Author's Note

Phew. Oh boy, less than two weeks until I'm off to college. Got a ton of babysitting to do this week (very shocked I was able to upload this chapter at all right now) so we'll see how fast the updates are from that.

Reviews:

ElektraVamp05: Oh, you bet people are going to be treating Jack differently. It's not shownmostly mentionedin this upcoming chapter because, well, you'll see why. And you have no idea how much it means to me for you say that my Big Four story is your favorite. I almost had a heart attack from happiness at that comment. Thank you!

hixup: Hope you like this one. :)

guest 3: To be honest, I chose who was going to be chosen not on preference for what they could accomplish in the task, but more on which villain I wanted to rise. I couldn't just make Hiccup be the Chosen One and have him battle Pitch. No, not happening, Pitch is Jack's and the Guardians' villain. No one else's. So, the decision of the Chosen One was directly related to who I thought was the best villain out of Mor'du, Gothel, Drago, and Pitch. To me, Pitch was a no brainer so Jack had to be chosen. Don't worry, Hiccup is playing a part in Jack's chances of winning that, it just might not be in the way you're thinking. Obviously, Toothless isn't happy. None of those dragons are. But you need to remember Toothless had been in a cove for a while, only leaving when Hiccup was in immediate danger, so he kind of understands the situation. Grumpy, a little pissy, but the best behaved of the dragon bunch.


CHAPTER EIGHT

Plans, Worrying, & Storytelling

Rapunzel leaned against the wall next to Hiccup, rubbing her temples. Hiccup was showcasing his distraught as much as Rapunzel was. Sliding down to sit on the floor, Rapunzel waited for Hiccup to join her before speaking. She noticed how much more struggle it was for him than before, his left leg extended out, the metal bottom glinting in the dim light.

She kept silent about how much it scared her knowing she could have lost him. Rapunzel didn't know the details, but knew a lost limb could kill someone from blood lost and infection if not treated, usually by tourniquet or cauterization of the wound. There were very few potions that targeted the sealing and advanced scarring needed to treat the area. There were rumors that Vikings had such medical advancement: both in potions and in the Muggle way. Rapunzel wouldn't be shocked if those rumors were true, not with Hiccup's nonchalant way of dealing with an amputee or being one himself.

But all the advancement in an area of medicine only decreased the risk of losing someone, not complete prevention of said outcome. Rapunzel refused to acknowledge that Hiccup could have been holding on by a thread for his life. She couldn't lose her friends, not in any way. Hiccup losing his leg and Jack and Merida's recent fight had solidified that for Rapunzel. If she lost them ... she didn't know where that would leave her.

No, she knew, and she was starting to question everything about that situation. She was questioning Mother and her intentions and everything she's said to Rapunzel her whole life. How does one tell when someone is lying if they've done so all their life? Of what she could tell, it took admittance there could be such lying and then trying to find the tells. Which Rapunzel sucked at. Jack and Merida were good at it, but theirs was from circumstance. Jack grew up with his mom's relatives: people who didn't care for him and would spit lies left and right to put him down and make him a troubled juvenile to the outside community of that house. Merida had younger brothers who didn't talk so much as display their intentions through gestures, looks, and body language.

How was she going to tell with none of that in her corner?

"What are we going to do?" Rapunzel asked, pushing herself away from those thoughts. Now was not a good time for that. Later down the road, when things began to settle this school year, Rapunzel could dwell on her home issues. Until then, it was imperative she and Hiccup got Jack and Merida to make up.

"I don't know," Hiccup whispered softly, banging his head against the stone wall with a loud smack. He didn't even wince. That was a bad sign.

"But you're the one with plans," Rapunzel whined.

"And you know feelings," Hiccup countered listlessly. "This is something I can't fix."

"Don't let your little pupils hear that," Rapunzel teased, grasping onto straws for something to cheer them up. "They'll be so disappointed."

"What pupils?" Hiccup asked, crinkling his nose.

