When Myths Meet Magic || 5

37|| Nico

Nico didn't know what Luna meant but he was already against the idea.

"No," he said firmly. "We are not flying."

"I'm not shadow travelling," Ron snapped back. "It makes me wanna puke."

"How would we fly there anyways? Only Jason can fly."

Neville let out another sort of whimper-gasp.

"We?" Ron said again, throwing his hands into the air. "Okay, we need to clear things up. You three," he said, pointing first to Luna, then Neville, then Ginny, "are not coming."

"Why not?" Ginny demanded. "I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!"

"You're too —" Harry began.

"I'm three years older than when you fought You-Know-Who over the Sorcerer's Stone," she said fiercely.

"Yeah, but—"

"We were all in the D.A. together," Neville said quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game?"

"No, of course it wasn't," Harry said impatiently.

"Oh, just let them come," said Thalia.

"That too!" Ron said, wheeling on them. "You guys are not coming either!"

"Why not?" Percy demanded.

"Look, you guys don't always have to play the hero—"

"Look who's talking," Annabeth snarled. "The Stone. The Chamber. Going after Sirius. The Triwizard Tournament. And now this. Harry, it's okay to not go solo. You have to let some other people take the burden or else you'll be worked to death."

"And when have I gone solo?" Harry yelled. "You all were there for the Stone. Jason was there in the Chamber. Thalia was with us with Sirius. Nico was in the Tournament. I've never gone solo because you guys are constantly sticking to us! Just let it go, will you? You don't always have to save the day!"

"What have you got against us?" Percy roared. "We're your FRIENDS!"

"SIRIUS COULD BE DEAD BY NOW IF YOU WOULDN'T KEEP ARGUING."

"WE'RE THE ONES ARGUING? YOU THREE ARE THE ONES DEMANDING YOU GO BY YOURSELVES!"

"GUYS!" Neville shouted. "Are we going or not?"

"Of course we are," Ron said, gesturing to himself, Hermione, and Harry.

"Oh, come off it," Hermione snapped. "We really are wasting time. We need to leave, now."

"All of us?"

"All of us," she said firmly.

"The question is still, how're we going to get there?"

By now, they had reached the edge of the forest without anyone really realizing where they were.

"I thought we settled this," Luna said. "We're going to fly!"

"Look, not all of us can pull a Jason and just float up into the air—"

"We haven't all got brooms either—"

"You know, we might be able to get Frank to turn into a limo-dragon," said Thalia thoughtfully.

"We won't need a dragon," said Luna impatiently. "They can fly."

Everyone turned to see what Luna was looking at. By the edge of the forest, a pair of Thestrals stood serenely.

Hullo, Prince, one of them said to Nico.