Young and Old, Back and Bold

Chapter 10

"What's the real reason you joined us?" Dominic asked Allyson, them both standing back as Nico whispered to the ghost of Moaning Myrtle. "You didn't just hear us."

Allyson's green eyes fixated on his. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for."

He smirked. "Thanks. Now tell me the truth. Nico's my only friend and I'm not going to let you use him or anything."

"Use him? For what? He's a Weasley." she shook her head. "He doesn't have anything that I would want."

"Then why are you helping him?" Dominic insisted. "You've never even met him before. And on the train, you said you don't like making friends-"

"You're not his bodyguard." Allyson looked back to Nico, saw his slumped form and hopeless figure. "I came to help because I saw how sad he is. I could tell. I've seen it before on someone."

Dominic tugged at his black robes. "Who's this someone?"

"No one you'll ever figure out." Allyson untied her tie. "Nico, we didn't come here to socialize!" She let the tie hang loosely around her neck, capturing Dominic's attention from Nico's now darkening gaze.

"She was saying something important." he sat beside the sinks, his hair even messier than usual. "If you guys were listening then you would know."

"Dominic was being annoying." Allyson moved and sat beside Nico. "So, what'd she say?"

Nico watched as Dominic came to sit by them. "You okay?"

He nodded once, his eyes moving back to Allyson.

Nico sighed. "You're hopeless. Okay..." He looked up but frowned when he saw Myrtle had disappeared. "Where did she go?"

Some things you can't be told, son of Hades. Not yet.

Nico shivered as the voice seemed to run down his spine. "Never mind. She said...she called me 'master' just like the other ghosts do."

Allyson picked at a string coming from her socks. Nico hadn't seen her take her shoes off. "Hades would be in charge of ghosts, don't you think? Though 'master' may be a bit too much."

"But I'm not Hades," Nico argued. "I'm not the god of ghosts."

"But you're his son." Dominic scratched his chin. "Does that mean you're a god?"

"I'm not a god." Nico snapped.

"Whatever, that's not the point." Allyson declared. "The point is that the ghosts call you 'master' and the voice calls you 'son of Hades' and you've been mind-wiped or something. That's the point."

"No, I think the point is that he could be a god," Dominic replied. "You know how awesome that would be? We'd never die."

"Really?" Nico turned to face him. "Immortality? Don't you see how horrible that is?"

"You speak just like a true death god."

Allyson clamped a hand over Dominic's mouth. "Don't make me use a silencing charm. He's not a god."

"Gee, thanks," Nico muttered. "The voice is a liar."

"Just because you're not a god doesn't mean you can't be his son." Allyson took a notebook from her bag, starting to jot down notes he could actually read. "It depends on who Hades had you with, who your mother is. Your real mother, not Mrs. Weasley."

"And how do you expect to do that?" Nico pointed to his head. "No memories, remember? Just idiotic voices in here."

"We could see if you're from an old wizarding family." Dominic looked to Allyson to see if he was right. "Aren't there books on that?"

"Yes, there are books on that." she let his mouth go as it hadn't done any good. "There are books on everything, Cook."

"You don't have to call me my last name."

"I just did."

Nico stood up, silencing the two. "Look, I'm going to bed. We can find the stupid book tomorrow if I don't die from those stupid flying lessons."

"Don't do them," Allyson suggested, getting her stuff together. "Go fake sick. Or show Madam Pomfrey those scars you have."

Nico blushed. "How do you know about those?"

Allyson froze with her notebook in hand before she went into movement again. "Cause. I'm in Ravenclaw, remember?"

"So? Ravenclaws don't have superhuman powers." Nico gestured to himself. "I'm the one that's a god, remember?"

"Not a god." she corrected. "Half god."

"We don't know for sure." he crossed his arms. "So? How did you know?"

Allyson sighed. "You wince whenever you touch your biceps. The front of them more than anything. You go out of your way to make sure you don't touch them."

Dominic raised an eyebrow. "What kind of scars do you have, Nico?"

"None of your business." Nico made sure he had his own bag. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"I'm coming with you." Dominic looked to Allyson, his cheeks turning red. "Goodnight, Allyson."

"Goodnight, Huffles." she waved once before exiting the bathroom, leaving the boys alone in a room that was meant to only host girls.

"She knows too much." Nico hissed. "It's not just because she's smart."

"So?" Dominic stared at the door where she had left. "She's pretty."

Nico smacked the back of his head. "Focus. Let's get back to our common room at least. We're breaking the rules."

"We're Hufflepuffs," Dominic responded. "They don't care what we do."

"Really? Tell that to Filtch." Nico stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Come on, let's go. We can talk more in the morning."

Dominic nodded in agreement. "On our way to flying practice."

Nico scowled. "I'm not going. And you can't make me."

Dominic smirked. "Whatever you say."