He Who Walks Between Worlds

Nico Can Make Actually Good Speeches

Beginning Notes

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

Nico

"You've got to be joking, Dumbledore." This was from a scarred man with a large, magical, fake eye. That seemed to be the general sentiment around the table. Dumbledore had just introduced him, and explained that he would be joining.

"I assure you, Alastor, I am not joking," Dumbledore said. "The Sorting Hat advised me to have him join very strongly. He may be a bit young, but the Sorting Hat has assured me that he is very capable."

"We don't know who he is, or where his allegiances lie," Alastor protested.

"I was similarly concerned when he mysteriously apparated into my office, but the Sorting Hat reassured me of his loyalties."

"Regardless," a young woman with long silver hair said, "He eez too young."

Nico frowned. They really couldn't afford to be picky, and besides, he appeared to be as good a candidate as many of the others in the room. There were less than twenty members, most from the fringes of society.

"May I speak?" he asked Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded. "If I may, I think I may be of use to the Order despite my age. I know about a wide range of magics, beyond the scope of what is usually taught at Hogwarts. In particular, I know a lot about necromancy and dark magic. Seeing as Voldemort returned from a death-like state, I may be able to provide valuable insight."

"You shouldn't risk your life at such a young age," Mrs. Weasley said. "Who are your parents? How can they allow this?"

"My parents are dead," Nico said, "And as for my age, well, I don't really see how that has anything to do with it. Everyone here is risking something. I will gladly die if that means Voldemort will too. I don't think my life outweighs the millions that will die if Voldemort is not defeated. A world ruled by Voldemort is one where no one is safe. He has proved already that he will kill children. It won't matter to him how many innocent lives he takes. He wants power, and he will do anything to get it."

The Order stared at him, a mix of emotions of their faces. Pride, respect, suspicion, fear, and confusion plastered their faces.

"We should let him join." Nico recognized the speaker as Sirius Black, escaped mass murderer. "He's brave, he's smart, and we need the numbers."

"We do need the numbers," another Weasley said, "but we shouldn't send kids into danger."

"He can come to Hogwarts," a severe-looking woman said, "I can keep an eye on him, he can continue his education, and the library there is quite extensive. He can research necromancy there."

Nico tried to protest, but the man with the scar cut him off. "That's an excellent idea," he said, grinning maliciously at Nico, "Especially the keeping an eye on him."

"I already have living arrangements planned for the school year," Nico said. "I can't attend a boarding school."

"Voldemort is more important than that," one of the Order members fired back, "Unless you didn't mean what you were saying before."

"I --" Nico sighed. He could think up an excuse to not go, but . . . maybe it it would be nice. To live somewhere where no one knew who he was. Who his father was. "I'll do it."

Harry

Harry was tired of being left out. He had been left out all summer, stuck at the Dursley's, scrounging for scraps of news.  Dumbledore had shut him out, talking to the members of the Order, Ron, and Hermione, but not him. Now, this boy who nobody had met before today, who was even younger than Harry, who hadn't faced anything near as terrifying as Harry had, got to join the Order but Harry didn't. Harry was sick of it.