A/N: Merry Christmas! Sorry this took longer than expected. It was a mixture of NaNoWriMo, then catching up with school, then a mental health plummet and the subsequent writer's block, then being broke at Christmastime which makes life difficult. But I wanted to get this chapter to you guys for your Christmas present, since I can actually afford this. I know that for some of you it's already the 26th, because of time zones, but I was up really late wrapping presents for my brother and sister. I do need some sleep, lol.
Thanks so much for sticking with this story! I really really appreciate your dedication.
There are some other story notices in the A/N at the end of the chapter, since I don't want to keep you from the new chapter longer than necessary.
Disclaimer: If it is Easter when I publish this, then I own it. *looks around* Dangit, Bunny. Guess it's up to North on this fine day.
Chapter 20
Jack smiled at the little girl at her windowsill. She was on the verge of believing in him, he knew. She couldn't see or hear him, but his more obvious interferences were seen.
"I'd open my window, but then Daddy would be disappointed," the nine-year old said.
The spirit waved his hand over the frosted glass, causing the drawing of a stick figure to nod his head in understanding.
He understood more than the girl thought. She said "disappointed," but after keeping an eye on her for most of the day, and Jamie's claims, it was more like unforgivably mad.
The girl smiled though. "Thank you for being my friend, Winter. I don't have very many."
He wrote backwards on the glass, so she could read it. "I know. I knew you were lonely, and I wanted to change that."
A huge grin spread across her face. "Everyone says winter is harsh and mean, but you're not like that at all. I'll tell everyone that you're really very nice."
"Well, there's a difference between the season and me. I'm more than the Spirit of Winter. I'm also the Spirit of Fun, and I want to guard little kids like you."
"I'm nine, Winter. I'm not that little."
He laughed, and she straightened as if she sensed it.
"I heard a laugh! Was that you?"
"Yes," he said as he wrote it out. "Did you hear me just now, speaking to you?"
Her face fell again. "No. But I'm glad I heard you laugh. Now I definitely know you're nice. It didn't sound like Daddy's friends' laughs. It was soft, like… like snow."
"Not cold?" he wrote.
"No… no, like fresh snow on Christmas morning."
"Well, North'll be happy to hear that comparison," Jack muttered.
"Are you always in Burgess?" the girl asked.
He spread his hand, frosting the glass over again, erasing all but his drawing. "No, winter comes to many places, and so do I. Although Burgess is one of my favorite places."
"So will you be here all winter?" she asked excitedly.
A pang of regret filled his chest, and he wished he could answer yes. But he wasn't just her guardian, he was all children's. Still, he had a good amount of influence in Burgess. Even if he couldn't be here for her, he would make sure someone was.
"No, though I wish I could," he wrote simply, and waited for her to finish reading it. The moment she did, he frosted it over, and began again. "But if you ever want to talk to someone, go to Jamie. You know Jamie?"
She nodded in confirmation, but her brow was scrunched up, seemingly troubled. "But he's older than me, and a boy."
Jack laughed again, and she smiled a little, obviously hearing it. "I'm a boy, and I'm much older than you."
"Well… do you look older than me?"
"Yes," he spelled out.
She pouted, then seemed to think of something, and began bouncing on the pink cushion in the window seat. "Do you have a long white beard like in the story?" she asked excitedly, pulling out a worn picture book.
He burst out laughing, curling into himself as he pictured himself with a beard. She seemed a bit confused by his loud, uncontrollable laugh, but smiled at the sound anyway.
"No, Jess, I don't," he answered, getting himself together enough to write it out with his finger.
"Then what do you look like?" she asked.
"Once you believe in me, you'll be able to see me."
"But I do believe in you, Winter!"
"You believe in a part of me," he began, unsure of how exactly one explained the semantics of belief. "The wintry part. But I'm more than that, remember?"
She frowned, looking at the artistic scene in her book, showing Old Man Winter and his protégé, Jack Frost.
Psh. At least I don't have icicles for hair, he thought indignantly.
"You have to figure out my true name, Jess," he said on the window. "It's in your book, just not where you're looking."
She began flipping through the pages, looking for other wintry scenes. "What if I can't find you, Winter? I want to believe in you!"
"In the end, believing in me doesn't matter," he wrote out. "What matters is that you truly learned what I taught you." He waited for her response.
"Yeah, to tell a teacher or Jamie the next time Daddy is disappointed, I know," she said, a little unsurely. "But I told the nice one of Daddy's friends, once, and then Daddy was disappointed again."
