(I. HATE. SEPTEMBER. You know why ? Because after they finish sugar-coating you you're first month of a new school year, the second month is when they give you EVERYTHING THEY CAN ! Long story short, September has been becoming a very stressful month for me, luckily I could finish this, hopefully I can update my other fics soon as well, anyway, that's why I'm late, with that said- *On With The Show*)

Astrid stood in front of a large stone door, swirls, shapes and other strange symbols were engraved into it. Looking down she could see a small door handle sticking out on the side of the entrance. Wanting nothing more than to get in and out and finally leave this nightmare behind her, Astrid put her hand out for it, but as she reached for the handle-

"I wouldn't" Allison warned.

"OW" Astrid shrieked.

A large flick of electricity bolted into her skin. She quickly backed away from it, rubbing her good hand over her other one, still stinging and slowly turning numb.

"I told you, it isn't that easy" Allison scolded her.

The blonde grumbled, she hated to admit when she was wrong, especially if someone were to scold her about it, looking closer, she saw no keyhole or lock for access. Astrid put three fingers on the locket, "so exactly how do I get in ?"

"The combination is simple" Allison explained "Look at the pictures, pick the five pointed star, turn the three ringed circle, press on the arrow head and knock on the rose symbol three times".

Astrid listened attentively to her directions and took a deep breath, her hand began shaking as she started reaching out to touch one of the engravings, her skin began to tingle and prickle at the cold stone, and a tiny shock of electricity bit through her finger, but this time, was easily ignorable, seeing as she wasn't technically trying to force her way in as she did at first.

After knocking on the rose engraving three times, Astrid bit her lip and gripped the door handle again, flicking her wrist slowly to the right. Her eyes closed in sweet bliss and relief once she heard the door click, allowing her to pull it open. Cobwebs and specks of dust flew out and into the air around Astrid, making her cough and gagged at the musty substance, now covering her mouth she definitely had a good idea on how long it had been since someone had last entered the chamber.

The blonde walked through the door, at first completely dark but one by one, the torches hooked on the walls sensed her presence and immediately enlightened with flames; Astrid jumped up in shock, gripping the locket with both fists for protection against the dark magic.

Realizing it was nothing more than a simple magic trick, Astrid mentally kicked herself for her actions and cursed under her breath; while trying to also calm her now racing heart-beat. "Hiccup" she thought, she was doing this to help Hiccup.

Walking through the now lightened room her eyes bugged out, her mouth opened wide at the view of her surroundings. The lair had a tall bookcase filled with several pages of what Astrid could only guess what kind of information. The entire antechamber floor was covered in sand, the small remains of what looked like old drawings could still be seen in the corner of the room; beside it was what looked like the remains of an old bonfire with the remaining burnt wood and ashes. A large item stood near the center with a large, deep purple drape put over it, not allowing Astrid from seeing what was under it. But beside the hidden object was a work bench. Astrid could see it was covered with a few pendents, some stray papers and what she was looking for. . . a few corked up viles and potions.

"It's a dark red color. . . kind of looks like wine" Allison identified.

At first Astrid was excited, but quickly melted into fear and restraint. Was she really going to do this ? Use magic ? Isn't that what started the problem in the first place ?

Astrid approached the bench, her legs felt heavy like iron, she felt as though she wasn't walking but merely dragging her feet over to the wooded table, whether it was wariness for what she was about to do or some sort of protection magic of it's own, she wasn't sure.

Reaching it, Astrid allowed her hand to linger above the potions, tapping the air around her fingers, her eyes searching for the right color vial. Eyes sifting through greens, blues, yellows, and a pink until the optics fell upon a dark rouge liquid. Happily surprised, Astrid grabbed the glass quickly with anticipation, her reflection gleamed through the deep scarlet potion.

Putting two fingers of her other hand out, she stroked the bottle. All her fear was lifting away, the feeling of power and control returned to her, her confidence restoring. A dark, twisted grin began forming and deepening onto her pale lips as she mumbled two, chilling words.

"You're move."

What she felt didn't last long though. Astrid clenched the liquid in her hand, by this time the sky was dark, she just now left the hidden chamber, the only sounds were of the chirping crickets echoing inside the grim forest, Astrid felt the waryness come back to her, like a plague as the beads of sweat pour down her brow. Why should she feel this way, she won right, she had the potion, she had Allison, so why did she feel so. . . .scared, like the weight of Katherine still held on her shoulders.

"Hey. . .you okay"

"Ye. .yeah. . f. .fine" Astrid stuttered unconvincingly .

It was strange and somehow cruel, the content feeling of control satisfied Astrid, but it quickly pulled away from her soon after she left Katherine's lair and began walking back to Berk, like though it was trying to mock her, but what Astrid didn't understand was. . . why ?

The locket grew slightly warmer, symbolizing Allison was trying to comfort her, giving her a warm substitution to the chill of the night, "Hey don't worry, we've won".

"I know, I know. . .it's just that. . .

"I completely understand, but don't worry about it".

Astrid nodded, looking around, the forest began to looked eerily similar to how it looked in Katherine's dream land, Astrid began walking a little faster out of the wood and towards the village. The village, yes, she would be safe once she was in the village, but wait. . . she was safe now !. . . . . .Wasn't she ?"

"Careful you're going to drop it !" Allison hissed in scornful force.

"Excuse me ?" Astrid questioned at the sudden hostility in her new friend's voice.

Allison must have noticed it too because her voice immediately softened down "What I meant was that I don't want you to lose you're chance at this".

