Young and Old, Back and Bold

Chapter 25

An: okay so to clear up any confusion and to answer some questions...

This is an au so Harry is 11. Nico was the only demigod sent back in time, while also being deaged so he could grow up to be 11 when Harry reached 11. So when Allyson was there she didn't go back in time or anything like that. Shes an actual daughter of Hecate that is actually eleven. And the gods chose this way instead of just installing fake memories because when Nico found out they were fake, he might not feel the same way about his family. But knowing that they actually did take him in on their own free will and actually raised him will help him stick to the wizarding world even if he found out about the demigods cause they need him to protect Harry and help against Voldemort. Does that make sense? Let me know if it doesn't

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Saturday night, Nico led Percy and Annabeth into the Forbidden Forest. Percy was carrying a sword that looked surprisingly familiar, its pitch black blade leaking of death and destruction.

It was a blade that had killed, Nico was certain.

They got to a clearing the moon had graciously lit up for them. Nico stepped into it before looking to Percy and Annabeth, his robes fluttering about in the night wind. "The sword. Is it mine?"

Percy glanced at Annabeth before holding the sword out. "How'd you know?"

"It seems like something a death boy would carry around." Nico took it delicately by the hilt. "What did I kill with this?"

"Monsters." Annabeth grabbed the dagger from her thigh holder. "Look alive!" She charged toward him with her dagger in hand, her shout ringing through the quiet night and breaking apart the peace it once held.

Battle. Adrenaline. It came like a sixth sense to Nico. He ducked, he fought, his blade gleamed in the moonlight.

"Don't let it touch you!" he hopped back from one of Annabeth's assaults before attacking again. "The blade will take your soul!"

Where had he learned that? As soon as he thought about it, his skills lessoned and Annabeth got through his defense. Before he knew it he was laying on his back, staring up at the moon above.

Annabeth was sitting on his chest with her dagger at his throat, her breaths coming short and fast. "That was good, Nico. Really good for your first time in eleven years."

"He fought like he used to," Percy spoke up, having been watching from the grass not too far away. "It was like watching you and Nico practice together back at camp."

Nico pushed Annabeth off him. "But I'm not him. We've covered that. I'm a Weasley now. They actually raised me, Percy. They took me in even when they didn't have enough money for their own kids. I'm not abandoning them."

Percy looked down at the grass. "I know."

"You obviously don't if you keep saying it!" Nico grabbed his sword before rising to his feet. "So what if I fought like him? So what if I can remember some things? So what if I love Will Solace?! I'm a wizard! I live here! And nothing you can do will change that! I want to be here! You know what will happen if I go with you?! I'll be called a murderer again! Because I am! I killed Bryce Lawrence, Percy!"

The forest was silent. Nico's angry breaths faded into the cold air until he had nothing left but a numb sense of reality stabbing at his heart. The words seemed to have broken down some barrier within him, seemed to break whatever seal the gods had put there. In that moment, standing before Percy beneath the moon, he remembered everything.

And nothing about it made him happy or relieved.

"Nico..." Annabeth took a step towards him. He could see her falling into Tartarus, could see himself high fiving her at camp. "You need to sit down and breathe."

"I'm breathing perfectly fine, Annabeth." Nico snapped. "I don't need...I..." He sunk to his knees. What did he need? What could he do but watch these memories, relive them, remember them?

Bianca, Hazel, Will, Reyna. Tartarus, the camps, Maine and the Underworld. Bryce Lawrence. All the monsters and ghosts.

He was a murderer, that was known at camp. But here, hidden within the halls of Hogwarts, he wasn't. He was still a Weasley boy. He was who his mother raised him to be.

"You guys should go back to camp." Nico looked up at Annabeth, looked into her eyes. "I...I understand now. And you should go back to camp. You need to train the young campers incase something else happens. And you need to tell Hazel that I'm okay and that I'll visit her soon. Then you need to never come back here. Demigods and wizards don't mix. Unless you want another war, go back to America and don't tell anyone about this place."

"You remember," Annabeth concluded. "They all came back to you."

Nico nodded. "And I'm still a Weasley. So please, go. I can take care of myself now."

Percy walked over and put a hand on Nico's shoulder. "Neeks...take care of yourself, you hear me? And ask if you need anything. You're still our family."

Nico nodded. "Say hi to your mom for me."

Percy kneeled in front of Nico and hugged him. "I know, no hugging, but make an exception."

Nico sighed as he leaned into Percy. "Fine, whatever... Are you going to hate me for this decision? I'm finally going to have a great life that doesn't involve being looking down upon because of my father."

"We wouldn't ever hate you." Percy let him go. "And we understand your decision. The gods put you here for a reason."

"And Hazel will agree," Annabeth confirmed. "You know she will. As long as you're happy."

"How's she been doing?" Nico asked. "Has she been okay?"

Annabeth nodded. "Just worried about you."

"I'll visit her soon," Nico promised. "Until I can, will you let her know I'm okay? But don't say anything about wizards. Nobody else can know about this."

Annabeth nodded before looking to Percy. "We should get going."

"I can take you." Nico offered, holding his hands out. "Let's stop and get Piper and your stuff, then we'll be on our way."

"So you're comfortable using your powers?" Annabeth asked.

Nico nodded. "Come on, I don't have all night. I need to think of something to tell people when they ask where you went."

"Say we had family stuff that got too serious." Annabeth grabbed his hand, followed by Percy. "Okay, we're ready."

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"Okay, here we are." Nico breathed in the smell of strawberries as they appeared beside the Big House. "Run along to your cabins."

Percy looked to Nico after he recovered from the sensation. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? You've always been pretty independent...but still..."

"I'm going to be fine," Nico promised. "Just take care of things here and let me know if you all need help. I'll pop in from time to time. But I've got to settle things in the wizarding world first and make sure that whoever knows about demigods doesn't tell. Then I need to see how the Underworld is."

"Yeah, okay." Percy grabbed Annabeth's hand. "Are you sure you're alright, though? Having all your memories now...it can be a lot. Especially from the bad ones."

Nico stared at the darkening sky, a piece of hair sticking to his lip. "I just have a lot to think about, a lot to do."

"Just take care of yourself, whatever you do." Annabeth pulled Nico into a hug. "And remember, when that...place...bothers you, remember that you're not alone. It bothers us, too."

You didn't go through it alone, Nico thought. You had each other. You had the Mist to protect your minds. You have no idea what I experienced down there.

"Yeah, okay." Nico pulled away from the hug. "Bye."

Percy and Annabeth's smiles gleamed in the moonlight. "Bye."

Why'd he have to care so much about them?