"This solution will provide the most fair outcomes." Professor McGonagall had been tasked with informing the school of the trial that was to take place to decide the fate of the ghosts.
The students looked up at her in a sad and stunned silence. The ghosts present were floating in the back of the hall, each with grave expressions on their faces.
"Any questions you have can be directed to your head of house." She looked down sadly before stepping away from the podium.
"I can't believe this happening." Rose muttered. Albus turned to her and saw her fiddling with her hands.
"Me neither," he replied. Then he put a hand on her arm in an attempt to comfort her. "It's only fair though."
Rose looked back up to where Nico was standing. He was talking to McGonagall with a sad and apologetic look on his face. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and said something more before Nico left her side and went down the hall and out the doors.
"They may be nice," Rose spoke coldly, watching Nico leave the hall. "But I wish they had never come here."
Albus didn't respond. He knew that it was only a matter of time before something happened to the ghosts. One of the only things in the world with true justice is death. Everything lives and dies. Except these ghosts. It's only fair...
___________________________________________________________________
Nico wasn't exactly excited to be back in the underworld. Sure he was a generally dark person and as the son of Hades, it was sort of like a home to him. Then again, he had a stepmom who didn't particularly like him there and he was finally settling in at camp. So, taking a group of ghosts and his two friends back to the land of the dead wasn't his idea of a fun field trip.
"Now remember," Nico addressed the line of ghosts behind him, waiting to go through the doors to meet the judges who would decide where they spend all of eternity. "The judges will know if you're lying so don't even try. If you did something bad in your life, confess and tell them why they should forgive you."
Nico looked at each of their scared and pale faces. He felt a pang of guilt hit him. He hoped the judges would give them the outcomes they deserved. For some reason he felt as though the judges might be biased against them escaping death for so long.
"Good luck." Nico told them, trying to sound confident. He opened up the door for the first ghost and told the others that they would be called in next.
With a lot of time to kill, he went over to Jason and Percy who were waiting in the back.
"Where do we go now?" Percy asked. He and Jason looked much more serious down here. It didn't surprise him though. The underworld could do that to you.
"I need to see my father." He told them and started walking away before he could see their responses. They followed after him.
"Why?" Percy said as he caught up. " You did everything he asked you to do. What else does he need?"
"I don't know but he told me to see him after I deliver the ghosts to the judges."
"Should we go with you?" Jason asked, slowing himself and Percy down. Nico turned around to talk to them.
" You can go with me to meet him if you want, but I'm pretty sure he wants to talk to me alone."
"Well then we'll just wait here. " Jason said, stretching and sitting down on the cold, hard ground. It was obviously not very comfortable but he tried his best to pretend.
"And do what?" Percy asked him.
"I don't know," Jason responded, looking around. "Truth or dare? Underworld addition?"
Percy smirked before sitting down with him.
"Have fun with Hades Nico." He said before waving him off. Nico wasn't sure how much he trusted the decision to leave them alone. Making Hades wait sounded worse though, so he went.
It didn't take long for him to get to his father's throne room. Hades was sitting, looking over multiple scrolls and papers. This wasn't the best Nico had seen him. It was always this time of year when he looked the worst. Persephone would be home in a few months and Hades missed her terribly. That on top of the whole ghost situation made for a stressed and unhappy Hades.
Nico bowed respectfully for his father.
"Nico," Hades barely looked at his son as he kept going through the papers. "I assume you have brought the ghosts back without issue."
"Yes, father. They are with the judges now."
"Good." Hades pushed the papers aside and rose out of his throne. "Then we can talk."
Nico looked up at his father, confused. He had been expecting his father to nod and tell him to leave. He must have done something wrong.
Hades moved towards a hall out of the room. He turned to see that Nico had not followed yet and gestured for him to follow. Nico did.
The two strolled out and through many rooms and halls until they reached the gardens. Nico knew that this was Persephone's favorite place in the underworld. Nico didn't go there often to keep it that way.
Nico looked around at all the beautiful flowers. The gardens were gorgeous. All of the colors of the world were stored in this small part of the darkest place in the world. It was somewhat ironic.
"It's not easy you know." Hades finally spoke. "To control the underworld."
"I know father." Nico responded dully.
"Not just for the ways you think, Nico." Hades looked at his son before turning back to the flowers.
"As a god I feel less sympathy for the mortals." He said as he brushed his pale fingers across the vibrant flower petals. "Yet, every time I see the terrified look of a doomed mortal, I wish there was a way to change what they did so they wouldn't have to suffer."
Nico followed his father as they walked further into the garden. Talking about death while looking at the life around them.
"The only thing that lets me move on is knowing that it is fair." Hades tilted his head and turned to see if Nico was listening. "I've done everything I can to make sure every single mortal gets what they deserve in death. Life is never fair to mortals. But death is."
Nico nodded his head. It seemed as though his father was trying to comfort him. Hades took a few steps toward Nico and studied him closely.
"It's hard for you to see them so scared." Hades told him. Nico already knew this. "They're only scared because they don't know that death is fair."
Hades pulled back and took a flower bud in his hand.
"In the end, everyone will be where they are supposed to be."
Nico nodded. Somehow this did help him a bit. Nico hoped that every ghost didn't do anything too bad in their lives.
"Thank you, father." Nico said, about to turn away. Hades nodded in response.
"And Nico," Nico turned back.
"Are you still with that Son of Apollo?"
Nico blushed deeply, turning as red as some of the roses.
"Yes." Nico said quietly. He swore he saw Hades lip turn slightly into a smirk.
"Good. I've been meaning to speak with Apollo anyway. You may leave."
Nico wasn't sure what he was going to do but Nico left as quickly as possible. As he walked back to meet Jason and Percy, he tried his best to cool the heat from his cheeks and look normal.
When he got back, he saw a shirtless Jason laughing as Percy was about to lick his own shoe.
"What are you doing?" he asked them. Percy set his foot back on the ground.
"Truth or dare, underworld addition." Percy answered simply. Nico looked at his friends in disgust before shaking his head.
"What happened to your shirt?" he asked Jason. Jason put his head down.
"Don't ask."
Then a ghost came up the the three.
"Everyone has completed their trial."
Thank you guys so much for the support! As some of you may know, my computer broke and I wrote this chapter on my moms. So, my updates might be a little more scattered. Anyway thanks so much!