Revenge
Jack Frost was furious. They had found a Gryffindor first year who said Merida disappeared on the way to breakfast. That was when he started to share in Hiccup's worry. It was one thing to not show up for class, and with all the homework, who wouldn't need a break, but who would skip breakfast? Especially when they have so many friends to share with.
It was only when he heard the snickering of the other Slytherins that fury took him. Earlier that morning, before he could slip out to the kitchens, his roommates had attacked him. Jack managed to deflect the attacks using the spells Hiccup had taught him ... all but one.
The full body-bind spell had caught him unaware. His roommates had left him paralyzed on the bed. Even if he had known the counter curse, it wouldn't have done him any good being immobile.
Every time Jack started to get scared he reminded himself that Hiccup cared, that Hiccup would notice if he went missing. But how long would that take? Even if Hiccup was suspicious there wasn't much he could do. All the others had to say was that Jack was feeling ill and couldn't come to class.
Jack supposed Professor Black would notice him missing during Potions. He hoped it didn't come down to that, because he had a feeling he would be punished for being late no matter the reason.
Just as a small panic began to set in, the door to the room opened and Flynn Rider walked in. He took one look at Jack, then pulled his wand out with his left hand and said the counter curse.
"Thanks," Jack said as he tested his limbs. "Why are you here? Don't you have class?"
"It's still breakfast."
"So," Jack quickly straightened himself out, "aren't you ignoring me?"
"Only around the others." Flynn leaned up against the doorway, "I noticed a lot of the Slytherins missing this morning. I was worried it had something to do with you. Seems I was right."
"Like you care."
"You're right; I don't." Flynn paused, "There was a boy, during my first year, Eugene Fitzherbert. He was like you; didn't know if he was pureblood or not. He was an orphan. The other students found out and it made his life miserable."
"What happened?" Jack asked in spite of himself.
"Eugene was only here that first year. He couldn't take it. Don't go mentioning this to anyone. It brings up too many painful memories." Flynn turned and left the room.
Jack stared after him before a clock chiming brought him out of his trance. Jack dashed down to the Potions room without breakfast.
The day had gone smoothly after that. The Slytherins stared at him when they found Jack leaning casually back in his chair as though nothing had happened between them at all. Professor Black even seemed in a pleasant mood, though he did give Jack the oddest look.
In short, everything was perfect until Hiccup had roped him into helping find Merida. He didn't want to care about her, he enjoyed the class without her, but when no Gryffindor knew where Merida was, and the Slytherins were laughing, Jack started to worry. When Hiccup and Rapunzel stated that all the Slytherin first years had missed breakfast, Jack got mad.
Jack marched over to Derek. Rapunzel and Hiccup followed behind. Derek stopped his snickering enough to look up into the icy brown eyes of Jack.
"What did you do to her?" Jack demanded coldly.
"I don't know who you mean." Derek started to turn away.
"Yes. You. Do." Jack resisted the urge to grab Derek by his shirt, most of the professors weren't paying attention but he wouldn't risk getting expelled.
"Why did you do it?" Jack prompted again. "Because she's a Gryffindor? Or maybe you just thought it would be a fun Halloween prank to attack muggleborns."
Hiccup gasped. Derek returned the chilly gaze, "Merida's more than just a mud-"
Derek froze as he realized he said too much. Jack never mentioned Merida's name. Jack pressed in, "Then why did you do it? Or better yet, what did you do?"
Derek refused to say any more. Jack stared him down. The air around the boys suddenly felt very chilly. Jack put his hands on the table hardly noticing as the warm food became cold before freezing completely. Derek shivered.
"Alright," Derek said, pulling his hands back as ice began to creep over them, "she's on the fourth floor, behind the mirror."
Derek shot up and left the Great Hall. Jack turned and made off for the fourth floor with Hiccup and Rapunzel following.
"How did you do that?" Hiccup asked as they climbed the stairs.
"Do what?" Jack said not looking back.
