Old and Young, Inside Out

Chapter 19

Nico and Dominic had stayed at Hogwarts that weekend to watch the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, but the match never got to start. Even as the players were on the field, ready to go, it was canceled.

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Nico looked to Dominic. "I'm spying. Are you?"

"Hell yeah."

Nico grabbed his arm and pulled him into the shadows, transporting beside McGonagall. He made sure to keep himself and Dominic hidden in the shadows, and no one seemed to notice. But that was the least of his worries.

"Potter, I think you'd better come with me..." McGonagall told the boy. When Ron came up, she looked at him. "Yes, perhaps you'd better come, too, Weasley..."

"Then I am so coming." Nico stepped out of the shadows, startling them all. "If they get to, I am."

Dominic stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Me too, I guess."

McGonagall agreed and led them into the castle, up to the hospital wing. "This will be a bit of a shock. There has been another attack...another double attack."

Nico stepped back when he saw the two girls on the beds. One was a Ravenclaw he didn't know, but the other...

"Hermione!" Ron groaned.

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them..." She held up a mirror.

They all shook their heads. Nico didn't take his eyes off of his friend. One of his own was attacked, even if she wasn't in his house. And there'd be hell to pay.

"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case. Weasley, Cook, we'll drop you off at your-"

"Can I stay here?" Nico asked. "Please?"

"And what good would that possibly do?" she asked. "You two are no different than the rest of the student body. Now come on, we need to hurry."

Nico grumbled but followed along, assuming he'd just sneak back there anyway. Dominic seemed to have the same idea as they went. And as soon as McGonagall thought they were safe in bed, Nico shadow traveled back to the hospital wing and sat beside Hermione's motionless form.

She didn't have any marks, didn't have any wounds. He felt for her soul and found that she was alive, still fighting, but nothing could comfort him. Not when he couldn't figure out how to save her.

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In Herbology, Nico didn't do much but stare at everyone else as they worked. Two people were missing from that class, Justin and Hermione. Both had hit too close to home for different reasons.

"I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you." he looked over at Ernie's voice. "I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and, well -"

He shook hands with Harry, causing the others in the room to lose some of their tension.

Ernie turned to Nico. "And...I never should have gone against someone in my own house, especially someone from your family."

Nico nodded at him in acceptance.

"That Draco Malfoy character," Ernie continued, looking back to Harry, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."

"That's clever of you." Ron's sharp tongue got him a glare from Nico.

"Do you think it's Malfoy, Harry?" Ernie asked.

"No." Harry's attention obviously changed. Nico looked to where he was looking, seeing several large spiders crawling out the window, moving in an unnaturally straight line. Harry hit Ron over the hand with his pruning shears.

"Ouch! What're you -"

Harry pointed out the spiders.

"Oh, yeah," said Ron, "But we can't follow them now -"

"The fuck are you talking about?" Nico asked.

"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest..." Harry didn't seem to hear Nico, but Ron gave him a look like one of his worst fears were coming to life.

As they moved to the next lesson, Nico lagged behind with Harry and Ron.

"We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again," Harry told Ron. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."

"We're taking Nico." Ron twirled his wand nervously. "He can help us. And...aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?"

Nico couldn't help but think back to his own encounter with werewolves, even though they had been the Greek kind. "Both of you haven't answered me. What the fuck is going on?"

"We'll get you before we go," Harry assured him. "We've got class. I'll explain later."

Nico crossed his arms. "You better."

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It was later that night when Harry and Ron came to get him, under that damn Invisibility Cloak that reeked of death. They headed for the Forbidden Forest, Nico still absolutely clueless about what was going on. But at least this time, they decided to take him instead of getting into trouble on their own. Once they were out of the castle, they explained it to Nico as they walked.

"'Course," Ron followed the explanation, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but..."

They got to Hagrid's house. Nico looked around it as the two others fed meat to Fang, frowning at the emptiness. "Follow the spiders...who tells someone to follow the spiders?"

He looked to Harry, who had gotten Fang out of the house. Grumbling to himself, he followed them along to the forest. All of it had happened too fast for him to even register what was happening, but he kept his wand close as they walked.

"Lumos!" Harry's wand lit up. He lowered it to reveal the path of spiders heading into the forest.

"Good thinking." Ron elbowed Nico. "Light yours. I'd light mine or...you know, probably blow up or something..."

Nico smirked at the mention of Ron's broken wand and brought his own out, murmuring 'Lumos' to it. It brightened the path even more as they walked.

They walked for a while through the forest, only their wands as a source of light. Nico couldn't help but let his mind wander, thinking back to everything that had gotten him there. Hermione petrified, Hagrid's advice, the trail of spiders. He envied Dominic, who was probably asleep back in their dormitory.

Then things got weird. They found Mr. Weasley's car in an old clearing, covered in dirt and mud.

"It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild...And we thought it was going to attack us!" he leaned against the car and patted it. "I wondered where it had gone!"

Nico went over by Ron and looked it over. "I still don't trust the thing."

"Of course you don't."

"We've lost the trail," Harry spoke up. "C'mon, let's go and find them."

Nico and Ron saw it at the same time. As his brother stared in complete horror, Nico cursed himself for not having brought his sword. "Harry, turn around."