SEA GREEN [PERCY JACKSON X HARRY POTTER]

#25

A week had passed and it was now time for what everyone was looking forward to- Winter Break. Students old and young chattered loudly the morning the holidays started.

However, there was one student that was not excited to go back home, and that person went by the name of Draco Malfoy.

He watched uncertainly as the demigods and the Golden Trio, plus Ginny, sat at opposite ends of the Gryffindor table. He knew all about the demigods, and what was in store for them. He hated himself for joining the wrong side again, but his father was tempted by the power, and Draco would by lying if he said he wasn't either. The idea of being able to overpower gods, channel powers without a wand and control beings with just a flick of his wrist made his whole body shiver. He wanted that kind of power.

Though he was excited for the future he had before him, he was worried for the others, and even felt a twinge if guilt. The stress of the upcoming holidays made his stomach twist and his head spin.

He had made trips home every so often, but it was only to speak to the person his father called his 'master'. He had also met the girl that was his accomplice, and it was safe to say he didn't like her.

She was pretty, sure, but she was weak. He could tell that much. Draco didn't understand why their master had recruited her. Perhaps she had some hidden talent that he had yet to witness. Nevertheless, he didn't like her, because despite her beauty, she had an odd connection with the demigods. She knew plenty about them, and to Draco, it felt a little off. He knew she was a demigod, too, but the way she talked made it seem as if Percy, Annabeth, Travis and Katie were longtime friends.

He was also surprised when he learned that the lady was around his age, but still so mature for someone who was considered young. Draco would call himself mature. He wondered if she had gone through more than she let on. He wondered if she had experienced something like him. Not many kids his age had experienced what he had to go through.

Harry and his friends fought a war, but so did Draco. They may have been through dark times, probably sent through hell and back, but so had Draco. They may have had to endure the pain of losing their loved ones, but Draco knew what that was like, too.

The only difference was which side they had fought on.

To Draco, however, Harry had gotten the better deal. He had been rewarded with glory after years of suffering, finally able to be at peace. Not to mention, he had friends and family that could genuinely understand them. He had people by his side, rooting for him, even when their lives were at stake.

But Draco? Draco had no family to comfort him, to confide in. He was the one supporting his family when times were dire. He was the one who was pressured into doing things he didn't want to do, for if he did not listen, him and his parents would be killed.

And still, after all the suffering, Draco was presented with more pain. More misery. More disagreements. More disappointed looks being sent his way.

He had taken the dark side before, but times had changed. Voldemort was no longer in control. Draco was free from the tight grasp of the Dark Lord, but now he found himself trapped in a never-ending cycle of hatred. He wasn't even given a chance, already judged and stared at the moment he stepped foot into the public. No, 'stare' wasn't the right word. They were glaring, anger bubbling inside of them, their faces scrunching up in pure disgust.

And most of them didn't even know him personally.

Maybe that was why he had decided to be on the 'bad' side again. If they thought he was evil, then he would make them regret it.

Did they really expect Draco to change for the better when they hadn't even given him a chance to prove himself? Did they not understand that he was taught to believe in those stereotypes, without knowing whether they were right or wrong? Did they not think about the possibility that Draco was taught to be prejudiced, and he wasn't able to realise that it was a mistake solely because all the people around him had been taught the same thing?

Draco could've changed on his own. He could've been the 'better person' and shown others that he was capable of doing good, but that just didn't sit right with him.

Would you change who you were for people who absolutely despised your presence? Would you change your whole perspective on the world for people who cursed your name every time they were reminded of the Second Wizarding War?

If your answer was 'yes', then Draco could most definitely not agree with you.

Nico sank further into his chair, running his hand through his shaggy black hair. He looked out the window in his office, regarding the snowing sky wistfully. He wished he was somewhere else, not on a quest.

Then again, the quest barely felt like one. There were rarely any monster attacks, since the barriers of Hogwarts masked the demigods' scent. But still, something was nagging him at the back of his head.

It was like there was an important piece of information that he had forgotten to share, and for some reason, he got the feeling that if he didn't hurry up and remember whatever said information was, he would be in deep trouble.

Of course, by the time he remembered, his kidnapping was already about to unfold.

Yeah, that's right. His kidnapping. He had forgotten to tell his friends about the dream he had months ago.

"Hello, Nico di Angelo."

Nico stood up abruptly, his sword already drawn. He glared at the dark figure in the corner of his office. "Who are you?!"

"That's not important."

Nico recognised that voice. He had heard it in his dream.

"Malfoy."

"Lucius Malfoy," Lucius confirmed, and Nico could tell that he was smirking.

"You're here to kidnap me, aren't you?" Nico growled. "Use me as bait?"

"Ah, I see you already know of our plan," Lucius mused. "Come, let me take you to our headquarters. If you surrender, no one will get hurt."

Nico rolled his eyes. He stepped forward threateningly. Lucius did not retreat. In fact, he looked quite amused, as if thinking Nico would be easy to defeat. Nico was annoyed by that.

"Yeah, I'm not surrendering," he spat.

Lucius pulled out his wand. Each time he shot a spell at Nico, he dodged, causing the inanimate objects in Nico's office to be bound up.

Nico put up a good fight, and so did Lucius. He fired spell after spell, while Nico sent jabs his way. Both of their movements were slower than usual, for they hadn't fought in a long time, Lucius having last fought during the Second Wizarding War and Nico when he had first arrived at Hogwarts.

"I see that you're a good fighter," Lucius noted. "Better than your sister, eh? I heard she died."

Nico faltered. Lucius took advantage of Nico's moment of shock. With one flick of his wrist, Nico was sent withering on the ground, suffering the Cruciatus Curse.

Lucius smiled. The plan had commenced.