"What did ya say snake-boy?"

"I don't know what you're implying, Carrot-top."

"Did ya, did ya just made fun of my hair?"

"Perhaps I am."

Hiccup sighed as he walked into the hall. An all-too familiar sight greeted him. Merida, both his and Rapunzel's hot-headed friend, once again was fighting. And, of course, her verbal opponent was the prankster Jack from Slytherin. He really didn't understand the venom they had with each other.

However, this time it looked like the would actually fight each other. Their wands gripped tightly in their hands, sparks flickering out. Hiccup turned toward the nearest painting. "Uh, would you mind finding Rapunzel or Alice for me?"

George von Rheticus bowed his head slightly. "Of course dear boy. So long as you can promise to get those two ruffians away from me."

"That's the plan." He muttered as the painting walked away. There was no way he was separating them himself, at least according to the daggers they glared at each other. Thankfully only a few minutes passed until he heard the familiar voice of Rapunzel.

"What's happening?" She panted as she stopped next to him.

He pointed over toward the fighters, who only got a little closer to each other. Rapunzel noticed and sighed as well. The two friends rushed over, one on each side of Merida, and yanked her away from the boy. Of course she yelled at them, demanding that she be let go at once. And as he predicted, Hiccup lost his grip on her arm every once and awhile. But they eventually the three made it up the stairs.

Merida finally worked out of their grip as they reached the tapestry hall. "Why did you do that? I was going to teach that stupid guy a lesson."

"Did he even do anything?" Hiccup leaned against one of the few blank spaces of the wall.

She growled. "Not directly."

Rapunzel sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Then why did you two start fighting?"

"A bunch of ice got dropped down my robe. No one else was around, it had to have been him!"

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean you had to start a fight over it."

"He was making fun of me!"

Hiccup and Rapunzel sighed again as Merida started ranting again. Opting to ignore it, Hiccup pulled out his school books and worked on some of his assignments. The quills still took a bit to get use to but at least he wasn't smearing the ink like he did at the beginning of the year. Rapunzel must have gotten the same idea because she sat next to him and pulled out her own books.

They flipped the pages of their history books while Merida shouted at the invisible offender. Rapunzel was double checking his last paragraph with the finally noticed the lack of volume in the hall. Merida sat on the wall opposite of them, still fuming but much calmer than she originally was.

"Finally calm now?" Hiccup asked while stretching his back.

"Still think he did it."

Rapunzel shook her head with a smile. Handing back Hiccup's homework, she stood up. "Come on you two. We have to hurry up to our next class now."

"Herbology for me." Hiccup carefully folded up his assignment and rushed toward the stairs.

"Careful of the snowstorm." Merida and Rapunzel headed upstairs. "I hear it's gonna get bad today."

"Will do." He tugged his scarf around his neck as he passed other students heading towards the same direction. Though he had no qualms with them, Hiccup avoided a group of Slytherins heading in the same direction. A few mocking insults made it quite clear why. He rolled his eyes as he walked into the lightly falling snow, they seriously needed to get better insults.

Professor Longbottom waved to him as he walked into the warm greenhouse. "Afternoon Mr. Haddock."

"Afternoon Professor." Hiccup slipped on his gloves as the other students trickled into the room. The professor greeted them individually, creating more than one smile from students. The group of Slytherins Hiccup encountered were the last to arrive, despite leaving in enough time. They snickered at the teacher when he welcomed them.

Professor Longbottom stopped them with a question. "Do you happen to know where Mr. Frost is? He's going to be late if he doesn't hurry."

One of the Slytherins, Mor'du if he remembered correctly, smirked. "I believe Jack planned on ditching class today. Felt like the class wasn't worth his time."

"I see." Professor Longbottom narrowed his eyes slightly. "Thank you for that information, Mr. Mor'du. Now if you would hurry to your station. We'll be learning about Devil's Snares today and there's little samples scattered about the room. And no touching them please." He glared pointedly at a few students. "We've already had one injury today."

Hiccup started to join a group when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Excuse me a moment Hiccup."

The professor pulled him away form the others to whisper quietly. "I don't believe Mr. Mor'du was telling me the entire story. Would you go check the hospital wing for me, to check a theory I might have?"

"You think he got sick? He didn't look sick this morning."

"Perhaps but he could have gotten injured on his way here."

Hiccup nodded. "Okay."

Professor Longbottom smiled as he gently patted the boy's shoulder. "Thank you. Oh, and you can visit me after all your classes are done and I'll fill you in on what you missed. Wouldn't want one of my house to fall behind, would I?"

Hiccup laughed as he slipped out the door. The sky had gotten darken in the last few minutes but no new snow had fallen so the trip back to the castle went quickly.

"Hey Hiccup. What are you doing out of class?"

Hiccup jump back slightly, but laughed at the upside down ghost in front of him. "Hey Alice. Professor Longbottom asked me to check the hospital wing for Jack."

"The white-haired prankster?"

Hiccup nodded. Alice flipped back around as she followed him up the stairs. "I don't think he got hurt. But he did rush up here earlier looking kinda frightened."

"Jack Frost frightened? That's a new one. You sure you didn't misread his expression?" Hiccup slowed down in front of the door.

Alice shook her head. "I may not be the smartest but I know how to read people. He was frightened about something."

Hiccup shrugged and opened the door. He soon got confronted by an older lady almost immediately, her gray hair covered by a white cap. "Everything alright there, young man?"

"I'm fine Madame Pomfrey."

She smiled slightly and folded her hands together. "Than what brings you here?"

"Professor Longbottom sent me. He was wondering if Jack happened to drop by today."

