Young and Old, Back and Bold

Chapter 32

Nico had never felt pure failure before. He had gotten captured in Tartarus, yes, but he had been the first to make it out alive. He may have fallen into that pit, but he had found the Doors of Death. Now, all he had done had been let Harry go and possibly face Voldemort alone.

He went against his quest, went against his goal. He went against everything he was there for because of a second of panic, a second of feeling that his brother was in trouble.

He had failed.

It was after everything went down did he go to Dumbledore's office, knowing he could only do one other thing, so he had to do it right. As if he was waiting for him, Dumbledore sat as his desk with the stone placed in front of him.

"I was wondering when I'd see you, Mr. Weasley." His eyes twinkled. "I think I know what you're here for."

"My father...er, my biological father, he can destroy it. Properly. May I take it to him?"

Dumbledore stood up. "I've already talked to my friend, Mr. Flamel. We both believe that is best."

"He knows he'll die?"

"He knows as much as you do that you can't hold off death forever, son of Hades."

Nico cocked his head to the side. "Does he know about the punishment he'll face? He cheated death, just not as formally as Sisyphus."

Dumbledore wrapped the stone before holding it out. "Even you don't know some things, Mr. Weasley. Death may not be able to be stopped, but other things aren't so inevitable."

Nico hesitated before taking the stone. "What do you want me to do?"

Dumbledore didn't answer, but his eyes twinkled some more.

It was an hour later when Nico arrived in the Underworld before his father's throne. It was the first time he stepped foot in the vast land since Hecate had robbed him of many demigod years, but he felt back at home in the shadows that answered. They surrounded the palace of Hades and surrounded their young prince.

"I thought you'd want it." Nico bowed his head before holding the stone out. "Thought you'd want to destroy it."

Hades snapped his fingers and the stone disappeared in a breeze of smoke. He looked down at his son, eyed him with curiosity. "Hecate was right. You're different."

Nico clenched his jaw. "Can I ask you something, sir?"

Hades rested his head on his hand. "I don't see why not."

"I've gotten all my memories back," Nico drawled. "I even remember Hecate coming to me with the plan. I just...I can't reason why I accepted."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Is it that hard to reason? You wanted to help people. You always have."

"Not if I would lose Will in the process." Nico replied bitterly.

"I'm not sure about that, Nico."

Nico spent some time in the Underworld after that. He visited those he knew in Elysium, played with Cerberus for some time, went to the trial of Flamel and his wife. With some words and pleading, Nico saved them from an eternity of punishment and got them to the Fields of Asphodel. After watching the shades for an hour, however, Nico wasn't sure which was better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nico looked Ron over as they walked to the hospital wing to check on Harry.

"Blimey, mate, I'm fine." Ron assured. "Just don't tell mum and I'll be great."

"You and me both."

They walked into the room as Dumbledore walked out. Nico and the older man shared a nod of understanding.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"Nothing." Nico smiled when he saw that Harry was awake. "I did him a favor."

"Oh Harry, we were sure you were going to- Dumbledore was so worried-" Hermione started.

"The whole school's talking about it," Ron injected. "What really happened?"

Harry told the whole story about Quirrel and Voldemort, fueling Nico's feelings of failure as he thought about everything Harry had to go through alone. He was only eleven, the age Nico had been when he had been wandering that maze alone.

"So the stone's gone?" Ron asked. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"He already did." Nico said softly. "Him and his wife."

The three wizards looked to Nico. "How did you know that?" Ron asked.

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget who I am? I went and visited his soul at his judgement."

"So that's where you went." Ron shook his head in exasperation. "That's mad, Nico."

Nico shrugged. "Normal for me."

Ron rolled his eyes before looking to Harry. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course- you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrolled by Ravenclaw without you- but the food'll be good-"

Nico elbowed him in the ribs. "Way to make him feel bad."

Before Ron could respond, the nurse came to kick them out. She moved a hand to Nico's shoulder before gasping. "Get into a bed, you can stay. Dumbledore may have told me who you are but that's too much darkness in you. Lay down, now. The rest of you, OUT!"

Nico sighed before sitting on one of the beds. "Looks like we're roommates, Harry."

Harry looked over when Ron and Hermione had left the room. "What did she mean you have darkness in you?"

Nico cringed at the potion the nurse brought over, remembering it from his childhood. "It's a side effect from my dad down under. My body wants to melt into the shadows." He downed the potion. "Disgusting. Mom used to make me drink it all the time."

Harry laid back as some of Nico's American accent came to life. As the nurse walked out, his voice grew serious. "Do you really think Voldemort is going to come back? Fully, I mean."

Nico stared at the white ceiling. "Yeah, I think so." He blocked out what Rachel had seen. "We just have to fight, Harry. You've got me."

"Would you be able to defeat him?"

Nico thought back to what he had heard many times. He was there to defend Harry, not beat Voldemort. "Probably. Don't worry about it." Worry. You should be worried, Harry. You should be terrified.

Because Voldemort's back, and I can't defeat him. It's up to you.