When Swords Meet Wands

Some Stars and a Lot of Tears. A Dash of Kitten, Too.

Thalia

Thalia was sitting next to Nico as he sobbed silently. Thalia just sat next to him. She'd already tried speaking to him but he took no notice of her. Thalia finally couldn't stand her closest friend and cousin suffer any longer. Desperate times call for desperate measures, she thought. "Hey, Nico. Hey! HEY!" She shouted. He grunted in response. "Look at me, Nico. Look at me." She slapped him sharply. He turned to look at her with bloodshot eyes and streaky cheeks.

"You're safe, okay? You're not in that place anymore. Will's safe too. He's at camp. You're at Hogwarts. There is nothing to harm us here. Tar- that place is over. You're not there." Thalia didn't see much of a reaction from Nico. So she thought, maybe Nico is feeling lonely. He never felt accepted at camp a few months ago. Maybe he still feels like that. So she told him about all the people who cared about him. She reminded him about all the silly things that had happened at camp. She reminded him about Will and all things he'd done for Nico. "How do you know all that?" He asked suspiciously. Thalia smirked. "I have my ways, little cousin."

She finally enveloped him in a huge bear hug. He resisted for a second, but relaxed into the hug. A good five minutes later, he pulled away. "Thanks, Thalia." "What? Is the Ghost King thanking me?" She teased. He scowled. It was good to see him normal again.

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Thalia, Nico, Percy and Annabeth walked into the Great Hall. Everyone was happily talking and eating. The ghosts were la-dee-daa- ing all over the place. It was a very happy sight. Until some idiot saw the demigods and shouted, "Hey, look! It's the creeps!" He pointed vigorously at them. Thalia saw that it was the same boy who bullied- correction- tried to bully Annabeth at the station. She memorised his face for future punchbag needs. Honey-blond hair, brown eyes and a handsome face. A player.

"Didn't your mother teach you it was rude to point, my dear Eddie?" Thalia searched for the speaker, surprised someone was sticking up for them. She found Ginny Weasley, shouting from the Gryffindor table.

Nico had turned white. He strode over to the 'Eddie' boy and grabbed his collar. Nico wasn't speaking very loudly, but Thalia could just make out what he was saying. "If you think losing your loved ones being your biggest fear is 'creepy', then sure, by all means, call us creeps. But I will make sure you will wish you were never born." He shoved him back into the table and walked to the Gryffindor table. He plopped himself between Hermione and Seamus, who flinched away from him. Nico glared at him, a special fury glare, topped with just the right amount of death. "Got a problem?" Seamus shook his head, looking like a dog trying to shake the water off.

The teachers finally seemed come out of their reverie. McGonagall shouted, "Mr. di Angelo! Detention in my office. Eight o clock, tomorrow."

Thalia smiled and pulled at Percy's sleeves. "Well come on!" He and Annabeth shared a quick kiss before Annabeth went to the Ravenclaw table. Thalia sat down opposite to Ron, who was gazing at the demigods in awe. Thalia looked around the table and saw weird dishes. There were lots of tiny pies filled with brown stuff, a big puffy brown pastry ball, and lots and lots of vegetables. What are they thinking? Do they think the students are just rabbits and deer who just like to shovel down buckets of carrots and peas? Surely it must illegal to serve truckloads of vegetables to 11 – 17 year olds? And the vegetables were not even flavoured! Thalia didn't know if just her taste buds had died or the vegetables really did taste so bland.

Anyway, Thalia listened in to Ron and Hermione's conversation. Honestly, they argued like an old married couple.

"Honestly, Ronald, would it kill you to eat properly like a decent human being?"