Perseus Potter

Chapter 12

Nico was nervous about being separated from his cousin. He had severe separation anxiety and abandonment issues. Percy was his anchor. He was the one person that Nico wasn’t scared of leaving him (not willingly, at least, but Percy had been kidnapped before). Percy had never given up on him, even when he thought he hated him. Even when he didn’t know where Nico was, he would always find a way to send him a gift for his birthday. Before Cabin 13 was built, Percy got Nico a bed in Cabin 3 (even afterwards, Nico would still stay there most nights). Percy was right there whenever Nico had a nightmare or a panic attack to comfort him. He never judged him or thought of him as weak, unlike some of the other campers. He didn’t fight Nico’s fights for him, but was always there if he needed backup.

He made Nico sit at Poseidon’s table with him, and would scare off any objectors with a fierce glare. He was always there to patch him up after a fight, knowing he wouldn’t want to go to the infirmary. If Nico was feeling more antisocial and claustrophobic than usual and couldn’t go to the pavilion for meals, Percy had plenty of food stocked for him and would stay with him, even if one of his friends came knocking.

Sure, he was occasionally overprotective and infuriatingly stubborn, but he was also understanding, loving, kind, loyal, and supportive. He showed Nico what it means to be loved unconditionally and made him feel like he belonged. It didn’t matter anymore to Nico if the camps didn’t accept him, because he knew that Percy did. He was the big brother Nico never knew he needed.

When he reached the Transfiguration classroom, he sighed. He could sense way too many people in the room and his claustrophobia was acting up. Unconsciously, he reached for the necklace Percy had given him. When his hand closed around it, he felt the familiar sensation of a mind link. He quickly tried to reign in his emotions, but apparently it didn’t work. He felt the other person’s emotion switch to concern in a millisecond.

Nico, the person said urgently, are you injured?

Nico recognized the voice as Percy’s and smiled slightly when he realized he wasn’t connected to some random person. I’m okay. There’s just a lot of people in there, he said.

He could hear Percy’s sigh of relief. I’m glad you’re not hurt. I’m here if you need me, okay? Even if you just want a hug or to talk. The sincerity in his voice helped calm Nico down until he was able to enter the classroom.

Thanks, he said. He made his way to the back of the room and sat in an empty desk. A cat sat in front of the room, watching them all closely. It seemed that the students thought it was a regular cat, though Nico knew better. He could sense the professor’s soul within the cat and figured she was an animagus. His dad had told him a few things about the wizarding world before he came, so he knew all about the shape shifters.

He sat quietly, watching the students around him interact with each other. A group of Hufflepuffs were happily making plans to spend their free time together. A couple Ravenclaws were discussing the course book, which they had apparently finished. The few other Gryffindors were in a heated debate over the wizarding sport that Harry had been talking about. A boy in Slytherin robes approached Nico, making the demigod tense up. It was unusual for people to come near him without prompting.

“Hi,” the boy said shyly. “My name’s Darren. Do you mind if I sit with you?” Chocolate brown curls fell in front of his grey eyes and he blushed before brushing them behind his pointed ears.

Nico raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t detect any hint of deception in Darren’s stance. “You’d rather sit with the gloomy new kid instead of with your house?” he asked skeptically.

Darren laughed quietly. “Yup. I don’t really fit in with any of the houses, even my own. I’m not quite smart enough for the Ravenclaws, not forgiving enough for the Hufflepuffs, too Slytherin for the Gryffindors, and the Slytherins have their own friend groups that I just don’t want to intrude on.”