Author's Note: Whoa! So many new Fav's and Followings! It's wicked awesome. For those of you joining us, welcome, and I hope you are enjoying your time with this story. I hope to keep the updates coming A.S.A.P. and enjoy hearing all feedback, encouragement, questions, and constructive criticism in the reviews. I also went back to deal with line spacing and a few inconsistencies with Merida's speech patterns so you can check those out if you want. It might make the story make a little more sense in some places.

Disclaimer: I don't know who personally owns all these great characters and worlds (other than J.K. Rowling of course) but I am extremely jealous of them!

Chapter 4

Detentions and Darkness

Hiccup sat down at the Ravenclaw table in the great hall. He had never hated a Friday more than he had on this morning. He knew that he was going to be dreading detention all day and wasn't going to be able to focus on any of his classes. Worst of all, with Pitch watching his movements for three hours, he wasn't going to be able to sneak out to see Toothless.

"What were you thinking?!"

Hiccup sighed staring at his breakfast plate. Astrid had snuck over to the Ravenclaw table and ignored the look of the indignant of the other Ravenclaws to address her boyfriend's plans for the night.

"He had it coming!" Hiccup replied mindlessly moving his eggs around on his plate with his fork. "What was I supposed to do?!"

"I don't know, anything but make the professor who likes to show off dementors for fun. The teacher who, on our first year brought a boggart on the first day of class! Who knows what he has planned for detention."

Hiccup debated saying something smart back, but when he looked up at Astrid, he didn't see anger, but worry. He tried to smile and took her hand, turning several heads at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "you're right, I shouldn't have mouthed off to Black."

Astrid sighed, "Just be careful, I don't want to have to leave in the middle of Quiditch practice to come rescue you from detention."

Hiccup laughed, "I'll be careful."

Astrid smiled and leaned forward for a kiss. They were so close when suddenly,

"Dude detention with Black?"

"Hardcore. Can I come?"

"Dude, what did you do?"

Hiccup and Astrid sighed in frustration as the other Viking teens made their way into the conversation, sitting on either sides of the couple. If people hadn't been staring before, they certainly were now. All the different houses seemed to stare at them. Not only were they shocked that different houses were talking together, not fighting, but it was the same group that used to pick on the very person they all seemed to want to talk to.

"Guys it's no big deal." Said Hiccup standing up, not even touching his breakfast.

"Wait," said Snotlout as the others followed Hiccup then addressing the twins asked, "doesn't Frost have detention tonight?"

"Yeah, and Eugene was talking about how his girlfriend has detention tonight too!" said Ruffnut.

"Wait a second…" Astrid said.

"Wow look at the time." Said Hiccup nervously. "I'm gonna be late to Pr. Bunnymund's class."

"Hiccup," Astrid said moving in front of him, forcing him to stop. "please, please don't tell me that you are not having detention with Jack Frost, Eugene's girlfriend,…and MERIDA DUNBROCH!"

"Okay," said Hiccup carefully sidestepping his angry girlfriend, "I won't tell you."

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the 3rd what were you thinking?!"

"I wasn't even planning on getting detention in the first place," said Hiccup, "Pitch wasn't even supposed to be patrolling that night! And how was I supposed to know that Frost, and Dunbroch were planning a prank on the same night!"

The teens stopped at the entry way to the castle.

"Look," said Hiccup turning to face Astrid, "it's not that big a deal. Pitch has us writing an essay for a couple of hours and then we're done. I won't have to even talk to them, I don't even have to acknowledge their existence. I just go in, write the essay, and be done."

Astrid sighed, "Just, don't do anything stupid or crazy. Please."

Hiccup nodded, "I promise."

Three bells sounded, alerting the Viking teens that if they didn't hurry, they would be late to their next class.

"We have to get to Charms." Astrid said motioning to Fishlegs.

Hiccup nodded, " moving closer to Astrid, "Meet me before six?"

"Promise." Said Astrid leaning up to kiss her boyfriend.

Hiccup couldn't help but grin as Snotlout groaned, "Oh Come On!"

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Rapunzel listened closely as Pr. Toothiana began her lecture over apparition. She tried to copy down the notes as quickly as possible, in order to keep up with the fast minded professor. Pr. Toothiana was half fairy, so her hair was a rainbow of colors, and when lost in thought, the professor would hover ever so slightly off the ground. Rapunzel had hoped that by throwing herself into the lessons of the day, she would forget about detention until it was actually time. This tactic failed however, when she received a note from Eugene, which she quickly read.

