Chapter 7: A Warning
Monday morning came far too quickly, but Rapunzel was still in a much better mood than she had been during the previous week. Without classes, Quidditch only took up half of Jack and Merida's time, so over the weekends there was still plenty of time for the four of them to be together.
That morning they sat at the Hufflepuff table. Seeing as Slytherin and Gryffindor were both a bit touchy with the first Quidditch game of the season coming up, they didn't want to risk upsetting anyone and had mutually decided to stick to either the Hufflepuff table or the Ravenclaw table for the time being.
Jack and Hiccup were muttering quietly between themselves, casting quick glances around them to make sure no one was listening, and Rapunzel assumed they were plotting their next prank. Merida sat beside Rapunzel, answering questions on a short worksheet for Potions class while she ate.
"Hey, Punzie, what did you put for number three?" Merida asked, eyeing the paper with only a little confusion.
"Rat tails, of course." Rapunzel smiled after taking a peek at the question.
The great, big doors of the hall gave a low groan as they opened, and hundreds of flapping wings brought the attention of all the students up to the cloud of owls over head that carried the morning mail.
"Hey, Mer, isn't that Frazier?" Jack pointed at the giant, regal Eurasian Eagle-owl.
Frazier landed gracefully on the table between the four and stood tall and proud as Merida took the letter that had been tied to his foot.
"Gah, it's from my mum." Merida groaned after reading the address on the envelope. "She's been sending me homework for all of her stupid Princess Lessons! It's horrible! I can't escape her!" Merida exclaimed, ripping open the letter rather violently and unfolding it so she could begin reading.
"Princess Lessons? What are Princess Lessons?" Jack wanted to know, his curiosity peeked.
"Stupid classes where my mum teaches me stuff like History, etiquette, and public speaking. She says it's important to learn for when I'm Queen, but I don't see how needlework is going to help anyone in a war or anything important, for that matter!" Merida grumbled.
"All those things are important when dealing with politics. They help you avoid war in the first place." Rapunzel giggled at her friend's distasteful snort.
"I've never heard of anything like that." Hiccup looked thoughtful. "What's it for?"
"Well, like Merida implied, it mainly helps prepare us for when we have to rule. It's like an apprenticeship, but your parents are the ones teaching you." Rapunzel explained. "It's not just for princesses, either. All future leaders learn this way: princesses, princes, dukes, duchesses, baronets..."
"Chiefs?" Hiccup supplied with a strange look.
Before Rapunzel could respond a loud chirp that sounded like a cross between a small dog barking and a bird shrieking split the air and the pile of bread roles beside them went flying. Rolls flew everywhere and the bowl they had originally been placed in flipped upside down on the table as the bread was scattered everywhere.
Nearly everyone turned to see what had happened to a previously completely peaceful breakfast. The four looked at each other, wide-eyed and shocked by the sudden explosion of noise and bread.
The bowl, which had been turned over, suddenly gave a lurch, making Rapunzel jump with fright. Jack picked up the bowl, and there, feathers fluffed up and ruffled, was an owl about the size of Rapunzel's palm - not including her fingers.
"Aw, he's so cute!" Rapunzel cooed, giggling slightly with how flustered the tiny bird seemed to be. Merida outright snorted with her chuckling.
"The letter is bigger than the poor guy." Merida remarked. Frazier looked down at the tiny messenger, and Rapunzel swore she saw the large owl raise a feathered brow at the little puff.
The pocket-sized owl just gave a friendly little peep of a hoot, and then clumsily fluttered over to Hiccup, who reached out a hand and used only one finger to scratch the side of the teeny creatures chin.
"You really need to work on your flying, Pip." Hiccup told the owl, and it peeped again in the most adorable way.
"He's yours?" Rapunzel asked excitedly.
"Mmhm." Hiccup nodded. "This is Pipsqueak. I've had him since last year, but he wasn't strong enough to carry any letters. This is his first one."
Hiccup took the small envelope from the bird's back, and Pipsqueak hopped away to stand by Frazier, who always had a proper, regal air about him. The pygmy owl puffed up his little chest, trying to imitate the larger bird, and Merida, Jack, and Rapunzel all laughed at how utterly cute he was.
