Young and Old, Back and Bold

Chapter 20

"Ron said that?" Dominic asked, throwing his books to the floor as he fell onto his bed. He never used a bag. "I knew Snape was bad but to go after something Dumbledore is hiding? That's more Voldemort bad."

"I know." Nico sat on his own bed. "It's idiotic, is what it is."

"What do you think the dog's guarding?" Dominic asked. "What would have wizards getting that kind of dog as a guard?"

Nico shrugged as he leaned back against the wall. "I have no idea. I can't think of anything that would make sense. Nicolas Flamel... Have you ever heard of him?"

"Nope."

"That's what I thought." Nico took his robe off and flung it to the floor where Dominic's had also landed. "Maybe I'll ask Annabeth tomorrow. She said she was the daughter of Athena. She should be smart."

"She's hot," Dominic commented. "Not as pretty as-"

"Allyson." Nico finished. "You like Allyson. You like any girl with a pulse. You like any guy with buzzed hair. You may even like some animals. We get it."

Dominic's cheeks turned red. "You're lucky we're in private, you know."

"And I'm lucky my hair isn't buzzed." Nico laid down. "If Will's is buzzed, I better not catch you staring at him."

"I won't, I won't," Dominic promised. "Just get some sleep. Did they ever say when he'll be here by?"

Nico shook his head. "I'll ask in the morning. I think Annabeth is actually taking her classes seriously but I don't know about the others."

"She's like a second Hermione." Dominic glanced over as the door opened, another Hufflepuff coming in to ruin their conversation. "Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight."

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Nico walked into the Great Hall to find the three transfer students sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table. Their heads were together as they ate, a book in front of Annabeth as it was in front of Hermione, some ways away down the same table.

The look of them together sent shivers down Nico's spine. They made him think of old times but kept him unable to recall what those times actually were.

His hair had been getting longer. If he was back home, Mrs. Weasley would have cut it without a second thought. Now it scratched at his chin and nipped at his neck, curly and unruly from the night. It seems he never heard of a comb or brush.

His robes hung off his small frame. He had never been able to grow into anything of Fred and George's. He remained shorter than Ron, shorter than Harry and Hermione. He remained shorter than anyone else.

"Annabeth." he made each of the demigods jump in their seats. "Can I sit for a minute?"

"Here," Percy patted the spot next to him. "What's wrong? What do you want to talk about? Did you remember anything?"

"Breathe, Percy." Annabeth watched Nico as he settled into the seat. "Let him talk."

"I just had a question." Nico grabbed a slice of toast and started to spread butter on it. "Have you talked to Will? When's he coming? Is he getting on a plane or what?"

"Oh..." Percy looked back down at his plate. "That's all you wanted to know... Well, it's good you care about him still. He's been missing you."

"Is he coming?"

"Yeah, he's coming," Annabeth answered. "Has to get a plane ticket and stuff. And he has some...things to tend to at camp before coming. He runs the Infirmary, remember?"

Nico nodded as he picked the crust off his toast. "He heals people? How'd he get with a son of death?"

Percy and Annabeth exchanged glances. "We're not sure," Percy admitted. "It happened after the Second Giant War, against Gaea."

"And who was that again?" Nico asked. "Gaea...Gaea... Doesn't ring a bell."

"It was the last war." Piper inputted. "People died. You and Will had to work together. By the time I got back to camp...you two were together. None of us really know for sure how it happened."

"Was it pity?" Nico asked. "Was he with me out of pity?"

Percy shook his head, a smile gracing his lips. "No, that I know for sure. He loved you, Nico. He still does."

"I'm a child compared to him," Nico muttered. "I'm like eleven."

"We might be able to get you back to your right age." Annabeth offered. "We're going to try. And we're going to try to get your memories back. But you won't forget these memories, I promise."

Nico crumbled the crust of his toast. "Fine... When's he coming?"

"He should be here by the end of the week." Annabeth guessed. "That should be at the longest."

Nico stood up, leaving his toast uneaten on the table. "Okay, thank you. I have to get to my classes, now. Unlike you, I'm actually a wizard." He stood there for a minute before letting himself smile. "That was a try at a joke. I don't know what my humor used to be, so get used to mine now."

He waved once before walking back to the Hufflepuff table, grabbing his bag from beside Dominic on the bench. "Ready?"

"Ready." Dominic stood up from the scraps left on his plate. "How'd it go?"

"Good." Nico cast one last glance to the ones he used to know before walking off with Dominic. "Will should be here by the end of the week. He's got healing stuff to do, I guess."

"That's good." Dominic dumped some of his books into Nico's bag. "Did they have anything else to say?"

Nico shrugged. "Don't know if I believe them. Annabeth said she could get me my memories back." He glanced over at Dominic. "But why would I want to remember such horrible times as two wars and a place like...like that pit?"

"That's true," Dominic admitted. "But if it comes... Take it. It'll help you see what you should really do. If you...if you want to stay in this world or not."

"Of course I'm staying in this world." Nico smiled as he pulled his wand from his pocket. "Have you seen what this thing can do? There's no way I'm giving it up."

Dominic chuckled as they got to one of the moving staircases. "But your powers...the ones from your father... They could also be awesome."

"Shadows, shadows," Nico shrugged. "Not very appealing. Especially if Will is all about light."

Dominic walked in silence for a minute before glancing over at Nico. "But if you and Will do hit it off again, if you do get your memories, then you're going to want to always be with him. And he can't stay at Hogwarts forever. He's a demigod, not a wizard. He doesn't belong in this world."

Nico clenched his jaw. "Yeah, well... I'll deal with that when we get to it." He felt the weight of his school bag, put his wand back in his pocket. "But right now, I have classes. I'm still a wizard."