Nico at Hogwarts

Part 17

We slowly crept closer to the place where the roar came from. The whole darkness and sneaking around gave me the feeling like I was in Tartarus again. A cold shiver made it's way down my spine and I quickly started to think about something else. I didn't want to think of that place right now.

I started to hear a voice speaking as I got closer. It was a deep and definitely male, it was a bit on the loud side, the owner of the voice clearly didn't really care if someone hear him. The man, at least I hope it is a man, probably thought that no one would be stupid enough to go into the forbidden forest. 'I just called myself stupid. Great, next thing I know I'm going to start insult Zeus in the way Percy does; loud and very obnoxious.' I thought to myself.

I looked over at Neville just to look how he's doing. His brow was furrowed and it looked like he was concentrating on the voices. I wanted to ask if he recognized them but we were getting closer now and if they weren't friendly it wouldn't be so good to be heard. We were almost at the place where the voices were. We just had to go through something that looked like a blueberry bush and then some few feet to go.

I started to focus more on my feet to make sure that I didn't step on a pile of dried leaves or an old stick. That would be a disaster. I stilled as I heard an other voice grumble "Something smells." In broken english. I looked at Neville to see him to start pushing through the bush. I reached my hand out to stop him but I was too late. He was so focussed on the voices that he didn't watch his footing and tripped over a root. Neville got almost launched through the bush leaving a Neville shaped hole in it. I thought that a son of Demeter wouldn't trip over something like a root, but I guess I was wrong. I hear Neville roll down before he came to a stop with a groan. Somebody, probably a girl shrieked hard while I hear a familiar voice scream 'Merlins bloody underpants!' and the deeper voice I hear earlier say 'Goderick all mighty!'.

I peeked through the hole and saw that we were on top of the hill. At the foot was a very dizzy looking Neville and a familiar golden trio with a very tall man. In the far corner tied to a tree was something that looked like a small giant.

Hermione seemed to come over her shock first and was the first one to realize that Neville was laying on the ground. "God Neville, what are you doing in the forest alone?!" He cried out. "You know it is forbidden for students to go in here-" She said before stopping herself when Harry gave her a look.

I made my sword disappear in the shadows and stepped out from the bushes, making my way down the hill. I kept an suspicious eye on the man and the giant. I had the feeling I had seen the giant somewhere before but I just couldn't figure out where.

"Calm down Hermione. He was with me and you know I wouldn't let him get hurt." I said. I held my hand out to help Neville up from the ground. The giant man frowned at me.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I can ask you the same thing." I replied easily.

Hermione gave an sigh. "Hagrid this is Nico Di Angelo. Nico meet Rubius Hagrid, gatekeeper of Hogwarts and our professor Care of Magical Creatures." Hagrid nodded. "And that is my half brother Grump." He said waving towards the giant figure tied to the tree. "You are the American student, yes?" He asked after that, I nodded.

The figure apparently called Grump snorted and narrowed his eyes at me. I looked a bit better and I recognized him. Grump is one of Tyson's giant friends. They are on the same level when it comes to IQ, it is probably the reason that they like each other so much, they understand the other.

"Hey Grump! Good to see you again!" I shouted at him, "Remember me? I'm one of Tyson's friends" I continued when he looked at me confused, but his eyes brightened when 'Tyson' left my mouth. He started clapping in his gigantic hands. "TY-TY!" He boomed. The birds literally flew up, at least what was left of the birds.

"You know grump?" Ron asked.

I just shrugged. "He's friends with my cousin. They are almost the same..." I cut my self of before I said 'But Tyson has one eye'. The wizards thought cyclops were extinct, it would be a lot of explaining if I said they were still alive. Sure Hermione would understand, but Harry and Ron wouldn't. And I would have to explain everything to them and I wasn't really in the mood for that.

"That's doesn't matter right now!" Hermione said a bit snottily. "What matters is that you are in the forbidden forest, all alone and without a teacher!" She gave Neville and I one of the looks that Annabeth gave Percy a lot. It just screamed the demand 'explain or I'll ground you'.

"And why does Neville have a dagger?" Harry pointed out.

Neville looked at me hopelessly. He didn't know what to do, at all. I didn't know what to do either but I did one thing that most demigods were really good in. Improvising.

"Well, that is kind of my fault." I said with a chuckle. "After I had asked something to Neville to Neville about Herbology I went here, just going for a walk. Neville was scared that I was going to get myself in trouble and followed me. I gave him my dagger since magic isn't always that useful against creatures that are in the forest. After a while we hear a roar and decided to check it out. And that is the story of how we came here." I finished. I looked at Neville and held out my hand to him. Neville understood what I was asking for and gave my my dagger back which I put between my belt and my jeans.

Hagrid sighed. "Well, lets get you back to the castle before anyone misses you or before you'll get into trouble." 

[a/n]

AND an other chapter is done! I really should be studying right now but I don't wanna. It's crazy that I get inspiration when I'm studying for school but have none when I have a lot of free time.

Tomorrow is going to be the date that I started writing this story a year ago(22-june-2015). It is just crazy how fast time flies, it feels like just yesterday that I started with an idea and now I'm at chapter 17. I just feels so surreal. 

I hope you guys like the new chapter. 

PLeASe keep the comments nice and VOTE.

XOXO
Herondale