Anna 6
"Let's see if you can catch...this!" Emma shouts. A grape flies out of her hand in a beautiful arc, soaring across the classroom. Merida starts backpedaling, keeping her eyes on the fruit, and keeping her head under it. But she's getting too close to the wall. I think Emma overshot, but she could have done that on purpose. I can't tell with her. Merida jumps, bumping into the wall, but she misses the grape. It bounces off her nose.
"Oh, you almost had it Mer!" Rapunzel calls from over in the corner, and as she slides off of her desk to pick up the grape, she knocks over her goblet of pumpkin juice. "Oopsie!" She bites her lip and pulls her things away from the growing orange puddle. "I'll go get napkins."
"Ok. Can I take my turn while your gone?" I ask. None of us offer to help Rapunzel, but that's because she actually enjoys cleaning. Trying to help her with a little spill would be as weird as trying to help Elsa with her math homework.
"Go ahead. I'll be right back!" Rapunzel dashes out of the unused classroom we're in, 'accidentally' forgetting her shoes and socks. Again.
It's been a week since the Great Arendelle Avalanche, as we've come to call it, and no one really knows what happened. No one used a spell, and no one even knows of a spell that could produce snow like that. When I landed in it, it almost felt, well, alive. It was weird.
Me and my friends got sick of having to scarf our food in order to hang out all together at mealtimes, so we've sort of taken over a classroom that's near the Great Hall. We grab whatever we want to eat off of the tables, and we bring it here. Emma grabbed a bowl of fruit today, and then she had the idea to see who could catch the most grapes. We came up with a point system, with bonus points added for tricky throws and impressive saves. So far Astrid and Emma are tied for the lead, but Kristoff is catching up with them.
"All right Anna," Hiro grabs a grape out of the bowl, then turns so his back is facing me. Rapunzel invited him to sit out here with us a couple of days ago, and he's a pretty fun person to hand out with. "Try this one!" He lobs the grape over his shoulder without looking. It flies straight at me, but a couple of feet high. I backpedal, staying under the grape. I notice the classroom door opening, but I can't tell who's coming in. Probably Rapunzel. I jump up, and the grape flies into my mouth. Then I slam into the wall, sliding down it and landing on my bottom. My friends cheer, and Hiro comes over, helping me up.
"Nice catch." He says. "Sorry about the throw."
I shrug "No worries. It makes everything more inter-"
"Anna Serene Arendelle!" Elsa is standing in the doorway. And she looks- livid. It's a slight improvement on her normally distant and disinterested expression. But not much. She marches over to me, yelling about me not being in the Great Hall, and waving her arms around at my friends. I feel my cheeks flush with anger. She's yelling at me for not being in the Great Hall for dinner, and she's out here with a plateful of food herself! And she's upset about me being friends with Kristoff and Hiro? She has a boyfriend! Or, she had a boyfriend. I heard in Potions that they got into a fight last week. I'm about to start yelling back at Elsa, when a huge glob of mashed potato hits her.
The next thing I know, I'm huddled behind a desk with Hiro. I grabbed a platter of fish, and Hiro is armed with a whole chicken. I think that was Merida's lunch
"So, thats your sister?" Hiro says. He pops up, throws a wing, and he takes a spoonful of pudding to the face before ducking back down.
I hurl a piece of fish that lands in Merida's hair, and then drop back under cover. "Yeah. That's Elsa."
"She seems… protective." Hiro says.
"Well, that's one word for her." I sigh
"Would you get upset if I hit her with a drumstick?" Hiro gives me a gap-toothed smile
I smirk back "Only enough to show you up during Quidditch practice later."
Hiro hurls the drumstick, and then frowns when he looks at me again "What's wrong?"
"We have Quidditch practice today! Right after lunch!" I shout. Hiros eyes widen. Then I stand up "Guys! Hold it! We've got Quidditch in a few minutes!" I get pelted from all directions with all sorts of food, but eventually my friends hear me. Elsa and River are gone, and they took all their things with them. Hurriedly, me and my friends rush around, trying to clean up the ravaged classroom, and ourselves.
"I'm back! What did I-" Rapunzel's voice appears. When she sees us, she stands in the doorway with her mouth open in a small circle. She looks down at the napkins she's holding, up at us, and then back down. "I think we're going to need more napkins."
Toothiana's whistle sounds high and clear all through the pitch, telling us that practice is over. Hiro, Amy, the other Seekers and I touch down on the grass, and the bags we've got slung over our shoulders start writhing. For today's exercise, Amy enchanted 40 golf balls to fly around the Quidditch pitch, and we tried to catch the most in the shortest amount of time. Hiro and I tied with 12 each, Hans got 8, and Peter got 7. On ball is still flying around somewhere, but noone has any idea where it could have gotten to. Amy's enchantment didn't let the balls leave the pitch, or go too high above it, and when we hand the balls back to her, she's clearly miffed about the missing one.
