The Eight Part Soul

Hogsmeade

It's been three weeks since the frog incident, and inspired, other troublemakers have gone to make Toad's life difficult as they had experienced her detentions or just simply hated her classes, pretty much all of us then.

So far, Toad had been dangled on the highest tower after sleep, let a flame loving lizard called Salamander into her office fed with a firecracker in her office and was met with a dancing skeleton (the last one was mine). That was the top three at least. The rest of the pranks were harmless enough.

Otherwise, the weeks were normal... and drat it that I have become more British and was still no closer to retrieving this Horcrux as Will liked to complain about...

"When will you be back? When can I rescue you?" Will had whined one day.

"For the last time, Will, I'm not sure!" I responded back exasperatedly. "How would I know that it would take longer than I expected?! I tried everything I could! I've already tried breaking the wall, but I couldn't and I even shadow traveled, no luck. There's magic to that place that prevents anyone going through."

"Huh?" Will asked, "Then, how could... Moldyshorts... put his Horcrux inside there?"

"As I told many times, I... don't... know!" Nico shouted exasperatedly, then I thought I heard a noise. "I'll get back to you later!"

"We are not done yet, you know!" Will shouted.

"Yeah, but someone's coming!" I said.

"Fine, but we will continue," Will said, and the IM ended.

I was in part of the Forbidden Forest when I IMed Will, so who would be so...

"Oh, hey, Hermione," I said casually when I saw the brown curly haired girl in front of me.

"Nico, someone said you were going in this direction, but I couldn't believe..." Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"I just wanted to explore around," I made up an excuse. "So, what's up?"

Hermione's eyes were still filled with skepticism but she didn't rebuke my statement. Instead she asked, "Are you interested in learning Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

Considering I am a part of the Dark Arts, reanimating the dead and all that, I'm not entirely sure how to feel about the subject altogether. Having the Toad to teach it only made my feeling for the subject below zero.

But I didn't say all that to Hermione and instead, I answered, "Interested enough." I was wondering why Hermione wanted to ask that question when I know for a fact that she hates Toad almost as much as I do, and that's saying something. Only person who could beat that hatred is Harry.

Hermione seemed satisfied, "Then, meet us at Hog's Head during our next Hogsmeade visit."

I wasn't exactly sure what she meant until Hecate's info rode along in my brain, so I nodded.

"Sure why not? Beats school," I said coolly.

Hermione pursed her lips. A brainiac like her akin to Annabeth doesn't really like anyone dissing school, but at least she said nothing.

"Just be there by 3, alright?" Hermione said, then walked away, but she turned around and added her final piece.

"And get out of here before some creature or teacher sees you," Hermione finished, but I feel like 'being seen by a teacher' for her was worse than stumbling across a creature.

Hmm... that's just Hermione, but I wonder why she wanted to meet me, a Slytherin, in Hogs Head which is heard was a shady bar. Hermione might not be as prejudice as much of the school, but I just can't seem to shake off a feeling...