Sliver Of Shadow

Screw This

Nico stumbled into King's Cross station on platform 9 ¾ in front of a scarlet train. Normally the grandeur would have awed him, but Nico's mind was still reeling from the impossible task his father had given him. The mission, of course? Go to school…

In Hogwarts.

Why? Well, naturally to decapitate his nephew, of course.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

A faint memory tugged at Nico's mind as he thought of the name, but he couldn't remember... It was buried with Lethe, then. Probably it was best for him not to know what it was.

Cool metal slid underneath his hands. He looked down as saw he was holding a cart, packed with books and a… was that a raven? Why was a bird part of his school supplies?

Nico had only seconds to ponder this, when a pretty red-haired girl suddenly barreled into him, knocking both him and the cart over.

She scrambled frantically to help him up. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean -"

"I'm fine." Nico cut her off, although he really wasn't. His back felt like it was being whipped all over again, and he had to fight hard to keep his expression neutral. "Could you help me…" He gestured at the fallen cart, complete with angry squawking raven.

"Oh! Of course, of course!" The girl bent down, picking up a few of his fallen supplies.

Carefully, as not to jar his throbbing wounds, Nico bent down to help her.

"So." The girl studied him carefully. "I'm Ginny Weasley. And you are? Well... American, I'm presuming by your accent, but what's your name?"

"Nico di Angelo." Nico spoke curtly.

She frowned. "Isn't that an Italian name?"

"Yeah, I was born there. But I don't remember… much."

She nodded, quickly accepting his vague answer. "But I've never seen you at Hogwarts. Sorry if this seems a bit rude, but what are you doing here?"

Don't I wonder. Nico thought. Out loud he said, "I'm an exchange student. My father thought Hogwarts was a better school."

His first lie.

~

Nico stepped off the train, groaning in relief. Six hours in a tiny compartment had been murder on his ADHD. He looked around. Everyone else was wearing robes, but Nico wasn't about to bother putting on his. Just being here was bad enough. To wear those infernal clothes? That was pushing it.

"Don't you see it, Ron?" A voice shouted near Nico. "It's right in front of you!"

"What is?" A second voice muttered. "There's nothing there."

Nico looked over and saw midnight black skeletal horses pulling a few dozen carriages. Thestrals.

And he sensed two souls. In one body.

Interesting…

"You can see them?" He asked the first boy (it was the double-soul dude), who was staring at the dark pegasi in horror.

The double-soul boy jumped and turned at Nico's voice. His eyes widened. "Oh! You must be the American exchange student Ginny was talking about. You can see those horses?"

"That's what I asked you." Nico rolled his eyes. "Of course I can see them. But they're only visible to those who have seen death…"

The double-soul boy (Nico was getting tired of calling him that - what was his name, anyway?) flinched. "Oh." He said in a small voice. "I get it. But wait - why can you see them?"