floor corridor of the Dark Tower, and that floor wasn't off-limits last year; I asked a few older kids. Hagrid mentioned he has only had the cerberus for a year, meaning Fluffy could only have been moved there over the summer," Nico adds. 

"The vault was broken into, and suddenly, a giant dog was locked in the school. Areas of the school were blocked off, and no one was allowed to enter." Ron scratches his nose and then blinks. "Hagrid said the only place safer than Gringotts is Hogwarts. Are you suggesting that's what the dog is guarding? A ruby that can turn things into gold and grant someone immortality?" 

"It's not true immortality; mortals can't cheat death like that. But given what we know, I'd say it's the most likely theory." Nico finishes his food and refills his water. "Now that we know who Flamel is, what's our next step? It won't be easy to get past the dog. And even if we did find the stone, what would we do with it? Hide it in one of our sock drawers?" 

"Mortals?" Ron frowns at Nico. 

The two boys take a moment to think it over while Nico finishes his water. Nico feels a pulse of magic, tilting his head as he recognizes the dark pressure. Harry sits in front of him, and he's already become so accustomed to the low level of dark energy emanating from his scar that it barely registers. This is something different. He reaches out with his magic to sense the presence and ignores some wizards' shivering as it washes over them. One of the professors, a woman with large glasses and clouded eyes, jerks as she feels it and drops her goblet onto the table. Nico can sense her eyes focusing on him, but he ignores it. There. Nico recognizes two magic signatures approaching the Great Hall. He frowns; what are Quirrell and Snape doing out there? 

"Ron, Harry, I'll catch you later, okay?" Nico stands up and begins collecting his notes. The two boys watch him cautiously. 

"What's happening?" Harry asks. "Do you want us to come with you?"

"While lions may travel in groups and favor an ambush approach, snakes prefer stealth and solitude," Nico smirks at them before turning and heading for the door. 

"What does that even mean?" Ron groans, getting up and following Nico with Harry behind him. They encounter Quirrell just as he enters the room. Nico's eyes narrow as he observes the man navigating around them in a wide arc. No, around Harry, Nico realizes as the man's cloak brushes against Ron's shoulder. The pulse of magic feels stronger, as if Nico had just finished sitting through one of Quirrell's Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons.

"Might I ask where you three are hurrying off to this morning?" a voice calls, bringing his attention back to the doorway, where Snape stands. The man raises an eyebrow at Nico's expression, his eyes darting up to follow the boy's gaze toward Quirrell's seat. 

"We were on our way to the Beast room, sir. I planned to practice with my sword while they read aloud and quizzed me for our Herbology test after the New Year," Nico tells him, holding up a textbook and his notes to show the professor. "I find it easier to concentrate when my hands are occupied." 

"I see," Snape huffs when he realizes all of the notes are in Greek. "These two are not permitted to handle weapons, Di Angelo."

"No, sir, they are not. This is why they read to me while I am practicing." Nico does not gaze towards the other two as he lies to the teacher. They remain silent as well. "Professor McGonagall indicated that you and Headmaster Dumbledore consented to my moving upstairs due to the cold conditions of my dorm room. I want to thank you for that, sir. However, I was unaware that certain classes, such as Care for Magical Creatures, are age-restricted. I have been reviewing other courses that Hogwarts offers for students in the future. I wanted to ask why some of them are designated as a class only when specific criteria are fulfilled, rather than being categorized as a standard NEWT class, and why—"

Ron and Harry struggled to maintain their neutral expressions as Nico began speaking, even when Snape's eyebrows appeared to retreat to his hairline. Nico started listing several classes and inquired about their criteria, the maximum number of courses a student could enroll in, and certain class expectations. 

"—I figured you'd know more about the subject as the potions professor. I believe if you used Transfiguration or Alchemy on specific ingredients, it would alter the entire structure of the potion you were trying to create—hey, Snape, have you ever used transfigured potion ingredients while making—"  

"Mr. Di Angelo, could you get to the point sometime today?" Snape crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.

"I apologize, sir. I find it intriguing, and there aren't many alchemy books in the library, so I thought I might ask you about it." Nico pretends to be sheepish, scratching his head to hide the snap as he attempts to see if the Mist could persuade Snape to stop probing into the questions he had posed. He was uncertain if the Mist would even have any effect on wizards. The snap echoes around them, but all three of the wizards seem to be oblivious to it.

"There are plenty. Give that to me." Snape takes the notebook and pen that Nico hands him with a sneer, but flips to a new page and begins writing something down. "After you've read them and found answers to your initial questions, we can proceed with this discussion. Excuse me; some people have more pressing matters to attend to than listening to a first-year's idle talk." 

Snape sweeps past them and joins the other teachers at the table while Nico drags Ron and Harry out of the hall and down the corridor toward the classroom. Ron scowls at the door. "Bloody git has better things to do, doesn't he? As if." 

"What was that all about?" Harry sits at one of the desks, and Ron sits beside him. "Were you genuinely interested in those classes or just buying time?"

"What would you be stalling for?" Ron frowns. "And what were you talking about with the lions and snakes?"

"I am interested in those classes because I plan to become a professor. And this is what I was stalling for." Nico raises the notebook, displaying a page filled with book titles and a signature. The Mist did affect wizards, he mused with quiet satisfaction. "A signed note for the restricted section of the library. You're welcome. Regarding the animals, I was talking about hunting styles. Lions hunt in groups called a 'pride' and chase their prey into an ambush, while snakes are usually solitary hunters that hide and wait for their prey to approach before striking."

"So that's what this was? Hunting?" Harry examines the paper, scanning the list of books. 

"What I just did with Snape was gather information using Slytherin tactics. Just like when you guys were trying to get Hagrid to tell you about Flamel, that was information gathering using Gryffindor tactics." Nico smirks as he sets up the training post. "Ambush versus stealth. Hagrid knew what you were up to and got overwhelmed with all four of us asking questions, which made him let information slip. Snape could only guess my intentions while I led that conversation, and later, he'll wonder why I asked those specific questions. He might start keeping a closer eye on us, but he won't be able to connect what just happened in the Great Hall with us researching Flamel until it's too late to stop us." 

"Your mind is a scary place, Nico," Ron says, glancing at the list. "We can use these books to find more information on Nicolas Flamel and the stone. I doubt the permission slip will last until Hermione returns next week, but nothing says that only you are allowed there. This means that if all three of us are looking, we might be able to uncover something relevant."

"Exactly. And Madam Pince already knows I'm dyslexic, so you coming in to help me read is excusable." Nico nods as he grabs one of the practice swords. "Now, you two will need to read the Herbology textbook out loud while I practice because Snape might come barging in to make sure we're doing what we said we would when he finally realizes what I just did." 

Ron and Harry nod. Harry rips the paper with Snape's signature out of the notebook and shoves it into his bag. They settle at the desk with their textbooks and parchment, taking notes as they take turns reading to Nico. Just as the older boy had said, Snape slams the door open within half an hour as if trying to catch them with swords in their hands. 

"—can be used to treat most respiratory infection symptoms—hello, Professor Snape." Ron stops reading as the man enters the room. Harry continues taking notes on his sheet of parchment while Nico practices footfall drills with one of the wooden swords. 

"Elecampane root, also known as elfdock. Can we help you, sir?" Nico doesn't look up. Snape gives them all a quick once-over, goes over to flip through the notebook while glancing at the notes on the table, and then exits with a swish of his cape. Nico waits until the door snaps shut to turn to the two boys, who are watching the door with wide eyes. He winks at them. "Told you. Good thinking, Harry."

Nico returns to working through the steps as Ron and Harry laugh. 

"Well, maybe Nico can tell us who's right."

"Hermione." Nico doesn't look up from the book he's reading as the two Gryffindors enter the library. He's been reading the books Snape recommended from the restricted section, and while he's learned quite a bit about alchemy, he's only found vague mentions of Nicolas Flamel in the text. The man mostly stayed out of the spotlight. He writes down another question he has about plant oils and looks up at his friends. "Whatever you two are arguing about is wrong if Hermione wouldn't approve."

"Which means I'm right," Ron smirks as he sits at the table.

"Why is Hermione the one who decides what's right?" Harry scowls, sinking into his chair with a huff.

"Because among the four of us, Hermione is the one who would read the wizard law books for fun," Nico raises an eyebrow. "If she says no, it's because she's already done the research, found the loopholes, and determined that it isn't worth it or too dangerous."

"Yeah, okay." Harry sighed and picked up one of the books to open it. 

"So what's this about?" Nico asks. 

"Harry has been going down to see that mirror again," Ron whispers. Harry shoots him a glare. "I'm telling you, mate, to forget the damn thing. It's dangerous, and your obsession with it scares me. You turned down playing Quidditch yesterday because you were thinking about that stupid mirror." 

"Harry—" 

"I don't need a lecture from you guys, too," Harry interrupts.

Nico sits up straighter, sliding a spare piece of paper between the pages before closing the book he was reading. "Harry, you said it was a magic mirror that showed you your parents—your family. Something you want more than anything in the world. In all the stories you heard about magic while you lived with the Muggles, how often were magic items that people obsessed over considered safe for them to be around?"

Harry avoids meeting his gaze. Nico leans in closer until he finally catches his eye. "I know what it's like to desire something like that, to miss a family that's gone. But trust me, it's not worth this downward spiral. You could stand before that mirror until you're old and gray; it won't bring them back. And even then, you wouldn't be able to talk to them. To learn from them. I don't think you should go back and see it again. We'll figure out another way for you to connect with your parents."

"You sound like Dumbledore," Harry mumbles. "How can I see them? My aunt has no pictures of my mum at the house, and I don't think she even stayed in touch when mum married my dad."  

"There are around fifty kids in our year alone and almost five hundred in the school right now," Nico tells him. "There must be some old classmates who graduated from Hogwarts when your parents were students and survived the war. We can write to some of them, and they can tell you about what it was like growing up with James and Lily; some might even have pictures of them still. We can start by asking McGonagall since she would have also been their Head of House."

"Do you think she'd tell us?" Harry looked so hopeful that Nico might have resorted to making threats to make it happen. He remembered that, at that age, he had an all-consuming desire to learn everything about his mom. He'd even betrayed his cousin to his father during a war to find out what her name was.  

"I think so. And Hagrid, too. He was the one who told you about them in the first place," Ron adds. "What did you mean that Nico sounded like Dumbledore? Did you get caught last night?"  

"Um, yeah," Harry grins sheepishly, scratching his head and messing up his hair. "I did, but I didn't get in trouble. He mentioned the mirror would be relocated this morning, so it's probably already gone. He said that it's unhealthy to fixate on dreams. I swear I won't try to find it." 

"Good." Nico grins. "Come on, let's put these books away and head downstairs. The train arrives soon, so we can hang out with Hagrid until he sends the carriages to pick everyone up. We can ask him what he knows about your parents and if any of their friends are still in touch."

Harry is eager to help put the books away, and Ron thanks Nico before grabbing a stack of them. Madam Pince watches them as they head back to the restricted section, and Nico ensures he stops by her desk so she can review the books. She nods but doesn't return the permission slip, so they leave without it. 

"So the slips only last a week," Nico hums as they make their way toward the Dark Tower to cut across to the Astronomy Tower and go up to the third floor. "Unless the teachers add a timestamp, I guess. Otherwise, you'd need multiple slips for projects or research papers."  

"So what does that mean?" Ron asks. They cross the bridge to the Ravenclaw Tower and head for the main staircase. "Did you find out more about Flamel?"

"He's important in the field, and there are a few references to his early work, but no one writes about his research now. He kept most of his work close to his chest so that no one could replicate his findings and create their own Philosopher's Stone," Nico tells them as they start to descend to the ground floor.

"So we have nothing," Harry sighs.

"We've got more than Hermione thought we would," Nico's grin widens as they reach the Entrance Hall.

"Well, that's good news then," Hermione smiles up at them from the bottom of the steps while the other kids entering the hall from the train move around them. He must have been in the library longer than he thought.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron exclaim as they rush down the stairs to greet her. Nico follows them after taking a picture. He watches them laugh as Harry slips on one of the steps, with Hermione catching him in a hug that he returns. It reminds him of how Will always fell on the grass in his flip-flops when he came down Half-Blood Hill to greet Austin, Kayla, and Cecil during the summer. Or how Tyson would run to Percy when he saw him, always welcomed with open arms. Harry might want to see his deceased parents, but he has friends, and if he continues to get closer to them, Nico can easily envision him creating his own family. In that regard, he is the same as his kind; family is what you choose for yourself.

"It's great to see you, Nico." Hermione hugs him as he joins them, and he stiffens slightly. When he feels her starting to pull away, he wraps his arms around her. 

"Your hands are freezing," he reassures her, one hand coming up to ruffle her hair. She relaxes into the hug and then releases him. "Come on, we're heading down to Hagrid's, but I think we should take a quick detour to your room to drop off your stuff." 

"We just walked down all those stairs," Ron groans. He was already lifting Hermione's bag off her shoulder while Harry caught her trunk. They snickered as they dashed up the stairs, with Hermione at their heels, insisting she could carry her things. Nico climbed up after them, and they paused to wait for him to reach the top before Ron hoisted his bag onto his shoulder.

"I'm not carrying you up all those stairs, mate," Ron smirks. "Where's your cane?"  

"What?" Nico pants.  

"You're favoring your left leg. Where's your cane?" Nico blinks at the redhead, then takes the folding cane from his belt and opens it up to strap it to his arm. Ron nods. "We'll go to Hagrid's later. Once we arrive at the dorms, we'll hang out and let you rest and recover. We can catch Hermione up on everything."

The others smile at him and match his pace while Hermione shares what she's been doing during the break. They pass the other Gryffindors in the common room, with Nico calling out to Kenneth to welcome him back. The fifth-year gives him the finger and turns away as they settle in front of the fireplace. Hermione goes to levitate her belongings to her dorm and then joins them downstairs.

"So?" She smiles. "How was your holiday?"

"It was fine," Ron shrugs.

"Someone sent me something that used to belong to my dad," Harry whispers. "Remind me to show it to you later."

"Oh, Harry, that's fantastic," Hermione whispers back.

"I called my school, and Ron made the breakthrough with Flamel." Nico hands her the chocolate frog card. "Read the back."

"Look! There he is! This is wonderful, Ron!" Hermione exclaims, rising to her feet. "That's it! Stay right here!" 

Ron glances at Nico as she rushes upstairs. "What are you talking about? You were the one who discovered him and has all the details. Why would you tell Hermione it was me?" 

"You gave me the chocolate frog cards and were the one who remembered his name initially. You deserve some of the credit, Ron," Nico replies.

"Checkmate," Harry grins.

"Harry, that's not a checkmate move," Ron rolls his eyes.

"Check then," Harry shrugs, his grin widening when Ron shakes his head.

"I swear, one of these days, I will teach you how to play properly," Ron sighs.

Hermione returns downstairs with a large grimoire. She places it on the table beside them and flips through its pages. "I checked this out weeks ago. Here! He's the only known owner of the Philosopher's Stone."

Nico pulls out his notebook and flips through it until he finds the right page. He hands it to Hermione after she finishes reading the passage from the book about Nicolas Flamel and his wife. "Annabeth and Lou Ellen recognized his name when I mentioned he was known for alchemy. Even the Muggles know about him."

"What?" Hermione grabs the notebook and begins reading.

"Yeah, and get this," Ron leans forward to avoid being overheard. "Nico conned a permission slip from Snape to get us into the restricted section."

Her jaw drops. Nico lifts his green tie with a smirk. "It wasn't that hard. I just asked questions about some classes until he bribed me to be quiet. I doubt any of you would get away with it, though."

"I can't believe I could have looked him up at home," Hermione grumbles. "I have a computer and everything."

"I'm not sure how relevant the Muggles' knowledge about him will be. Could you write to your parents, ask them to print some articles, and send them to you?" Nico suggested.

"I can ask them later. This is great!" Hermione exclaimed, patting the notes in her lap with excitement. "We know what the dog is guarding; now we must find out why."

"Well, they almost robbed the bank," Ron scratches his nose. "And the only vault they attempted to break into was the one that held the stone. None of the others, so they knew exactly where it was. And whoever the vault belongs to—"

"I think it's safe to assume we know who it belongs to," Nico says.

"Oh, yeah. If Flamel knew someone would try to steal the stone, then moving it was a smart move. And if Flamel and Dumbledore are friends, it…makes sense that he'd ask him to hold onto it, right?" Ron glances at the others to see if they agree with him.

"Yeah, I see it," Nico nods, causing Ron to relax. "The big question is, why choose Hogwarts? The Flamels must have had a different location to hide the stone before taking it to Gringotts when creating the elixir, but that site might have been compromised. They would have needed alternative locations to conceal something of such great value. Both Hogwarts and Gringotts are possibilities, but what prompted the change now? Why not transfer the stone to another vault if the bank has always been secure?"

"Not if the bank itself isn't safe anymore," Ron says slowly, leaning his crossed arms on his knees. "You're right. If they thought it was just the compromised vault, it would make sense to test that by moving it to one of the more secure locations on the lower levels. They have charms and wards, and only the goblins can open them. There are rumors that a dragon is guarding them. The only reason to take it completely out of the bank is if they couldn't risk the switch because they knew its location would get out."

"How do you know so much about Gringotts?" Harry asks.

"My brother Bill, the cursebreaker, works for Gringotts," Ron tells them. "He used to complain about some of the busy work he was assigned while he had a desk job there during his internship."

"So the bank is compromised," Nico hums. "Or..."  

"Or?" Ron frowns, scratching his nose again. "Or...Flamel knew it was a target and wanted to see if those pursuing it would follow. It's bait."

"No wonder you're so good at chess." Nico smiles up at him. "You're right, it's a trap."

"What makes you think that?" Hermione asks.

"Consider this: Why did Dumbledore advise us against entering the third corridor on that first night, yet not mention that there are other doors that were locked or hard to open? He highlighted that area instead of treating it like any other mystery at Hogwarts. When you tell a group of kids not to do something, it's almost like inviting them to investigate." Nico sat up and looked at everyone. "Then there's the fact that the cerberus is behind a single locked door, yet you, an eleven-year-old, successfully used a first-year spell to enter. No alarms sounded, no one investigated the open door, and no extra security measures were evident. At breakfast, there wasn't even a mention of the door being opened—a fact Filch would have made widely known to ensure someone was punished. The teachers can't know when that door opens, then. The only visible defense is the cerberus, guarding an obvious trap door. But what happens after you get past the dog?"

"Of course!" Hermione gasps. "There must be other enchantments and protections against anyone searching for the stone. They're arranged like levels. You have to pass one protection before discovering what the others are."

"The trapdoor wasn't that obvious," Harry says, wrapping his arms around himself. "Ron and I didn't see it."  

"It is," Nico replies. "Not noticing it while focused on the three-headed dog is understandable. But once you've handled the dog, it becomes easier to see since it isn't level with the floor and is made of different wood."

"How on earth could anyone deal with that dog?" Hermione looked at Nico as if he had grown a second head.

"If our theory is correct, the dog is guarding a stone that can turn things into gold and extend a person's life, from someone brave enough to face a mountain of goblins to get it. Three heads or not, do you think they're going to draw the line at killing a dog?" Nico winces as he says it, and the others' reaction is what he expected. "You know how far someone would go for an opportunity like that. Hell, ninety percent of the world was colonized by men looking for something like that."

"Nico's right. So what do we do?" Harry asks. "We know it's a trap, but who is it for?"  

"And considering what we've seen of the traps," Ron whispers nervously, "are the teachers negligent or just waiting for someone to trigger it?"

Chapter Text

Neville was late. Nico checks his watch again and frowns before packing up the ingredients he had laid out in the potions lab for their study session. He puts everything away, turns off the burner, and grabs his bag before heading into the Potions Corridor. He had already climbed the dungeon stairs and crossed the Entrance Hall when Neville came flying down the main staircase, panting. 

"I'm sorry! I'm here, sorry!" He stops in front of Nico and tries to catch his breath. "I know I'm late; I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Nev." Nico raises a brow. "You good, mate?"

"Yeah," Neville straightens up. "I was on my way to meet you, but got a little tied up."  

"Are they picking on you again?" Nico frowns while heading to the Beast room, ready to practice sword fighting. Neville pauses briefly before deciding to follow him. He had meant to do this after tutoring Neville, but now he must postpone their studying session to tomorrow.  

Neville rubs the back of his neck nervously. "It was Malfoy. He jinxed my legs together. It took me forever to get to the tower, but Hermione fixed it for me. I grabbed my potions notes, but it was too late, huh?"

"It's fine, Neville. We can practice tomorrow when Snape is busy with inventory." Nico leads him into the room and drops his bag on the table. He goes to the cabinet where he stores his sword and post, pulls them out, and leaves them on the table. "Did you send your gran an owl about my offer?"  

"She said we won't take charity." Neville shifts his weight. "And she's not willing to pay you as a private instructor or anything."  

"Tutoring exchange." Nico shrugs.

"That's what I told her about you helping me with potions." Neville shakes his head. "I told her I was helping you with Herbology to repay it."

"I don't need you to repay me, Neville; I've explained that already. This is almost purely for my peace of mind." Nico sighs. "You struggle with magic; I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. You've never hidden that, no matter how embarrassed you feel."

Neville's ears turn red, but he maintains eye contact this time, so Nico considers it a step forward. "If someone attacks you or Draco and his friends come after you again, I want you to have a way to protect yourself. At least let me teach you that."

"But my gran-"

"Doesn't have to know," Nico interrupts. He grins at Neville's wide eyes and slack jaw. "I won't tell her if you don't."

"B-but—"

"Come on, Nev. You can't sit there and tell me you've never wanted to rebel or do something even if your grandmother disapproves. She won't find out if I teach you how to punch, and we keep it between us. It'll be our secret, I promise." Nico extends his hand for Neville to shake.  

He does so with a nervous laugh. "H-how do we start then?"

Nico stretches his arms and shoulders. "Rule number one is never to give your opponent anything they can use against you. So, take off your robes and tie. Both can be grabbed and will throw you off balance during a fight." 

"Okay." Neville follows his instructions, then tucks in his shirt for good measure.

"Now come here," Nico gestures for the Gryffindor to approach him. "The first thing you need to know is how to identify ways to turn a fight in your favor. Rule number two is that there are no dirty or unfair moves in a real fight for your life. Anything that helps you survive is an advantage you should exploit. Do you understand me, Neville? If you're fighting for your life, you do whatever it takes to walk away from it."  

"I, um...I don't think I'll ever be in a situation where I'll need to fight for my life," Neville shifts on his feet again. 

"No one ever does," Nico tells him softly. "I doubt anyone ever did when Voldemort first rose to power. Many people died because of it. Wizards rely too heavily on their wands, Nev. They expect jinxes and spells to be used against them during a fight. They don't foresee being kicked or having someone snatch their wand and then punching them. Many people who died back then would still be alive if they had fought with more than just their wands. It's better to know and not use a skill than to need it and not know it."

He might have been looking at Nico, but he could tell that Neville wasn't focused on him. The other boy seemed lost in thought, preoccupied with something or someone else. He allows him to return to himself and smiles when Neville's brow furrows, nodding with determination. "I don't care what my gran says…will you still teach me?"

Nico nods, just as determined. Something was happening at Hogwarts, and he would not abandon his friends, who could not defend themselves. "Now, the first thing you'll look for is loose clothing, long, unbound hair, or hanging jewelry, just like this. Then—"

Nico was in the library with his classmates, researching for their charms homework, when one of the boys asked him for his thoughts on the upcoming Quidditch match. 

"Who's playing?" Nico asked.

"Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are playing this weekend, and Ravenclaw and Slytherin are playing after that, during the second weekend of February." Terry Boot from Ravenclaw frowns at his book and pushes it toward Hannah so that she can double-check something. "I heard Snape is going to referee the game."

"Do you think he'll figure out how to award Slytherin points during a game they're not a part of?" Zacharias grumbles.

"If anyone could, it would be him. He's such a jerk," Kevin mutters, scowling.

"Keep your voice down; he's still a professor," Sally-Anne warns, frowning. "Even if it's true, he might take points off if he hears you."

"Oh no, whatever shall we do?" Nico snorts.

"It's easy for you, Di Angelo—you're a Slytherin," Terry scoffs, rolling his eyes. "He never deducts points from your house." 

"I suppose that makes me a bad Slytherin since I've already cost us almost two hundred points," Nico comments, flipping the page.

"Merlin's beard, Nico, how did you do that?" Kevin laughs.

"Snape can't stand the fact that I told him I wouldn't come to class until he pulls his head out of his ass." Nico looks up and grins as they all start glancing around as if the potion master will emerge from behind a bookshelf to punish them. 

"You can't say that! He's a teacher!" Hannah hisses.

"He's a whiny little bitch." Nico glances at them. "And I'm not afraid to say that right to his face. Hence, the points I've lost for my house."

"I think I'd just die." Terry gasps. "Can you imagine the look on his face if you said that…?" 

"It would be priceless." Nico chuckles. "I should take a picture of it. He's stopped taking points because he realizes I'm indifferent to them. Some other teachers have followed suit. It's not a punishment if I don't feel guilt, shame, or regret about losing them, you know?"

"So, who do you think will win Quidditch?" Terry repeats his question, noticing they've strayed off topic.

"Both teams will aim to finish quickly, but Gryffindor will be aggressive once the Seekers are released," Nico explains. "Snape despises Gryffindor more than any other house, so he'll prefer Hufflepuff over Gryffindor during this match. They'll likely incur many penalties for trivial reasons, making it crucial to end the game swiftly. If Snape is still the referee for February, he'll target the Ravenclaws with similar bias."

"You should be up there with Jordan as a commentator," Hannah tells him. "It's amusing to listen to him during games, especially when McGonagall has to reprimand him, but he shows favoritism toward Gryffindor, and our games are never as entertaining as theirs."

"The same goes for Ravenclaw games; he's much duller than when Gryffindor plays," Kevin sighs. "At least if it were you or someone else from one of the houses playing, it would make the games more enjoyable. You're nice to everyone."

"Debatable," Nico snorts. "Just because I don't understand y'all's obsession with house loyalties doesn't mean I'm nice. Just ask the other Slytherins—or Kenneth."

The group giggles as Nico rolls his eyes. They always did that whenever he used one of the southern phrases he picked up from some of the campers. They found his accent amusing. Hannah grins at him while the group returns to studying. "Seriously, though, Nico, trying out as a commentator is not a bad idea. You're observant, and Jordan won't be around forever. We'll need others who can step in if necessary." 

"I'll ask Madam Hooch, but I'm not really into sports."

The Defense Against the Dark Arts class had its first intriguing session of the year as they discussed how to use potions and plants to mitigate the effects of werewolf scars. Hermione and Nico had turned their chairs to face the others once Quirrell instructed them to form groups and compare notes on Dittany and its properties as a healing plant. Meanwhile, Ron and Harry distracted him by chatting about what they would buy with the endless gold they'd receive from the Philosopher's Stone if they kept it. They behaved like typical eleven-year-olds, with Harry mentioning a solid gold cauldron and Ron saying he would purchase a professional Quidditch team. 

They had even convinced Hermione to admit that she wanted to buy countless books, get braces, and attend college without the stress of admission fees. This prompts a brief discussion among Harry, Hermione, and Nico regarding the expectations for Muggle-borns and half-bloods to keep up with their Muggle education alongside attending Hogwarts, considering that most colleges require a high school diploma or the British equivalent of a GED for admission. Or is the assumption that all Muggle-borns and half-bloods would pursue wizarding jobs instead?

"Most do," Ron tells her. "After graduating from Hogwarts, they find work in the wizarding world and distance themselves from Muggles, so they don't have to worry about being caught using magic."

"What about our families? Our friends?" Hermione hisses. "Are we expected to abandon everything we grew up with, completely detach ourselves from ninety percent of the world , just to learn magic?"

Nico quickly calmed Hermione down before she could have a proper freakout in the middle of class, explaining that he had signed up for online courses for secondary school to complete over the summer and planned to continue them until his high school graduation. As long as he passed his exams to test out that year, he would receive a diploma without ever having to set foot in a classroom and could finish the courses at his own pace. He took a piece of paper and pushed his notes aside to explain, step by step, how her parents could enroll her in similar online classes and what would be required of them. Harry also listened closely; getting a diploma or GED might be necessary in the long run if he decides against pursuing a wizard career. He hadn't even thought about Stonewall High since Hagrid had shown up and told him about Hogwarts. It wouldn't matter how well he scored on his Charms or Transfiguration exams to a Muggle employer if he couldn't pass Algebra or had the reading comprehension of a fifth grader. Ron looked interested as Nico explained the Muggle classes they would need to pass, since most wizard kids had tutors or learned from their families before attending wizard school, and only a few attended specialized schools for prior education. 

"I'm going to play," Harry tells them when Ron asks what he plans to do about Snape as they leave Defense for their next class. "Against Hufflepuff, I mean. I'm going to play. There's no reserve Seeker, so if I don't, we'll be disqualified. And I don't want Snape to think I'm scared of him either."  

Ron and Hermione express their concerns. Ron even goes so far as to extend another offer to break Harry's leg, which causes Nico to raise an eyebrow. Harry waves it off, and Nico sighs. "As long as you're careful. We'll keep an eye on him from the stands, too."

Nico takes one look at Harry's face during breakfast on the morning of the game and makes his way over to the Gryffindor table. There was already a brazier set up at the end of each table, courtesy of Professor McGonagall, after they noticed how often Nico was eating with the other houses. Ron seemed to appreciate it, too, since he had also been burning food for the gods. Nico slowly introduced the wizards to the customs demigods established to honor their parents, which he framed mostly as religious practices. The three of them were seated at the end of the table with the other first years, and Nico pulled four vials out of his pocket as he sat next to Harry. "I'm doing mine for the game."

Harry sighs with relief and extends his hands. "Can you do the same thing you did last time, please? It..."

"It helps with the nerves, right?" Nico smiles and picks up the red. "Sure, I can. Ron, Hermione, do you want me to paint yours, too?"

"Not this time, mate," Ron says, shaking his head as he returns from making his offer.  

"No thanks," Hermione smiles. "I don't think I'm a fan of painting my nails; it never lasts long enough for me to enjoy them before they start peeling."  

"No worries. But I'm sure we can figure out some charm if you change your mind later, Hermione," Nico says as he dries his nails and grabs the gold.  

"Is it weird that I'm this nervous?" Harry asks. "I mean, I get nervous about games, sure. But this feels different. Way more intense."

"It's not weird," Nico tells him, working on his nails. One hand is painted red and gold for Gryffindor, while the other is yellow and black for Hufflepuff. "Have you eaten?"  

"I can't." Harry looked as if he might be sick at just the thought of it. "I tried, but I just can't without feeling like I'll hurl. Sorry."

"It's okay." Nico pushes his plate aside, but hands him the goblet of orange juice. "Try to sip on that, even if you can't finish it. I've got some gum that might help with the nausea. I'm not forcing you to eat now if you think you'll throw it up once you're on the field. Hermione, can you grab me a few biscuits, eggs, and bacon?"

She and Ron each prepare a plate for him, and he tosses one into the fire for the gods. Then, he makes a few breakfast sandwiches with the remaining food and wraps them in napkins. He transforms a napkin into a slightly thin paper bag, packs it, and casts a warming charm on it so that it doesn't get cold. He leaves the bag beside Harry. "You'll be hungry after the game once the nerves and adrenaline wear off. These will stay warm until then." 

"Thanks, Nico," Harry whispers. He manages to finish his drink and accepts the gum to chew on until the Weasley twins come to take him to change. 

Nico frowns. "He shouldn't be this scared of a teacher. It's not right."

Hermione watched the doors as Harry left, chewing her lip with worry. "I told my parents about what's happening, and they're concerned. They said that Harry might have been neglected...or abused. His family wouldn't do that, though, right?"

Nico turns to see her watching him. Ron glances between them and the door, debating whether to stay with them or go after Harry. Nico sighs, "Considering some of the things we've heard about his Aunt and Uncle, I'd say it's entirely possible."

Hermione's eyes appeared to fill with tears, and Ron's jaw tightened. "But he's Harry. Harry Potter . He's the boy who defeated You-Know-Who when he was just a baby. How could they hurt him ?"

"Hey, we all know he's more than just the baby who survived his parents' murder, and he feels uncomfortable when people make a big deal out of it. You also know some wizards hate Muggles and even Muggle-borns like us." Nico gestures between him and Hermione. Ron flushes but nods. "You-Know-Who wouldn't have had as many followers as he did if that weren't the case. But, Ron, there are just as many Muggles who hate magic or anyone they see as different."

"How can you say that?" Hermione sniffs. "How can you say that as if you're certain it's a fact?" 

Nico waits until she meets his gaze, then glides a finger along the scars on his face. "Because I know it is." 

Hermione ducks her head again, wiping the tears from her eyes. Ron frowns. "I thought you got those in a fight?"

"I did." Nico shrugs. "And it wasn't a Muggle who did it, but I can't exactly walk around at home without people staring, pulling their kids away from me, or threatening to call the cops if I get too close to their stores or houses. I don't meet the expectations that people have for an eleven-year-old, so I'm different from most people. Even among wizards, my family and I aren't considered normal. It's not the first time I've seen one of my cousins mistreated for their magic. I doubt it'll be the last time either."

"There has to be something we can do," Hermione frowns.

"My family has Delphi's and New Rome," Nico tells them. "It's considered a safe place for us, and they let us stay there even when school isn't in session. I know some of my cousins moved there when they were kids after their families found out about them, so that they wouldn't be abused. It's not perfect, and many of them fall through the cracks, but it's better than nothing. What we can do for Harry is be there for him. We remind him that we're here for him and will be his friends no matter what. We remind him that he deserves better and won't have to suffer through this forever. We're eleven; it's not like one of us can adopt him and get him out of that house. We could go to the adults with our concerns, but other than him running away or us kidnapping him…"

"Mum might take him in," Ron frowns. "It would be a tight fit and financially challenging, but we can make it work." 

"We'll look into it later; we need to see what laws are involved—magical and Muggle," Nico sighs, rubbing his face. He stands up, grabs the bag of sandwiches, and puts it in his robe pocket. "Come on. Let's head down to the field and find some good seats."

Hermione waits until Nico is far enough away, then turns to whisper to Ron, "It's not just Harry I'm worried about. It's all his scars and how he talks about his dad and their family..."  

"I know," Ron whispers back. "We'll get them both out. As soon as we figure out how."

Dumbledore was watching. Harry nearly faints in relief as Fred tells them. Snape wouldn't dare try anything serious like jinxing his broom again as long as the Headmaster was present. Even as the thought enters his mind, his stomach drops. Dumbledore had also been there at the first game when his broom had been cursed, and it hadn't stopped whoever had done it. If it had been Snape, one of the teachers would surely have intervened. 

'When had they ever done so before?' 

Harry shakes the thought away with a frown. That was before, back when he thought he was a Muggle, going to Muggle schools. His teachers had been Muggles. The Hogwarts professors were better; they had to be better. 

'Are they?'   

"Harry, come on. It's time to go." Alicia nudges him, and he takes a deep breath before following the team out onto the field. 

"And Gryffindor takes to the field! Ladies and gentlemen, let's give them a big round of applause; it's Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor!" Jordan's voice echoes around them as Harry soars into the sky. Snape is clearly in a terrible mood; Harry notices this as soon as he gains altitude. Madam Hooch is already waiting by the chest with the quaffle in hand, ready to start the match, and Harry quickly positions himself opposite Hufflepuff's new Seeker, a fourth-year named Cedric Diggory. Oliver heads to one set of goals while the Hufflepuff keeper, Herbert Fleet, flies to the opposite end of the field. Their chasers—Malcolm Preece, Heidi Macavoy, and Tamsin Applebee—fly to the middle circle across from Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. While Fred and George get into position, Maxine O'Flaherty and Anthony Rickett, the Hufflepuff beaters, flank their chasers with a polite nod to the Gryffindors. This already looks like it will be an easier game than the last one against Slytherin, as long as no one tries to jinx his broom again.

He glanced at the Gryffindor stands, where Ron and Hermione stood with Nico. They waved, and Nico held up his camera. Harry waved back, and when Cedric looked over to see what he was looking at, he laughed and waved at Nico, too. Harry grinned, hoping Nico got both of them in the shot. 

Madam Hooch releases the quaffle, and the chasers and beaters take off, with Harry and Cedric moving out of the way until they hit the forty-minute mark. Harry watches the game, occasionally glancing down at his friends. He winces as Fred sends a bludger too close to Snape, prompting the man to call a penalty and summon one of the Hufflepuff chasers to take the shot. Cedric relaxes on his broom, swinging his legs back and forth while watching the game with a frown. That frown deepens when Snape calls a second penalty on Gryffindor within the game's first five minutes, even as his teammate scores again. Just before they're allowed to enter the game, he hears a commotion below him and looks down, stifling a groan of frustration as he sees Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle standing behind Ron and his friends.

Fantastic.

Nico was already annoyed even before his housemates arrived. Snape called penalties on Gryffindor for every possible infraction, and none of the other teachers seemed inclined to correct him, not even Madam Hooch. After half an hour of watching the Gryffindors struggle to keep up with the Hufflepuffs, he was ready to curse Snape's broomstick when Draco elbowed Ron and offered a snooty apology that made everyone roll their eyes.

"I am confident that Potter will fall from his broom this time," Draco remarks, causing Crabbe and Goyle to laugh. "He's only been riding for a few months and can hardly maintain balance on the broom if his display at the last game is anything to go by. What do you think, Weasley?"

"I think you should go back to your house and leave us alone," Ron replies without taking his eyes off the match, his gaze narrowing in irritation. 

"You permit Di Angelo to occupy your space," Draco sneers, pausing briefly under Nico's gaze. He coughs lightly before continuing. "If he can select his seating, so should we. I wish to sit here."  

"Then take your seat without instigating a fight for your amusement," Nico responds, turning away once more. "No one is stopping you from doing so."

The other Gryffindors glance at each other, follow Nico's lead, and return to the game without acknowledging the Slytherins. Draco scowls when he realizes he isn't getting the attention he wants and crosses his arms over his chest. Vincent nudges him and gives him a pointed look. Draco glared back at him and opened his mouth again after a few moments. Nico ignores him, even as he begins to insult everyone—the Gryffindor team, Harry, Ron, and Neville—and Neville turns around in an attempt to defend himself. Nico disregards the laughter that makes Neville shrink away, red-faced. Ron was gripping the railing with white knuckles, so Nico reached over to place a hand on his. Ron's eyes snap to his, even as he pulls his hand away to clench it into a fist. Nico offers him a small nod, exaggerating his breathing, and Ron starts to mirror him. Gradually, he begins to calm down.

"Ron! Look at Harry!" Hermione jumps up.

Ron's eyes snap up, and Nico sees Harry racing after Cedric for the snitch. It only lasts a moment before Draco makes another comment, prompting Ron to snap, turn around, and punch Draco in the mouth. He rolls his eyes as Draco yelps, and Ron follows him to the ground to hit him again. Neville glances at Nico and moves to the back of his seat to help as Vincent tries to grab Ron. Nico watches as Neville lands his first punch before returning to the game. The boy had remembered not to tuck his thumb into his fist this time. Good. Snape has given Gryffindor another penalty for Harry getting too close to him while chasing the snitch, so both Seekers are looking for it again. 

Another yelp, and one of the older kids bumping into him makes Nico sigh, prompting him to turn around and break up the fight. Pointing his wand at the boys rolling around in the stands, he casts a stunning spell on them, then summons their wands. The other Gryffindors step away from him as he pockets all five wands and climbs over the seat to pull Ron up. Ron yelps as Nico sits him down on the bench next to Hermione. Neville quickly gets to his feet and backs away, knowing from experience that Nico has no problem throwing him around. Gregory and Draco get to their feet before Vincent, so Nico hauls him up. Draco, sporting a busted lip, sneers at Nico, "Give me my wand, Di Angelo."