"Why does it smell like chicken out here?" Hans complains, sniffing loudly as he walks by Hiro and I. We have to stifle our laughter, and Hans looks at us funny as he heads inside. Rapunzel had managed to get the classroom spotless after our little battle, but we were on our own trying to clean ourselves up. We didn't know any cleaning spells, so it was really just washing up in bathroom sinks and changing into clean robes.
A loud crash from behind makes me and Hiro jump. Over by the beaters, Hiccup is trying to pick up the targets they had been using to practice their aim, and he ended up knocking them all over instead. The older students roll their eyes, and Toothiana gets a pained expression on her face. Hiccup starts scrambling around trying to clean up his mess.
"Why isn't anyone helping him?" I wonder aloud
"He won't let anybody help him." Astrid says. She and the rest of our friends have walked over to us so we can head into the castle together.
"What do you mean?"
Astrid looks at Hiccup over my shoulder, frowning a little. "Hiccup and I live in the same village. Berk. Its an all-wizard town, like Hogsmead. Its really far north, almost on the border of Hogwart's and Durmstrangs boundaries. Hiccup is, well, widely acknowledged as the town screw-up." Her frown deepens. "It's really hard for him, especially since his dad is the village leader. Hiccup can never seem to do the right thing to please him. My mom says that Hiccup reminds his dad, Stoick, about his mom, Valka, too much. His mom and my mom were friends, before Valka was carried off by a dragon. Mom says Valka was always the black sheep, but that was one of the things Stoick loved about her so much. She says Stoick was never the same after he lost Valka. And it doesn't help that Hiccup is a dragon nut like his mother. I think Stoick's afraid that he's going to lose Hiccup to a dragon, just like he lost Valka. So he encourages Hiccup to follow in his footsteps, which is why Hiccups a Beater, even though he stinks at it." Another loud crash and a groan from Hiccup adds emphasis to Astrid's words. "His dad was the best Beater Hogwarts had ever seen, untill River came along."
I look back at Hiccup. "I'm gonna go help him. You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you later." I turn and start walking across the dim pitch, towards Hiccup.
"Anna! Wait up!" Someone calls out. I turn and see Hiro jogging to catch up to me.
"What's up Hiro?"
"I'm gonna help you help Hiccup." Hiro says, grinning. I smile back at him.
Hiccup is muttering to himself, scowling at the targets and at his own hands, and he doesn't notice the two of us until we start picking up the fallen targets. There are a lot of students who want to be beaters, so there are about twenty large wooden targets. They aren't very heavy, probably enchanted to be light-weight and strong, but their size makes them awkward to move around.
"You don't have to do that. I've got it." Hiccup says. But then he drops the targets he's holding again. His cheeks flush.
Hiro and I share a look, and then continue stacking the targets, ignoring Hiccups feeble protests. Finally, the three of us have them all stacked up in a neat pile. We stoop down and try to lift them all, and I almost get buried in them.
"How are we gonna get them into the Quidditch shed?" Hiro asks.
After a minute, I get an idea. "Let's tie them to our brooms and fly them over there!" Hiccup and Hiro both look at me like I'm crazy. "No, really. We just need some rope." I turn towards Hiccup, "You got any rope?" I grin
Hiccup reluctantly conjures up three pieces of rope, and with a little teamwork we very slowly get all of the targets into the shed without incident, thankfully.
"Um, thanks guys, for helping me out with that." Hiccup starts awkwardly "You really didn't have to do that. If there's anything I can do to, y'know, make it up to-"
"Up-bup-bup!" I interrupt, raising a hand to stop him. "Don't. You don't owe us anything. We're doing this because we're your friends, Hiccup, not because we want something. Right Hiro?" I look at my fellow first-year and he nods in reply.
"Man, it's gotten late." Hiro says, looking up at the darkening sky. "We should probably head in before Mr. Creep-Show catches us." He smirks as he says the code name we gave Frollo. It's not a very covert codename, admittedly, but it captures Frollo's essence perfectly.
We store our borrowed brooms and quietly sneak across the grounds, taking extra care by Ralph and Felix's house. We make it halfway to the huge doors, when they suddenly swing open. The three of us drop to the ground in unison, peering through the tall grass to try and see who is at the doors, and, more specifically, whether or not they're a teacher. The doors close quickly, and we can see a dim figure slinking cat-like and stealthy across the grounds. And straight towards the Forbidden Forest.
