Heroes at Hogwarts

forty-eight | lakeside and sunshine

nico

This was enough. 

Nico couldn't sleep, he couldn't dream anymore. He pulled on his sweater and stumbled out of the Slytherin dorm room. He was quick and efficient in the darkness, it didn't scare him, but the thought of going back to sleep did. 

When Percy, Harry, and Luke appeared out of nowhere today, they smelled of the pit. Nico had just forgotten that smell, those feelings. He didn't want to remember them, but he did. He couldn't close his eyes.

So he marched out into the dark valley of the castle. He began his trek to the lake, only to see someone already perched on the water's edge. Black hair, a hoodie, sweatpants, a leather necklace turned backwards, almost like the wearer couldn't bear looking at it.

Percy. 

Nico walked slower, careful to not startle him. "Hey," he whispered when he got close enough. 

Percy didn't jump. He must have known someone was approaching. "Hey," he croaked out. 

"How...how are you?" Nico knew he was treading in dangerous waters. Percy had walked out when Annabeth and the girls tried to talk to him. What would happen if Nico pushed the wrong button?

Percy didn't answer. Nico should have expected that. He'd been in the pit once. He wasn't exactly racing to get back. 

"You should let Will see to your injuries," Nico said, "they looked pretty bad earlier."

"I'm fine." Nico couldn't see any of Percy's skin because of his clothing, but his feet were bare. When the little waves rocked toward the beach, they touched the tips of his toes. Water. Better healing for him than anything Will could do. 

Nico sat next to him. "Can't sleep?" 

Percy shook his head. He stared out across the lake. 

"Me either," the son of Hades muttered. "I can't imagine a second trip there. The first still haunts me." 

Percy turned to look at him. There was a hollowness in his eyes Nico had hoped to never see in one of his friends. His fight was drained. Nothing in him wanted to go on in this war. He brought his knees to his chest. "This trip was easier."

"How?" Nico's voice was hushed. "Easier to get through, or easier to get over?" 

"I'll never get over it."

Nico didn't think so. Percy stood, his hands shoved in the hoodie pocket, his head down. "Don't tell Annabeth I was out here, yeah?" 

Nico only nodded. He didn't see what was wrong with coming out to enjoy with lake. The others do it all the time. Everyone tries to keep it a secret, but when Percy was gone they'd come out alone, staring across the water as if their friend would emerge with a smile and no hurt in his eyes. Maybe the giant squid would be holding him and Harry hostage at the bottom. Just maybe.

What they got was much, much worse.  

Percy stalked off, leaving Nico at the water's edge alone. He didn't head for the school, instead for the treeline. As the son of Poseidon sunk into the forest, Nico let him go. He knew what he was doing, hopefully. The last time Percy entered those trees he almost didn't come back alive. Nico hoped this wasn't like that time. 

He glared out at the water. This hadn't made him feel any better, just like the last six nights he'd had to take a walk. Nothing made him feel safe. 

So he continued to stare out at the waves, hopelessly hoping that tonight would be different. He wasn't going back to the dorm any time soon. He was prepared to spend all night out here, expecting the waves to calm him down.