Nico pushes Vincent against the railing at the back of the stands, forcing him slightly over the edge. Draco's eyes widen as he reaches for him, but Gregory grabs his arm. Vincent claws at Nico's arm, but Nico forces him back until Vincent is leaning over the edge, with only his tiptoes barely scraping the ground. Nico glares, "I get to come over here because I'm watching the game with my friends. I get to eat with the other houses because I've proven myself responsible enough that the teachers don't have to worry about me starting shit. You three won't get the same privileges if you can't behave. You'll go back to the Slytherin seating and keep your mouths shut. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Vincent answered quickly.

"Yeah, alright," Gregory said, keeping his eyes on Vincent as he agreed.

"You don't get—" Nico lifts the other boy one-handed until his thighs are pressed against the railing, and Vincent whimpers, clutching Nico's arm in a death grip. If Nico lets go, he would fall, unable to catch himself. Draco backs down, "Fine! Just put him down."

Nico pulls him back and sets him on his feet, allowing the boy to run off, with Gregory just a step behind him. They had forgotten that Nico had their wands, but Draco hadn't. He extended his hand, saying, "Give me my wand." 

"No." Nico casts a body bind on Draco, who yelps, and then he moves the blonde to sit right next to Ron, who is still tied up. "You'll get it back after the game if you can keep your mouth shut." 

"You can't—!"

"Watch me!" Nico snarls, causing Draco to shrink back at the sudden burst of anger. Ron, Neville, and a few other kids around them do the same. Nico conjures a bar of soap and places it on the railing before Draco. "I'm going to introduce you to a Muggle punishment my grandmother used to give me and my sister when we talked back. The next time you open your mouth to insult someone, I will shove that soap bar in your mouth and enchant it so you can't spit it out. Try me, I dare you. Ronald! If I catch you laughing, I'll summon another one for you."

"What?! But he—"

"Was insulting you, I'm aware. But you threw the first punch." Nico frowns, and Ron looks down at his knees. "You'll also get your wand back at the end of the game if you can prove you can keep your hands to yourself. Or have you forgotten the whole reason we're out here with them in the first fucking place?"  

Ron flinches, glancing up to see where Harry is. He sighs in relief when he finds that he's still on his broom, circling the pitch. Ron looks back at Nico, who glares at him, prompting him to duck his head again, mumbling softly, "Okay."

"Hermione, if we need to intervene, I'm counting on you to notice first," Nico tells her as he stands behind the two bound boys, watching them and the game.

"Okay." She bit her lip but turned around, not meeting either boy's eyes.

Neville approaches Nico, and he turns to him. He has a large bruise on his temple, but is standing, which is a win in Nico's eyes. Neville blushes and extends his slightly bruised hand. Nico gently examines it—no cuts, no broken bones. Nico nods and leans closer to whisper, "In your next session, we'll work on dodging, but you did well. It'll hurt for a bit, and you'll have some bruises. Pomfrey can fix them in seconds, so there's no need to worry. However, I am disappointed in you, Neville; I'm teaching you to fight to defend yourself, not so you can beat up Malfoy when he can't keep his mouth shut. Sit down; I'll also give you your wand back at the end of the game."

Neville nods and sits beside Ron, closer to Hermione than Draco. The blonde Slytherin watches everyone else warily as the Gryffindors decide that the situation has been handled and begin to fill the gap created during the fight. He looks up at Nico, who frowns but leans down to murmur, "What?"

"Are you going to return Crabbe and Goyle's wands?" Draco asks, clearly irritated.

"When they grow the balls to come up and ask me for them, I will," Nico straightens back up.

"That was almost as entertaining as the Quidditch match," Nico glances over his shoulder to see Kenneth, watching him stand guard over the three scolded boys with an amused grin. "You've got younger siblings, huh, Di Angelo?"

"One, but she's an angel," Nico snorts. "I have a whole legion of baby cousins, though, and they make me want to rip my hair out. Not to mention the younger kids I watch at school back home." 

Kenneth laughs as they watch Harry dive, getting close to Snape and emerging with the snitch. "Well, that's probably the shortest punishment these three have ever gotten. See you later." 

"Bye, Kenny." 

"Piss off." Kenneth gives him a playful shove and follows the crowd out of the stadium steps. 

Nico rests a hand on Draco and Ron's shoulders, pushing them back into their seats. Neville sits silently while Hermione stands, unsure of what to do. Nico leans against the railing, observing the boys. He waves his wand, freeing Ron, who rubs his arm and moves away from Draco. Nico clears his throat and waits for them to meet his gaze. "I don't know your issue with each other, and quite frankly, I don't care."

Ron and Draco start to protest, and Nico raises his wand, silencing them with a look. "I don't care. I know you're eleven, and it can be challenging to be in a new place without your parents to mediate, but I teach seven-year-olds who have better manners and problem-solving skills. This is, quite frankly, childish behavior—from both of you."

He gives Neville and Ron their wands and tells them to leave, with Hermione following after them, being the only one to glance back. Once they're gone, Nico releases Draco, who rubs his wrist and glares at the soap bar. "You need to fix your attitude, little lizard. You got hit for poking into others' business and insulting them. Do you truly think it is appropriate to behave in such a manner? Then it's no wonder your only acquaintances here are other Slytherins who have been conditioned to tolerate such behavior since childhood. It's pathetic. You need to grow the fuck up."

Nico places Draco's wand on the railing and leaves the boy alone in the stands, rubbing his wrist.

Chapter Text

Nico will admit that he was hiding. Hiding from Draco, who had begun demanding that he give him Gregory's and Vincent's wands instead of having the two boys come to him personally. Hiding from Ron, who, now that everything had calmed down, was pissed that he'd been punished alongside Malfoy by a kid his age. Even hiding from Neville, who kept asking about their next training session and was disappointed each time Nico told him they would wait until he finished healing. 

He hadn't realized how many kids had witnessed the fight until more of his classmates approached him to mention it or began to avoid him. He was surprised that more teachers hadn't approached him yet to discuss it. Only Dumbledore had talked to him, and that was to remind him that the other Slytherin boys would need their wands for class on Monday and to return them by then. The more he interacted with the Headmaster, the more he understood what his housemates meant by calling the man batshit crazy.

He found refuge in the library with Hermione, though she also felt nervous around him after he had broken up the fight. He wasn't sure if it was because he had dangled Vincent over the railing, taken their wands—a huge no-no among wizards—or the fact that he had yelled at them. She would sit at a table near the doors, but mostly ignored him, only occasionally glancing up to see if he was still there. He wasn't in the mood to study with her, so he used the time to do more research on Harry's family. The boy was overwhelmed with schoolwork and Quidditch, and it seemed he had forgotten what they had discussed during the Yule break regarding gathering information. 

He had reached out to his family for suggestions on where to begin his search, and Paul, Percy's stepfather, suggested looking for a yearbook, as it might contain photos of his parents as children. Nico was uncertain if Hogwarts even made yearbooks, so he asked Madam Pince, the librarian, who returned with a stack of leather-bound tomes. These books contained significant events from each year, featuring newspaper articles, photos, and notes about various happenings. It resembled a collection of scrapbooks that Madam Pince inherited when she assumed her role, working on them when she wasn't busy assisting students or reorganizing the library. Nico positioned himself at her desk to review the books, while she monitored him, marking each page he wanted duplicated. He offered her money to have the copies made and sent to Hogwarts, which pleased her. She informed him that he would receive the copies in two weeks, at the end of January, providing him ample time to consult others at the school who could assist him.

"Hey, Hagrid!" Nico waves as he walks toward the groundskeeper's hut. 

"Ah! Blimey, it's been a while," Hagrid said while tending to his chickens. "Heard about your fight. Luckily, none of the professors gave you detention. Did you give those boys their wands yet?"

"I will when they come and ask me instead of letting Draco handle it for them," Nico tells him, setting his bag on the ground next to the steps as he sits on a nearby stool. If they waited much longer, they wouldn't have them for class on Monday.

The rooster charges at him, and Hagrid scoops up the bird, scolding him gently before placing him back in the coop. Hagrid shakes his head. "I don't know what the matter is with 'em. The whole flock of 'em." 

"Most animals don't like me," Nico shrugs. "I have some questions for you if you're willing to answer them." 

"Now, I told you four times to stop looking into Flamel. I ain't saying anything about him to ya." Hagrid gave him a stern look.

"I already know who he is. Even Muggles know he was a crank from the 16th century, looking into the possibility of immortality. No, I had other questions." Nico raises an eyebrow at Hagrid's expression. So, Flamel being known to the Muggles was news to him. He better not tell him they knew about the stone, either them or the Muggles. "I was wondering if you could help me get some information on the Potters for Harry."

"Oh." Hagrid blinks, then sighs, approaching him and sitting on the steps of the hut. He runs a hand over his beard. "Well, I already told him how they died."  

"No, I know that." Nico shakes his head. "I mean, what were they like when they were students here? Everyone tells him what they died for or how much he looks like them. I want him to know what they were like when they were alive. Who were their friends? Are any of them still alive?"  

"I believe so. Quite a few of them. Some that ought not to be." Hagrid's face fell into a scowl for a moment before clearing. "I can write to a few of them if you'd like?"  

"That would be amazing. And even better if they can send photos or copies of his parents' pictures." Nico breathes a sigh of relief. "He deserves to know what they looked like, at least."  

"Yeah, yeah, he does." Hagrid hums sadly. "I'll write to the ones I know. Ask McGonagall, too, if you can do that. She might know how to contact quite a few more than I do."  

"She's my next stop." Nico smiles, then stands. "Let's see if I can pick one of the hens up without the rooster attacking me."  

Hagrid laughs.

By Monday, Vincent and Gregory still hadn't asked for their wands back. The other Slytherins watched for the likely confrontation, eager to see who would give in first. Many students who'd witnessed the fight began to sense the escalating tension when Nico entered their first class, both boys' wands secured in his bun. Professor Binns was oblivious to the commotion as he droned on about Magical History, while Professor Flitwick only had them compare the spells Lumos and Lumos Solem. Despite the circumstances, they navigated through the class without attracting attention to their wandless situation or Nico's excess of them. As they approached Transfiguration, Nico was ready for an impending conflict. The tension was palpable. But McGonagall interrupted them before any confrontation could unfold.

"You three...come here." She points to the steps in front of the podium, where her desk is located. Nico, Vincent, and Gregory reach the front as the others sit. Harry and Ron sit at the front to Nico's left, while Draco sits next to Pike on the right side of the other boys. They all fall silent as they wait to see what will happen. 

"Now." McGonagall looks down her nose at the three of them. "May I inquire why both of you lack your wands in my classroom?"

"He has taken them and refuses to return them!" Vincent accuses, pointing at Nico.

"I confiscated their wands, along with three additional ones, when a fight ensued during the Quidditch match on Saturday," Nico replies. "The others have already requested their wands, which I returned. However, these two have been evading me. It is not my obligation to pursue them to return their wands."  

"It is also not your responsibility to confiscate their wands," she says, disapproving. 

"De-escalating altercations does not fall under my purview either," Nico acknowledges. "That responsibility lies with the teachers. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to intervene to prevent any injuries or the potential casting of spells, given that the teachers were not taking action."

The entire class held its breath. Seeing Nico talk like that to Snape was one thing; it was funny. But this was McGonagall. The woman stared at Nico, who met her gaze unflinchingly. She turned to the two boys. "Could you please explain why you did not inform a staff member earlier about the confiscation of your wands? Unless I stand corrected, and you both missed your first two classes this morning."

"No, Professor," Gregory shook his head. She waited, but the two of them said nothing else. 

"That was not a rhetorical question, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle." They stammered out some excuses but couldn't give her a satisfactory answer. "What about the other students? I shall presume they were your classmates; you three are also involved. Please stand up." 

Ron stood, as did Neville, and it took Draco a moment before he got to his feet. McGonagall frowned. "I see." 

"Professor, Nico also bound us and threatened to summon soap into our mouths," Draco explained. Some of the Muggle-borns and half-bloods began to giggle. His ears flushed crimson. "And Weasley was the one who threw the first punch!"

"Would you like to tell Professor McGonagall what you said that provoked him into punching you?" Draco avoided meeting Nico's gaze. The dark-haired boy turned to the others. "Ron? Neville? Vincent? Gregory? Does anyone want to repeat it? No? Then it wasn't worth fighting over, was it?" 

"Mr. Di Angelo, return their wands, and I request that all three of you take your seats," said McGonagall with a frown. "Five points will be deducted from each of you due to the altercation, and an additional five points will be deducted from the three of you for your behavior concerning the wands." 

"I'll give them back when they grow a pair and ask me," Nico says, turning to face the boys.

"Ten points, Mr. Di Angelo. Try to refrain from utilizing such language in this class." McGonagall says sharply before turning to the other Slytherin boys when Nico refuses to comply with her demands. "I am to conduct a class at some point today, so cease this nonsense."

Nico continues to wait. Vincent glares. "I request the return of my wand." 

Nico pulls the two wands from his hair and holds them out, allowing Vincent to grab his own. Gregory quickly follows suit, barely a whisper, but Nico also lets him take his wand. He sits beside Hermione, and Ron turns around to face him as McGonagall finishes reprimanding the two Slytherins. "Would you have kept them if they had refused to ask?"

"Probably," Nico shrugs. "If it had lasted over a month, I would have put them in my trunk instead of carrying them around. Had they not asked for them back by the end of the year, I might have taken them home for my cousin Leo to tinker with. It's not like they can't afford to replace them next year." 

"It's cruel to steal their wands over a small fight," Hermione grumbles.

"I don't care; it was ridiculous for them to get so upset over something as simple as an insult, let alone get into a fistfight about it." Nico turns to her. "My family is fighting in a war right now. I have cousins dying overseas while I'm here, safe in this classroom and watching Quidditch matches. If you think I'm going to sit back and do nothing while someone attacks another student over name-calling, then you don't know me well enough to judge me." 

McGonagall clears her throat, and the class resumes its normal lessons. By the time the bell rings, everyone has mostly forgotten the drama from the beginning of class. Vincent and Gregory follow Draco out of the room before most of the others have finished gathering their supplies, holding their wands close to their chests. Nico makes his way up to McGonagall's desk, waving off the others to go on without him. "Professor McGonagall? May I ask you a question, ma'am?"

"How can I assist you, Mr. Di Angelo?" She looks up from where she was grading parchments. "Do you have a question regarding your homework essay?"

"No, ma'am. I was just curious…You have been working here for quite a while, right?" She raises her eyebrow, and Nico clears his throat. "I, um...didn't intend it that way. I just...You were present when James and Lily Potter were students, correct?"

She froze. Slowly, she set her quill in its holder and closed the inkwell. She pulled her glasses off her face and let them hang by the decorative chain around her neck. Sighing, she agreed. "Indeed, I served as their head of house while they were students. May I ask as to the reason for your question?"

"Harry," Nico shrugged. "He wants to learn more about his parents, yet all he hears is that they passed away and that he resembles his father in looks. He has been so preoccupied with Quidditch practice and hasn't looked into them. I thought that I could assist him."  

"That is generous of you, Mr. Di Angelo."

"I often wished for support in learning about my mom after her death." Nico offers a somber smile. "For years, I couldn't even recall her name. I understand the circumstances of her passing, yet I know little else about her. If I can help Harry..."

"How can I assist you?" McGonagall's face was stern, but her eyes softened slightly. 

Nico pulled out a notebook and a pen, placing them on the desk. "If you could just write anything you can remember about them—what they looked like, their favorite classes, who their friends were, and stories about their personalities. James was on the Quidditch team, so anything about that, like which position he played, would help. And could you ask some of the other teachers who might have been here too? I'm not sure who else may have taught them. Hagrid mentioned you might know some of their friends who survived the war and could share stories or have pictures of them for Harry." 

She picked up the book, her hand trembling slightly. Clearing her throat, she nodded. "When do you want this returned?" 

"At the latest, by the end of school," Nico said, shifting on his feet. "I want to give it to Harry for him to have before the summer. Just in case I'm not welcome back to Hogwarts next year."

"Very well." Nico nodded and turned to leave, but stopped when McGonagall called out to him. "And Mr. Di Angelo…fifty points to Slytherin." 

Nico turned to look at her. "Thank you, ma'am. But I don't need a reward for being a good friend." 

Nico's order arrived a week early. While waiting for Madam Pince to return with the requested copies, Tracy Davis, a first-year Slytherin, approached him. "Greetings, Di Angelo. I have a request to make."  

"Tracy." He nodded in greeting. "What do you need?" 

She tucked a strand of her short hair behind her ear and shifted awkwardly. "I am aware of your friendship with Draco and his associates, who hold a negative view towards individuals of mixed heritage; however, I'd like to request your assistance with our Astronomy homework. I'm struggling to label my star chart, and Blaise informed me that you have already completed yours." 

"You wizards consider me either a half-blood or a Muggle-born, depending on your stance of where my parents fall in, so it would be hypocritical of me to discriminate against you as the same. And just because I share a room with Draco doesn't imply we're friends. I'm happy to assist you," Nico said. "I meet here with some classmates every Friday afternoon, so feel free to join us then." 

"Why can we not conduct our studies independently in the common room?" Her nose scrunched at the thought of studying with the others. 

He pointed at her. "That's precisely the issue. Everyone is so focused on the color of our uniforms that we barely engage with others. I'm already overwhelmed balancing my schoolwork here, my online Muggle classes, and keeping up with my Delphi training without stretching myself thin to appease everyone else. I'm already providing individual tutoring. I can't dedicate four days a week to studying with each house separately. If you want my assistance, that's the condition. You don't need to interact with anyone else, but you will be required to sit with them." 

"Okay…I understand…but no one else will be interested in helping me. The other houses shun us because we're seen as evil snakes," she sighed with bitterness.

"We're eleven; the worst thing about us is that we're entering puberty. If that bothers them, they can find someone else to study with." Nico shrugs. "I won't show favoritism. Like they did, you're asking me to take time from my schedule to help you. I'll assist you, just as I did for them. If those who use my time aren't happy with how I allocate it, they can fuck off. Who knows, I might even finish my homework without distractions for once."

She chuckles. "What time do you arrive at the library on Friday?" 

"I usually come around three and stay until I either complete my homework or we have to leave for dinner; others come and go at their leisure," Nico replies. 

"Great! I'll see you on Friday," she says, walking away. "Thank you, Di Angelo."

He nods and then turns back to Madam Pince, who clears her throat. She handed him a stack of papers, each a copy of the page he had requested. He passes her the remaining galleons he owes her. "Thank you, ma'am. I truly appreciate your help, and I believe Harry will also be grateful to learn more about them."

"It's about time someone took an interest in the genealogy section," she huffs. "It's been gathering dust for years, and so many books need rebinding. It's heartbreaking; that's what it is. That poor boy has been here for months, and he has never once asked about them. I've heard the rumors from the portraits and the ghosts; he hardly recognizes their names."

"Do you have any books about the Potter family, Madam Pince?" Nico looks up. "I'd like to check them out, too, if you do. He'll love that."

"If we have any, you'll find them over there," she said, directing a thin finger toward the bookcases to the left of the restricted section. "And remember, I can see you."  

"I won't forget," Nico replied, rolling his eyes as he headed over. 

It takes him a moment to find something worthwhile, which he brings to the table he'd claimed for the evening. He begins with the books, flipping through them until he finds the necessary pages. One book covers family crests, another focuses on pure-blood etiquette, and the third details the historical family trees of the British Isles. As he pursues them, he finds the Potter family. The Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter was traceable to Linfred of Stinchcombe, the founding patriarch of the Potter family, and the ancient Perevell wizarding family. 

The main branch of the Potters were pure-blood until James Potter wed Lily Evans, although the extended family hosted many half-bloods. They have ties to nearly every wizarding family in Britain, the most recent being the Fleamont, Black, Fowley, and Weasley families. Nico grins; his two friends will be excited to learn of their distant relationship. Harry's name is not the only one he recognizes from the family tree, as several of his ancestors were notable figures. It's astonishing how many of them are featured in their school textbooks, especially in the index of their potions book. Nico pulls his copy from his bag and flips to the back, cross-referencing the names. A Potter developed or enhanced nearly half of the potions they're studying.

Nico found the Potter coat of arms among the book's most intriguing aspects, particularly with the facing page detailing the symbolism of each element. The Potter shield featured a gold pile dominating the top, while the lower section was split into maroon and black halves. The triangular pile descending from the top signified military engineering, and its gold hue represented power or splendor. According to the book, the five-pointed star positioned in the center denoted independence and served as the cadency symbol for the third son in a noble family. 

The black section signified constancy or death and showcased an antelope, symbolizing peace, harmony, and political cunning.

The maroon section stood for patience and triumph in battle, displaying the image of a collared stag ensnared in a chain. The stag meant strength, dignity, and a readiness to fight only when provoked, while the collar and chain implied a significant commitment to a cause. 

The shield was edged with red carnations, symbolizing devotion and admiration. On top of the shield, a crest displayed a cauldron filled with wheat, framed by fern leaves, and engraved with a triangle, circle, and line. The cauldron represented industriousness, a trait frequently bestowed upon the Spanish nobility by their king, while wheat stood for abundance and prosperity. The fern leaves symbolize magic, confidence, fascination, and protection. The engraving on the cauldron was connected to the Peverell line, but the book did not explain its meaning. Two ribbons with Latin mottos supported the design, one placed below the crest and another beneath the shield. 

The bottom one was a quote Nico knew well, as it was infamous. 'Mors Certa, Hora Incerta.' Death is certain, the hour uncertain. 

The one under the crest at the top of the shield took Nico a minute to decipher since it was much smaller. ‘Cervus Lacessitus Leo.’ The stag at bay becomes a lion. 

"Well, he certainly lives up to his family name," Nico murmurs.  

"Who does?" Ron's voice interrupts Nico's concentration, and he looks up just as the three Gryffindors sit at his table, their schoolbooks spread before them.  

"Harry," Nico shrugs.  

Harry blinks in surprise. "What do you mean, I live up to my family name?"

Nico pushes the book toward the nearest chair, and Harry sits down, gazing at the page Nico indicates. "I found your family crest and coat of arms. And here, in this book, you can trace the main family back to the founding members." 

"Whoa." Harry breathes, tracing the lines of names. 

Henry(2nd) "Harry" Fleamont James Potter (Heir of James & Lily)

James(2nd) Henry Potter (Heir of Fleamont & Euphemia) m. Lily Jean Evans

Sirius(3rd) Orion Black (adopted son of Fleamont & Euphemia)

Fleamont "Monty" Sigmund Potter (Heir of Henry & Charlotte) m. Euphemia "Effie" Desponia Mylonas

Charlus(2nd) "Charlie" Heinrich Potter (second son of Henry & Charlotte) m. Dorea A. Black

Rigel Abraham Potter (son of Charles & Dorea)

Henry(1st) "Harry" Ralston Potter ( Heir of Sigmund & Catherine) m. Charlotte Odette Fowley

Sigmund "Ziggy" Charlus Potter (Heir of Ralston & Aurora) m. Catherine Marie Fleamont

Ralston Potter (Heir of Charlus & Miriam) m. Aurora Maeve Weasley

Abraham Potter (second son of Charlus & Miriam)

"Ron! Check this out!" Harry pushes the book toward Ron and points to the name of his third great-grandmother. "I'm connected to the Weasleys!"

"I think that's my dad's great-aunt," Ron muses. "It's a bit of a stretch, but welcome to the family, Harry." 

"Fowley?" Hermione points to Harry's great-grandmother's name. "Isn't that the surname of the fifth-year that Nico likes to mess with?"

"Kenneth, yeah. You might be related to him if it's the same family and not just the same last name. You'd be third cousins by marriage, I think. And look at this: your family is well-known in the potion industry and for their military prowess. Most of them were either potioneers, Aurors, or politicians." Nico tells him.

"Potioneers?" Ron frowns.

Nico pulls the family tree book back, pulls out his potion book, and turns to the index. "Your grandfather, Fleamont Potter, quadrupled the family fortune in the 1930s with a line of beauty potions, the most famous of which is Sleakeazy, a type of hair gel. Some of your other ancestors also became renowned for their research, particularly with the Skele-Grow and Pepperup potions."

"Maybe that's why Professor Snape asked you all those questions during the first week of class," Hermione frowns. "Or why he expects you to know more than us in the subject, and is always disappointed when you can't do what he wants. Because it's something your family is well known for."

"Maybe…" Harry watched with wide eyes as Nico connected the potions in their schoolbooks to the names on his family tree. He traced the names of his mom and dad, as well as his paternal grandparents. He swallowed as he read the death date. April 2003. “They died the year I was born, but it doesn't say how."

"Hang on." Nico sifts through the stack of papers to find two articles. He hands them to Harry. "Fleamont Sigmund Potter and Euphemia Despoina Potter (nee Mylonas) passed away at the end of the Dragon Pox epidemic. They were 102."

"Merlin." Ron frowns. "That's kind of young for an old age wizard."

The first article was an obituary for their deaths, but the second focused on James and Lily's wedding. Most of the article was trash, with the author lamenting how the Potters' pure-blood line had been forfeited due to the heir marrying a Muggle-born. However, it was the picture that made it worthwhile to copy. The photo they used for the article was the only one Nico could find that included both Harry's parents and grandparents. Harry held it relevantly as if it would turn to dust if he blew on it too hard. He blinks, his eyes stinging, and his breath escapes him in one fell swoop. "She looks so pretty. Both of them do."

Unlike the other pictures he had seen in the Prophet, these images were as still as Muggle ones. He traced his mom's face, her red hair flowing freely down her back and over her shoulder in loose curls, while his grandmother stood beside her, her hair pinned up with a beaded headpiece. The young man beside Lily kissed her cheek, making her laugh. The older man stood on his other side, and both older wizards seemed to smile at the gesture. Harry had been told he resembled his father, and he assumed people meant it as if someone had copied and pasted James, resulting in a slightly thinner version with green eyes instead of brown. Looking at the two men in the photo, he wondered if his dad had heard the same thing growing up. Fleamont Potter looked identical to his son; he was a bit paler, with shorter, grayer hair and a short beard, while James was clean-shaven. But they shared the same height, face shape, and messy curls. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he examined the pictures in the obituary. They were close-ups of his grandparents, and while Euphemia had the same brown eyes and tanner skin tone as her son, Fleamont's eyes were a bright shade of green. It was not as vividly green as his mother's, but it was enough to make Harry ponder whether he looked more like his dad or grandfather in his youth.

"How did you find these?" Hermione asks Nico quietly, the three of them watching Harry sadly.

"Madam Pince had some scrapbooks with articles about important events from the first war and before it," Nico tells her. "I went through them all and pulled out anything with the Potter name for her to copy for me."

"These are just copies?" Harry asks.

"Yeah, but that means she doesn't need them back." Nico hands him the stack of other articles and pictures. "All of these are for you to keep."

"I get to keep these?" Nico thinks Harry would have started crying or trying to hug him if they hadn't been surrounded by older kids in the library. "Thank you, Nico."

"You're welcome," Nico says with a smile. "Want to know something cool? Your grandmother's name is Greek."  

"Really?" Harry grins back, blinking tears away. "You know what it means, right? Go on, tell me!"

"Her first name, ' Euphemia ,' means eloquence. ' Despoina ' means mistress or lady. ' Mylonas ' means a person who works with grain." Nico chuckles. "Her maiden name implies a well-spoken daughter of a miller, and her married name suggests a well-spoken mistress of a pottery house."

Harry laughs. Ron taps Harry's grandfather's picture. "What's his name? Do you know what it means?"

"The Fleamonts are an ancient wizarding family from France, and their name consists of two parts. ' Fleon ' is a Latin term that translates to flee, while ' Mont ' means mountain in French, so ' Fleamont' means to flee to the mountains," Nico explains. "It was your great-great-grandmother Catherine's maiden name, Harry. 'Sigmund ' is Fleamont's grandfather's name—your great-great-grandfather's name—and it's of German origin, meaning protection through victory."

"Now, this is where it gets interesting." Nico pulls out an article to show Harry that was announcing his birth. It was dated July 31, 2003. "Your full name is Henry Fleamont James Potter, born to James Henry Potter and Lily Jean Potter (née Evans). Harry is a common nickname for Henry, which was your great-grandfather's name on your dad's side. You might have been named after him. ' Henry ' is an old German name derived from the word 'Heinrich', which means 'ruler of a house'. ' James ' is a Hebrew name that means to grab by the heel or to be a man in control of his actions. I'm not sure I can interpret your name properly anymore."

"I guess not," Harry whispers, looking at the picture of him as a baby in his mum's arms, his dad by her side with one finger in baby Harry's fist. "Henry was my grandfather's name on my mum's side, too. Aunt Petunia used to get so mad that she named me after him."  

"So you're named after your dad, both of your grandfathers, and your great-grandfather," Hermione smiles. "That's pretty cool. And Jean is my middle name. Hey, Nico, what does my name mean?"

"' Hermione' is Greek and means messenger, deriving from the Greek god Hermes, one of the messengers of the gods. ' Jean ' is Hebrew and means God is gracious. ' Granger' is an Old English term that translates to 'farmer' or 'grain dealer'. So, your name could mean a message or a gift from God to a farmer." Nico starts laughing. "Hermione, your name fits perfectly with the Potters! It's almost the same as his grandmother's."

"No way," Hermione laughs.

"I guess I have to adopt you now," Harry grins. "As the last Potter, I'm claiming you for the family."

"Deal." Hermione and Harry shake hands before laughing again, trying to shush each other while glancing at Madam Pince's desk. 

"Want to know what else is cool?" Nico pulls the book with the family tree over and sets it on top of the pages Harry had been looking at. "You might have family still alive."

"What?!" Harry grabs the book.

"Here. Fleamont had a younger brother, Charlus Heinrich Potter." Nico points to the name on the tree. "He married someone named Dorea Black, and they have one son, Rigel Abraham Potter. He would have been your dad's first cousin. They both died in the early 2000s, but Rigel moved to Greece in 2009, and see, there's no death date. You still have an uncle alive with the Potter name. He'd be in his sixties if the date of birth is right."

At this point, Harry was in tears. He starts looking through everything Nico has found, ignoring his school books. There are just a handful of articles detailing his grandparents' school days, primarily focusing on pure-blood traditions such as the Debutante Ball or their graduation from Hogwarts. Harry smiles when he sees a picture of his grandparents dancing together at the ball when they were seventeen; he looks a lot like his grandfather, and his grandmother was as beautiful at seventeen as she was at a hundred. One article details his grandfather receiving a two-week suspension, the first in nearly three hundred years, for fighting someone named Abraxas Malfoy in 1917, when they were in their fifth year at school. Ron had a good laugh when he showed it to him. There was even one about his grandmother becoming Head Girl after three years of being a Prefect for… Slytherin ?!

His father had similar achievements: a Debutante Ball, membership in the Slug Club, becoming Head Boy, Captain of the Gryffindor Dueling Club, and Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, where he played as a chaser and substitute seeker. There was even an article about James Potter's potential recruitment for the England Quidditch team, which was put on hold due to his enlistment in the war. Harry was practically vibrating with excitement as he shared the news with Ron.

The articles about the war were difficult for Harry to read; he saw his mom in one article about an explosion at a wizarding hospital in Matford, Devon, where she was training for a Mastery in Potions and Healing. Another article discussed how his dad and some of their school friends helped to evacuate a mixed village of Muggles and wizards. He doesn't finish reading the obituaries; his grandparents had died four months before he was born, and his parents died on Halloween, not even two years later. He hadn't known the exact day they had been killed before now.

Nico goes through the articles with him, explaining where he'd found them and which similar ones he hadn't pulled, just in case Harry wanted any of them. Nico had seen a few articles about James's and Lily's friends, including one about the friend who ended up responsible for their deaths, James’s adopted brother, although only one name stood out to him: Remus Lupin. The tall, thin, sandy-haired boy appeared in as many pictures with Lily Evans as with James Potter, meaning he must have been friends with both of them. The number of scars on the boy increased as he grew, and Nico remembered that Snape and Dumbledore had unknowingly admitted that he was a werewolf while he was at school. This was the man Snape seemed to hate, whom he had compared Nico to upon seeing his scars. For Harry's sake, this was the man Nico wanted to see more than anyone else. Of everyone still alive, he had to be the one who could help Harry learn more about the Potters. It was just a matter of finding him, which Nico hoped McGonagall and Hagrid would be able to do for him.

It didn't take long for them to get through the pile of articles and for Harry to return to the stack of pictures. Ron smiled as Harry excitedly showed him the image of his parents and grandparents, and he took the photo to examine it. 

After a moment, he looks at Harry, confused. Then Ron turns to the others. "Hermione…you're a girl, right?"

"Thank you for that observation, Ronald. How would I have ever known without your input?" Hermione rolls her eyes in annoyance. 

"That's not what I meant," Ron snaps back. "I mean, as a girl, you'd find boys attractive, right?" 

"...sure?" Hermione looks confused, but Nico smirks, anticipating where this is going. 

"Look at this!" Ron hands her the picture. "Hold it up to Harry's face. Don't you think so?"

"What are you talking about, Ron?" Harry looks up from reading a thirty-year-old article about his grandparents announcing the birth of their son, James. Hermione bites her lip to suppress a smile as the realization dawns on her. "Guys, seriously, what are you talking about?"

"I'll say it." After getting the picture back, Nico held it up so the side with his father and grandfather was closer to Harry's face. "Potter men age like fine wine."

"Dude!" Harry snatches the picture away, his face red. 

"I'm gay, not blind. They're hot." Nico shrugs. Ron and Hermione were laughing.

"That's my dad! And my grandpa!"

"And whoever you marry will have hit the jackpot if you truly take after them in looks!" Nico pulls the book of family trees closer and points at some other pictures of the Potter men.

"Nico!" Harry laughs.

Nico glances over Harry's shoulder at the front desk, anxious that Madam Pince will scold them for their noise as Harry, Ron, and Hermione struggle to stop laughing. Instead, the older woman observes them from her desk with a wistful smile. When she catches him looking at her, she raises a finger to her lips before returning to her work. He turns to help Harry calm their friends down, wondering if this wasn't the first time she had heard similar conversations about the Potters.

Chapter Text

Nico was in the library with the other first-years when Tracy approached their group. Hannah and Ernie exchanged glances but moved their chairs so she could drag one over to join them at the table. Zacharias scowled but said nothing, while Parvati and Padma ignored her. Terry raised an eyebrow but continued to listen as Nico explained that lotus and locust were not the same potion ingredients since one was a plant and the other an insect. Tracy pulled out her star charts and waited, glancing at the others but saying nothing to anyone else at the table.

“Okay, what do you need help with?” Nico turns to her and gestures for her to pass him the chart and her notes. 

"At present, my primary focus is translation," she replies softly. "The textbook contains the constellations inscribed in English; however, the professor requests that they be presented in both English and Latin.”

“Okay, let me check if I have the list of translations with me.” Nico searches through his bag for his Astronomy notebook, flips to the page where he had noted the translations, and hands it to her. “These are just basic vocabulary words, like Stella, which means star, and this one, Botrus, means cluster. It's a good starting point for you. Complete what you can, then let me know when you need more help, and I'll review any that you can't figure out.”

“Hey, Nico, are these two plants interchangeable?” Terry asks, pointing to two similar-looking flowers.

“Uh, let me take a look.” Nico examines the paper the other boy has handed him. “I’m not sure. Tracy, do you know?”

Tracy looks over his shoulder. “Carnation plants act as anti-inflammatories and are non-toxic to humans, but animals should not ingest them as they may induce vomiting. Marigolds also possess anti-inflammatory properties and are often used by healers to improve blood circulation, which is why they are included in blood replenishment potions. However, marigolds are phototoxic, which can cause rashes and skin irritation and may reduce their effectiveness depending on the potion in which they are used.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks.” Terry returns to his paper. Nico smiles at Tracy, who turns back to her homework with less tension in her spine. They continue to assist each other until dinner, whenever one has a question. Nico begins to pack his supplies, feeling smug as he notices Sally-Anne chatting with Tracy about a Wix romance series they both enjoyed. 

He leads the group of first-year students to the Great Hall. Looking around to see where everyone is, he smiles when he sees Harry sitting with Kenneth Fowley. Harry points at something in the book he is showing the older boy, and then writes something on a piece of paper. They have been trying to find a connection to their families—if there is one—since they returned from the library the day before.

“Nico! Over here!” Ron waves him over to the Gryffindor table, and Tracy lets him go with just a roll of her eyes. 

“What’s up?” He sits down after burning his offering and puts a small amount of food on his plate despite the nauseating feeling caused by the abundance of food. Harry sees him and beams, waving. He turns to Kenneth and says something before getting up to sit with them.

“Harry said he wanted to talk to us about, you know what,” Ron murmurs as he sits down. He frowns at the portion on Nico’s plate and moves the fruit bowl slightly closer. Nico shakes his head but grabs an orange to start peeling. 

“Here or later in the dorms?” Nico asks.

“Later, if you're up for it,” Harry replies as he sits down. “I don’t want to be overheard.”

“Did you guys figure it out?” Nico nods at Kenneth.

“He thinks she might have been a cousin of his great-great-grandfather, but he's not sure. He's going to owl his parents and let me know what they say.” Harry grins.

“That’s great, Harry," Hermione smiles. “I heard you have a study group with the others in the library, Nico. Can I join you all tomorrow?”

“We only meet on Fridays in the library,” Nico tells her. “I still need to do my own homework and help you guys study on Wednesday. I also assist the other Slytherins when they need help since they feel like they can’t ask anyone else for advice.”

“Why wouldn’t they be allowed to ask for help?” Harry asks.

"It’s because they’re Slytherins,” Ron says, then raises his hands in surrender as Nico glares at him. "What I meant was…You remember how I felt about them at the start of the year. Malfoy certainly doesn’t improve my view of them, but hating them wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment choice. My whole family disapproves of them—nearly everyone I’ve met feels the same. It’s just a widely accepted idea, you know? Slytherins band together because no one else trusts them.”

“I still think it's ridiculous,” Nico huffs while munching on another orange slice. “But Ron has a point. Other Slytherins feel it's them against the whole school. Honestly, for some of them, it’s like it's them against the entire wizarding world.”

“Why does everyone hate them?” Hermione asked quietly, glancing nervously at one of the older kids seated nearby, who scowled at the sight of Nico’s green tie. “Even on the train coming here in September, when I asked about the houses, everyone was dismissive of them.”

“It all ties back to You-Know-Who. During the war, his supporters were mostly pure-blood Slytherins who inherited their parents' mindset about blood purity, shaped by Grindelwald's actions. Hogwarts was tense due to targeted assaults on Muggle-borns and half-bloods while our parents were in school, which worsened as the war continued. Dad would tell us stories about some of the boldest Slytherins attacking students in corridors, and many Muggle-borns had to receive treatment at hospitals like St. Mungo’s. There’s also the older generation’s fixation on blood purity. The war's stigma lingered for years after it ended.” Ron replied, which made sense to Nico, considering his upbringing in the wizarding world meant that Ron understood all of this better than they did. He sets down his fork and turns to face them. “Slytherin is recognized as the house of ambition and cunning, with most Slytherins hailing from pure-blood families, including their half-bloods. They are raised to understand political tactics and noble etiquette as children to navigate politics for when they take on their family responsibilities in the Chamber of Mages.”

“That sounds familiar. What is the Chamber of Mages?” Harry asks.

"Uh..." Ron glances at Nico.

“You know how the British Parliament has the House of Lords and the House of Commons?” Nico asks them. Harry and Hermione nod. “The Chamber of Mages is the wizarding equivalent of the House of Lords. The Wizengamot combines both Houses, acting as both lawmakers and the judicial branch of the wizarding government.”

“Most pure-bloods have a seat in the Chamber if their families are old enough to have been part of the aristocracy before the Statute of Secrecy,” Ron adds. “My family does since they managed a few hamlets on the border of old Wessex, but my uncle Bilius holds the seat because he’s older than my dad. The Potters were one of the first bloodlines to join when they started the council, so you should also have a seat, Harry...if it’s still available after your dad died. They might have given it to another family if it sat empty for over a decade without a proxy.” 

“Can they do that?” Harry breathes, his fork falling onto his plate. “Can they just take something like that from my family?”

