Death Breath, the Debt Collector. (PJO/HP XC)

Chapter Four: Hogwarts Castle

Chapter Four: Hogwarts Castle

Harry wasn't sure what to make of the Nico kid. He seemed dodgy, and always thought about his answers whenever they asked him a question. He was hiding something. And Harry had almost no doubt he would be put into Slytherin. 

And the thestrals-what was that? Harry had almost expected Nico not to notice them at all-but the fact that he did raised even more questions. And the fact that all the thestrals seemed riled up by him. And he petted one! It was just ... strange. Nico was bizarre. 

Harry watched him closely out of the corner of his eye as they approached the castle. Nico was studying the grounds intently, his eyes scanning the horizon. He glanced towards the Forbidden Forest, and his eyes wandered between the trees. Then they moved to the lake, and his nose crinkled a little. After that, they settled on the castle, and he drank up the sight like he was dying of thirst. Nico's mouth kept in a straight line, but Harry could've sworn he saw the edges pick up. 

Nico wished Harry would stop looking at him. He could sense it the entire time they had been off the train, and Ron and Hermione's arguing was ruining his view of the castle. 

Nico had glanced around the grounds, studying the paths winding around the grounds. He saw the forest, which he would probably check out within the week, the lake, which he would avoid, and the castle itself. It was amazing. 

Nico had tried reaching out with his power, and grasp anything. Just searching, with nothing in mind, and hadn't been happy with what he touched. Ghosts. And death. Although, that wasn't surprising. Death was everywhere, it could have been 200 years ago, or two hundred centuries ago, but it was there. It didn't make Nico uneasy, just more vigilant. And ghosts. He had read about them in Hogwarts: A History, and knew that there were about 14 ghosts there, but he had forgotten. And he couldn't very well whip out his sword and send them to the Underworld, as that wouldn't go very well with the wizards. And, as Ghost King, he had to make sure he wouldn't be recongnized. Perhaps, because they were in Scotland, and not North America, they wouldn't know of him. Nico wasn't hopeful.

Once the carriages stopped and lurched forward, and they all got off, Nico not even bothering with the ladder and hoping off the side, bracing his knees for impact, and grinning when the earth softened itself for him. He had little control on the earth, but there was a bit. Enough to soften a landing with concentration. 

Nico walked past the golden trio and friends, and tried to get a good look inside the castle. Before he could, however, an old lady with a strictly pulled back bun appeared at the door. "Nico di Angelo?" She called to the mass of robed students. Nico walked over to her, ignoring the various stares and glares sent his way. 

"You are to be sorted with the first years this evening. Come with me." She turned on her heel and Nico walked briskly behind her. When he entered the castle, it was as if he had stepped back in time. The cold stone walls loomed over 100 feet in the air, decorated with various paintings, which Nico hadn't been surprised to see move. Torches and braizers lit the hallway, giving off the medieval vibe. Nico loved it. 

He smiled, which he realized probably looked really creepy, and felt it slide off his face. She led him down the entrance corridor and turned left, through a set of grand wooden doors and into what appeared to be the Great Hall. She didn't pause to let him take in the room, however, and was left to survery the room while walking behind her. There were four exremely long tables lined up, he was walking in the middle of them now. There were already students seated, with black robes and some wearing strange pointed hats. At the end of the room lay a seperate table with who appeared to the professors and headmaster, Dumbledore. What Nico noticed first, however, were the candles floating in the air.