Demigods of Hogwarts (PJo and HP Crossover Fanfiction)

Chapter 9 - Death Birdies

Nico's POV

Nico was calmly packing his clothes, when Will Solace came behind him. Hazel had gone early with the others. Nico was waiting for Will. ‘Hey,’ Will said in a voice that made Nico’s heart beat faster. Will hugged him from behind. Nico flinched. He couldn’t help it, Nico was just not used to physical contact, being the son of Hades. Hades recently had a chat with Nico in his dreams about the wizards and witches, and it ended badly because Zeus found their connection and broke it instantly. Zeus thought they couldn’t be trusted, typical Zeus. Nico also revealed to his father that he was infact gay, and Hades didn’t take it well. He hadn’t talked to his father since then. Nico and Hades had a close relationship, far different to the other demigods of Camp Half-Blood. Atleast once a month Nico in a dream state sought for Hades in the underworld, Hades was always found. But Hades didn’t reveal himself this past month. Either Hades was in trouble or his dad was just upset. Not accepted by his own father, Nico thought angrily. Nico had lived a rejected life, but Will solved all those problems. Since Nico had started dating Will, the fog in the underworld started to clear, his life was as peaceful as it could get, and now his life was tipped upside down again because somebody was angry. ‘You don’t have to go you know,’ Will said, kissing Nico on the cheek, ‘Stay with me.’ Nico felt a small sob rise in his throat. Will was right, he could stay. But Nico knew that they needed to know where the first horcrux was, and Nico could potentially track it. His father mentioned it was at the tip of the underworld. Nico turned Will around and kissed him on the lips. Nico hadn’t kissed Will before, but it felt good. Happy memories came back. Nico pulled away, dark eyes shining in the full moonlight. Will smoothed Nico’s hair down gently with a soft smile on his face. ‘Well, atleast I’ll see you again,’ Will said softly. ‘Can’t be to sure about that,’ Nico replied, slowly heading out of the door with Will’s hand in his.