“I honestly don't know,” Ron shrugs, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Usually, this only happens when a bloodline goes extinct. However, they have previously removed families that were excommunicated from the Chamber. If the Potter seat is still in the Chamber, it would have to be held in trust by another family until you turn twenty-one, which is when you’d be allowed to join them. But since you’re the last Potter of the main family in England, it’ll probably go to your uncle Rigel. If he refuses to return to England, the seat will be given to someone else’s family.”

“Hey, Di Angelo, I had a question and wondered if…Am I interrupting?” The group looks up to see Tracy Davis standing behind them. Nico glances at the others, and Harry pushes his plate aside so Tracy can sit between him and Ron. She does so cautiously.

“What do you need?” Nico asks her. Tracy glances at Ron and remains silent. Nico pushes his plate away. “I’ll tell you what. We have some questions, too, and Ron can’t answer all of them. Your family is traditionally a pure-blood one, right? We’ll answer your questions, and you answer ours. One question for each, and we’ll respond to the best of our abilities. Does that sound fair?”

He extends his hand toward Tracy, who glances at everyone before shaking it. "Alright, my question comes first, though."  

"Deal," Nico replies.

“Draco said that we are prohibited from approaching your sword due to its association with dark magic; however, the professors permit it to remain in the dormitories. Can you explain that to me?”

“Draco’s such a fool," Nico sighs. “The sword was magically forged, just like wands. It’s attuned to me and my magic, similar to how my wand works, which makes it risky for anyone untrained to use it. And it's not a practice sword; it has a sharp edge that could easily injure you if handled carelessly. All I advised him was not to touch it. You wouldn’t let someone else take your wand and attempt spells, would you?"

Tracy hums as she picks up one of Nico’s orange slices when offered. “I appreciate your clarification; the others and I were curious. What is your question?”

“Is it possible for the Wizengamot to reclaim a seat in the Chamber of Mages that belongs to a family if an underage heir has not been excommunicated?” 

Tracy blinks. “I beg your pardon?”

Nico motions towards Harry, Hermione, and himself. “Muggles raised us, meaning we’re not well-versed in the politics of the wizarding world. My father is preparing me for a diplomatic role so that I can succeed him as ambassador when I come of age. I’ve explored some of the school’s library books on pure-blood etiquette, but I’d appreciate it if you could suggest better ones that delve deeper into the subject. If possible, I’d like to avoid further offending the wizards I'll be living with." 

"You wish to avoid offending others?" Tracy straightens her posture. “You say this after having taken the wands from two Heirs and persisting in disrespecting the Malfoy Heir daily.”

“My culture holds respect and honor in high regard, Tracy,” Nico informs her. "My sense of honor necessitates that I reciprocate any act of disrespect posed to me. Draco, Vincent, and Gregory have been fortunate; if I were to follow my cultural standards when addressing their behavior, they would spend most of the year recuperating in the infirmary. There’s a reason for my possession of that sword, and it is not for aesthetic purposes. While your people practice wizarding duels, we possess our own methods of confrontation. I have demonstrated restraint by not accepting their challenge in a manner befitting my heritage, but allowing their actions to go unaddressed would undermine my position here and discredit my family." 

“Your position here?” Hermione frowns.

“I’m a diplomat, Hermione,” Nico tells her. “I represent my family while studying in the UK at this school, and to some extent, I also represent the American wizarding world. My family is at war, so part of my role is to forge alliances here if necessary. I cannot create partnerships if I lack knowledge about your culture, not just as wizards, but as British, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish people. This is just another aspect of my education that enhances my understanding of my responsibilities." 

The Gryffindors blink, confused, but Tracy smiles. "It is not surprising that you are one of us. Regarding your question, the Wizengamot must determine the heir's unsuitability to remove the family from the Chamber of Mages. A majority vote is necessary for the removal to take place. If there are multiple family branches, the heirship typically transfers to an alternative branch; however, if the heir is the last remaining member, the seat is passed to another designated family member. Even so, the family is often relegated to the Chamber of Wizards following a demotion. I shall collect resources for you and confer with the older heirs who likely possess greater knowledge on this matter than I do." 

“Thank you,” Nico says, nodding. Tracy nods in response, and the meal vanishes, prompting the professors to begin directing students out of the Great Hall. Nico waves goodbye to the Gryffindors, assuring them he’ll join them soon, and heads toward the Slytherin common rooms with his yearmate. Upon reaching the staircase to the dungeons, Nico addresses her. “Can I ask you a potentially difficult question?”  

“I suppose you can, but I reserve the right to decline to answer,” Tracy replies, giving him a sidelong glance.  

“Why do pure-bloods dislike us?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“I mean, the Muggle-borns and half-bloods raised in the Muggle world. Is it really about blood status or something else?”  

“Can you explain why you keep saying 'us'? I wasn’t raised in the Muggle world.” She frowns as the dormitory door opens, and they descend the stairs to the antechamber.

“I’m just generalizing.” Nico points to the hallway next to the common room, which leads to the dorms, and invites Tracy into his shared room with Draco. He sits on his bed and gestures for her to take a seat at the desk nearby, which she does. “My mother was a Muggle, but my father is magical. He occasionally engages with the wizarding world but doesn’t see himself as part of it. Most of my family feels the same way. I grew up experiencing their magic in a non-magical environment. I didn’t learn about wizards until shortly before arriving at Hogwarts, making me, in some respects, a half-blood and, in other respects, just like a Muggle-born.”

She nods. “And the other part?”

Nico sighs. “Well, I guess I want to know if the blood purity issue can be fixed. If it’s something like pure-bloods hating anyone with AB positive blood, then it’s not really something that can be resolved in a few conversations. But if it's more about cultural ignorance, then I want to know where my family and I can avoid those issues.”

“It’s a bit of both, I suppose,” Tracy frowns. “Most of the older generation has been around for a long time, and their families came from bloodlines that used to have a lot of money and influence in the Muggle world, as they do in the magical one. Most pure-blood families are still considered part of the nobility of England. You don’t see celebrities or members of the royal families—or the president’s family, in your case—just talking to any civilian on the street as if they’re equals. My grandfather was born in the early twentieth century and was already a Lord of our house before Grindelwald came into power.”

“Grindelwald? I’ve heard that name a couple of times already. Who’s that?”

“A dark wizard who nearly declared war on the Muggles in the 1920s and 30s. He’s currently in Azkaban, our prison. He was the dark lord before the Dark Lord. My grandfather used to share stories about life during the First World War—tales passed down from his grandfather and great-grandfather, who lived through the witch trials.” Her voice softens. She curls up in the chair as much as she can, pulling her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and holding her skirt down. Resting her chin on her knees, she looks at the floor with unfocused eyes. “It was easier for us to blend in with the Muggles back then. Most people got around by walking or riding in a carriage; they relied on herbs for medicine, and pigeons and hawks were trained to deliver important messages. Our holidays were similar enough that they didn’t draw attention and could easily be mistaken for Christian ones. It was more remote, too, with fewer people around, making living in out-of-the-way places easier for our kind. The two populations were almost equal; the Muggles were only a few hundred thousand and barely outnumbered us five to one. There are millions of them now, and they outnumber us over a thousand to one—or more. They have all this technology we can’t use because of our magic or because it could expose us: cars, trains, radios, phones, and tellies. That third-year half-blood, Xander Lofthouse, even claimed they could track us across the country with machines they put in the stars! If you can believe that nonsense.”

“Satellites,” Nico tells her. “They’re called satellites, and they can track you all over the planet." 

Tracy blinks, her eyes refocusing on Nico as they widen in surprise. “They’re real?!”

“Yeah.” Nico nods. “So pure-bloods don’t like us because Muggles made it harder to hide?”

"It doesn’t help," Tracy sighs. "The primary concern is that our traditional culture appears to be overshadowed by the influences of Muggle customs that accompany the Muggle-borns and half-bloods raised in Muggle environments. In the past, we traveled to Hogwarts via broomsticks or accompanied our parents through the use of Apparition. However, the inability of certain half-bloods and muggle-borns to perform these methods has rendered their journey to school more difficult. One of the previous Headmasters instituted the use of a train, which is now the established mode of transportation to the school. They couldn’t even put the stop somewhere out of the way, no, it had to be in the center of bloody London! Those living farther away must journey to London just to attend school, as Hogwarts no longer permits alternative options. My mother is originally from Ireland, and she often shares how challenging it was for her to travel from her home to Wales, then to London, and finally take a train to Scotland. Catching a Portkey from Ireland to Hogsmeade would have been simpler for her family, but the Headmaster denied it. He explained that she needed to take the Hogwarts Express, as it was the official way to the school and more convenient for the students. This might be true for the Muggle-borns in London, but it wasn't the same for the rest of us. It meant a two-day journey for her and her parents, requiring them to rent rooms in the Muggle world to get her to school. And my dad! His family hails from Scotland, just a short ten-minute walk from Hogsmeade. But we have to travel to London so I can catch the train back! A twenty-minute walk makes more sense than a ten-hour train ride! Why not just let me walk to Hogsmeade and arrive at school from there? The older kids make that walk all the time!”

“Well, that's fucking stupid. Are there really no alternative ways to get to Hogwarts allowed?” Nico frowns. “What happens if you miss the train?”

"I suppose you send an owl to the school; let them sort out your arrival," Tracy shrugs. “It's unusual for anyone to miss the train. Typically, it's mostly Muggle-borns who do, so it doesn't matter."  

“It would matter to them," Nico scolds her gently.  

She huffs. “I dislike having to shape our entire world for them. You Americans had the right approach by banning marriage between Wixen and Muggles. Unfortunately, the law was repealed some years ago. I'm sure they don't have to concern themselves with violating the Statute of Secrecy or Muggles witnessing magic as much as we do.” 

Nico snorts, thinking about how the mortals had handled the Titan War, the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens, Typhon's movement across the U.S., and the Battle of Manhattan. The Mist was the primary reason their world hadn’t been exposed yet, but even then, with so many cultures rooted in America, some things always slipped through. Mortals perceived what they wanted to see, what their minds could grasp as real. How did the American wizards maintain their secrecy in a country influenced by the Greco-Roman, Egyptian, and Norse pantheons? That would be a question for Hecate and Dominic’s dad when he returned home for the summer.

“I think you're giving them too much credit,” Nico tells her. “So what is the Statute of Secrecy? Binns has mentioned it in class, but never elaborates on it.”

“The Statute of Secrecy is a set of laws enforced by wizards that keep our world separate from the Muggles. Its purpose is to safeguard both wizards and Muggles, allowing us to coexist without endangering either group’s existence. However, our ancestors failed to anticipate the rapid growth of the Muggle population, which has since dominated, leaving us desperate to cling to any remaining land we can. Sometimes, it feels like we live on reserves, similar to the centaurs and werewolves. It’s degrading; we are still human beings," Tracy sneers in disgust at the mere thought of it.

Nico frowns. “So some pure-bloods just want a place for wizards to live without worrying about Muggles coming in and taking it from them? That doesn’t seem unreasonable.” 

“You should tell that to the Muggle-borns,” she spits. “They enter our world knowing absolutely nothing about our people, history, or culture, and then they get hysterical when things are different from the Muggles' world. They come in demanding that we change everything for their comfort, but when we ask for something in return, suddenly, we’re the bad guys. Eventually, our magic will be the only thing that separates us from them.”

“Can you clarify what that means for me?” Nico asks. “Besides magic, what distinguishes wizards from Muggles?"

"Our bodies handle diseases differently. Wizards can often resist many Muggle illnesses due to our potions and diet, which enhance our immune systems. The magic within us contributes to our resilience. We can’t fully control our magic if every spell strains our muscles or fractures our bones," she explains. "Mainly, it’s about our culture. The wizard society was predominantly druidic or pagan until the Roman Empire’s expansion introduced Christianity. Then, the Norman invasion stripped away much of our ancient beliefs, although we managed to retain some traditions, like our Sabbats. We still celebrate Yule, Samhain, Beltane, the Equinoxes, and the Solstices. However, only Christmas, Halloween, and Easter are recognized holidays here now. Magic that once supported us is now deemed illegal due to Muggle perceptions of morality.”

“Like what?”

“Blood magic is the one my father always complains about. Our family used to specialize in it, making family tapestries.” She shifts in her seat. “When we first began hiding from muggles, many noble families placed wardstones on their properties, enhanced with the blood of the families they safeguarded. Some would adopt muggle-born orphans through blood rituals to help deter them from becoming an Obscuri. Certain healers offer specialized blood magic services to cleanse patients' bodies of ailments and curses. Our family tapestries were woven with fibers infused with the blood of family members, ensuring we recognized who to include as our family expanded. It's said that even Potter was shielded with blood magic that night he defeated the Dark Lord! Now, it's prohibited because some muggle-borns and half-bloods felt uneasy about it. I can’t count the number of wardstones that collapsed when they lost power and left their wizards surrounded by muggles to face persecution for their magic in their homes. Do you know how many diseases could have been treated earlier if they could have purified their blood? How many children wouldn’t have grown up fearing their magic, struggling to comprehend it amid those who don’t understand? So many lives might still be here if they had just left things alone. But no…the muggles think it's evil, so we must all conform. At the rate they're going, some of our potions will be outlawed next because they require creature blood or body parts. A motion was already discussed on the Wizengamot floor earlier this year to ban the collection of dragon parts! Oh, but they'll be the first to complain when they can't get a cure for Dragon Pox once it's completely outlawed. Not to mention how many wands will need to be confiscated and replaced because they’re made with dragon heartstrings. It’s as if they don’t understand that our ingredients come from animals that are already dead. It’s nothing like those inhumane muggles who raise animals strictly for slaughter. You attempt to kill a dragon for its heartstrings and liver. Truly, it seems they think our creatures are immune to aging! Most dragons don’t reach adulthood, and those that do live only five to ten years at best! Merlin’s beard, it’s not as if they’re immortal.”

“So it's mostly cultural ignorance; why pure-bloods hate muggle-borns and half-bloods.” Nico tries to get the conversation back on track. “So, they come into a new world with a new culture and try to keep what they like or what benefits them and do away with everything else, without considering the people whose culture they’re taking as their own. Yeah, that sounds pretty fucking shitty. But from what I’ve heard about the war with Voldemort, it wasn’t like the pure-bloods that followed him were in the right, going around and killing people for simply not having magic. It’s one thing to kill in self-defense; it’s another to commit genocide because you think you’re more deserving than someone else.”

“Every group has its extremists,” Tracy huffs, folding her arms. “Muggles have a notorious history of mass genocide if you’ve ever bothered to study them. Not every pure-blood wants the Muggles to disappear; do you understand how devastating that would be for our world? Reducing the global population from nearly seven billion to under ten million? They should consider where the majority of our food and clothing originate—certainly not from wizarding farms, I assure you that.”

“Fair enough,” Nico chuckles. “So, tell me more about wizards from the perspective of someone who actually grew up in that culture.”  

“You're handling this surprisingly well for a self-proclaimed muggle-born,” Tracy observes.  

“I'm a first-generation Italian immigrant living in America in the 21st century. My mother raised me as a Roman Catholic in the heart of Venice, while my father is a high-ranking member of a magical, polytheistic, closed religion. He’s training me to be an ambassador for that faith to the magical world, which the majority of the planet doesn’t know exists.” Nico shrugs. “I'm accustomed to trying to balance appropriation and appreciation.”

“Well, look who finally decided to show up!” Nico rolls his eyes at Ron as he enters the Gryffindor common room. 

“I told you I’d catch up later; I had a few more questions for Tracy about politics.” Nico slumps into the chair by the fireplace next to the group. He scans the room and waves when he spots the fifth year. “Hi, Kenny!”

“I’m going to throw you out one of these windows!”  

“They don’t open wide enough!” Nico turns back with a chuckle. “So, what did you want to talk about?”  

“Come on.” Harry gets up, and the others follow him to his and Ron's dorm; Nico groans about just sitting down before joining them. Once everyone is inside, Harry sits on his bed. “Snape cornered Quirrell again.” 

“Again?” Hermione asks as she sits at the desk beside Harry while Ron and Nico sit on Ron's bed. 

“Yeah, he did that over winter break,” Ron tells her. He turns to Harry. “So you heard them having another conversation?”

“I was returning from Quidditch practice and saw Snape going into the forest by Hagrid’s hut.” Harry runs his fingers through his hair. “I followed him on my broom, and he was meeting Quirrell. They know that students are aware of the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“Do they know it's us, or just that someone knows?” Nico frowns, leaning forward. “Because unless one of them overheard us talking about it, the only one who knows we know is Hagrid.”

“Would Hagrid tell Snape we know about it?” Hermione asks Harry and Nico, as they are the ones who know Hagrid best among the four of them. 

“Hagrid was defending him to us when we thought it was Snape who jinxed Harry’s broom,” Ron scowls. “It’s totally possible he told him.”

“He would have informed more of the professors than just Snape in that case,” Nico points out. “And if any of them knew about us, then McGonagall, at the very least, would have said something. So I doubt he would have told him deliberately.”

“Snape wanted to know if Quirrell had found out how to get past Fluffy yet,” Harry tells them. “Apparently, Quirrell also has enchantments on the stone. So, we know that Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape, and Quirrell have protections in place. Who else?” 

“Professor McGonagall is Gryffindor's head of house and the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, so it’s likely she would have one too. She practically runs the school herself when Headmaster Dumbledore’s not here,” Hermione says. “Not much happens in this school that she wouldn’t know about.”

“If McGonagall has one since she’s head of Gryffindor and Snape has one as head of Slytherin, then Sprout and Flitwick must have some too since they’re heads of house for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.” Ron frowns. “But Quirrell isn’t the head of a house, nor does he have any extra duties, which would mean he has more responsibilities here at Hogwarts. So, do all of the professors have an enchantment on the stone, or is Quirrell the exception?” 

“He’s the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” Harry reminds him. “That might be why he’s involved. But why Hagrid? Is it because he’s the groundskeeper?"

“Let’s assume it’s all the teachers. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared,” Nico says. “Why do we care which teachers have protections on the stone? Unless you’re still considering going after it yourselves?”

“I mean…”

“There’s no reason for us to get involved,” Nico interrupts Ron. “If all the teachers have protections on it, that should be more than enough. How many teachers are there at Hogwarts? Twelve, thirteen? Plus, Hagrid and Dumbledore, anyone attempting to break through ten to fifteen layers of protection will be discovered before they even reach the stone. And if we get caught, they might expel us.”

“Oh no.” Hermione breathes. 

Harry sighed while glancing at Ron, who merely rolled his eyes. With one sentence, Nico shattered their hope of having Hermione assist them with the stone. Harry attempted to dismiss the sinking feeling in his stomach; he hadn't forgotten what Nico had said the night they encountered the Cerberus. He was uncertain about what he would do if they took his wand away and sent him back to the Dursleys without a way to return to the wizarding world. If they were going to break the rules, they would need to exercise extreme caution to avoid getting caught. 

“I'll tell you what,” Nico sighs, noticing the expression on the boys' faces. “If it seems like the stone is really in danger, I'll go get it, and we'll find a place to hide it. However, worrying about it now will only cause us stress. We'll keep an eye on the door. Maybe add an alarm so we know if it opens again and can go check it out.” 

“Why you?” Ron frowns. “Shouldn't we go together?”

“I have diplomatic immunity,” Nico lies. He wouldn't have that until the fourth year, when the timelines evened out. Right now, none of the gods from the past knew he was here, except maybe Zeus, if it was he who had blasted him with lightning back at the beginning of the year. 

“Okay, so we'll set an alarm on the door,” Ron nods. “Who knows an alarm spell that we'll be able to hear from anywhere in the castle? Preferably one that others won't hear and come looking for.” 

“I, um...I don't know.” Nico scratches the scar on his cheek as the skin begins to itch. 

The other two turn to Hermione, who smiles. “I guess we'll just need to head to the library.”

“Hermione, this is ridiculous!” Ron complains. “It's only February and our exams aren't until the end of May. There’s no reason we should start revising right now.”

“It’s not ridiculous, Ron. We should have started already,” Hermione snaps at him before returning to the schedule she was adjusting.

“We'll still be learning new things in class for months. You might as well wait until the professors start revisions; otherwise, you're just going to spend all your time making the bloody schedule instead of actually studying,” Ron tells her. 

She stops writing. Harry gives Ron a grateful look. “Come on, we're supposed to be looking for an alarm spell for the door, remember? Where's Nico? I thought he would meet us here to help us look?”

“He's working with Neville on some potion project down in the dungeons,” Ron waves it off. “He said he'd be late.”

“I wonder why he does that,” Harry frowns. “He has the study group here on Fridays, helps us on Wednesdays, assists the other Slytherins, and tutors Neville multiple days a week. Doesn't he also have homework from his other schools? How is he getting anything done?”  

“I don't know, mate,” Ron glances at Hermione. “Maybe you can ask him to help you with your revision schedule since he's basically been doing it all year!” 

“That's a good idea,” Hermione mutters, not looking up from her book. “I think I found something. It seems it'll only signal the one who cast the spell, so we'll all need to do it.”  

“Cast what spell?” The three of them turn to see Hagrid standing behind them.  

“Hi, Hagrid! What are you doing here?” Harry grins, even though he's never seen Hagrid in the library before.  

“Hello. Just picking up a few things, that's all.” Hagrid shifts something behind his back. “Now, what are you four up to? What spell?”

Four? 

“It's an alarm spell.” Harry and Ron jump when Nico appears behind them. The boy smirks at them before sitting down. “Hermione and I have been studying for exams, and we wanted to make sure we actually remembered to come down for dinner since we forgot how late it was the other day. The alarms needed to be silent to avoid disturbing the librarian or the other students. Did you find it, Hermione?”

“Uh, yeah-yes! Yes, I did.” She slides the book over to him, her eyes wide as she glances at the others. She hadn't noticed him coming either. “I thought you were helping Neville with his potion work?”

“We finished half an hour ago. I was doing some maintenance on my sword when he mentioned a book he found about fungi used in Wix medicine.” Nico runs his finger along the passage with the alarm spell as he tries to read it before giving it back to Hermione. “Can you write it down so I can translate the paper?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Hermione nods and turns to pull out a roll of parchment. Nico stops her to hand her a notebook, and she beams. “I must remember to bring these next year to save my parchment for homework and essays. It'll save my parents some money.”  

“Well, I'll be off then, leaving you to your studying. Have a good day.” Hagrid quickly left them where they were seated, and all four of them watched as he approached the desk and slid Madam Pince a stack of books to check out.

“I wonder where he's off to in such a hurry,” Ron frowns, getting to his feet. “I'll be right back.”  

They watch as Ron heads into the aisle from which Hagrid had come before they turn back to Nico. Harry leans forward. “Are you really teaching Neville potions, or are you teaching him to fight? Ron said he asked Neville where he learned to punch after the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff game, and he said you taught him.”

“Why are you encouraging him like that?” Hermione demanded. “Fighting isn't going to solve anything. Honestly, I can't believe you think that's a good idea—”

“I'm teaching him self-defense because he's being bullied, Hermione, so watch how you fucking talk to me!” Nico snapped, glaring at her. Hermione flinched. “Draco and his friends have been targeting him from day one. Snape is constantly hovering over him, criticizing and belittling him. He got his legs jinxed together and had to hop all the way to your common room, up six flights of stairs, before someone helped him because everyone was too busy laughing. He deserves to have some self-confidence in himself and his ability to defend himself. Don't criticize me for helping him again when you haven't done anything for him.”

Harry gently nudges her, capturing her attention, and she raises her gaze, tears brimming in her eyes. "We both remember the bullying we faced in the Muggle world during grade school. Those kids only taunted us with name-calling or physical pushing. But these kids have magic at their disposal to bully others. Neville needs to be able to defend himself, or one of those bullying attempts could go horribly wrong. What if Neville had tripped while trying to hop up those steps, fallen, and broken his neck? You are in the wrong this time, ‘Mione, especially for going after Nico like that. A lot of kids in the Muggle world take martial arts, boxing, or self-defense classes. What Neville and Nico are doing isn’t different from what those kids do."

Hermione sniffs as she wipes her eyes. Nico shifts his chair closer and turns Hermione to face him. “I'll accept your apology, but please, ask a question before jumping to accusations against me or anyone else. You are incredibly smart, Hermione, but there are plenty of things you don’t know or fully understand. Never assume you know everything there is to know, or you will cease learning entirely.” 

“Look what I found!” Ron comes over with a pile of books. “Hagrid was looking at books on dragons! From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide—Why is Hermione crying? Who the bloody hell—”

“Ron, shush!” Harry gestures for Ron to sit. He looked over his shoulder to see if Madam Pince was watching them, as Ron had been getting loud. 

“‘Mione, do we need to deal with someone for you?” Ron was looking around with narrow eyes as if he'd be able to see who had caused the girl's tears. “I've been practicing those jinxes the twins taught me, and Nico can throw a mean left hook if Neville's aim is anything to go by, and Harry—”

Hermione's laugh cuts him off. Ron looks at the other boys, and Nico points to himself. Ron raises an eyebrow at him, and Nico nods. Ron points at Hermione, miming her crying, then points at Nico again, to which he nods. Ron makes an exaggerated frown and lifts both fists, shaking them at him. This time, Harry and Nico join Hermione in laughing at the boy, which makes Ron beam with pleasure. 

“You were saying something about Hagrid and dragons?” Harry tries to catch his breath. 

“Oh yeah!” Ron sits up, pushing the books closer to them. “Check it out. He was in the Beast aisle, which has a bunch of books for DADA and Care of Magical Creatures. These were in a pile at one of the tables.”

“Hagrid's always wanted a dragon.” Harry hums. “He's been talking about Aracris almost non-stop.”

“It’s illegal to keep dragons as pets, though. Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlock’s Convention of 1709,” Ron says, leaning back against his chair. The other three blink at him, and he blinks back. “What?”

“And you just happened to know that off the top of your head; why?” Nico grins.

“Oh!” Ron scratches his nose. “Mum used to yell at Charlie whenever he asked for a dragon for his birthday. The whole house got used to doing it.”

“Brilliant.” Harry snickers. “Now the real question is, why is Hagrid looking up stuff about dragons? I haven't seen him in here all year, so I doubt it's something he always does.”

“We'll have to ask him later. Come on, let's put this charm on the door, then we'll go see him.” Nico grabs the paper Hermione had written for him, and they return some of the books. 

They reach the third floor, only to pass by Percy in the corridor. “What are you four doing?” 

“Nothing.” Ron’s response is instinctual, and he flinches as soon as he says it, mouthing a quick sorry to the others. 

“Stop.” They do. Percy turns around and makes his way back to them. “Ron, what are you four doing?”

“Nothing, Percy,” Ron groans. 

“We’re just heading back to the common room to try out this new spell we found,” Hermione explains. Ron sighs and hangs his head. 

“Spell?” Percy’s gaze sharpens. “Ronald, if you’re messing around with—” 

“I’m not!” Ron snaps. “Merlin, Perce, I’m not the twins or Ginny.”

“It’s an alarm spell,” Harry tells the older boy. “So we don’t forget to eat or go to bed while studying.” 

Nico opens the library book they’d brought and turns to the correct page, showing it to the older boy. Percy skims the book for a moment, then clears his throat. “Right then. I thought…never mind. As long as you’re not the ones helping the boys charm the suits of armor to sing, I apologize.” 

“Whatever,” Ron grumbles, turning away and storming down the hall. 

“Ron—” Percy moves as if to stop him.

“What, going to write home to mum on me again?” Ron snaps over his shoulder. Percy’s jaw clenches, and he turns and walks away, too. The others rush to catch up with Ron. 

“Ron, what—” 

“Please, Harry, just don’t.” Ron sighs. “I know I was—it’s just that he always thinks the worst of us! He didn’t even ask beforehand; he was just blaming me for something. Again.” 

“What happened?” Nico asks.

“The twins pulled a prank on their classmate, and Percy wrote home about it.” Ron scratches his nose. “I don’t know if he mentioned something to Mum or if she just assumed I was involved, but I got a letter from them yesterday, and I didn’t even do anything!”

“Sorry, Ron,” Harry says. “Maybe we can send them a letter explaining you weren’t involved.”  

“Fred and George sent a letter this morning,” Ron shakes his head. “If that doesn’t help, nothing will. Mum is already in a mood. It was just a warning anyway; it’s not like I’m in trouble. It’s best just to let it happen, or I might make it worse if I try to correct her. Come on, let’s get this done, and then we can go see Hagrid.”

Once they reached the door where Fluffy was hidden, Harry and Ron positioned themselves at either end of the corridor to keep watch while Nico and Hermione cast the alarm to alert them. After that, Nico swapped places with Ron so Hermione could show him how to perform the spell, and once Ron finished, he switched with Harry so she could teach him as well. They signaled the two boys over once they were done, and Hermione cracked the door open. All four felt a vibration traveling up their arms, as if a wristwatch were going off, but there was no sound. Nico rested his arm against the wall and had Hermione open the door again. The vibrations resumed, but there was no noise against the wall. He then moved his arm to the wooden door, and again, it remained silent. 

“Okay, if it goes off while we’re near anyone else, it shouldn’t alert them,” Nico says as Hermione secures the door. The four gather their books and leave as quickly as possible before anyone catches them. 

“Good point; we didn’t even consider testing if the vibrations would be loud enough to hear.” Harry nods. “Can you imagine being in class, resting your arm on the desk, and then it goes off? The whole desk would shake.” 

“Well, that’s why we keep you around, right?” Ron nudges Nico with his arm, smiling at him. “Only a snake could keep a pack of lions in line.”

“It’s a pride of lions, not a pack,” Nico snorts. “And that’s incorrect. Have you ever seen a cat? The only things that scare them are cucumbers and sudden movements. They fight snakes just for fun.” 

“Are you sure you’re not a lion like us?” Harry snickers. “Considering how you react to chocolate frogs—it’s very cat-like of you.”

Ron howls with laughter as they reach the main staircase and begin descending, while Nico playfully kicks at Harry’s shin, which makes the other boy laugh as he jumps down the stairs to get out of the way. Even Hermione chuckled as they went to the Bell Tower and out the doors to make their way to Hagrid’s hut. 

Chapter Text

Hagrid did his best to encourage them to leave, but the others were too determined to get inside, no matter what the cost. Nico sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as they told Hagrid they knew about the Philosopher's Stone, prompting him to wave them in quickly. The hut was oppressively hot, with a high-built fireplace and flames barely contained by a thin metal grate. All the windows were closed, and wool blankets covered them for extra insulation. Nico removes his cloak and drapes it over the back of one of the chairs as he settles next to Fang, Hagrid's boarhound. He accepts a stoat sandwich from Hagrid, breaking pieces off for Fang, who whines when Nico gets too close but eagerly devours the bits left for him. The others shy away from the offered sandwiches, feeling a bit queasy at consuming what is essentially a ferret.

"I don't even want to know how ya found out about that stone." Hagrid frowns at them. "I told you four to leave it be, and I meant it. You don't need to be meddling in these kinds of adult affairs."

"But Hagrid, we know—" Harry looks at Nico and then corrects himself. "We think someone is trying to steal the stone." 

"Nonsense. No one is going to get past Fluffy; no one else knows how except Dumbledore. And I only told him 'cause someone has to feed 'em. Let alone the other enchantments the professors have put on it." Hagrid shakes his head. "Nah, it's best to put it out of ya mind now. Your exams are coming up; how is that going?"

Hermione's eyes sparkled with excitement. To mask his smile, Nico took a bite of his sandwich. They were correct to suspect that other teachers had also cast spells to safeguard the stone. Hagrid successfully steered the conversation away from the stone, and Ron and Harry glanced at Nico, who nodded. They managed to avoid revealing that the groundskeeper had validated their earlier theories. While Hermione and Hagrid discussed her progress on the study sheet, Nico finished his sandwich. With only three months left in school and a month and a half until exams, time was ticking away. A rattling noise came from the fireplace, and Hagrid stood up. "Alright then, you all best be on your way. I'm quite busy, I am." 

"Hagrid, what is that?" Harry attempts to look past Hagrid to see what it is, and it starts rattling again. Hagrid swore, ignoring him, and moved to push the grate aside. He grabbed a pair of large metal tongs and reached into the fire, pulling out a black oval stone the size of a small dog. An egg. A dragon egg.

"Hagrid, do not fucking set that on a cloth on the bloody wooden table! Harry, Ron, clear the table off!" Nico snaps. "Hermione! Levitate that metal tray over here! Fang! Bed!"

Hagrid held the stone and tongs over the fireplace while the three Gryffindors quickly moved to follow Nico's instructions. Fang jumped onto Hagrid's bed and lay safely out of the way. Once the table was cleared, except for the metal tray, Hagrid set the egg on it, shaking his hand and muttering, "Hot, hot, hot!" The metal hissed but didn't turn red, prompting a sigh of relief from Nico. They weren't going to burn anything down now. 

"What is it?" Harry asked, looking at it.

"That's a dragon egg," Ron breathed, moving closer. Harry's eyes widened.

"I want to know where you got it," Nico said, turning to Hagrid. “And why did you bring it onto the school grounds?"

"Last night at the pub in town," Hagrid shares with them. "I received a letter from an old friend in the trade mentioning a man who needed assistance getting rid of something. He didn't specify what it was, and I had no idea he'd bring it along. I surely didn't expect it to be a dragon egg. But I couldn't leave them there; that man was clueless. The poor thing was icy to the touch. You have to keep them warm, you know? Otherwise, they could perish! He didn't even use a heating charm on it. What a fool that man was. Besides, it's not like I can't handle it." 

"You live in a wooden hut on a school grounds with five hundred children who could either be harmed by the dragon or pose a threat to it," Nico tries to reason. "Even if you can care for the egg, once it hatches and grows, we'll be at risk if we keep a dragon on the premises without proper training."  

"Well…" Harry looks up from the egg at Nico. "What about the one from your school? Can't you show Hagrid how to take care of a dragon?"

Everyone looks at Nico with anticipation, especially Hagrid. Nico shakes his head. "They got Peleus before I arrived at Delphi's; I’m not sure how they managed to train him not to attack people. Even if I could teach you how to handle it, every first-year or visitor to the school would be threatened when they spotted them. Just think about the chaos if someone from the Board or the Ministry came for a visit and a dragon attacked! That would land Dumbledore and the teachers in prison, and the school would be closed for good." 

"Oh." Harry swallows. 

"Right, no, better not," Ron shivers. "I don't want to even think about one of the professors having to deal with Azkaban, especially Hagrid, since he'd be the one taking care of the dragon."  

"Azkaban?" Hermione frowns. "I thought that was a special prison for the most horrible dark wizards. Are there no other prisons or simple jails in the Ministry?"

"Not really," Ron shrugs. "There are holding cells in the Ministry, but they're for people who still need to be tried before the Wizengamot. Azkaban is where they're sent if they're found guilty."

Another rattle followed a hiss from the egg. They watched deep cracks forming, splitting the eggshell in a jagged lightning pattern. The egg was hatching. It let out a loud, hiss-like screech, causing Hagrid to reach for it while Nico and Ron grabbed his arms.

"You have to let it push itself out," Nico tells him.  

"I have to help him," Hagrid argues. 

"The dragon has to emerge from the egg using its own strength," Ron explains. "This is important for hatchlings. A dragon unable to break its shell is considered weak. If you do everything for a dragon from the moment it hatches, that hatchling will never learn to fend for itself, which could ultimately lead to its death because it won't understand how to care for itself."  

Hagrid tries to continue protesting, but they are adamant that he leave the egg alone. Finally, he relents and slumps back into his chair to wait. Nico pulls out his camera.

"You brought it?!" Ron exclaims.

"Did you expect me to hear that Hagrid had a dragon and just leave it behind?" Nico raises an eyebrow as he adjusts the camera for a longer shot. He wanted to capture the entire hatching if he could.

"Brilliant," Harry breathes.

"Boys," Hermione scoffs playfully, a smile on her face. "Come stand here; you'll get a better picture if you do."

There was another cracking noise, and a piece of the eggshell flew toward them. Nico caught it before it hit Hermione, then pressed the record button with his other hand. They watched a wing emerge from the hole along with a little black snout. A slitted pink tongue tasted the air as the dragon let out a small shriek. The egg began to crumble as the baby dragon pulled itself free. It was a tiny creature with black leathery skin and wings twice the size of its body. It slid on one of the eggshell pieces and shrieked again, then turned around and hissed at it for the inconvenience. It coughed a small amount of smoke and sparks as it explored the warm metal tray. Nico stopped the recording as Hagrid approached.

"Aw, he's beautiful!" the man cries. "Look at him! And he's already moving around, too! I was afraid he'd be a bit lame, with his egg being so cold when I got him. But look at him, up on his feet and not sick! 'Ello, Norbert."

"Norbert?" Harry looks at Hagrid.  

"Well, he ought to have a name, right?" Hagrid smiles.  

"She," Nico says as he hands the camera to Harry to get closer to the hatchling. "It's a female, and she is sick." 

“Hatchlings are expected to breathe fire at birth, so the fact that she can’t is worrying. Charlie mentions that female eggs usually show a lower internal core measurement.” Ron nods. "Dragons often attempt to prevent nesting mothers from getting the eggs to higher temperatures, to lower the number of males they will need to fight for territory and mating rights. Plus, it allows for more females to mate with." 

"Oh."

"Norbert is still a great name." Nico smiles at the older man. "It's an ancient German name meaning 'bright' and 'north.' Norberta means the same thing." 

"Well, that's settled then." Hagrid claps his hands in delight. "Norberta, that'll be her name."

"Now, what do we do?" Hermione asks. "If she's sick, are there any books we can use to help her feel better?"  

"Oh! I have some right here." Hagrid turns to the table off to the side and pulls out a few books. "We'll need to get her temperature up and ensure she stays fed."  

"How do we do that?" Harry asks Ron. 

"Well, each dragon has different dietary needs, but it's simple enough once we know what type she is." Ron approaches the table, and the hatchling looks up and hisses. Ron hesitates, then looks her over as best he can without touching her. "Based on her egg's color and shape and what she looks like now, I'd say she's a Norwegian Ridgeback. Notice how the spines by her neck point towards her head instead of her tail? I'm almost certain that's what she is. Blimey, Hagrid, she must have cost a small fortune. Ridgebacks are so rare that only a handful of them hatch each year. They're poisonous, too; the eggs are typically concealed in a highly acidic mucus that prevents anything except another dragon from getting too close. We're not ending up in the hospital wing because whoever gave it to you must have cleaned it off. She's lucky to be alive, honestly."

"What makes you say that?" Nico asks.

"The mucus is meant to keep the heat from the mother's body inside the shell," Ron explains. "Charlie says the Ridgeback is one of the few dragon species that doesn't breathe fire on their eggs because the mucus is flammable. They sit on the eggs to transfer body heat, and the mucus helps maintain warmth if they need to leave the eggs for any time. Whoever cleaned the egg off before giving it to you, Hagrid, didn't care if the hatchling lived or died. It's not fair – she's just a baby." 

Nico gently rests his hand on Ron's shoulder to soothe his upset friend. Then, he retrieves his wand and takes a seat at the table. With a flick, he levitates all the egg fragments to the far end, away from the baby dragon. The hatchling hisses at him and sneezes tiny sparks. Nico leans in, positioning his face near the table's edge, holding his wand under his chin. He points it at the dragon and whispers, "Incendio."

A flame bursts from his wand just above the dragon, which produces a small shriek of delight as it turns its body to warm its wings and tail. It wiggles slightly while hopping around the flame, and when the fire disappears, it whines, turning toward Nico and shooting a miniature fireball at him. It catches his sleeve on fire, but he calmly extinguishes it. He nudges the hatchling aside with one hand and repeats the spell, allowing the fire to hover above the dragon's belly. He disregards the slight blistering on his hand as the baby purrs, warming up.

"You're bloody mental." Ron breathes as the three watch the boy nearly set the dragon hatchling on fire.  

"Oh, please be careful," Hermione calls from where she’s moved away from the table. 

Harry wanted to say something, but held back to avoid ruining his shot. He aimed Nico's camera at the boy and the dragon, thinking his cousin would love a picture. How many people can say they helped hatch a dragon? He smiles as the photo prints and quietly recites the spell Nico taught him to animate the image. He watches as Nico repeatedly sets the tiny dragon ablaze; the flames make Nico's eyes shine with a red glow.