Rapunzel snorted. She should have realized Hiccup was oblivious. "There's some first years who look up to you."

"They're screwed then," Hiccup chuckled darkly. Rapunzel didn't like that. "I barely listen to authority—especially my dad's—and have lost my leg at the ripe age of fourteen. I'm the perfect role model."

"Just saying," Rapunzel sighed.

They descended into silence. Both knew curfew was coming closer, but neither cared. Jack and Merida fought but neither had expected that outcome. Rapunzel pulled her braid into her lap, playing with the ends. She wished her hair could fix this rift between her friends.

"We should pick one and stick with them, I think," Rapunzel ventured.

Hiccup pulled a face. "And have them think we chose one over the other? I like my life, Punzie. That sounds dangerous on so many levels."

"One of us can tell Jack what the other is trying to do. With Merida, I think it'd be best if she didn't know we were doing that until whoever sticks with her decides that it's a good idea to break the news," Rapunzel said with a nod at the end. That could work. No, it will work. Rapunzel will make sure of it.

"You should take Mer," Hiccup sighed, banging his head against the stone wall again. Rapunzel pursed her lips, somehow managing to keep herself from reprimanding him of the bad habit. Now, that was a miracle. "In the anger she's in, she'll probably pick a fight about Vikings and Scots being enemies and shit. And you tend to have a good presumption on who or what could be causing her anger."

Rapunzel sighed but nodded. She knew it was going to happen as soon as she suggested what they should do. As much as she wanted to comfort Jack, Merida needed her more. If Hiccup do go after their redheaded friend, it would just become more shattered. Rapunzel could handle the verbal barbs Merida targeted at her without overreacting or prepared to declare war.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hic," Rapunzel said, standing up. Hiccup nodded and got to his own feet a little unsteadily. She placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from falling until he gained his balance. With an exchange of small grins and tight hugs, they parted ways to their dorms.

Rapunzel walked along the hallways, stopping halfway to her common room to take off her shoes. She needed something familiar and untainted. Shoes off was her best solution at the moment. The coldness of the castle seeped through her feet, chilling and relentless in its search for her warmth. Rapunzel shivered slightly but continued walking, her footfalls silent without her flats on.

She was worried so much. It was one thing to have her friends fight, but an entirely different situation when Merida walks away. She was confrontational and would tear people down both verbally, physically, and magically. Rapunzel pulled her braid towards the front of her body, coiling it in her arms for comfort. Rapunzel knew not all of her fiery friend's anger was directed at the unjustness of the Goblet choosing Jack or the attention he was about to receive or any of that. Merida was not an attention-seeker or demanded the limelight. This had to do with the games her mom was planning and everything else Merida's mom tried to control in her life.

Rapunzel approached the barrels that lead to the Hufflepuff common room. Tapping the beat, the barrels opened and Rapunzel walked through the tunnel. Stepping over the lip, she gazed around the room that was still in celebration. Where she was distraught, her housemates were jovial. Cinderella was raised on shoulders of the Hufflepuff Beaters' shoulders as cheers were raised. Rapunzel was happy a Hufflepuff was chosen by the Goblet. The rest of the school tended to look down on them, seeing them as too nice and complacent.

Cinderella was placed on one of the tables and everyone began to quiet down. Speeches. Rapunzel liked her House, don't get her wrong, but there tended to be too many speeches. Either motivational or rants or declarations of victory if they won the Quidditch Cup, because Slytherin usually won the House Cup. Rapunzel could do without the speeches.

She looked around, trying to spot someone familiar and who she could talk to. Olaf and Kristoff were sitting at a table farther back, sipping at smuggled butterbeer. Astrid was at the entrance to the girls' dorms. Rapunzel drifted towards her.

"Hey," Rapunzel whispered as Cinderella began her speech. The long-haired Hufflepuff tuned her out, not out of rudeness but out of necessity for her nerves.

"Hey," Astrid greeted, turning her sharp blue eyes on Rapunzel. "How are you feeling?"

