A few weeks of boredom soon passed Percy by. True to his word, Voldemort did nothing to force Percy's hand into joining him. The wizard had allowed him freedom around the house - with the exception of a few places that Percy was certainly exploring when he got the chance, - invited him to join with dinner and made frequent small talk. Which yes, typically ended in some speech about joining his side.
There had been a couple of times when Voldemort looked close to attempting something nasty, and Percy wanted to test how much he could piss this wizard off before they got sick of him and left him an opportunity to leave.
Perhaps the freakiest experience Percy'd had during his stay was the one time he woke up to find Bellatrix perched at the end of his bed watching him. He didn't sleep properly after that.
This morning he woke at the crack of dawn, faint pink light only just beginning to paint the horizon. Percy slipped out of bed and crept down the hall. As far as he'd analysed, nobody was ever up at this time. Except maybe Voldemort, but his chambers were one of the places Percy was forbidden to venture near.
He'd spent a few days planning. There had to be more skeletons in Voldemort's closet than he was willing to share, and Percy was determined to find them. To prove that everything he preached was born of nothing good and would only lead down the road of misery. And of course, where did most bad guys hide their metaphorical or literal skeletons?
In the basement.
As far as Percy could tell, the basement was guarded by a spell and maybe one guard at night. He figured he could take down the guard easily enough - assuming he was quiet and got close enough before the guard noticed him. Obviously something was hidden in that basement. Why else would there be a guard?
By now Percy had the place pretty much mapped out. All the exits and hallways and rooms were burned into his memory. He'd walked those paths a hundred times to familiarise himself. Maybe something in that basement could cause a distraction long enough for Percy to escape, so he'd need to know his escape route.
Percy lightened his footsteps, taking more care with each step, avoiding the creaky floorboards. His breathing quietened, slowly inhaling and exhaling through his mouth. Clenched in his hand was Riptide, still in pen form but ready to be uncapped at his need. He weaved down the halls, staying close to the walls. His ears picked up on every sound and his body was taut with anticipation.
There.
Lazily leaning against the wall staring out into the darkness was the guard. He was a Death Eater Percy didn't recognise. They evidently weren't expecting company. After all, who would? What idiot would try disobey the Dark Lord or break into something on his territory.
In this case, Percy was glad for his grandfather's reputation. It allowed him to get close enough.
Shrouded in the dark Percy slid along against the wall, step by step until he was close enough to pounce, his arm slipping around the guard's head and clamping down on their mouth, drawing their head back into his chest. Riptide sprang to its full size and balanced lightly at the guard's throat.
The guard struggled, grasping uselessly for their wand. Percy quickly dissuaded them from such attempts by stomping heavily on the guard's foot. His yell was muffled by Percy's hand. However, the sight of gleaming metal at his throat was enough to quieten him.
"Shhh..." Percy hushed quietly, his voice barely a whisper. He raised the hilt of his sword and bashed it against the side of the guard's head. With his demigod strength, the guard crumped and Percy gently lay him on the ground, unconscious. Percy grabbed the torn strips of old clothing from the closet he'd tied around his waist and used them to tie up and gag the guard.
Percy stood and examined the door. It was locked and required a key. Percy searched the guard's clothes and quickly found it, unlocking the door.
Quietly, he closed it behind him and descended the steps into Voldemort's basement. What greeted him wasn't entirely beyond his expectations. It'd been fitted into a prison. Thankfully, the prisoners were asleep. Only the gods knew what kind of panicked ruckus they would make had they been awake.
He searched the rows of faces behind bars, not entirely sure what he was looking for. Just something that he could hold against Voldemort, or something big and bad to cause a distraction. Surely an evil overlord keeps some kind of monster in their own prison - right?
At the end of the basement there was another room blocked off by a wooden door. It was tightly sealed but strangely enough only had a single lock as protection. Percy figured that was as good a place as any to hide something big and bad.
Are these guys stupid? Not even a padlock? You really trust your magic that much?
But when Percy really thought about it, wasn't that like Camp Half-Blood? They didn't have protective gates or reinforcements. They had a magical barrier that shielded them from the world and all those who wished to harm them. And they trusted it. They also trusted that nobody would be dumb enough to come knocking on a magical base full of armed magical kids.
And a dragon. The dragon was a pretty good safety measure too.
The spells places upon the locks were to permit anybody from using another spell to unlock it. Evidently it had never been considered that somebody would try to pick the lock like a normal person. Like a muggle.
Thus after fifteen anxious minutes, Percy managed to pick the lock and the door clicked open.
But what he found inside...
Nico!?
Percy's eyes went wide. It couldn't be!
He rushed forwards and tore the blindfold off the teen's face. Anger and stubbornness glared at Percy from his grimy face until it morphed into surprise. The teenager gave a muffled cry of his name. They both squinted against the bright light of the room that seemed to drive the darkness out of every corner.
"Nico!?" Percy whispered harshly. "What are you doing here?"
Nico gave him a pointed look. Hastily, Percy tugged the fabric out of Nico's mouth.
"I could ask you the same thing! What're you doing here?" Nico spoke. His voice sounded cracked and dry. He hadn't spoken for quite some time and the raspiness of his voice made it obvious.
"Never mind that right now. We need to leave," Percy said as he slipped Riptide's blade under the ropes that heavily bound Nico's limbs together and cut him free. Percy helped the teenager to his feet and urged him towards the door but Nico's legs gave out on him the moment he took a step. He was incredibly weak. "Gods, what did they do to you?"
Nico numbly shook his head. "Nothing."
Percy snorted. "Yeah right."
A wave of guilt washed over him, bearing down on him. Nico really did look terrible. His naturally pale complexion was hidden underneath dark layers of grime and if possible he looked skinnier than usual. His hair was thinned and greasy and there was blood staining his ragged clothing. Percy didn't dare think of where all of it was from right now.
Dammit! Why didn't I come here sooner? Why did I wait so long? He's been down here this whole time! Percy kicked himself mentally for his foolishness. He'd wanted to find the skeletons and he had. Just not the ones he'd wanted.
"We've got no time," Percy muttered. He hooked one arm under Nico's knees and the other behind his back and swept him up. "Hold on. When we get out there I'm going to need you to ward of the ghosts with your ability, okay? I can't do that."
"Mmm..." Nico muttered drowsily. Ever since standing he'd been overcome with waves of dizziness and was slipping out of consciousness.
Percy started to panic. "Nico? Nico! C'mon, stay with me."
Again, another drowsy response.
The demigod clenched his teeth and carried the son of Hades back across the basement, no longer caring about how much noise he made.
Nico needed help.
His help.
Up the stairs, turn the corner and stop.
Percy's heart leapt into his throat.
The tall dark figure rose above him, watching him sinisterly from the shadows. The creature tutted as if disappointed in a child it'd caught raiding the kitchen for a midnight snack.
"Oh, Percy... what've you done?"
~~~~
Dun dun duuuuuun.
Peace,
BTSWD
Borntosingwithdrama