Worlds Collide Harm(fully)(lessly)

Chapter 21

Watching Harry disappear into the lake was almost as nerve-wracking as Ron being missing. But he had Dominic to sit with, and water wasn't his area of specialty, so Nico sat and bit his nails and waited.

When Harry finally came up with Nico's adopted brother, both alive, he couldn't help but cheer with the others in the crowd. Harry had done his task, and Nico's own task was complete. Harry would continue on to the third and final task.

And as the days went on, his anxiety bubbled up with what could happen, what Voldemort was planning. He stopped worrying about Malfoy and if the git would become good, stopped going to their sessions and stopped asking Dominic how they were going. He was too focused on what would happen at the end of the tournament. What Voldemort had in mind.

Things were heating up, like Crouch's disappearance and the twins' apparent need for a joke shop, but it all went right over his head. His life was one day after another, more anxiety outweighing the old. Hours and weeks spun together, and before he knew it, he was getting pulled into a spare room by Dominic the weekend before the third task.

"So you're a kidnapper, now?" Nico asked.

Dominic shut the door. "Put up a charm so nobody can hear us."

"Why?"

"Just...please."

Nico did as he was told before pocketing his wand. "Okay, what do you want?"

"I'm worried about the tournament."

Nico's face fell. "What do you mean?"

"The voices, they-"

"Dominic, are these 'voices' part of your psychic abilities, or are they just voices?"

"They said things Rachel and Ella got from the Sibylline books."

"Damn it." Nico sat at a desk and gestured for Dominic to continue.

"They...they make it seem like you're going to help with Voldemort's rising, and with your track record-"

"Excuse me?"

"With you being a death eater," Dominic corrected, "I'm worried."

"You think I'm going to go on his side for real? Are you kidding me?"

"Not for real," Dominic defended. "I'm scared you're going to do something you never signed up for. What Rachel and I figured out..."

"What did you and Rachel 'figure out'?" Nico asked.

"Among the stones of the damned, evil rises by the Ghost King's hand," Dominic recited. "I heard it from the voices and Ella recited it. And the other lines I heard...Whistle, whistle, dark and cold whistle/gravestones and blood dripping into the soil; Mother and father, warn one another/Mother and father, rise with each other-"

Nico paled. "What did you say?"

Dominic repeated the last phrase. "Why? What do you know?"

Nico looked like he was going to throw up, but he struggled to his feet and played with the bracelet Dominic had given him at Christmas. "I need to go."

"Nico-"

"Listen, I..." Nico stumbled over his words. "Fine, I'll admit it. I may be in a little over my head. But I can't do anything about that right now. Worrying isn't going to solve it. All I can do is go prepare and pray to the Fates that everything works out."

"And if it doesn't? If you need some help?"

"You'll be the first I contact."

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