Rapunzel blinked before letting out a pained smile. "Not so good."

"We don't need to listen to this." Astrid jerked her head at Cinderella. "Let's have some girl-time."

"Without the others?" Rapunzel teased.

"They probably won't want to hear anything you have to say," Astrid answered bluntly.

Rapunzel nodded her agreement. She knew everyone would be against Jack for a while for two reasons: he was underage and chosen by the Goblet of Fire, and he was the Boy-Who-Lived who hid his identity form the world. They reached their dorm and changed into their pajamas. Rapunzel flopped onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow. she felt Astrid sit on her bed. She shifted around for a while before there was a grinding noise. Rapunzel huffed into her pillow.

"How'd you get that dull so soon?" Rapunzel asked, knowing Hiccup's crafts were top of the notch if his leg was anything to go by. She turned her head to see Astrid flushing.

"I sneak out to practice my axe-throwing routine. I was really angry last night," Astrid explained.

"Are you going to sneak out tonight?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yes," Astrid whispered, placing her axe and whetstone down.

"Angry?" Rapunzel guessed.

"Angry, worried, same thing," Astrid huffed.

Rapunzel looked at her fellow Hufflepuff, trying to puzzle her out. Astrid used to be so full of self-righteous fury, fighting for those who mocked her family or that she was a Viking or who said Hufflepuffs were pushovers. She hadn't let anyone see a hing of emotions or was the one to initiate girl-time like this. The Viking girl usually sharpened her axe on her bed, staring down her roommates and interrupting their gossip with loud screeches of whetstone on iron, eyes hard and face expressionless. Now, she was on Rapunzel's bed, doing everything that was still Astrid but not entirely her when compared to the years before. Rapunzel found it nice and disconcerting all rolled up into a terribly wrapped present with too much tape.

"When did you get so talkative about feelings?" Rapunzel asked, succumbing to her curiosity.

Astrid smirked and shook her head softly. "Kind of figured out there wasn't a point in keeping them in this summer."

"Hiccup's lost leg," Rapunzel mostly stated rather than guessed. Astrid flinched but nodded. Rapunzel huffed loudly. "Let's talk about something else. We got to something kind of depressing."

Astrid laughed and Rapunzel mentally patted herself on her back.

"I know this isn't uplifting, but I just gotta know," Astrid began with a heavy sigh. "Is Jack the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel sighed, rolling onto her back to stare up at her canopy.

"When did you learn that?" Astrid asked.

"Third year, after Christmas break," Rapunzel provided. "Merida and Hiccup knew, too."

Astrid's eyebrows furrowed together. "Was that when he, you know, had his appearance changed?"

"His magic had to adapt to something. I can't tell you, it's not my story to tell," Rapunzel explained vaguely.

She hurt for Jack that day when he described what had happened. He hadn't looked at Black Lake the same. Hiccup said he'd sneak into the Ravenclaw Tower some nights during the rest of the their third year just to curl up on a couch or by Hiccup's bed from nightmares. Jack used to love swimming and now had a deep aversion to it. And, for a whole year and a half, Jack had hated his magic and how much it changed and how it hadn't saved his little sister. Rapunzel was happy he hadn't done anything drastic because she didn't think she could deal with the thought of that. Even now, laying on her bed, just imagining Jack actually doing that almost made her cry. Her green eyes were stinging with unshed tears at the what-ifs of it all.

"I know," Astrid soothed. Then she was chuckling, jerking Rapunzel from her almost-crying. "Everyone was trying to find a brown-haired, hazel-eyed boy and now it turns out it was a white-haired, blue-eyed boy."

Rapunzel grinned wryly. It was kind of funny. Ironic and depressing, but funny nonetheless in that sick-humor way.

"Get some rest, Rapunzel," Astrid sighed, collecting her Hiccup-forged axe and whetstone. "You look like you need it."

She did, in a desperate way.

"Night, Astrid. Don't kill all the trees tonight," Rapunzel responded, rolling onto her side.

