All Magic Comes With a Price (Percy Jackson AU)

Nico

OKAY SO I'M ENTERING THIS IN THE WATTY'S.

WHICH MEANS I NEED TO FINISH IT BY AUGUST

SO YOU BETTER BELIVE I WILL

--Twily

_____

The sun set low over the horizon, casting golden lights over the ground of Hogwarts as it was chased away by the murky purple of night. Shining silver stars began to crisscross the sky, and Nico DiAngelo patiently waited, perched atop the astrology tower. His robes were strewn around him, and he lay back against the red roofing of the tower, his hands tucked behind his head as he waited.

Nico was small, pale, and had hollowed cheeks. In addition to his hard, dark eyes, and shaggy black hair, he resembled a ghoul. It didn't help that he talked to ghosts.

Slowly, a translucent figure drifted through the rooftop, shimmering an opal color. His face was covered, cast into shadow by a bloody cloak that covered his entire being. Chains were clasped to his wrists, and to his ankles, trialling off and fading behind him. Silver blood drenched the ghost.

"Hello Baron." Nico's tone was flat, barely glancing over at the bloody ghost that drifted in front of him. "Have you seen her?" The Baron shook his head, chains rattling.

"Why not. There are many hooded ghosts such as yourself, Baron. Sure you haven't checked them all?"

"All ghosts are registered, sir-" The Baron spoke in low tones, stretching out every word.

"Except for you." Said Nico cooly, turning to face the Baron, his dark eyes glinting madly, "I could tell them you know, an unregistered ghost. Baron, I know there's a reason you haven't registered yourself. So find her, or else." Physically, the Baron's appearance didn't change, he looked calm and collected; as one would, when they're entirely covered in a cloak. However Nico could feel ice cold waves radiating from him, anger.

"As you wish. I shall check if she's unregistered, that's always a possibility. " Said Baron, sinking back through the tower. Nico sighed, glancing up at the star filled sky. Constellations danced amist the stars. Silver, bright, shinning.

As always, his least favorite caught his eye. Bow drawn, running, braid flying behind. The huntress taunted him, as if laughing.

"They died. As far as we can track, one moved on, leaving the physical imprint on the stars. The other stayed as a ghost, had purposes still on this world before she could rest properly. Wouldn't know why exactly, I mean what would a Quidditch player have unfinished business with?"

Laughing. Because they didn't tell him, they didn't know. Which was which. Whether she stayed or went.

Nico was determined that she stayed.

The constellation couldn't be her. So he hated it, avoiding it. Hoping with all his heart that she choose to be a ghost.

Sitting up straight he took his hands off the roofing. It imprinted itself in his skin, leaving red marks across his palms. Ignoring this, Nico scooted forward, careful of his hand and foot placement. Brushing his robes away, he slid off the roof, and felt a moment of surged panic as he fell.

Then he stopped, his hands wrapped around the edge of the roof. His robes dangling beneath them. Placing his foot on the window sil, his heart speed up as he launched himself inside the astronomy classroom, knocking over a stack of textbooks.

Straightening up, he slowly re stacked the books in the starlight. Then he stood up, brushing off his robes. He navigated the classroom, carefully, not wanting to knock anything else over. He yanked the door open with one hand, and silently slipped through, gently closing the door behind him.

***

Nico liked the castle at night, silent, portraits sleeping on the walls, and ghosts silently floating around the corridors. His feet trod lightly on the cold floor, and his pale hands tucked into the pockets of his robes. His wand brushing up against his fingers. Owls hooted meekly as they soared around the outside of the school.

Nico made his way towards the dungeons, carefully avoiding certain steps. Swiping his robes out of the way as the staircases shifted, sighing, then recalculating his route back down to the dungeons.

He kicked at the steps as he walked down, slowly. He closed his eyes briefly, listening to his heart in his ears.

A shinning silver ghost slid through the walls, unlike the others in the school that shined a translucent opal-white. The ghosts face was covered by a long drapping silver hood and a cloak of the same color billowed around her over damaged, tattered robes. The Ravenclaw house ghost; The silver lady.

Nico fell over in shock. His hands slapped the stairs painfully, and a groan escaped his lips. The ghost snapped around to him, and Nico's could feel her eyes bear into him, even if they weren't visible.

And the silver lady turned around and walked back into the wall, much to Nico's confusion. He scrambled upwards, and hopped shakily down the stairs, the silver lady on his mind.

She was the only other ghost besides of which had no known identity; she just went by her title. And she was registered as an official ghost of the Ravenclaw house. And by the way she always avoided Nico, he had a persistent theory about her.

Nico was certain that the Silver Lady was Bianca DiAngelo.