Sliver Of Shadow

Percy XS's DA

Nico fell onto the dark Tartarus sand. The acid air choked him as he raised his sword one last time, slicing through another gryphon. But it was too late. He could hear laughter behind him as the giant twins, Otis and Ephialtes, grabbed him and stuffed him in their bronze jar.

"Goodbye, little demigod." Tartarus whispered in his ears. "Have fun dying."

Then he was screaming, falling…

Nico sat straight up in an infirmary bed, breathing heavily. Where am I? For a brief moment, he'd forgotten where he was.

Then it all came crashing back to him.

Mesperyian's torture. Will's miraculous arrival. And Eros…

He shook his head in confusion. Eros had saved him and Hazel. But… why? Hadn't the god whipped him, then banished him from all areas of the world except the Underworld and the demigod camps a few weeks ago? (By the way - Eros was the one who'd framed him for all of those mortal crimes.) So what was he doing now?

"Nico!" Will had entered the room. "You're up!"

Madame Pomfrey glared at him for disturbing her patients.

"Sorry, sorry." Will knelt beside him. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah. Thanks to you." Nico gave him a thin smile. "What happened after I blacked out?"

Will looked shocked. "Is Nico di Angelo smiling?"

Nico's face morphed into a glare. "Solace."

"Yeah, fine." Will chuckled, seemingly immune to his death glare. "Well, I found Hazel, and then Hades sent her back to Camp Jupiter, so she's safe now." He smiled at Nico's relieved look, and continued.

"Anyway, Hecate showed up and did a little Mist magic, so everyone thinks I've been here since the beginning with you. The nasty Umbridge lady has forgotten about Mesperyian and torturing you." His face suddenly twisted into a sneer, which looked wrong on him. "In my opinion, she should have been dragged down to Tartarus, but…" Will sighed. "Fates will be Fates. Anyway, Percy Extra Small has been memory wiped too -"

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Percy Extra Small? Wait… do you mean Harry?"

"If that's his name, then yeah."

"Harry saw me getting tortured? How?"

"I dunno. But Hecate wiped his memory of what happened, so we're good." Will shrugged. "Anyway, Per - Harry is starting up a defense club against Umbridge and the Ministry. First meeting's today, in some town called Hogsmeade. Wanna come?"

"Wait - how did you know Harry's plans? And don't trips to Hogsmeade need parent permission?" Nico looked up at Will inquisitively.

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you - I was sorted into Gryffindor, according to the Mist. So Hermione and Ron invited me to come. And as for parent permission…" He shoved a few pieces of paper under Nico's nose. "Your father sent these - they're the signed permission forms. Also a letter inviting you and me to stay with him for Christmas…" Will looked nervous. "Hades isn't going to feed me to Cerberus, is he?"

Nico was surprised at this news, but he rolled his eyes. "He won't unless you mess with the zombie patrol."

Will only looked even more worried at this.

~

Harry looked around the Hog's Head. It was not at all like the Three Broomsticks, whose large bar gave an impression of gleaming warmth and cleanliness. The Hog's Head bar comprised one small, dingy, and very dirty room that smelled strongly of something that might have been goats. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that very little daylight could permeate the room, which was lit instead with the stubs of candles sitting on rough wooden tables. The floor seemed at first glance to be earthy, though as Harry stepped onto it he realized that there was stone beneath what seemed to be the accumulated filth of centuries.