E: Have I mentioned just how sorry I am?

She looked over at Eugene who was sitting three seats across from her. Then she responded.

R; Only fifty times since breakfast.

E: I really mean it though.

R: I know.

E: So are you mad still?

R:…Maybe a little…

Rapunzel was mad, just not at Eugene. She was mad at herself mostly, although the Jack kid wasn't sitting too well in her book. Rapunzel was a prefect, and as such she felt responsible for what happened. She should have been able to stop them, not get them all in trouble. Not to mention the fact that it had been her clumsiness that had gotten them caught in Pitch's office.

E: Pitch shouldn't have given you detention.

R: He had every right. It's not like I said I didn't do it.

E: Why didn't you? Why didn't you tell him it was all Jack's fault. Then you and Dunbroch wouldn't have detention.

R: I was afraid he would rat you and the triplets out.

E: Jack wouldn't do that. As much as he likes his pranks and a good laugh, he really is a good kid.

Rapunzel wanted to believe him, but she had her doubts. Any student who would set a flock of Snow Sprites loose to get back at a teacher, was not exactly her definition of a good kid.

R: I should've have stopped it from happening anyway.

E:You didn't know what we were going to do. You had healing powers, not physic abilities 'member?"

R: I just wish you would be more careful. Pr. Black isn't exactly the best teacher to be playing pranks on to begin with.

E: We just wanted to show him that we aren't afraid of him and that he shouldn't be able to get away with the things he does.

R: Well it just looked like revenge to me.

But Rapunzel understood where Eugene was coming from. Pitch was cruel and needed to be reprimanded at the very least, but the truth was Rapunzel was scared. Before Eugene could reply, Pr. Toothiana told them to get into partners to work on wand technique for apparition. Eugene quickly made his way over to Rapunzel.

"I'm sorry." He quickly said, pretending to be working on his wand waving. "It was stupid and childish, but I couldn't help it. Black needs to know that what he's doing is wrong."

"But why do you have to be the one to show him?" Rapunzel asked, "I mean isn't that what a headmaster is for?"

"Old North seems to have his mind in the clouds these days." Eugene sighed.

"I still think that you need to let someone else take care of Black."

Rapunzel wasn't scared of Black in particular, but what might've happened had Eugene been caught instead of her. Eugene had already been on thin ice with Black in previous years. Rapunzel wouldn't be able to stand it if he were expelled during the last year. If Eugene left, then Rapunzel would be completely alone at school. It would be as if she were in the tower all over again.

"Punzie?" called Eugene

"Hmm?"

"You're making it rain."

Rapunzel quickly readjusted her wand to dissipate the rain cloud over her and Eugene's head.

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Jack groaned as Pr. Bunnymund started his lesson at 8:30 in the morning. Three things about this were cruel. 1. It should've been illegal for teachers to schedule classes for any earlier than ten in the morning. 2. Magical creatures couldn't stand Jack and he couldn't stand them so forcing him to be taking a class where he was forced to interact the creatures while being dictated on what he was doing wrong by the annoying Australian teacher who despised him. And 3rd and worst of all 5th year Slytherins had Care of Magical Creatures with 5th year Ravenclaws. So not only was he forced to deal with his least favorite class, in the early morning, but he was going to be constantly shown up by smart aleck Ravenclaws.

"Well, then, since I seem to have lost the attention of the entire class. " Pr. Bunnymund called out to his half asleep audience. "I suppose I should bring out the main event."

This interested Jack just enough to watch as Pr. Bunnymund pulled out large chunks of raw meat. He moved toward a large pen where large skeletal horses with wings stood proud and defiant. The large and leathery wings reminded him of a bat. Though not winning and beauty contests in Jack's opinion, they had a regal air to them. Many people gasped as the horses began to eat the meat out of Pr. Bunnymund's hands.

"What we have here, class," continued Bunnymund, "are some particularity rare beauties. Can anyone guess what they are?"

No one raised their hand at first, until one hesitant hand finally went up. Jack sighed looking at the owner of the hand. It was the scrawny Viking kid he would be having detention with in several hours.

"They're thestrals." He said as if it were the simplest answer in the world.

"Yes Mr. Haddock. That is correct. Fifteen points to Ravenclaw."

Many of the Slytherin students groaned, but most of the other Ravenclaw students looked confused. Another student raised their hand.

"Yes Ms. Knight."

"I don't see anything. "

Jack was about to dismiss it as crazy talk, or something to gain attention, but most of the other students agreed with her. In fact the only ones who didn't agree with her were Jack, Snotlout, the twins, and the Haddock kid.