"That's why you tell Jamie or a really really nice teacher. Jamie won't let your Dad know he knows, believe me."
"Okay…" she said, trailing off.
He caused the wind to whistle past, gaining her attention again as he wrote, "Hey. What I taught is more important, remember? It doesn't matter if you remember me as winter or frost. What matters is you."
She smiled. "Okay. Thank you. Maybe tomorrow morning when Daddy's at work I can go help Jamie build that fort in the park with his friends." Despite it being her own idea, she worried her lip as she thought of it.
"That's perfect. He'll love the help," he wrote, thinking of his own Saturday spent with the group, helping them start the perfect structure. He'd noticed something off in Jamie's countenance, and asked what was bothering him. Then he'd told him about Jess, the bruises, and his worries. Jack had promised to do his best to help her, whether she believed in him or not. Because the Guardians stood for more important things than simple belief.
On his way over, he'd spotted Jess's dad, and made some masterful black ice that he slipped on before falling into some dirty, half-melted slush.
Ah, karma.
He quickly flew to an upper window, and saw Jess' father passed out in the living room, several empty bottles of beer beside him, the TV drowning out any other noise.
Smirking in triumph, he flew back down to Jess, and manipulated his stick-figure into falling asleep.
Jess beamed, and nodded, backing away from the window.
Jack pushed it open; more frost spreading across the blank spot where he'd erased the previous words and drawing, forming the shape of his hand.
Her eyes lit upon it, and she grinned.
He stood in front of her for a moment, unsure of what to do. Her eyes were still glued to his hand print.
Experimentally, he lowered himself to his knees, and propped his staff up to the side. Slowly, he moved towards her.
She shivered, sensing the cold as he drew near.
Then he wrapped his arms around the girl's thin figure, and they both gasped as his arms didn't pass through her.
"I feel you," she said quietly. "You feel cold, but… but it's so warm…"
"It's alright, Jess," he murmured, brushing her hair as he held her head close to his shoulder.
She giggled. "Your chest vibrated. Were you talking?"
He nodded, and she felt his head move up and down.
She laughed again, though her eyes were teary. "I… No one's ever been this nice to me. You're like… like a brother in one of my books."
He pulled her closer with one arm, using the other to wipe at a tear. He was the Spirit of Fun, dang it, not teary moments.
Still, he decided to enjoy just one.
She let out a yawn, though she tried to hold it back, and Jack laughed through his gentle tears.
"I can hear your laugh better now," she mumbled, blinking softly.
He moved one arm under her legs, and scooped her up, carrying her to bed like he'd done with Lily so many times.
She snuggled into his chest, despite her shivers. Jess didn't seem to care about his physically cold temperature. She was more focused on the warmth of his soul.
As he lowered her into her bed, she surprised him by patting him on the chest, inducing a laugh. "What are you doing, Jess?"
She smiled softly, even though she couldn't hear him. Perhaps she'd felt the vibrations in his chest again. "Yep. No beard. Sweatshirt, though."
He chuckled, pulling her blankets up to her chin, and tucking them in around her, keeping her bundled up against his own cold.
"Mm," she mumbled, her heavy eyes still closed. "Comfy."
He pulled the picture book from her grasp, placing it just outside the blankets. She watched the seemingly floating book in tired amusement, before switching her gaze to the flying, under-stuffed bear. The corners of her mouth turned up fondly.
"Thank you," she whispered, smiling in his direction.
"Any time, Jess," he said, brushing her dirty-blonde bangs out of her face. After very little deliberation, he bent down and kissed her nose.
She giggled, lifting a blanket-covered hand to rub at her face.
She watched his frost footprints as he turned to leave for the window. She furrowed her brow and wriggled her arms out of the blankets, snatching up her picture book. Jess flipped through the pages furiously, before coming to the scene just before Old Man Winter. It spoke of his over-excited student, bringing frost wherever he went, even during Lady Autumn's reign. A mischievous sprite, he was said to nip on children's noses if they weren't dressed warm enough for Winter.
"Jack Frost," she whispered, and heard a familiar chuckle.
When she looked over to the window, she spied a boy around seventeen, wearing a blue, frost-covered hoodie, brown pants, and no shoes. Warm eyes the color of ice observed her, and snowy hair stuck up as if he'd only just rolled out of bed. A crooked grin as playful as the book described was upon his face, only furthering the warmth of his eyes. He flicked a hooked staff into his grasp, and the moment that he did, the cracks glowed a faint blue, and frost spread across the wood from his fingers.
