Old and Young, Inside Out

Chapter 2

The next week went by with Nico barely escaping more questions. Ron and Harry couldn't seem to get over the fact of his age, nor could they understand why he wasn't so prideful about it.

"You might as well have had the stone!" Ron had said. "Can you keep me immortal, too?"

Nico had then started to lecture him about the difference between being immortal and just cheating death, but it was then that he realized that was what he had done. He had cheated death, on orders of death himself.

You shouldn't speak that thought out loud, son of Hades, Hecate warned. You don't want to be taken down to the Underworld for good.

Nico abruptly stopped the conversation and went upstairs to bed. He could hear Mrs. Weasley questioning Ron about what had happened.

When they finally got their Hogwarts letters Nico had come down to breakfast with an ache in his bones and sleep in his eyes. He sat at the table and stared at the letter laid out in front of him. "Where are the others?"

"Playing Quidditch," Mrs. Weasley sat by him. "Can we talk?"

Nico's stomach dropped just as anyone else's would at those words. "What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing," she assured. "But something has been going on with you and Ron. He refuses to answer me. But maybe you will reconsider being silent..."

Nico let out a deep breath. "Do I have to?"

"Nico..."

He went to make up another lie, anything really to keep the truth from her, when another IM appeared before him. Camp filtered into the kitchen, sounds of swords were heard in the background.

"Oh gods..."

"Nico!" Percy grinned. "We have some good news from Rachel. But she wants to tell you personally."

"Percy-"

"What?"

Nico clenched his fists before punching the message, making it disappear from the kitchen and his sight. But it was too late to go back now.

"Nico Weasley-"

"I'll explain." Nico scratched the back of his head. "I'll...I'll explain. But I think we should go somewhere more private."

Mrs. Weasley got up and put silencing charms on the room around them. Her face had gone red before she got a chance to sit beside him. "Explain."

So he did. Everything. The more he talked, the more he felt like he could trust her. She was his mother, even if it wasn't biological. She loved him just as much as her other kids.

Trust. He could trust someone completely.

He told her about the casino, told her about what Rachel had seen, had explained about camp and the wars and exactly what he did in them. Bryce Lawrence...he explained him, too.

It was the only time he had seen her so speechless. Her face was as red as her hair, her mouth was slightly open in shock. Even her wand had dropped from her hands.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner..." he looked away. "I didn't want to worry you, didn't want to upset you."

She silently pulled him into a hug, her hands shaking as she latched on to him. Her hair got in his face. "My brave boy..."

Nico leaned into her. "What? I...I just told you I killed someone..."

"To save your friend." she didn't let him go. "You saved her..." She pulled away. "That girl, though...the one that said...that Harry would..."

"Apparently she has good news." Nico let his muscles relax, having expected his mother to blow up with worry. Maybe it was too much, maybe she was still in shock, maybe every thought and feeling of hers was still changing.

"You go and find out." she got up and grabbed a potion. "But you take this first and you take one when you get back."

"You'll really let me go?"

She nodded. "Now go pack your good clothes and your wand, just in case. And that sword you said you have. And brush your hair, I swear it won't ever stay down."

Nico smiled at the familiar orders. "Yes, ma'am." He went to pack a bag, felt his hands continue to shake at the change that would now settle over their family. But was it bad? He felt closer than ever to his mother, felt like he truly had one. She still loved him despite everything he had done, all his evil. She looked at his light, and he guessed that was what mothers were supposed to do.

He grabbed an old bookbag he had brought from camp, packed it with a change of clothes and the sweater he had gotten last Christmas. He wore his robes, after a minute of thought, knowing Mrs. Weasley would be more comfortable seeing him as a wizard rather than a demigod.

He didn't know whether to admit it to himself, whether it was good or bad, but he himself would rather be a wizard, overall. Would rather have that life then that of a demigod. But he was linked between the two worlds whether he liked it or not.

His wand was put in his pocket, his sword hung at his side. His bomber jacket was worn over his robes.

When he finally came downstairs Mrs. Weasley was sitting with her husband at the table, obviously having told him everything. He got up when he saw Nico. "So it's true?"

Nico nodded, stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "I can bring you a Muggle phone from New York?"

Mr. Weasley grinned. "That's my boy."

"Stop giving him more tasks." Mrs. Weasley went to Nico and tried to straighten his robes. "Be careful. Send an owl if you need anything. When will you be back?"

"Sometime tomorrow, so don't wait up." he sighed when the Weasley bunch of children walked in the door. "Damn..."

Mrs. Weasley spun around in a fit of rage and stomped over to Ron. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, you knew about all of this and didn't think to tell me?!"

Ron's face went white as he turned to his brother. "Nico!"

"Percy IM'd me!" Nico defended. "She was right there, I had to tell her. Now, I have to go."

Mrs. Weasley turned back to him. "Remember what I said."

"Be safe, wear nice clothes, send an owl if I need anything." Nico nodded. "I know. Bye, mom." He downed the outstretched potion before disappearing into the shadows, sinking into the familiarity of home. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, going between the worlds. Maybe the shadows were meant to be traveled constantly. Maybe he just wanted an excuse to do so.