They didn't really know what year finally concluded them as weird.

Maybe it was in 4th year, when a dark cloud of oh-fuck shrouded the school tournament and damned everyone that entered the competition and their friends - whatever it was, it turned them into a dartboard with legs, despite they hadn't entered the damn cup: Definitely weird to be a target when you're not even in the tournament.

Or maybe it was in 2nd year, when something a bit more serious than 'just-an-animal-problem' was attempting to kill every single student – and they just happened to get face to face with this oversized horrendous not-so-normal killing machine: Definitely weird to get caught up with something you didn't even ask for.

It could have been 5th or 6th year, the years of what-the-actual-fuck, or maybe it was their 3rd year, the year to celebrate all joy in the world being sucked out of you, or the last year, the 7th, the year of: why?

But it was much more likely, that it was their 1st year, their very first year at the magical school, Hogwarts, for wizards and witches and witchcraft and other stuff that begins with a w.

Our main 'heroes' (if people being pushed into unfortunate events can be called heroes) were the four kids, Jack, Hiccup, Merida and Maria.

Jack, being the shortest of the four and their self-proclaimed leader until Merida changed his mind, was a student who liked being outdoors much more than sitting inside and doing actual work. Luckily for him, he and Hiccup had a deep bond of you-do-the-work-and-I'll-copy-it -later, a friendship truly only few could truly appreciate. It lasted for a month – not their friendship that is, but their bond - and Jack was forced to do his own work, with help from Hiccup. Hiccup was a clever, sarcastic, and surprisingly crafty kid, who made up for his lack of muscles with magical machines that did the work for him.

Merida was a feisty red-haired girl with an accent too heavy for many to understand – and sadly I cannot reproduce it. Few can – but her arm gestures and love for acting rather than speaking, made her understandable anyhow.

The last one, Maria, or Rapunzel as she is dubbed later, might be expected to be the sweet flower of the bunch to even out the personalities, but in fact she was just as feisty as the rest, just in her own way. She tried more unknown spells and potions than any wizard had dared, usually on herself, and being a creative, cooking and energetic person with a need to discover as much as possible, she would venture off to places others would consider restricted. She only needed a little push.

Now, Jack might have sounded lazy, but in fact he was a very dedicated boy. Thus he ended up in Slytherin, the house with the worst reputation, but admirable for it's pure consistency of purebloods and people with a thing for working only for their own benefit. With that in mind, it was a bit strange that Jack ended up in Slytherin, as he was to begin with, definitely not a pureblood. Actually, he was the complete opposite. But he did have the mindset to be in that house, and the sorting hat had easily ejaculated 'SLYTHERIN' when it touched Jacks brown hair. He was a bright kid, when he wanted to be, and a kind kid, most of the time, but with a mischievous hint to everything he did.

Hiccup had ended up in Hufflepuff. Now you might be wondering by now "what drunk bastard named his son 'Hiccup'" Surprise: it's not his name. His name is actually Haddock, which is just as strange as Hiccup. His father and mother had a thing for Vikings and old names and decided to name him after a Viking, just as their own mothers and fathers had named them after the same tradition.

Hiccup was a nickname graciously given by Jack, because when Jack and Hiccup met for the first time on the train before they arrived at Hogwarts, Haddock had terrible Hiccups. The two of them played go-fish together, and Jack made up the rule that every time someone hiccupped, they'd loose a full set. No point in telling who won.

Hufflepuff was a perfect choice for Hiccup. They were famously known for their loyalty and surprising people with their talents, and they were also the only house with a trap in front of their door, for anyone who would try to sneak in and didn't know the password. Other houses simply just denied access.

Merida was probably the most easy to sort. The hat had barely touched her head before it exclaimed "GRYF-" quickly interrupted by the redheads loud YAAAAAH as she ran down to her house.

"…findor." The hat had finished its sentence rather offended.

It was a house for the stubborn, brave, courageous, head-on, (a bit naive) and willing to die people! Would it come as a surprise to anyone if I told you they had quite a bit of rivalry with the Slytherins?

And the last, Maria-later-known-as-Rapunzel, was sorted into Ravenclaw; a house for the dedicated, creative, curious and smart people. She was all of that and more with a heart bigger than her housemates combined. She had met Merida on the train, as Jack had met Hiccup, and there they had spent their time talking. They talked about the school, about their families, their likes and dislikes, hobbies and fascinations (mind you they were only eleven, and it is limited just how much an eleven year old can talk about). Merida quickly took a liking to Maria, as anyone who let the redhead talk their ear off about her dad, mom and archery, was a self-announced friend.

Therefore it wasn't strange to Jack, Hiccup, Merida or Maria, to hang out even after they were sorted into four different houses.

It was like having a safe spot in their new world. They knew nothing of Hogwarts, but they knew of each other, if only a little. Jack and Hiccup met together every morning to go to class when they could, and the same did Merida and Maria.

Now as to how the four finally met each other, it was only a matter of time, temper and a game of dodge ball.

Merida had given herself a mission: to teach every possible sport to Maria as quickly as possible. So she started with the easy ones: ball games. It had only taken Merida exactly one minute and thirty-four seconds to spot Jack; the smallest kid on the field walking together with a slightly taller and lanky kid with fluffy hair. Both carried books and both seemed distracted by the freedom of recess.

The ball left the redheads hand with an extraordinary precision for an eleven year old, but it wasn't a skill appreciated by the target. Jack fell to the ground with a THUD, and after a grumble and time to spit out the grass from his mouth, he stormed over to the Scottish girl to give her his personal thanks: a punch in the face.

It was a spectacular view for anyone who watched and a nice break from the daily life of lessons and homework.

The pranks and fights quickly became a habit for the two kids, and it didn't matter how many times a professor came to separate them, they always flung right back at each other to leave the last kick or have the last word.

The habit grew on them and eventually it turned enjoyable and became the key point of the day. Hiccup and Maria braced themselves every time for the upcoming pranks and the following fist fights (but c'mon they were eleven; not much of a fist fight), and the two found joy in talking to each other whenever their friends were busy leaving victory marks on the other.

At first, the warfare was regularly, like taking a pill every morning. Gradually it toned down, and by the end of November they managed to have a battle over wizard's chess instead of fists. It was an improvement no doubt, and very much encouraged by their friends Maria and Hiccup.

It was the beginning of December when their adventures together truly began, the adventures that could more or less be described as; weird.