"Explain to me again why you made a bet with a Slytherin?" Hiccup asked.
Merida rolled her eyes. "If you keep worrying so much, you're going to give yourself grey hairs. Just help me find a bow and arrows."
Rapunzel smiled at Hiccup, hoping to reassure him that all was going to be fine. Instead of doing their Transfiguration homework as planned, she and Hiccup had been looped into helping Merida with a bet. Boisterous Merida had, of course, gotten into a spat with a Slytherin on the first day of classes. "It's not my fault, he started it," insisted Merida. Rapunzel wasn't quite sure she believed Merida.
Merida hummed to herself and continued to walk briskly down the hallway. Making a face at the gargoyles outside Madame Hooch's office, she rapped her knuckles against the door. An old woman opened the door, frowning down at Merida. "Yes, what is it?" she barked.
"Madame Hooch, m'name is Merida," chirped Merida. "I know that you have a locked supply closet which has the brooms that you use for flying class."
"What of it?" said Hooch.
"Well, you see, I heard that there's some other supplies in there. Including, maybe… a bow and arrows?" replied Merida.
"And what would you be needing a bow and arrows for?" asked Hooch, eyeing Merida and her companions suspiciously.
"I'm quite an excellent shot," Merida said, adding, "I'd like to show my friends."
"Hmph," Hooch said, still frowning. "Well, you can show me first. Come on in." She opened the door wider and walked back inside her office. Merida, Hiccup, and Rapunzel followed.
Inside were dozens of moving pictures of Hooch and famous Hogwarts Quidditch players. They lined the walls, and Rapunzel noticed a few names she recognized: Gwenog Jones, Oliver Wood, and Katie Bell. One picture in particular caught her eye, however. It was of a large, burly boy with flaming red hair that looked rather like Merida's.
Rapunzel nudged Merida with her elbow and pointed at the picture. Merida smiled and said, "Yup, that's my pa. Played as a Chaser and was part of the Puddlemere United team for a while."
Hooch turned around. "Your father is Fergus Bryars?" she asked.
"You bet," Merida said, putting her hands on her hips and staring up at her boldy.
"One of the best Chasers this school has ever had," said Hooch, and Merida beamed proudly. "And probably the one that took the most crazy risks," she added, and Merida laughed.
"He taught me all he knew," Merida said.
"In that case, I better keep an eye on you," said Hooch, but her demeanor was decidedly more relaxed and friendly. She even stopped frowning, and told them all to move along.
They finally arrived at the closet, where Hooch took a small key from a pocket in her robes and unlocked the door. She said, "Lumos," and the room lit up.
"Right, then, a bow and arrow…" she muttered, walking around the room. The three first-years followed her, looking around with a sense of awe. The room was lined not only with broomsticks, but with other artifacts, like old suits of armor and giant cauldrons.
"Aha!" exclaimed Hooch, spinning around. In her hands were a rather ornate bow and several wooden arrows in a blue quiver. "I thought these would still be here, considering I haven't cleaned out his place in ages…" she said, losing herself in her thoughts for a moment. Collecting herself, she looked sternly at Merida. "Now, show me how you shoot."
Taking the bow and quiver from Hooch, Merida looped the quiver around her waist and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "What shall I shoot at?" she asked.
Hooch looked around the room. She pointed at an unmoving painting a dozen meters away. "Can you hit that?" she asked.
Merida smiled. "Easily," she replied. She grabbed one of the arrows and notched it. Drawing the bow, she stepped back with one foot and aimed at the painting. She breathed out, and then released the arrow. It flew past Hiccup and Rapunzel's surprised eyes and hit the person in the portrait between his eyes. Merida relaxed and lowered her arm holding the bow.
"So," she said boldly, looking at Hooch. "Can I borrow it?"
Hooch smiled. It was rather strange that an old woman with such a stern and lined face could smile such a warm smile. "You clearly know what you're doing. And honestly, I don't think anyone else is going to want the bow any time soon, so you can keep it. If I really need it for some reason, I'll let you know."
Merida hopped up and down, squealing. "Really?" she half-shrieked. She coughed and composed herself. "Can I really keep it?" she asked more calmly.
"Just don't shoot anything alive," Hooch said, frowning. "If I hear that you've hurt anyone, I'll put you in detention for the next seven years."
"Yes, Madame Hooch," said Merida, giving her a slight bow. She straightened and smiled. "And thank you!"
Walking out, Hiccup said to Rapunzel, "She really can shoot well!"
Merida, who was in front of them, turned around. "Of course I can!" she said, eyes twinkling. "I don't lie," she added.
"I think you'll win your bet," Rapunzel said enthusiastically, as they stepped outside Hooch's office.
"Really, now?" said a voice from down the hallway. Jack stepped out with a few other Slytherins from under an archway. "I doubt you'll be able to get that red bushy hair out of your eyes long enough to hit anything," he said, walking towards them with a smirk.
"I found a bow and arrows, now you get to find a target," said Merida, glaring at him.
"Aye fund a buh and erroh," mimicked one of the Slytherins, a tall blond boy.
"They really think they're clever, don't they?" said Merida to Rapunzel. She giggled.
"Hey, blondie," the other Slytherin said, a rather bulky boy with curly hair. "Think you're so great 'cause you're a Ravenclaw, don't you?"
"Why would I think that?" Rapunzel asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Ravenclaws always think they're so much smarter than the rest of us," said the blond boy, sneering. "When really they aren't any better than the rest of us."
"And you look particularly airheaded," laughed the bulky boy.
"Hey," said Hiccup. The boys looked at him. "That wasn't very nice," he stated. They laughed at him.
"And what of it?" said the bulky boy.
"Oi, muttonheads," Merida said. "Shut your mouths, why don't you? And Frost, I'll see you down on the Quidditch pitch in an hour. Bring your target." She nudged Hiccup, who was still glaring at the two other Slytherins. "Come on, brave one," she said. He turned and began walking away from the Slytherins. Merida smiled at Rapunzel, who looked a little shaken, and took her arm and led her away.
"You alright?" Merida asked Rapunzel. Rapunzel nodded a little absentmindedly, tucking a hair behind her ears.
"It's just… I mean, people have been kind of mean today, what with them ignoring me, and all," she said, looking down at the ground. "But I understood why. I messed up. Those boys were mean to me… without even knowing me. At all."
Merida laughed sadly. "I guess you were really homeschooled, huh?" she said, sighing.
"People are sometimes mean because they think it's funny," Hiccup said, looking at Rapunzel. She looked away from the ground and up at him.
"It makes them feel better about themselves," Merida added. "That's what my pa always says."
"Which is just silly," Hiccup muttered, frowning to himself.
"It is silly," Rapunzel agreed.
"Which is why you can look them in the eyes and tell them they're fools," Merida said, smiling.
"I'll do that next time," Rapunzel laughed. Hiccup smiled too, and they all continued to walk towards the dining hall, where Merida told Hiccup she would eat five pieces of pie and still not be full.
Jack watched them go as the other Slytherins laughed over the blond girl's shocked face.