  As Nico was heading out of the dim cabin with Will and a backpack (With a fancy extension charm that Luna did earlier) Nico saw birds circling over the Camp’s boundaries. He saw imediatley that they were not normal birds. Scaly, dark and sharp beaked like a bronze knife. ‘Whats going on?’ Nico asked hurriedly to Jason, whilst Will ran to his cabin. Nico watched rather forlornly. ‘Stymphalian birds,’ Jason replied instantly. They were flying in an odd formation, a arrow-head formation but the arrows weren’t flying down to attack them. To be frank, they weren’t flying at all The whole group was assembled in a circle, wondering what to do with them. ‘We can’t just leave them to attack the camp whilst we’re gone,’ Annabeth said worriedly. ‘When we take off, can Festus can charcoal the suckers?’ Percy asked Leo, who was looking very scared. ‘They might attack, us once we’re in the air. It’s the fleece thats protecting us now. But yes we can charcoal those suckers,’ Leo replied, grinning. Annabeth rolled her eyes. Nico could see in the dark that they were not sending down weapons of any sort, their eyes were not set for battle. ‘Guys, I think they’re not gonna attack us. They’re gonna track us,’ Nico said, mystifiyed. With an even closer look at their slit-like eyes, they were clouded, misty. Magic? ‘Well lets get to the ship, burn them, get ready for fire Leo,’ Jason ordered. They started for the ship, checking that the birds were still in their stationary form. The birds moved with them, not making a single sound as they travelled through the eerie night. The night was so quiet, Nico could only hear the soft rustle of the trees and the many pairs of feet running accross the grass. Nico looked back, and counted the demigods of Calypso’s Comb. Annabeth, Percy, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank, Hazel, Reyna and himself. Grover also joined very hurriedly, carrying a brown backpack with tin cans falling from the open brim. He was wearing a satyr disguise, his overly large horns mercifully hidden by the Mist. The wizards would get a shock seeing them! Nico hadn’t really interacted much with the wizards and witches of Hogwarts, but they definetley knew what they were doing. Having them by their side could really be a good thing. Deep in thought about their up and comming quest, Nico absent mindedley bumped into the ginormous hull of the ship. The crew errupted into giggles. Nico gingerley pulled away from the hull, nose slightly broken and blood splattering gently from his nose. A gangplank was shot downwards and Leo being captain, strode up first to discover the Hogwartians already there. It seemed that they had not noticed the odd birds, but were looking at them with faint suprise. Harry instantly saw that Nico was injured, and strode over to him and said ‘Episkey!’ his nose was fixed, whilst Hermione said ‘Terego.’ and the blood that had splattered vanished like magic. But Nico had to remind himself that it was magic, unlike what Hazel could do. With a surge of pride, Nico thought, Hazel would be able to do this soon. ‘What took you guys so long?’ Neville said a little harshly in his weird accent. ‘Um, death birdies,’ Percy said, pointing above into the cloudless sky. ‘They’ve been imperioused,’ Hermione said with an air of wonder. It was easier to see here, that they were stationary in the light of the ship. The glowing ball that Alison had conjoured 2 nights ago had disapeared, but the same glow still emited from the lanterns which were bewitched to float slightly. ‘Once we’re in air, Festus,’ Jason said, guestering fondly to the dragon head that had melted Luna’s hippogriff. Leo had told Nico earlier that the wizards had done some ‘Serious Magic’ and when the name ‘Festus’ was called, the bronze dragon would appear, and on stationary mode, Luna’s ‘hippogriff’ (a creature in the magical world) would appear in Festus’ place. Nico admited that it was pretty cool. ‘Festis will blow fire at the birds. Nico said that they’re sent to track us,’ Jason said, then his face falling into sudden realizaton as he said his next sentence, 'so it’s possible they can hear everything we say.’ Nico mentally replayed the conversation that they had earlier near the cabins, and nothing too much had been revealed. Someone was walking up the plank, footsteps light and airy. Calypso stood in the glowing light of the lanterns, and Leo’s face instantly moulded into a tender look Nico had seen so much these days. Caleo hugged, kissed. In the corner of Nico's eyes, Nico watched Harry pull two pocket-sized mirrors from his long black cloak and compare them fondly. Once the kissing couple broke apart (Leo’s face was a little wet), Harry walked up to them. ‘This is a magical mirror,’ Harry said, giving Calypso and Leo one each, ‘When you call each other’s name into the mirror, your face will apear and you’ll be able to have a conversation.’ // ‘So, like a Skype call, but with no internet needed,’ Leo joked, pocketing the mirror whilst Calypso stayed holding it in her palm. Harry’s face looked confused. ‘Skype? What’s Skype?’ Harry asked, mystified. Nico resisted the urge to snigger. ‘Nevermind,’ Leo said, glaring at Annabeth who let out a short laugh. Leo watched Calypso stride down the gangplank, wiping his face with his sleve, whilst the Hogwartians got to know Grover, who had was munching happily on a sprite can. ‘So guys, when take off, demigods attack, wizards and witches defend’ Alison said briskly, stationing a wizard or a witch at each point of the boat. Everybody was now pumped with adrenilin, ready for an attack. Leo bounded off to the control room, whist Nico stood in the center with the demigod boys, swords (Or if you’re Frank, an arrow) posied for fight. Festus once more re-appeared in his bronze glory, melting the stationary hippogriff head. They rose into the air, effortlessly whilst spells were shot out of the wizard’s and witches wands. The birds seemed to have woken up from their trance, crimson red eyes now poised for battle. Hermione smartly brought one down with a casual flick of the wand, encasing the creature in thick, harsh bindings. It struggled and fell to the deck of the ship. Festus, roared, exluding massive firey orange flames and charcoaled the birds to ash. All that was left of those birds was black dust. They were free from the enemy. Tempoarily. The short fight was over, ‘I think we should turn in for tonight,’ Annabeth said calmly. They bade goodnight to each other, as they trampled down the narrow staircase into the room hall. Nico wasn’t sharing a room with anyone, so his room was pretty small. A simple desk stood underneath a dark porthole, with the vast dark blue sky and a sea of stars. His bed was to one side, and his bathroom door to the other. His case sat in the corner opposite the bed. He changed into his pyjamas, and fell asleep. No dreams came to him, it was a dreamless sleep, but his last thought in his mind lingered on Will. 

