When Nico's not at camp (book the first)

Ron

The Fat lady's portrait swings open and Nico steps into the common room. All the commotion stops as everyone turns to stare at Nico. Everyone had been told what had happened as they came back from vacation, and the entire house had even been given an extra week off classes.(Thanks Nico) but a lot of the house was still shocked by it. Nico had always seemed kind of gloomy, but we all thought that was just his style. Nobody ever thought He could actually have that much darkness inside.

Nico looks around the common room at the assembled gryffindors. "All right lets get it over with.  Everybody stare at the freak, the loser, the emo. Everybody have  your fun and be done with it."  The room is silent. Seamus speaks first. "Christ Nico. Is that what you think we think about you? Then Hermione rushes forward. She wraps Nico in a hug and starts sobbing. Nico seems startled by this. "Uhm, hi Hermione."Hermione lets Nico go then steps back. She smacks Nico Across the face so hard it lifts him off his feet. Half the Gryffindors flinch at the sound.

"Hi Hermione! Is that all you have to say for yourself! Do you have any idea how worried we've all been for you! How could you do something so stupid! What in the name of all the gods of all the heavens were you thinking?" The tension thickens. Hermione had stumbled onto the question they had all wanted to ask. Of course she had hit Nico so hard I doubt he could answer it. With a sigh he sinks into an armchair. He picks at the bandage wrapped around his wrists.

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Harry raises an eyebrow. "What?" Hermione stomps her foot. "It's a quote from Henry David Thoreau.Dont you guys know anything?" I shrug. "Not really no." I say. Then i step behind harry because Hermione looks like she's going to hit me next. Nico smirks. Why is he always so amused by me looking stupid? "We go through life pretending its some noble adventure." He says. " we pretend there's some secret meaning to our experiences. That all the struggle and all the sacrifice somehow accomplishes something worthwhile. But really it just causes more struggle and more sacrifice and more pain." Nico looks down at the floor. Nobody says anything. "So..." i begin. "You tried to kill yourself because your a nihlist? Now Hermione really does hit me. Then the portrait hole swings open again and professor McGonogol walks in.

She looks around the common room. "Alright students. Its time for bed. I'm sure Mr. Diangelo needs his rest." Seamus snorts. "He was in a coma for a month straight. How much rest could he possibly need?" Hermione raises her hand and Seamus jumps back. Professor McGonogol raises an eyebrow. "Hermione is feeling violent today." I explain. "She got me and Nico already." We turn to show her the blood red handprints on our cheeks. "Yes well....I'm sure you deserved it. Now off to bed." With that she turns and walks out the portrait hole.

The next morning as Harry, Hermione, Nico and I, walk down to breakfast, we fill him in on what he missed while he was in a coma. How Harry has finally found Nicholas Flammel on the back of a chocolate frog card. How Hermione had deduced that the object being hidden was the sorcerers stone. How Hagrid had inadvertently confirmed this. And about Hagrids pet dragon. And our pls to smuggle it to Romania that very night. Nico did not seem impressed.

As we approach the great hall Nico becomes increasingly excited. I've never seen the kid so energetic. It was infectious. Finally we enter the great hall. The ghosts are in an immediate uproar. They swarm Nico shaking his hand. Clapping him on the back, and expressing relief and congratulations on his recover. And Nico greets each one as an old friend. He surveys the assembled ghosts and his face falls. "Where's nick?" The ghosts all go silent. Many become uncommonly interested the enchanted ceiling. "I said" Nico repeats with a hint of anger seeping into his voice. "Where's nick?" The bloody baron floats forward but doesn't make eye contact. "Lord Di Angelo. Sir Nicholas has taken to haunting the deepest darkest most deserted Dungeons. Where neither student nor teacher has cause to venture. He has taken your...incident rather personally. And none of us have been able to coax him back to amongst the living."

Nico dinks into the Gryffindor bench and buries his face in his hands. "What's wring Nico?" Hermione asks worriedly. Nico moans. "Nearly headless Nick. It's all my fault. He blames himself for...what happened." Harry and I exchange a look. "Why would nearly headless nick blame himself?" Nico rolls his eyes. "You wouldn't understand." For some reason that really tics me off. "You're right! I don't understand. Why the fuck do all the ghost love you so much!" My out burst catches the attention of the entire great hall . Everyone is staring at us now. Nico smirks. That evil wicked smirk. The same smirk Fred and George get when you're about to stumble into one of their traps. The smirk of someone who knows something you don't, and loves the feeling of it.

Nico stands up. He looks me dead in the eyes with his piercing black gaze. When he speaks his voice is calm and firm. "Because I killed their king." Then he melts into darkness. "That's it. I'm refusing to talk to him until he agrees to stop being so cryptic all the damn time."