Soon enough the Haddock household came into view, Astrid looked up at Hiccup's window, "Toothless, would you mind ?"

The night-fury nodded and allowed her on his back and flew to the window, luckily opened, and entered Hiccup's room.

Astrid walked towards the brunette, still asleep in his bed, she frowned, she had been lucky, what would have happened if she came any later than when she did, or if she never came at all ? She hated to think what might have happened.

Looking down at the vial, she just now realized that she was holding it with the hand with Hiccup's bracelet on it. She gave a small smile, this would fix him, it would. . . . . .it had to.

"Make sure he drinks the whole vial, not a Single. Drop. Left." Allison instigated.

Astrid uncorked the lid from the vial and lead the formula to Hiccup's mouth, she knew he wouldn't wake up, just one glance and she could tell even after hours he was still exhausted, what Katherine did messed with his head in ways Astrid couldn't even begin to understand, but now. . . .now the chaos would be over.

She slid the tonic down his throat, it smelled spicy and sweet, like cinnamon and honey, she could only guess what it tasted like, Hiccup must have enjoyed for he smiled and opened his mouth slightly wider in his sleep, making more room for the tonic to go in. Once she was sure he had taken it all she put the now-empty glass on his nightstand.

"We should go"

"Go ?" Astrid questioned, "but what about-

"The potion will take a while to settle in, plus you need to get home before you're parents get worried"

But Astrid didn't feel right about leaving Hiccup, especially now in his sensitive state, "I could always come up with a excuse for-

"Astrid !" Allison persisted, the locket began to heat up, "if anyone finds out about Katherine, about me, then what , you'll be banished like she was, and what if she has more tricks to pull, then no-one can save Hiccup , I'm still trapped remember !"

Astrid sighed and nodded slowly, as much as she wanted to stay here with Hiccup, she knew she still had to be cautious, they weren't done yet, at least not for a little while longer.

"Okay".

Late in the night, the moon hidden by clouds, turning the sky pitch black by the Haddock house laied Hiccup fast asleep as the potion began taking it's affect.

In dream, Hiccup was flying Toothless, the sky bright and sun shining across the sea below him, laughing with delight pass the sea-stacks that stood up across the ocean. While flying higher into the clouds, the white, wet, and puffy substances hitting his face provided more exhilaration.

"Come on bud" he petted his dragon's snout, "let's try number 17 ."

The night-fury nodded, opening his wings to their full extent and shooting up to the sky like a rocket, only to fly back down, spinning his and Hiccup's bodies around whilst doing it then shooting a plasma blast down. Hiccup opened Toothless's tail out, unhooked the latch that connected him to the saddle and jumped off Toothless, through the fire ring, but caught again once again by the reptile seconds before his body could make contact with the water.

"Alright good job bud" Hiccup said, Toothless gave a happy snort in agreement.

But then, the sky began to dim, dream Hiccup looked up to see the white clouds had turned thin and dark gray in hue; the once bright clear water had turned inky black; it looked as though a dark shadow had loomed over him, but is wasn't just that, he felt. . . .cold, and strangely. . . tired, as though all of his energy was beginning to be slowly devoured away by this shadow. His head was in full alarm and he had only one thought- Run.

Hiccup looked down at his companion, "Toothless, get us out of here bud"

He nodded in agreement, his reptilian eyes now set and determined to fly out of the now dark area the shadow was placing on them. He ranged at top speed, the wind now slapping at the brunette's face harder and more painfully like a whip, but he didn't notice, the only thing he cared about was getting away from the depressing aura; and soon enough he looked to see that the water was once again shining reflected light from the bright sun.

Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief, petting Toothless for a job well done, but when he turned his head back at the ocean view behind him, he froze, his eyes filling with terror, the dark force was following them ! Quickly, like a gray dipped paint brush gliding across the landscape, gripping away the life out of everything it touched and it was coming for them !

"Toothless, come on bud we need to lose it"

The reptile tried to oblige but every time Hiccup looked back he could see the force gaining on them ready to wither them away. Toothless kept flying, faster and faster, it came to that Hiccup wasn't even looking where they were going, all he knew was that they needed to get away from the shadow.

But then, in a blur, Hiccup felt himself falling, falling down, down towards the ocean. He readied himself for the impact , yet it never came, he never felt the wet force of the water, he felt as though he was floating on air, he couldn't see Toothless, looking up to see the sky came once again dark, now it was clear, the shadow had caught him.

His neck tightened, Hiccup gasped at the sudden force around his throat and began to chock, small tears began forming out of his eyes, the darkness seemed to be turning blacker and the chocking feeling was becoming much more painful. His energy felt as though it was draining away from his body, making his body limb and numb, everything was turning into the shade of dusted charcoal.

He tried, truly he did, he tried to fight it off, but any energy or power that he could savage in his mind was being pulled away from him, swiftly and forcefully, stripping him of any will to continue.

"Calm down, it's okay"

That voice, he knew that voice, from somewhere, it was so distant yet so close, so soft yet vicious at the same time, like a sweet poison, he knew it would not resist in killing him yet something about it made him want to drink it in, drink in this voice and listen to it.

"You're safe now, you must rest"

Rest, he thought, that sounded like a good idea. With this thought the choking had begun easing on him and becoming less and less painful, his body felt chilled and numb.

"Rest" it repeated.

Hiccup smiled, "rest" he mouthed as the darkness engulfed him.

(Hmmmm, I wonder what will be the effects of this potion. Will it help Hiccup ? And if so, how ? Why have such a disturbing dream then ? This many questions and more, see you soon Read and Review and this is Moonlight Snowflake signing off)