Hogwarts gains +1 ghost king

Chapter 8: Home

Just saying this will have a really bad start to it. K? K.

One other thing, the excerpt on devil's snare is taken from Harry Potter wiki.

I tried getting past the weeds every night to no avail. I couldn't seem to get past them. Slashing with my sword? Nope. Matches? Nope. Even hellfire wouldn't work, though the plants seemed to recoil at the heat. Or was it the light? Who knew. I got almost no sleep and people were starting to notice. I'm usually pale and I always have dark circles,  but I'm getting even paler and the circles darker. I sigh into my book, remembering the conversation the golden trio had with me when I arrived to the "study group" in the library.

I had just sat down at the table with my, what are they? I guess friends. They looked up as I sat down with a pile of books blocking my face. I placed them on the table and look up at the top of the pile. I hear what sounds like a muffled gasp, and a squeak of astonishment. I look at the other three at the table. Hermoine has her hand over her mouth, Harry was biting his lower lip, and Ron was just staring with his mouth agape.

"What?" I snap, knowing I look less than ideal.

"Nico," Hermoine starts. "Are- are you feeling alright? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine, I just don't sleep."

"Blimey mate! Why don't you sleep? It's one of the best parts of the day!" Ron says, astonished.

"I'm just never tired!" I growl, frightening them.

"Ok Nico! If you need a sleeping draught, they have it in the hospital wing." Hermoine says as she hugs me trying to calm me down. I stiffen at the touch. No one has hugged me in so long, it's unnatural, and I'm not sure if I like it. She let's go and picks the book back up. I just sit there, confused. Why would someone want to touch me? I give off vibes that shoo away all living beings. I just picked up my book, changed it to Ancient Greek, and read.

"Anyone find anything?" Hermoine asks.

"No." we chorus back. I was reading a book on vines, but they didn't know that because it was in Ancient Greek, how convenient. I flipped through the pages, and tried not to gasp when I found an illustration of the vine I had been struggling against for months. Devils snare. It had a stupid yet catchy little poem with it.

Devils snare, devils snare,
It's deadly fun,
But it burns in the sun.

Sunlight, that's the secret. I read the rest of the page.

Devil's Snare is a plant with the magical ability to constrict or strangle anything in its surrounding environment or something that happens to touch it. Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare will cause the plant to exert a greater force of constriction.

Devil's Snare does not seem to be common, but certain herbologists have access to it. It is composed of a mass of soft, springy tendrils and vines that possess some sense of touch, and resembles the Flitterbloom. This plant uses its creepers and tendrils to ensnare anyone who touches it, binding their arms and legs and eventually choking them. The harder a person struggles against Devil's Snare, the faster and more tightly it binds them. If the victim is able to maintain their presence of mind and relaxes, the Snare will relax its grip on them. Devil's Snare prefers a dark, damp environment. It will stop its movement in the environment in front of bright light and will recoil away from the heat of fire, so a well-placed flame spell such as bluebell flames will drive it away from its victims.

I reverted the book back to English and slipped it into Hermoine's bag. I could have just told them but something told me it wasn't time yet. After at least another hour, we packed up our books and went down to the great hall. Since it wasn't a meal time, I sat at the Gryffindor table with the golden trio.

"So what are you guys doing for Christmas?" Hermoine asks.

"I'm staying here." Says Harry.

"Me too. Mum and dad are visiting Charlie in Romania." Ron answered glumly.

"Nico?" Prompts Hermoine.

"I might be going back to America, but I'm not sure yet. I might just stay here." I tell them.

"Well don't you want to visit your family?" Ron asks me.

I tense and speak in a cold voice, "My family is dead."

"Oh." I hear all three of them at the same time.

I stand up. "I'm going to my dorm."

"Ok Nico, see you later." Hermoine whispers.

I walk as quickly as I can to my dorm, enter, cast a silencing spell, and completely break down, screaming and crying. I let it all out. I just snapped, I couldn't take it anymore.

My mother, dead. Killed by Zeus because of me.

Bianca, dead. Killed saving the others on the quest because she tried to get me a gift.

My father, not dead. Doesn't care about me. Wishes I was the one that had died instead. I wish that too.

When I'm done, I've made up my mind. I'm going to camp half blood for Christmas. One week there, one week here. I go try to find the trio to inform them as Christmas break starts tomorrow. I find them and tell them, they just nod. I pack my bags and in the morning I'm back on the Hogwarts express. When I arrive in London, I shadow travel to camp. I look down at the valley and take a deep breath.

Home.