Nico smiles as he watches the little dragon prance around the table, learning to maneuver in its new environment. So long as it receives the proper care, it should grow well. And no one would be more dedicated to raising a dragon than Rubius Hagrid.  

"Hagrid, do you have something for it to eat?"  

"Aye! Right here." Hagrid was holding a bowl of something that smelled like blood and liquor.

Nico tries to keep a neutral expression and pushes the eggshell pieces closer. "If we crush these and mix them into her food, it'll give her an extra dose of the vitamins she needs to recover and grow properly. Do you have anything that can do that?"

"I might have a port and mortar strong enough for that. Hang on a sec." Hagrid sets the bowl on the table and moves to his storage cabinet. Norberta catches the scent of blood and tries to duck her head into the bowl, but Ron is quicker. He gently grabs her around the stomach and lifts her out of the way. He sits across from Nico at the table, settling her against his chest with an awed expression even as she shrieks her displeasure.

"I'm holding a dragon," he whispers, smiling. He runs a finger over her spiked crown; she tilts her head back and hisses at him, causing his smile to widen. "Wicked."  

Harry hands Nico the camera to review the pictures and pets the dragon. "Hermione, come on, you've got to pet her, too."

"Uh..." Hermione steps closer, and Harry takes her hand, gently guiding her to pet the dragon's head. It emits a purr, and Hermione chuckles. Nico captures another photo of the three of them, urging them to look up. All four laugh when the dragon shrieks and releases a few sparks. When Hagrid returns with powdered eggshells to mix with the blood and liquor, he allows Harry and Hermione to feed her while Ron holds her. Nico captures that moment, too, and then Hagrid takes the camera. Nico sits on Ron's other side to join in the next photo. 

"She's got a cut there. Look," Hermione points to a small patch of dried blood beneath her left eye. "Do you think she got it while trying to get out of the egg?" 

"It's possible," Hagrid sighs, handing Nico his camera and photos. "Not much we can do about it now, I suppose. Blimey, you’ve been here for hours; it's getting dark already. You four had better return to the castle for dinner before someone comes looking for you. Go on then."

Ron places Norberta on the table despite her shriek of protest. She bites his sleeve and tugs at it, making Ron laugh. As he struggles to get her to let go, Nico reaches over and gently puts his finger against her mouth. She switches to chewing on his finger, and he presses down on her tongue, causing her to shriek again, shaking her head free, and then hisses at him. He scratches under her chin, then turns to Hagrid. "Do you have a place for her to sleep? She'll need to keep her body temperature up while she recovers." 

"Aye, I do," Hagrid nods toward his fireplace. "Now that the fire has died down to embers, I'll let her settle in there and keep it fed just enough not to go out completely." 

"What about long-term?" Nico picks Norberta up and carries her to the fireplace, playfully shaking her snout as she nips at his fingers. He kneels and sets her down on the embers with another stone bowl of her food. She purrs and gets comfortable for her second feeding.

"What do ya mean?" Hagrid frowns. "I can raise her right here. She's perfectly safe."

"She might be safe here, but what about the students?" Nico raises an eyebrow. "I doubt anyone would attack her while she's here, especially once she grows big enough to defend herself, but that's not my main concern. Dragons can grow quite large, Hagrid. In just three months, she might no longer fit in your house. And considering half of it is made of wood, a single sneeze could bring the place down. What will you feed her once she's fully grown? Will you allow her to hunt in the forest, exposing other magical creatures that rely on those trees for safety to her? That wouldn’t be fair to them. If she can't hunt in the forest, her next meal source will be Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. We have to find a solution for her, Hagrid, before it's too late." 

"She can't hurt anyone; she's just a baby!" Hagrid protested. 

"All babies grow up." Nico stood, wiping his hands. "I can contact some family members and see what they say. But if the Ministry finds out…babies are much easier to get rid of than a full-grown dragon. Let's find a place where she can live a long, full life, okay?"

"We can ask Charlie," Harry suggests. "He works at a dragon sanctuary, right? He might know of a safer place for her."  

"I'll write to him tonight," Ron nods. "But Hagrid's right; we must get back before someone comes looking for us and discovers Norberta."  

"We'll figure it out, Hagrid," Hermione assures him.  

"Alright then," Hagrid sighs. "Just…can't we wait until she's a bit bigger? At least until she's strong enough to travel?"

"Sure, we can do that. But we should start exploring our options now so we're not scrambling to find something when she's ready. We'll stop by tomorrow to check on both of you, okay?" Nico grabs his cloak and fastens it around his neck. 

"Go ahead, then. Go eat." Hagrid waves, leaving them to see themselves out before returning to the hatchling. 

"Charlie's never going to believe I got to hold a hatchling," Ron whispers with a laugh as they walk up to the Clock Tower. "The only time he gets to hold one at the reservation is during the babies' checkups, and he's usually too tired after wrestling with the mother to enjoy it truly." 

"Here." Nico hands him a photo of the redhead holding Norberta. "I took two, so you can send one to him when you explain what's happening." 

"Awesome," Ron exhales, accepting the picture.

"Just be careful. No one can see it," Hermione warns as they enter Gryffindor Tower. "The last thing we need is someone to find that picture and tell McGonagall."

"Better put it in your pocket for now," Harry agrees. "After you write to Charlie, I'll let you borrow Hedwig to send it to him. It'll be safer with her than with one of the school owls."

"Thanks, mate." Ron smiles as he puts the picture away. "Nico, are you sitting with us tonight?"

"Nah, Terry asked for some help reviewing an essay." Nico rolls his eyes. He slips his photos into his pocket, alongside the piece of Norberta's eggshell he had kept, and places his camera around his neck. He'll need to order more films soon. They pass through the Quad Courtyard and enter the corridor leading to the Entrance Hall. "He keeps putting it off, so now he's rushing to finish it before class. It's not due until Friday, though." 

"Okay, we'll see you tomorrow then, yeah?" Ron says as they reach the Great Hall.  

The three of them walk to the Gryffindor table while Nico walks over to the Ravenclaw table, spotting Terry, who sees him and starts waving. "Thank Merlin and Morgana, Nico, please. You must help me with this, or McGonagall will drop me to an A."  

"That's still passing, Terry," Nico replies as he sits beside the boy.  

"But I have an O in her class!" Terry looks at him earnestly. "She's the only professor I have an O in; I can’t lose it."  

"Alright," Nico chuckles. "Show me where you're stuck."

"A DRAGON?" 

"Hi Nicky," Nico grins while settling into the bathroom's vanity chair, the Iris Message ahead of him. 

"Hi Nic, how's it going? What class are you taking that allows you to feed a baby dragon?!" Dominic leaned in closer to the message, practically buzzing with excitement. 

Nico noticed the others behind him, looking at some photos he had taken and sent the day before. Percy and Leo were excited about the one where he appeared to be breathing fire on Norberta, while Annabeth admired the photo of his study group in the library. A few older demigods and a group from New Rome were visiting for the week, so he waved to Piper, Clarisse, Chris, Travis, and Katie before returning to the kid.

"None of them. Technically, it's illegal to have a dragon here in the UK," Nico tells him. "And no one else but us and the groundskeeper knows it's here. We're trying to convince Hagrid to let us smuggle it to a dragon sanctuary before we get caught with it."

"Nico di Angelo, are you over there breaking the law without us?" Leo gasps. Piper presses one hand to her chest, the other to her forehead, and leans dramatically against the other boy. 

"Yes!" Percy cackles. "We've finally corrupted you!"

"One of us, one of us!" Travis and Connor chant. "Welcome to the club, welcome to the club! Welcome, Nico, welcome, Nico-"

"Anyway!" Nico shouts over the noise. "Yeah, we currently have a dragon. I’m not well-informed about how you trained Peleus, but any tips would be appreciated." 

"Okay, pay attention, zombie," Clarisse says, raising an eyebrow at one of the pictures before turning to him. "I’ll say this only one time—"

It takes a week for Charlie's letter to reach them, and they spend that time in Hagrid's hut, keeping an eye on the dragon while he fulfills his duties as groundskeeper. Norberta had already grown a few feet and was feisty, and Nico had taken to playing rough with her while the others watched from the table or the bed, feeling varying degrees of nervousness and excitement.

"So he is willing to come get her, but the earliest it can happen is next Saturday?" Nico clarifies as Ron reads the reply he received from Charlie. 

"Yeah. He also thanked me for the picture. All his coworkers love it, and he has no plans to return it," Ron huffs. "He even said what we did was crazy, and he's going to keep the photo handy if he ever needs to change mum's mind when she's mad at him. What nonsense, honestly." 

"Ah, yes, blackmail. Sounds like perfectly normal brotherly bonding." Nico snickers as he flips Norberta onto her back and jerks his cloak out of her mouth, just to lay it down for her to pounce on again. They start up a new game of tug. "Come on, Norberta, come on. That's it, Birdie. Aw, did ya get it? Whoops, mine now." 

"Piss off! If mum ever sees that photo, I'm dead; that's what I am." Ron snorts. “Hey, Harry, thanks again for letting me use Hedwig. Did Kenneth ever hear back from his parents about Charlotte Fowley?”

“Yeah!” Harry was almost vibrating with excitement. “He thought she might have been a cousin of his great-great-grandfather or something, but it turns out she was his half-sister. So Kenneth and I are distantly related, too. He said that his grandfather wanted to meet me! How cool is that?”

“That’s amazing, Harry," Nico grins at him.

“When are you going to meet with him?” Ron asks.

“I don’t know yet.” Harry shrugs, adjusting Nico’s camera to get a picture of the boy playing tug with the dragon. “It’ll depend on whether my aunt and uncle let me visit over the summer.”

"Be careful with her!" Hermione cries as Nico sends the little dragon tumbling tail over head with a flick of the cloak. She shrieks as she collides with a chair and pounces on the cloak again.

"She's fine," Nico dismisses. "If she had hatched with siblings in her mother's nest, they would have played rougher than I am. At least one or two hatchlings die in every clutch because of rough playing." 

"Still." 

Norberta squeals as Nico lifts the cloak around her, pulling her into his lap. She hisses once her head is free and tries to bite him, but Nico grabs her snout with his hand and shakes it. He shifts his body to hover over her more and imitates a low chittering noise. Norberta stops struggling and simply shrieks, so Nico flips her so she can stand in his lap instead. She rubs her head against his palm before gnawing on his cloak. 

"How did you do that?" Harry asks. "Make that noise, I mean?"

"You vibrate your uvulas like you’re gargling something," Nico tells him. "Then you only let a little bit of the air pass through your lips to make the sound lower. It'll make a different sound depending on whether you inhale or exhale."

Harry and Ron immediately start their attempts at making the sound while Hermione shakes her head. "Why did you make that sound? Is it something about hatchlings?" 

"I called Leo and my cousins the other night to see their reactions to the pictures I sent, and they went ballistic. They shared some tips from when they trained Peleus." Nico laughs, giving small tugs to the cloak to entertain Norberta. "The sound mimics what an older dragon does to correct a hatchling. Clarisse said I need to give off some aura to scare the crap out of her, but I—fuck!" 

All three of them spring up as Nico slams the little dragon onto the floor, his injured hand pinning her head and neck down. He emits the chittering sound again, louder and sharper. The room seemed to darken, the fire flickering dimmer, and the air turning chilly. Norberta let out a soft whine, but Nico didn't release her until she stopped moving, her tail coiling around his wrist, leaving her motionless. She quivered even as she succumbed entirely to the deadly aura that Nico radiated. 

"N-Nico?" 

"I'm fine." Nico let the dragon up, removing the cloak from where it was wrapped around her and pulling her back into his lap. She kept still, her body still shaking, as he took the sleeve from his ruined cloak and ripped it off to wrap around his hand. "She'll be fine, too. She just got a little excited by play hunting."

"Is that what you were playing with her?" Harry asks slowly. "Testing her hunting abilities?" 

"She'll have to learn it eventually," Nico shrugs. "And she needs to understand the pecking order, too. Do you see how she isn't trying to engage with me? I've positioned myself above her in rank in her mind. I'll restart the game in a few minutes, and she'll—well, she won't forget it, but it'll fade from her immediate focus." 

"And your hand?" Hermione hands him a wet cloth.

Nico accepts and starts cleaning the wound. "I've got some medicine to take care of it." 

Norberta inches closer, sniffing his hand and the blood on it, making Nico freeze in place. The others follow suit. When Harry attempts to get closer, Nico shakes his head. If she were to attack him, he wanted them to escape the potential threat. Since the beginning of this journey, Nico has dreaded this moment: What would happen if something detected his scent and pursued him? Would their creatures respond to the ichor in his blood like the monsters back home did? 

The little dragon emits a chittering sound and digs her claws into Nico's shirt, nudging her head under his chin. She pushes against him with her weight until he lies on the ground, then curls up on top of him, tucking her tail under her nose. She pulls Nico's hand closer with the tips of her claws, licking it clean of blood and settling down with a huff, smoke drifting from her nostrils. 

"Welp. This is my life now," Nico says. She huffs and moves her other wing to cover Nico's head. "Oh, is that what we're doing? Sorry, guys, Birdie says it's nap time. Can you pass on the message to our head of house for me?"

"Isn't Snape your head of house?" Ron snorts. "Wouldn't he be the one we tell that a dragon says you can't come to class anymore?"

"Ah…correction, can you inform the head of house that I actually respect that an animal has fallen asleep on me, and I'm not going to make it to class? She's a cat, she'll understand."

"Yeah, mate, we'll get right on that." Harry laughs.

"Cheers, mate." 

"What are you four doin'?" Hagrid was smiling as he entered the hut, Fang just behind him. 

"Norberta chose me as her pillow, so I'm stuck here until further notice," Nico tells him, waving his bloody hand. Norberta nips at his fingers, and Nico flicks her nose before settling back down.  

"We're here to support our fallen friend," Harry says, gesturing to Nico, lying on the floor with a dragon on his chest. He takes another picture.

"Ah. It's feeding time for her, so I'll take over here. Did you ever hear back from your brother there?" 

"Next Saturday is the earliest he can get here," Ron tells him.

“Well, I guess she should be ready to leave by then," Hagrid sniffs. “Leaving her nest at three weeks old. That never happens in the wild, you know? They stay with their mothers until they learn to fly.”

"Charlie already said he'd be happy to write to you and keep you updated on her," Hermione sighs. "That'll have to be enough until this summer. Then, maybe you can visit her there." 

Norberta chirps as she climbs off Nico while Hagrid pulls out her food. She was still getting a mixture of animal blood and liquor, but Hagrid had also started feeding her dead rats. That crossed the line for Hermione and Ron, who were willing to help with her but could no longer watch her eat. Nico rises to his feet and wraps his hand up again.

"Are you all right there?" Hagrid asks as he begins to gather the ingredients for Norberta's food. 

"She just got a little excited; I'll be fine," Nico replies with a smile, laying his cloak over her pile of bedding. "She can keep that; it's not like I can go to class with it in that condition." 

The rest had packed their belongings and stood outside, waiting for Nico. When he exited, he gave Norberta a scratch under her chin, causing her to squeal in annoyance. As he stepped out, he collided with the doorframe after feeling a weight on his back—two clawed wings clutched his shoulders, and a tail coiled around his waist. A sudden pull on his ponytail turned his head sharply, and Norberta shrieked in his ear. "What on earth are you doing, Birdie?"

"I think she's mimicking what you do," Hermione said, her eyes bright with laughter. "She just bit your hair and shook her head, just like when you grab her snout when she's misbehaving." 

"Ron, are you getting this?" Harry laughed as he looked over his shoulder.

Ron had Nico's camera pointed directly at him. Nico gives him the finger, and they share another laugh. Nico tugs at her tail, dismissing her protests, pulling her into his arms as she attempts to curl up. He readjusts his grip on the hatchling, settling her against his hip, and Ron snaps another picture. Ignoring them, Nico carries her back to where Hagrid waits for him to hand her over. 

"Bye, Hagrid! Bye, Birdie!" Nico shouts over his shoulder as he dashes out the door, closing it behind him. They could hear Hagrid struggling to settle her as they left. 

"Are you sure you're going to be okay, Nico?" Harry frowns at the bloody sleeve wrapped around Nico's hand. "Ridgebacks are poisonous, right? Aren't the babies more dangerous because they can't control the amount of venom they release?" 

"I’m pretty sure those are snakes, Harry, but I don't know enough about dragons to say otherwise." Nico shrugs as they reach the tower. "I've got some stuff to treat the bite, like salves and whatnot, and if that doesn't work, I'll go to Pomfrey."

"Promise?" Hermione arches an eyebrow.  

"I promise." Nico sighs dramatically.  

"You'd better follow through, then." Ron halts at the bottom of the stairs. "You’ve got to meet Neville later, right?"  

"Crap, yes, I do. Thanks for the reminder!" Nico grabs his bag, camera, and the photos from Harry, waving as they head up the staircase before turning to navigate deeper into the castle toward his dorm room. 

To his surprise, Draco was alone in their dorm when he entered. The boy was sitting on his bed, reading a textbook and taking notes, when he glanced up to see Nico walk in and head straight for his trunk. "Where have you been?" 

"Hanging out with my friends," Nico tells him as he grabs the bottle of vitamins and a vial of nectar. He takes the pill and swallows it dry, then drinks, watching the bleeding from the bite slow and the discoloration from the poison fade. He puts the nectar away when he feels warm and checks the wounds. They would scar, but they weren't in danger of reopening, so he dropped the bloody sleeve into his trunk. He pulls out the bandages he had brought to wrap his hands for training. "What are you doing?" 

"Charms." Draco murmurs, frowning at the page he was reading.

"Cool." He stands up. "I'm going to hang out with Neville, so I'll see you at dinner." 

"Di Angelo!" Nico stops and turns back with a raised brow. 

Draco held up his pen with a pointed look. Nico crosses his arms over his chest. "I see it. Wow, a pen. How Muggle of you."

Draco scowls. “The ink has been depleted.”

"And?" Nico shrugs.

"You indicated that you would provide a replacement when this occurred," Draco speaks slowly, as though Nico might not comprehend.

Nico responds with equal deliberation, "I mentioned that you could request a new one, indeed. So ask." 

With a frustrated huff, Draco adjusts his position. "Di Angelo, I request a replacement pen, as the current one is no longer functional for my needs." 

Nico chuckles, reaching into his bag. "Would you prefer a new pen or a refill for your current one?"

"Is it possible to refill these?" Draco asks as he examines the pen thoughtfully. 

Nico retrieves a refill for the pen and demonstrates to Draco how to disassemble it, replace the ink cartridge, and reassemble it. He then returns the pen to Draco, who tests it and nods his approval. "That is all I require from you. Leave.”

"You're welcome, you dick." Nico rolls his eyes and leaves.

He returns to the Beast room, where his stuff was left. Neville is already waiting for him, doing some exercises he had shown him to help increase his core strength. The few months of lessons have benefited the pudgy boy, and Nico notices that Neville has gained some muscle. 

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Nico says as he removes his cloak and tie, draping them over one of the chairs. “We went to see Hagrid, and I had to stop by my dorm for this."

"Are we beginning something new?" Neville asks as he observes Nico going through his bag to retrieve the bandages. 

"Yes. Come over here and grab some water." Nico offers him a glass. "We've covered the basics: breath control, grappling techniques, how to fall correctly, and how to throw and receive punches and kicks to end a fight swiftly. We’ll move on to more advanced techniques, starting with boxing today. Our first lesson will be hand wrapping to prevent injuring your knuckles."

Neville nods, placing the now-empty glass down on the table. "Yeah, those hurt. Are we going to finish our lessons before the end of the year?”

"Enough to get the basics," Nico shrugs. "Then we can pick it up again next year as well. Here, take this and watch closely. I'll wrap my hands and show you how to do it, and I want you to mimic it with yours." 

Nico hands Neville one of the bandages. "Unroll it. When you reach the center, there's a hoop, as you can see. This part goes on the thumb, then you wrap it around the wrist. Good. Take it, and we'll go between the thumb and index finger..."

The two weeks pass quickly, and on the last Saturday of February, Nico stays in the common room, waiting for everyone to go to bed. A few fifth and seventh years are still awake, revising for their exams, but by a quarter to eleven, the last few stragglers are gathering their books with bleary eyes. He remains in front of the fireplace, reading his book, while all but one student heads to bed. Draco subtly watches him as he pretends to work on homework or revisions. However, he hasn’t switched his parchment yet, and no matter how small his handwriting is, six hours of constant note-taking wouldn't fit on a single roll of parchment. 

"I'm going to get a snack from the kitchen," Nico says as he stands up and places the book on the table. 

"It’s nearly midnight," Draco replies promptly, narrowing his gaze. "You are prohibited from leaving the dormitories at this hour. How are you intending to reach the kitchens?" 

"The kitchens are located in the dungeons, just down the corridor." Nico shrugs and heads toward the stairs, with Draco trailing behind. "I won’t take long, and no one will find out as long as you keep this to yourself, lizard." 

"Students are not permitted," Draco hisses as Nico ascends the staircase. "I am unaware of your issues regarding rules, but you have already forfeited over two hundred points for our house. Get back in here!"

"No," Nico responds, waving at the squid mural as he walks away.  

"Di Angelo!" Draco hisses, raising his voice. "I'm off to find Farley; he’ll be right crossed with you!"

"Oh no," Nico calls back as he turns the corner. 

He hears Draco hiss his name again before he goes bounding up the stairs to the Entrance Hall. As he reaches the corridor to the Entrance Hall, he shadow-travels to the bridge connecting Gryffindor Tower and the Clock Tower. Peeking through the door, he swears softly and settles in to wait for Peeves to clear out. It had been months since he last used his powers to prevent the poltergeist from turning them into Filch, and now the spirit had taken to targeting him. After two weeks of being unable to move or speak, Peeves switched to outright avoidance, but only if Nico noticed him first. Nico had already endured the brunt of the spirits' unexpected pranks, with Peeves darting away before he could strike back. Spotting a shimmer on the stairs, he realizes the others are waiting too. He looks at the poltergeist and releases a fraction of his aura, causing the air to chill, then waits. The spirit only takes a moment to detect him and escape, cackling about something or other. The three Gryffindors quietly slip down the stairs towards the door, where Nico holds it open.

"Come on," Harry hissed as he raised a corner of his cloak, and Nico ducked underneath it. The four of them moved down the bridge into the Clock Tower and then outside, slowly making their way to Hagrid's hut. It took several attempts at knocking and being ignored before Nico slipped out from under the cloak and opened the door, waving the others in. 

“Come…on…Nor…berta," Hagrid was struggling to get the hatchling into a crate. "In we go!"

Norberta thrashed about, flapping her wings and using her tail to lash out at Hagrid as he attempted to guide her feet into the box. She roared, causing them to wince and clutch their ears. Nico felt relieved that Hermione had thought to add silencing charms to the hut; otherwise, the dragon would have been discovered long before the week ended. With their tight schedule, Nico stepped forward and whistled sharply to grab their attention. The dragon emitted another, higher-pitched roar and nudged Hagrid before launching herself at Nico. He braced himself as she slammed into him, quickly shimmying to his back, digging her claws into his sweater, and wrapping her tail around his waist. Letting out smoke from her nostrils, she yawned to relieve her tension while curling her neck around Nico's, so her head rested under his chin. 

"Ah… well, I guess you can get her in the crate then," Hagrid huffs, still miffed that Norberta preferred Nico over him.  

"I don't think we'll get her in there, anyway," Nico sighs. "I'll carry her up the tower, and you guys can grab the crate. Hermione, can you cast the weightless charm on it? It might be easier to get it up the stairs that way."  

"Do you want the cloak then?" Harry asks.

"Nah, I have my own ways of staying out of sight. And Norberta's not going to sit still if she's covered with it. She'll think it's playtime." Nico shakes his head. "You three will need it if we run into any teachers." 

"We're going to be late," Ron says as he looks out the door. "Can you keep her quiet?" 

"Yeah," Nico replies. "Ready?" 

Harry and Hermione carry the trunk, while Ron has the cloak and a food bag for Norberta. Nico takes the lead with the dragon herself. Once they reach the arcade in the courtyard, he slips to the side, moving closer to the edge. After a moment of hesitation, the others follow. Ron approaches Nico's side and whispers, "What are we doing, mate? The Clock Tower is right there."

"And so are over a thousand portraits, ghosts, and the patrolling Prefects and Professors," Nico replies. "We need to reach the Astronomy tower, and there's an entrance just past the willow. If we stick to the walls until we reach our destination and then slip inside, we reduce our chances of getting caught. Stop and duck down if you see anyone looking out a window."

"Right. I'll let the others know." He nods and slips back to where Harry and Hermione are waiting. Norberta makes a sound, and Nico huffs quietly through his nose, releasing a little of his aura. It was a sound that deer and even hellhounds made to signal their young to stay silent and hidden so they wouldn’t attract attention. He had read in one of the books in the library that dragons made the same sound to keep their young safe from being eaten by rival dragons or even their sires. Nico thought that Norberta was too big to be eaten, but she was still young enough that he hoped it would work. Norberta freezes, then curls tighter around him to make herself smaller. It worked.

They trudged slowly across the lawn toward the wall, then traced it to the side of the school. Ron steps ahead, ensuring the coast is clear before he holds the door open for the others. He guides them along the corridor to the door that leads to the tower and opens that as well. Harry and Hermione ascend the stairs first since they're carrying the crate, with Nico following close behind. Ron brings up the rear, cursing softly and letting out a quick whistle as he shuts the door, causing all four of them to freeze. Someone was outside.

"Professor, I assure you that I am not lying! He departed nearly an hour ago and has yet to return. He is currently roaming the school premises!" It was Draco. Nico winced; he should have just gone to their dorm bathroom and shadow-traveled to the tower instead of trying to go around the kid. He must have followed Nico and gone to a teacher when he couldn't find him. Or he got caught wandering himself. 

"While your intentions may be commendable, Mr. Malfoy, there is the fact that you are out of bed past curfew as well. I shall deduct fifty points from Slytherin, and you will be assigned detention. I am certain that Severus will express significant displeasure at being awoken at such a late hour, so it would be prudent not to dawdle," came the stern and angry voice of Professor McGonagall. 

Shit, poor Draco.

They wait until the sound of their footsteps has faded before fully shutting the door, wincing at the click it makes. Norberta huffs, and Nico responds similarly. They ascend the tower slowly, and Ron laughs only when they reach the top and step out onto the terrace. "Malfoy got detention!" 

Harry and Hermione smile while Nico sighs. "We still need to reach our common rooms without getting caught. Let's celebrate once we're in our beds." 

"You might as well join us tonight," Harry shrugs. "We’re closer to the Gryffindor Tower, and it's an easy walk from there. It's better than you trying to navigate down to the dungeons."

Nico smiles. "Alright then, if you’re sure. Hey Ron, let me see the bag real quick. I'm going to give her something to hold her over." 

Ron grimaces but moves closer to let Nico pull a dead rat out of the bag. Norberta purrs and quickly snatches it up. Harry and Hermione sit on the crate while Ron stuffs the bag inside so he doesn't have to keep holding it. They remain up there for a few more minutes until they see four figures moving swiftly above the Forbidden Forest, heading straight for them. Nico grabs Norberta's snout to stop her from attacking as they land on the tower. There are two blondes – one male and one female – an Asian man and a muscular redhead with thick arms and short hair. He steps forward with a smile. “Hi, Ron!” 

"Charlie!" Ron rushes over and throws his arms around his brother’s waist. "I thought you said your friends were picking her up!"

"Easy, easy. Not so loud." Charlie Weasley holds his little brother tightly. "Great Godric, you have to stop growing. Every time I see you, you're taller."

"It's been two years," Ron murmurs against his chest.

"I'm sorry, kid; I hoped I'd be home for Christmas this time." Charlie's voice was a bit choked, and he tightened his grip around his brother. "So…who are your friends?" 

Ron pulls away, and they pretend not to see him wipe his eyes before he turns to them. "This is my best friend, Harry, and this is Hermione—she's brilliant—and Nico has the fire-breathing attachment." 

"Hello," Hermione greets them, and Harry waves. 

"Sup?" Nico nods while Norberta nips at his fingers. He grabs her snout and shakes it, and when he lets go, she stretches her neck up to rest on his head. "This is Norberta, the Ridgeback we told you about." 

"You're bloody insane; that's what you are," Charlie's blonde male friend breathes. His green eyes widen as he watches Nico reach up to scratch Norberta's chin, making her purr. "How, in Merlin's beard, did you pull that off without getting bitten?"

"He didn’t," Hermione huffs. "And he still hasn't gone to Pomfrey."  

"I told you I don't need to," Nico held up his hand. "See? It's barely scarred up."  

"Kid, that breed is poisonous," The woman says. "You need medical attention."  

"It’s been at least a week," Ron shakes his head. "He's fine, or he would have died by now."  

"You sound so heartbroken," Nico says sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. "You wouldn't care if I died?"  

"Miserable, mate." Ron grins. "You're my favorite snake, and finding another that annoying to replace you will be incredibly difficult." 

"Fucker." Nico chuckles and flips him off.  

Charlie laughs. "So a Slytherin hanging out with a bunch of Gryffindors, huh? Sweet. Hey Felix, look, it's us!"

The blonde guy with green eyes rolls them. "I'm not your Slytherin, Charles. And these two didn’t go to Hogwarts."

"Yeah, you are." The woman grins, throwing her arm over his shoulder. “Or at least, you’re Charlie’s.”

The man yanks her arm off of him, and Nico snorts, moving closer to them while holding out both hands to show they are empty. "Nico di Angelo. Well met, all four of you."

"Felix Rosier." The blonde displays his empty hands. "Well met, Di Angelo."

"Good job, mate." Ron claps. "You did it right on your first try. I'm so proud."

"As soon as I get her in the crate, I'm going to punch you," Nico tells him.

"I thought you were a Slytherin? Shouldn't you already know all the etiquette stuff?" the Asian wizard asks.  

"Not every Slytherin is a pure-blood, Shouren," the witch replies. "I'm Ignis Nagy, and this is Long Shouren. You can ignore him. Nice to meet you, kid."  

Felix steps forward with a huff, coming to stop next to Charlie, his broom still gripped tight in his hand. "Come on, we still need to get her in the crate and leave before one of the Professors comes by. I’d rather not stay in England longer than it’s necessary."  

"Right." Harry gets off the crate and helps Hermione down. "Come on, Nico, we'll hold the lid."

Nico starts trying to shift the hatchling to his front, and she hisses at him. While the four adults are tense, Nico flicks her snout, "Enough of your attitude, Birdie. Yes, yes, so ferocious. Roar. Stop that."

He gets her to cling to the front of his sweater and pets her spikes down when they flare up in fear. She ducks her head under his chin, and he uses his powers as he kneels. He runs his finger down her face from between her eyes to the tip of her nose. Two strokes, and she was asleep. He pushes a few nice dreams into her mind of them playing and sets her into the crate with a grunt. Her claws were still locked onto his sweater, so he slipped out of it, and she curled around it. He stands up and helps the others close the lid and secure it.

"Simple enough." He shifts his gaze to the others, arms folded across his chest.

"Damn." Shouren stared, eyes wide with surprise. "Can we recruit you for our reserve team when you finish school?"

The others chuckle, and Nico grins. "I’ll have to pass. I already have plans for after graduation." 

"If they fall through, just send us an owl." Ignis whistles. "You've got talent, kid, clearly well-earned if your scars are anything to go by. I bet you have some fascinating stories to share." 

"Some," Nico replies with a flat expression. "Some are from different creatures, but most come from my time at war." 

Ron and Harry approach him while Hermione places a hand on his shoulder. He shakes his head and begins to retreat toward the stairs. "She should sleep until you get a few hours over the ocean." 

"Nico–" He doesn't stop walking. He pauses at the first turn of the stairs so they can't see him and leans against the wall. 

"I'm sorry," Ignis says. "I didn't–I didn't know it was…"

"Nico's family sent him here to keep him safe from the war," Ron says in a low voice. "His dad has a reservation, too, but it resembles more of a Scamander sanctuary than one for a specific type of creature. He's been incredible, but he rarely speaks about his home, and when he does… I worry about him going back there."

"It's getting late," Harry says. "You guys have to go, and we need to head back to the dorms. I don't know where Nico went, but he shouldn't be alone with all the teachers patrolling right now.”

“We'll get her harnessed up and get out of here," Charlie says. There’s a pause, and then he adds, "I've already submitted my leave for this summer, so I'll see you in a few months, okay?" 

"Okay," Ron replies. They must be hugging goodbye. 

A few minutes later, the three Gryffindors rounded the corner. Harry was repocketing his cloak, and Hermione jumped when she spotted him. "Oh! Nico, there you are."

"I'm sorry." He looked at his shoes. "I didn't mean to just leave like that."

"It's alright, mate." Ron grinned. "Come on, let's get to bed. Did you hear? Charlie is going to be home this summer!"

Nico smiled and followed the others down the stairs to the seventh floor, listening to Ron talk about how excited he was to spend time with his brother.

"Meow."

Fuck, it was Mrs. Norris, which meant—

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

Chapter Text

Draco.

Harry.

Ron.

Hermione.

Nico.

All five students had received detention. Professor McGonagall deducted one hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor and Slytherin. Draco and the three Gryffindors lost fifty points for being out of bed. However, Nico lost one hundred points for being caught because Draco hadn’t lied about it. McGonagall appeared angrier and more frustrated than ever as she guided her three lions to the tower while Snape took Nico and Draco to the dungeons. 

Come morning, everyone was shocked as they observed the point system. Gryffindor was lower, while Slytherin might as well not have been on the board at all, with only two emeralds remaining in the glass. Harry felt bad about the looks his housemates gave them, but it was nothing compared to what he imagined Nico was facing. Rumors circulated about it, and Percy Weasley exchanged harsh words with Ron about how dangerous it was for him to wander the school at night, especially going up in one of the towers. The twins ignored their brother, and Ron barely picked at his plate. Hermione hadn't spoken since she sat beside Harry, which worried him. He ensures she takes food for her plate, but he watches as she pushes it around, and more people turn to look at them. He keeps his head down.

Malfoy was seated with his friends at the Slytherin table on the far side of the hall, his gaze fixed on his untouched plate. A few shot him glares, but the majority focused on Nico, who sat alone at the far end of the table next to the brazier. When the post arrived, a single letter fell in front of Malfoy, and Harry observed his pale complexion turning ashen as he opened and read it. Unlike usual, there was no package of sweets accompanying the letter. 

“What happened?” Neville whispers, taking a seat across from them. “When I woke up, you two had disappeared, and now everyone is discussing the points you lost. And Nico and Malfoy—did you have another fight?"  

“Not here,” Harry replies quietly. “Meet us in the Beast room?”

Neville nods, and Ron rises from his seat beside his brother and comes down to join them. He settles onto the bench next to Neville, sighing as he leans his arms on the table. “Percy laid into me, claiming they had informed Mum and Dad about everything. Has McGonagall decided on our punishment yet?” 

“Haven’t heard anything,” Harry murmurs. “Do you… Do you think Wood is going to kick me off the team?”

“If they had a reserve seeker, he might have,” Ron sighs. “You’ll be able to reapply next year if he does. But you should just need to manage the cold shoulder during practice. The Quidditch game is the weekend after next, right?”

“Yeah, and the Finals are right before exams start in May.” Harry picks up a piece of toast and tries to choke it down. 

“Don’t overdo it, Harry. Here.” Hermione murmurs, offering him a goblet of juice. He nods in gratitude, leaving his toast untouched on the plate. More students entered the Great Hall, some guided by friends straight to the massive hourglasses to check the points. A few older Slytherins approached Nico, demanding answers. He either ignored them or stared silently until they eventually walked away. 

“He looks creepy as hell when he does that," Ron chuckles. "That blank, soul-staring gaze of his is unsettling." 

“I think that’s the idea," Harry replies. “He wants them to leave him alone.”

Throughout breakfast, they mostly avoid making eye contact with others. Just as Nico gets up to leave the hall, the tension among the Slytherins peaks. He extinguishes the flames in the brazier, collects his belongings, and walks along the table, ignoring the stares directed at him. Each Slytherin he passes falls silent, their gazes fixed on him. The tension breaks as he reaches the end of the table and passes the Slytherin hourglass. 

“Nico!” Hannah’s alarmed cry echoes across the Hall, causing all eyes to turn as the teachers rise to their feet. Harry stands to look over the crowd's heads.

Nico halted, glaring at the Slytherin table, a knife clutched by the blade mere inches from his head. Blood trickled down his wrist, soaking his sleeve in crimson. The air grew colder as he remained still, everyone staring wide-eyed, their voices frozen. Frost began to creep over the hourglasses, and those nearest to Nico shivered, their breath forming visible puffs of fog that lingered in the chill. Dumbledore rose, his chair scraping against the stone floor. “Mr. Di Angelo, what—”

“Over something as useless as points?” Nico’s voice was icy. “Points? Why the hell does it matter to you all so much?! Are these points going to determine your status as an adult? Will these points prevent you from getting hired? Is one of the Ministry’s requirements for being a wizard in the UK that you have to graduate with at least one damn HOUSE POINT?”

The walls trembled, and a scream pierced the air as dishes crashed to the ground. Nico tightened his grip on the knife, his knuckles turning pale while blood dripped onto the floor. “The point system is only relevant as a means for the professors to maintain control and order over the students; it is NOT the be-all and end-all. The number of points you earn in school won’t secure a job. They won’t affect your graduation. They won’t assist you in getting married or having children. They won’t cure an illness. They won’t protect you from being killed. Points won’t bring you money, fame, power, or respect. They. Are. Worthless. They certainly aren’t worth the Azkaban sentence you would have received if this had landed where it was meant to.” 

"If you truly think it's worth it... Then you’re utterly pathetic," Nico hisses, flipping the knife into the air and catching it by the handle. He then spins around and flicks his wrist, sending the knife flying. The sound of shattering glass pierced the air as the knife struck the Slytherin hourglass, causing jagged cracks to appear and shards to rain down onto the floor. 

Clink, clink.

The two emeralds lay among the remains, and Nico walked over to pick them up. “Don’t worry, Professor, I’ve got it this time. Two points from Slytherin…for being a bunch of fucking cunts!”

He pockets the emeralds and leaves the Great Hall, but no one moves to stop him. The knife remains stuck in the glass.

Harry was already standing, so it only took him a second to get out the door after Nico, with their friends right behind him. “Nico! NICO!”

“I’m not going to apologize—”

“Is your hand okay?!” Hermione was panting, already grabbing his hand to check it over. “Oh my god, that’s a lot of blood. Do you guys have anything we can use?”

“Here.” Neville pulls off his tie to hand it to her, and Hermione tries to wrap his hand. Her own hands shake so much that she almost drops the tie.

“We have to clean it first!” Harry stops her.

“Agua—”

“Guys!” Nico cuts off Ron before he can douse his hand with a water spell. “I’m just going up to the Hospital Wing.”

“Good idea.” Harry nods, and he and Ron grab him under his arms and start dragging him to the stairs. 

“What—I can walk, thanks!” Nico stumbles as he pulls himself away from them. He frowns, ready to demand to know what they’re thinking, but stops. All four of them stare at the blood dripping into a puddle on the first step. He sighs; they were kids, and they were scared. They’d calm down if they felt they could help or control even just a small part of the situation. “Come on then. You can escort me there, but I can walk by myself. Hand me the tie, and I’ll try to stem the bleeding.”

They relax a little and guide Nico upstairs to the second floor of the West Tower. Pomfrey is waiting for them and promptly checks the cut, cleans it, and magically fuses it shut. As Nico drinks the blood-replenishing potion she gives him, she informs him that the wound will be tender and advises him to try not to use his hand more than necessary for the next twenty-four hours. The four Gryffindors waiting by his bed say nothing after explaining what happened until she releases him.

“Are you alright?" Hermione inquires.

Nico permits her to inspect his hand again, and she runs her fingers over the area where the cut used to be, captivated. “I'm fine; it just feels slightly tender. It’s almost as if I wrote an essay all day; by tomorrow, it'll seem like it never happened.”

