Nico Visits 12 Grimmauld Place

3. I Learn Food's Importance

N I C O

I sat down in the only empty chair and stared at the hot soup in front of me. I think it was corn chowder. Everyone was watching me expectantly.

"Do I have to eat this?" I asked, warily eyeing the carrots floating in it.

"Er, well," one of the redheads said, "it's food.  And if you don't eat, you die, so...I guess so?"

I rolled my eyes at him, then blew at a spoonful of soup. I quickly noticed that they were still staring at me. "What?" I asked them. They all looked away.

"So, Frank," the one eyeball dude said. He waved his fork at me and emphasized "Frank" like he couldn't quite believe that was my name. I couldn't either. "What was this job you're here for? You mentioned it earlier."

I dropped my spoon back in the bowl. "And as I mentioned earlier, that's classified."

My eyes drifted to the front door. I wondered if I could just escape that way. But judging from what happened with the window, my chances weren't great.

Mad-Eye's face pinked as he practically shouted, "You're working for the Dark Lord, aren't you? You're on an errand for him?"

I blinked, these guys weren't mortals all right. People didn't call Hades the Dark Lord, but I was sure he'd like the title. "How did you know about that?"

Everyone gasped and scooted away from me like I was a crazy murderer. One red-head fell off his chair. Another black-haired boy looked furious.

"Look," I closed my eyes for two seconds. "Guys, I'm really tired of saying this, just because I'm his son doesn't make me—"

"IMPOSSIBLE!!" Peg Leg slammed his hands down on the table.

Everyone was shouting over each other now, and now I'd reached peak confusion. "What's not possible? He did take an oath, but that was after—"

He stood up, pointing the wand at me again. "You're coming with me boy! I'm getting you out of here into Azkaban! Where you belong!"

I had no idea what this guy was talking about, "Azkaban? Don't you mean Alcatraz?"

"Don't try to confuse me with that Muggle prison, boy!"

And before he could yell at me some more, someone banged on the door.

"HEEY WEIRD PEOPLE!! LET MY COUSIN GO!!"