Nico di Angelo and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 19: Snuffles

Drawing by Elliottwiddendream thank you so much <3

A boy like no other, perhaps - yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know he would shortly be suffering another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss. 

Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Victor Krum, Bulgaria Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with three boys' affections. Students confirm that Miss Granger's taste for infamy extends as well to Nicola di Angelo, a fellow fourth-year student who gained attention in their second year as the main suspect for being the Heir of Slytherin. Nico, who claims to be a Half-Blood, is a below average in terms of study and of looks. This mysterious boy has been a struggle to find information on, having no family records after his great-grandfather Nicolas di Angelo. Intrepid reporter Rita Skeeter has reached out to his current place of residence, Long Island Camp for Homeless Teens, for comment, but has thus far not received any. 

However, it may not be Miss Granger's-

"I don't have a great-grandfather Nicolas." Nico scoffs at the magazine. Hermione had given it to him to read as they walk through Hogsmead, another attempt of stirring up trouble in Hogwarts. "And I don't go to a camp for homeless teens."

"What is it then? I think we know less about you than she does at this point." Ron says, boots crunching on the stones of the path. 

"It's just a Camp, I don't know. We live in cabins and pick strawberries, nothing all that exciting." Nico shrugs. He's now focusing on the pebble he's kicking instead of the rolled up magazine in his hand. He's mentally going over everything he's ever told them about himself to keep his story straight. 

"And what about having no family records? Everything is documented somewhere!" Hermione asks. 

"A fire or something, I don't know. My dad is my only... living family member and I doubt he'd keep records. For me, at least, I think keeping records is kind of his job. I don't know. Point is, she has no idea what she's talking about."

"Okay..."

"Where are we going anyway?"

"We're visiting Sirius. He wants to see us." Just as Harry says this, they come upon a large black dog Nico recognizes from last year. "Hello Sirius."

The dog sniffs Harry's bag in delight and starts leading them away from town, up the scraggly rocks at the base of the mountain. The terrain becomes steeper and more rough in the half hour or so it takes them to climb the mountain until they reach a small cave entrance. Shimmying their way into the cave, they're greeted by Buckbeak, the hippogriff they had rescued the year before. They bow to him, and just as Nico thinks they're going to have to run for their lives, he bows back to them. 

Sirius, who had turned into a man now, looks somehow much worse than last year. He's gaunt and sickly, his ratty black hair long and matted, skin coated in a thick layer of grime. 

"Chicken!" He says, voice hoarse. Harry pulls out a bundle of chicken and bread from his pack, handing it to his godfather. Sirius digs in, eating like he has never eaten in his life. "Thanks. I've been living off rats mostly. Can't steal too much food from Hogsmead; I'd draw attention to myself."

"What are you doing here, Sirius?" Harry asks. 

"Fulfilling my duties as godfather. Don't worry about me, I'm pretending to be a loveable stray."

"Nice cave." Nico says, looking around. It really isn't, dark and dank, the smell of dirt and mold permeating every cell in his body. Still, he has seen worse. Although... he has also seen better.

"Ah, knife-boy. Nico, right? I wanted to be nearby. The last letter... things are getting fishier."

Sirius takes them through the Daily Prophet articles about Mr. Crouch, who hadn't been seen at Hogwarts since Halloween, looking just about as ill as he's being described in the Prophet. Nico carefully strokes Buckbeak's feathers as they talk, thinking it over. If Mister Crouch is truly so ill, then why had he troubled to come all the way up to Hogwarts to snoop around as Harry had seen on the Marauder's Map a few nights prior? Unless it isn't him? But who could fool the map and how? 

As they make their way back to the school, Nico's thoughts race, specifically trying to think of how to keep Harry safe through this, and how best to rip Skeeter apart next time he sees her. He barely recalls why he had come to this school in the first place.

I would also like to reiterate, please do not swear in my comments. Thank you matchsticks<3

Love,
Sammy