Nico

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gryffindor Common Room

November 12th

3:03 pm

Nico stumbled down the steps into the common room. He hit around three people at this point, not caring enough to apologize. He had to get to Annabeth or Percy, to tell them what he's seen.

Nico had woken up sweaty and confused, not remembering anything. But as the moments wore on, bits and pieces floated back - until he knew what he had seen, even if he didn't remember most of it. What he knew was the most important, was finding out who Jacob was. To figure out if he ever made it to Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter.

His eyelids were still heavy, weighing down on him. His limbs were not under his control, as he was stumbling into everything in his way.

"Hey, Nico," two hands went to Nico's shoulders - trying to stabilize him. Nico blinked, Percy coming into focus. "Are you alright?"

"Where's Annabeth?" Nico slapped Percy's hands off of him, the world around him gaining color and focus. Percy shrugged.

"I don't know, I just came back from a talk with Dumbledore."

Nico narrowed his eyes at him, noticing the way that Percy's hair was more tousled than usual and the redness that lined his eyes. "What about?" he asked.

"Nothing important," Percy said. He looked around the common room ignoring Nico's eyes. "Why are you looking for Annabeth?"

"I had a dream," he explained quietly. Percy nodded, understanding. They exited the common room and started towards the library, where they thought Annabeth could be.

Annabeth

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Library

November 12th

3:34 pm

"Oh thank god." Annabeth looked up to see Percy and Nico walking through the bookshelves to where she had holed herself up. Percy plopped himself down in the rickety chair across from her and Nico sat quietly in the seat next to him.

"What's up?" Annabeth asked, closing the book she was reading. She had folded the corner of the page she was on as to not lose her place.

"We've been looking for the library for thirty minutes," Nico explained. He twisted his silver skull ring, eyes scouring over the books between them. "What are you researching?"

Annabeth sighed, she ran her fingers through her curly mess of hair haphazardly. "I'm trying to see if there's a way we can use our magic - like the Mist or something - that allows us to help out Harry in the third task."

Percy raised his head from where it was resting in his hands. He groaned, "Ugh. I have a headache."

Annabeth immediately got worried. She didn't want Percy leaving the hospital wing for at least another day, but he had claimed he was fine and she had to believe him. "Do you need to go back to the hospital?"

Percy waved her off, "Nah. It's just a normal headache. Nico," he used the same hand that he waved her off with to slap Nico's shoulder, "tell her why we're here."

Nico nodded, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "I had a dream, about the prophecy."

Annabeth could have felt her ears perk in interest. Hecate had told them they would receive a prophecy, but they didn't know where or when. "Did you hear it?"

Nico shook his head, "I woke up before I did. But I did get a name, or first name at least."

"A first name? How can that help us?" Percy asked, lifting his head once more.

"Because Dumbledore was there," Nico took a pause, looking around to see if anyone was listening through the shelves. Annabeth knew that no one was. She had chosen that spot because it was so isolated from the others. Nico looked back at them, leaning forward to whisper. His voice was so quiet she had to strain to hear it. "And because Jacob was an American demigod."

Percy

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Library

November 12th

3:43 pm

Percy looked over at Nico, his eyes wide.

"Wow, that was a major bomb we dropped on us Nico, care to explain?" His headache still thrummed under his skin, but he was much too fixated on Nico to pay attention to it.

Annabeth nodded, agreeing with him. Nico sighed but complied.

Nico slowly and quietly explained what he had seen. Jacob had wandered somewhere that he wasn't supposed to, and when he came out- he was muttering prophecies. Demigod prophecies.

"How did you know that it was related to us?" Annabeth asked, her head tilted.

"Because he said, and I quote: To preserve or raze. Child reaches 16 against all odds."

Percy felt a chill race through his veins. He hasn't heard those words in a long time, hoping to put it past him. But it was back, mocking him. Another demigod had gone crazy with those words. Annabeth reached over and squeezed his hand as Nico continued.

"He then looked at me, I mean straight at me and started reciting something else."

"What was he reciting?"

"I only heard the first bit before I woke up, I think he said: when the wheels are- and then I lost it." Nico looked between Percy and Annabeth. "What do you think it means-"

A book dropped to Percy's left. They all swiveled their heads, looking for whoever had dropped it. And more importantly, trying to see whoever could have overheard them. Out came Hermione, flushed in the face and holding a rather large book in her hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she stammered out. "I was just looking for Annabeth."

Annabeth sat up tall, her hand slipping from Percy's "Yeah," she told the younger girl. "What do you need?"

Percy rubbed his still throbbing temple. He looked over at Nico and they both nodded. Percy looked back at Annabeth.

"Hey, Wise Girl. Nico and I are gonna head back to the common room."

Annabeth looked at him with a furrowed brow before nodding and kissing him on the cheek. Percy and Nico turned, walking back through the maze of bookshelves as Annabeth started talking to Hermione. 

I know it's really short - but another update is coming Friday, so I'll see y'all then. :)

- Hoarder