"Making it cold like that. For minute I thought I was back on Berk."
"I made it cold?" Jack said without pausing.
"Yeah, couldn't you feel it?" Rapunzel asked.
"I figured it was just the winter coming, it is October 31st you know. Winter has always been my favorite season. I love the cold."
"I've never seen anything like that," Hiccup said. "It was like the ice came right out of your hands."
"It could be uncontrolled magic," Rapunzel offered. "Once schooling starts most wizards and witches have enough control, but wild magic can still manifest in times of extreme emotion."
"Hold on, I do not have extreme emotion for Merida!" Jack yelled as they stepped onto the fourth floor landing.
"Whether that's true or not, I don't think that was wild magic. I've seen a lot of wild magic on Berk, but it never looks like that. It almost always jumps to the desired effect. It just doesn't creep along the table like that, that was controlled."
"I was not trying to freeze him!" Jack snapped.
"Maybe not, but subconsciously I think you were casting that spell."
"What spell?"
"I don't know. I've never seen crawling ice like that, and the temperature drop. It wasn't like any freezing charm I've ever se-."
Jack stopped short, cutting Hiccup off, "This is it."
Jack pressed his wand up against the mirror, "Dissendium."
The mirror flew open, revealing the very stiff form of Merida. The three students pulled her out into the hall. Hiccup held onto her arms as Rapunzel pulled out her wand.
"Um, guys?" Rapunzel said, "I have no clue how to undo this one. I'm not even sure what it is."
"It's a full body-bind. I'm not completely sure how to undo it either, though I have an idea. You need to-"
"Finite Incantatem," Jack said waving his wand. Merida was instantly released and stood up on shaky legs. She stretched out before turning on Jack.
"Finally given up ... on ... yer sick joke, have yeh?" she asked tiredly.
"What? You think I did this?" Jack demanded.
"Who else? It's obvious all th' Slytherins were in on it. Ye kent th' whole time an' ye left me. Tha's how ye knew how ta ge' thro' the mirror."
"What? Look, if you're going to chew me out, can you at least do it so I understand you?" Jack demanded.
"She said, 'It's obvious all the Slytherins were in on it. You knew the whole time and you left me, that's how you knew how to get through the mirror,'" Hiccup translated before turning on Merida. "You're wrong. Jack had nothing to do with this, we found out where you were from the Slytherin who did this."
"An' I suppose he told y' the password to get into the secret passage."
"No-"
"An' how t' undo the spell?"
"No-"
"An' –"
"SHUT IT, RED!" Jack shouted, "Don't make me regret using that counter curse! I could have left you! It would have saved me a lot of trouble. I didn't have to help Hiccup look for you."
"THEN WHY DID YOU!" Merida shouted back. Jack glared at her but said nothing. The truth was he'd done it because he knew how it felt, having been under that very spell earlier that day. He knew how helpless it felt. And he hated that feeling. But he didn't feel like sharing that, especially not with Merida.
"I'll see you in class," Jack said with ice in his voice. He turned and left, leaving the others staring in shock.
Hiccup broke the silence, "Come on, we should go get a Professor. You can report the people who did this too you."
"No," Merida said. "All a teacher can do is make them lose house points and give them detention. Besides, I don't know who the mastermind is. When they cursed me they mentioned someone had taught them the spells and set them on me."
"Really?" Rapunzel asked. "But who would be out to get you?"
"I don't know. The only one I can think of is Jack."
"Merida, stop," Hiccup commanded. "Jack helped us find you. He's not out to get you."
"Then how do you explain it? Him finding me?"
"Like I said. We asked the other Slytherins."
"And they listened? Like Jack was the commander. It was all for show I'll bet. Trying to keep himself out o' trouble."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I'll bet he's never been in trouble in his life. Anyway, you heard him, he knew the counter curse. You two didn't even know it. How do you think he learned it?"
