Nico is brought to speak with Hecate.

Chapter Rating: General Audiences

Content Warning: None

Word Count: 2520

Computer is dying, have to go fast.

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

Credits at the end.

____________________NICO____________________

Nico never imagined Hecate could be so beautiful.

It wasn't in a romantic or attractive sense. No, Hecate's beauty and grace came from pure power. She looked the way Nico thought a goddess would back in his Westover Hall years--like she could kill you with a snap of her fingers.

The underworld's texts had described her well--the seductress stereotype with 'skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony,' as the Brother's Grimm put it. Her sons modeled Snow White off of her, although based on the Disney movie Will forced him to watch, the fierceness of her aura and character didn't translate. That poison-apple red dress, Greek fire bracelets, fluttering locks, and moving tattoos on her sternum screamed enchantress. The Greek headdress painted her as royalty; her throne told the world she was an empress. A goddess.

They were in a church. A Roman Catholic church. Until 1939, until ten-years-old, he had sat in pews like the ones next to him every Sunday. As the teenage Nico walked down the aisle, he recalled his childhood self kneeling and listening to mass beside Nonno, Mamma, and Bianca.

Nico no longer worshiped that God. He found it ironic that a son of Clementia, the Roman Goddess of forgiveness and mercy, and his fight against the corrupted state of Roman religion to restore it to its former glory morphed into the religion that ended the outward reign of Olympus.

Irony, thy name is Jesus.

Still, Nico was in awe of his surroundings. Roman arches of marble held a domed ceiling adorned with mosaic after mosaic of medieval art. Nico recognized the style; Nonno took him and Bianca to a few of the ancient churches over the years, many of which were maintained with money from the Vatican. But this artwork... Nico's preschool brain had only hazy memories of what little he had to compare it to.

The sheer age of the thing rocked Nico to the core. And its size, how it towered over Nico and the son of Hecate beside him? It took his breath away. How long had it taken for laborers of fifteen-hundred years ago to construct? To design? Even without an interest in architecture like Annabeth's, the sight transported him to another plane. With everything that had happened in the last two months, Nico welcomed that feeling.

On a blue background of a sea, a golden sun rose to cast the red and orange colors of dawn on the water. In the center stood Jesus, wrapped in robes the color of the star behind him, with his disciples on either side. Below that, layers of other sites: sheep staring up at him, golden scripture glittering on an oceanic background, and so much more that Nico couldn't process it, all the colors vibrant despite their age.

He and Alabaster walked through the wooden gates to where Hecate stood, facing them with her back to the altar, so its marble statues and Roman columns framed her. It made her even more divine.

Alabaster knelt to her; Nico did the same. Hecate smiled and walked towards them, the click of her heels echoing off the walls. She extended her hand towards her son and helped him up, then did the same for Nico.

"Welcome to the Santi Cosma e Damiano, Nico di Angelo."

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, unable to fathom words. He closed his eyes and got ahold of himself, then tried again. "We're in Roma?"

Hecate nodded. "I reside here, as many non-Olympic deities find their own places. I showed it to Alabaster's guardian when I asked him to look after him the Second Giant War. Though, it looked far less beautiful--after the Second Titan War, my realm crumbled to ruin."

Nico turned to Alabaster and saw a grievous expression in his eyes. "Claymont saved my life too many times to count," he explained in a thick tone, "But, he wanted rebirth after he finished his job. I wanted to... but, I couldn't keep him in Mist Form anymore."

Hecate put a hand on her son's shoulder in a tender touch but said nothing. She nodded to him to assure him, then turned back to Nico to allow Alabaster time to recollect himself.

"The Roman Emperor dedicated this place, in part, to my son Valerius Romulus. The other beneficiary was a grandchild of Jupiter and you can be sure that the King of Olympus did everything to make sure his descendant stole the limelight. To this day, most say Valerius's dedication is conjecture.

"It was a Roman place of worship until the then King of Italy, Theoderic the Great, gave this place to the Pope. Though disgusted for many centuries, I see the Fates' wisdom now--reassigning this place to the Vatican kept it decorated and in its original glory. I come here when I can, using my magic to keep mortals from intruding, and my power over the Mist lets my sacred place reflect my realm without harming the physical structures. Sometimes I watch their services and remember that, powerful as the Olympians are, most of the mortal world lives without us. Being a Titan, I knew what losing absolute power felt like before the decline of Rome--I enjoy learning about the modern world, even if most other gods pretend the human world extends only to their children."