“Who did it?” Neville murmurs, still looking pale, as he observes Nico rolling up his sleeves. The blood on the sleeves begins to darken and dry.

“I don’t know,” Nico sighs. “I don't care either. The person who did it was a coward, waiting until I was far enough away not to see them. You guys need to stay together; I’m serious about this. I don’t think the Gryffindors would be foolish enough to confront you head-on, but there’s strength in numbers.”

“How did you catch it?” Harry asks as they approach the main staircase. “Don't get me wrong; it was terrifying, but it's pretty cool now that I know you're not seriously hurt.”  

Nico chuckles. “In one of my classes at Delphi, we learn to catch and dodge all kinds of objects thrown at us, ranging from golf balls to swords and axes, including daggers. I'll show you when we go downstairs.”  

“Wicked,” Ron grins, feeling more at ease. 

Snape waited for them outside the Beast classroom door. He grimaced at their group but didn't stop them from entering the room when Nico motioned for them to go in. “Can I help you, sir?” 

“I have been informed of what has transpired, and the Headmaster has demanded that I question you regarding your knowledge of who might have done it.” He glared at him. “How fortunate you are to have caught it before it caused significant damage.”

“Are you suggesting I planned it?” Nico's voice lowers, frost forming on the door behind him. 

“We are all aware of your regard, or lack thereof, of the rules,” Snape sneers. “It seems quite convenient that you found yourself in a position to preach it to the rest of the students while making yourself the victim.”

“You know what, Severus, go fuck yourself.” Nico slams the door in his face and wedges a chair under the doorknob, jamming it shut just as Snape attempts to force it open. 

“Di Angelo!” he screams. “Open this door!” 

“Or what?” Nico calls back. “What will you do? Take more house points? Here.” 

He pulls the emeralds from his pocket and hurls them at the door. They barely make a thud as they hit the wood between them. Nico groans and sits beside his friends as they listen to Snape cast Alohomora and attempt to open the door again. Another spell. The door rattles. The chair holds. A curse. Another spell. 

“How long do you think that will hold him?” Ron asks.

“It depends on how quickly he remembers that there are different ways to keep a door shut besides magic,” Nico snorts. “One thing I’ve learned from fighting against wizards is how much you depend on your magic and how hard it is to solve a problem when you can’t use it. Want to see that knife trick now?”

“Sure.” The four Gryffindors turn from the door as Nico retrieves the training supplies.

True to their promise, over the next few months, Ron, Harry, and Hermione stay close to one another, with Neville often tagging along as well. The four of them sit together in classes and the Great Hall, ignoring their housemates, who are determined to avoid them. Nico has stopped eating at his table, choosing instead to sit with the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs. He remains near the others, and Hermione and Neville have started joining them on Fridays to study in the library. However, Nico had to establish some ground rules with Hermione regarding her fixation on her revision schedule. The primary concern was that although her schedule catered to her needs, it wouldn't accommodate everyone else. She was not allowed to instruct others in their study methods; otherwise, she would have to move to another table. The others came to Nico because he was willing to help them; he wouldn’t let them feel inadequate. She decided to sit with the boys at the adjacent table and would come over to them if needed. A few Ravenclaw students and Tracy joined her after observing her study techniques, while Harry and Ron opted for Nico’s table instead. Neville remained with her, eager for any help from his classmates. 

The Quidditch final in late April was intense. Once again, it was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, with both teams fiercely battling throughout the game. Nico watched anxiously with his wand in hand, expecting another attack on Harry. After an hour and fifty minutes, Harry finally catches the snitch, prompting a relieved sigh from Nico as the team gathers around their star player, cheering loudly. The twins lift Harry onto their shoulders, Oliver presents him with the Cup, and Nico captures the moment with a photo. It was the happiest he had seen Harry all year. The Gryffindors then go to the common room to celebrate, while Nico heads back to his dorm, not feeling hungry. 

While Draco played exploding snaps with Vincent in the common room, Nico shut the curtains around his bed and lay down, pulling the covers over himself. 

… 

It was cold. Nico could see his breath as he stood in the center of a large chamber. Surrounding him were stairs leading up into the darkness. He couldn't see beyond the top step. He heard the sound of metal hitting metal, along with a strange buzzing noise, and the crackling of a bonfire. He felt like something was looming over him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He couldn't move. Something was wrapping around him, immobilizing him. He was trapped.

“Where is it?” A hiss came through the air. “Tell me.”

“I-I don't know,” a man's voice replied. “I don't know where it is, my Lord. I haven't been able to find it. I swear, I SWEAR, I've looked everywhere, sir.”

“Yes, you do.” The voice sent a chill up Nico's spine. It was barely a whisper but echoed hoarsely through the chamber. “You must locate the mirror; it will guide you to the Stone.”

“I've looked, my Lord. I've seen the mirror; I've been in the chamber. The Stone was not there, sir. Dumbledore must have-”

“Albus engages in deception, as you are already aware." The voice resonates with a sharpness that interrupts the man. “We require additional time. You must go."

“N-no. No, please, my Lord, please,” the man begs. “It hurts. It hurts so badly; please, I'll do anything else. There must be a potion or-”

“No.” He was interrupted again. “I must restore my strength, and I require your assistance, my devoted servant. You will assist me in my endeavors to rise once more, and in exchange, I shall grant you whatever you desire, provided it is within my capacity. That is all I ask. Considering your commendable performance in the past year, it is reasonable to expect that you can accommodate this request if only this one last time.”

“Truly, sire?” The man breathes. “You are pleased with me, my Lord?”

"Certainly, I am.” The hiss was nearly a purr. “You have sustained my life and kept me informed. Even at this moment, you continue to assist me. However, I require my medication to regain my strength. I must acknowledge that your capabilities are constrained as you attend to my needs, and I apologize. I recognize that it has placed a significant burden upon you."

“No, my Lord!” the man exclaims. “It has genuinely been an honor to serve you, sire! Any shortcomings are solely my responsibility, and I am the one who should apologize for not being able to assist you more effectively." 

"No, my dear boy, you have merely followed my instructions. However, I must impose upon you a slight additional task, and I am aware of the agitation you have been experiencing. It would be more manageable for you if I could restore my position and become self-sufficient. I require this final favor from you, after which we can seek the Stone. Together.”

“Together?” the man whispers. “Yes, together, certainly. I will fetch your medicine soon, my Lord.”

“Thank you, my boy,” the voice hisses. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to assist me during this challenging time. Your loyalty is invaluable to me.”

“Of course, thank you, sire. I will leave as soon as possible.”

“Excellent.” A chuckle escaped in a whisper from Nico's ear.

The darkness ignited, illuminating the chamber with a blaze. Columns loomed at the top of the stairs, yet the view beyond them remained shrouded in shadows. Before him stood a golden mirror alongside a statue resembling a mannequin—a faceless male figure. One arm was raised, pointing directly at Nico. As he gazed down, he recognized that nothing surrounded him, prompting him to step closer. The statue remained motionless. He circled it, but still, it did not shift. He turns his attention to the mirror instead. The mirror was large, featuring a full-body design and a hand-carved wooden frame adorned with gold inlay. The top resembled castle turrets, and an inscription was placed at the mirror's apex. For some reason, he understood what that meant, even though he couldn't read it.

‘Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.’

‘I show not your face but your heart's desire.’

What is your heart's desire? Was this the same mirror that Harry discovered over Christmas break? Nico gazes into the mirror, but all he sees is himself and the statue. The statue, whose head had turned one hundred eighty degrees, now stared back at him.

“Oh, hell no.” Nico turns, unwilling to take his eyes off the statue again. Damn, Austin and his love for Doctor Who; Nico hasn't been able to look at these things the same way since he was introduced to them. A tapping noise came from the glass behind him. Nico shakes his head. “Nope. Nope, fuck all of this. Fuck you, fuck that thing, fuck all of this shit.” 

The tapping continues. Nico blinks, yet the statue remains still. He blinks once more. Still nothing. He gradually turns and steps back to view the statue and the mirror. Reflected in the glass, the statue holds its position while Harry stands where Nico had been. 

“Harry? What?” Nico groans as he comes to a realization. "Demigod dream, right. Okay. What do you need to tell me?”

Harry's reflection in the mirror was observing him while holding a ruby, the Philosopher's Stone. It pointed at the statue and shook its head. Was it a warning, Nico, not to let the man and his master obtain the Stone? It gestured to itself, then to Nico, shaking its head again. Was it telling him that no one should get it? Or perhaps that no one could, even if they tried? Then, it smiled and touched the statue's reflection. In an instant, the statue’s reflection disintegrated into dust while the real one shattered, scattering rubies of various shapes across the ground. Harry's reflection smiled and tossed the Philosopher's Stone into the mirror, where it passed through the glass and vanished among the other gems. At that moment, Harry disappeared. 

The sound of metal clashing grows louder, as does the buzzing. They swarm around him, something that flies, blocking his vision. Where did the Stone go? 

“Find it.” A whisper.

“Find the Stone.” It was the voice.

“Nico.” “Find the Stone.” The voices were getting louder. He dropped to his knees and started searching. One of the flying things cut him across the face, leaving a sting. 

“Nico!” “Find the Stone.” He was getting louder. He had to find it; he had to see it before those men did. Where was it?

“Nico!” “ Fine the Stone!” 

He was screaming. Who? Who was screaming? The sound of metal hitting metal gets louder. Nico covers his ears. 

“FIND THE STONE!”

…

“Nico!” 

Nico jolts awake with a gasp. His hand grabs the person standing over him and flips them to the floor. He pulls one arm up, making them cry out in pain. He then places his foot on their knee and presses down with his weight, lifting his other hand to position the dagger from under his pillow beneath their chin. 

“Nico, stop!” 

“Screech!” An owl?

Breathing heavily and close to hyperventilation, he recognized the voice and blinked as the lights flickered on. He found himself beside a bed with green covers, the carpet beneath him, and a trunk beside a desk. An auburn owl with galaxy eyes was observing him: Alexiares. He realized he wasn't in the Labyrinth or the jar. Draco and Gemma stood in the doorway of their dorm, pale with fear, while Blaise knelt in front of him, hands raised as if to reassure Nico that he meant no harm. 

“Di Angelo.” Blaise had been calling for him, hadn’t he? He heard him. “Nico, I need you to let Theo go now.” 

Theo? 

A groan, and Nico recalled that he was holding someone. He cursed, scrambling back until his back hit the bunk, careful not to nick the boy on the blade. Blaise helped Theo to his feet, dragging him out of the room without another word. Neither of them looked back. Nico covered his ears, resting his forehead on his knees, and tried to regain control of his breathing. Why was it so hard to breathe?

“Di Angelo?” Gemma moves closer cautiously. “Hand me the knife before you hurt yourself.”

Nico shakes his head. He needed his dagger. They might come back. Where was his sword? Who were they?

“Nico di Angelo, give me the bloody knife.” A hand grabbed him, yanking the blade away. Nico couldn't feel it. He couldn't breathe. 

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“Professor Snape! Nico, he—”

“Attacking students now, are we, Mr. Di Angelo? That'll earn you another detention. Malfoy, Farley, out.”

“Sir, I think something's wrong. He's—”

“Get out…what is that? Hand it over. A knife. I believe attacking students with a weapon will cost you a week of detentions, Di Angelo. Are you listening to me, boy?”

“Sir—”

“Out. Or you’ll be joining him.” 

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe. 

A calmness washed over him.

“Breathe, boy. Look up at me.” Nico's eyes snapped up to meet Snape’s. The man was frowning as he assessed him. Nico could feel sweat dripping down his face. “Did you attack Theodore Nott? Answer yes or no.” 

“Yes,” Nico said. Why had he said that? 

“Did you intend to attack him?” 

“No.” 

“Were you asleep?” 

“Yes.” 

“I see.” Snape pulled out his wand, and Nico tried to move away from him, but he couldn't. Whatever Snape had done to him, he couldn’t move. His eyes burned. 

“Blink.” Nico complied. Terror washed over him. 

Get off. Get off. Get off! GET OFF!

Nico jerks to the side and crawls to the other side of the bed before getting to his feet. He stands, panting, and sees Snape staring at him in disbelief.  

“Get away from me.” It comes out as a whisper.  

“Mr. Di Angelo—”  

“Get away from me!” Nico screams.  

“Mr—” 

Nico screams again, and the bed catches fire. Snape swears and backs away toward the door. There’s a loud knock. “Sir? Are you alright?”  

Snape opens the door and storms out, slamming it shut behind him. “Leave him to have his tantrum.” 

Nico sinks to his knees, his head dizzy. Why was it so hot? He couldn't breathe.

“Di Angelo!” Gemma. “Carter put out the fire! Malfoy, help me lift him; we're taking him to Pomfrey.” 

Hands grab him, and the dizziness intensifies. He hurls. 

“Oh, gross!” Draco exclaims. 

Nico's head falls, and someone lifts it back up. It feels cold against his forehead. “He's got a fever. Come on. Move, Malfoy!” 

“Will…” Nico passes out.

Tracy approached the Gryffindor table, shoved Harry aside, and sat beside Hermione, demanding, “What the hell happened with Nico?”

“What?” Ron blinked.

“He was fine the last time we saw him," Harry said, rubbing his shoulder. “Why?”

"He attacked Theo Nott with a knife, then went after Snape and set his dorm room on fire," she explained. “The prefect, Farley, had to drag him to the hospital wing with Malfoy. Snape is talking to the Headmaster about having him expelled.”

“Oh my god," Hermione gasped. They exchanged looks and stood up, running for the door, with Tracy following them. 

“What happened?” Harry demands as they take the stairs two at a time. 

“Nico was resting when Draco approached him to awaken him for dinner. He appeared to be experiencing a nightmare, so Blaise and Theo entered to help rouse him. He awoke violently, brandishing a knife at Theo’s throat.” Tracy panted as they climbed the stairs. “Blaise said that Nico did not seem fully conscious, but he was focused more on escorting Theo away, and then proceeded to seek assistance from Professor Snape. Farley disarmed Nico, and Snape instructed everyone to exit the vicinity. Then we heard screams. Snape advised us to refrain from disturbing Nico and left. Farley and Carter checked on him and discovered that his bed was ablaze. He vomited and lost consciousness, and they reported that he had a fever. They transported him to the infirmary thirty minutes ago.”

“Doesn't Nico have nightmares about the war his family is involved in?” Ron pants. “He warned us over Christmas not to wake him because of them, remember?”  

“He must not have mentioned it to the other Slytherins,” Harry agrees as they sprint down the hallway to the hospital wing. “Or they just didn't listen.”

“They will listen, now,” Tracy scoffs. “The common room has never been as quiet as when they took him away.”

“I want to know what Snape did to make him scream,” Hermione says.

“So do I,” Ron growls.

They pause outside the doors to catch their breath, then enter. Pomfrey was tending to Nico by the first bed when they came in. She looked up and scowled. “He's asleep. Go back downstairs.”

“We will, ma’am. We just wanted to see that he was okay,” Hermione tells her.

“He's asleep,” she reminds them, but allows them to come closer to see their friend. 

Nico has always been pale, but this was the first time Harry could say he looked sick. His eyes were sunken and appeared bruised, and his skin was gray and waxy. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and Harry would have been impressed by his physique if he hadn't been distracted by all the scars. He had seen Nico shirtless a few times this past year, but always in brief glimpses and partially covered. This was the first time he had seen him completely bare and truly taken him in. He swallowed. Most of the scars were small, likely from his training with the blade. There was even some discoloration where he had been struck by lightning at the beginning of the year, but there were also some scars he couldn't explain. Large patches looked like he had been burned, and parts of his skin seemed like layers had been removed, including the claw marks on his bicep. He appeared as if he had been tortured. 

"Shit." Ron exhales. Hermione was shaking while Tracy had turned away, clutching herself.  

Harry swallowed again. “Are any of them new?"  

"No," Pomfrey replies, and Harry sighs in relief. “The most recent scar is that bite on his hand; he already mentioned it was from playing with Fang, and the dog got nippy. The foolish boy didn't come to see me sooner; I could have treated it and left no scarring.” 

That was the bite from Norberta, months ago. Nico was okay. Whatever had happened, Snape hadn't physically hurt him. But why would he have screamed? They thanked Madam Pomfrey for letting them see him and then allowed her to usher them out of the room.  

They walked back to the Great Hall in silence. Tracy paused just before they entered. “I won't say anything about what I saw, but I'll make sure the others remember not to mess with him while he's asleep again.”  

She left, going to sit with their classmates at the Slytherin table. 

Nico is released from the infirmary just after lunch the next day and finds Gemma Farley waiting for him as he leaves. He observes him as if expecting something. Nico shifts his weight to lean on his cane. “Madam Pomfrey said you were the one who brought me here. Thank you.”

“Professor Snape said I should escort you to the Headmaster's office when you're let out. Come on.” Gemma gestures for Nico to follow, his voice serious. 

Nico sighs and follows the other boy until they reach the main staircase. They move up to the third floor and turn down corridor after corridor until they arrive at the end of the hall of the West Tower, where an enclave with a giant golden griffin statue stands. Farley waits for Nico to catch up. “Stand under its wing there. Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and the Headmaster will be waiting for you when you get up there; you need to knock and wait until they allow you to enter. Pumpkin Pastry.”

The statue begins to turn, and stairs emerge from the floor. Nico quickly steps on and allows it to carry him upward. It felt like an escalator. The statue halts in front of a hallway with a single door across from him, so he disembarks onto the landing and knocks on the door, waiting. The door opens, and there stands McGonagall.

“Mr. Di Angelo, thank you for coming.” She steps aside to let him into the room. “I will be out here to escort you to your dormitory afterward.”

“Thank you, Professor.” Nico nods in thanks and steps in, letting her step out and close the door behind her.

The strange room reminded him of the Big House attic and Rachel's cave. There was clutter everywhere, and everything was brightly colored. Piles of books leaned against already full bookcases while tables and shelves were buried under trinkets, and a metal contraption sat in the middle of the room. Nico took it all in. One bookcase was smaller than the others, featuring glass doors to keep the books inside. Above it was a case displaying a sword with a golden handle and a ruby at the hilt, but Nico could not see any sheath. It must have served as a display and was not intended for actual use, if it had ever been used previously. Above the sword was a shelf, and the only thing on it was the sorting hat. He moved around the metal contraption and found Dumbledore seated at his desk, which was bare except for a quill and ink. Behind him was even more clutter, including a set of stairs that Nico assumed led up to his bedroom, which had piles of books on each step. Was it due to a lack of shelf space, or was it a hidden trap only Dumbledore would know how to navigate? Next to Dumbledore’s desk was a stand for a large bird, and instead of the personal owl he expected, there sat what looked like a red and golden peafowl. A phoenix.

“Ah, Mr. Di Angelo. Right on time.” Dumbledore stands to greet him. Snape stands before the desk, sneering. “Yes, he is beautiful, though not as much as usual. Fawkes is getting a bit older.”  

“He'll need to burn soon,” Nico nods. He comes to a stop beside the desk and bows to the bird. Fawkes tilts his head, focusing one eye on Nico, who doesn't look away. He bows back.  

“Extraordinary.” Dumbledore's voice sounds amused.  

“We need to address this incident, Headmaster.” Snape intervenes. 

“Of course. Mr. Di Angelo, would you mind explaining what happened?” Dumbledore raises a hand to silence Snape as he opens his mouth to speak. “I have already heard your account, Severus, as well as those from Messrs. Nott, Malfoy, Farley, and Zabini. Now, I will hear from Mr. Di Angelo himself.”

Nico shares what he remembers, ignoring Snape's demand to know about his nightmare, which further irritates him. Dumbledore's eyes sharpen as Nico describes how he felt under Snape's spell and how he broke free from it. He notices how Dumbledore looks at Snape and how the teacher avoids eye contact. 

Oh. They both knew that spell, and he wasn't supposed to do that then. Someone was in trouble. The real question was whether Snape was just in trouble with Dumbledore or if it went above even the Headmaster of Hogwarts.  

“I think we're done here.” Dumbledore wasn't laughing anymore. “Please, Mister Di Angelo, if you would allow Professor McGonagall to escort you to your common room, I would like to speak with Severus. Alone. And I must insist that, from now on, you do not sleep with weapons for the safety of your classmates. You gave them quite a scare, my boy.” 

“Yes, sir.” Nico lied. Like hell, he was going to do that. 

“He attacked me!” Snape hisses. “And another student. He should be expelled! He—”  

“I defended myself after being attacked by a teacher,” Nico replies, raising an eyebrow. “Or are you going to argue that putting me under a spell that stole my free will is more acceptable here than it is in America? Do you not remember telling me to blink because I could not do it myself without permission? I'm sure my family and MACUSA will be very interested to hear that Hogwarts allows such spells to be used on minors in an attempt to control them.”

Snape shoots him a look filled with hatred, unable to defend himself against those accusations. Dumbledore rose to his feet. “I think this is merely a misunderstanding, Mr. Di Angelo, and I see no reason for this knowledge to spread beyond those present and myself. You are free to complete the school year; there's no need to fear expulsion in this case. I will discuss this with your Professor to ensure it does not occur again. You have my assurance. May I count on you to uphold your end?" 

Nico shifts his attention from Snape to Dumbledore. He understands the underlying message; as long as he stays silent, he won’t be expelled. If he reveals what transpired, he risks immediate expulsion and the possibility of not being allowed to return next year. 

"As long as something like this doesn't happen to me or another student again, I don’t see any reason to inform my family about such a minor misunderstanding," Nico tells him. He notices how his phrasing of the answer affects the Headmaster and knows that Dumbledore understands his underlying threats. Dumbledore raises an eyebrow but nods in response. Nico returns the nod. “May I be excused, sir? I want to apologize to Theo and the others.” 

“Of course, my boy.” Dumbledore stands and waves his hand to open the door. “Thank you for humoring an old man." 

Nico says nothing as he leaves, closing the door behind him. Then he turns to McGonagall. “Sorry for making you wait, Professor.”

She nods, “I assume everything has been taken care of, then? Very well. Here is your detention slip; I expect you to be ready by 11 o’clock when I come to get you."  

“Are we all going to have the same or separate detention?” Nico asks.  

“They will be held together; with the upcoming exams, I'd prefer to finish them as soon as possible."  

“I'm going to see the others in Gryffindor Tower after I apologize to Theo. I can take their slips with me, Professor; it'll save you a trip.” She glances at him, nods, and hands over the remaining slips before directing him toward the statue and the stairs. She accompanies him to the dungeons, frowning at his heavy breathing from the exertion.

“Pureblood.” Nico waits for the wall to open, then steps through, leaning heavily on his cane as he walks down the stairs. 

The common room was filled with people. Some of the second-year and third-year students played Exploding Snaps and Gobstones, while the older kids chatted or studied. Nico spots the group of first years by the windows, all seated at the desk, playing a card game. He walks over, his shoulders lifting as the students quiet down when he passes. Soon, the entire room is silent except for his cane tapping on the stone floor. His classmates look up as he stops by their table.

“I wish to extend my apologies.” He addresses Theo directly. “For my actions upon awaking from my nightmare. I am truly sorry. I did not inflict any harm upon you, did I?”

"There were merely a few bruises.” Theo gazes at him, "I shall grant you forgiveness on the condition that you explain the circumstances that prompted such a reaction. You mentioned that it was a nightmare?”

Nico glanced around the room, but everyone was pretending not to listen. Not very well. By the gods, None of them should become actors. “Can we not do this in front of everyone?”

Theo stood up, joined by Tracy, Daphne, and Blaise. The only ones who remained were Draco and his followers—Crabbe, Goyle, Pike, Bulstrode, and Parkinson. The other first-year girls, Sophia Ropier and Emily Vane, were nowhere to be seen. The others trailed after Nico into the antechamber by the fountain, where he cast a privacy charm to prevent eavesdropping. Remarkably, a few upperclassmen suddenly found themselves with reasons to linger nearby, which would have made Nico roll his eyes at their amateurish eavesdropping attempt if not for the uncomfortable sensation in his stomach. 

He sighs; he can't tell them his real dream without explaining why something like that would freak him out. Wizards didn't get prophetic dreams like half-bloods did, unless they were Seers, who were rare in their world. He decides to lie a little and tell them about the other nightmares he experiences. “My family is involved in a civil war; I mentioned that to you before. Last year, I participated in the conflict. I was dreaming about a part of the battle."

“What prompts someone to awaken from a deep slumber and assault another person so abruptly?" Daphne Greengrass stood adjacent to Tracy.

“When you’re awakened while thinking that you’re still in captivity, being held for ransom behind hostile lines, with the realization that no member of your family is aware of your predicament and that you may perish before they understand the need for rescue,” Nico tells her flatly. “When you've spent weeks confined in a small cell, deprived of food, and the only interactions you have are with your captors, which involve inflicting pain or them explaining their plans for you and your body once they get permission. When you realize that the only way to escape is to attack before you're overpowered or to take yourself out to avoid facing the looming threat. They often waited until I was asleep to start messing with me. After all, sleep deprivation is a recognized form of torture.”

It felt as if everyone was holding their breath. Nico stared at the floor, refusing to look up. It was mostly true; that was how he'd lived when trapped in the jar after his first trip to Tartarus. Otis and Ephilaltes had often spent their days talking to each other over his jar, comparing ideas of what Gaea might allow them to do to him. Some of his older nightmares also arose from his time in the Labyrinth, based on what he had overheard while hiding from Luke's and then Kronos’s soldiers. He describes one of them next. “I dreamed of a night two weeks into my captivity, shortly after I turned eleven, when they stood outside my cell trading stories about my cousins who had already been killed. How they died, and why we never found their bodies. Some were turned into entertainment for their men, while others…others fed their armies. I fell asleep while they were talking, and the next thing I knew, I was being dragged out of the cell…they were holding a knife over my arm…one of them said that some of their men wanted a snack. When I felt Theo grab me, I wasn't thinking. I just…reacted.”

“I forgive you.” It was a whisper.

Tracy saves him. “The others, your Gryffindor friends, were worried about you. They tried to visit you in the infirmary, but Pomfrey made them leave. Maybe you should check on them and tell them you're okay?"

He smiles at her to express his gratitude for the excuse to leave and quickly exits the common room, which falls silent once more as he does.

“Tracy said you all came to see me.”  

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up from where they were playing wizard's chess to see Nico leaning against the back of the couch, his cane in hand. It had been a while since he'd last needed to use it.  

“Nico!” Hermione was closest, so she was the first to get a hug. Ron and Harry joined in, causing Nico to laugh as they stumbled. They pulled away and guided him to sit on the couch, their game forgotten.

“Are you okay?" Ron inquires, perched on the armrest. Hermione sits beside Nico, and Harry sits at the table facing them.

“I'm fine,” Nico sighs. “I had to talk to Professor Snape and the Headmaster when I woke up about whether I’d be invited back to school next year. Snape wants me sent packing now, but Dumbledore said it would be a waste since I still have to take my exams, and only a few weeks remain. There’s no point in sending me home early, but next year might be different. Then I had to stop by the dorm, apologize to Theo, and thank Tracy for letting you guys know what happened. There were a lot of stairs; I'm exhausted.”

“They can't stop you from returning, can they?" Harry felt anxious. They couldn't keep Nico away; what about his family’s war? Would he have to fight if he weren't permitted to stay here? Would they even inform them if something happened to him over there? He had to be allowed to return.  

“I don't know," Nico replied with another sigh. "I just can’t say. Oh, by the way. McGonagall allowed me to deliver these to you as well. I still need to give Draco his, but I'll take care of that later.” 

He gives them slips of parchment indicating they will serve detention together. They are to meet Mr. Filch at the Clock Tower at eleven p.m., and McGonagall will arrive to escort them. Nico frowns, saying, “She wouldn't tell me what we were doing, but having detention at such a late hour feels weird. Usually, it's held after classes and before dinner.”

“Maybe something specific needs to be done at night?” Hermione frowns as she studies the paper. “Aren’t there potion ingredients that can only be collected under a full moon? Perhaps that's what we're doing.” 

“Is it a full moon tonight?” Harry asks.

“I think so," Nico replies, closing his eyes and resting his head against the back of the couch. 

“Why don't you go to our room and nap, Nico?” Ron says with a frown. "Come on, we'll help you downstairs.” 

"Alright." Harry and Ron assist Nico in getting up and guide him to their dormitory. They return upstairs to complete their game once they help him onto the spare bed and remove Trevor from the sheets. Nico exhales deeply, draws the curtains shut, and casts a silencing charm over them. He sinks into the mattress and gazes at the canopy above. 

‘Find the Stone.’ 

Why did they want the Stone? 

After Nico's nap, Hermione intends to take everyone to the library to complete their homework, as they will be serving detention later and cannot do it at their usual time. Nico returns to the Slytherin common room to retrieve his books and deliver Draco's detention slip. On his way back to the library, he encounters Harry, looking into a classroom. What is Harry up to?

“No…ease…please.” A whisper of a man begging, and Nico stalks closer silently. “...hurts…adly, please, I'll…potion…”

Nico slips up behind Harry and places his hand over his mouth, pulling him back before he can charge into the room. Harry freezes, glancing over his shoulder and relaxing when he sees it's just Nico. When he goes to speak, Nico shakes his head, placing a finger to his lips, pointing to the door, and then tapping his ear. Harry nods, and they both settle in to listen silently. Nico allows his shadow to darken slightly to dampen their breathing. That voice, was that Professor Quirrell? Nico heard a whispering hiss but couldn't determine what it was saying. He uses his shadows to dampen their presence more, and he shifts closer to the door and peeks around the corner into the room. Quirrell stood there, holding his head wrap in his hands. He was bald. Huh. Harry tapped his shoulder, and Nico looked up, seeing the boy pointing at his arm, then at Quirrell. Nico focused on the man’s arm and noticed a black mark on the left. A tattoo—interesting. The man tightened his grip on the wrap, a manic grin spreading across his face as he responded to someone. 

“Of course…go as…able.” 

His dream. This is happening now. But the room looked nothing like the chamber with the mirror and the rubies. He was missing something, but at least he knew who was trying to get the Stone. 

“He's coming this way,” Harry whispers. He shifts to reach into his robe and pulls out his father's cloak, throwing it over them. Nico quickly wraps it around himself, ensuring it covers him completely, just in time for the door to swing open and Quirrell to storm past them, still readjusting his scarf. He doesn’t seem to notice them, and Nico pulls Harry closer against the wall to ensure neither of them brushes against the man and gives themselves away. If Quirrell is trying to steal the stone, the last thing he needs is a way to do so invisibly. 

“Did you see that tattoo?” Harry breathes. “Who was he talking to?”

“I did. Let's find out.” Nico ducks under the cloak and enters the empty room with Harry behind him. There’s another open door at the far end of the classroom, and Nico quickly peeks out. It seems to be a storage room with empty shelves. “Empty.”

“Maybe he went into a different room.” Harry joins him and looks out. “Oh, I thought this was another corridor.” 

“Who's he?” Nico raises an eyebrow.

Harry ducks his head, fidgeting. His answer comes out as a question. “Snape?”

“And why would you think Snape was the one he was talking to?” Nico asks. “Did you hear him before I got here?”

“No,” Harry mumbles. “But the Quidditch match at the beginning of the year, then Fluffy bit him on Halloween, and he's always cornering Quirrell, not to mention whatever he did to you that you ended up in the hospital wing, and he’s a huge asshole. It has to be him, Nico!”

“Come on, let's grab Hermione and Ron. I think I know who it is, and I want to compare notes before our detention.” Nico pulls Harry back and shuts the storeroom door. “Put your cloak away and follow me.”  

They find Ron and Hermione already waiting for them at a table in the library. Hermione beams when she sees them, “Harry, come check this out.” 

They approach and discover the two engrossed in newspaper articles. Hermione passes one to Harry. The front page features a photo of a red-haired teenage girl with green eyes. Next to it is another image that Nico initially mistakes for Harry, though his hair appears messier and his skin is slightly darker. The article discusses Harry's parents becoming Head Boy and Girl. 

“Hogwarts used to have a school newspaper and magazine.” She tells him. “We were looking at those albums Nico got the other stuff from, and Madam Pince said we could look through those as well.”

They had already seen an article about it, but that one featured a picture of the two of them together, whereas these were separate images. They were moving. Harry grins as he traces his father's glasses in the picture, the square shape so different from his own. But his mom's… she also wore glasses, a pair of oval reading frames tucked into the collar of her shirt. They were smiling at the camera, his mom waving while his dad turned to look at something beside him, then threw his head back in laughter before the picture restarted. 

“We already talked to Pince,” Ron whispers. “She has two of those, so she said you can cut out those pictures and keep them since you only have the non-moving ones right now.”  

“Thanks, guys.” Harry swallows. He clears his throat and sets it down in front of him. “Nico said he wanted to talk to us.”

“Come on, let's move to one of the covered tables between the bookshelves. We can set up privacy wards there.” They gather their books and move to the one farthest from the doors. Only after they’ve arranged their area and he and Hermione have set the wards does he turn to them and say, “I think I know who's after the Stone, and it's not Snape.”

“What?” Ron's mouth drops open.

“What do you mean?” Hermione frowns. “But Snape—”

“Is the obvious choice, I know,” Nico tells her. “But I think it's too obvious. Everyone hates him, right? That means he's naturally the one everyone’s going to blame.”

“You think it's intentional?” Harry frowns. “Someone knows his reputation and is making sure he'll be suspected, so it distracts whoever comes looking from finding out who's going after the Stone?”

“Exactly,” Nico nods.

“But Fluffy—" Ron pauses, deep in thought. “Fluffy bit him on Halloween. Hagrid mentioned that Snape is one of the teachers guarding the Stone. We are aware of no alarms on the door except for the ones we installed. Why would he be going in there if he wasn't attempting to get past the dog to reach the Stone?"

“What if he was monitoring it?” Hermione says. “We agreed that the troll was probably a distraction to get the Stone, but what if Snape figured it out, too? People say Snape graduated from Hogwarts with seven O's on his NEWT exams. It wouldn't be hard to believe he thought the same thing we did.”

“Or it might have been an order from Dumbledore,” Nico says, tapping his fingers on the table. “If all the students were supposed to be in their common rooms and all the teachers were in the dungeons, it makes sense to have someone monitoring whatever is being guarded here. Hagrid mentioned that only Dumbledore knew how to get past Fluffy since he was supposed to feed him. But we’ve seen Dumbledore in the Great Hall while the alarms for Fluffy’s feeding went off. That means someone else must be feeding him. What if it's Snape feeding him, which would mean he's also responsible for ensuring nothing is wrong with the corridor?”

“Would Dumbledore trust him to do that?” Ron asks.

“It wouldn't surprise me if he did. Snape has been here for over a decade,” Nico points out. “He was hired almost right after graduation. The only ones who have been on staff longer than he are Hagrid, Pomfrey, Pince, McGonagall, and Flitwick.”  

“So if it's not Snape, then who?” Harry glares at the table. 

“Someone we know is also interested in Fluffy and the Stone.” Nico sits up straighter, and the others follow suit, completely focused. Nico has been thinking about it all day. “Someone no one would imagine could do it. Someone who avoids drawing attention to themselves and appears weak and unassuming when noticed.” 

The headwear the older students didn't remember him having before this year, and the worsening stutter.

The sudden job change and the reason a supposed Muggle Studies teacher was doing an assignment that led to him encountering a hag, which caused him to have a nervous breakdown. Then, there’s no mention of him getting treatment for it.

He doesn't answer straightforward questions.

The Quidditch match.

The way he avoids touching Harry.

The troll, and how it was he who had told everyone about it, then how Nico noticed he had disappeared in the chaos. He was well known for his recent work with them.

How many times has Snape cornered him?

The skull and snake tattoo on his left arm.

“Quirrell?” Ron scoffs. “That nervous bundle of energy is trying to steal the Stone? Why? What would he gain from it?” 

“What does Snape get out of it that Quirrell can't?” Nico counters. “It's still a sorcerer's stone that creates gold and prolongs your lifespan. Do you think Snape is the only one who would want that? Or that Quirrell wouldn't?”

“I don't know,” Hermione says. “It just doesn't seem like he would do something like that.”

“But that's it,” Harry says, looking at Nico. “Misdirection. Quirrell is the opposite of Snape in almost every way, from how he talks to how he teaches. No one would expect him to go against Dumbledore or steal from the school.”

“But…” Hermione shifts uncomfortably. “I mean…it's Professor Quirrell. Shy, stuttering Professor Quirrell.”

“No.” Harry shakes his head. “Before we got here, we heard him in a room by himself, talking to himself or someone we didn't see, and he wasn't stuttering. A thirty-minute conversation, and he didn't stutter once.”  

“Why would he fake something like that?” Hermione blinks.

“Because no one would see him as a threat.” Ron frowns. “If you attack with a bishop, a knight, or a rook, no one pays attention to the pawn on the other side of the board that you move occasionally until you use it to bring the queen back.”

Harry falls silent. “Can the Stone bring someone back? Someone who died?”

“Harry… your parents—”

“No!” Harry protests, shaking his head. “That's not what I–I meant something else. Someone else.”

“No,” Ron breathes out, his face paling. “You can't genuinely believe he'd bring him back.”

Nico snatches the parchment from Hermione and takes a pen, sketching what he saw on Quirrell’s arm. Ron jerks it away just before he finishes, his face pale with fear. “What the fuck, Nico?”

“What is it?” Hermione attempts to look at the paper, but Ron balls it up. Nico snatches it back, opening it up and holding it high. Ron recoils from it.  

“That was on Quirrell’s arm,” Harry frowns.

“Stop it.” Ron snatches it back and crumples it before handing it to Hermione. He glances around to ensure no one is watching. “Burn it. NOW. Before someone spots it.”

“What is it?” Hermione asks forcefully.

“It’s a Dark Mark,” Ron whispers anxiously. “Vol—He used to brand his followers with it. If Quirrell has it—” 

“Then he’s a Death Eater,” Harry gasps, stunned. “He serves the man who killed my parents.”

“Burn it, Hermione, please. You’re better at it and won’t get caught by Pince,” Ron urges, pushing it into her hands again. Hermione holds the parchment in her lap and sets it ablaze. Ron is still trembling, and the others aren’t much better.  

“We need to be careful,” Nico interjects. The three of them look at him, terrified. “If it’s Quirrell, if it was the Dark Mark, if he's working for Voldy, then he can’t know that we know.”  

“Voldy?” Ron's jaw drops.

“If he is, then the moment he suspects we know, we're in danger.” Nico ignores Ron. “If he thinks we'll do or say anything about who he is or who he's working for, they might find our bodies in the Forbidden Forest or at the bottom of the lake if he leaves anything of us behind. Do. Not. Confront. Him. Don't treat him any differently, don't be more friendly, and don't act scared of him or anything else. We have to pretend we know nothing, okay?” 

“Will he actually kill us?” Hermione whispers, tears welling in her eyes. Harry shifts his chair closer to her.

“I don't know,” Nico says as he reaches across the table to squeeze her hand. “But I think it's possible, so we're going to prepare for it and hope it never comes to that.”

“Will Hecate protect us if I offer her more food?” Ron scratched his nose again.  

“I don't know. It never hurts to let her know what's going on and ask her to keep an eye on us," Nico sighed. “The gods see the world differently than we do. I try not to rely on them too much. That way, I face less disappointment, and it’s a nice surprise for me if they do decide to help."  

“Oh.” Ron slumped in disappointment.

“Well, we need to clean up and prepare for detention. Dress warmly tonight; there's still a bit of a chill in the air.” Nico stands up, dropping the privacy charms. “Oh, Harry, don't forget your newspaper article.” 

Harry brightens a little when he picks up the paper and sees his parents again.

Nico rolls his eyes upon entering the common room, noticing that Draco is still unready. He's engrossed in a game of Exploding Snaps with Gregory and Vincent. Without acknowledging them, Nico heads to their dorm to retrieve his daggers and sheathes and secures them to his belt, adding a pouch for a vial of nectar and a small flashlight. He changes out of his school uniform into a warm sweater and jeans. After fastening his belt, he puts on his winter cloak, tying it around his neck. Although it feels warm now, it should keep the chill off when they step outside. Once he double-checks that his daggers are secure, he exits the room and goes to the common room to wait for Professor McGonagall. 

