Begin Again Book 1.

Trolls Are As Ugly As Ms. Dodds...At Least The Troll Doesn't Teach Math

Nico di Angelo felt invisible.  It is how he lived his life, always hidden.  Always in the shadows.  Nico didn't like letting new people in.  It has always been him and his cousins-then Percy, Jason, Nico, and Harry against the world.  Nico always felt the most comfertable in the darkness.  People tended not to notice him as much.

As Nico walked out of Charms, he heard a voice.

"It''s no wonder no onw could stand her." It was Ron.  He was talking to Harry.  "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Then, Nico felt anger rising in him as Hermione ran past them, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"I think she heard you," Harry said.

"So?" Ron said, though he did look a tad bit uncommfertable, but that did't change the fact that Nico felt like using a sword and beheading him.  "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Hermione didn't show for the next few classes, and Nico just wanted to go to Percy and Jason.  Ron was showing Harry how to play Wizard Chess.  They didn't invite Nico, Percy, or Jason, though they were all standing together.  Harry just smiled, and joined his new friend, not saying a word to the cousins.  Percy had heard someone say that Hermione was crying in the girl's bathroom, and so did Ron, but while Ron looked uncomfertable, Percy's jaw clenched.  He counted Hermione as a friend, and Percy was unwaveringly loyal, and always protected and stuck up for his friends.  But he couldn't do that in this case because he wasn't there...and she was in the girl's bathroom.  That would be insanely awkward if he went in there to ask if she was alright.  Nico knew Percy was debating it when she didn't show for classes though.

Soon, it was time for the feast for Halloween.  Hermione still wasn't there.

Percy loaded his plate after making a request for blue food, and Dumbledoor laughed, and when he asked why, Percy said; "It reminds me of my mother."

"You don't see your mother?"

"No.  I live with my cousins and aunt, Hestia.  Hestia makes blue food because it's all I can remember about her.  Apparently I get all my good looks from my dad.  I don't know him either."

Dumbeldoor smiled a sad smile and waved his wand.  A platter of blue food appeared where Percy and his cousins were sitting.  

"Another thing, sorry, but my Aunt always has us sacrifice a bit of oiur meal to the gods...our parents were Greek...and we were able to do it every time, but it's a big feast, so..."

"It's fine," Dumbledore smiled at him.

Percy had just eaten *Cough.  Inhaled.  Cough*, a piece of blue pizza and took another when Professor Quirrell (That sounds like squirrel, thought Percy.  They act the same too.  He's nuts. Ha, nuts.  Gettit-never mind.) burst into the room looking pale, like he was going to faint-(As long as he doesn't fall into the blue food.  You know, I really need to sto thinking, it interfeers for being nuts, or Percy, whichever term you perfer.  They mean the same thing.)  "Troll-in the dungeons-thought you oaught to know-" And he fell to the floor.  No need to worry, people, he didn't fall on the blue food.  Just the floor.  Nothing important.  Then his words registered in Percy's brain-yes, he has a brain-and one thought came to mind.  Actually, two.  

Why the Hades won't these stupid monsters leave me alone!  Oh, wait...Hermione!  Dam it.  Dam, ha, gets me everytime.

Okay, three thoughts.

Percy stood in the confusion and turned to Nico and Jason.  "Hermione.  Scout for the Troll, I don't care what bathroom she's in, I'm going to get her out before the Troll could get to her.  Look around the dungeons, but don't let the teachers spot you."