A blur of white brought Rapunzel's attention back up and she found that Jack's snowy owl, Nix, had decided to join them. She dropped a small box in Jack's lap and then bent to inspect the tiny bird. She was obviously curious, and she attempted to clean some of the little bird's head feathers, but Pipsqueak gave a peep of indignation.
"Where's the letter from? I can't imagine this little guy flying very far with it." Jack mentioned as he reached over and patted Pipsqueak's head with only two fingers. Pipsqueak did not look amused, to say the least, and Rapunzel found herself giggling again.
"I wrote it. He only brought it from the owlry. Professor Crood said the best way to help him build strength and practice flying would be to give him things to deliver over short distances." Hiccup explained, picking up one of the rolls that had fallen to the floor and tearing it up for the three owls that had decided to join them. "He's only a little pitiful when he stands next to Frazier, don't you think?" Hiccup smirked, and Pipsqueak peeped indignantly.
"Hiccup!" Rapunzel admonished, but a smile was tugging at her lips, and Merida and Jack were already laughing.
"Don't give me that look, puff-ball. You're the size of Frazier's foot!" Hiccup said, scratching the top of Pipsqueak's head.
The four laughed as the owls finished off the last of the bread that Hiccup had given them and then took flight, joining the other owls in their return to the Owlry. Too soon, it was time for classes to start, and the four started towards the entry to the Great Hall.
Jack and Hiccup were exchanging notes of some kind and whispering about something as they walked just a few steps ahead of Rapunzel and Merida, and Merida chattered on about how she was dreading the Potions test they had later that day.
When they were just outside the Great Hall, Jack ruffled Hiccup's hair for some reason, and when Hiccup pushed him away they were both laughing happily. They turned towards the girls again, their eyes glinting with the slightest traces of mischief, and Rapunzel raised an eyebrow at them, but said nothing.
"We'll meet up again at lunch, right?" Merida asked, and Hiccup nodded while Jack gave a grin with a thumbs-up.
"Wouldn't miss it! Besides, we gotta make up for being gone so much." Jack pointed out.
"Don't worry about it. Hiccup and I can manage on our own. But it will be nice once the practices slow down a bit." Rapunzel told them, and Hiccup nodded in agreement.
"As soon as the first game is over with we'll be able to take a little break, I'm sure." Merida said optimistically.
The four waved their goodbyes to each other, and Rapunzel turned to go to Transfiguration with Hiccup when she stopped suddenly, a small gasp escaping from her throat. Hiccup looked at her, slightly worried, but she smiled apologetically.
"I forgot one of my books at the table. You go ahead, and I'll catch up." She called over her shoulder as she hurried back into the Great Hall.
Just as she expected, her book was right where she had been sitting, peacefully waiting for her. She marched over and picked up the book, opening her shoulder bag and placing it inside with all of her other school related items.
Before Rapunzel could take even two steps, someone grabbed her arm and started to pull her off to the sides of the hall. Normally, someone probably would have noticed a girl being dragged from the center of the room to the darkest corner in the Great Hall just left of the dais, but the room was empty. All of the students and teachers had gone off to their classes. Even the loud yelp that jumped from Rapunzel's vocal chords didn't alert anyone to her predicament.
So, Rapunzel did the only thing she could: She grabbed an empty platter off of the Gryffindor table as she and her captor passed, and then she swung around and and banged it against the ruffian's head.
The villain fell backwards onto his rear, and Rapunzel lifted the platter over her head with both hands to hit him again, but the shouting stopped her.
"Stop, stop, stop! Ow! Geez, what is wrong with you?!" A boy's voice caught her attention, and she opened her eyes to look at who had attacked her.
Flynn Rider. A Slytherin third-year.
"Oh, my- I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? Should I go get a teacher?" Rapunzel fretted, falling to her knees beside the slightly older boy.
"I'm fine." He grumbled as he rubbed the growing red lump on his forehead.
"Good." Rapunzel sighed in relief, glad that she hadn't hurt him. Then she frowned at him. "Why did you do that? You scared me!"
"I scared you?! You outright attacked me!" The Slytherin complained.
"I thought you were one of those Nightmares from last year, or Pitch Black! What were you trying to do anyways?" Rapunzel demanded, planting her hands on her hips.
"I needed to talk to you." Flynn huffed, getting back onto his feet and brushing off his robes.