It took a few minutes, but she lulled herself to sleep by the movement of her other roommates bustling about in preparation for bed. Her dreams were troubled, haunting and stuttering through everything weighing on her conscious. From the difference between her and Mother to the fight between Merida and Jack. Circulating and twisting, descending into areas Rapunzel didn't like to dwell on while awake. Her friends leaving her; her suspicions turning out to be correct. Different ways. The same result time after time.

She woke up early in the morning to everyone else asleep. Rapunzel looked at Astrid. She wasn't underneath the covers, mud caked her fingers and twigs were lodged in her hair. Rapunzel didn't know a lot about Viking training regime—especially if perfectionist Astrid Hofferson was involved—but she was pretty sure twigs weren't supposed to end up in one's hair. Rapunzel looked at the clock above the door to their dormitory, noticing it was fifteen minutes until everyone else woke up. She got out of her bed and went to Astrid's.

It was dangerous waking up the Viking, but she really needed to get those twigs out of her hair. Rapunzel steeled her nerves, made sure the bedpost was between her and Astrid, then placed a gentle hand on Astrid's shin. The Viking girl jerked awake, blue eyes sharp and focusing on Rapunzel. For a moment, the long-haired girl feared her fellow Hufflepuff didn't recognize her before Astrid glared with not as much heat behind it.

"You have twigs in your hair," Rapunzel muttered, motioning to Astrid's messy hair.

Astrid groaned but got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Rapunzel sat on her bed, waiting her turn. Astrid didn't take long, so Rapunzel dove in to shower, relieve her bladder, and brush her teeth. She was changing into her uniform by the time the other girls work up to the alarm.

Rapunzel sighed through her nose, knowing what was going to happen for the rest of the day, but accepted the fate. She left with a small smile directed at Astrid. Rapunzel rushed out of the common room, not in the mood for any of the early risers to bug her about Jack. She wanted to concentrate on one thing, and that was getting Merida and Jack to make up somehow, even if that meant she and Hiccup would have to meet up at random intervals and exchange information.

She entered the Great Hall to see none of her friends were there yet. Hiccup was probably waiting for Jack, knowing he needed the support immediately. Merida wasn't a morning person, so the blonde had some minutes to orient herself before she had to start the day by ignoring Jack and hanging out with Merida's tumultuous emotions. Taking in a deep breath, Rapunzel sat down at her House's table and began to load up her plate.

She was smearing jam onto some toast when she felt someone sit down next to her. Biting into her toast, Rapunzel looked up and nearly dropped the bit from her mouth. Flynn Rider in all his Quidditch cockiness was making himself comfortable next to her. Rapunzel flicked her big, green eyes around, trying to ask for help. How does one talk to a professional Quidditch player and newly-announced Durmstrang Champion? And, okay, he was hot, in that assholish, egotistical way if that smirk was anything to go by.

"Hi. How you doing?" Flynn asked, quirking an eyebrow and open-mouth smirking. "The name's Flynn Rider."

Rapunzel almost let her shit-eating grin take over. Oh, she loved messing with flirters. Instead, she just looked innocently and confusedly at him.

"What do you advise for breakfast, Blondie?" Flynn asked after it was clear she wasn't going to talk.

"Rapunzel," she corrected.

"Gesundheit," Flynn said.

Rapunzel was about to respond until she spotted Merida's red, curly mass of hair. "MERIDA!"

She just wanted to be saved. As much as messing with flirters was, Rapunzel wasn't the best at it. Besides, Merida threatening people—or diverting their attention to anything but flirting—was amazing.

"Morning, Punzie," Merida mumbled, sitting down across form her, reaching for the scrambled eggs. Her blue eyes landed on Flynn and narrowed a little. "Ah would be weary of this wan, Rider. She isnae afraid tae strike fear intae the heart of every man."

Flynn looked taken aback, looking at Rapunzel. She flashed an innocent, open-mouthed grin. He blinked before looking at Merida. He raised a hand and pointed at the blonde Hufflepuff, quirking an eyebrow in question, as if to ask: Who? Her? She couldn't hurt a fly. Just look at that smile!

