To Find What is Lost

Chapter 43: Knowledge

Hi!! This is kind of what I imagined the metal snakes to look like, apart from without the glowing blue eyes and originally not with the spike on the tail either but the more I look at it the more I like it XD Feel free to imagine them however you want this is just a guide line, also I'm thinking of making banners/aesthetics for the characters in this story (maybe). I know everyone was terrified that I would end the story on Drico (Draco x Nico), so I'm not sure if people are horrified or overjoyed that he has become 'traitor'. Pls let me know in the comments how you feel about the betrayal, but even if you don't want to do that you can still enjoy this part -Emmi 

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Nico couldn't believe it, couldn't believe any of it; Athena, as she stood proud and tall above him. The wires, twisting and coiling like menacing snakes. Granger, so close and yet so impossibly far away. But most of all he couldn't believe Draco.

Draco, who he had trusted with his life, had just handed it over to a vengeful goddess. He had an excuse of course, excuse after excuse, but Nico didn't want them. He was furious. Malfoy had betrayed him.

Athena was speaking to him, but he wasn't listening. His eyes were on the traitor, who was looking anywhere but back at the evil pools of hate that burned into his skin.

Nico was disgusted, "You're crying, traitor. Isn't this fun for you? Watching me suffer? Bet you've been laughing behind my back this whole time! What an idiot I was to trust you!"

Athena didn't appreciate being interrupted, and she scowled before Draco could say anything, "Oh don't blame Draco, none of this is his fault. He had already agreed to my terms before he even knew you." for a second a smile almost touched her immortal lips as she laid a hand on Malfoy's shoulder. "He is a good son and demigod."

Nico snarled bitingly, "Don't worry, cuz (as in cousin), I blame you just as much."

At first the son of Hades thought Athena might incinerate him there and then, but instead she laughed a single, humourless laugh.

"In that case," she sneered, "I won't ask you to reconsider, for I am to blame; instead I urge you only to not take this too personally. My dispute with your father goes back far before you even existed, Nico di Angelo, you only happened to be on the wrong quest at the wrong time."

Nico threw himself at his immortal cousin from the ground, snarling and thrashing like a wild animal, but he soon stopped when the snakes wrapped around his throat, strangling him into obedience. Choking and gasping, the ghost king stopped struggling and simply lay and glowered murderously.

"I'll kill you." he muttered.

The goddess laughed, "I look forward to the experience."

She turned her attention back to her son, and nodded to him. "Well done, Draco, you led him right into my trap."

The blonde grimaced, his eyes flickered to where Nico lay and then immediately away again when he saw the fury that waited for him. "Thank you, my Lady."

'First my father, now my mother,' he thought bitterly. 'My parents just love forcing me into evil don't they. Not to mention my mother turns out to be a Greek freaking goddess!!'

Then his face paled even more than it already was as a thought struck him.

"You won't hurt him, will you?"

Athena raised an eyebrow, but she said calmly. "Of course not... badly. I hold no grudge against the children of Hades, only the idiot himself. Once all this is done I'll let you go scurrying happily back to your father, I'm sure he'll be very proud of you." she was smirking, and Nico realised where Draco got his own vindictive smile from.

Draco didn't realise he was grimacing until Nico spoke to him, "What is it, traitor, do you feel sorry for me?"

He looked up quickly, afraid, "No, I mean, yes, but-"

Athena interrupted him, "Draco knows, I believe, what it feels like to disappoint a father."

The boy's eyes opened wide, and he looked down.

"Yes, my Lady."

Nico scowled, he didn't want to feel sorry for Draco right now, he was too angry.

The pale goddess sighed and turned her attention back to her captive, "Of course, now that I have you here I may as well provide you with some entertainment." she snapped her fingers and a vision not unlike one from an iris message appeared in the air, as huge as a big-screen TV and with better definition. She smiled, and Nico's eyes were wide with shock as he recognised the brunette girl in the vision.

Granger was sitting cross-legged in a circle of chalk, and muttering to herself in a language Nico recognised, ancient Greek. Her eyes were closed in concentration and her long bushy mane was whipping around her head in an invisible wind that came from and went no where. He could hear her voice through the vision as clearly as if she was right next to him, and he understood every word.

"Ἀρχαῖαι μαγείαι, συνδυάζονται καὶ ρέουσι διὰ τοῦ κύκλου μου, δότε μοι τὴν δύναμιν, δεῖξατέ μοι ὅ, τι βούλομαι ἰδεῖν, δεῖξατέ μοι..."

(Translation: Ancient magics, combine and flow through this circle or runes that I have laid for you. Give me your endless power, show me what I wish to see, show me the truth, show me...)

Nico thrashed in his bonds, the spell was powerful, he could feel even from here the raw power she was unwittingly dragging into herself. Hermione must have learned that the first forms of ancient magic came from Ancient Greece and was trying to channel that energy, but she didn't realise just how much power there was. She had no idea what kind of magic she was calling on, but Nico knew it would overpower her weak chalk barriers. It wouldn't just show her whatever it was she was looking for, it would show her everything. Starting at the beginning.

He knew in that moment that if the spell was carried through Granger wouldn't just learn of the gods, she would learn of everything. From every atomic structure, to the start of the universe, to what television programme a man in Austria liked to watch on Mondays to the perfect brownie recipe; she would know it all. The pure amount of knowledge would be too much for her mind, for any mind.

She would physically combust.

"Athena!" he yelled desperately, "She'll die! If you let this happen Granger will die!"

The goddess ignored him.

Desperation clouding the anger still boiling inside, Nico turned to his only other option, "Malfoy! You know her! For the gods' sake you're dating her best friend! You can't just sit here and watch her die!"

Draco's eyes were wide, but he didn't speak, couldn't move.

"What have I done?" his mind snarled. "You monster, what have you done?"