Hiccup paused. He had no clue how Jack had learned it. The body-bind spell wasn't common on Berk. Spells like that couldn't penetrate a dragon's thick hide, so they were no use in combat, and it was a relatively tricky spell to master, so none of the kids had yet learned it. Even if the older Vikings did know it, they had never used it around Hiccup.
"It doesn't matter how he knew it," Hiccup defended. "You should be grateful he did, otherwise we would have had to get a professor to rescue you."
"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have needed rescuing in the first place."
"You don't know that."
"Everyone who attacked me was a Slytherin first year, Hic. He knew about this, I'm sure. I'll bet he knew where I was right from the start."
Hiccup started to argue only to realize she was right. Jack knew exactly where the mirror on the fourth floor was, he made a beeline for it. He must have known there was a secret passage there. He even knew the spell to reveal the passage; Hiccup hadn't taught him that.
"Merida," Rapunzel said, "I don't think Jack is so bad."
"Of course not, he's nice to you," Merida said. Hiccup rolled his eyes. There was no arguing with Merida, who was convinced that all Slytherins were evil. The three students went down for lunch in the Great Hall. To his surprise, Hiccup noticed Jack was at the Slytherin table, glaring daggers at the boy he'd almost frozen.
Jack noticed Hiccup sit down with the Hufflepuffs before turning his gaze back to Derek. How many students had Derek and his gang attacked? Was it just Jack and Merida? Would more become victims? Was this a Halloween joke, or was something more sinister afoot?
These questions raced through Jack's head as he glared at Derek. No one else would be attacked if Jack had any say in it. So much for studying with Hiccup, this was far more important.
Derek got up. Jack followed suit. Derek didn't say anything as Jack followed him out of the Great Hall down to the Slytherin common room.
Jack sat in the furthest chair from Derek where he still had a clear view of the boy. Some of the students seemed surprised to see Jack in the cold Slytherin common room, but to his relief they all ignored him. At three o'clock all the first years got up to go down to flying lessons. Jack followed them at a distance, arriving at the Flying Lawn just after the Gryffindors.
Jack wandered over to Merida without taking his eyes off Derek. Merida scowled and turned her back to him. Jack didn't speak to her, letting her take the first turn on the broom they shared. When she landed halfway though the class to give the broom to Jack, he finally spoke.
"I don't think their prank was very funny," he said taking the broom.
"I still think you were involved. You can't tell me you didn't know," Merida said.
"I can tell you all I like, you don't have to believe me. But I think it might be better if you let this go. I had nothing to do with this…in fact, I'd like to help you get back at them."
Merida gasped, "How did you know I was planning to get back at them."
"Please, after being locked in that passage half a day, anyone would want to get back at them."
"I don't trust you. You'll get me in trouble."
"No I won't. I promise."
"Why are you interested in helping me?" She asked suspiciously.
"Let's just say me and the other Slytherins are at odds. Besides, I don't think this was a very good prank. I say, let's show them how Halloween pranks should be done."
And teach them not to mess with muggleborns, he added silently. Merida glanced up at the other Slytherins.
"Deal." She and Jack shook hands before he mounted the broom and took to the sky. Now that basic lessons were over, Jack was free to fly as high as he wanted as long as he could keep the broom under control.
He had the feeling that the broom he made, which now lay in pieces in the Dark Forest, could have gone higher than the one Professor Grimm lent him and Merida, but even without his own broom, he still managed to fly higher than the rest of the class.
Jack did a few loop-de-loops, at one point he slipped off the end of the broom, but before he could fall, he had flipped himself back onto it.
As class ended, he landed gracefully next to Merida. After the other students filed out, Jack and Merida began discussing their plans for revenge as they cleaned the brooms.
Even when they finished broom maintenance, they continued to discuss the plans. Jack felt it important to strike quickly, so if they were caught it would be dismissed as a Halloween prank.
The only thing the two really disagreed on was how much it should hurt the students. Merida wanted them to wish they'd been expelled, but Jack said that was no fun. He didn't really want to harm them. Merida ended up agreeing to this, only when he pointed out that if they kept it harmless they wouldn't get expelled even if they got caught.
