Percy, Annabeth, and Nico uncover the first of Riddle's horcruxes.

Chapter Rating: General Audiences

Content Warning: Violence (mild)

Word Count: 2799

THIS TIME I HAVE AN EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE! I WAS DOING A DOUBLE SHIFT AT WORK!

And all the characters are owned by J.K. Rowling, or Rick Riordan.

After a deep, dreamless sleep, Annabeth woke up in the motel room. She lazily opened up an eye, allowing her surroundings to drift into view. Nico sat, perched on top of the kitchenette's counter, eyes staring vacantly at the wall.

Percy, waking up too, noticed Nico and looked at him in confusion. "Nico? What are you doing?"

Nico jumped at the sound of his voice. "Dream," Nico answered, voice clipped. "Thinking."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Thinking? About what?"

"Thinking," Nico repeated. "It wasn't..." His voice trailed off. "It scared me. I saw Riddle for the first time, and he scared me half to death."

Percy stood up, and walked over to him. "It's okay to be upset. I've had my fair share of nightmares, and so has Annabeth. It's part of being a demigod."

"A sucky part," Nico grumbled. "Just pray that you'll never have to see that--thing--ever. It's horrible, it's unnatural, and he's barely even human."

Percy opened his mouth, then shut it again. After a small silence, he asked, "What was the dream about?"

"You don't need to do that."

"Do what?"

"Baby me. Pretend you care. I can take care of myself."

"He's not pretending," Annabeth cut in, then took a moment to sit up and rub her eyes. "And he's definitely not babying you. He's asking because we're on a quest, and you're the leader; the Fates send you the most significant dreams. So grow up, and stop feeling sorry for yourself."

She was a little harsher than she probably should've been, but Annabeth hated it when Nico closed himself off like that. It frustrated her... and it reminded her of the teenage Riddle.

Since the thought first popped into her mind, Annabeth couldn't stop making connections between Riddle and Nico. It frustrated her, how similar they were. Nico wasn't evil. He wouldn't kill innocent people or attempt to cheat death, and would never stray far from the gods. But, the way he talked sometimes, it brought Annabeth right back to the lifeless orphanage, the flaming wardrobe, and the young wizard with a gleam in his eye.

Nico pushed off the counter, and sat at the table, motioning for Percy and Annabeth to join him. He stared at the center of the table while he retold his dream; his voice entirely free of all emotion. As he described the simple way Riddle talked about murder, Annabeth felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck. Lord Voldemort sounded exactly like Kronos.

Percy listened to Nico without distraction, which was harder than it seemed for an ADHD demigod. Annabeth smiled at the scene; it reminded her of the way her step-siblings acted back at home. She thought about what Percy had said the last time they were in a hotel room, about his promise to Bianca, and the responsibility he felt towards the boy she left behind. She could see the brotherly love in Percy's eyes and Annabeth only wished that Nico saw it too.

Riddle didn't have friends either.

After Nico had finished, Annabeth spoke. "I understand why the gods sent the dream to you." She made sure she had both boys' attention, then explained. "The location--that's the important part. Nico, you said Riddle looked weak, not even human. Don't you think one of the first places he'd go in that situation would be to a horcrux? He's afraid of death, so seeing his safeguard unharmed would comfort him."

"Are you saying that the ring's in that house?" Nico asked. "But, I didn't see where the house was. I was already inside when the dream started."

"I think I know where the house is," Annabeth assured him. "Think, Nico. Riddle's killed a lot of people, which means that he'd have more than enough murders to create horcruxes. How would he decide which deaths to use horcruxes for?"

"The important ones," Nico replied. Annabeth bit her lip; she didn't like how fast Nico came up with the answer. "The ones that he would bother to remember."

"Exactly. And what better way to take revenge on a father that never wanted you by killing him in his own home, making a horcrux with his murder, and hiding it in his own house?"

Percy's eyes went wide. "That's-- that's just sick."

"It's not in the house," Nico refuted. "That's too easy. But you're right, it would be nearby." He closed his eyes, and muttered under his breath, "Find the horcrux." Darkness gathered by Nico's hand, pressed up against the table top. "Find the horcrux." Darkness rippled below Nico's palm, as the shadows did his bidding and sniffed out the object. "It's near," Nico murmured, eyes still shut. "It's underground."

"Underground?" Annabeth prompted, ignoring the unnatural prickle in her stomach.

"In a hole, I can sense it..." Nico's eyes opened wide, like he'd been punched in the gut. "It's in Tom Riddle Senior's grave."

"Where?" Percy cried.

"Are you sure?" Annabeth questioned. She wasn't in the mood to go grave robbing if she didn't have to.

"One hundred percent," Nico answered, unbothered by the fact that he'd have to go dig up a dead guy. "It's there, I can feel its aura now. It's weak, but definitely coming from towards the graveyard. Let's go."

