It Looks Like a Lie

Is this Normal?

I reread the letter from Hecate for the hundredth time. It's been months since I received the quest and Nico started teaching me to blend in with the wizards, but I still have trouble believing it's all really happening. I let my eyes skim across the page, picking up the basics information like how to get to platform 9 3/4, how to get sorted into Hogwart houses, and how my wand is blessed so that I can do magic without being a wizard. I've memorized this all by heart, yet I still can't shake the feeling I'm forgetting something. The butterflies flying around in my belly aren't  helping either. I switch my attention to the other paper in my hand, this one is in my own handwriting, a to-do list. Going through it, I try to convince myself that I'm not missing anything.

1. Learn magic and wizard culture: check.

2. Shadow Travel to London and board the Hogwarts Express: check. We even came early so that there would be an empty compartment for Nico to rest in after the jump which he's doing right now.

3.Arrive at Hogwarts and get sorted.

4. Figure out what is going on at Hogwarts that made Hecate issue a quest.

I'm still working on those last two. By all accounts, nothing unusual should be happening in the wizarding world. According to Nico, their greatest foe was killed about a year ago and most of his followers either died with him or were detained. If Hecate wasn't a goddess, I would almost think she's wrong about this job.

A small gasp coming from Nico's sleeping form pulls me out of my thoughts. His face is scrunched up in agony as he curls in on himself. I wish there was something I could do, but he need to rest after traveling across the ocean with a passenger. I reach towards him when there's a knock on the compartment door.

"It's unlocked," I clear my throat and quickly pull away.

The  door opens to reveal a girl with long blonde and bright blue eyes that look like they're taking everything around her at once. "Have you seen a toad," she asks in a dreamy voice that make me wonder if she's related to Hypnos somehow.

"Uh, like  a specific toad, or just seen one in general?" This certainly wasn't what I thought my first conversation with a witch would be. Is this normal?

"My friend," she stops for a moment and smiles," lost his toad. His name is Trevor," she states matter of factly.

I'm even more confused. "Your friend or the," I trail off as she starts laughing.

"Trevor is the toad, my friend is Neville. Have the Wrackspurts gotten to you?" I have no idea what she's talking about.

"No...?" I hope that's the right answer. "I'm Will," I quickly change the subject, praying that she doesn't get suspicious. I hold out my hand.

She grabs my hand between two of her fingers and and shakes it. "I'm Luna, but most people call me Looney Lovegood," she introduces. I can see why.  However, that doesn't mean it's nice to call her mean names. I point this out, but she doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Luna!" a boy that kinda reminds me of Frank comes running towards us. "I found him." he proudly holds a toad up for her to see.

"You must be Neville," I make the connection between this boy and the one Luna was talking about. He turns to look at me for the first time before turning back to Luna in search of answers. "I'm Will, Luna mentioned you," I explain. There's no reason to make him think I'm some kind of creeper if I can avoid it.

He relaxes slightly. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you new?"He questions, and I suddenly remember what I was forgetting about, a cover story.

I've never been good at coming up with lies on the spot. It's a side effect of having the god of Truth for a father. What to do, what to do? I can't tell them I'm a demigod on a mission for the goddess of magic and crossroads.