"Now in the year 1911 is the start of the Wildcat Gargoyle strike which…"

Hiccup groaned under his breath, scribbling down 1911 and Wildcat Gargoyle strike in his notes before allowing his head to drop to his arms. Professor Binns intrigued him at first, after all it's not every day where someone could learn history from a ghost, but that went out the window on the second day of classes. A soft snore behind him caused him to turn his head.

Jack slept behind him, arms folded, legs stretched out behind him. His desk sat empty, apparently the boy didn't even bothered to take out his notes. Hiccup rolled his eyes in amusement before attempting once again to pay attention. The failed attempted lead him to think about the past few weeks. Ever since he greeted the Slytherin behind him in the hospital wing, Hiccup took some time to pay more attention to him. Jack apparently loved to play pranks on everyone, but they usually turned out to be harmless. Phantom slush dripped down his back from the memory.

Hiccup numbly wrote down a few more facts, still mostly stuck in his own mind. Most people didn't share the same view as him. Jack usually sat alone and the people partnered with him often ignored him. Maybe he can put the sitting alone part with Jack being uncomfortable, if not shy, around people but all the pranks and his unplanned conversation with Jack threw that theory out the window.

He glanced back behind him, aware that the class was, thankfully, almost over. Silently pulling out another piece of paper, Hiccup copied the notes he just made. Just as the bell rang and most of the class woke up, Hiccup slipped the paper on Jack's desk as he walked out of the room.

"Hey Hiccup."

"Hi, Merida."

The two friends rushed off to dinner, snagging Rapunzel as she came in from her flying lessons. They ate quickly before running back upstairs to the library. Picking the furthest corner of the room, Merida slammed her head into the table. "I hate me life."

"Come on Merida it can't be that bad." Rapunzel pulled out her Transfiguration text book as she sat down next to the red-head.

Hiccup sat across from the two. "Transfiguration or History of Magic?"

"Both." She threw up her hands. "Every time I think I finally managed ta comprehend something, one of them throw me for a loop. And now I have ta write 18 inches about a stupid strike about some silly creature that no one can explain ta me."

"I don't think anyone can understand what Professor Binns talks about." Hiccup leaned on his hand. "Guy can talk about a subject for hours and I still would be as clueless as when we started. How is anyone suppose to pass his class?"

Rapunzel smiled before tapping a finger on her book. "Let's focus on Transfiguration first, since one of us actually understands what goes on in that class. Then we'll worry about the essay."

Her two friends rolled their eyes but smiled anyway as Hiccup carefully started to explain. Even weeks afterwards, it still was his best subject. Even Professor Mcgonagall admitted that only one other student had been able to catch on as quickly as he did, and she had graduated a few years ago. Of course that didn't mean he could always explain it to his friends. Once he managed to ramble on for a few hours about their assignment only for his friends to gently punch his arm. They didn't understand a word of what he said.

He had gotten better at it though, as Rapunzel slowly got a gleam in her eye that appeared when she understood something. Merida took a bit longer. But even she finally started to grasp the subject. She banged her head on the desk. "That's why it didn't work before. Ya got to be kidding me."

Rapunzel laughed and shook her head. "How did you figure it out so quickly?"

"It's a lot like tinkering." Hiccup shrugged. "I enjoy building stuff so I learned how to pick things apart and put them back together again."

"So Transfiguration is a lot like tinkering for you?"

Hiccup nodded. "In essence. In order to change something into something else, you have to understand how both things work."

"Ya parents must be proud of that." Merida squinted at the boy as he chuckled uneasily.

"Kinda."

"Kinda? What does that mean?"

Hiccup pretended to be absorbed in his book. Merida growled softly. "Hiccup. What do ya mean by kinda?"

Yep, defiantly avoiding eye contact with her. She sighed. "Ya know you can tell us anything right?"

This time the sigh came from Hiccup. "Yeah, I know. It's just…not a happy subject alright?"

"Would it make you feel better if I share a secret too?"

Hiccup looked up at Rapunzel with a soft smile. "Only if you're willing. I think that yours might be worse than mine."

Rapunzel smiled and motioned her hand. "Friends are suppose to share secrets with each other. I don't mind."

He rubbed the back of his head at her and Merida's look. "Well. I guess that you can say that Mom is proud of me. I really can't tell you what my Dad thinks." Hiccup straightened. "He never mentioned it but I don't think he was too happy with my life choices. Always wanted me to follow him into business or take more interest in sports."

"Ya don't like sports." Merida raised an eyebrow.

He laughed loudly. "Let's just say sports don't like me. Watching it can be fun, playing it…not so much." Hiccup leaned on his book. "I'm pretty sure the gym at school still has a restraining order me."

Everyone laughed at this. Hiccup calmed down, falling down to that his chin rested on the table. "And yeah. That's about it. Even after I got my letter, Dad still didn't look that proud. More like shock. Mom was the one who helped me pack and tired to figure things out."

Merida softly punched the boy's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. I'm sure he'll turn around. Especially when he hears that you've pretty much mastered one of the hardest subjects in school."

Hiccup rolled his eyes, he's not even sure if his father reads his letters home, but smiled at her attempt. "Whatever you say." He looked up to Rapunzel's green eyes as she gently pat his hand.

"My turn. Remember how I told you that my dad saved my mom when my birth was going wrong?" She continued at Hiccup's nod. "Well, it turns out that the spell may have affected me more than it should. Even when I was young I had a knack with healing spells."

"Ya did?" "How did…"

Rapunzel lifted up a hand. "To be honest no one knows why, it just happened." She leaned back, looking up to the ceiling. "Anyway, there was this witch who wasn't very nice who thought that it would be a good idea to kidnap me."

Both Merida and Hiccup stood up to flank the girl as she shuddered at the memory. She smiled as they placed their hands on her shoulders. "Thanks."

"You don't have to finish if you want. I think we've heard enough." Hiccup squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"Are you sure…"

"Enough girl." Merida nudged her slightly. "No need to bring up bad memories. We still need to start, if not finish this homework."

"Fair enough."

Hiccup waved goodbye to his friends as they parted by the staircase. The girls' chatter faded as he slipped through the crowd after dinner. Most of his house-mates were still at dinner, leaving Hiccup to walk the corridors alone. His footsteps echoed slightly. A few of the portraits chatted with him as he walked, keeping the silence away.

He had just reached the entrance of the Hufflepuff house when Hiccup paused. The small hairs on the back of his head stood up and he shivered. "Is anyone there?"

Some of the torches flickered, but no one answered. Hiccup frowned. It still felt like someone was watching him. "I can sense that you're there. You can come out."

Again, silence greeted him. A trembling half-grin came on his face. "Alice, is that you? Cause it's really not funny."

Nope, nothing. Alice's echoy laugh definitely would have appeared by now. Hiccup bit his lip but shrugged anyway. He turned his attention back to the barrel…to find a book on top with a letter on it; his name carefully written in a neat fashion. Hiccup unfolded it slowly. To help you out with the assignment.

Taking another look at the book, Hiccup's jaw dropped. A complete history of all the strikes in the wizarding world. He picked up the book, flipping it opened to the marked paged. The Wildcat Gargoyle Strike of 1911. Hiccup blinked a couple of times before rereading the letter. Nope, no signature. Just a detailed snowflake drawn where it should be.

Hiccup smiled before looking behind him. The feeling of being watched still present, but not as scary as before. He lifted up the book. "Thanks for this. I'll keep good care of it."

A swish of fabric bounced down the hall. Hiccup could barely hear it but he smiled at it anyway. Somehow, he knew that it was his mysterious defender. One day he'll convince them to come out in the open.