He Who Walks Between Worlds

On Double-Pronged Snorkacks

Beginning Notes

This chapter is dedicated to Shisukii for my first votes and comments. Thank you so much Shisukki!

All characters are owned by Rick Riordan and J. K. Rowling

Nico

Nico couldn't help but be a tad bit suspicious when Ginny told him he had to run into a brick wall to get to platform 9 3/4. It wasn't the fact that there was a platform 9 3/4, or even that it was accessed by running into a brick wall. He was used to the bizarre habits of wizards. No, he was surprised that wizards used something as normal as a train.

It was chaos getting out the door, but a friendly chaos. Mrs. Weasley finally got everyone who would be actually attending Hogwarts out while the Order dealt with the luggage. The train was still almost full when they arrived. Ginny dragged him off to sit with her friends Luna and Michael. 

"This is Nico," Ginny said as they opened the compartment door. "He was homeschooled, but now he's going to be in my and Luna's year."

Luna looked up. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blonde hair, very pale eyebrows and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness, but Nico didn't mind. He knew better than to judge people by first impressions.

"Hello," Luna said, "I'm Luna."

"I'm Michael," Michael said. He looked a lot like Nico. He had the same pale skin, the same deep-set eyes. But where Nico's dark hair was cut short, his was shoulder-length. Where Nico's lips were pale and thin, Michael's were red and voluminous. But the biggest difference was their expressions. Michael's expression was open in a way Nico knew his would never be.

Ginny and Nico stowed their trunks in the luggage rack and sat down. Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler. She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal people. She stared and stared at Nico, who had taken the seat opposite her. He stared back, and she smiled.

"Had a good summer, Luna?" Ginny asked.

"Oh yes," Luna said. "Da and I went on a lovely vacation. We were looking for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

"Did you find any?" Michael asked.

"No," Luna said, "but we did find indications that there were Double-Pronged Snorkacks in the area. They have a very distinctive hoof shape."

"How was your vacation, Ginny?" Michael asked. 

"Eh," Ginny said. "Pretty boring. Nico came to stay with us near the end, so that was cool, though. You?"

"We went to America," Michael said. "My aunt lives there."

"Nice," Ginny said.

"Did you do anything cool this summer," Michael asked Nico. "Other than stay with Ginny, of course."

Nico nodded. "I went on a tour of Greece and Rome."

"That sounds fun." He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't.

The train rattled onwards, speeding them out into open country. It was an odd, unsettled sort of day; one moment the carriage was full of sunlight and the next they were passing beneath ominously grey clouds.

Hermione popped in every now and then. She was a prefect and had to patrol the hallways. Ron usually accompanied her, looking disgruntled. He kept glaring at Nico and Michael. Nico knew that Ron thought he was creepy, but what did he have against Michael?

Hermione joined them again when they got off the train, Harry and Ron trailing behind her. 

"This way," Hermione said. "First years go across the lake on boats, but after that, we take the carriages."