When she descends the stairs and halts by the fountain, Nico stands ready in his full winter gear, feet shoulder-width apart, with his hands clasped behind his back. His cloak conceals his weapons tucked away, just in case.

“Professor McGonagall," Nico says, his voice resonating. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Draco freeze. 

"Mr. Di Angelo," she remarked, nodding. "At least one of you is prepared. Mr. Malfoy, should you wish to accompany us? Or would you rather have your detentions during your exam week?” 

Malfoy goes to grab his cloak and quickly approaches them, his ears flushed as the older students chuckle. Nico remains silent as they ascend to the dungeon, then navigate through the Dungeon Corridor and down the hall to Ravenclaw Tower. She guides them through the corridors until they reach Gryffindor Tower. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, accompanied by Filch, wait for them. McGonagall leaves them with the caretaker, and the first-years follow Filch over the bridge to the Clock Tower and then outside, heading toward Hagrid's hut. The older man mutters to himself about punishments the entire way there. 

Hagrid was waiting for them outside with a crossbow and Fang. “You're late. We were supposed to leave before eleven. It's already half past."  

"Hi, Hagrid," Harry greeted him with a grin.

“Oh?” Filch’s grin was creepy as hell. “Do you think you'll be out here having fun? You’d better get that out of your mind now. You six are going into the Forest. Not even your little gods will help you in there, boy.” 

Nico meets Filch's gaze without flinching, his face blank and not blinking. “You'd be surprised what someone can do without magic or divine intervention. I'll be fine.”  

Filch's grin fades. Glaring, he turns back toward the castle, snapping over his shoulder, “I’ll collect whatever is left of them in the morning if you can keep them alive. It'll be a shame to have to send back pieces of the brat overseas.”

“My people prefer cremation on a pyre!” Nico calls back. “The ashes can be scattered wherever you want to throw them.” 

Filch doesn't respond. Nico snorts. “Fucking bitch.” 

“Well, now,” Hagrid clears his throat, and Ron and Harry laugh. Hermione relaxes, but Draco remains tense, staring at the forest. 

“We cannot go into the forest; it’s dangerous," Draco says. “Students are not permitted entry—such action is prohibited!"

“Students need to be accompanied by a professor or Hagrid. Dumbledore mentioned this at the start of the year," Harry tells the boy. Draco shoots him a glare, but Harry just grins. "What’s the matter, Malfoy? Scared?"  

“You wish, Potter," Draco retorts, his lip curling in a sneer. He turns away from them, and Nico notices him glance back at the forest again.  

“What are we doing, Hagrid?” Hermione asks.

“We're going hunting.” Hagrid gestures for them to follow as Nico grabs Draco’s collar, dragging him along into the tree line. Hagrid continues, ignoring the protesting boy. "A few unicorns have turned up dead near the school over the past few months, and another was injured yesterday. He got away before I could treat him, though. We're going to see if we can find him before he dies. I hope to locate him before he's too badly hurt, and we have to put the poor creature out of his misery. If we can find whatever is hurting them, we're supposed to take it out.”

"I anticipated we would be writing lines or a similar task." Draco exhaled with frustration as Nico released him. He adjusted his attire and quickened his pace to match Nico's, upon realizing the distance they had covered. “This situation resembles servitude.”

“This is normal people stuff, you nepo-baby,” Nico rolls his eyes. 

“The Board decided that writing lines hasn't been an effective punishment since they banned blood quills. They had to abolish all the old punishments because the newer generation of Wix folk argued it was too similar to Muggle torture methods and beneath them.” Hagrid huffs. “You should know that Malfoy, since your father is on the Board.”

“Your father serves on the School Board?” Hermione asks Draco, who brushes her off. 

“Has my father been informed of what you’re forcing me to do?"  

“You're free to return to the castle and tell McGonagall and Dumbledore why you're skipping detention. They can then inform your father about your behavior and lack of discipline.” Hagrid jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “Go on then. I won't stop you. But I’m not escorting you, and neither will any of them. I also won’t provide you with one of our lanterns. If you wish to leave, you’ll do so alone in the dark.” 

Draco looks behind him and steps closer to Nico. Nico observes as Draco's shoulders jump at the sound of an owl overhead. Draco was scared; he was genuinely terrified of being in these woods. Nico is unsure whether it’s the darkness or the potential dangers lurking inside that make him so jumpy. Still, Draco is eleven—the same age as Dominic—and he’s scared. Nico moves closer, brushing against his arm, causing Draco to jump again and turn to face him. Nico pulls out his flashlight, turns it on, and hands it to the boy. Draco hesitates for a moment before taking it, shining the light into the trees, and feeling a sense of relief at how far he can see compared to the dim glow of the lantern. 

“I thought Muggle technology didn't work in magical areas!” Hermione gasps. 

"WiFi and electricity are useless," Nico informs her. "However, battery-powered or solar devices function well enough. It’s why my camera operates at school and the portable movie player that the Hufflepuffs use for movie night. Everything runs on batteries and internal power. You need to avoid enchanting anything to operate on magic; that’s when things get strange, and they need to summon the Ministry.”

“Alright, it's getting late. Pay attention,” Hagrid hisses as Draco turns the flashlight toward him, blinding him before Nico reaches out to push the light down to their feet. 

“Sorry, Hagrid,” Nico apologizes, aware that Draco wouldn't. 

“We're splitting into two groups to cover more ground,” Hagrid tells them. “I'll take two of you; the other two will go with Nico.” 

“Why me?” Nico raises an eyebrow.

“I've heard about your American school's policy on weapons. You've got at least one on you now, don’t you?” Hagrid chuckles as Nico moves his cloak to reveal the daggers. “Plus, all three of these kids will listen to you, and that's why.”

“I'm going with Nico,” Draco declared. 

The three Gryffindors exchange glances; Hermione pushes Ron towards Hagrid, and Hermione and Harry extend their fists. 

“One, two, three,” they call out. Harry's hand remains a fist, but Hermione's is laid flat. She grins and places it over Harry's fist before stepping toward Hagrid's side. Harry groans but stands by Nico. 

“What was that?" Confused, Ron glances at the two wizards raised by Muggles while Draco gives them the same puzzled look. 

“No best two out of three?” Nico grins. Harry looks up at Hermione, hopeful.

“You should have mentioned that before the game.” She chuckles. “Since you lost, you're joining the Slytherins, Harry.” 

The boy grimaces at her, then asks Hagrid, “How do we locate an injured unicorn?” 

“Ah! Er, right. Come here a second,” Hagrid motions for them to move closer to one of the trees, and Nico nudges Draco so they can both see. There on the leaf of a plant was something shiny and silver. Hagrid kneels to get closer to their height and pokes it with a finger, bringing it into the light. “That right there is unicorn blood. Poor thing has been bleeding all over the damn place. If you look for it, you'll be able to see where he's been. Larger pools will indicate he stopped to rest a bit. The color will tell you how long ago it was. What we want to look for is this, but in a lighter version. The lighter it is, the fresher it is. The longer the injury is exposed to the air, the darker the blood will become.”

Nico also kneels, touching the blood. He senses it is a few hours old, with the unicorn's life force already waning. They will probably discover the body long after it has passed. Hagrid lets out a grunt as he rises to his feet. “You've already learned about green and red sparks in your charms class, yes? Great. You'll want to send out green sparks if you find something and red sparks if you're in danger or hurt. Nico, Harry, and Malfoy, you'll head left down this path. Take Fang with you, and nothing in there will harm you. We're heading straight down that way. If you haven't seen anything in about an hour, send up green sparks, and we'll regroup.” 

“Alright. We’ll see you in an hour, if not sooner." Nico ensures that Draco is close before they head into the woods, with Draco carrying the flashlight and Harry holding one of the lanterns. 

“How can we possibly track anything in the dark?” Draco grumbles with his flashlight while illuminating the trees.

“Come over here and shine your light on that plant.” Nico kneels beside the path, with Harry and Draco following his lead. He notices a few silver splatters on the leaves and points them out. “This is what we're looking for—evidence of the injured unicorn. The blood is darker than what Hagrid showed us, so this puddle has been here for some time. Draco, could you shine the light on the surrounding plants? Let’s see if we can find another with blood on it.”

Nico leans closer to the ground as Draco stands and begins to turn. He gently moves the leaves aside, searching for any marks in the dirt that could match a horse.

“There.” 

They stand and look at the plant that Draco is shining the light on. The plant is slightly off the trail, so Nico takes the flashlight back and carefully walks through the underbrush to get a closer look. It’s the same silver blood. He gestures for them to move forward, but Harry hesitates. “Hagrid said not to go off the trail.” 

“We won't find him if we confine our search strictly to the path," Nico frowns. “If you want to stay here with Fang, Harry, I’ll check if there's anything else this way. I won't go far enough for you to lose sight of me."

Draco moves as if to follow, but thinks better of it and instead joins Harry on the path with Fang. Nico waves the light back and forth in front of him while checking the surroundings, and there, further off the path, is another plant covered in blood. A lot of blood. A pool of liquid silver is on the ground beneath the plant; the unicorn must have rested here. Nico returns to Harry and Draco. “Let's call Hagrid and the others to tell them what we found. We can see if they've discovered anything.” 

Harry sends up the green sparks, and they wait.

“What was that?” Draco croaks as a loud cry echoes through the woods. It sounds like some animal. 

Nico moves closer, pulling his knives free from their sheaths. “Not sure. Harry, do you remember what I showed you about daggers?”

“Uh, yeah?” Harry squinted as he turned around, shining the lantern into the forest. 

“Hand the light to Draco. Draco, you stand between us. Fang, sit.” Nico handed Harry one of the daggers, hilt first. Harry gripped it tightly. “Don't drop it.” 

“I dropped it like one time,” Harry mumbled under his breath.

“And this one has an edge to it,” Nico replies with a grin. “So don't drop it.” 

Draco observes the boys playfully teasing one another, feeling a sense of ease as neither shows signs of worry about the strange noise. Within just a few minutes, the others join them. Nico presents the blood to Hagrid, who lets out a heavy sigh. “That's quite a bit of blood. I’m afraid we probably won’t find the poor creature alive. All right, you three, keep following this path while we investigate here. We didn't notice anything past the initial pool of blood.” 

“It's always the innocent who suffer," a deep voice from behind them sighs.

The group whirls around, with Nico gripping his dagger and Hagrid raising his crossbow. A man with red hair and a matching beard stood in the tree line. As he moved closer, Nico noticed that instead of human legs, there were chestnut legs with hooves, a long body with a second set of legs, and a reddish-brown tail. A centaur.

“Ah, Ronan.” Hagrid lowers the crossbow with a relieved grin. “It's been a while. How have you been?”  

“I am doing well, my dear friend Hagrid.” The centaur scrutinizes them once more. "I presume these are students from Hogwarts. Greetings to you all."  

“Hello.” Hermione squeaks. Ron and Harry greet the centaur while Draco lifts his chin defiantly.

“Einai timi, archonta tis agrias fysis.” Nico resheathes his dagger, steps forward, and bows.

The centaur shuffles in surprise at the greeting before stepping forward to return the bow. “The honor is mine, ellinikos migas. Although it has been quite some time since I last had the pleasure of meeting a member of your family, it has been even longer since anyone has addressed me as a wild lord. From which do you originate?”

“Adioneus is my father, and Chiron serves as my mentor.” Nico adjusts his posture. He retrieves the dagger from Harry and stores it away. “We intended no offense if we have overstepped any boundaries." 

"An individual possesses an equal claim to the land as one does to the air we breathe.” Ronan directs his attention towards Hagrid. “What compels your presence here on this night?”

“We discovered a dead unicorn last week, and one has been hurt recently. We wanted to try to find it before it passed away. Have you noticed anything unusual?” 

The centaur looks up at the sky and hums. “Mars is bright tonight.”

Hagrid grunts as he lifts the crossbow onto his shoulder. "Uh, yeah... it is. Ronan, have you seen anything that could harm those unicorns?”

“The Forest holds many secrets," Ronan said, gazing at the sky. “And Mars is unusually bright.”

Hagrid rolls his eyes, frustrated, while the others watch in confusion. Nico tilts his head backward to gaze at the sky. “Mars is currently in opposition, situated within the domain of the Maiden. I believe I would possess greater concern were it not so focused.”

"Indeed," Ronan agrees with a nod.

“Will you indulge me?” Nico inquires.

"Perhaps," muses Ronan. “If it pleases the gods."

"Are the rites we seek for the unicorn the same?”

“The meadow's flowers have deep roots," Ronan says, breaking his gaze from the stars to meet Nico's eyes.

“And its children are as beautiful as moonlace," Nico responds, nodding. "Thank you.”

"Well met, Nico di Angelo, son of the Kind One." Ronan bows his head towards the young man. “Shadows obscure both allies and foes."

“As all traveled roads are made in peril. Well met, Lord Ronan.” Nico bows in return to the centaur. Ronan bids the others goodbye and wanders off into the forest.

“I can never get a straight answer out of those centaurs,” Hagrid grumbles. “They're a strange bunch. A bunch of daydreamers and divination enthusiasts staring more at the moon and stars than living on this Earth.”  

“How many of them live here?” Hermione asks Hagrid.  

“A fair number. They mostly keep to themselves, though I'll see them around once in a while,” Hagrid tells her.  

“I didn't realize a herd lived here,” Nico turns back to the group.  

“You get weirder every day,” Ron snorts.  

“Come on, Ron, Hermione. We need to get going now. You three stay on the path, alright? Send up more sparks if needed. We'll meet up with you in a bit.” Hermione and Ron follow Hagrid into the underbrush, and the three of them continue searching for any more signs of the unicorn. 

“What were you talking about with Mars and flowers and stuff?” Harry asks Nico.

“Well, that was a couple of things,” Nico calls Fang back to their side, where the dog had gotten a little too far ahead. “What Ronan was doing is called astrology; it's a branch of divination that uses what we learn in astronomy to predict events. A bright Mars signifies an increase in energy and motivation. When Mars is in opposition, it means that the Sun, Earth, and the planet form a straight line, with Mars being the closest it will get to Earth all year. This causes it to shine brightly; the brighter it is, the more energy it emits. Mars in the house of the Maiden means that Mars appears near the Virgo constellation when you look at the sky. The Virgo constellation carries energy that makes you more focused and motivated in your pursuits and goals.”

"What precisely does all of that signify?" Draco asks.

“It means that something is going to happen that will impact someone's goals,” Nico said, looking at Harry. “And it'll probably work in their favor since the brightness of Mars is thought to carry positive energy.”  

Harry's eyes widened, and Nico saw him mouth the words, ‘the stone?’ causing him to nod at the other boy. The next phase of Quirrell’s plan was starting to unfold. However, it was still uncertain whether the positive energy would benefit him in obtaining the stone or help them protect it.

“Watch your step here,” Nico tells the boys as he skips into a dried creek bed. He shines the light on them so they can climb down safely. “The thing about the flowers is easier to explain. We have unicorns at the school in California, and when one of them dies, their bodies break down and become a magical flower called moonlace. We used to think that it only grew on this one island, but apparently, it has been cultivated for centuries. The flower can be used as a really powerful medicine. We've used it pretty often in the war.”

“Really?” Harry breathes.

“Yeah, it's saved my life several times,” Nico shrugs. “Not all of them grow moonlace; it’s usually only the old ones that die of natural causes, but they almost always leave some plant behind to mark where they died. You’re not supposed to disturb the final resting place of a unicorn, so the plants are never trampled on or eaten. That’s why Ronan said their roots would grow strong where the flowers bloom to mark a unicorn's death. When I asked if their rites were the same, I was asking him if the unicorns here also turn into flowers because we might have a hard time finding the injured unicorn we’re supposed to be looking for if it has already died and become some plant while we're currently looking for an animal carcass.” 

“Oh.” Harry blinks as they start walking, searching the path for more blood. “So we also need to watch out for magic flowers?” 

“We're in the Forbidden Forest.” Draco turns to find Fang and waves the dog over. "This place is home to countless enchanted plants. We must watch for many of them draped in silver blood, and a lot of it.”

“Right. Okay.” Harry directs the beam of light to his left. No silver to be seen. They continue following the creek until they find a large puddle of silver blood and rocks. 

"Draco, could you shine the light up there?" Nico gestures toward the bank. Draco aims the flashlight where Nico indicated. The rocks had collapsed, where the unicorn had possibly fallen into the creek, unaware of the ledge. "We're nearly there. Come on.”

He leads them further down the creek until they reach a dense part of the forest where the creek disappears. Harry and Draco ignore each other while trying to stay close to Nico, which he finds hilarious. 

Fang froze.

A cry.

Just before them lay a clearing, and Nico could hear another cry emanating from the white beast in the grass. The unicorn was lying on its side, its silver blood glowing in the moonlight. It remained silent except for those cries; even the crickets dared not make a sound. The air was thick with something that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Nico learned that a demigod who ignored such a warning was a dead one. He grabs the other boys by their collars just before they leave the tree line and pulls them back. “Get down.”

“What—” 

“Harry, the light! Fang, find Hagrid!" Nico hisses, covering Draco's mouth with one hand while switching off the flashlight with the other. Harry extinguishes the lantern. Fang whimpers before dashing back into the trees. At Nico's urging, Harry and Draco hide behind the roots of a large tree as the older boy leans against the trunk in front of them.

They wait.

The unicorn emits another cry of anguish. A shadow emerges from the far end of the clearing, dragging itself from the tree line across the field, inching toward the unicorn's body, a single handful of grass at a time, with its back legs useless behind it. The distressed creature struggles to rise, whinnying in fear as Harry covers his ears. It was frightened, just as terrified as they were, and in clear pain, nearing death. Draco trembles beside him while Nico remains steadfast. Slowly, he removes his cloak and drapes it over Draco's head, concealing his blond hair. Draco attempts to push it off, but Harry quickly grabs his hand, pointing at his hair and shaking his head. Draco scowls, then reaches over to take Harry's glasses off and thrusts them into his hand. Harry glares at him before tucking the glasses into his pocket, aware that the glass might expose them if the moonlight catches them. 

Nico unsheathes his daggers, holding them at his side as the shadow approaches the unicorn, lowering its head just above the wound on its neck. The unicorn cries out again, its distress mirrored by Harry and Draco. Nico glances back; Harry is hunched over, one hand clawing at his scar while the other grips Draco's arm. Draco's scream is more a reaction to shock than pain, while Harry's expression reveals deep anguish. 

A roar erupted as Nico's back slammed against the tree, sending a jolt of stabbing pain through him, with the shadow suddenly appearing before him. Draco screamed again, causing the boy to fall, desperately trying to escape while dragging Harry along. Nico thrust his dagger into the shadow being, but it passed right through. The creature recoiled with a fearful roar, allowing Nico to regain his balance. 

The dagger hadn't worked; the being was human.

Nico drops the celestial bronze dagger, which is now useless. He kicks the person away, sending them flying into another tree. They roar again, then lunge at Harry and Draco. Nico jumps, knocking them both to the ground, and scrambles to get the person in a hold. He wraps his arm around their throat, places one foot behind their knee, and uses the other to grab their arm and yank it back.

Snap!

They yell in pain as their elbow shatters, the arm dangling at an unnatural angle, gasping for air as Nico tightens his grip. The other dagger’s sharp edge, made of stygian iron, pressed against their neck. They claw at his arm with their other hand, desperately trying to get up and throw him off, but Nico shifts his weight and bears down harder. The clawing becomes frantic, drawing blood from scratches on his arm until, gradually, they start to go limp.

Draco watches as Nico does this with a blank expression, seemingly unaware of the blood flowing from the cuts on his arm. He had seen Nico put someone in that hold before: Theo. He had done that to Theo Nott, half out of his mind, after waking from a nightmare. Witnessing it done intentionally and seeing the real damage it was meant to cause was terrifying. Potter still gripped his arm, clawing at his red and inflamed scar. 

Draco does the only thing he can think of. He grabs his wand and sends up red sparks.

Nico hears the thunderous hoofbeats approaching and curses, releasing the wizard and rolling aside just in time to avoid being trampled by a centaur that charges into the clearing at his previous spot. He flips over to join the others, picks up his fallen daggers from the ground, and kneels before the boys, poised to strike with his weapons. The wizard has vanished, sprinting into the trees when Nico let go. 

Nico scowls. Its hood had been held on by magic, so he hadn't seen who it was, but he’d bet ten drachmas to the Stolls that it was Quirrell. Was the medicine unicorn’s blood? He returns his daggers to their sheaths and turns, kneeling by the two boys. “Are you guys okay? Shit, Harry!”

Harry was dry-heaving, pale, and sweating, except where his forehead was inflamed. Traces of blood trailed down his cheek, and Nico used his sleeve to wipe them gently. His scar had grown a little; where it once stopped just before the middle of his right temple, it now reached his hairline. 

“Why is it doing that?” Draco demands, trembling, with his arm still held tightly by Harry, already bruised. 

“I don't know,” Nico whispers. It had stopped bleeding, but it still looked bad. They needed to get him checked out. “Let me—”

A step crunched on leaves, and Nico whirled around, already drawing his dagger and positioning himself to shield both younger boys. It was another centaur, younger than Ronan, an appaloosa palomino with a rich golden coat and a white-spotted flank. His hair was as white-blond as Draco's, and his human half bore vitiligo markings just a shade or two lighter than the rest of his tanned skin. “It's dangerous for you to be here, little ones.”

“We know, my lord,” Nico says, bowing to the centaur. “We were helping Hagrid look for the injured unicorn. That thing found us first.”

“You’re Hogwarts students, then,” the centaur nodded. “It’s dangerous for ones like you to be out here, even with your guidance, ellinikos migas. Come, bring the Potter boy. I’ll help you find Hagrid.”

“The unicorn,” Draco said as he helped Nico lift Harry. “Is it dead?”  

“We don’t have time.” The centaur stomped his back leg. “Come, bring him here, and I will carry him.”  

Nico blinked. Carry him? Like, let him ride on his back? That was a huge no-no for most centaurs; he knew that from living with Chiron. Even the party ponies and their more free lifestyle, sparingly let a human ride them. “I'm sorry, my lord, but who are you? Are you from Ronan's herd?”  

“I am.” The centaur nodded. “You may call me Firenze. Now come, we must get you to Hagrid.”  

"Hold on; what is the status of the unicorn?” Draco demanded. “It is the sole purpose of our presence in these woods. Can you confirm whether it is deceased or not?" 

Firenze glares at the boy. “If it hasn't taken root yet, it will soon. We cannot afford to delay any longer. You must leave this forest.” 

“I'll check.” Nico frowns, leaving Draco to bear Harry's weight as the boy stands. He goes around the centaur and approaches the still form of the unicorn. It shivers with each breath but doesn’t attempt to move as Nico kneels beside it. It whinnies as he places a hand on its neck and shushes it, gently pulling the hair from its mane away from the wound. “It's alive, but barely.”

The others entered the clearing, with Firenze again attempting to lift Harry onto his back for a safe exit. Draco gazes at the unicorn and murmurs, "What do we do? Are we in a position to help it, or are we unable to do anything but watch it die?"

“Wait a moment.” Nico reaches into his pocket and retrieves the vial of nectar. “This is effective for the herd at home, so it should—”

Firenze clasps his wrist before Nico can uncork the vial. “Where did you obtain this?”

“From my mentor, Chiron.” Nico locks eyes with the centaur’s intense blue gaze.  

Firenze’s eyes go wide. “The ancient scholar? You’ve actually met him?” 

“I have. I live with him.” Nico withdraws his arm and removes the cork. Carefully, he pours the nectar on the unicorn's neck, and he cries out again, even as the bleeding lessens, then stops as the wound heals. It shudders as Nico feels the beast's life force grow stronger. It will survive. Nico pets the unicorn's neck to soothe him during his recovery, meeting his gaze when he moves his head. A single tear glistens in his eye. “Easy now. Take your time.”

“Harry! Nico! Are you guys okay?” Ron calls out as the three emerge from the trees, and he and Hermione make a beeline toward them. “Still alive, Malfoy?"  

"You alright?" Hagrid asks, shouldering the crossbow with Fang at his heel.

“I'm fine," Harry breathes. “Hagrid, we found the unicorn.” 

"Extraordinary," whispers Firenze as he kneels beside Nico. The unicorn has lowered its head onto the boy's lap, letting him stroke its nose, visibly more relaxed now that it is no longer dying. The others have gathered around Harry as he tells them what happened, while Nico remains in place. A quick look confirms that no one is eavesdropping on them. “It's been a long time since I witnessed the gods' food used to heal one of our own. Are you truly one of their young?”

“Yes.”

“Which do you hail from?”

“Adioneus.” Nico glances at him.

The centaur nods. “Then you understand the miracle you’ve performed. Do you know what unicorn blood is used for?”

“Nothing good, I assume, if it requires the unicorn's death.”

“It is a crime of the most unforgivable nature to slay a unicorn.” The centaur lays a hand on the beast’s neck, where the wound had been. “To slay something so pure…its blood will keep one alive even as they stand before the doors of death. But what life it grants is cursed from the moment the blood touches their lips.”

“Most things involving soul magic do when abused,” Nico agrees. 

“Are you aware of what’s in your school at this very moment?” Firenze asks. 

“A ruby that shouldn’t be in mortal hands,” Nico speaks in a low voice, glancing up at the others. “Why?”

“Do you understand its purpose?” Nico nods, causing Firenze to lower his voice. “We must not interfere with the mortal realms, young demigod. No oracle exists here to lead you, but you should know what has been revealed in the heavens. Right now, only one stands to benefit from that stone, as we have foreseen.” 

“Is someone targeting Harry? You were determined he had to leave, but you didn’t seem as concerned for us.” Nico asks.  

“It would be simple to complete what he began ten years ago while the blood is still fresh,” Firenze responds. 

“So it is Voldemort,” Nico blinks, confirming his theory about Quirrell’s intentions with the stone, what Harry had feared. Voldemort was alive, and Quirrell was aiding him. As the unicorn shifts beside him, Nico redirects his attention. He needed to consult the others. "Can we move him to the school’s paddock for recovery, or does the Forest prefer to manage their own?” 

Firenze smiles. “Hagrid belongs to the Forest, which will look after its own, even at the furthest borders. If he follows you, we will not try to change his mind. Just make sure to respect his will.” 

“Thank you,” Nico replies with a nod. As if sensing the end of their conversation, the unicorn rises to its feet. Nico and Firenze get up, and the others fall silent as the creature stands, its side heaving with effort.

“This is where I take my leave,” Firenze says, nodding to them. “I hope we can meet again under less dire circumstances.”

“Well met, Lord Firenze,” Nico nods, one hand on the unicorn's neck. It remains weak, even as the nectar works to heal the damage done. “May the gods favor our next encounter.” 

“Good luck, son of the Kind One. The stars are often mysterious; let’s hope this is one of those times we’ve misunderstood their message.” Firenze turns and gallops away, leaving them with Hagrid.

“Well, that was cryptic as hell.” Nico turns around as Harry and Ron start laughing. Draco still holds Harry up while keeping the flashlight focused on the last place they'd seen the wizard who had attacked the unicorn, but he’s struggling to keep his expression neutral. He’s trying not to be obvious as he watches the Gryffindors, glancing away with a sneer whenever one of them looks at him, but he hasn’t pushed Harry away from him. 

“You're one to talk," Ron panted, trying to catch his breath. “What about that nonsense you had going on with Ronan?"

Nico shrugs, and even Draco’s lip twitches briefly as they start laughing again. Hagrid comes over to check on the unicorn and then helps them get settled to follow him back through the woods toward the school. Nico hands the flashlight to Draco and has him and Hermione lead the way. He grabs Harry's arm and asks Ron to help carry him. He winces as the muscle in his shoulder flares up, the adrenaline from the fight starting to fade. He'll be feeling that in the morning. 

Hagrid guides the unicorn with a hand on its neck, and it comes willingly. By the time they return to Hagrid's hut, they are exhausted, with Draco now holding Nico up while Hermione has taken over helping Ron carry Harry. Hermione leaves Ron holding Harry as she opens the door for them to enter the hut. Hagrid heads toward the back with Fang to lead the unicorn into the paddock. 

Nico waves his wand at the fireplace to start a fire while Ron sets Harry on the bed before collapsing next to him. “That was the worst detention ever.” 

“Tell me about it.” Harry groans, flopping down to lie next to him. 

“Could have been worse.” Nico chuckles. “We could have been doing dishes with the lava hose.”

“The what?” Ron looks up.

“Guaranteed to kill 99.9% of bacteria.” Nico shrugs.

“Right. Sure, Nico, whatever you say.” Hermione sinks into the chair at the table with a sigh. “Honestly, what were they thinking? Sending a bunch of first-years out there—Hagrid left us alone three different times!” 

"It is inappropriate to permit that oaf on school premises." Draco sneered as he assisted Nico into the chair situated opposite Hermione. “We were fortunate to have escaped unharmed." 

“Shut up, Malfoy.” Harry gives him the finger while Ron snickers, causing Draco's face to flush. 

“Piss off, Potter! Next time, I shall allow you to endure the attack when your scar spontaneously enlarges.” Draco growls and folds his arms, his shoulders hunched as if hurt by Harry's comment. Nico sighs, uncertain if Harry was joking like when he told them to piss off or if he genuinely meant it this time, especially since Draco was mocking Hagrid, whom Harry felt defensive of. Regardless, Nico felt too exhausted to step in. As long as no one brandished their wands, he decided to let them resolve the situation on their own.

“What? Harry!” Hermione stands and walks over to the bed. Harry groans but sits up, brushing his fringe aside so she can check it. Ron also sits up, looking him over.

Draco shifts beside him, and Nico glances over, noting how he leans against the table. He rises to his feet and gently pushes Draco into his chair. Draco scowls, preparing to stand again, when his face twitches. Nico kneels and grips his ankles, checking for swelling. There it is, on the left foot. He lifts the foot onto his knee and rolls up the pant leg, removing the shoe and sock for a closer look. Draco frowns as he rotates his ankle to either side, but doesn't react beyond a wince. Not broken, then. He probably just twisted it when he and Harry fell. 

“You shouldn't have walked on this, Draco,” Nico murmurs before raising his voice. “Hermione, could you grab me a cloth and some cold water?” 

“Uh, sure. One sec.” Hermione grabs a washcloth and a pitcher of water, then brings them over. “What do you—oh, that's not good. Are you okay, Malfoy?” 

“Fine.” Draco sniffs. 

“Don't start this crap right now, lizard.” Nico glares at him. He thanked Hermione and began wrapping Draco's ankle after soaking the towel in cold water. He places it on the chair opposite the boy. “Keep it elevated, and you should be fine in a little while. Once Filch comes to get us, I'll help you to Pomfrey.” 

“Alright, Malfoy?” Ron frowns, glancing over at them.

“What's it to you, Weasley?” 

“Enough!” Nico stands up before Ron can retort. “We only have a few hours before the sun rises and Filch comes to get us. We'll be lucky to get an hour of sleep after that before we're expected at breakfast, and then we'll have a full day of classes. All four of you need to rest now—take a nap, do whatever you want. But we’re not starting another fight after what happened tonight.” 

Both boys turn away, glaring at the floor. Nico sighs. “Hermione, my only sensible friend, will you check my shoulder?”

“Sit.” She drags a chair between the boys, and Nico shrugs off his sweater. He thinks his cloak is still in the clearing unless someone else remembered to grab it. Hermione hisses at the sight of his back. All three of the other boys stare. Hermione grabs another cloth to soak. “It's bleeding, but it doesn't look too bad. Almost like a cement burn.”

“Getting dragged up the trunk of a tree will do that.” Nico chuckles, wincing as she begins to clean it. 

Ron walks outside to check on Hagrid and returns to inform them that he is okay with them crashing in the hut since he will be tending to the unicorn. Harry and Ron take the bed while Hermione curls up in the armchair. Nico and Draco settle into the chairs at the table. 

“Hey, Nico?” Harry's voice breaks the silence. “What did you give the unicorn to heal it?” 

“Special medication from home.” Nico yawns. “We use it sometimes for the herd in California.” 

“So it'll be okay?” Ron asks. 

“He should be fine by tomorrow morning,” Nico reassures them. 

“He was the most beautiful creature I've ever seen.” Hermione whispers. 

There was silence for a moment, and then Draco whispered, “He really was, wasn't he?”

Chapter Text

Classes officially concluded at the start of May. For two weeks, professors welcomed students into their classrooms for revisions, providing extra support before exams began on the third Monday of the month. The first-year students sacrificed their weekly library study sessions to meet in the classrooms where they needed help. As Nico assisted Harry, Hermione, and a few Ravenclaws with reviewing the transfiguration alphabet, the lunch bell rang, prompting Professor McGonagall to call for their attention.

“Ah, Mr. Di Angelo, may I have a moment of your time?" Professor McGonagall asks. "And Mr. Potter, would you be kind enough to join us?”  

Nico pauses while packing his things, exchanging a confused glance with the other boy before they signal to the others to continue and walk up to the desk. “Yes, Professor?” 

"Hagrid spoke to me about the favor you asked of us a few months ago. I requested that he keep all received materials so I can present them to you collectively." Professor McGonagall retrieves a large book from one of the bookcases behind her desk. “I know you're preparing for the upcoming exams, and I understand this information might be distracting. However, the final materials were received this week, and, unfortunately, Mr. Di Angelo, I must inform you that I cannot return the notebook you gave me, due to what I believe was an oversight on my part. Nonetheless, I have successfully coordinated with the other faculty members to have them rewrite their contributions."

She places the tomb on the desk, prompting Nico to lean forward and open it. The first page reveals a photo of Lily Evans Potter cradling baby Harry, who rests his head on her shoulder, grasping a small tuft of red hair that she gently tries to pull from his mouth. The next page features James's parents alongside three men standing behind a couch. James, sitting next to Lily, touches her pregnant belly. On the following page, there’s a picture of baby Harry, with Lily waving his tiny hand at the camera while James holds him. Two small scraps of parchment explain the images, but Nico flips to the next page. He discovers another photo of a younger James and Lily at a party, the Gryffindor common room recognizable even after all these years, accompanied by a two-page letter. Nico then flips back to the first page.

“Thank you, Professor,” he says, offering her a sorrowful smile before turning to the other boy. “It’s an early birthday gift since I’ll be out of the country this summer.” 

Harry raises an eyebrow and moves closer, adjusting the book for a better view of the images. He gasps in disbelief and gently traces his fingers over his parents' faces. He turns the pages one by one and stops when he uncovers a photo of his dad holding the end of a small broom, with Harry perched on top. He clears his throat and whispers, “Where did you get these?” 

“Your parents sent this to me shortly after your first birthday.” McGonagall taps James's face as he kneels beside a clapping Harry before the picture restarts. “Lily had concerns about your age, but James was thrilled. He assured me you were a natural on a broom, already working on your balance, and predicted you'd join the team in your second year. He was so confident that he claimed he would bet me on it. It seems you surpassed that bet by a full year, Mr. Potter.”

Harry wipes away tears from his cheek, tracing the letters on the next page with his fingers. "Did my father write this? I expected his handwriting to be neater; this looks like chicken scratch. Professor, if he wrote this for you, and that picture belongs to you—"  

“I made some copies for myself, specifically for this. Don’t worry about it, child," she reassures him.  

“Why?” Harry looks up, hardly able to believe he gets to keep this. “How?"  

“We reached out to the other students who graduated alongside them and asked if they had any pictures they were willing to share or make copies of,” Nico explains. "Remember, we talked about doing this after Christmas?”

“I forgot with...everything that was going on.” Harry glanced at McGonagall. “Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Nico.”

Nico grabbed Harry’s bag so the boy could carry the tome. "Is that everything, Professor? I think we’ll return to the common room and give Harry time to review the book before tackling our revision assignments.”

“That is all I required from you," Professor McGonagall stated as she sat at her desk. “And Mr. Potter, if you'd like more stories about your parents, please rest assured that my office is always accessible."

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry said, clutching the tome. “I can't express how much this means to me. Will I be able to add to it if I get more photos?”  

"Absolutely. There are additional pages in the back and room to include more if necessary.”  

Harry thanked her again, and they left the classroom. The door had barely closed when Harry threw his arms around Nico in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!" 

Nico hugs him back, and after a moment, Harry pulls away and opens the book to a random page, revealing a photo of his parents: his dad’s arm resting around his mum’s shoulders. James is wearing a Gryffindor Quidditch jersey, while his mum is wearing a green sweater that enhances her eyes. As Nico guides Harry down the corridor, Harry reads about Gryffindor’s victory against Ravenclaw for the Cup and how a bet on the winner earned James his first date with Lily during the upcoming Hogsmeade trip. The letter was written by Doyle, the fourth-year beater for Ravenclaw during Harry's parents' seventh year. It took Doyle nearly two months to find the photo, including a trip to his older sister’s home, but he was pleased to pass it on to Harry. Upon entering the Great Hall, Harry clutches the book to his chest, brushing away another tear. They sit at the Gryffindor table next to Ron and Hermione, with Harry diverting their attention from their latest debate about revisions to share the book. To their credit, both friends quickly focus on the pictures, eager to hear Harry recount the story of what Nico and the professors had done.

“Your mum is beautiful.” Hermione grins as Harry reads a short letter from a girl Lily once tutored. The letter included a picture of her, his mum, and a few of her friends. 

“Is that... Is that Snape?” Ron asks, pointing to a boy in the picture's background, at the other end of the table with the girls. “Blimey, it really is!” 

They all lean in for a closer look. The boy had shorter hair and wore a Slytherin uniform, but it was unmistakably their potions professor. His dark hair, hooked nose, and sneer were all the same. Nico glances around to make sure the teacher is not in the Hall. “Don’t let him learn that you have that picture; he might take the book from you.” 

“He can’t do that.” Harry snaps the book closed, pulls it closer, and scans the room. 

“Maybe not, but that won’t stop him from trying.” They sigh in relief when they don’t see him. Harry flips open the book to a random page, chuckling at some ink markings on a picture showing hands as if they were choking James, who appeared to be sleeping in Transfiguration if the mouse on his desk is any indication. There was a note in the top corner: ‘How does he have a bloody O?!’

…

The third week of May arrived all too soon. On the Friday before the exams, Nico sat at the Slytherin table during dinner, showing Tracy how to make offerings. Meanwhile, Emily Vane, a pure-blood heiress, and Sophia Ropier, the only other Slytherin muggle-born in the last three years, asked him about America. Draco's group sat near the older kids, deliberately ignoring them. Tracy, Theo, Blaise, and Daphne had chosen to sit between Nico and the other Slytherins, allowing them to interact with the foreigner without snubbing the heirs they had grown up with. The other teachers finished their meals, with Quirrell eating slowly and noticeably favoring his arm. Dumbledore had been called away for a meeting with the school board that morning and had still not returned, so McGonagall stood up and called for their attention.

“Starting next week, all students are expected to participate in the end-of-year examinations." Her voice resonates throughout the hall. “For our seventh-year students, you will undertake the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, commonly known as NEWTs, which are required for pursuing specialized careers. This marks your final year here at Hogwarts, and while it brings me great sorrow to see so many of our students departing, I am immensely proud of each of you. I extend my best wishes for your future endeavors; serving as your Deputy Headmistress and Professor has been an honor. I wish you all the best in your exams and the journey ahead."

The cheers in the hall were overwhelmingly loud, and Nico noticed several seventh-year students wiping their eyes. Even Professor McGonagall’s eyes shone brightly in the candlelight. She cleared her throat once more. “For our sixth-year students, I know that some of you will have a limited number of exams this year due to your reduced schedules. Nevertheless, this should not serve as an excuse for complacency at this stage. This will be your last opportunity to enhance your career prospects, and I trust that you have all been diligent in your studies. I wish you all the best in your exams.”

“Our fifth-year students, you will participate in your Ordinary Wizarding Levels, commonly known as OWLs, for which we have diligently prepared you over the past two years. If you haven't approached me yet regarding your career options, please do so this weekend. We will also revisit these discussions at the beginning of your sixth year. I wish you all the best of luck.”

