Demigods at Hogwarts

Chapter 15: Diagon Alley and Stars

{Will's POV}

I wrapped my arm around Nico. We were in Diagon Alley. The headmistress had given us permission to go buy a few things I hadn't picked up, and I was doubling it as a date.

"Where are we going next?" Nico asked me.

"I was thinking we could go to Hogsmeade and eat lunch at the Three Broomsticks." I said. "Then we can go back to Hogwarts and do some homework-" Nico groaned at that- "and after night falls we can go watch the stars."

"Sure." Nico said. We went to the Leaky Cauldron and asked to use the Floo. It was the only way we could travel, neither of us knowing how to Apparate, and Nico's shadow travel would be too suspicious. When we popped out in the Three Broomsticks, several customers jumped, but Madam Roberta had been expecting us. We sat down and ordered.

"So, did you like your surprise?" I asked Nico.

"You know I did." He grumbled. "I kinda like seeing you. It's part of being your boyfriend."

"I know. I didn't think I would be able to come; Chiron sprung it on me and of course I said yes." Our food arrived and Nico and I started eating.

"How are you liking Hogwarts?" Nico asked.

"I've only been here a week, Nico." I had a lot of catching up to do. "But the classes are different, and most of the students I meet are friendly enough. Besides, we have all our classes together. What could be better than that?" I grinned at Nico trying to hide his smile behind his hand. I was glad I'd agreed to come; if I hadn't I wouldn't have seen that until the holidays started.

"I like that we get to be the most known exceptions to the rule and be friends with Slytherins. Everyone says we shouldn't." Nico said.

"Yeah. I mean, it would be really easy for Thalia- and Percy, for that matter- to go dark. If either of them did, I'd run the other way. But they won't. How have your nightmares been?" I asked.

"They've been better. I don't dream of Tartarus quite so much."

"That's good." I smiled at him and checked the time as our plates were taken away. "We should be heading back now." Nico and I paid and stepped out into the chilly air. It was still only fall, but already the winds blew cold. We went back to the Hogwarts, meeting Jason in the common room.

"How was your date?" Jason asked. Piper was curled up next to him on the chair.

"It was fun." Nico said. "Have you seen Reyna or anyone today?"

"I saw Reyna and Clarisse this morning, but that's it. I think Percabeth is down in the lake. I don't know where anyone else is."

"Percabeth?" Nico raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's what the Aphrodite cabin calls them. There are stacks of CDs and three different playlists 'for' them." Piper groaned. "I swear, my siblings are obsessed with them."

"And for good reason." I chuckled. "They've technically been engaged since their first quest, five years ago." Piper shot up.

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"Nope. So, in Ancient Greece, throwing an apple to a girl was a proposal. They played hacky sack with an apple. They're been engaged for years and didn't even know it." I grinned. It was a story often told around camp when Percy and Annabeth weren't there.

"Oh my gods why." Piper buried her face in a pillow., then stood up and yanked Jason to his feet. "Come on, Sparky, we're going to the Astronomy Tower." Nico and I took their spots on the couch, and I Summoned our homework. It was one of the few spells I knew. We started working on our potions essay, but didn't work for long. We ended up quizzing each other on Herbology and giving kisses as rewards for correct answers.