Black Magic: Nico visits Hogwarts

9: Nico

As the train approached Hogwarts, I couldn't help but laugh at the shock that I had given the three Gryffindors. I looked out the window as a magnificent castle drew into my line of sight. It's medieval architecture was unlike any that I had ever seen, and I could feel that somewhere deep inside, a dark magic was holding it together. Ironic, when dark magic was banned within it's perimeters.

My thoughts wandered to the housing system. Having read about them in Hogwarts a history - gods I was becoming a child of Athena - I wondered where I would be placed. My guess was that I fit the bill for a Slytherin, but I wasn't sure. Not that it mattered, I had to get to Riddle - meaning that I would have to charm the hat into letting me into the closest house to him.

The train ground to a final halt, and I sighed, relieved. The journey had been long, I had many a time contemplated shadow traveling away and showing up towards the end, but I had a suspicion that I was being periodically checked on by the pesky Gryffindor trio. I wasn't sure if they fancied themselves as spies, or CIA agents, but I had little care for them. They were more annoying than wasps.

Slowly, the students filed out from the carriages, filing the small platform with life. There were thousands of students swarming the platform, and I didn't like it. That said, no one noticed me. A group of happily chatting Hufflepuffs bumped into me, and I felt my sword slip from under my robes. I quickly grabbed the hilt, and resolved to charm it into something the next time that I was alone.

I followed the tide of witches and wizards towards the castle. I wasn't entirely sure where I was going, but I had no intention of looking like a fool. I sighed in frustration, and caught sight of the special trio heading towards a cluster of thestral drawn carriages.

I loved thestrals. In the underworld, they roamed everywhere, their beautiful white pelt often seeming to glow ethereally in the dark. I might not have been Percy, a horse was still a horse, and since Poseidon was not my father they had no respect for me, but I did feel as if I had a connection with the creatures. Perhaps it was the meaningful silence that seemed to follow their presence. Whatever it was, they were gorgeous.

The crowd around the thestrals were beginning to build, and I climbed into a carriage I hope that I was there before I was forced to join anyone else. So it was just my luck that I ended up with a Hufflepuff.

"Who are you?" He asked. My heart sunk.

"Nico." I replied coldly. To boy kept pushing though.

"What house are you in?"

"I'm not." I sighed. I reached into my robes and drew out a blue cookie that I'd stolen from Percy before I had left.

"What's that?" He asked, and I threw my head back in frustration.

"A cookie! Δι Ιμμορταλες!" The boy narrowed his eyes at me.

"Κατάρα είναι αγενής." He replied in Greek. My jaw dropped, but I quickly regained my composure.

"Sean Finch. Legacy of Hecate. I was alerted of your quest, Nico." He held out his hand and I shook it tentatively, unsure of how friendly I wanted to get with him.

"So if you knew, why did you annoy me." I said.

"Percy told me to." I couldn't help but smiling. Of course he did.

"My mother told me to tell you to get yourself sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw." He said, "we're nearly there."

I glanced at the magnificent castle which they were now beside. It was gothic and gorgeous, glaring through the clouds. The majestic entrance loomed ahead of him, and though I was no Annabeth Chase, I was truly taken aback by the architecture.

Maybe, just maybe this wouldn't be so bad.