Worlds Collide Harm(fully)(lessly)

Chapter 9

Nico shadow traveled to the deck of the Argo II later that night. Dominic was waiting for him, seated against the rails with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. His hair had been recently cut, hacked away like Nico had used to do it, so he must not have been able to find anyone skilled to do it. But Dominic always needed his hair cut, Nico remembered just as much. That's what happened when you used to have a mother who forced you to keep it as long as possible.

"Anyone around or are we alone?" Nico asked, sitting beside him. Once he was seated, the wind hit him less than when he was up, but it was still pretty chilly as they were near the lake.

"No one's within hearing range," Dominic promised. "I made them all swear on the Styx."

"Good." Nico took a deep breath before wrapping his cloak tighter around himself. "So, have any hot chocolate for me?"

"Not until you tell me the truth."

Nico sighed. "Dom..."

"What? I'm serious, Nico," Dominic said. "You know I can tell things. You know this. And spending time at camp has made it stronger, and I've seen that no other children of Apollo have it to this extent. Maybe I am a fucking psychic along with being his son, who knows. But we both know what it means, and we both know what I'm talking about. Spill. The. Story."

Nico bit his lip. "It's a long story."

"We have all night."

Nico rolled his eyes before leaning his head back. He told the story, almost all of it, all the parts he hated and all the parts that felt like bruises on his memory.

Voldemort being with his mom, how dark her family was, the tortures and persuasions Voldemort tried at him every night, why he finally agreed, the Death Mark on his arm. He even went as far back as to explain the empousa that once attacked him, their comment on a new master, how Voldemort knew that the demigods knew about him.

The one thing he didn't share was the fact that Voldemort wanted him to put Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire. He was going to keep that a secret for as long as possible, even if that meant until death. Because he had finally decided.

He was going to do it.

Dominic listened to the whole story in silence, his eyes wide and his mouth unmoving. When Nico was finally done talking he let out a low sigh before speaking.

"Fucking hell."

"I know."

"Fucking hell."

"I know," Nico repeated.

"And you've been keeping all of this a secret?" Dominic asked. "Why? Are you insane? You're going to get yourself killed, or you're going to end up killing somebody."

Nico tried not to show his emotions but couldn't help but gulp. If he was responsible for Harry Potter's death... He'd lose whatever friends he had managed to get. He'd lose his brother. His little niece Nicole Hope and his boyfriend and everything.

"I can't back out, now," Nico mumbled. "I can't. And this is the only way. It might win us the war."

"And if it doesn't?"

Nico shrugged. "I can't think of that right now. I can beat him. And if I can't, I still have to. This is my family here, not just innocent kids. This is my family. And I'll be the two-timing traitor if it means protecting them. But you need to keep this a secret, Dom. Please. For me. If Voldemort finds out that you know, he'll get suspicious. He's not stupid."

"I promise not to tell. But keep me informed," Dominic wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We're in this together, okay? Two demigod Hufflepuffs against Voldemort."