I elbow the guys, drawing their attention. I point at the three of us, then at the shrinking figure. Hiccup vehemently shakes his head no, but after a moment's hesitation Hiro shrugs, which I take for a yes. I start to move after the disappearing person, and Hiccup grabs my wrist. In the dim light I can barely see him mouthing the words, 'Anna, no!'
I pull my arm out of his grasp and mouth 'Anna, yes!' back at him before heading back after the person. I've all but lost them now, but I can remember the direction they were heading. Mostly. Kind of. Hiro is right next to me, and after I hear a soft sigh, Hiccup is on my other side.
We make it to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and my breath catches in my throat a little. This is so cool! Astrid and Merida and I have discussed going into the Forbidden Forest for an, unofficial field trip before, and now I'm doing it! I'm jarred out of my thoughts when a hand clamps down on my arm. Hiro.
"Look." He whispers, pointing at a low hanging tree branch a few feet to our rights. A piece of cloth is snared on the branch. We creep closer and make an interesting discovery.
"Ravenclaw" I whisper. Other than being strung up on a tree branch, the tie is in perfect condition. A branch snaps ahead of us. "And close."
We head into the Forest, moving as fast as we dared, trying to stay as quiet as possible. But after a few minutes, the thrill subsides. And a few minutes after that, we realize something. We may have gotten a little, well, lost.
"That way. I say we head that way." Hiro says, pointing.
"But that's going deeper into the Forest." Hiccup argues
"Are you sure? I think we got turned around."
"And what makes you say that?"
"That tree. We've passed it before. We definitely turned around somewhere"
I listen to the boys squabble, squinting in the darkness, looking for landmarks, or lights, or something other than a dark tree.
"What do you think Anna?" Hiro asks "This way or that way?"
"Umm," I bite my lip, "I say we go- AHH!" The ground crumbles beneath my feet, and all of a sudden the ground becomes the sky and vice-versa as I tumble down a rocky, muddy, incline.
"Anna!" The boys yell my name in unison. When I finally stop, by crashing into a large dirt mound, I see them scrambling down the hill. It isn't very steep, but it is a long hill. I managed to step wrong and fall down some sort of furrow that was carved into the grassy slope. Hiccup and Hiro get ten feet away from me, and the stop dead in their tracks.
"Anna." Hiccup's voice is low and urgent, and I can feel my heart start to beat a little quicker. "Don't panic. Don't turn around. Very slowly, stand up and walk over to us." Hiccup has one arm held out to me, one arm in front of Hiro, like he's trying to shield him from something, and he's very slowly walking backwards, pushing Hiro with him. Resisting the urge to peek at whatever has scared my friends so badly, I slowly start to stand- and the the rock behind me moves and groans. I jump to my feet and sprint over to Hiro and Hiccup, and Hiccup throws me behind him.
"What. Is. That?!" I whisper-yell, peering around Hiccup. The creature is hard for me to make out at first, but then I realize that it's as black as really bad tasting licorice. It's about as long as three of me, with huge, batlike wings, and I think I see claws that are as long as my hand. but the most striking thing are its eyes. Large, slit pupiled, vibrant green and practically glowing in the dark, like a cross between a snake and a really big cat. Oh, and it's wrapped up in weighted ropes.
"That," Hiccup can barely get the words out, "is a Night Fury."
Elsa 8
I sat staring at my lunch deep in thought, wanting nothing more than to make up with Jack. It had only been about a week and I already just wanted to skip to the part where we make up. I can picture the soft, sweet moment. He says he is sorry for the way he acted, for not being there, for overreacting, and I say I'm sorry for not telling him and for some of the words I didn't mean.
I looked at the Slytherin table longingly, then caught myself and averted my gaze. No. I wasn't going to crack. Not now, not ever. Some things can't go back as they were, some things can't be unsaid and I finally understand that if that's how he is going to react to something so life changing, then we can't have a future. He is despicable and treated me with such disdain. I am not a child he can guide through life. I'm not- I took a deep, shuddering breath. I need to stay calm.
I unclenched my fork that was quickly decreasing in warmth and let it fall onto my still full plate. I grabbed my gloves that I had taken off to eat and pulled them on quickly. They are a symbol of safety and I automatically feel better with them on.
With thoughts of Jack momentarily blocked, I realized there was a certain quality of tension hanging about. All the girls whose heads should have been stuck in books were glancing at each other nervously.
Finally, Belle stood and straightened her tie, "We as a group have had a meeting-"
"I love it when people start with that cliche." I muttered sarcastically.