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Tuffnut.

"There are giant black horse things standing right there." Said Snotlout.

"And you guys say I can't see what's right in front of my face." Laughed Ruffnut

"Guys, " said Haddock, "they can't see them."

Jack was even more confused, when Pr. Bunnymund decided that now was a good time to elaborate.

"I suppose I should explain, you see class, most people can't see Thestrals. To most people their invisible, however a select few can see them."

"What people would that be professor?" asked another student.

Jack had never seen Pr. Bunnymund so hesitant to answer a student's question.

"C'mon professor, just tell us!" Jack finally called out, patience not being his strongest suit.

"People who can see Thestrals have witnessed death, firsthand. That's why they were considered such bad omens to early wizards."

Jack stood shell shocked for a minute. That couldn't be right. Jack searched his memory and couldn't remember witnessing the death of anyone. Except for one, but he wasn't sure that it really counted. His mind then shifted over, like the rest of the class, over to the Vikings standing awkwardly at the back of the class.

"C'mon now, everyone pay attention. Eyes up here please." Bunnymund said trying regain control of the class, but it was too late.

Snotlout and the twins had told Jack and Eugene about the kind of life the teens on Berk lived. It didn't really surprise him that they knew people who had died, but he didn't really expect them to have witnessed it. Especially not Snotlout's string bean of a cousin. The way Snotlout describedit once, his cousin was lucky if they let him out of the house. Jack and everyone were forced out of their thoughts as Bunnymund divided them into pairs to feed the Thestrals. To make matters worse, Pr. Bunnymund paired him off with the exact person he was hoping to avoid.

"Look," said Haddock taking the meat, "let's just feed them so we can get a participation grade."

"Why don't you feed them fishbone," said Jack, "magical creatures and I don't exactly get along."

Haddock glared at him, "First of all my name's Hiccup…"

"Like that's any better."

"And it's not that hard, I'll show you where it is."

"I can see them just find."

Jack realized he said the words, a second after he had said it. Hiccup looked at him strangely for a moment, shook his head and said, "Whatever, let's just get this over with then."

Jack rolled his eyes. Today was going to be a long day.

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Merida couldn't believe that she was missing quiditch practice for this. Waiting outside of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Merida stood bored and slightly anxious as she waited for the others to show up and get this detention over with. She should be walking out of the locker room, in her practice uniform, getting ready to hit the skies on her broom. She should be preparing for the match of the year of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Instead, she was going to be spending the next two hours, stuck in a room with people she could barely stand, doing some mindless task until they either died of boredom or Pitch set some horrible monster on them.

"Hey red try not to pull out all your hair."

Merida groaned as Jackson Overland walked past her into the room. He was really starting to get under her skin and make her blood boil. She turned only to be disgusted as Astrid Hofferson turned the corner holding hands with the Hiccup Haddock. She listened as Astrid talked about checking up on a friend, something about fish and before she could turn away, Astrid leaned forward and gave Hiccup a kiss, making Merida want to vomit. She turned away to only to see Rapunzel saying goodbye to Eugene and quickly retreated into the classroom so to avoid another snog fest. She found the closest desk, sat down, and layed her head on the top. She heard the others come in, but didn't bother to lift her head until Pr. Black enter the room. She sat up quickly, as did the other three, all of them hoping to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Now, since the frost sprite made it snow," droned Pitch as he made his way toward his desk, "most of the translated copies of the spells for the year have been drenched."

He motioned to the waste basket full of crinkled pieces of parchment, and Merida groaned softly, having an idea of what was coming next.

"Thankfully, the originally copies were safe and dry in my office. Unfortunately, the original translations are in Ancient Runes."

Merida looked over at Hiccup who rolled his eyes. Merida knew that though most witches and wizards considered Runes to be an ancient and dying language, Vikings still used it as their root dialect and, more specifically, in their writing.

"Your job this evening will be to retranslate all these spells," he said motioning to four large stacks on the desk, "back into common. And as much as I would enjoy watching your misfortune, I have monitor duty on the east side of the castle. I trust that their won't be any more mischief and if even one of those spells is incomplete in translation, you will all be joining me again next Friday to complete them. Am I clear?"

They mumbled in agreement and Pitch left the room. All four waited silently until they heard his footsteps growing softer before they couldn't hear them at all.

"Well, since one of us actually reads the gibberish," said Jack leaning back in his chair, "I think he should be the one doing all the translating."