She paused and glanced around the pews. "Did your grandfather bring you here as a child?"

Nico swallowed, forcing himself not to collapse as he had not even a half-hour before. "No, my lady. We lived in Val d'Aosta ; it's closer to Paris than Roma."

"Ah." She turned towards the altar and walked to its side as she spoke. "Beyond revealing himself to you and apologizing for the trick, did my son explain anything else?"

Nico couldn't help but grin at the parental scolding coming from a goddess. And, Alabaster's reaction made the whole thing a lot funnier. "Not much," Nico answered. "I'm ashamed of it, but... Alabaster found me not in my... right mind..."

Hecate laughed; a cheerful bell that reverberated around the room. "You shouldn't apologize for emotions, Nico. I know you were at the gravesite of your family; I'd be more worried if you didn't have an emotional reaction."

Nico smiled again, though this once felt more forced with the painful memory resurfacing. Still, he felt relieved; Hades never let him show any kind of weakness. "He told me about the Artifacts, and how you plan to let me speak to my family again. He told me about my father's war, and how me joining you might fix things. And I accepted your mission and your patronage."

Hecate turned and stared at Alabaster with angered shock. "Alabaster! You should not have given Nico that opportunity before speaking to me."

"I didn't ask him to!" Alabaster protested. "It just sort of came out of nowhere..."

"He's right," Nico jumped in, defending his friend. "He didn't ask me to renounce Hades. But... I had to."

"All right," Hecate sighed. "Alabaster, you followed my orders, then, so thank you."

Alabaster bowed again, though only his head. "You're welcome, mum."

Hecate finished her turn, so her entire body angled towards Nico again. "If you forswore your father, I can't reverse it. However, I won't accept your patronage until you know what you're getting into. I am not Hades; I use warriors, not pawns. I want your loyalty by choice, or not at all.

"Hades and Persephone fought against my rejoining the gods after I betrayed them in the Second Titan War. After Thanatos returned, I took Hazel as a ghost at Hades' request, to keep her alive and him from hypocrisy. He knew it was the right thing to do, but always suspected an ulterior motive. Not without reason--we've fought in the past--but I had no specific plan! My children and I, so weakened by Kronos's defeat, had no time to wage another war.

"After Claymond left Alabaster, we both knew it was time to focus on Persephone's curse--"

"Persephone's what?!" Nico cried. As scary as Persephone was at times, Nico never heard a time when she got angry enough to curse something. That was Hades' department.

Hecate said nothing about the interruption; her eyes were far away, bitter and hateful. "You know my role in Persephone's marriage. Weeks after Zeus solved the issue, I noticed a change in my children. They fought for dominance. They killed each other to lead their half-siblings. I knew it was a curse, but could never figure out its source, nor find a way to lift it.

"The night of December 20th, Hades and Persephone summoned me to their throne room and accused me of kidnapping you. Though offended, I held myself from action until I discovered the truth. Queen Persephone never wanted her mother's rescue; she blames me for her fate. She's one of the few goddesses with magic to match mine... between the time frame and the power of it, I knew this was her doing.

"I got angry; I admit it. I acted with every pettiness I hate about the Olympians. I used my powers against Persephone and lied about kidnapping you to bait her into a fight. I hurt her beyond repair; if she were mortal, I would've killed her. And Hades felt the same grief I felt with every child killed at the sight of his wife. He declared war on me and my kingdom in his family's name. Unless I do the unthinkable: forgive and revive the woman who slaughtered my children, take my blessing from Hazel and deliver her soul to Asphodel, and force you back to a father who uses you without regard for your health or sanity... when midnight strikes on January 1st, my people face genocide and Hades destroys the mortal world.

"My original plan was so simple. I tell Hades to kill Riddle so he sends you to hunt the horcruxes, and Alabaster helps you through Hogwarts and keeps you in the know and on track. With the skills in the dark arts--the realm of magic where Hades and I meet--you could find all his horcruxes. But, a friend in your mind would keep such powers from corrupting you and making you like Riddle. I knew of your illness; I watched you after Hades proposed sending you to my realm. With such thoughts, I needed to keep you from hurting yourself beyond repair.