"Dunno be fooled," Merida snorted, shoving half a sausage link into her mouth. "She is friends with Overland and me. We've taught her plenty on how tae get revenge."

Rapunzel took it as a good sign that Merida had used Overland instead of Frost. There was still hope, especially this early in the game. Then again, Merida's anger was fast and fleeting. It took a great injustice for it to extend past a week—like those games for her hand in marriage. The longest she'd be mad at Jack wouldn't last past the week, especially with Rapunzel helping her out. She knew Hiccup and Jack forgot that one part of Merida. Boys were so oblivious.

"You're friends with the second Hogwarts Champion?" Flynn asked, leaning forward and looking intrigued. His brown gaze—Rapunzel refused to say it reminded her of chocolate—was flicking between her and Merida.

"Just because me and Overland are fighting, does nae mean Ah will give ye information on him," Merida snapped, glaring at Flynn. He retreated and stared at Rapunzel pleadingly. She gave him her best unimpressed look.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't blame me for trying."

"Sadly," Merida groused.

"What are your favorite subjects at Hogwarts?" Flynn asked, seeming not to want to stop bothering them.

"Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures. They're tied for me," Rapunzel answered, shrugging sheepishly with a smile on her lips. She did love those subjects. They helped her experience the outside world when Mother would rather keep her locked away in their tower home.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Merida answered, sipping at her orange juice. "Though Ah dae like Transfiguration."

"I've never seen the need for Transfiguration," Flynn stated with a small shrug. "Herbology I know is helpful, along with knowing magical creatures. Don't know about caring for them unless it's to breed them for special purposes, but I still see the need to know about them. Defense is always a must." He grinned cockily at that, eyes twinkling. "Durmstrang, after all, has the best rating for martial magic. Leading school in the wizarding world." Merida rolled her eyes. "But I've never seen or heard or an instance when Transfiguration helped anyone in the long run."

"It's helped me sneak in my bow and arrows fae home for the past twa years," Merida declared, eyes blazing dangerously. "My da's been saved by him mastering transfiguring simple objects intae weapons during fights and hunting down Mor'du."

"Mor'du?" Flynn asked.

Rapunzel moaned. She'd heard the story enough. Merida wasn't afraid to tell it. She was a storyteller, even if she denied it.

"It was on my sixth birthday, a warm summer day," Merida began, spreading her hands wide. Rapunzel banged her head against the table. She not getting out of this. "Da was teaching me how tae shoot a bow when Ah missed. Clear over the target intae the nearby woods. Ah journeyed intae the woods, past trees and brush until Ah saw my arrow, lodged intae the trunk of a tree. Ah pulled it oot and looked behind me, seeing the Will-o'-the-Wisps in their blazing, blue glory. They lead me back tae my parents when Ah began tae chase after them." Rapunzel peeked at Flynn to see him entranced in the tale. Then again, everyone was during the first telling. "Ah told my parents, but Da dinnae believe me. Mum, Ah believe, was playing along with me at the time. As we were just beginning tae dae something else, a giant black bear reared up near Mum and Ah, roaring and snarling. Da and his men lunged at the beast as Mum got on a horse, riding aff with me in her arms. Ah dinnae see the rest, but Da told me aboot the spells flying—both wordless and wandless. Sticks became swords; rocks became axes; grass blades became arrows. They were as strong and durable as any Viking craft. Da lunged at Mor'du with his transfigured sword, it shattering upon impact against the hide of the beast. Then CHOMP!" Flynn jumped at Merida's loud exclamation. Rapunzel just blinked. "Da's leg was bitten clean aff, down the beast's gullet. And Mor'du was never seen or heard fae again afterwards."

"Wow," Flynn whispered, nodding slowly with wide eyes. Rapunzel wanted to laugh at his dumbstruck face. "That's ... wow. I have no words."

