The Coming of Nico di Angelo

In a Girl's Bathroom

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Nico and Alabaster continue their search for the remaining two Artifacts of Thanatos.

BEGINNING NOTES

Chapter Rating: Teen and Up
Content Warning: Cursing, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Torture, Self-Harm
Word Count: 2386

And all the characters are owned by JK Rowling, or Rick Riordan.

Credits at the end.

____________________NICO____________________

"In here!" Nico called in a shrill whisper. He ushered Alabaster in a bathroom, then shut the door behind them. "You weren't seen, were you?"

"No," Alabaster reassured him. "But the Room of Requirement is a godsdamn war zone. I couldn't get close to the door without anyone seeing me."

"Di immortalis!" Nico cursed. "No ring, then?"

"Nope. Sorry--we'll have to try again tonight."

"We don't have 'til tonight, Al!" Nico cried. "Two days--we've been at this two days! We have no idea where the Cloak is, I can barely control the Staff, the day's almost over, and it's already December twenty-eighth! Seventy-nine hours from now, Hades starts killing, and the world goes to war. We need the Stone, and we need the Cloak, and we need them right now."

"I know, I know," Alabaster moaned, pacing the bathroom. "But I don't see any other--" He stopped for a second, scanned the room, and turned to Nico with a bewildered expression. "Hey, are we in a girl's bathroom?"

"Are you serious?!" Nico collapsed to the floor, head in hands. "Gods I want to cut..." Nico didn't even realize he'd said the latter out loud until Alabaster slid something into his hand. Nico glanced at it--a Sharpie marker. "Al, what in Hades is this?"

"A marker."

"I can see that."

"Draw on your arms--it's supposed to help. You're doing so well; the longer you go, the less you'll be in danger of relapsing. You got this."

"This is ridiculous..." Nico muttered to himself, but he uncapped the marker anyway and started to draw some swirls along his arm. It was more hypnotic than therapeutic, but Teddy was right. It did help. A little.

"What are boys doing in my bathroom?"

That voice knocked Nico from his trance; Teddy, standing above him and watching him draw, also jumped. They both glanced towards the door but didn't see any girl in the doorway.

"I'm behind you! Boys are so insensitive..."

Nico and Alabaster swiveled themselves around to see the ghost of a young girl in a Hogwarts uniform and thick glasses. Her dark, translucent hair was up in pigtails, with fringed bangs and pimples.

"You don't know who I am?" Nico asked. Most of the ghosts knew his lineage and generally walked on eggshells around him. A ghost insulting him, not even bothering to use his name... that was new. Not bad, but new.

"You're Nico di Angelo. The King's son. Or ex-son, I suppose."

Alabaster stepped forward. "Lord Hades knows, then?"

"Oh yes, he knows," the ghost-girl chortled. "Said such horrible things about Lady Hecate, doubled his armies... Queen Persephone's death unhinged him quite a bit! He's convinced Hecate brainwashed you, convinced defeating her will bring you back..." She paused and gave a cock-eyed glance at Nico. "But, you don't seem brainwashed to me..."