AN: sorry for the long wait I had to pack and move and unpack and now I have to do it again so there's a lot going on but had some time to sit and write. Also got a new laptop so may be organized enough to start a new fanfic, we'll see. Godbless~

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Nico finally got out of taking the potions daily as the month went by. He felt great, more energized then he had ever been. That mixed with his ADHD sent him moving around at any chance he could. He tapped his fingers and feet throughout class and got used to the dandelion burning with each ounce of energy he used.

When he visited the Underworld on Fridays and Sundays to continue the letters, he visited his father and Persephone and had dinner with them. Sometimes he played with Cerberus for a good hour.

When Halloween finally hit, he escaped Hogwarts to give the kids at camp a good Halloween. Most ended up sick in bed with stomachaches the next day, but all agreed that it was the most candy they had had in their life. Nico left for Hogwarts before Will could blame him.

When he got back all hell had broken loose. He appeared in his dormitory and didn't even have time before Dominic was in his face, those blue eyes full of curiosity and fear. "Where were you? Camp?"

Nico nodded. "Why are you so close to me?"

"You missed it!" Dominic explained. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened!"

Nico's great mood dropped. "Excuse me?"

Dominic told him how Mrs. Norris the cat had been petrified and what the writing on the wall had read. Harry was the first at the scene.

"Damn!" Nico ran a hand through his hair.

"So, do you know what it is?" Dominic asked. "The Chamber of Secrets?"

"Judging by the message, something bad." Nico began to pace. "Where's Harry and Ron?"

Dominic shrugged. "I was worried about where you were. Some people are saying that you were the only one in the school not there."

"So?"

"They know you're adopted. Lots of kids just like to talk and blame people and-"

"They blame me?"

"Yeah. And Harry."

"Are they complete idiots?" Nico asked. "Why would Harry and I be against muggle-borns? Have they looked at my family?"

Dominic shrugged again as he laid on his bed. "They like to have someone to blame. But it's probably a Slytherin."

Nico set his bag down before taking his jacket off. "You can't blame a whole house based on someone's actions."

Dominic rolled his eyes before turning on his side. "Nico?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you think you weren't in Slytherin?" Dominic asked. "I mean...you seem like you'd have a whole family of them. Brothers and stuff."

Nico sat on his bed and took in the question for a moment before answering. "I do seem more like a Slytherin. Most people here would agree, anyhow. But...I don't know. I guess the Sorting Hat thinks I'm more loyal."

"Loyal to what?"

"Hell if I know." Nico tossed his boots aside and laid down. As silence fell around them and soon Dominic's breathing turned soft and low, Nico moved a hand to the dandelion on his collarbone and tried not to miss someone. He wasn't sure who, but Will's face filled his dreams for the night.

Or, at least half the night.

His last dream was plunged in darkness of a different kind. It was in Hogwarts, in the halls Nico knew so well, but the feeling of death hung in the air. He stood and watched them carry a girl's body out on a stretcher, her hand hanging off.

He was then thrown to another part of the castle, this time to the Headmaster's office. He saw a boy that looked vaguely familiar.

"Hello?" Nico stepped forward but nobody paid him any attention. "Excuse me-"

They can't hear you, son of Hades. Hecate's voice filled the room. The past can't be changed by a dream.

"Who are they, then?" Nico asked. "What am I supposed to be figuring out?"

There's a reason I put you in Dominic Cook's mind. Hecate answered. His thoughts should give you clues.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Don't tell him that or he'll never stop."

Son of Hades, pay attention!

Nico sat up in bed before he could even register that he was awake. The room was silent and dark and the shadows responded, but he couldn't get his breathing under control. If Hecate had been telling the truth...

"Dominic, wake up." he walked over to Dominic's bed and shook him awake. "Get up!"

Dominic sat up quickly, knocking his head against Nico's in a groan of pain. "What?!"

Nico stepped back with a hand to his forehead, scowling at the bruise that began to form. "Why'd you do that?"

Dominic rubbed his own head. "Why'd you wake me up like that? It's your fault."

Nico sat by Dominic on the bed. "Who are your parents?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your parents. Tell me your parents names."

"Sasha Cook... My stepfather is-"

"I don't care about him." Nico snapped. "Tell me your biological father's name."

Dominic blinked. "Oh. Um...Henry, I think. Henry Shultz."

Nico stared at him for a minute before letting out a deep sigh. "Okay...sorry, Dom."

Dominic looked Nico over. "What happened? What are you so worked up about? Didn't you get to sleep?"

"I did," Nico told him his dream, told him what Hecate had said. He didn't leave anything out though he probably should have.

"So she made me become friends with you because she wanted you to what, crush on that boy?" Dominic asked. "Doesn't sound like a divine thought to me. Sounds idiotic."

"Don't call the goddess of magic idiotic..."

"No, listen." Dominic pulled his legs closer. "You said it wasn't Dumbledore talking to him."

"Right..." Nico agreed. "But what does that have to do with Hecate?"

"If it wasn't Dumbledore then he wasn't the Headmaster because they were in that office." Dominic flicked Nico's head. "Why didn't you think of that? It must be from the past or future."

"She wouldn't know the future." Nico waved that possibility aside. "But the past...makes more sense."

Dominic wiped the sleep from his eyes. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say about him. Did she expect me to know him? You don't even know his name."

"Just tell me if you think of something." Nico stalked back to his own bed but had no intention of going back to sleep.

"I have thought of something." Dominic didn't lay down. "Why did you ask about my parents? You still haven't explained that."

Nico laid his arm over his eyes to block out any light that had managed to work its way into the small room. "Dominic...don't think too much about it. You don't think that much about anything else."

"Nico...you're not putting this off. You're telling me." Dominic demanded. "Tell me what's wrong with me."

Nico sat up. "I didn't say anything was wrong with you... I just had a suspicion about your parents. But you proved me wrong so it's fine."

Dominic thought for a minute before scooting back on the bed. "You thought my real dad was a god of yours."

"But he's not," Nico affirmed. "So drop it."

"Who did you think it was?" Dominic asked curiously. "Is there a god of being bi or...?"

Nico couldn't help but crack a smile. "No. Now go to sleep."

"The sun's rising."

"Then get ready for breakfast. It's going to take a few hours for me to warm up to the idea of talking to people today."

"I get that," Dominic admitted. "Harry probably feels the same way."

Nico turned on his side. "Why must both years have to be full of shit like this."

"The price we pay for being wizards in the first place," Dominic answered. "It's good enough for me."

Nico rolled his eyes. "You're too optimistic nowadays."

Dominic shrugged. "Guess so. Or you've just become less optimistic."

Nico sighed but didn't deny the claim. "Get ready for breakfast."