The students cheered again, and Professor McGonagall granted them a moment to celebrate before raising her hand to restore order. The hall fell silent again, and she continued with her address. "The upcoming examinations will mirror those administered in previous years for our students in the second, third, and fourth years. However, it is crucial to note that third- and fourth-year students will face additional assessments compared to their first and second-year counterparts, as their grades incorporate elective courses for which examinations will also be administered. I wish all of you the best for your success."

“To all our first-year students," Professor McGonagall’s voice rises above the cheers from the other students. “For many of you, this will mark your first occasion to take exams, so I will explain the exam procedures practiced here at Hogwarts. You will be required to complete two to three exams on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and for our senior students, also on Sundays. Designating Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays as free days will help you prepare for the following exams. Most exams will consist of two components: a written exam, in which you will answer questions, and a practical exam, where you will demonstrate your acquired knowledge. Certain exams, such as History of Magic or Flying lessons, will encompass only one of these components.”

Here, she addressed the entire hall. “On Monday, first-year students will take their History of Magic and Flying exams in the morning and their Charms exams in the afternoon. Second-year students will have their Charms exams in the morning and Transfiguration exams in the afternoon. Third-year students will complete their Transfiguration exams in the morning and Herbology exams in the afternoon. Fourth-year students will take their Herbology exams in the morning and Defense Against the Dark Arts exams in the afternoon. Fifth-year students will finish their Defense Against the Dark Arts exams in the morning and one of their elective exams in the afternoon. Sixth-year exams will vary depending on the chosen classes; those participating will take one of their electives in the morning and the Potions exam in the afternoon. Seventh-year students will have one of their elective exams in the morning and History of Magic exams in the afternoon for those enrolled in those classes.”

“Tomorrow, during breakfast, each of you will receive a parchment reminding you of the exams you’ll be taking throughout the week, along with their corresponding times. On Monday at dinner, we will remind you of the exams you have on Wednesday. Now, it’s time for bed.”

2014-2015 Hogwarts Exam Week: 19th May

Draco woke Nico early on Monday at five o'clock, flipping on the light as he prepared for breakfast. Annoyed, Nico rolled out of bed, took his vitamin, and headed to the bathroom for a shower before Draco, much to the blonde’s irritation. After they left their dorm, Nico noticed some older students by Salazar’s statue, placing snacks into the offering plate for good luck on their exams, and joined them. At breakfast, he sat with Harry, Hermione, and Ron at the Gryffindor table, all yawning and lazily sharing food. Eventually, they headed out, their parchments indicating that the first-years had their exams in the History of Magic classroom. 

Once inside, Nico noticed that only every other chair was available. They chose one of the scattered seats and waited for Binns. The ghost emerged from the chalkboard at 6:50 and sat at his desk with a stack of parchment. “Please refrain from flipping your exam paper over until all participants have received theirs. After I signal you to begin, you will have one hour to complete the exam. Each participant will receive a quill and black ink, which has been enchanted by Professor Flitwick and embedded with anti-cheating spells. If anyone is caught cheating, the ink will turn red, resulting in a score of zero for that answer, regardless of its correctness. Additionally, any questions left unanswered will also receive a score of zero. Is that clear to everyone? Excellent.”

The tests came to them one by one, starting with Hannah Abbott. The first test lay face down on the table in front of her, and the next test was lifted from the pile and handed to Susan Bones. Once Blaise Zabini received his, Professor Binns ensured each student had a test and nodded before instructing them to begin. Nico flipped his test over, his name already printed at the top, and read through the first few questions. He smiled when he saw that they were written in Greek.

1: A) Identify the four Greater Sabbats and their respective observance dates.

B) Identify the four Lesser Sabbats and their respective observance dates. 

2: List the ancient kingdoms that constituted the United Kingdom before 1707. 

3: Which ancient Greek sorceress gained renown for her ability to transfigure sailors into animals? 

4: In which year did the Statute of Secrecy come into effect? 

5: In which countries was modern magic believed to have originated?

Nico answers each question, smirking at the groans from the other students around him. Most of the questions are easy to tackle if you’ve been paying attention all year. He responds to the last question (20: Identify the last known Wizard King recognized in the United Kingdom and the years that constituted his reign) before double-checking that he has answered all of them. He finishes his test with twenty minutes remaining, reviewing his answers again before flipping it over and glancing around. Hermione is across from him on the second level, reviewing her responses. Harry sits a few seats down from her on the left, still writing. Ron is behind Nico, and he turns to see him staring at his paper, one hand grasping his hair. All the tests fly toward Binns’ desk when the hour is up. He checks to ensure all the tests are there, then nods and dismisses them.

“I thought I was going to fall asleep,” Ron groans as they leave. 

“So, just another day in Binns’ class for you, huh?” Harry snickers, nudging Ron as they walk toward the Astronomy Tower. 

“Like you don’t fall asleep, too,” Ron grins. 

“I’m just relieved that I understood the test,” Nico comments while walking down the stairs. Their upcoming test involves flying with Madam Hooch at the Quidditch Pitch, so he leads them to the ground floor. “Binns made sure mine was in Greek. I hope the other teachers do the same, or I’ll fail all my remaining exams.”  

“I can’t understand why they wouldn’t,” Hermione says as they exit the castle and begin crossing the lawn.  

“Do you think we’ll have a written exam for flying?” Harry grimaces at the thought.  

“I doubt it,” Ron replies.  

“Thank the gods,” Nico sighs. “Can you imagine what that would be like? Question one: What is a broom?”  

All four laughed as they joined the first-years gathered on the Quidditch Pitch, where Madam Hooch waited with a set of school brooms. She arranged them in two lines facing the center of the pitch, each broom lying next to a wooden chest and a stool.

“Alright, first years!” Madam Hooch calls out. “Each of you will pick a broom and sit next to it. Come on now, we don't have all day.”  

Quickly choosing a spot, Hermione and Ron sat on either side of Harry, while Nico and Neville were seated directly across from them. Lily Moon, a Ravenclaw, was next to Nico. Draco sat further down with Vincent and Gregory while Blaise, Tracy, and Theo positioned themselves between the two groups. The other first years chose their spots around them. 

“Now, I'm sure you all notice that these brooms are much older and more worn out than the ones you've been using this year, and that is intentional,” Hooch tells them. “Hogwarts has two sets of brooms that we rotate with the first years. These brooms were used for flying lessons last year and weren’t maintained during the summer or the school year. Your test will be to perform that maintenance now, to prove you can, and to see if you can recognize when a broom is safe for riding. The second part of your test will be to ride them and demonstrate that you can do so safely. Yes, Potter, even you, as a Quidditch team member, will be required to show you can ride correctly.” 

“Should be an easy O then, huh, Professor?” Harry grins, and the other kids laugh.

“Alright. All your materials have been provided, and you can use your wands,” Hooch says once they calm down. She raises her wand. “I will cast an isolating spell, so there’s no cheating. It'll just look like a reflective bubble. Is everyone ready to begin?”

Nico joins the others in shouting their confirmation. Then, a bubble appears above him, with the broom at his feet and his chest beside him. He watches as it becomes cloudier, and then his reflection appears. It’s a bubble of mirrors. 

“There are four brooms that are unsafe to ride, and extra points will be awarded to the four students who can identify them. You will then receive a new broom to start fresh, so we are giving you an hour to complete this exam section.” Hooch's voice comes from outside the bubble. “Your time starts now. Begin.”

Nico flips the chest open to see what it contains: rags, broom polish, shears, twine to bind the twigs, a screwdriver set, sandpaper, and oil. He then picks up the broom and inspects it carefully. There is a minor fracture in the wood near the end of the broom, where the footrest is.

“Madam Hooch, my broom is not safe to ride,” Nico calls out. It takes a moment for her to step in with a new broom.

“Show me.” She knelt beside him, placing the replacement broom at his feet. He points out the crack in the wood, and once she nods, he positions it at the end and pushes against it. A larger crack appears in the wood, accompanied by the sound of splintering.

“Excellent observation, Mr. Di Angelo.” She takes the broom with her as she leaves. “One of the four unrideable brooms has been found. There are three others! You have 53 minutes left. Continue with your exams, and keep your eyes open!”  

Nico inspects the new broom. No cracks. The screws aren't stripped. The twigs are twined well, but a few need trimming. He grabs the shears and cuts away the two twigs that stick out the most, pulling them off. The wood is completely dead and devoid of magic. The twine is too loose now. He tightens it and double-checks it again. Good. He grabs the footrest and gives it a yank. The left is tight, but the right has some wobble. He checks it – flathead – and grabs the right screwdriver from the chest. He tightens it and gives it another shake. Tight. 

“Madam Hooch, my broom isn't safe to ride,” a voice calls out. Nico glances to his left before returning to work, ensuring the foot straps aren't frayed. 

“Two of the four unrideable brooms have been found; two are left. You have 46 minutes remaining,” Hooch calls out.

Nico grabs the broom and lightly runs his fingers over the wood before taking the sandpaper to work on a few spots where the broom has splinters. After another pass with his fingers, he picks up a bit of twine, twisting it around the handle and pulling it up. The twine glides smoothly over the wood. He flips the broom and repeats the process. Snag. He takes the sandpaper and smooths out the groove before trying again. Smooth. He flipped the broom once more and pulled out his wand, checking the enchantments against the safety list that Hooch had drilled into them back in February: brakes, lightning charms, turning assistant, fire resistance, ice resistance, water repellent, cushioning, and weight distribution. There should be at least fifteen charms on a broom for resale or school use, and Nico finds each one in working order. Some may need tuning before the next group of kids rides these, but they will likely perform that maintenance in the summer, especially if these are the ones that first-year students will use next year for learning. 

“Uh, Madam Hooch? I don't think my broom is safe,” Neville says.

Nico looks up and waits for Madam Hooch to reply. “Well, well. Three of the five unrideable brooms have been found. I'm not sure how I missed that, but well done, Longbottom. You have 32 minutes left. As we approach the halfway mark, if you've finished, please close everything into your chest, stand up, and wait for your bubble to pop. Then, bring me your broom for inspection.”

Nico smiles and turns back to his broom. Everything is in order; it just needs a polish. He hears a few bubbles pop as he grabs a rag and gets to work. The polish emits a slight chemical smell as he spreads it, and he is careful not to get it on the twigs; Hooch's warning about it catching fire echoes in his mind. He takes a clean rag, wipes the excess polish off, and then casts a drying spell on the broom. He runs his fingers over it again and then again with the twine. It feels smooth. He double-checks everything, oils the footrest, and puts everything away. He closes the chest and runs one last diagnostic scan before standing up. The bubble pops. There are still a few bubbles around him, and he moves past them to join the first-year group waiting for Hooch to inspect their brooms. The bubbles are see-through from this side, and Hooch walks around with parchment while the remaining students continue working on their brooms. 

“Madam Hooch, my broom is missing charms,” says one of the girls at the end of the row, wearing a yellow and black tie. 

Hooch moves toward them, grabs a spare broom, and heads to the Hufflepuff. She steps into the bubble, lays the broom at the girl's feet, and has her demonstrate which charms are missing. After removing the broom from the bubble, she returns to where they were waiting and ties it up with a red ribbon. “You have 24 minutes left. Four of the five unrideable brooms have been found.” 

She leaves to continue monitoring the kids in the bubbles. Nico sees Harry standing, and without looking up, Hooch waves her wand, causing the bubble to pop. Harry looks around for a moment, then moves closer to their group. When he is about to speak, Nico raises a finger to his lips and points at the kids in the bubbles—no talking so they don't disturb them. Harry nods and waits beside him. Ron, Hermione, and Neville join them once they stand up.  

Hermione taps Nico on the shoulder, and he looks at her. Her broom is tucked in the crook of her elbow, and she holds her hands together in offering. Slaps? He raises an eyebrow, shrugs, shifts his broom to his elbow, and faces her. He grabs her left hand with his, resting both their right hands against each other's left. He nods for her to go first, and she grins.

Slap!

The other kids look up, as does Madam Hooch. Since they are careful not to make too much noise, she rolls her eyes and leaves them be. 

Nico's turn. Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

“What are you doing?” Ron whispers to them.

“Playing slap,” Nico whispers back. It’s Hermione's turn. They continue, their hands slowly growing redder. The other kids giggle and shush each other, offering a quiet, polite golf clap when Hermione finally pulls away to shake out her hand. Nico also claps for her, giving her a bow, which she returns with a stifled laugh. Harry raises his hands next, and Nico grins, joining their hands. 

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

They continue until Harry pulls back with a hiss, shaking his hand. A few more kids come up to play against Nico, and by the time Hooch calls to end the exam, his right hand is almost purple. A few other kids wince when he and Neville let go, the pure-blood’s hand nearly as dark as his. They hadn't held back against each other, as Nico had already taught him the game during their training sessions. Neville can hit hard when he wants, and has built quite a tolerance for being hit.

“Alright, before we start the next part of the exam, does anyone need Pomfrey?” Madam Hooch scowls at Nico.

“No, ma'am.” He smiles at her when she pointedly looks at his purple hand, but he says nothing. Neither does Neville, who hides his own purple hand, nor the others, whose red hands are fading.

She rolls her eyes but begins calling them up one by one, alphabetically, to have their brooms checked. As she reaches the last of them, she turns to Blaise. “Zabini. Why didn't you mention that your broom is unreliable?” 

“It's only missing one charm, ma’am. It's not dangerous to ride,” Blaise replies.

“That doesn't sound safe to me, Mr. Zabini,” Hooch raises an eyebrow.

“It's the cushioning charm on the seat, ma'am. It's an uncomfortable ride but not a dangerous one.”  

“Show me.” Blaise held up the broom and cast spells to reveal the enchantments on the broom in the natural groove where one would sit. The broom glowed a faint orange, just as Blaise had described. “Regulations for brooms state that the charms must be up to date, Mr. Zabini.” 

“Those regulations apply to selling, reselling, or official Quidditch matches,” Blaise replied. “And the regulations for personal use do not specify that a cushioning charm is necessary in the same way that flame resistance is. All the other charms are fully functional. It will be an uncomfortable ride, ma'am, but not dangerous.”

Hooch nods. “Will you be able to ride this broom for the next hour while taking your exam?” 

“Yes, ma'am. I believe it's important to know I can,” Blaise replies. “Not every ride will be on a brand-new broom with all the latest features, but we'll still be expected to hold our seats.”

“I’ll allow it, as you made your case effectively, and riding it doesn’t present a safety risk. You’ll earn extra points if you can complete the exam without dismounting the broom before finishing. You’re welcome to join the others now.” She smiles. Blaise takes his broom with a nod, and only after Hooch moves to the front of the group does he finally release the breath he's been holding. Hooch gets on her broom and hovers just above their heads. “Now, class! Each of you will come here to take your practical exam. You will fly to one of those hoops, make a turn, come back here, turn, return to the hoops, turn in the opposite direction, come back here, and stop in front of me. Then, you will fly down to the pitch, dismount, place the broom on the table, and join your classmates in the stands. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Madam Hooch,” they replied. 

“Good. Mount your brooms, and on the count of three, you will join me up here and wait for your name to be called.” They did so. When Hooch instructed them, they soared up to where she was waiting. She nodded, checking her parchment, before calling, “Abbott, Hannah.” 

They completed the course individually. Nico heard his name called and made his way to the front of the group. He waited for Hooch to nod at him, then took off. He flew towards the goalpost, turned left, and flew back. He noticed a few of them watching the sky, and even Hooch looked up before nodding at him. He chuckled as he passed them to return to the goalpost. They were waiting to see if he'd get shot out of the sky again. He turned right and flew back, coming to a stop by Hooch. She wrote something down and nodded for him to go and dismount. Nico then flew down, dismounted, and placed his broom on the table. A few of the others clapped once his feet touched the grass, and he chuckled again, waving at them before sitting in the stands with the others. 

“Could’ve sworn we were going to have to peel you off the ground, Di Angelo,” Tracy snickered as he sat beside her. 

“Seriously?” he grinned. 

“There might have been a few bets going around,” Hannah admitted with a sheepish grin. 

“Zach owes me two sickles,” Susan snorted before returning to her notes. Hannah pointed something out, and Susan shook her head before explaining. 

“We've got charms after lunch, right?” Nico asked. 

“Yeah, a couple of us have been reviewing our notes,” Tracy told him, moving her book closer so he could see. 

Harry grins as Nico lands and then turns to Ron. “That’ll be one chocolate frog when we return to the dorms.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ron rolls his eyes with a chuckle.

They resume watching their classmates finish their exams, cheering for Hermione when she lands with a slight wobble before placing her broom on the table. A few other kids tried to show off but ended up overshooting while attempting to turn or stop. Madam Hooch had to shout at several of them to slow down, reminding them that their speed wasn’t what they were being graded on; it was their control of the broom. When Harry was called up, he waited for Madam Hooch to signal him to start. He flew to the end of the pitch, circled the hoops, went back, and circled Madam Hooch before taking off toward the hoops again. He could hear some of his classmates laugh as he circled the hoops and returned, stopping next to the Professor. She smirks, shaking her head and writing something on her clipboard before telling him to join his classmates in the stands. He gives Ron a high five and follows her instructions.

Nico greets him with a smirk. “What did you win?"  

"A chocolate frog,” Harry replies as he sits beside Hermione. “If I lost, I was supposed to buy snacks for the ride back to London."  

“Weren’t you already planning to do that?” Hermione asks.  

“Yeah, but Ron bet I’d buy them for all of us, not just me.” Harry shrugs. “I don’t know… it's..."  

“It feels less like charity if you do it because you lost a bet?” Nico raises an eyebrow.  

“Yeah.” Harry sighed, giving Nico a weary look. Hermione smiles sadly, then reaches into her bag to pull out Harry’s photo album and the articles Nico had gotten for him, handing them to Harry. He thanks her and opens the album, grabbing a few empty sleeves and folding one of the articles to fit inside before flipping through the album to find a new spot for it. He had spent the entire weekend trying to arrange it in chronological order. 

Nico alternated between watching the others fly and helping the girls with their studies. Gradually, the stands filled with more students. Blaise had been perched on his broom the entire time with a posh finesse; Nico would think he was fine if it weren't for the stiff way he flew. That broom must be uncomfortable after an hour, but Blaise displayed no outward signs of discomfort. Hooch flew up to them and dismissed them as soon as he was finished. Nico followed the others back toward the castle. Percy Weasley and the other fifth-year students were taking their written O.W.L. exams in the Great Hall, while the seventh-year students took their NEWT exams in the Assembly Ballroom. The first-year students stayed in the Transfiguration Courtyard to study and socialize. Fred and George stopped by on their way to the library, checking in with Ron to see how his first two exams had gone, laughing when he groaned. 

“I don't know if I can do this for a week,” Ron sighed.

“We don't have any exams tomorrow, so you'll get to sleep in a bit.” Harry pats the boy's knee. 

“Thank Hecate.” He throws an arm over his eyes.

Nico laughs. “Try sending an offering to her at lunch for luck with the charms exam.”

“You're a bloody genius, you are.” Ron barely moves but nudges his foot against Nico's shoe. “That was you, right, Nico?”

“Yeah.” He chuckles, kicking his shoe back.

“Cheers then.” 

“Honestly, tomorrow we're supposed to study for the next day's exams.” Hermione sighs. Harry and Ron groan; the redhead remains still, and Harry doesn't look up from the photo album of his parents. Carefully, he places the picture of his grandparents next to their obituary article. 

“Is that the last one?” Nico asks him.

“Nope. I still have the one about my dad's wiccaning. Did we ever find out what that is?” Harry moves the pages in front of the article detailing his wiccaning. 

“It's similar to what Christians do with their babies, but instead of a church, they're welcoming the baby into a Coven or the Wiccan world as a whole,” Ron says, his voice slightly muffled by his sleeve.

“So it's like a wizard baptism ceremony or an amphidromia.” Nico nods.

“A what?” Even Ron sits up to look at Nico.

“Oh, uh…” Nico blinks. “An amphidromia is a celebration in my family that follows the birth of a newborn. It's a naming ceremony and a celebration of their first week or two of life.” 

“Is that something you can tell us about?” Hermione asks eagerly. She is always excited to learn something about Nico's family. 

“Uh, yeah.” Nico didn’t see how the information could expose the demigod world, so he shifted to a more comfortable position, and Harry closed his book to focus on him. Ron and Hermione do the same. “So basically, it starts before the child's birth. No one is supposed to know the baby's name—not even the grandparents, the parents' siblings, or their other children. Only the parents and the doctors who delivered the baby are supposed to interact with them for the first week after they are born because of an old superstition about a curse being put on the baby.” 

“Evil eye,” Hermione clarifies.

“Exactly.” Nico nods. “It used to be that poorer people would have a small celebration with just their families, while wealthy individuals would throw huge parties for their entire town. My family has always hosted a pretty big party since it's rare for one of us to have a child born close to the family. Usually, they come to us when they're older, as our parents leave us with our Muggle families until we begin showing signs of magic.” 

“Kind of messed up,” Ron mutters. 

They ignore him. “After a week, there's a big celebration with plenty of food and gifts for the baby and the parents, similar to an after-birth baby shower. The doctor who delivered the baby initiates the ceremony by cleansing themselves and lighting the pyre. The parents present the baby to the family, and the doctor performs a blessing and presents the baby to the gods, after which the parents name the baby. After that, it's just a party, and everyone comes to meet the newborn. It's usually the first time the grandparents, aunts and uncles, and the couple's other children get to see them.”

“That sounds pretty similar to a wiccaning,” Ron said, tilting his head. “Maybe it's a leftover ceremony from when we still believed in gods.”

“That's possible.” Hermione nods. “Have you ever been to one, Nico?” 

“Not that I can remember.” Nico shrugs. “But I've been told I'm personally invited to a few of my cousins’ when they have kids. Percy said he won't introduce them to the gods before I get to hold his and Annabeth’s kids.”

They laugh while Nico assists Harry in placing the articles correctly into the album. Hermione reviews her notes, and Ron naps beside them.

…

After lunch, they gathered outside Flitwick’s classroom, where the small man emerged and greeted them with a smile. “Ah, good, you’re all here. Please follow me." 

He led them to another room in the Charms Corridor and gestured for them to enter. The desks were arranged in four rows, each with parchment, an anti-cheating quill, and ink. At the front of the class was an older student, a Ravenclaw, reading from a textbook and ignoring them. Flitwick instructed them to take their seats, which they did. He climbed onto the desk at the end of the rows so everyone could hear him clearly as he explained the exam and how they would have one hour to complete the written portion. He reminded them that once they finished, they should turn their parchment over, stand, and wait in the hall for their practical. Nico waited until he told them to begin. Then, flipping over his paper, he found his name at the top and all thirty questions in Greek again. He got stumped on a few of them, having to reread specific questions to ensure he answered them correctly.

4: What are the recognized variations of the wand-lighting charm? 

7: What is the incantation for the ‘White Spark’ spell? 

13: A) What distinguishes the two fundamental fire-making spells, Incendio and Caegnis? 

B) What is the translation of the incantation ‘Incendio’ into its original language? 

C) What is the translation of the incantation ‘Caegnis’ into its original language? 

17: A) What is the incantation of the Bat-Boogie hex? 

B) What does this incantation signify when translated into its original language? 

30: A) Explain the distinction between a ‘Spell’ and a ‘Charm.’ 

B) Explain the distinctions between a ‘Jinx,’ a ‘Hex,’ and a ‘Curse.’

He took longer to finish the test to ensure each question was accurately translated before answering. Once he completed it, he flipped the paper over and exited the room. He winked as he walked past Harry, noticing the boy was only halfway through. 

Harry watched Nico leave, shortly followed by Hermione getting up. He groaned and returned to his test, still struggling with question 14: Name two types of companion spells and explain why they qualify as such. He had already mentioned Fumos and Capulair Respiro, the smokescreen spell and bubble-head charm. The only other ones that came to mind were Lumos and Nox, the wand-lighting and extinguishing spells, but both had been referenced in earlier questions. After another minute of contemplation, he sighed and decided to use them anyway. It might cost him points, but a zero for an unanswered question would be worse. He tackled the remaining questions, providing partial answers where needed to avoid leaving any blank, confident he could revisit them. When he finished, he joined the others in the hall and found Nico and Hermione playing slaps again. He grinned and went to watch, and by the time the third person challenged Nico, the test was over, and Flitwick was calling them in one by one. He called Draco Malfoy into the room first, then Justin Flinch-Fletchley. 

“He must be calling them in by whoever finished the exams first,” Hermione remarks. 

“Di Angelo, it's your turn.” Bem exits the room, and Nico nods to the others before heading inside. Flitwick is waiting with the older student in front of the classroom.

“Alright, my boy, this is fairly easy,” Flitwick said, clearing his throat. “I’m just going to have you run through a few spells and demonstrate them for me.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Nico nodded, pulling his wand out of its holster on his forearm.

“Ready then? Your first spell is Lumos, then Nox.” Flitwick has his quill ready. Nico held out his wand and lit the tip, holding it briefly before extinguishing the light. 

The Ravenclaw student chuckles. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the American knows wordless magic.” 

“Excellent, Mr. Di Angelo. You earn an extra point for executing the spell without the incantations, as it's uncommon for our students to excel in wordless magic during their first year.” Flitwick nodded with approval. Nico performed the spells and charms requested by the teacher, wordlessly for the easier ones, which brought them delight. Once finished, Flitwick instructed him to send Hermione in for her exam and emphasized that he should not reveal what the other students might expect. 

Harry and Ron groan when his only response to their questions is a shrug, while Hermione nods, pleased, as she enters the room. Only after she's gone does he pull the three of them, including Neville, to the side and tell them not to get anxious, that the test will involve performing the spells they learned that year. 

2014-2015 Hogwarts Exam Week: 21st May

Tuesday was spent sleeping in, relaxing outside, studying, and preparing for the next round of exams. Harry also spent time in the library, browsing news articles about his parents' friends with Madam Pince, who mentioned she could have copies ready for him in September, along with some pages from the books Nico had shown him, such as his family’s Coat of Arms and Family Crest. Nico demonstrated new stretches to Neville and provided him with wrappings to practice his boxing form at home over the summer. He also supplied Hermione with additional references for online Muggle schooling and gifted Ron some books he had purchased to learn more about the practices of the gods. He lets Ron believe they are on loan, so he wouldn’t feel guilty about keeping them. 

On Wednesday, they woke up at five again, and by seven, they were standing outside the Transfiguration room, waiting for McGonagall. She let them into the room next to the classroom where she had taught them all year, and once again, they were greeted by rows of individual desks. McGonagall called them into the room one at a time, handing them their exams as they passed her, and instructed Hannah to sit in the front seat to the far left, with Susan behind her, until the four rows were filled alphabetically. Nico’s test was once again written in Greek, all 23 questions. He smiled when she told them to begin.

1: Which incantation would one employ to restore an object or creature to its original state?  

2: How many characters are present in the Transfiguration Alphabet? 

3: What is the representation of the character “Z” within the Transfiguration Alphabet? 

4: What does the incantation “Flintifors” transform the target into? 

5: What factors must be considered when executing Transfiguration?

The test was straightforward, blunt, and challenging, much like the Professor who taught the subject. The room was silent except for the scratching of quills against parchment. As they finished, the students turned the test over and sat, waiting. Unlike the other professors, when it came time for the practical exam, McGonagall swapped the parchment on their desks for a mouse, much to the displeasure of some students. Their exam was to transform the mouse into a decorative snuffbox—a small container for holding chewing tobacco. Nico watched as McGonagall fought a smile while examining his creation; he had turned his mouse into its ceramic counterpart, complete with a top hat that opened to store the powdered tobacco. She deducted points despite her amusement because the whiskers twitched when she picked it up, and it squeaked loudly when she opened its hat. A couple of others laughed when she shook her head and set it back on the desk for him to undo the enchantment. He petted the little mouse before placing it back in the cage, wincing as it bit his thumb in retaliation. 

The others laughed at him again as they went to Hagrid’s to enjoy time with the newly hatched chicks that the groundskeeper had raised to replace some chickens lost over the year. The chicks were small and adorable; only two out of the thirty could breathe fire, making them safe enough to interact with. Nico sat cross-legged on the ground, allowing the few chicks that ventured near to use him as a jungle gym, only shifting to wave his wand and clean off the chicken droppings when it became unbearable. 

…

After lunch, they head to the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. Quirrell silently lets them into the room and allows them to choose their seats. With a wave of his wand, the test distributes itself, and he permits them to begin. Nico keeps an eye on him for a moment, observing as he mutters to himself while pacing and occasionally clutches his head as if in pain. A movement to his side causes Nico to glance at where Harry sits at the next desk. Harry is also pressing his hand against his head, though not in an obvious way at first glance. Nico feels the dark magic emanating from Harry growing stronger the longer they remain seated, seemingly feeding off Quirrell’s increasing agitation. 

Harry tries to ignore the sharp pain in his head to focus on the test, but that proves difficult. His vision blurs as he stares at the twenty questions before him.

1: Which snake species is known to inhabit an area following the occurrence of a magical fire?

7: A) What distinguishes the classification of a Beast from that of a Being?

B) Although some creatures that may choose to be designated as Beings, certain exceptions exist in the classification where they are perceived as Beasts. Please identify one such creature and explain why the Ministry has documented this classification exception. 

9: In a combat scenario, which spell should be utilized initially to avert further altercations?

14: For what purpose were glow bugs employed during the Goblin War of 1752?

16: A) To which classification does a Ghoul belong according to the Ministry?

B) With which creatures are Ghouls related?

C) What are the distinctions between regular Ghouls and Chameleon Ghouls?

The words seemed to leap from the pages, causing Harry to blink rapidly. There on his desk lay a golden medallion. He looked up at Quirrell and then glanced sideways at Nico. Nico met his gaze and gestured to the coin. Harry kept his eyes on Quirrell as he placed the chain around his neck. Nico made a gesture, raking three fingers across his heart before pushing away toward Harry. A gentle breeze tousled Harry's hair, and he blinked again. Nico signaled for him to tuck the coin into his shirt, which he did before returning to his test, just as Nico had done. His eyes widened as he felt his headache leave him as quickly as it had appeared. He finished his exam swiftly and waited for Quirrell to dismiss them before running to catch up with Nico.

“Nico!” The boy was waiting with Ron and Hermione just outside the classroom when he joined them. He removed the medallion and handed it back to Nico. “Here. Thanks for that, by the way. My head was pounding in there. What was that thing you did over your heart?” 

Nico slips the chain over his head, and they return to Gryffindor Tower. “It's from my family and is meant to ward off evil. I thought your scar was hurting because we were too close to… You know. It wouldn’t hurt to cast an extra protection.”

“My head stopped hurting, like, immediately.” Harry grins. “Can you teach me how to do it?”

“I can try, but it only works against really bad things. Pure evil is what I was told when Grover—he’s one of my cousin’s best friends and one of my tutors at Delphi—when he taught me how to do it,” Nico explains. “It wouldn’t hurt to learn, but it's mostly a religious relic, so it may not always work.” 

“Can we learn, too?” Ron perks up at the mention of Nico’s religion. “Hermione and I?”

“Yeah, of course.” Nico smiles.

“What is it?” Hermione asks, pointing at the necklace. “Is that a religious relic as well?”

“Oh, this is from my boyfriend, Will.” Nico runs his thumb over the engraving of a sun. “Not exactly. It holds more sentimental value. Will’s last name is Solace, and he is training to become a healer. His patron god is Apollo, the god of healing. So, the sun represents him. It was a gift after we started dating.” 

“Oh.” Hermione smiled, holding the strap of her bag against her chest.

…

After dinner, McGonagall reminds the first years that their astronomy exam is tonight, so when they get to their rooms, Harry and his friends go to bed early. At ten, McGonagall enters the Gryffindor common room, where the first years are waiting with Ella Joe King. She leads them down the stairs to the third floor and across the corridor into Ravenclaw Tower, where they meet the Ravenclaw first years, who are waiting with Professor Flitwick. They wait a little longer for Sprout and Snape to bring the others up from the dungeons, and then McGonagall guides them over the suspension bridge and into the Astronomy Tower. Harry sees Nico and waves. The boy smiles but continues talking to Sophia Ropier as they climb the stairs.

“Nervous?” Nico asks her.

“A little,” she admits. “I wasn't sure how to study for this exam, so I've been reviewing our notes all year. How do we prepare for a practical astronomy exam? Or will it be like Professor Quirrell or Binns, and we won't have one?”

“Well, I think the only realistic, practical thing we can do is a star chart since the sky is clear tonight,” Nico points out. Sophie nods, still looking worried. Nico nudges her shoulder. “What does cluster translate to in Latin?”

“What?” Terry Boot's voice comes from behind them.

“Brutus?” Sophie thinks for a moment before asking. 

“Botrus. That's close, though.” Nico smiles at her. “Which planet has the most moons?”

“Jupiter,” Hannah chimes in.

“How many stars are in the constellation Solus?”

“Wait, I don't remember learning about that one.” Tracy pauses as they reach the landing where the classroom is. McGonagall watches them with an amused smile. “Is that going to be on the test?”

Sophie laughs. “The sun is just one star, not a constellation.”

“See, you're already doing better on the exam than Tracy,” Nico said, dismissing the girl’s protest and smiling as Sophie laughed again. “Now, half the battle is nerves. You've got this.”

“I've got this,” Sophie nods uncertainly. “But the others—”

“Have had longer than we muggle-borns to learn all of this. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do as well as they can. Shoulders back, chin up.” Nico lifts her chin with one finger, prompting her to raise her head. “You've got this, Sophia.”

“I've got this.” She stands taller as Professor Sinistra allows the students into the room. Nico hears her whispering to herself as she enters, “I've got this.”

Professor Aurora Sinistra lets them choose their seats and hands out the test once everyone is seated. Unlike the others, she hasn’t written their names on the test, though Nico's test is still in Greek when he receives it. The test lasts for an hour but contains half the usual number of questions. As Nico reads through the questions, he realizes this is because some questions may require longer answers, depending on a person's knowledge of astronomy. 

2: What does the term “local group” refer to?

4: How many natural satellites orbit each planet? Name them.

7: A) What are the factors contributing to an eclipse?

B) How many distinct classifications of eclipses are there? Explain the differences.

10: What is the name of the star closest to our Sun?

13: A) A collection of stars that forms a recognized pattern or shape is known as what?

B) What are the twelve most widely recognized celestial bodies observable in the night sky? Name them.

C) Extra credit: How many additional celestial bodies can you identify? List them below.

Nico was still writing the names of constellations when the Professor called an end to the exams, which Harry thought was unusual since Nico was usually one of the first to finish the tests. Professor Sinistra allowed them a moment to rest and shake their feet awake before leading them up to the roof for their practical exam. Each student was given a blank star chart and directed to a desk around the terrace. They sat down with their telescopes and charts and were given an hour to record as much of the sky as possible. Professor Sinistra also marked a chart, which Harry assumed she would use to grade them against. He sat at his desk and started looking for the North Star, as they had learned to do the first time they marked one, since it provided a common starting point. 

It was an hour of peace; the only sounds were the scratching of quills against parchment and the occasional crash of someone’s paperweight being knocked over, usually Seamus's or Neville's. When Sinistra called an end to the exam, McGonagall escorted them back to Ravenclaw Tower, where the other professors were waiting to take them back to their dormitories. 

2014-2015 Hogwarts Exam Week: 22nd May

On Thursday, Nico commandeered a potion room in the dungeons and held a study session for any first-year students who were nervous about their last exam with Snape. Neville jumped at the chance for extra tutoring with Nico and volunteered to help everyone with Herbology afterward. Madam Hooch was the one to find them all in the study hall of Ravenclaw Tower and drag them to dinner after none of them had shown up, worrying the staff. 

On Friday, they gathered on the ground floor of the Defense Tower, waiting for Professor Sprout to let them into one of the unused classrooms for their written exams. She opened the door, allowing them to enter and take their seats at desks marked with their names. Each desk already had a test lying face down, and Professor Sprout ensured everyone was seated before explaining the rules and allowing them to turn over their tests to begin. Nico's exam was again written in Greek, and he skimmed the questions before dipping his quill in ink and answering the first question.

4: What is the amount of sunlight required for the Valerian plant?

6: How many varieties of Mint are utilized in potion-making?

8: What are the applications of Lavender in herbal practices?

12: From which plant do Boom Berries originate?

19: Explain the reasons why Wormwood is considered hazardous for consumption.

When the hour was up, they were allowed to hang out in the classroom and waited as Professor Sprout took them individually, starting with Hannah, into the greenhouses for their practicals. 

“Are they not coming back when they're done?” Neville asked. He sat with Nico, Harry, and Seamus, reviewing their potions notes. 

“They're probably letting everyone leave after their exams,” Seamus shrugged. “I don't know why they'd be required to come back in here. None of the other professors did.”

That was true; if they didn't take their practicals together like with Hooch or McGonagall, the students would leave once they were finished. Harry looked up from his notes. “I think it's because they had to pass those of us still waiting during the other exams. So since we're not seeing them leave, it just feels off.”

“Di’ Angelo, Nico.” Professor Sprout appears in the doorway. Nico rises, instructing the others to find him in the Transfiguration Courtyard after the exams, and follows the teacher into the hall. She guides him down the corridor and into the greenhouses. The center dome housed a large Wiggin tree, and Nico waved to some bowtruckles he noticed watching from the lower branches. The Professor led him past all the other greenhouses to reach the last three, which had been locked for the entire year. She unlocks greenhouse seven and gestures for Nico to enter. The greenhouse is devoid of everything except for one bush— a bush that is ablaze with flames. A Fireseed Bush. 

“Alright, your exam is to tend to the Fireseed Bush and reduce the flames to a manageable size,” Professor Sprout informs him. “You may use anything in this greenhouse or the main room, but you cannot leave without forfeiting your exam results. You can use your wand, but I will deduct points if you rely too heavily on your wand to complete this test. You may begin whenever you are ready.”

Nico removes his cloak, tie, and outer shirt, leaving him in a white T-shirt and school pants. He gathered his hair into a ponytail, tucking his wand into the tie. He then removed his wand holster and set it on top of his folded clothes on the workbench. He dons his dragon hide gloves and approaches the bush. Madam Sprout smiles and awards him an extra point on his exam for having the sense to remove the unnecessary layers, as they might hinder him. 

Nico inspects the plant. It was in a two-layer pot, with the shorter, wider one holding water. He checked the soil—it was regular potting dirt and soaked. The taller pot was ceramic, which didn't retain the heat the plant prefers as well as the clay pot did. Nico lifts the bush out of the second pot, places it on the metal stand, and pours the water out of the clay pot. He sets it upside down on the drying rack to drain, then heads to the cabinet for a larger clay pot. He retrieves it, goes to where there are large basins of different types of soil, and fills the bottom of the pot with a thin layer of lava stones. He then takes a bucket and pours in fresh, dry dirt, potting soil, and clay, mixing them. After he pours half of the mixture into the clay pot, he digs a hole in the center for the roots and then brings the pot over to the bush.

He moved the plant, placing the new pot on the metal stand. Ignoring the heat from the flames, he reached under the bush and began loosening the soil around the stem. Since the soil was already wet, pulling the bush out required little effort. He carefully wiped as much wet dirt as he could from the roots, trying not to disturb the bright red Boom Berries, and set the bush in the new pot before dumping in the remaining mixture of sand, clay, and dirt.

The fire had diminished to only the branches and seed pods, so he was on the right track. He packed down the soil to ensure it was firm, wiped the embers from his hair, and then grabbed his wand. “Incendio.” 

He heated the clay pot and monitored the fire until only the seed pods were burning, then stopped. He picked up the pruning shears and trimmed away the dead branches, then stepped back to remove the bare fire-seed pods and placed them in a basket. After rechecking the bush, he took the pods to Professor Sprout. “Here you are, ma’am. I’m done.”

“Thank you, Mister di’ Angelo.” She marked something on her parchment and then took the basket from him. “You may leave now.” 

Nico nods, gathers his clothes, adjusts his holster, and heads into the main room. He stops by the boys' bathroom on the ground floor of the Defense Tower to get dressed, then makes his way across the stone bridge to Ravenclaw Tower and out into the Quad. He finds a sunny spot, takes out his potions notes, and lies down, draping the parchment over his eyes. Then, he waits for his friends to come and wake him up. 

