How Voldemort Made His Comeback

The Sorting Hat

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, not even half the quotes in this chapter!

Nico did not feel happy. Not happy at all. Some giant oaf called 'Hagrid' dumped him into a canoe much to his protesting and pushed him off into a lake. Were those whispers of a giant squid he heard from the constant chattering of the first years? Alas it didn't matter, Nico considered himself absolutely and positively screwed. He felt silly in this tiny flimsy canoe, what would Posidean think? Judging from how flooded the lake was, the sea god wasn't happy either.

"Hi, you're just like me." A little african girl with golden-brown hair and eyes reflected the excitement that his lacked. She felt a connection to this boy across from her, it wasn't romance, nothing like that. She felt like she had known him for centuries. "I'm-"

"I'm not a first year." Nico clenched his teeth as the boat rocked back and forth, trying to hold on to his lunch. Waves... Percy, oh hey Percy! Damn your dad to Tarturs... water... drowning... "Hell, how can you even stand this?"

"It's enchanted you moron. You know for someone who's not a first year, you sure are an idiot." Hazel dipped her fingers into the lake. "It's so icy."

"Stop dipping your fingers in the water! You're going to tip the boat!" Nico merely scowled, he couldn't verbally assault a kid for calling him a moron. "I didn't ask for a report on the temperature of the water!... Get your fingers out!"

"Spooky isn't it?" The little girl spoke to him again in a quiet whisper a few minutes later and gestured toward the pitch black water, "I hope nothing bad happens."

"Two words: Giant Squid." Nico immediately regretted saying that out loud. "Oh my gods!"

Under water... Some would describe drowning as 'peaceful' after the watered filled up 75% of the lungs. Newsflash, nothing like that at all. He tried with all his might to resist the suction-cup tentacles which enveloped his entire body, his knife. The celestial bronze knife in his back pocket, he had to somehow grab it. In other circumstances, the sword would be better but it was farther away. Farther away as in 'It-somehow-slipped-out-and-is-now-at-the-bottom-of-the-ocean.' Glancing upwards, he saw shadows drifting away from his upturned canoe. Where did that annoying twat go? Figures, wizards didn't help their own kind... Nico panicked when the tentacles flung him up into the air, he twisted and turned desperately as the Giant Squid played volleyball with his body, smacking him towards the beach. What a day.

The Great Hall had been slightly renovated but still retained that old fashion air, a courtroom in all of its glory. One fit for the Knights of the Round Table, the gleam of golden plates on every table caused faces to light up, everlasting candles floating in mid-air, and the sky as a ceiling. What could be more wonderfully beautiful? The four House tables were jam packed with second years to seventh years, all in perfect harmony on this very night. It would be the only night the school could be united in such intensity. What united foes more then food? Rivalries being set aside and being replaced with a feast fit for Kings, even Malfoy acted friendlier on this very night.

The Sorting of the Hat took place every year but under unfortunate circumstances Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. He briefly scanned the staff table, there seemed to be more empty seats. "Who do you think will be the new DADA teacher?"

"'Mione, there is a sudden crisis here! The food isn't app-"

"Shh! Ron!"

The first years had arrived, all soaking wet, Nico happened to be the only one caked in sand and cuts. The revenge of Posidean as he liked to call it... No he definitely wasn't happy.

"Bloody Hell... Neville! Where did your cousin head off to?" Ron momentarily forgot his hunger pangs as he observed the Son of Hades.

"I don't know, he's always hurt for some reason. My Gran jokes about him being in a gang... At least I think she's joking." Neville tilted his head and scratched.