The Ghosts of Millennia

Cho Chang Ravenclaws the Lord of the Dead

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Persephone speaks to Nico. Ron has his first demigod dream. The camp discusses the prophecy. Cho moves forward with her plan.

BEGINNING NOTES

Chapter Rating: General Audiences
Content Warning: Cursing
Word Count: 4036

This chapter is less disjointed than the summary implies, I promise.

And all the characters are owned by JK Rowling, or Rick Riordan.

____________________NICO____________________

Nico's eyes fluttered open. Sunlight hit his cheeks. Around him, beautiful trees and flowers grew beside meandering slate paths. Life-sized statues stood on soft grass. Persephone hummed as she plucked pomegranates from a tree and placed them in a woven basket hanging from the crook of her elbow. She turned, beaming as bright as the sun itself.

"You took your time," she teased.

"You're in a good mood."

Persephone laughed. With it came a warm breeze that smelled like wildflowers. "We're winning this war, Nico. Thanks to you." She caught herself with another giggle. "Well, you and Cho Chang."

Nico blinked. That was a name he hadn't heard in a while. "Cho Chang? What does she have to do with the war?"

Persephone moved to an apple tree. Blossoms ripened into fruit as she reached to pluck them. "She's a prisoner of war Hades and I recently dug up from the wrong side of the Styx."

Persephone stared at an apple the size of her face. She sighed, "Too small," and threw it on the ground for the cockroaches. Those guys lived everywhere. "It's perilous in Hecate's lands now that she has summoned the Founders for her war council. There have been riots over the past two days. A spy informed me that your friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are planning to stage a coup against the Ministry of Magic tomorrow night. We'll see how that goes." She threw another enormous apple on the ground.

Nico collapsed on a nearby stone bench. "What? How could... why would... huh?" He knew about the violence from his dream, but hearing it all, knowing it was real, put him at a loss for words. Blaise. Hestia. Ron. Hermione. Even Malfoy. None of them deserved that. And Cho... she was innocent, too young to die, caught up in some deadly game of chess played by hands too powerful to take notice of her until she served a purpose. Just like Harry.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked about your surroundings."

Nico waved Persephone's comment away, lost in thought. "Psychic link. I'm used to it."

Persephone's steely gaze woke Nico from his fog. "How are you 'used to it?' " He didn't answer. She stepped closer to him, leaving her basket of fruit on a stone bird bath. "Nico, you weren't a prime target for Gaea or any of her children. Only the Earth Mother and her children have the power to induce a psychic link without the aid of magic. I didn't summon you. Pan didn't summon you. Why are you 'used to it?' "

"I thought you said 'empathy link,' " Nico mumbled half-heartedly.

Persephone put a hand to his chin and lifted his head, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Was Hecate whispering to you in the Wizarding World? Is that why you joined her?"

"I joined her because she was going to give me the Artifacts," Nico growled. Psychic link or no psychic link, that was one of the few moments he'd defied his fate and Persephone would not take that away from him. "And, no, Hecate didn't contact me until after I renounced Hades. We're done here." He shoved Persephone away. "Get away from me."