Hiccup was jolted awake by someone shaking his shoulders. "Get up," the shaker, his father, demanded. "We've got to leave."
"Leave?" Asked the still groggy teen. "Why?"
"Because," answered Salazar as he began packing supplies, "The others want to bring the children of non-magical people into the school, and their parents with them. Everyone will know about us."
That woke Hiccup up. "But this is supposed to be a safe place. Doesn't that defeat the purpose?"
"That's what I said," explained the elder of the two, "But Godric wants his army and managed to convince the others to see it his way. We'd be dead within days if we stayed. Now get up and pack!" He shoved one of Toothless' saddlebags into his son's arms and continued gathering things together.
Hiccup watched his frantic father and looked back down at the leather bag in his hands. "No."
The man turned and stared at his son, who had always listened, always been understanding. "What?"
" I don't think we should leave."
"Hiccup," he reached out and put his hands on his son's shoulders. "I know you want to stay with your friends, but if we do I will lose you the same way I lost your mother. We've had a good seven months here, but it's time to move on."
"But Dad," answered the youth, "This is our best chance at some sort of stability, probably our only chance. Please." He stared up at his father with the big green eyes that were all too much like his mother's. "I don't want to run anymore." Salazar stared into those eyes that reminded him so much of another pair and saw the courage that would have put him in Gryffindor. "I helped build this place. I know every inch of it. If they come for us, we can hide until they give up and then leave. We don't have to leave now, not while we still have a chance. I can even install safety measures inside the castle if I have to; it's not too late in the process to do that."
"Son, Godric wants to use you for war." Salazar squeezed his shoulders. "You would have blood on your hands."
"No I wouldn't." Hiccup smiled at his father, trying to reassure him. "I won't do anything I don't want to, and neither will Toothless. He can't make us do anything. Besides, if I stay, I can sabotage his efforts and keep the students from getting turned into an army. Don't you see?" He reached up and pulled his father's hands off his shoulders and into his own tight grip. "Now I have to stay, even more than I did before."
Salazar sighed. "When did you get so smart?"
Hiccup chuckled. "I guess I picked up a few things from the others."
"Alright, I'll let you stay, but I'll have to leave so Godric can't use me against you. What kind of precautions do you have in mind?" And Hiccup began telling him about this new kind of snake that Rowena had discovered and shown him and Jack.
History loves to twist and turn the pieces of fact until they become a more interesting story. No one likes to hear how the Brave Godric wanted to turn the students into child soldiers, so they conveniently forgot all about it. No one wanted to consider the hunts and the issue of trust that drove Salazar to protest the inclusion of what the magical world now knows as Muggleborns. So they painted a picture with a brave red and gold hero with the slinking, prejudiced snake of a villain.
No one remembered who planted the Witch Hazel trees, or created the underground kitchen that would later be filled with House Elves. The origin of the moving staircases remains a mystery, and the true minds behind the broomstick were never given due credit. And everyone forgot the four kids who, to this day, are the only successful combination of the four houses, since they were never split in the first place.
Line Break
In the back of the book, Hermione found a painting of four children. The one kneeling in front with her hands waving in front of her had red curls spilling everywhere, even catching in her red and gold scarf. Her smile made her blue eyes crinkle.
The other girl had one elbow perched on top of the other's head with loops of braid flopping down and mingling with the flaming lock of the one below. There were black ribbons woven through her hair, tied in a knot next to her ear. The other arm was stretched out, holding the end of the braid just below the ear of the boy standing next to them.
He had brown hair with red highlights and a robe with green lining and silver ribbon around the edges. With only half his attention on the supposed painter, he had a sketchbook in one hand and a quill in the other. Hermione wished the picture could move so she could see the boy's reaction when Rapunzel – that had to be her- tickled him.
It seemed the boy with the dark purple shirt with bronze buttons crouched on the other side of the two girls wanted to know too, as he kept half his attention focused on the end of the braid and the other half on the person drawing them. The white hair made him easy to identify, as did the look of mischief. That kid could have given the twins a run for their money.
"Hey, Hermione. What're you reading?" Asked Harry as he walked over to take a look.
"I found it in the library while I was looking for Nicolaus Flamel. It must have been put on the wrong shelf." She looked at Harry and gasped before bringing the book so close to her face she almost hit her nose.
"What is it," asked Harry, coming in for a closer look.
She looked from the picture to him face, then back to the picture again. The boy with the sketchbook had Harry's eyes. Wow, history really did get twisted sometimes. She calmed down and handed the book to Harry. "You should try it."
"Sure. I've finished the essays for today anyway." So he cracked the slim volume and began to read.
That is the end of the main story. However, I will continue writing for this universe and posting the oneshots here. It will mostly be one of the four turning up somewhere in Hogwarts. They won't be students or teachers, but just people you didn't really think about when you were reading the books but who they probably needed all the same. First chapter coming very soon.