"Well, you could've just said that!" Rapunzel told him pointedly. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" She looked at him cautiously, unsure of what to expect.
Flynn looked around to make sure they were alone and then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I've heard some whispers about you, Jack, and your two other friends." He told her.
"What have you heard?" Rapunzel questioned, still wary of where this was going.
"Look, there are some in the school who would say that your little group is a bad idea. They think none of you are completely loyal to your Houses because of it. Now, granted, there are some who don't care, but the ones who don't like you guys are planning something." Flynn shot another glance around the room, almost nervously. "I didn't hear much, so I can't be sure what's gonna happen, but I know Daren Fouls is at the head of it and I've got a pretty good guess as to who he'll be targeting."
"Jack and Hiccup." Rapunzel's frown deepened with worry and dread as realization lit her eyes.
Flynn nodded grimly. "Those two really ruffled some feathers by starting this whole thing, and Jack fighting Daren, a fellow Slytherin, to defend your little nerd friend only made it worse."
Rapunzel's brows furrowed into an annoyed glare at Flynn's less-than-desirable nickname for Hiccup, and she suddenly remembered who she was talking to. "Why should I trust you? I don't know you, and from what Jack says you're only interested in things that benefit you. You have nothing to gain by helping us, so why should I believe any of this?"
"Well, let's just say I've got a little wager going, and it would very much be in my best interests if you and your friends make it through the year alive." Flynn smirked, and Rapunzel crossed her arms.
"Why come to me, then? Wouldn't it have been easier for you to go to Jack?" She wanted to know. She still didn't believe a word of what he said, and she was sure that Flynn could see that.
Flynn sighed with annoyance. "Okay, look. I think of Jack as a friend. He's a good kid, and I don't mind that he's decided to hang out with a little nerd and two princesses with violent tendencies." He finally admitted, and Rapunzel actually felt like he might have been telling the truth. "I don't like that he, or his friends, are in trouble, alright? I would've told Jack, but you know as well as I do that as soon as he had all the pieces together he would go confront Daren and get in another fight."
Rapunzel couldn't deny that. Jack could be very protective when he wanted to be. She assumed it came naturally to him, being an older brother to Emma and all.
"The four of you getting detention for being involved in another fight on school grounds won't help you. The teachers can't do anything unless there's actual proof that Daren and all the others following him are bullying you. If you can catch them in the act then the teachers will punish them, not you guys, and Daren will be forced to shove off, at least for a little while. But you'll have to be patient, but if you manage to do this right Daren and any other bullies will have to leave you guys alone or risk some serious punishments from the teachers." Flynn told her, and Rapunzel actually felt a little impressed.
"...So you're really just trying to help us, then? No tricks?" Rapunzel asked after a long moment of just staring at him, holding up the platter she still held threateningly.
"Whoa, hey, scout's honor." Flynn said, holding up his right hand and placing his left one over his heart.
Rapunzel slowly drew back, her expression softening with curiosity and something similar to fondness, but not quite. He definitely wasn't a friend, but maybe an acquaintance? "That's actually very sweet of you... To care enough to warn us... Thank you." Rapunzel offered a warm smile.
Flynn looked at her for a moment, his expression somewhat blank, and then he waved her off and crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, don't tell anyone." He snorted. "The last thing I want is for my reputation to get ruined because people think I'm some sort of Inter-House Friendship sympathizer."
And suddenly he was once again the untrustable and slightly annoying Slytherin who had scared her half to death a few moments ago. Rapunzel pursed her lips and tried to blow a lock of hair out of her face as her brows furrowed with displeasure.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure your name doesn't come up." Rapunzel told him blandly, and Flynn nodded with satisfaction.
"Good."
With that Rapunzel turned and ran off to her Transfiguration class. Her mind was clouded with all of the new thoughts that were demanding her attention, and she still wasn't sure what she thought of Flynn Rider, but when she made it up the last flight of stairs and found Hiccup waiting for her out in the hall worriedly, one thing became very clear.
She was going to do everything she possibly could to make sure that her friends were safe.
AN: Hey, y'all! I hope you liked the new chapter! Quite a bit happened, so I hope you all found it interesting.
NOTES: Birds of a Feather, stay Together.
REVIEWERS!:
I'm the lonely life: Don't worry, it's still too early to start killing people off :)
K: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. New Chapter every Tuesday :)