"After collecting the final horcrux, Alabaster would explain the truth--I need Riddle alive. With his horcruxes unharmed, I could transfer his soul together again and give him immortal life. He would guard over my children as my lieutenant, using the ruthless power he inherited from my beloved Merlin to keep them in line. But, he would be forever tied to me--the spell only works if he repents what he did. He would feel the weight of every life he took on his shoulders every waking minute; he would never find peace again. Instead of Punishment, he would spend the rest of eternity seeing everything he destroyed, and wanting to die... but knowing that, to do so, he would have to commit that crime once more. Eternal torture for his crimes, but in a way that saves him from death when so many of my descendants die.

"Now, many of the horcruxes are gone. Destroyed. I told Riddle that I could grant him immortal life if he let you collect his horcruxes, which is why no Death Eater has stopped you. But, as soon as he finds out that I can't uphold my promise, he's outside of my control. Your friends at Hogwarts hunt the final horcruxes--though it kills me to watch my descendant die... Merlin convinced me. He's too dangerous; he must go to Punishment."

Hecate closed her eyes and lowered her head, taking a moment of grief. Nico turned to Alabaster in confusion. "Her husband," he whispered, "She made him the God of Wizards and the Wizarding World after he died."

"Wasn't she a virgin goddess?" Nico asked.

"Not anymore," Alabaster whispered with a smirk.

"My plan changes now," Hecate continued, in a tone that made it clear she'd heard everything they'd just said. "I... regret taking Persephone's life. She deserves death, but she is the only one who can take the curse from my children. I need the Staff to revive her, and to threaten her and Hades to force a repeal. I need the Robes to hide myself and my allies from their wrath once this ends. I need a child of the Underworld, for only they can yield these weapons to their full potential. I ask you, Nico di Angelo to be my champion."

Hecate walked back to the front of the altar, her eyes never leaving Nico's face. Alabaster gave a slight shove that pushed Nico in front of the goddess. Nico threw a glance of apprehension to his friend, but Alabaster only nodded in encouragement. He walked to Nico's left--to his mother's right-hand side--and said, "Nico di Angelo, the former son of Hades, kneel."

Nico knelt.

"My mother, Hecate, the Titan-Goddess of Magic, offers you her patronage. She asks you to renounce your former father--Hades, lord of the dead--in public and become the general of her armies. She asks you to stand beside me in my fight to free my siblings of Persephone's curse, to find the Artifacts of Thanatos with me, and use them as she instructs. She asks you to heal Persephone and force her to lift her curse, and to aid your friends in their horcrux hunt in her name and kill Tom Riddle. She asks you to save her children, and her people.

"In return, she swears on the River Styx to grant you complete freedom. After the wishes I stated are complete, and you have done your duty, you needn't belong to her anymore. She will give you the Orb to find your family, to speak with them and make peace. She will contact Apollo, the God of healers, in your name to give you help you heal from the illness that plagues you. And, for as long as you serve her, you will have immortality. Your father will have no power over you or any part of you unless you choose to give it back to him."

Freedom... real, absolute freedom...

"I accept the Lady Hecate's terms and her patronage," Nico vowed. "On the River Styx, I swear to the terms she lays before me, and will serve her with pride until I meet all her wishes."

"I accept your patronage," Hecate declared. "And I swear on the River Styx to the mentioned terms. Rise."

Nico stood, feeling a sensation like the one he felt when accepted "Teddy" all those weeks ago. But this came not from a demigod, but a goddess. It felt... glorious.

Alabaster smiled from ear to ear as he spoke. "I present Nico di Angelo, under the patronage of Hecate; a general to her army, and--alongside Merlin--a temporary God of the Wizarding World."

Welp... that happened.

So, I'm curious--do you think Hecate is lying? Yes? No? Who are you rooting for? Hecate or Hades? And, is Nico brainwashed or just making decisions outside the norm? I don't normally do English-class-esc. questions like that, but I'm legitimately curious.

Giulia's still out, but Sara is not. I know I said opposite last week, but I was wrong!

This week's beta commentary:

STORY: Gave this place to the Pope

SARA: Should Pope be capitalized [it wasn't capitalized at that point]

LISSY: I don't know... I'm a modern orthodox Jew from a family of loud Jews attempting to write about the Pope. I'm sort of in over my head here. Just be glad I found a Roman church that was CATHOLIC

Credits:

Melody Rose - Author ()

Sara - Beta Reader (http://icomparemyselftoyou.tumblr.com)

Please comment so I know what you think! See you next week!