When Myths Meet Magic || 4

16|| Nico

"Sit down," Madam Pomfrey insisted as she bustled into the tent. Nico winced as he gingerly touched his rib, which had snapped and was protruding from his rib cage from when the dragon threw him down. "And don't do that!"

She bustled around, her hands flying as she mixed one vial with another. Finally, after pouring it half full of a glowing pink liquid, Madam Pomfrey shook the bottle and handed it to Nico.

"Healing potion." She regarded him suspiciously. "Drink. It's extra strong for you since we're resistant, and I've added some nectar."

"You have nectar?" Nico asked.

"Of course," Madam Pomfrey said like it was obvious. "How do you think I survived at Hogwarts with monsters everywhere in the Forbidden Forest?"

"First time I'm hearing about this," Nico grumbled. "I bet Annabeth knew the whole time."

"Yes, the girl." She sniffed in disdain. "I thought she was my sibling at first-- she has our hair and tanned skin. But no, Minerva got another one."

She didn't offer any more explanation. Nico, who was trying to clean the rib with a tissue, stopped and uncorked the bottle, sipping tentatively. Instantly, he felt a painful burning sensation as the potion seeped through his veins, followed by a dull, numbing sensation. He winced again and took another sip.

"The whole thing," Madam Pomfrey commanded. "I don't know why they thought this was a good idea... dragons... and all for glory, nothing more..." she turned away, still muttering under her breath, towards Harry.

"No visible wounds," she said as she looked him over. "There could be internal bleeding--"

"I feel fine," Harry insisted.

"--Fire almost got you," she continued. "And then you could have organ failure..."

"I'm fine," Harry said again.

"Then there was that nasty rock," Madam Pomfrey seemed only to be talking to herself. "Shrapnel might've gotten you, turn around."

Harry turned around. Madam Pomfrey clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "You seem fine..."

"You don't say?" Nico muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"You can go back to the dormitory now. No, not you, Mr. diAngelo." She strode over and cut Nico's path off. "You are staying here."

"My rib's all better," Nico protested. If, by all better, he meant not bleeding, because the bone was still showing. "And I have ambrosia at the tent."

Madam Pomfrey seemed to relent at this. "Oh, all right," she agreed. "But you, Harry, make sure he takes it."

"Will do." Harry grinned and wrapped his arms around his golden egg. "Come on, Nico. I wanna open the egg."

They shouldn't have opened the egg.

As soon as the clasp came undone, a horrible, screeching, blasting wail erupted from it.

"SHUT IT UP!" George roared, who was standing closest to Harry's egg. With difficulty, Nico pried his fingers away from his ears and clasped it shut. A stunned silence fell.

"What the bloody hell was that?" A voice asked from the stairway.

Harry was about to respond when he turned and saw who spoke. His mouth snapped shut. A hard line formed at his jawline.

Ron shifted uncomfortably, aware that all eyes were on him.

"That was a riddle," Percy said to break the silence. "And a hard one at that."