The war with the giants is over, and the Greeks and Romans are at peace. Nico di Angelo's fears of war between the two have never come to pass. Encouraged by this, he wants to reveal another society he has been keeping secret -- the wizards. Just as...
Warnings: Swearing? Maybe? I'm going to stop adding this to the warnings because most chapters will have a couple swear words.
All characters are owned by J. K. Rowling and Rick Riordan.
Harry
Harry was walking back from his detention with Umbridge -- that stupid toad had given him detention for weeks now -- when he heard voices. That wasn't unusual, he wasn't the only one who lived at the school, but he recognized the distinctive accent of Nico di Angelo. He slipped on his invisibility cloak, which he had carried everywhere after the incident at Gringotts, and crept towards the noise. He saw a flash of red hair, and for a minute his mind jumped to Ron, before he saw it was Ginny.
"Come on Nico, come to the library with us. I'll help you with the homework for Charms and Transfiguration, and you can remind us of what happened in History of Magic and DADA. And Michael can explain potions to us. Gah. I can't believe all my friends like such awful subjects.
"What about me?" a girl with dirty blond hair and a vacant expression asked.
"You're the worst of all," Ginny exclaimed. "You like divination! I haven't even taken it and I know it's awful."
The boy with longish black hair -- Michael -- made a slight choking sound, but said nothing.
"Come on," Ginny wheedled. "Unless your Slytherin reputation will be ruined by hanging out with some loser Gryffindors and Ravenclaws."
Nico offered her a wry smile. "I don't have much of a reputation to ruin. Besides, I can't come. I have a meeting with Dumbledore to see how I'm settling in."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fiiine. But don't blame me when you fail Transfiguration!"
The party split ways. Everyone headed towards the library, while Nico headed towards Dumbledore's office. Harry ducked into a doorway to make sure they wouldn't collide. Nico stopped, then looked around with a confused look on his face. He looked straight at Harry, and Harry stopped breathing, sure that he could sense that he was there. But he shook his head and turned away, with his brow still furrowed.
Harry followed him to Dumbledore's tower, where he looked around furtively, then dissolved into shadows. He had just apparated, but he was only fourteen. He wasn't old enough to apparate yet. Harry crept up the stairs, stopping when he got to the stone gargoyle blocking the way.
At this last one, the gargoyle slid open. "Wait, really? It was chocolate frog?" Harry slipped past and crouched outside the door, listening for any sound.
He heard Dumbledore's voice indistinctly saying something, and wished he had some extendable ears. He'd have to ask Fred and George for some later. Then, he was startled to hear a low, gravelly voice, also indistinct. Someone else was in the room with them! He strained to hear what he was saying, but all he could catch were the words 'Slytherin' and 'mark'.
That was all he needed. He flew down the staircase and to the Gryffindoor common room. He pulled off the invisibility cloak and shouted the password at the Fat Lady so violently that she muttered about 'impatient youth these days' as she swung open. He realized he must not be helping his reputation of being mad, but he didn't care about that right now. "Strange man, in Dumbledore's office, with Nico di Angelo," he panted as he collapsed next to Ron and Hermione. "Gotta tell McGonagall."
"What?" Ron asked.
"Tell us exactly what happened," Hermione ordered.
Harry told them how he had followed Nico di Angelo and how he had heard a strange man in Dumbledore's office talking about Slytherin and the Dark Mark. When he was done, they both stared at him.
"Harry," Hermione said, "have you considered there might be an alternate explanation for what you heard?"
Harry gaped at her. Did she not understand the urgency of what he had just witnessed?
Hermione lowered her voice. "Don't you think that maybe that man might be in the Order?"
"Well, maybe, but --"
"Why did he say he was seeing Dumbledore to talk abut how he was settling in?" Ron asked. Harry shot him a grateful glance, while Hermione glared at him.
"He was with other people, right Harry? Michael Corner and Luna Lovegood?"
"Yes, but --"
"So he couldn't have said anything about the Order. It's supposed to be a secret."
"But Hermione," Harry said, "He apparated. He's underage, that's illegal."
"Nonsense. You can't apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts. When are you two going to read Hogwarts, a History?"
"I saw him!" Harry exclaimed. "Don't tell me he didn't, I saw him just disappear into shadows."
Ron furrowed his brow. "That sounds more like a disillusionment charm then apparating."
"Why would he need a disillusionment charm?" Harry looked victoriously at Hermione.
"I don't know, but maybe he didn't want to attract attention. He's not evil, Harry."
"I dunno, Hermione. He seems plenty creepy to me. Prime death eater material," Ron said.
Hermione sighed. "Do you really think that Voldemort would let a fourteen-year-old boy join the Death Eaters?"
"He's in the Order," Harry pointed out.
"Enough. Nico is a nice, polite, intelligent boy. I don't know everything about him, but that's his business. I won't make assumptions about him just because he wears black. If either of you took the time to get to know him, you'd think the same."
"When did you get to know him?" Ron demanded.
"Well, if you came with me to the library to study like encourage you too, you'd see that he's a nice boy who likes books and who doesn't just copy other's work," Hermione said. "He, Ginny, Michael, and Luna are nicer than you most of the time, and I'll be hanging out with them until you two decide to take your heads out of your pants and behave like reasonable people."
She stormed off.
End Notes
Well, I said I'd publish tomorrow, so I guess I published early? Except I originally said I'd publish six days ago. You know what? Heck it. Be grateful guys. Also oh my gods people! Look at this!
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Thank you guys so, so much. You guys are amazing. There are a bazillion people reading my book now, and I'm trying to reply to them all, but if I haven't messaged you to say thank you, thank you. I really, really, really, appreciate it.
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