Old and Young, Inside Out

Chapter 4

Nico got home well into the next day. He collapsed in the kitchen, falling on the shadow he had appeared out of.

He woke up to Mrs. Weasley standing over him. His vision was fuzzy, there was a lot of warm colors. He could feel a potion down his throat.

In his next haze of sleep he was slightly more conscious. Maybe he shouldn't have shadow traveled so much. Maybe he shouldn't have been Harold's personal messenger three times in a row.

But he was glad he had helped. It was one of the few good things he could do with his demigod abilities.

The next time he opened his eyes, he was alone in his and Ron's room. He went to push himself up, his arms melted into shadow. He fell back with a sigh of disappointment.

If he was back at camp, he would be in the infirmary with Will's presence always nearby. He did miss it, he really did, but he felt safe in his bed, felt safe with his mother nearby.

Nico fell back asleep. His dreams weren't anything specific, not anything he could remember. He woke up in warmth and peace.

Mrs. Weasley was at his side, then, having gone into full mother hen mode. He told her what Rachel had said between potions shoved down his throat.

He was feeling better, more real and whole, but the shadows still beckoned him home.

It was Wednesday when they went by Floo Powder to Diagon Alley. Harry hadn't used it before, that much was obvious, and it was amusing to see him try. Until Harry was missing, however.

"I should have just shadow traveled me and him," Nico hissed to Ron. "It would have been much safer."

"Yeah, until you both melted into a puddle of shadow." Ron pointed to Gringotts. "There!"

"Harry," Mr. Weasley was the first to speak when they reached the young wizard. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far... Molly's frantic — she's coming now —"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," Hagrid answered, Nico just now noticing his presence.

"Excellent!" said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," Ron explained. "Though Nico snuck in-"

Mrs. Weasley was suddenly upon them, Ginny's hand in her own. "Oh, Harry — oh, my dear — you could have been anywhere—"

Nico watched as she brushed him off and fixed his glasses, his hands deep in his pockets. His fingers still faded in and out.

Hagrid left next, and then Nico was walking into Gringotts with the others. He fingered the key he had made a copy of so both him and Dominic had access.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked. "Malfoy and his father."

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"No, he was selling —"

"So he's worried," Mr. Weasley cut in. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"

"You be careful, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley replied. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew —"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley saw Hermione's parents and was at once distracted. "But you're Muggles! We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!"

Nico went to his own vault to get enough money to last the year. If Mrs. Weasley let him, he'd chip in and buy his own supplies. But he wasn't sure if he'd make it very far in that task.