Rapunzel couldn't tell if he was astonished or sarcastic, but didn't care. His expression was funny. She giggled and Flynn turned a sharp look on her.

"Are you laughing at me?" Flynn asked.

Rapunzel giggled a little louder.

"Your face is hilarious!" Rapunzel got out through her giggles.

Merida snorted her agreement as Flynn looked somewhere between bemused and offended.

"I will have you know that this face has caused women to faint," Flynn admonished.

"From horror?" Rapunzel asked sweetly.

Merida howled in laughter, banging her hand against the table. Rapunzel caught Jack and Hiccup entering the Great Hall, eyeing the commotion at the Hufflepuff table. She exchanged a look with them and mouthed later. They nodded and headed to the Ravenclaw table, sitting down next to Fishlegs.

"Uh, no," Flynn denied vehemently. "I am a gift to the wizarding world."

"Did you come with a gift receipt?" Rapunzel asked, tilting her head to the side.

Merida fell out of her seat from laughing so hard.

"That hurt, Blondie," Flynn mocked, placing a hand over his heart.

Rapunzel grinned as apologetically as she could because even fake hurt had her stopping the quips.

"I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely, "and it's Rapunzel."

"Gesundheit," Flynn jibbed.

"We should gan, Punzie. We got class," Merida said, collecting herself off the floor. She was still letting out snorts and wheezing chuckles. Merida collecting apples and Rapunzel two peaches, the two girls headed off to class. The jovial air between them would have to end soon, despite how much Rapunzel didn't want to.

"You're not mad at Jack," Rapunzel stated.

"Naw, Ah am nae," Merida agreed with a sigh, taking a huge bite from one of her looted apples.

"Need a cooling off period?" Rapunzel guessed.

"Yeah," Merida nodded, wiping apple juice with the sleeve of her robe.

"How long?" Rapunzel asked.

Merida flinched at that. The Hufflepuff didn't like that. It meant her assessment of a week went down the drain. Merida was pissed beyond anything she was showing. Maybe Rapunzel was helping with her thoughtful inquiries and the best person to go to vent to. Maybe Merida found a place to safely do her archery. Well, Rapunzel could possibly convince Astrid to let Merida tag along when she went tree killing with her axe at night. But this just meant an apology between Merida and Jack would be pushed off farther then she liked.

"Look, anno whit ye and Hiccup are trying tae dae," Merida sighed heavily, giving Rapunzel a grateful look. "And Ah dunno mind. Jack needs someone and Ah guess Ah dae tae. Just ... tell him Ah am mad. Nae at him but at Mum and it's getting oot of control. Ah ... Ah just need a wee bit of time."

"Can I tell them?" Rapunzel asked. This was, after all, Merida's secret. She won't give anything away without her explicit go-ahead.

"Aye," Merida said, a small smile accompanying her nod.

Rapunzel grinned as they reached the juncture that would split them for their morning classes. She turned to her friend and enveloped the Gryffindor into a hug worthy of any Hufflepuff.

"I'm here for you," Rapunzel whispered, "and so are the boys. Jack's hurt, but give him time, too. He'll be happy to have you back. And if he isn't, I'll make sure he is. Along with Hic."

Merida snorted but hugged Rapunzel tightly.

"Thanks, Punzie."

"You're welcome, Mer."

They pulled away and headed down their respective hallways they needed to get to their classes. Rapunzel let a breath of air rush out of her cheeks. It wasn't going to be as hard as she thought, just long with Merida's worrying amount of anger. Rapunzel bit her lip as she approached her Arithmancy class.

Merida was too angry to talk things out with Jack anytime soon. Jack was chosen by the Goblet of Fire to be a fourth Champion and had his identity spilled to three schools. Hiccup ... okay, so, Rapunzel didn't know if there was anything solid that could be said about him besides the dark bags beneath his eyes and poor evasion of topics. Rapunzel, herself, would be the first to admit she had her own issues with Mother that might begin to impact this whole situation if not artfully hidden away.

It couldn't get much worse than this, now could it?