"Don't even think about it Frost." Hiccup replied, moving forward to get one of the stacks, "I'm doing my part and nothing more."

"But you can actually understand this stuff."

"Yeah, and you're the one who ruined all the parchment by letting loose an army of Snow sp…"

Apparently in the cleanup of the classroom, a small patch of ice by the desk had been left unnoticed. And Hiccup, with his luck, managed to step on it with his prosthetic, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards. Rapunzel shot forward to help him, while Jack laughed hysterically. Merida glared at him, but Hiccup sat up, assuring Rapunzel that he was fine.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"It's fine," he said readjusting a screw in the prosthetic, "happens a lot actually."

Merida found herself one again staring at the fake leg. She wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but she was still stumped as to how Hiccup lost it.

"You can quit staring, I'm not telling you how it happened."

Merida broke out of her trance, assuming that Hiccup was addressing her, but saw him looking over at Jack.

"I can't help it," Jack replied leaning forward as if interested. "It's provoked my curiosity."

"Curiosity killed the cat." Merida commented.

"Satisfaction brought it back."

"Trust me," said Hiccup, "it didn't."

"Whatever," said Jack leaning his head on the desk, "wake me up when Pitch gets back."

Merida couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and moved over to where he was seated. She banged her fist right next to his head, startling him awake.

"What's your problem?" Jack demanded glaring at her.

"Do ye take anything seriously?!" Merida argued.

"I take the important things seriously," he replied with a grin, "like how Slytherin is going to seriously kick Gryffindor's butt in the match next Sunday.

Merida groaned, pulling at her hair to avoid punching Jack in the face.

"Lighten up will you," said Jack, "who cares whether or not we finish these stupid translations or not? If Pitch actually cared, he would be in here watching our every move. If he doesn't care, why should we?"

"That's not exactly right." Said Rapunzel.

"Lighten up?!" Merida yelled. "Ye're the one who got us here in the first place!"

"No," said Jack standing up to face her, "I got myself here, you and Miss prefect over there followed me…"

"My name's Rapunzel."

"Gesundheit," Jack continued, "and I don't know what Fishbone did to get detention, although I'm curious about that as well."

Hiccup groaned, but then turned his attention back toward the piece of parchment that seemed to have interested him. Merida didn't bother with that and continued to rant at Jack.

"Fine, ye chose to pull off yer stupid little prank, but ye didn't have to drag my brothers into this! If it had been up to ye they would be here right now!"

"Whoa, hey! I'm not that irresponsible." He defended himself.

"Umm guys…"

"Please!" Merida continued "If it meant ye got a laugh ye would've lead them straight into the forbidden forest!"

"Guys," Hiccup tried again.

"I was trying to prove to Pitch that he can't get away with endangering his students! You saw how your brothers were! You should be applauding me not arguing with me!"

"Oh so ye're not a trouble maker then, ye're just misunderstood." Merida replied sarcastically.

"GUYS!" Hiccup finally yelled.

"What?!" The other three demanded.

"Something's not right," Hiccup said, showing them the parchment he had found, "this translation,…it's not a spell for Defense Against the Dark Arts…it's something else…"

Suddenly, all the lights in the room went out. All four students groaned.

"Just great." Merida mumbled pulling out her wand.

The four of them whispered a quick "Nox" to provide just enough light to see in front of their faces.

"What happened?" asked Rapunzel.

Merida was about to give a sarcastic reply when she felt something pass by her.

"What was that?" asked Jack.

Again Merida attempted to bite back a snarky reply when a loud voice echoed across the room.

Forget about the lights Rapunzel! You are not leaving this tower! Ever!

Merida looked around for the voice, but saw nothing except the confused faces of Jack and Hiccup, and the pale face of Rapunzel.

"Rapunzel?" Hiccup asked.

Before anyone could respond a new voice sounded, this time a scream.

Jack! Jack I'm scared! Jack!

"Emma?" Jack yelled, turning around the room with a terrified expression, "Emma where are you?!"

"This isn't real." Hiccup said putting a hand on Jack's shoulder. "This is an illusion or something."

You're not a Viking! And you're not my son!

Now it was Hiccup's turn to go pale.

You embarrassed them! You embarrassed me! You are a Princess and I expect you to act like one!

"Mum?" Merida gasped.

Merida felt as if everything but the fear seeping into her heart had gone numb. She barely registered the sound of three bodies thumping to the floor, before she joined them, letting the darkness come over her.

AN: Uh oh! Cliffhanger! Quick grab the parachutes!

Review please!