They cleared out of the motel in record time, navigating the sidewalks to the local graveyard. While she and Percy felt a little disturbed by what they planned to do--one look at Percy's face said it all--Nico seemed to give it no thought.

I guess he's done this before; how many times has he shown up to camp saying he'd been in a graveyard in Chicago or New Orleans? He's on his home turf, no reason to bat an eye.

That was a depressing thought.

Nico, Annabeth, and Percy, guided by the aura of the horcrux, made it to the graveyard within the hour. Nico motioned towards a small fence surrounding the property, then climbed it in seconds flat. Since neither Percy nor Annabeth had as much experience as Nico did when it came to breaking into graveyards, it took longer for them to do the same. When they met on the other side of the fence, Nico looked distracted. He stole glances at the church in front of the graveyard, head cocked like he was listening to something.

"Look for the name Riddle," Nico instructed. "I don't know where the grave is beyond the fact that it's here."

"Can't you just follow the aura like you were before?" Percy asked.

"Too strong now; it's overpowering."

"Let's split up," Percy suggested. "Take a look."

That's when all Hades broke loose.

Nico landed on the other side of the fence first, then motioned for Percy and Annabeth to follow him. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings, when Teddy's voice filled his mind.

"Something's not right. Can't you feel it? You're being watched. Look by the church; I think someone's over there."

Nico glanced towards the church, and, sure enough, he saw a woman, crouched almost out of sight, focused on Annabeth hoisting Percy over the fence.

It's a woman. Pale, pink hair, do you know her?

"That's-- that's my mom!" Teddy cried, his voice caught between shock and disbelief. "That's Nymphadora Tonks!"

Your what?! Why?! What's she doing here?!

"I don't know! She's a member of the Order of the Phoenix, maybe she knows something from Dumbledore?"

The Order of the What?

"Phoenix. It's an organization formed to fight Lord Voldemort the first time he rose to power twentyish years ago. It resurfaced when he cheated death and came back; Dumbledore's the head of it."

Oh. But, Dumbledore's sworn to secrecy, he can't tell anyone who we are.

Nico thought back to his dream about the murder of the Potters, and a thought occurred to him.

Wait a second. Were Harry's parents original members? Is that why Riddle tried to kill them?

"Maybe. I mean, they were members, but why he attempted to kill them, I don't know. Why is that important?"

What if Harry's a member now? Percy said Harry wouldn't leave him alone when we left for the quest--what if Harry told the Order about us leaving, not knowing where we were going, and asked your mom to follow us? Harry's convinced I'm some dark wizard.

"That would explain a lot. If Dumbledore has Harry Potter replacing his parents... it explains everything."

Ok, great. Now, what do I do about your mom?

"Get the horcrux. She doesn't know what horcruxes are; she'll try and take it from you once you find it. Just defeat her. You can do that easily with the skills I taught you. Just be careful, and don't hurt her unless you have to--she is my mom, after all, and one of the good guys."

Of course not.

Teddy didn't have to say that, Nico had his vow after all. No mortals would find cruel death at his hand, even if he were under attack.

"Look for the name Riddle," Nico told Percy and Annabeth when they finally walked up next to him. "I don't know where the grave is beyond the fact that it's here."

"Can't you just follow the aura like you were before?" Percy asked.

"Too strong now, it's overpowering."

"Let's split up," Percy suggested. "Take a look."

The moment they stepped apart, a red beam fired from the church window. Nico, ready for Tonks's attack, pulled Percy and Annabeth out of the way. Where they'd stood, smoke rose from a small crater. They ran for cover, crouching behind a rock formation at the edge of the fence. They were safe for now, but Tonks would eventually come outside and try again.

"What was that?" Annabeth stared at Nico, drawing her drakon bone sword.

"We've been followed," Nico answered, jutting his head towards the church. "I'll take care of her; you guys start looking for the right grave."

"Too dangerous," Percy decided. "We fight together, send whoever followed us back to wherever they came from."

"Do you think it's one of Riddle's followers?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Nico replied. "It's a friend of Harry Potter's."

Percy's mouth hung open. "Oh gods--he said he knew where we were going. He knew about Lares; he might've known about where we came from! The way he was talking, it was like he knew we'd get what we had coming to us... it had to be this."

"You knew about this?!" Annabeth cried.

"I didn't realize it until right now, I'm sorry!" Percy yelled, his voice heavy with adrenaline.

"Sorry isn't good enough!" Annabeth shot back. Another blast of red light soared through the air, hitting a fence just behind them and making it smolder. "We need to get that horcrux before we're all blown to pieces."

"You go--use your Yankees cap. Nico and I will create a diversion," Percy said. Annabeth glanced warily at Nico, who met her eye and nodded. A diversion was their best chance. Finally, she dug her cap out of her pocket and put it on, disappearing from sight.

