Everyone is whispering excitedly as we walk into our morning transfiguration class. Nicos theatrics at breakfast had stirred up the whole school. Everyone is staring at us as we take our seats. Ron looks around and frowns. "What? Do i have food on my face?" I punch him in the arm. "Obviously they're wondering what happened with Nico you blithering idiot." Ron frowns deeper while harry attempts to control his laughter. "What's to wonder about?" I stare at him in astonishment. "Ronald! Your friend made a cryptic remark and melted into a puddle of shadow! Are you not at all curious about that?" Ron shrugs. "Nico does that kind of stuff."
Before i can hit him again Professor McGonnogal enters the classroom. The room goes silent as everyone clearly expects her to explain what happened at breakfast. Instead her eyes drift silently over the class settling on the empty seat next to Harry, Ron and I. Then without a word she jumps directly into that days transfiguration lesson. Finally the bell rings and everyone gets up to leave.
"You three." Mcgonnogal calls to us. "Come and speak to me." Mcgonnogal waits for the rest of the students to leave then locks eyes with each of us in turn. " I don't suppose you could shed any light on Mr. Diangelos dramatic exit from the great hall this morning. We recount about Nicos joyous reunion with the ghosts. His revelation that Nearly headless Nick had retreated to the dungeons. And about his cryptic comment about killing their king. "And he didnt mention where he was going?" Mcgonnogal asks. "No." I say. "He didnt say anything. Mcgonnogal nods " very well go on to class." As we reach the door i turn around. "Professor. I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts. All the books say so. Plus Nico is just a first year. How could he have managed to learn?" Mcgonnogal considers us carefully. "Its probably best that you not discuss this matter with the other students."and with that she ushers us out the door.
Nico wasnt in class for the rest of the day. By curfew he still hadn't returned to the common room and rumors were running wild about where he was. But eventually everyone went to bed. Harry, Ron and i make our way to the portrait of the fat lady. Just as we get to it, the portrait swings open and Nico walks in. He raises an eyebrow. "What's up?" "What's up!" I shout incredulously. "Where have you been? Everyone has been so worried about you?". Nico sighs and leans against the wall. "I went to find nearly headless nick." He says. Nico drops his gaze to the floor. "He won't even speak to me." We all stand in silence for a few moments. "Look Nico." Harry says. "I know that you have some kind of special relationship with the ghosts." Nico purses his laps. Ron throws up his hands in surrender. "I know you dont like to share your secrets and that's fine. But you cant blame yourself for what's happening with nearly headless Nick.' "That's right." I chime in. "Once he sees that your doing okay, he'll come back."
Nico sighs. "You know tomorrow will be my first birthday since Bianca died." That was NOT the response i had been expecting. Since i had no earthly idea how to respond, i just stood there and waited for him to explain himself. He didn't. Then Ron chimes in. "You little shit!" Nico jumps with surprise. "You never told us it was your birthday. You've left us absolutely no time to get you a proper present. You've set us all up to look like complete Tards." Harry, Nico, and I exchange eye contact. Then we all break down into fits of uncontrollable laughter.
"Never in my life!" Ive never seen Professor Mcgonnogal so angry. "Five students out of bed! 50 points from each of you! And you will each receive a detention! And what's more..." Mcgonnogal trails off staring out her window. "What on earth?" We all come to the window and follow her gaze. All the ghosts of Hogwarts are gliding towards a shimmering light by the qudditch pitch. Professor Mcgonnogal, apparently forgetting that any of us were in trouble, began following the ghosts to wherever they were going. all the ghosts seemed to be in some kind of trance.
As the glow comes into sight we see perhaps the strangest thing I've witness since discovering magic. All the ghosts were assembling in a crowd around a large pit. And standing in front of the pit, is Nico. He seems to be arguing with one of the ghosts. A teenage girl with a silver circlet around her head. The ghost reaches out and touches his face. Then she says something we can't hear and all the ghosts disappear. "Mr. Diangelo!" Professor Mcgonnogal shouts. "What on earth do you think your doing?" Nico whirls around looking surprised. He looks from Mcgonnogal to Harry, Ron, Malfoy, Neville, and me. Then the look of shock on his face turns to pure rage. The temperature drops thirty degrees, the ground splits open, and waves off black energy begin rolling off Nico. And two things become clear. First, that we've just intruded on something private. And second, none of us, not even professor Mcgonnogal, would be a match for Nico if he found himself in the mood for a fight.
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When Nico's not at camp (book the first)
FanfictionNico is shaken to his core after the battle of the labyrinth. He's even less sure where he belongs now. He needed to clear his head and reset. And his father had just the plan. He sends Nico to a school of magic. But Nico's first year is only the b...