"Jack Frost," she whispered again, and his smile grew.
Then she blinked, and he was gone — leaving only a spiral of snowflakes that fluttered to the ground in his wake.
Jack flew over the Burgess forest on Sunday morning, searching for the meeting place.
A few visits back, Jamie had pitched him a great idea on how to get revenge on Umbridge. Well, another step, at least. Justice took time, and he was going to make sure that foul woman got every second she deserved.
"…so why couldn't you just 'apparate' here?"
"It's no simple task, apparating long distances, Jamie," a tired, slightly mischievous voice said.
"We could have made it," replied two identical voices in unison.
"For some reason, I doubt it," a low drawl replied dryly.
"Aw, cheer up for two seconds, would you?" an excited voice retorted. "I haven't left the house in ages, and this is going to be loads of fun. You're quite brilliant, Jamie. Could've been one of the Marauders with a mind like that."
Jack perched in the tall branches of a snow covered tree, looking down at the clearing where two worlds met.
Fred sent Sirius a look. "Yeah, Padfoot. Didn't feel the need to mention the fact that you're a Marauder, did you?"
He huffed. "It was mostly Moony's idea."
"It was entirely your idea, Padfoot. You just wanted to keep an air of mystery for a dramatic unveiling or some other such nonsense," Remus replied.
"Nonsense that you agreed would be fun."
The werewolf fought a smile, despite it being a losing battle. "Fair enough."
Jamie beamed at the two of them, clearly enjoying his meeting with the wizards. "This is so great! I'm helping a bunch of wizards prank a witch! No, this is amazing!"
George grinned at the child of the bunch. "That it is, mate."
"There's just two more people we're waiting on… right?" Fred asked Jamie.
He nodded. "Yep. Two guardians. Jack gave them some visibility potion."
Fred and George exchanged an excited look. "Wicked!" they exclaimed in unison.
The twins soon found themselves buried beneath a pile of snow that was once on the branches of the tree above them.
Jack floated down with the wind, grinning at the shape of the twins. "C'mon, you're taught by a guardian almost every day, and that's not wicked?"
Fred popped his head out of the snow. "We had our own exchange of 'wicked's when we first saw your name on the map."
George quickly followed suit. "It's all a matter of freshness. Very important in business, you know."
"As fresh as your dungbombs?"
He gasped loudly, and Fred leaned towards the guardian for a dramaticized, conspiratorial whisper. "Not in front of a professor, Jack!" he said pointedly, gesturing towards Snape.
Jack placed a hand on his chest, returning a gasp just as loud as the Weasley's. "But I'm a professor!"
"Nah, you don't count," Fred replied, dusting himself free of snow.
"Hm. Fair enough."
The moment the twin was cleared of the white powder, the ground suddenly opened up behind him, and he tumbled inwards with a cry.
A large, gray-blue bunny hopped out, looking back in after Fred. "Sorry, mate. Migh' wanna watch where you're standin'."
Jack pressed his cheek against his staff. "To be fair, he didn't know he was standing on an entrance to the Warren, Kangaroo."
There was a loud crack, and Fred reappeared in the clearing.
Bunny eyed him. "I remember ya. Ya always stayed up late tryin' t' see me. Ya made my googies' lives difficult."
Fred shook his head emphatically, pointing to his brother. "It wasn't me, it was him!"
"No, i' was ya," Bunny replied matter-of-factly.
He folded his arms, seemingly impressed that the guardian could tell the difference between the two twins.
Golden lines of glowing dreamsand appeared in the sky, followed by an old plane made out of the same material. It landed in the clearing, and out floated a short, spikey-haired man as golden as his airplane.
"Sandy!" Jack beamed.
He waved, a few sand symbols flashing over his head.
"Yeah, I owe you one."
Jamie ran up and gave Sandy a hug, who replied with a tip of a sand hat once he'd pulled away.
"Alright!" Jack began, gaining everyone's attention. "Jamie's gone over the first phase of Plan…" he gestured to his first believer.
"Uh, Toad-Boiler!" Jamie replied.
The Spirit of Winter snapped his fingers. "I like that! First phase of Plan Toad-Boiler has been explained to the wizards, and I have explained it to the Guardians. We can go over it again once everything is prepared.
"Is everything for Phase Two Part One ready?" Jack asked, mostly looking at Snape.
The professor nodded, holding up three potions.
He beamed. "Brilliant. Thanks, Severus. Part Two. Remus? Did you find the info we need?"