Nico and Percy jumped out from behind the rock, running towards the church with swords in hand. Percy pressed a button on his watch, and his shield sprang open. More red light hit the shield, causing it to smoke, but if Percy felt the impact he didn't react.

"Come on out!" Percy shouted. "You scared of a couple of kids?"

Tonks stepped outside the church, a dark gleam in her eyes.

"She's trained in combat," Teddy warned in Nico's ear. "She works for the wizarding government as a protector. She knows what she's doing."

Nico nodded in acknowledgement as Percy inched closer to her, his sword gleaming and shield raised. Tonks didn't say a word, just fired from her wand again, creating more red light. It hit Percy's shield, and dissolved.

Must not be as powerful as celestial bronze.

Tonks and Percy began to circle each other; Nico stood off to the side, sword at the ready. He felt Annabeth's shadow inching closer to the graves behind him, silent but slow.

Percy yelled, and thrust his sword towards Tonks. She waved her wand, and a bright blue light emerged from its tip. Bronze met blue and the sword bounced off, like the blue light was made of rubber. Percy gritted his teeth, trying to get within range again. Tonks shot more spells, her incantations blending together in one long stream. First, red jets shot from her wand tip, than other colors as she got more creative with her enchantments. Percy parried every blow, but it was clear he was getting tired; his thrusts got weaker, his feet a little slower. Nico wanted to step in, but he could sense Annabeth still in the open. He couldn't leave her undefended.

Tonks made contact with Percy for the first time; when her jet of red light hit his sword, it flew from his hand. He crouched behind his shield, ready to defend, looking for an opportunity to get his sword back. Tonks didn't give him one. Now that she had the upper hand, she fired blow after blow, trying to get past Percy's shield.

"Use your powers!" Teddy urged. "You can fight her and win! Percy can't fight anymore!"

But what about Annabeth?

"My mom doesn't know where she is. You have to try and defend Percy, or she'll stun him. Maybe even kill him."

That got Nico's attention. He didn't care whose mother Tonks was, he wasn't about to let someone hurt his friend. "Protect me!" Nico shouted; the familiar shadow barrier erupted from his hands, dividing Percy and Tonks.

"Nico, what are you doing?!" Percy cried in amazement.

"Get. Your. Sword." Nico groaned through gritted teeth. Percy scrambled to where it had fallen, but the barrier separated him from Riptide.

"You need to lower the barrier!" Percy shouted. "I'll be fine!"

"Do it!" Teddy ordered.

Nico pulled the shadows back in. Tonks's hair had fallen into her face, her clothes were slashed in multiple places, and her eyes shone like she was ready to kill a man.

"Raise the dead," Teddy instructed.

"Serve me!" Nico shouted. Two skeletons rose from a crack in the ground. Tonks shot green light from her wand, muttering something under her breath. Nico knew that green light. It was the thing that had killed Harry Potter's parents and the old man in his dreams. It was the killing curse.

The dead were, well, already dead, so all the green light did was slow them down, even though Tonks got them right in the skull. She raised her shield again, but she couldn't hold it forever, and the dead were advancing on her. Nico stepped towards her with his sword at the ready; Tonks lowered her shield a second before Nico struck.

In Nico's mind, Teddy shouted orders, sword movements to assist his own training from camp. His black blade a blur, Tonks barely had time to block his blows before he struck again. She started to tire, but Nico felt adrenaline pump through him and give him strength. Tonks didn't know it, but she was fighting two people, Nico di Angelo and her own son, Teddy Lupin. There was no way she could win.

A skeleton landed its first blow, hitting Tonks square in the chest with one of its ribs. She crumpled, collapsing to her knees, with her hands supporting her body, and her head lowered, breathing hard. Nico wouldn't kill her, but she didn't know that. He walked towards her, his sword at the ready like he was planning on an execution.

"If you don't want to die, you'll tell me why you're here," Nico commanded.

Tonks looked up, hate in her eyes. "To stop you."

Green light emerged from the wand still in her hand... its tip directed right at Percy, now guarding the grave Annabeth had to be standing at.

Time slowed. Nico shouted in alarm, but there was nothing he could do. Teddy chanted an incantation in Nico's mind, a single phrase: "Damn to Hades." Nico repeated it, forcing every ounce of energy he had on the green light racing towards Percy. Percy turned just as the light was about to hit him--

A millisecond before it could, the green beam stopped in midair. Everyone stared at it, watching it glow the color of Nico's sword. When it couldn't get any darker, it vanished completely.

Nico's knees buckled; he sank to the ground with black spots dancing in his eyes. He knew he was floating in and out of consciousness; time passed in non-sequencer moments. Annabeth pulled a ring from a hole in the ground. Percy swiped his sword at Tonks. Tonks disapparated to avoid Percy's fatal blow.

"Grazie, Teddy," Nico mumbled, then passed out completely.

Once again, our resident artist Viviana di Chiara drew an AMAZING comic of the ending's scene: