Please look at the chapter before this for a couple of clarifications. I also don't own... well... anything really. That's a depressing thought.

Will POV

*Prophecy has just been given through IM at breakfast*

This is not good. Well, it's my first ever prophecy, so that's actually pretty exciting, and if there's a prophecy, then maybe we are supposed to be here. Still not good. Prophecies tend to get people killed. Also not good. And the wizards are freaking out. Not good either. I should probably calm them down.

"Uh, guys?" The shouting stays the same, and I can't even hear my own voice. I look over to Nico, who looks very overwhelmed. I sigh and draw in a breath, put two fingers in my mouth, and blow. An ear-piercing noise emits from my mouth, and everyone stops talking and puts their hands over their ears.

"Oww," Ron says, rubbing his temples and wincing.

"Sorry," I say "It would be hard to explain what that was over the noise." At this, I have everyone's attention.

"Then explain yourself boy," Moody growls.

"That was our oracle," I explain. Technically, Rachel is our oracle, but at this time period, the mummy is the prophetic one. "Whenever people from where we're from go travelling, we get a prophecy to guide us." Thank Dad I'm good with words.

"And the means of communication? How do you explain that?" Moody asks. 

"It's just a part of the oracle's magic, I guess." I shrug as I say it, and the tension in the air lessens as the wizards seem to calm down. Magic is always a good excuse, as even with the Hecate kids, it's pretty unpredictable. I sit back in my seat, releasing the breath I didn't know I was holding. Another bullet dodged.

Nico suddenly stands up, his chair making a screeching sound against the floor. He gives a quick, mumbled apology, excuses himself and runs upstairs. My eyes follow his retreating form. Nico hasn't had good experiences with prophecies before, and he's frequently haunted by flashbacks and nightmares from his quests. Another prophecy is bound to affect him. I need to make sure he's ok.

I quickly excuse myself from the table and thank Mrs. Weasley for breakfast. She still looks shaken from the IM but smiles at me nonetheless. I reach the doorway to the stairs, then quickly turn back.

"It was nice to meet all of you, by the way. And I'm sorry if the oracle scared you, she can be a bit creepy." I get some warry smiles back, and a voice cuts through the silence.

"Is Nico all right?" Hermione asks with concern. I nod slowly.

"He will be. He's just been through a lot." Boy is that an understatement. Nico's been through a lot more than 'a lot'. Hermione nods, and I rush upstairs.

I knock lightly, then go into the room and close the door behind me. Nico is sitting on his bed with his head in his hands, breathing rapidly. I frown and sit next to him gently so I don't startle him. I wrap an arm around him, and he tenses.

"It's all right. It's just me." I say softly, "Just breathe, Neeks, it'll be fine." 

Nico slowly but surely relaxes and his breathing slows, and he drifts off to sleep against my shoulder. I smile at his sleeping face, and, deciding to let him sleep, I pick up a book I found earlier and start to read about magical creatures.

*** 

About half an hour after Nico has fallen asleep, and I am almost finished with the book. You may doubt me, as demigods tend to have dyslexia, but I seem to be spared from that. Maybe because of my father, but I'm not completely sure. I guess the Fates decided to make my school life easier, which I am very grateful for. I've even competed in spelling competitions! 

(Will doesn't have dyslexia. I searched it up.)

Anyway, I have about a chapter left when someone knocks on the door. Now, I want to point out that I'm sitting cross-legged on Nico's bed with an arm wrapped around him, and he is still asleep on my shoulder. I am definitely aware that we look like more-than-friends at the moment, and normally I wouldn't care what others think, but I honestly have no idea what views wizards have on this kind of thing, especially in the 1990s in Britain. I'm not really knowledgeable on that particular subject. But, I can tell that Mrs. Weasley already knows (or suspects)and she seemed perfectly fine with it, so I tell the person to come inside.

(Please don't take offence to anything in that last paragraph if I said/wrote something offensive, as that is not my goal.)

I'm so sorry for the short chapter! The next one will be longer :)

Happy Holidays!