All Magic Comes With a Price (Percy Jackson AU)

Nico

So, surprise? It took me two years, but I finally finished this chapter, lol. Originally I had it planned for this Christmas as a little "surprise I'm alive" kinda thing, but that obviously failed. I've been home sick for the past several months, though, and somehow it—in combination with the literal work of art that is the lightning thief musical—low-key rebooted my inspiration for PJO fanfic writing?? So expect a few more stories in the future!

Just a quick shoutout to @CriAura who sent me several extremely encouraging PM's, and is the primary reason why this fic didn't shut down completely and why I've continued to work on this bit by pit. Also, all of you who have left encouraging comments on this fic, which really helped with my writers block. The ones of you who screamed update in all caps were kinda (very) frustrating, but I still appreciate the passion for my work nonetheless.

Good news, though! I finally have the ending mapped out, so just a few more chapters, and we're done!

And, well, I've kept you waiting long enough, so enjoy the 3k chapter!

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By now, It's practically a regular thing for Nico wander around the castle after dark. At first, it was just the most convenient way for him to talk to the Baron without anyone seeing him. But the consuming darkness of the corridors soon became a refuge to the fourth year, an all encompassing blanket of black that wrapped Nico in a strange kind of security that let him feeling settled and grounded.

It helped him to think too, and Nico always had plenty on his mind.

Back in the days when Bianca had been attending—when she was in her seventh year and him in his first— she would take him on walks during their shared free period around the castle. She'd introduced him to everyone she knew; from her favorite professors to the portraits she talked to on the way to class, Bianca had made sure Nico was acquainted with almost everyone in the castle that she was.

He'd tried to keep up the tradition once Bianca had left school—recruited almost immediately into the famed female Quiditch team: the Silver-Souled Sirens— and had managed to stumble his way throughout the school at least once a week. He was too shy to talk to the professors and he barely managed to wave to the old members of the Ravenclaw Quiditch team that Bianca had belonged to. He still greeted the portraits when he passed them, though, and often found himself having more enthusiastic conversations with them than he did with his actual housemates.

His second year was lonely, but Bianca sent him letters every couple of days, so he'd been happy.

That happiness had been flushed down the drain the summer between his second and third year.

There had been an accident during one of the Silver-souled Sirens' games, one Nico had been present at, and both Bianca and her best friend Zoë Nightshade had been killed. Only, Nico knew it wasn't an accident.

Nico knew it had been murder. And more importantly he'd known who did it, the ghost of the Slytherin house with an unregistered name and an unregistered past: The Bloody Baron.

Bianca and Zoë had learned who he was at the end of their seventh year, both his name and his past. They'd been waiting for his Father to come home from a long business trip to report the ghost. But the Baron had gotten to them first.

 Nico didn't know the fine details, but he'd known enough.

More than enough, actually. Especially with his Dad being who he was—the Head of the Hauntings department at the Ministry, in fact. But Nico was selfish, and he missed his sister, and he wanted her back more than anything in the world. Even if it was just as a ghost. It was still her. It was still enough.