"That boy grew up so well, if he figured that out." Madame Pomfrey pointed over to a blocked off bed at the far end of the room. "Jack's over there, shivering like mad. I believe that one of his spells backfired while he was practicing."

"Oh." Hiccup stretched his neck around to look at it. He could just see the faint shadow of the Slytherin sitting on the bed. "Will he be alright?"

"He should be fine in a few hours." Madame Pomfrey left him alone after that. Hiccup bite his lip in contemplation, not entirely sure what to do know.

He shivered as Alice "laid" a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you talk to him yourself?"

"Wha…I barely even know him."

Alice shrugged. "Maybe. But he might enjoy a friendly face. And you don't have to cross the curtains, just walk up and say hello or something."

Hiccup rolled his eyes before looking back over to the bed. It shouldn't take to long to see if he really was okay. As he got closer to the bed, he started to shiver slightly. He tapped the metal briefly.

"Wh-o's th-th-there?"

Hiccup licked his lips. "Hiccup. Are you okay?"

A strained laugh echoed out of the curtain. "I-'m fine."

"Well, Professor Longbottom sent me to make sure. We're studying Devil Snare's when you're up to studying again."

"Awe, the little guy act-tually cares about me."

"Don't push your luck Frosty." Hiccup smirked slightly, despite their words. "Feel better soon."

"Wi-llll do."

Hiccup nodded and walked back to class, briefly stopping to say goodbye to Alice at the entrance hall. The snow fell down heaver now. He sigh in contentment when he finally entered the greenhouse. Professor Longbottom gave him a small nod during his explanation, quickly finishing up and setting the students on their assignments before turning toward him.

"And the verdict is…"

"Madame Pomfrey said that he'll be fine in a few hours. Had an accident when one of his spells backfired."

"Thought so." He smiled as motioned for Hiccup to pull out his textbook. "Now our main focus of study can be found on pages 200-226. Focus mainly on the uses of Devil's Snare and how to care for it."

Hiccup sat in one of the courtyards, nose in a book. The snow had stopped falling a bit after dinner, leaving the world in a white blanket. He reached into a box next to him, eyes still glued to the page, and pulled out a single match. Hiccup pulled out his wand, feeling the familiar beech wood rub his fingers. He pointed it toward the match and chanted softly. The air trembled around him slightly as the match fought him. Hiccup narrowed his eyes, focusing his will more on the match. It resisted one more second before finally shifting into a metal needle.

A smile graced his lips. "Finally!"

Hiccup fished out another match and attempted the spell again, just to make sure, his smile growing as it came easier and easier. A happy laughter rang through the air as Hiccup started to put everything away. Rapunzel and Merida agreed to met him up by the library so they could suffer through their Astronomy homework together.

"Lookie here. The teacher's pet I hear."

Hiccup sighed as he turned to face the annoying voice. Drago Bloodyfist, his senior house-mate by four years, stood a few feet away, his small group circling around him. "What do you want Drago?"

Another person spoke up, their voice smooth and quiet. "We just wished to see the one who ruined our well-laid plans earlier today. Mor'du said it was you."

Hiccup glared at the speaker, taller than him but than again who wasn't. "What plan?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

The group slowly enclosed him, making escape impossible. Wands laid in the ready of everyone's hand. Hiccup bit his lip as wands lifted higher. "Well this is a brilliant move. Use your higher extensive magic on a first-year who doesn't know anything. Must be extremely proud of yourselves."

"Oh they're there to make sure you don't leave." Two people jumped on his arms, holding him down as Drago walked towards them. His left fist curled tightly at the ready. "Now let's see how brave you are."

Hiccup tensed slightly though he never allowed his glare to drop. From the corner of his eye, Hiccup traced the fist as it wounded itself up and back. Despite his best efforts, Hiccup closed his eyes as it came closer, ready for the hit…that never happened.

"What gives?"

An emerald eye peeked open only to widen at Drago's fist stuck an inch before his face. A streak of light buzzed past him, exploding on the people surrounding his left side. Hiccup jerked out of the slackened hold as more and more of the group attempted to defend against the attacks. He spun out of the others way, kneeling down so that the bench partially covered him. Green eyes darted from side to side in a fruitless attempt to discover the one helping him. Most of his attackers ran toward the warmth and safety of the corridors.

Drago and his second-in-command left last, throwing him threatening glares. The black-haired boy yelled out "Take that as a warning, young-"

Hiccup snorted out a laugh as a snowball smacked into him. He finally stood up a few minutes after they had left. A breath of relief escaped him and he turned around into the dark. "You can come out now."

Something shifted positions, the snow crunch easier to hear now that it was only two people, but no one stepped forward. Hiccup tried again. "Please come out? I want to thank you."

Another light streaked close to him, melting the snow in front of him to form the word "No" followed by a "can't".

Hiccup frowned at that. "You can't come out. But"

"HICCUP!"

He flinched as both Rapunzel and Merida launched themselves on top of him. Alice floated next to them, doing her best not to float into people as she joined the hug. Merida gently punched the boy's shoulder. "We thought you got in trouble. 'Specially after Alice here delivered her message."

"Message?" Hiccup's response was slightly muffled since Rapunzel refused to let go.

Alice nodded. "Yes. A boy asked me to find these two. He heard that a group of people planned to attack you for some reason."

"Did you see who?"

"Nope. Stayed in the shadows. He even moved back when I floated closer. I only know it was a guy because of his voice."

Hiccup finally managed to pry Rapunzel's arms off him. "Well, if you hear him again tell me? I want to thank the guy in person."

Merida snatched up his knapsack and slung it over her shoulder. "Come on. We should head back inside. Then you will tell us the entire story."

The girls laughed as Hiccup groaned. Only Alice noticed a small chuckle in the air around them, and even she wasn't sure if it was real.