Nico Goes to Hogwarts *HIATUS*

The Fallout and the Meeting

The rest of the Yule Ball passed in a haze of raw, beautiful emotion for Nico. He only barely registered the congratulations that showered him, or the song Fred and George composed in his honor (it was really just them screaming 'congratulations, you're getting married' in between various nonsense, a slightly musical quality gracing their voices every now and then).

News spread fast in Hogwarts, it seemed, and it wasn't long until everyone in the castle knew. And, by extension, Rita Skeeter knew.

The day after the Ball, Draco slammed a copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table, looking beyond vexed with his gray eyes flashing. "I'm going to kill that hag."

Nico sighed, separated himself from Will's arms (reluctantly, might he add), and picked the paper up. Aloud, he read, "Engaging Champion, written by Rita Skeeter.

"Last night marked the historic event of the Yule Ball-- a Christmastime celebration for those whose schools compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Blah blah, many of us remember it distantly, blah blah, gilding and fun times, blah blah.

"Last night's celebration, however, went differently than any of us might have expected. About a half hour before the Ball ended, Professor Apollo took the stage and sang a muggle song. Dancing to it was the Champion Nico-Angelo Olympia and his boyfriend Will-Sol; my sources tell me that they forced the other students off the floor so that they and they alone could dance--"

"Bullshit, we asked nicely!" Will took a deep breath. "Whatever. What else would we expect from Skeeter."

"Sources," Draco snorted. "Please. I thought I saw a beetle in the Hall."

"Will you let me finish?" Nico asked humorously, eyebrow raised. "Ahem. They took the floor in a swing-- a dance popular in the early half of the 20th century-- throwing each other around, almost hitting students in their show-offish throws.

"However, my Rabid Readers, it seems that that much of a spotlight was not enough for the two. Much to everyone's shock, Will-Sol ended the dance early, falling to a knee and proposing on the spot. Romantic, no?

"I say no; it is, in fact, rather troubling. After all, Olympia is only fifteen-- much too young to get married-- and his boyfriend-- or should I say fiance?-- is seventeen himself. The age gap between is troubli--Okay, no, I'm done." Nico threw the Prophet lazily back onto the table. "Draco, how do I make a statement on the Prophet?"

"I assume you can just mail it in," Draco shrugged, "but is it really worth it?"

Nico paused. "Eh. Not really. Whatever."

He settled himself back into Will's arms and dozed off, listening passively to the conversations around him. He was startled, then, when a skeletal black owl dropped a letter onto his head.

"See me. Bring Will."

~*~

Hades' Palace was lighter than Nico remembered, and Persephone's flowers crept through the hallway leading to the throne room, bright and blooming and fragrant. It was still odd to Nico that they no longer wilted in his presence, even going so far as to bloom a little more and reach towards him fondly. Persephone and Nico weren't best friends, per se, but they had reached a mutual understanding and respect after Nico had done her a favor or five.

The obsidian-black doors opened to the throne room of their own accord, and out of instinct, Will and Nico knelt before Hades and Persephone.

"There is no need to bow," Hades said through a laugh, "seeing as you are not only gods but my son-- and my soon to be son-in-law."

Persephone grinned. "I have the flower plots planned out already-- of course, I'll review them with you--"

"Love," Hades said gently, "Later."

Persephone rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively at Hades. "Yes, yes, alright."

"I have called you here," Hades said, "to give you my blessing for marriage. And, more than that, to make sure you tell them."

"Tell--?" Will cut himself off, and understanding flooded across his face. "Oh." he said softly.

Tears flooded Nico's eyes. "I--"

But he did not get a chance to finish his sentence, because, in a flash, they were standing in Elysium. Greeting him were the faces of dead friends, laying in the grass, the warm light radiating off their faces.

Annabeth was, of course, first to notice them. "Oh my gods-- Nico! Will!"

And suddenly they all raced towards him. Percy reached them first, sprinting at a surprisingly fast speed, and Nico suddenly found himself on the ground.

"NICO DI ANGELO," he bellowed, and a few Elysian residents looked over in curiousity, "IT HAS BEEN YEARS, AND YOU HAVEN'T VISITED, YOU BARELY CALL, YOU HAVEN'T-- OHMYGODSISTHATARINGONYOURFINGERHOLYSHIT?!"

Nico pushed Percy off him easily, brushing himself off as Will helped him to his feet. He rolled his eyes. "Good to see you too, Percy."

Hazel rushed forwards, grabbing Nico's left hand, practically yanking his arm out of its socket. "Oh my gods, where on earth did you find the Galaxy Stone?"

She assessed the ring, smooth and perfectly circular and made of glimmering opalescent stone flickering with color amidst the black. A gold rose lay atop it, winding over the band seamlessly, looking as though it had grown from the gemstone itself. Adorned on Will's finger was its inverse, the materials flipped, though the ring otherwise perfectly symmetrical.

"It was in Cyprus, in an old cave belonging to a cult of Aphrodite," Will said.

"Well," Piper said, leaning against Will with an arm on his shoulder, "When's the date?"

Will and Nico looked at each other, then shrugged.

"I don't know," Nico said, "probably after we're done with this quest."

"Quest?" Jason tilted his head like a puppy.

"Yeah, we're hunting down Horcruxes, undercover, in a wizarding school. Draco says hi, by the way. Probably."

"Draco--"

Annabeth didn't get to finish asking about her brother, though, because in a flash of godly light, Hades appeared. "Yes," he said, "about that quest..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

bum bum bummmmm