 Nico woke from his comfortable bed, slightly disorientated as he tried to find his bearings. He was on Calypso’s Comb, the ship, accompanied by demigods and wizards. His lonley room flooded with light as he peeled back the curtains covering the porthole, which now showed a brilliantly lit sun (Nico was painfully reminded of Will) with fluffy clouds and a azure blue sky. He trudged to the bathroom to change and clean his teeth, and headed for the dining hall above deck and opposite the Captain’s Corner. 

  Not suprisingly, Nico was the last to wake, and talking could be heard behind the glass doors of the dining hall. Sliding open the glass double doors, there was a spacious and airy room with glowing orbs to light the place. Large windows filtered through and there were two picnic-like tables, and a chest in the far corner that they had seen on the Argo II. Bronze enchanted plates and cups were by everybody’s front. Nico took an empty place quietley by a forlorn looking Leo, who was’t really up to talking. Bacon and eggs appeared on his plate as he sat down, and a red juice filled his cup. ‘Pass the salt Leo,’ Nico said quietley. Leo jumped. As he passed the salt shaker to Nico, Leo said ‘Man,  I have got to get used to that!’ Nico’s face flickered with a smile. ‘Thanks. What’ve I missed?’ Nico asked, sipping his red juice, which turned out to be pomegranate. ‘We’re discussing where to find the first horse cup thingie,’ Leo replied. ‘It’s Horcrux actually,’ Annabeth said coolly, leaning into their conversation. Annabeth was sat next to Percy and Hermione, who had been in deep conversation. ‘We’re trying to figure out where to find it yes, but apparentley Frank said there was a clue to where it was when Snape was talking to Frank in a dream,’ Hermione continued, ‘We think it could be an anagram, and Alison is doing an anagram spell.’ Accross the room, Nico heard Alison yell to a small sheet of paper ‘Anagriformi.’ The surrounding people on the table opposite Nico crowded around to see what it formed. ‘Beware, the Isle of Lyillway,’ Alison read outloud. She did something to the paper to enlargen it, and stuck it to one of the windows. Above ‘Beware the Isle of Lyillway’ in scribbly black ink the sentence ‘Lily will always be there’  was the clue Alison had used magic solved. ‘So now we know where to look,’ Frank blurted out gruffly. There was a moment’s silence before Jason broke it. ‘The Isle of Lyillway? I’ve never heard of it,’ Jason queried. ‘That may be because of the fact that it’s Unplottable by muggles and wizards alike. It’s probably a new island just for the purpose of the Horcrux,’ Hermione replied softly. ‘It’s not new,’ Alison said flatly. Everybody turned to face her, face now flushing a light pink. ‘I’ve been there before. Mum and Dad took me there once to go seaside camping when we were going around Europe. It’s actually really nice, small island and one of the few fully wizard settlements in Europe,’ Alison continued, in that same flat tone, ‘It’s off the coast of Greece, only wizards and witches can find it.’ Luna perked up and added ‘Me and Daddy went there when we didn’t find any Crumple Horned Snorkacks in Switzerland!’ // Alison tried for a happier voice when she replied ‘I can’t promise it would be as lovely because Voldemort’s got to it, but me and Luna can help steer!’ // Leo chuckled, ‘Shall we elect a quest group then? I can’t imagine too many people going to retreive a Hokey Cuss thingie-‘ // ‘Horcrux, Leo,' Annabeth yelled, over the babble of laughter. ‘Well, we’ll see who we need when we get there, shall we,’ Nico said calmly. Leo nodded, ‘Alison and Luna could you come and help set course?’ The two girls filed after Leo to the opposite Captain’s Corner room, whilst everybody else headed straight to the sunny outside deck. Some were already sparring (or dueling) and Nico just stood with his arms against the deck’s rails. It was polished so well that he could see his own dark relfection in the bronze. It felt good to have the sun down his back. Nico envisioned Will beside him, doing more than just talking, and the smile that Nico felt like he had been holding errupted on his face.