…

Potions was their final exam, and all of the first-year students seemed nervous as they entered one of the classrooms on the ground floor of the Center Tower, near the stairs that led down into the dungeons. Snape was already waiting for them, and Nico led their group into the room since none of his classmates wanted to be the first to enter. Snape waited until they were all seated before waving his wand to distribute the test to everyone, explaining the test rules as he did so. When he said they could begin, Nico flipped over his test and had to physically ground himself to avoid flipping off the man, as that would definitely earn him a zero. The entire test was in English, not Greek, and it took him a moment to read the name at the top to confirm it was his test. Niccolò di Angelo. Damn that petty little bitch. All the other teachers tried to accommodate him by translating the test for him, and no one called him Niccolo anymore. He scowled as he attempted to decipher the questions.

4: Identify the ingredient that does not contribute to the composition of the Cure for Boils potion from the following options: A - Snake Fangs / B - Lavender / C - Horned Slugs / D - Ginger Root

8: In what form are Griffin Claws utilized during the preparation of the Strengthening Potion?

9: Why is cleaning and seasoning a cauldron between subsequent brewing cycles important?

17: How many drops of Honey Water are necessary to prepare the Wiggenweld Potion? 

19: Lionfish spines may be prepared either in a crushed form or as whole spines for the following potions: Wiggenweld and Herbicide. Match each potion with the corresponding form required for its preparation.

He was still on the second-to-last question when Snape summoned their tests to him, and Nico glared at him this time. It seemed he wasn't the only one who hadn't finished the test, as several others grumbled when Snape snapped at them to follow him. 

He leads them down into the potions lab, where he's taught them all year, and directs them to their assigned seats. In front of each student is a cauldron. Snape approaches his desk and picks up a stack of folded parchments. He raises them with his wand and swirls it, making the parchments lift into the air and spin like a bingo ball cage. With a sharp flick of his wrist, the parchments fly toward the students, some making abrupt turns and veering off to different tables. 

“Your task will be as follows: Each of you possesses a piece of parchment with a potion written on it before you.” Professor Snape stood at the front of the classroom, watching them. “You will, in silence, recreate these potions from memory. You will not always have a textbook for reference, nor will you consistently be able to observe others to assist in your brewing. Each table comprises four students, which means there are four distinct potions. I will summon each table to retrieve their supplies, and once all are prepared, you will have one hour to complete the exam. Everyone, take note of the potion you are assigned to brew.”

Nico opens the parchment: Herbicide Potion.

“Table one, go get your ingredients,” Snape instructs each table to head to the supply room and gather what they believe they need for their potions. There is no list of ingredients and no instructions for heat or timing. Nothing. Everything must come from memory. Nico gathers his supplies and glances at Neville, next to him. Cornish Pixie dandruff, porcupine quills, troll snot—The Hair Raising potion. Nico smiles at Neville, who sheepishly returns the gesture. He is confident in Neville's abilities; they have made this potion many times over the past year, and Nico had just quizzed him on it yesterday. He will be fine if Neville keeps his nerves in check.

Snape grimaces upon noticing what Neville is holding, and Nico realizes that the randomness of the test was genuine, as Snape would have otherwise assigned Neville the hardest one instead of the simplest. Once everyone has their ingredients, Snape instructs them to begin. Nico starts preparing the flame for his cauldron, filling it with water and organizing his ingredients properly. He smiles upon seeing Neville doing the same, with three rat tails and a knife at the start of his line.

The next hour passes in tense silence, broken only by curses as students realize they have forgotten something or that their potions have gone awry. Snape walks around, marking a parchment with scores for each student, vanishing the dangerous concoctions before the cauldrons can explode, and sending out all the students whose mistakes required his intervention. Neville shakes as Snape hovers over his cauldron, but he merely sneers, records the score, and dismisses him from the room. Nico waits until he is dismissed from the test before rushing after the Gryffindor boy. He finds him breathing heavily in a corridor and drags him toward the kitchens. 

Just outside the door, Nico pulls the boy into a hug and allows him to sink into his embrace, still trembling. “Breathe, Neville. I watched the whole time, and you did fine. Snape will only give you a bad grade if he decides to be more unpleasant than usual and punishes you for doing well on an exam he expected you to fail. You did well.”

“Really?” Neville tightens his arms around Nico.

“I would have drunk the potion if you'd offered it,” Nico tells him. “I have that much faith that you made the potion correctly.”

“Thanks, Nico,” Neville whispered, pulling away.

“Come on, we're getting something hot and sweet.” Nico turns, tickles the pear, and leads the surprised boy into the kitchen for spiced chai and gingersnap cookies. 

They spent most of Saturday outside, enjoying the fresh air. Nico went through three rolls of film, taking pictures of his friends and the school in case he wasn’t invited back for the next year. He joins Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they head down to Hagrid's after Ron receives a letter from Charlie the following Tuesday, which includes a picture showing how much Norbert has grown. 

“Aw, look at her!” Hagrid exclaims as Ron hands him the photo. 

Harry couldn't concentrate; his head was pounding, and his scar itched painfully. Hermione had already pulled his hand away a few times over the past week when she noticed the blood under his fingernails. At that moment, he was lying across Hagrid's bed with his head on Nico's thigh, the boy’s cold hand pressed against the heated skin of his scar. He sighs in relief as the pain ebbs away and tries to focus on the conversation. 

“—is how to calm a beast. That's the first thing you do to gain their trust,” Hagrid told them as he poured tea. “Dragons are big on territory and family units, so it's easier to gain their trust when they're young. Hippogriffs are all about respect, and you can calm them easily enough by not making eye contact and lowering yourself to seem less like a threat. That's why they teach you to bow to them and whatnot. Unicorns are a bit more difficult; they only really trust women, and Thestrals don't trust anyone unless you can see them. I'm unsure about other Cerberi, but Fluffy was easy enough to calm down. I'd play him music as a pup during storms, and he'd fall right to sleep every time. Now, the tricky ones are those who have a bit more intelligence. Demiguises are notoriously hard to please, but the real challenge is a Qilin. Though they're pretty secluded in the mountains of China, no one knows how to calm them. You could probably read about it in Magical Beasts. Mister Scamander helped give birth to a Qilin back in the 1930s, I believe. Blimey, that must have been—”

Harry tries to breathe normally, but a steady panic keeps rising in his mind. Nico catches his eye and shakes his head. Harry looks at Hermione and Ron, who both seem troubled by something.

They stay a little longer before excusing themselves, claiming they want to fly around the Quidditch Pitch with some of their friends. Ron speaks first once they are out of sight of Hagrid's hut. “Music. Music is how you get past that dog.”

“I'm sorry, my head was hurting, and I missed part of the conversation. How did we learn that bit of critical information?” Harry asks, shaking his head. 

“Hagrid was talking about the night he got Norberta.” Hermione frowns. “He said the man who gave him the egg wasn't sure how well he could care for a dragon, so Hagrid explained his job and some of the creatures he looked after. I don't know if he told that man how to get past Fluffy, but it seems like too much of a coincidence. Hagrid wants a dragon; he talked about it for months after Aracis came here. Then suddenly, he's called up by an old friend in the trade, and the man he's meeting happens to have one?”

“It's suspicious,” Nico frowns. “And for it to be a Ridgeback, a valuable and expensive type of dragon, which just so happens to be able to stay away from the mother's side for long periods… it sounds like Hagrid got lucky.”

“Or he was set up.” Ron scratches his nose. “It's almost too perfect; Hagrid gets the dragon he wants, one he can take care of without an adult dragon, and all he needs to do to prove he's trustworthy is tell the person about other creatures he's taken care of. Even smugglers would require more information. Payment too; having Hagrid pay for an illegal dragon would be a way to keep him from reporting them, since Hagrid would end up in just as much trouble as the smugglers.”

“You know about dragon smuggling, too, now?” Nico raises an eyebrow. 

“Charlie’s friend, Long Shouren, used to be part of a poaching and smuggling group after he left China,” Ron shrugs. “He's at the Romanian reserve as part of his community service duties after being released from prison, since he was caught in Romania harboring three illegal eggs. He got a lighter sentence since he named the other poachers and helped get them arrested.” 

“Your brother’s friends get cooler every time I hear about them,” Harry tells Ron. The redhead shrugs, a small smirk on his face. 

“So the guy wasn't a real smuggler; Hagrid was possibly set up with Norberta to gain information about Fluffy, and they've known how to get past the dog since April. It's been over a month, and they still haven't acted on that information. What are we supposed to do?” Hermione tries to bring them all back on track. 

“I don't know.” Harry scowls, reaching up to scratch at his scar. Ron bats his hand away, and Harry sighs. “I don't know. What if it's Him? What if it's…Voldemort?”

Hermione frowns. “Well, the history book I read about the first war said that he feared the Headmaster; he wouldn't fight anywhere Dumbledore appeared. They always retreated their people when he joined the battle. So it should be safe as long as the Headmaster is at the school, right?”

Ron shakes his head. “The twins said that Dumbledore doesn't spend much time at the school anymore, not when he has meetings with the Ministry and duties on the continent as the Supreme Warlock. They were surprised he was here as much as he was this year. And with summer right around the corner, the election season is coming up, so Dumbledore will be even busier than he's been all year. There's no telling when he'll be on school grounds.”

None of them had any idea about what to do. Nico sighs. “Maybe it's time to get some help.”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asks.

“We know Hagrid won't talk to us, and Snape and Quirrell are both a definite no. But there are other teachers guarding the stone,” Nico tells them. “If we tell one of them, maybe they can reinforce the security on it or even move it now that the school year is over, and it's not weird for one of them to leave and run errands while preparing for summer vacation. McGonagall is the deputy Headmistress; her job is to protect the school and its students while Dumbledore is unavailable. The academic year is already over, so she can't give us detention for saying something now. Can't we ask her to check if it's still there?”

“Do you really think we can trust her?” Harry was the one to ask, looking Nico in the eye.

“I think the worst that could happen is she tells us we're overreacting,” Nico tells him. “That'll suck, but if she does believe us? Harry, the safety of the castle and the other five hundred students here shouldn't be eleven-year-olds' responsibility. We didn't sign up to have their lives in our hands the way the teachers did when they took on the job of being our professors and guardians while we were here. We should at least give them the chance to prove they’re trustworthy.”

Hermione and Ron watch Harry as he searches Nico's face. Finally, he nodded. “Okay.”

“Teachers are trustworthy, Harry.” Hermione seems to grasp the issue first. “We're supposed to trust that they have our best interests at heart.”

“Not all of them do, though, Hermione,” Harry tells her. “And I don't want you guys to get hurt because we trusted the wrong person.” 

They look for McGonagall, and it takes them half an hour to find her in her classroom, reading through a textbook and making notes on a piece of parchment. Nico leads their group into the room. “Professor? May we have a moment of your time?” 

“How can I help you four?” She sets her quill down and turns her attention to them. 

“We were hoping to discuss something that concerns us with you and Professor Dumbledore. Could you check if the Headmaster is available to join us?” Nico asks her.

“I regret to inform you that Professor Dumbledore is currently engaged in a meeting with the Minister and several foreign diplomats; therefore, he will not return to the school until tomorrow.” She tells them. “Please enter my office, and I will ascertain if I can offer assistance. If not, we shall have to defer until the Headmaster returns to the school premises.”

They follow her into her office, and the boys let Hermione sit in front of McGonagall's desk. The three Gryffindors turn to Nico, as this was his idea. “Professor, it's about the Philosopher's Stone. We think someone is—”

“How in Godric’s name do you four know about the Stone?” McGonagall straightened up, her face paling.

“Ma’am, someone is going to steal it, and we think it's—”

“Impossible.” She cuts off Nico again. “The Stone is concealed in a location that is exceedingly difficult to get to, safeguarded by an array of protective charms that Dumbledore has personally supervised. It is assured that no individual can extract the Stone from its designated chamber. Therefore, the four of you need not further concern yourselves with this matter. The Stone remains in a state of perfect security—”

“But, professor—”

“You are a child, Mr. Potter.” Ever the stern Professor, McGonagall's voice remained gentle as she led them out of her office again. “As a child, this matter should not be your concern. It would be more prudent for you to focus on the outcomes of your examinations and your plans for the summer holidays rather than the school's security measures. Please take the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine, and allow the adult issues to be addressed by those equipped to handle them. You possess only one childhood, Mr. Potter; endeavor to appreciate it while you can.”

She closed the door to her office, and they had no choice but to leave, all four in a somber mood. Hermione sighed. “I don't understand. Why wouldn't she listen to us?” 

“When do adults ever listen?” Harry muttered bitterly. 

“We tried, and that's what matters,” Nico told them. “Now, if we get involved and we're right about Quirrell, we can tell them that we tried to express our concerns and were shut down. They can't claim they had no warning.” 

“So now what?” Ron asked as they headed back outside. 

“We keep an eye on the door. Our charms are still activated, so we'll know if anyone comes through tonight,” Nico explains. “We monitor Quirrell as much as possible; if he plans to act, now would be the most logical time to do so while the other teachers are distracted and Dumbledore is away. If he doesn't, we'll make the trip down this weekend before we have to board the Express, and we'll inspect the traps ourselves to ensure they are as secure as they claim to be. But now that McGonagall knows that we know about the Stone, she'll be watching us. So don't haunt the forbidden corridor, or she'll get upset. We'll play along for now to avoid making ourselves targets.”

The three Gryffindors nod and head down to the Quidditch Pitch to fly with the others and distract themselves from their disappointment at the dismissal. 

Chapter Text

The common room was quiet as Ron and Harry played wizard chess in the corner. Hermione sat beside them, assisting Harry and explaining to Ron how similar the Muggle version of the game was to the wizarding one. For the most part, the other students ignored them, still upset about the number of house points they had lost, which Harry thought was absurd. Nico had lost all of Slytherin’s points, and Hufflepuff was now in the lead—a feat the older kids noted had not been achieved in nearly two decades. The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws were ecstatic that neither Slytherin nor Gryffindor would win the House Cup this year, and their excitement was almost tangible in the air following everyone's exams. 

Kenneth stopped by with a letter from his grandfather and handed it to Harry, giving him a pat on the shoulder, which he opened as soon as Kenneth left. William Fowley seemed nice enough in the letter, expressing interest in meeting with both of his sister’s grandchildren this summer if his guardian permitted it. He also wrote that he could arrange a meeting between Harry and his uncle Rigel, as Rigel was scheduled to visit from Greece at the end of July. Harry eagerly read it aloud to Ron and Hermione, excited to meet someone from his father's family. 

Only a handful of older kids remained in the common room when Harry suddenly felt a tingling on his arm. He locked eyes with Ron across the board, and then they glanced at Hermione, who frowned. “Why would they head in there this late? They fed Fluffy hours ago.” 

“Do you think it’s Quirrell?” Harry looked around. “I’ll grab my dad's cloak, just in case.”

Harry hurried across the room and down the stairs to their dorm while Ron got up and headed over to his brothers. Fred and George sat with their friend Jordan, who was feeding his tarantula. Upon noticing Ron's approach, George jumped to his feet and met him halfway. Ron saw the spider and shivered. “Thanks. I didn't realize that was down here.”

“No worries.” George shrugs. “What's up?”

“Do you guys know where the professors are?” Ron whispers, looking around. “We were thinking of heading to the kitchens for a snack, but it's close to curfew. We'd rather not run into Snape and have him dock us more points.”

George glances over his shoulder at his twin momentarily and then nods. He signals Ron to wait and approaches Fred, whispering something to him. Fred looks up, sees Ron, and pulls out a piece of parchment. Ron glances over his shoulder, where Harry has reappeared to stand next to Hermione, speaking to her in hushed tones. He turns back around and sees Fred putting the parchment away. Fred gives Ron a thumbs up, and George returns to his side. “Dumbledore isn't in the castle, Quirrell was on the third floor of the Defense Tower, Snape is in the potions labs, and Hagrid was heading into the forest with Fang. All the other professors are in their offices or apartments in the West Tower. If you're going to go, I would suggest doing it soon. Snape will probably be in the classroom doing inventory for an hour or two, but that's not guaranteed.”

“Dumbledore's not here, again?” Ron frowns, a sinking feeling in his stomach. 

“Yeah,” George shrugs. “Bill says McGonagall’s been running the school since his first year. He's left a few times for meetings during classes, but that's only for a few hours at most. He must have received an owl or something earlier. He'll be back by morning at the latest.”

“Right, thanks.” Ron turns away but then pauses. “Are you guys ever going to tell me how—”

“Now, now, Ronniekins.” George grins, a spark of mischief in his eyes. “That's a secret, it is. We'll tell you when you're older. Unless you want to join us on some mischievous adventures.” 

“I think Mum would kill us all. Thanks again. We'll be back soon.” He snorts. His brother waves him off, and Ron joins his friends, keeping his voice low. “Dumbledore's not here; he's in a meeting at the Ministry. All the other professors are getting ready for bed except for Snape, who's doing inventory in the dungeons. Quirrell must be taking his chance to go after the stone.”

“How—” 

“George always knows where the professors are.” Ron shrugs. “The twins won't tell me how they know, but it's how they get away with all their pranks and stuff. I told him I was headed to the kitchens, and he warned me not to get caught.”

“Brilliant,” Harry breathes. “Let's get going now and try to cut him off.”

They start heading toward the portrait, but Percy sees them climbing out and forces them back inside. George shakes his head when he notices them, and Fred starts laughing. The eldest Weasley stands guard for another hour as more and more students head to bed. Hermione tells them to meet her downstairs at midnight before going to her dorm, and the two boys decide to follow her example. They passed Percy on their way downstairs and entered their room to find Neville already asleep. They climb into Ron's bed and discuss what they think could lie beyond the trapdoor Fluffy guarded, waiting for time to pass. Midnight approaches slowly, and when they creep upstairs, the common room is empty except for Hermione. Harry pulls out his cloak and covers the three of them.

“Do you think Nico got the message as well?” Hermione whispers.

Harry waits until they've gone through the portrait and are halfway down the corridor before he whispers back. “If he did, he'll meet us over there if he hasn't already checked it out earlier.”

They make it to the third floor, go down the corridor into Ravenclaw Tower, sneak out the door to cross the suspension bridge, and enter the Astronomy Tower. They remain silent as they enter the Defense Tower and make their way to the forbidden corridor. They could hear music from just ahead. 

“Do you think it's Quirrell or Nico?” Ron hesitates when they see the door cracked. Someone is already inside.

“If it were Nico, he wouldn't leave the door open.” Hermione frowns. “I guess the charm has a time limit; otherwise, it would have been going off the whole time.” 

“Will you two be alright for a moment? I want to see if someone is waiting for us.” Harry takes the cloak when they agree and creeps closer to the door. Fluffy was already asleep, his paw resting at an odd angle, and the trapdoor wide open. A harp in the corner continues to play softly. He removes the cloak and waves the two of them over, and the three of them wait by the door.

“Nico's not here,” Ron hisses. 

“Maybe he was asleep when the charm went off,” Hermione tells him. “He wouldn't have felt it then.”

“Can we send him a message?” Harry asks. “Or one of us could take the cloak down to the dungeons and get him?”

“We don't have the time. And none of us know where the Slytherin common room is; Nico always comes to ours to hang out.”

“He knows Morse code!” Hermione brightens, heading to the door. “My parents used to take me camping sometimes, and my dad taught me some. I can send an SOS through the door. It'll tingle in the same pattern, and he'll understand to come up here.”

“What's SOS?” Ron asks.

“It's a muggle thing,” Harry tells him. “Muggles use it as a sign of distress or a call for help. Nico will know what it means. But if he's asleep—”

“Nico struggles with sleep because of his nightmares,” Ron shrugs. “It's possible he's up right now. Go on and try it, Hermione; send the code a couple of times for good measure.”

Harry heads to the trapdoor while Hermione sends the message, peering down. It was dark, completely blacked out, and he couldn't see the bottom. Ron kneels next to him, and Harry turns to look at him. “What do you think is down there?”

“Could be anything,” Ron frowns. “But if the teachers are also supposed to be able to go down, then it won't be anything lethal.”

“Survivable sounds good enough to me,” Harry grins. 

“Hermione! Come on! We need to be down there before the beast wakes up!” Ron hisses at her as she continues sending the code. 

“I'll go. You guys wait here, and if I don't come up, get Hedwig and send a message to Dumbledore. Then, grab McGonagall or one of the other professors. They can stall Quirrell until the Headmaster gets here.” Harry adjusts his stance, but they hear the harp slowing before he can jump down. “Shit! Do you know the spell to restart it?”

“No,” Ron whimpers, staring at the Cerberus as it begins to shift.

Harry reaches into his pocket and pulls out the flute Hagrid made for him for Christmas, lifting it to his lips and blowing. He tries to recall any songs he can mimic, but comes up blank. Instead, he covers the holes randomly, wincing at the sound. The dog settles back down.

“You're not going without us, Harry, so don't even think of it.” Ron grabs the edges of the floor and slowly lowers himself. Harry sighed, the flute producing a sharp noise as Ron dropped into the darkness. “It's alright! It's some kind of plant!”

Professor Sprout’s trap.

“Hermione, come on,” Harry calls out, hearing the dog shift above him. “Hermione, now!”

She sprints over just as the cerberus growls, waking up. Harry grabs her, pulling her with him as they plunge through the trapdoor, the Cerberus’s jaws snapping after them. She screams as they fall, hitting the plant with an ‘oof.’

“What is—” 

“It's a Devil's Snare plant!” Hermione cursed,  struggling to reach her wand. 

“Great!” Ron snarls, battling a vine that tries to wrap around his throat. “How do we kill it?” 

“Uh…fire, I think.” 

“You think?!” 

“—I don't know! I—”

“Calm. Down!” Harry gasps, the vines tightening around his chest. “Both of you! There's a spell that Sprout told us about. Hermione, can you—I can't breathe.”

“Uh…Devil's Snare…Devil's Snare…she told us a rhyme for it,” Hermione mutters, her wand in hand. Harry cries out from sharp chest pain. Did the plant crack a rib? Ron makes a choking noise as the plant constricts his neck. He struggles to reach his wand but can’t while fighting the vines. He yells at Hermione, “Lumos! Incendio! Pick one already!”

“Oh! Sunlight, it sulks in sunlight! Cover your eyes, and when it lets go, get to the walls! Lumo Solem!” They closed their eyes as a bright light shone behind their thin eyelids, and they felt themselves being released, sinking a few more feet to the ground below. They stumbled to their feet and blindly made their way to the walls. The light disappeared, and they opened their eyes, blinking away the spots in their vision. 

Harry grabs his wand. “Lumos.”

Ron was next to him, one hand massaging the red skin of his throat. Hermione had jumped down as the plant retreated and made her way to them. She pulled them out of the room before turning to check them over. Harry noticed a cut on her cheek and reddened skin on her arms. Ron winced as she checked his throat, and then she turned to Harry. It hurt to breathe too deeply, and all three of them would probably have matching bruises, but he wasn't willing to turn back. 

“Come on, I think we go this way,” Ron whispered, then coughed.

“Aguamenti.” Harry raises his wand, and a soft jet of water shoots from the tip. Ron takes a mouthful, swishing it around before spitting and then gulping down a deep drink. Hermione goes next, followed by Harry. The water wasn't clean, like typical drinking water, and it had a strange, tangy taste. Harry leads them down a stone corridor while Hermione explains that the spell doesn't create water; it draws from the nearest natural source. This far beneath the school, the only water could have been from the lake. 

“What is that?” Ron whispers.

“Something with wings?” Harry guesses that as they approach, the sound will grow louder. They hear a ringing of metal. “Maybe it's something in a cage?”

The end of the passage comes into view around a corner, opening into a bright room. Harry gasps, “Whoa.”

The columns were made of the same stone as the walls, and the room was easily three stories high with a glass ceiling. The light from the lake beyond the glass cast shadows of blue and green over the room and glinted off the flying creatures. Hundreds flitted about, ducking into the alcoves and bumping into each other with soft clinks. They were made of metal. 

“The door's locked,” Ron told them, tugging on the handle of a large door off to the side of the room. Hermione tries to open it, casting Alohomora, but the door remains sealed. 

“They're keys,” Harry observes, watching the metal things fly. “Maybe one of them fits the door?”

“It needs to be a large silver one, kind of old-fashioned, like the doorknob,” Ron says as he stands beside Harry, looking around. Hermione tries a few more spells on the door before joining them.

“There!” Harry points to a key that is flying more slowly with a bent wing. “How do we get it?”

“There's a summoning charm, but I haven't been able to get it to work yet,” Hermione huffs. 

Harry starts searching for something that might help them retrieve the key: a fishing rod, a net, a–

A broom! He runs to the corner where the broom is leaning against the wall and quickly checks it over. No cracks, no frayed twigs.

“You go,” Ron tells him. “You've got a better chance of seeing it; just think of it as a snitch. We can open the door after you grab the key.” 

Harry hops on the broom and nearly hits a wall as he speeds off. He tries to correct his course and collides with an arch. He stops in the middle of the room, clutching his shoulder. 

“Harry!” Hermione calls out.

Harry glances down at them. “There's not enough room in here!” 

“Yes, there is!” Ron yells back. “Just don't fly like you're playing bloody Quidditch, and you won't run into things!”

“Like when we're in class!” Hermione adds. 

In class. Right. Madam Hooch had yelled at several kids for flying too fast during the test because the quicker you go, the harder it is to control the broom. It was about his control of the broom, not his speed. He leans forward just a bit, and the broom inches forward. A little more, and it coasted along the room's edges while Harry searched for the key. Where was it? He urged the broom on faster, faster—there it was. He pushes a few keys away and grabs the silver one with a bent wing. As soon as his hand closes around the key, it screams, and the others start flying faster, surrounding him. He hisses as he feels them cutting his skin as they fly past him, and he tries to guide the broom down.

“Harry!” Ron yells as one of the keys gets too close, cutting his cheek and knocking off his glasses. Harry swoops down, tosses the key to Ron, and zooms away once more, pursued by the other keys. Ron gets the key into the lock, opens the door, and releases it. It flutters off on its bent wings, joining the swarm as it finally ceases its screaming. The remaining keys stop and hover momentarily before resuming their gentle flight around the room. 

Harry flies down to join his friends, panting. “Flitwick is bloody mental.”

They laugh, and Hermione hands him his glasses. “Oculus Repairo.”

Harry laughs as he puts them on. “You're brilliant, Hermione—honestly. Now what?”

Nico was back in the chamber, this time with the mirror. The same stairs, the same darkness beyond the columns, the same fire. He looks around for a moment, but there is no mannequin. Harry was in the mirror again, banging on the glass and yelling. 

Nico runs. 

The image shifts. A giant chessboard and Ron crumpled on the floor with blood pooling around his head, half of the black knight piece collapsed on top of him. 

It shifts again. Hermione is backed up against a wall with a troll swinging a club at her head.

It shifts again. Harry is cut up, bruised, and screaming as someone grabs him by the throat. 

They were in danger. Had they gone after the stone after all? 

No. 

Wake up. Wake. UP!

…

Nico rolls out of bed with a gasp, already on his feet and rummaging through his trunk, only to remember that someone else is in the room. He took a moment to check that Draco was asleep before grabbing his sword and vanishing. He finds himself just down the hall from the door where Fluffy is hidden and sprints down the corridor.

“Little firstie is out of be—” With a quick flick of his finger, Nico freezes Peeves and crashes through the door. One of Fluffy’s heads was attempting to get through the trapdoor, which lay ripped off and thrown against the wall. The other two heads glance up and promptly begin to bark at Nico as he confidently walks across the room. 

“Back off!” He snaps his fingers, releasing a hint of his aura, and the cerberus whines as it shrinks away from the opening. Nico sits on the edge of the floor and leaps into the darkness.

He lands on something thick and wriggling, with tiny hairs that tickle his bare feet. As it tries to ensnare him, he calls upon his demigod abilities and conjures Greek fire. The Devil's Snare recoils as he ignites it, dropping him to the ground. Spotting the door, he rushes forward, disregarding the plant being incinerated down to its roots behind him. The corridor led into a chamber teeming with flying keys and a locked door, a broom hovering beside it. Paying no attention to the keys and the broom, Nico examines the door and its surrounding walls. The walls are made of stone, not drywall, eliminating that option. The lock was older than Connor, and Travis had taught him to pick it. However, the hinges are rusted through. He pulls out his lock-picking set from his pocket and removes a small screwdriver. Stoll’s rule number 2: ‘Never leave home without a lock pick,’ second only to ‘if they're a cunt, they're fair game.’ He removes the screws on the hinges holding the wooden door and then gives it a push. It scrapes against the stone, and Nico gets to his feet. Taking a few steps back, he rushes at the door, aiming for the weak side.

Bang!

He stumbles to his feet from where he crashed through the door and takes off running again, leaving the door behind where it had collapsed. He pauses as he enters the next room, taking in how it looks like a giant chessboard, before he spots Ron. The boy is lying out just as he was in the dream; blood is pooling around his head, with the collapsed knight on top of him. Where are Hermione and Harry? Nico runs to him, sliding across the floor and slipping on the blood as he checks Ron's pulse. Still beating, still strong. He breathes shakily. A door to the side, standing wide open, is blocked by two white pawns. Had they just left Ron here? Anger surges within him as he moves the rubble away from the redhead and gathers the taller boy in his arms. He hears movement behind him and glares as he notices that the chess pieces are getting closer. The white queen raises her sword, and Nico feels his rage boil over. Ice spreads from his feet, encasing the entire room and all the chess pieces; the queen's sword, already aimed at his head, is frozen mid-air. Everything is frozen, even the braziers, so as the room plunges into darkness, Nico pulls the shadows to them. 

They deposit him and Ron right outside the hospital wing, and after ensuring he has a secure hold on his friend, he kicks the door in. “MADAM POMFREY!”

“What in Helga’s name is all this – what happened?” Pomfrey came out of her office to see what the loud noise was, took one look at Nico, covered in blood, and Ron unconscious in his arms, and got to work. She gestured for Nico to put Ron on the bed closest to the door, and he did so gently, ignoring the few students who were there, trying to get a glimpse of the new arrivals.

“Ron?” Nico looks up to see Fred, ghostly white, staring at them from where he sat next to George, who was asleep on the opposite bed, with some purple boils on his face. The elder Weasley jumps out of the chair and sprints to check on his little brother. “Ron! Di Angelo, you better start talking, right fucking now!” 

“I found him,” Nico pants, backing away. “Harry and Hermione are still down there.”

“Where?” Pomfrey is already working on cleaning the blood from Ron’s face. 

“They went into the forbidden corridor. We found the cerberus.” Pomfrey looked up, her face pale. 

Fred was glaring at both of them, his hand never leaving his brother’s as he reached for his wand. At the word cerberus, his head snaps to Nico. “What? Are you saying there’s a cerberus in this school right now?”

“Harry and Hermione are still down there; I’ll explain later.” Nico turns and sprints out the door.

“Hey!” Fred tries to follow him, but as he gets through the infirmary doors, Nico is nowhere to be seen. Only a trail of bloody footprints vanishing into a wall remained.

…

Nico reappears on the frozen chessboard, pausing momentarily to take in his surroundings. He took a deep breath as he surveyed the ice statues and the frost coating the walls, covering everything except the patch of floor where Ron had lain. He marches across the board and goes through the open door, taking off down the corridor. The smell reaches him first, reminding him of Halloween, and he pulls his blade from its sheath as he charges into the room. Hermione was huddled against the far wall with the troll in front of her, dragging its club across the ground. He moved forward quickly, swinging his sword at the troll's wrist and severing it. Its hand and club fall to the ground as it roars in pain, and Nico plunges his sword into its back. The blade enters at an angle, driven upward into the troll’s heart. It gives a twitch as it dies, falling to its knees. Nico pulls his sword out and beheads it to be safe before leaving it to fall over while he sprints to Hermione.

“Hermione!” He kneels beside her and begins checking her for any serious injuries. She’s covered in blood. “Fuck, are you alright? What on earth were you thinking?!” 

“Nico…” She stares at the troll’s body, still in shock. “You killed it.”

He turns her away from it, making her face him. When she tries to turn her head, he gently reaches up, placing his hand over her eyes and pulling her toward him. She begins to tremble. “Don’t look.”

“Ron?” she whispers.

“I've got him. I took him to the infirmary.” Nico shushes her.

“Harry! He’s—” 

“I’ll go get him, but first, we need to get you settled.” He stands, lifting her to her feet.

“But Harry—” She falls unconscious, and Nico catches her.

“Sorry, Hermione, but all three of you need help, not just Harry.” Nico picks her up and summons the shadows again. They spit him out in front of the infirmary doors again, and he kicks them open. Fred looks up from where he is watching over Ron as Pomfrey works to heal him, and the redhead curses when he notices the increasing amount of blood on him. He rushes over, and Nico hands Hermione to him before turning around and running back out the door. 

“Di’ Angelo!” Fred scowls, adjusting his grip on the younger witch. He couldn’t run after the boy and demand answers right now, not when she needed a healer. Glaring at the doors, Fred Weasley turns back into the infirmary, calling for Madam Pomfrey. 

…

Nico picks up his sword from the chamber where the dead troll lies and continues. The door to the next room stands wide open, and he pauses to glance around before stepping inside. As he crosses the threshold, a purple flame ignites in one doorway while a matching black flame flickers in the opposite. In the center of the room, he finds only a stone table with five vials, which he approaches. Reading the page on the table next to it, he scoffs, wipes the table clean, and picks it up, leaving the vials to shatter on the stone floor. It was a small table made of concrete, weighing approximately 120 pounds. He had lifted heavier when he was twelve, after the Battle of Manhattan, when they’d been clearing the dead bodies from the street. He sets the table on the ground before the door and slides it across the floor, leaving a gap in the flames. He climbed up on it, and the fire didn’t even reach him as he jumped down on the other side. He took a moment to sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Stupid, magical idiots.

He keeps going. He hears voices as he descends the stairs into the next chamber—the same chamber from his dreams. He peeked around the backside of one of the pillars while Harry was dragged forward to stand before the Mirror of Erised, Quirrell maintaining a hand on the back of his neck. “Tell me, what do you see?”

Nico steps down, meeting Harry’s gaze in the mirror. The boy’s eyes widened as he saw Nico stopping on the stairs, and he turned around, Quirrell following his gaze. Nico focuses on Harry’s reflection, who was still staring at him, while his own continues to walk forward until it stands beside Harry’s. The reflection of his friend reached into its pocket and pulled out a rock, part of it a shiny red gemstone, before handing it to Nico’s reflection. The reflection then places the stone into its pocket, and Nico hears a voice in his ear whisper, ‘Something no mortal should possess.’ He’d told Firenze the same thing, hadn’t he? He feels a weight drop into his pocket; ah, clever. Very clever. 

“Mr. Di Angelo. The other thorn in my side.” Quirrell smiles as Nico puts his sword in its sheath. “Remove it. Come here.”

Nico glances at Harry, then removes his sword, laying it on the step before continuing down, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his sweatpants. There it was—Flamel’s Sorcerer’s Stone. He clenches his fist around it, calling upon his powers to use the shadows to transport the stone to his room in his father’s palace, three years into the future. No wizard would be able to take it from there. He stops next to Quirrell, who draws and places his wand under Nico’s chin. Harry looked scared; Nico could see that. He glances at the stairs, then back at Nico. Nico nods; Ron and Hermione are safe. The tension lifts from Harry’s shoulders. 

“Do you think your little friend can truly save you, Potter?” Quirrell’s laugh sent shivers up Harry’s spine. “Now, where were we? Ah, yes. The mirror. Go on, Potter. Tell me what you see. Where is the stone?”

Harry glances at Nico, swallows, and turns to the mirror. Nico watches Quirrell as the man watches Harry. He was still favoring his shoulder. The dark magic Nico had felt from him all year grew stronger when he was facing away from him. 

“I see myself… shaking hands with Dumbledore.” Harry stutters. That was a lie. Nico could tell by how fidgety the boy was…No, Harry was confused. He fidgets again, and Nico realizes he was trying to feel his pockets without drawing attention to his hands. Had the mirror also shown him getting the stone? “I’ve won the House Cup for Gryffindor.”

Quirrell had spent the entire year watching Harry befriend Nico; he was aware of the boys’ shared stance on the point system and the House Cup. Nico winces; that was probably the worst thing he could have told him. Quirrell snarls, shifting his wand from Nico to Harry. “You dare lie to me, you filthy little—”

“No, my boy. Let me speak to him.” A whisper. 

“Master, you are not strong enough,” Quirrell replies, glancing off to the side as he responds to the voice. Harry and Nico tense at the mention of the word: Master. Was Voldemort here?

“I am strong enough for this. Let me speak to him. Now.” Quirrell steps away from them and begins unwrapping his headdress. Harry winces, raising one hand to clutch his forehead. Nico reaches out, grabbing Harry and pulling him behind him as the professor’s bald head comes into view. 

“Can we run for it?” Harry whispers.

“I’m better at hand-to-hand. If you see the chance, get to my sword when you do. I’ll buy you some time,” Nico whispers in response. Harry’s hand clasps around his wrist in protest. 

“Leaving so soon? You’d think your parents would have taught you some manners.” The voice whispers, and Quirrell turns around. Nico stiffened, and Harry made a choked noise in his throat. A face emerged from the back of Quirrell’s head, the skin moving and rippling in a nauseating way as it grins, its red eyes alight at the cruel joke. “Hello, Harry Potter. We meet again.”

“Voldemort…” Harry whispers, his hand tightening around Nico’s wrist as he trembles. How could he not tremble when facing the man who murdered his parents? 

“Indeed. I would bow, as is customary; however, regrettably, I find myself unable to do so,” Voldemort continues. “Do you now comprehend the extent to which I have been diminished? I am subsisting off another like a parasite. While unicorn blood is powerful, its limitations render it insufficient to restore my physical form. Nevertheless, an alternative exists; all that is required is for you to extract it from your pocket.” 

Nico almost stops Harry from coming out from behind him, but hesitates. He was the better target. Harry pulls the insides of his pockets out, showing them to be empty. Voldemort glances around as if waiting for the trick to reveal itself to him before his eyes land on Nico. “You. You have the stone.”

Nico glares at the disfigured face of their teacher, and then he feels something strange—a presence against his mind, the way his father sometimes spoke to him. His glare deepens, and he retreats inward, placing a metaphoric River Styx between his mind and the foreign one as a barrier, as Clovis had taught him. Quirrell cries out in pain, and Voldemort snarls. Nico grabs Harry and pulls him back towards the stairs at a run.

“Stop them!” 

Fire sprang up to surround the room, blocking the way as it had in Nico’s dream: the chamber, the mirror, the flames, the mannequin. Nico pushed Harry behind him again as Quirrell walked backwards, so Voldemort was still facing them. “Don’t be as stupid as those pathetic sheep that raised you, my boy. Regardless of your lineage, it is evident that you possess profound convictions and ambition that have warranted your placement in Slytherin House. Give me the stone, and I will fulfill all of your aspirations; I can bestow upon you fame, wealth, and influence that surpass your wildest dreams. Power that no modern wizard could possibly imagine. Join me, Harry, and Nico, and I will make you gods amongst men.”

Nico could have laughed if Harry hadn’t been there. This human thought to make him a god? This mere mortal would give him—Nico di’ Angelo, the Ghost King, the only living demigod son of Hades, god of the dead and riches, one of the Seven of the Great Prophecy—more influence, money, and power than anyone could comprehend? Nico wanted to call his bluff. He wanted to summon an army of undead warriors to drag this man to his father’s throne room to see if he could still run his mouth when he beheld real power. 

But Harry was behind him, and he was terrified. Nico would not have his first mortal friend turn that scared gaze on him. He would not have him look at Nico with fear. He’d seen too many people do that in the past; he would not do that to Harry. He lifts his sword off the ground and unsheathes it, brandishing the blade at the possessed man with one hand while using the other to signal Harry to flee. “I'm not your boy. I’ll die before we join you.”

“Then you will perish.” A wicked smile spreads across his face. “Kill them!”