Jack and Merida split up as they neared the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. For the second time that day Jack sat with the Slytherins, though not before stopping by the kitchens to let Hiccup know. Jack refused to meet his eye when Hiccup asked why he was suddenly so friendly with his house.
As the feast ended, most students hobbled off to bed, feeling quite full and sleepy. Not Jack. He had eaten quite a bit, but made sure to keep awake. He worked swiftly and silently as his roommates slept. It would be trickier to get the Slytherin girls, but Jack had no doubt he could do it. After all, there were only two of them.
Merida waited anxiously at the Gryffindor table. Breakfast was still quite a ways off but she didn't want to miss the Slytherins. Jack hadn't told her exactly what he was going to do, only that it would be hilarious. Merida had made a great many suggestions, including using that gammy spell to freeze the students, but Jack said it would be too predictable, and fairly easy to trace back, besides neither of them knew how to cast it.
To her dismay, the other students all filed in looking perfectly fine. Merida was just starting to get mad at Jack for going back on their deal when he showed up. Jack grabbed a biscuit from the table before sending her a wink and leaving the Great Hall.
Merida examined the six Slytherin first years remaining. Maybe Jack did something so small they wouldn't notice? But no matter how long she stared she couldn't spot anything wrong with them.
She refrained from asking Hiccup or Rapunzel anything when she saw them during class. Both would lecture her on how she should have told a teacher instead of trying to exact revenge.
At every meal period she would stare at the Slytherins, but there was never any change. Merida scowled as she sank into bed that night, no doubt Jack had lied. The real trick was on her, for believing he would betray his friends. Well, she wouldn't make that mistake again.
The next day Merida stormed down to the Potions room in a foul mood. Jack was lounging about acting as cheerful as ever. Merida gritted her teeth as she sat down, determined not to make eye contact.
"Hey, can we use your cauldron today?" Jack asked.
Merida nodded and got out her cauldron. As class started Professor Black introduced the potions they would be making today. The first step was to heat the cauldron.
Everyone huddled around their cauldrons, thankful for the fire in the icy cold dungeon. Everyone but Jack that is. Jack moved away from the cauldrons, as far back in his seat as he could.
Merida glared at him as she set to work getting out the ingredients for the potion. Every so often she would steal a glance at Jack. He halfheartedly chopped ingredients, but his eyes were focused on the other students, specifically the Slytherins. He would watch them, chuckle and then look away. About halfway through the class, just before they added the first ingredient to the cauldron, there was a loud pop from the front of the class. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around.
A cloud of smoke was rising from one of the Slytherin's cauldrons. Before anyone had a chance to react there was another pop, followed by a third pop. At each pop one of the cauldrons let out a huge cloud. Jack grabbed Merida's hand and pulled her back in the chair as the cloud of smoke enveloped the classroom.
Professor Black waved his wand and dissolved the smoke. Jack started to laugh. Merida looked over the Slytherins and let out a laugh too. Each one was orange, from head to toe. The black robes, hair, skin, all of it was orange. The same shade as the pumpkins on Halloween.
Soon the other Gryffindors joined in the laughter. A few of them had turned a bit orange as well, but not to the extent of the Slytherins, most of whom had been leaning over their cauldrons when the explosion happened.
Merida smiled. Jack had come through after all. Maybe he wasn't so bad.
A/N: Finally a break in the tension, I figured you needed it after last week's cliffhanger, but this story is far from over, after all they still have seven months at school.
Just a reminder that polls on my profile are still open if you care.
Dragons: Defenders of Berk is awesome! I hope I can include some of that in my story (won't be until their 3rd-5th year though, seeing as how the first movie hasn't even taken place yet in my story).
Also to KrazyCat, my favorite color is purple/purplish blue. Part of the reason I'm avoiding cliffhangers is because I'm following J.K. Rowling's pacing, in the first Harry Potter book, only four of the seventeen chapters end on cliffhangers.
