Nico Di Angelo and the Goblet of Fire •Book one of the Two Dark Lords series•

Chapter Seventeen

Harry's POV

I've been in a better mood ever since I completed the second challenge. In fact, everyone in Gryffindor has, even Nico. Even though I beat his best friends, I seem to have gained his respect, not that he ever treated me unfairly but I guess since I saved Fleur's sister, he trusts me more. He seems to have a hard time trusting people, an extremely hard time. I wonder if something happened to him before I met him, something that has kept him from trusting even his friends. There is something about Nico that I can't figure out. He is a very skilled wizard, but almost never uses his wand outside of classes unlike the rest of us. I understand that he is also really skilled in combat, but that doesn't explain why he is so reluctant to use his wand when he isn't required to. He also has this weird tattoo on his arm and even though he explained that is represents his magic camp, I still find it strange. He speaks fluent Italian, English, Latin and Greek, where did he have the time to learn all four of those languages? He does seem older and wiser than us, but that still doesn't explain anything. I could go on for hours, trying to figure out just what is so special about the American wizard but all in all, Nico is different.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jump in surprise. I turn to see Mr. Crouch, looking as serious but somehow friendly as always. He starts talking about how he has heard my story and has been wanting to meet me and I quickly get confused, questions bubbling up inside my head. I'm almost in the middle of the forest, sure there are others around but how did he find me? Why is he suddenly talking about my life story? Where is all this coming from? What does he want with me? Before he has the chance to ask me anything, I am saved by none other than Professor Moody. I quietly sigh in relief and hope that Mr. Crouch didn't hear me. Just then, some else steps in. And this time, I am truly relieved by who it is.

Nico's POV

"I'm going to find Harry, I'll see you guys later." I say and run ahead of Viktor and Fleur, dodging students as I go. Just when I start thinking that he could already be back in the castle, I see him standing off to the side with a startled Mr. Crouch and Moody who looks, well... moody. Harry looks extremely overwhelmed and I laugh quietly before deciding to step in and save the poor guy. I step in between the two men and Harry who visibly sighs in relief when he sees me. I smirk and start talking, interrupting Crouch and Moody's conversation. I don't fail to notice how Moody's tongue flicks every now and then in the middle of his sentence. It kind of reminds me of a snake... it's weird to say the least, I'll have to ask Harry if he knows anything about it later. The two men turn to me, both looking a little miffed as I start to talk.

"I'm truly sorry for interrupting but Harry and I really have to get back to the castle. I'm a little behind on homework you see, and Harry is going to help me." I lie expertly. Harry shoots me a surprised but impressed look. Moody scowls and his beady eyes stare straight into my own, looking for any sign that I might be lying. After what seems like an awfully long time, he straightens up and scowls.

"Get back to the castle." He says gruffly and I nod before quickly dragging Harry through the woods, before Moody can change his mind and call us back.

"Thanks." Harry breathes out when we are out of earshot from the two. "That was weird." He says and I nod in agreement. "What were they talking about?" I ask curiously and Harry shrugs.

"Honestly I'm not too sure myself. Mr. Crouch starting talking about how amazing my story was, which by the way was really random, and then Moody jumped in and started arguing with him." He explains and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. Why would Mr. Crouch randomly start praising Harry, and why did that make Moody mad?

"That is weird." I agree. "And the way that Moody talks too... with his tongue... it seems off somehow." I say, almost to myself. But I know that Harry is listening. He seems to agree, although by the looks of it he hasn't really taken notice of that until just now.

"Anyways, lets get back. We have homework to do, remember?" I joke half-heartedly and Harry smiles at me before the two of us break into a run, towards Hogwarts, the castle that I have quickly learned to love and call home.

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It is now around 10:00pm and for the past half an hour I have been lounging comfortably on one of the couches in the Gryffindor common room. I've been working on an assignment that is due tomorrow for my charms class. We weren't given much time to work on it but thankfully it isn't a very hard assignment and is generally easy to write. I let myself take a small break for a few minutes and stare at the flames dancing in the fireplace. Since it is pretty late and most of the other students are already in bed, the lights are turned off and the fire illuminates the room with a comforting glow. The calm of the night is interrupted when the trio rushes into the room and quickly close the door. When they see me they waste no time in rushing to sit beside me on the couch. They are breathing heavily and I can immediately tell that something big happened. According to well, pretty much anyone in this school, something big happens with them every year. They're like danger magnets... kind of like Percy.

"What happened?" I ask, unable to hold my curiosity in. Hermione and Ron look at Harry who sighs and starts to explain.

"We were in the forbidden forest with Hagrid and I was walking a bit ahead of them..." Harry starts. "When I found Mr. Crouch laying in the dirt and leaves, dead." He says and my eyes widen. How could Mr. Crouch be dead? How did he die? Was it murder?

"There's more... You see, Dumbledore has this thing in his office that allows you to see other people's memories and I saw something weird. Igor Karkaroff was in this cage in the middle of the room. He was having his trial, and Mr. Crouch was the judge. Anyway, Mr. Crouch asked him for a name of someone else involved in this crime and Igor said Barty Crouch Jr. which is Mr. Crouch's son. So they arrested him and he was so... weird. Everything about him was creepy, especially they way his tongue flicks out randomly while he is talking." Harry explains and shivers. I sit there for a few minutes, trying to take this all in. So Mr. Crouch's son was a death eater, that's ironic. And what Harry said about the tongue, it feels all too familiar. Don't ask how I know, it's just a gut feeling, but I know that I've seen that somewhere. I've been face to face with the man Harry is describing, Barty Crouch Jr... but where? Apparently Harry isn't done talking because next thing I know, I'm hearing more news.

"And to top it all off, professor Snape accused me of stealing his polyjuice potions." He finishes and this just makes me mad. No one steals from my brother and gets away with it! If I ever find out who it was, they're going to regret it. I clench my teeth and breathe in deeply, trying to calm down. Sevy is one of the only people I have ever trusted, he has always supported me. So now I'll just have to return the favor. But isn't the purpose of polyjuice potion to disguise yourself and take on someone else's appearance? Who would want to do that and why? It just doesn't add up. I don't know what is going on around here and it isn't my responsibility to find out, that isn't my job here. But I will anyway, I have to.

I know that the only reason I came here in the first place was to 1: Report back to my father and Hecate about how the wizarding world is these days. 2: Make sure that the ghosts aren't causing trouble here at Hogwarts. 3: Get close to Harry and figure out why old moldyshort's soul has latched itself onto him and 4: Become stronger incase another war pops up or we need something to help us with a quest. But the people here are already almost as close to me as most of my demigod friends and Hogwarts has accepted me as a wizard. Besides the fact that Will, Hazel and Reyna aren't here I (unfortunately) don't know how I am going to be able to leave at the end of the school year. The fact that I've come to love the place in only a few short months scares me. But at the same time, I know that in only a few short months, I will have to leave and will never be able to come back and that... well that scares me even more.