The ex-professor raised an eyebrow, all exhaustion in his expression vanishing instantly. "Of course, Jack. Sirius and I put the enchantment together, and it's even better than expected."
"Great! Be sure to teach it to Fred and George. Opposite sides of the castle, remember? Severus, you'll cover for them?"
"No doubt," Snape replied instantly, a tiny smile on his face.
Even Severus is enjoying this, Jack thought giddily.
He turned towards the snowdrift where the younger wizards were sitting. "Part Three. George, Fred?"
"Locked," George began.
"And loaded," Fred finished.
"You've finished the Snackboxes?" Jack asked in wonder.
"Of course," they replied in unison.
"And did you add the extra bits?" he questioned.
"Hm, they were rather tricky to make…" Fred said.
"Particularly the part of enchanting them to look cat-shaped, what with all the other enchantments mucking it up," George added.
"But it works," they finished.
Jack's face fell serious. "And you made the antidote?"
George nodded humbly. "Of course."
"Not that we're giving it to her," Fred put in.
The young guardian's face split into a mischievous grin. "Perfect. Now, a round of applause for this magnificent prank's author, Jamie Bennett!"
The group began clapping, with whistles coming from the twins and Sirius. Sandy waved dreamsand pom-poms in the air, his large grin standing out from all others.
Jamie flushed. "I only wrote, like, half of it. Jack did the rest."
"He's being modest. He did it all!"
"Half."
"Six eighths."
"Three quarters."
"That's the same thing."
Jamie threw a snowball at the winter sprite, and Jack immediately retaliated.
Before long, it was a full-blown snowball fight. Jack managed to get everyone to join in with the help of a little fun magic. A snowball fight was one thing, but a magical one was on a whole different level. The group was only too willing to work together, be it in a snowball fight, or a prank.
The Toad won't even know what hit her.
A/N: So how was it? Please leave a review and let me know! Reviews always make my day, guys, they're much appreciated. Sorry this chapter didn't go into much detail about Jack's plan, but it would be a bit repetitive if you all got the excitement worn out in the planning bit, then having to go through it again during the execution of his plan. Sooo... sorry! Things will be happening next time.
Now the notices! I've got most of this on my profile but no one ever looks there so I'll tell y'all here. I recently came to the realization that, hey, all of you have read OotP and don't need to see Jack's effect on LITERALLY EVERYTHING. So the plan has been shortened down by a lot. I might mention some stuff that happens in the middle, or just skip it entirely. Ya'll know Jack and ya'll know Harry Potter, and I'm trusting your intelligence for once. *angel face* Sorry if you want all those little details, but I feel like it would make the plot drag and also make it very predictable. Because yes, this isn't the exact same plot as OotP, I didn't just throw Jack in the mix. There's a little more to it.
Reviews! As an extra bit to your Christmas present, I'm responding to everyone's reviews, which I stopped doing recently. So here we go!
RemyFrostPotter: Huh, that's an interesting idea. It's not really the plan for this story, unfortunately, but it's a very good idea. It's got some stuff that was already planned, though. And the North American school is called Ilvermorny. And post your stories if you want! What matters is that you write for yourself, not necessarily for other people. Tbh I thought this story was crap when I first posted it, but I liked it and enjoyed writing it so that's why I continued.
Fangirl: Update! Sorry for the wait. :/
M: Thank you! Sorry this update was so slow, though. And SAME! Writing accents wrong bugs me. I actually used online accent generators to help out, but some are more detailed than necessary. Like the Australian one would say "yoah" for "your" and things like that and I was like, "Um, not quite that intense, please." Oh well, good to know I did it well. Sweet! Another person who likes tomatoes!
Autumn: AAAAH I ALWAYS GET SO EXCITED WHEN I SEE YOU REVIEWED! You're so consistent and in depth, thank you! Lol, it's totally okay, it's almost been two months since the last update, you are totally justified. Fan, huh? IS THERE A FANDOM FOR FORGOTTEN FAMILY?! *cough* Sorry, got excited for a second there. Honey, you were speaking fangirl, and I also speak fangirl, so I GETCHU! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! :D
Guest: Here is the update! Thanks for reading and leaving a review! :)
Guest: Hmm, I guess you will just have to wait and see! I gave y'all a bit of a tease here in this chapter, though.
2Lazy2MakeAccont: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed. Thanks for taking the time to review it!
And that is all! Until next time! Koala789 is out! *sails away on a flying-boat-fortress-thingy*