Belle flashed me a look of annoyance before picking back up a little more forcefully "We as a group have a meeting and we have decided that we cannot allow someone to sit with us If they don't have a book. Henceforth-" I glared at her attempt to sound authoritative and intelligent and she faltered, wrapping her arms around her like she was suddenly slightly cold. She proceeded again trying to pick her authoritativeness back up again. "Henceforth, since we have given you plenty of opportunities, it is with much regret," She paused to give me a fake sympathetic look to which I glared harder. "that we must ask you to find another place to sit. But, please don't take it personally. You just didn't meet all the requirements, I'm sure as the top of your class you are smart enough to understand how a grading system works. But we are not awful people, we are willing to allow you to finish your lunch before you go." She gave a knowing nod then pulled her robes a little tighter around her. With that she sat.
As if her sitting was the cue, the rest of the girls turned their attention back to their books. My glare deepened until frost began to form on the back of Belle's book and nipped her finger.
"Ouch!" a drop of crimson blood fell from the wound. My eyes grew wide. I quickly stood, grabbed my stuff. Belle was inspecting the frost. As I was making my escape, I heard Belle comment to the group in a disdainful way "I bet she was involved with this. She is such a freak."
My anger had fizzled and was replaced by an intense fear. How did I do that? I was angry, but I didn't want to hurt her, did I? Sometimes I don't know anymore. I pulled my gloves tighter on my hands.
When I finally reached my common room I was greeted by the joyful doorknocker and sighed. I was not in the mood for a question.
"Bright like diamonds, hard like rock, I'm crushed or cubed or a solid block. What am I?"
Is the doorknocker mocking me? I grabbed the door knocker and my raging emotions froze it over. "Ice." I said through my clenched teeth. The door swung open and I walked in, hoping to be alone. I wasn't.
There sitting at the table in the middle sat a fourth year boy. Tadashi. He looked up and smiled. "Elsa. What brings you to the common room?"
I avoided my glance and skirted him, then headed toward my room, a small pang of guilt forming inside me. He has greeted me kindly for the past three lonely years. Yet, I know I can't get close to anybody else and Tadashi deserves better friends than me, has better friends than me.
I got to my room and Marshmallow sat waiting for me atop my bed. I smiled gratefully. I sat next to him and stroked him in despair, blocking a million thoughts. For once I didn't want to think. I didn't want to be bombarded with analyzations of everything people do.
I am tired of human nature and all it encompasses, yet I know I am just as guilty of this unconscious sin. What is sin except that which is deemed bad in the eye of the beholder? How we perceive the world around us twists our morals and opinions, creating our personalities.
I know that I am not a Ravenclaw, I'm just pretending to be. Jealousy, pride, and guilt all surround me, not intelligence. My Slytherin friends are more intelligent than I am.
Stop.
There I go again with the thinking. I run around in circles chasing an idea that cannot truly exist: self actualization. We will change all throughout our lifetimes, so there cannot be any self actualization at all except for a single moment, until you see the mountain ranges in the distance or smell the soft, sweet bread baking in the oven. Anything and everything changes our demeanor, starting us on our impossible quest again. I just need to stop.
I looked fondly at Marshmallow, who was softly purring on my lap. He wasn't afraid. He doesn't even know my problem exists. The ephemeral feeling of warmth inside me was nice.
I sat there, lost in my slightly less destructive thoughts until the end of lunch. The world around me seemed to be a little less harsh. Reluctantly, I pushed, a now dozing, Marshmallow off my lap, and with a slight irritated meow he hopped to the ground and slipped under my bed.
Moments later, just his head poked out. I noticed that he was holding a folded piece of paper in his mouth. I looked at it curiously as he innocently played with it.I thought through what it could be, until I remembered, I had left a report for History of magic on my trunk the night before.
When he dropped it, I quickly snatched the now slightly damp page. He glared at me a moment until he moved on and began to clean himself.
I unfolded the white paper carefully trying not to rip it. I was praying this didn't happen to be that report. On the last unfold, I began to move too quickly and ripped a small portion in the bottom corner that had caught. I sighed in worry, I'll have to start all over.
Unfolding it all the way, I exhaled in relief, the page was completely blank.
I couldn't help myself but laugh, "You really can't do that to me Marshmallow." He stopped his grooming to look at me curiously. I was about to put it aside when I noticed the page wasn't quite so empty. At the bottom right corner, where I had ripped it, there was thick black ink. Pushing the paper back together again I was able to make some sense of it. It was two letters: 'JS'.
I didn't have any idea what it could have stood for, but I had to go. River was waiting for me at the library. I carefully put the paper in my trunk to dry. JS. It was like a mystery! I laughed inwardly at my childlike excitement. A mystery to find out who this blank paper belongs to.
I pulled on my satchel and, with a wave at Marshmallow, took to the steps back into the main portion of our common room. When I got there I was relieved. Tadashi was nowhere in sight.
I quickly made my way down the twisting tower steps, stopping only for a moment to wave at Lily.
When I got to the library River was diligently looking over notes, which surprised me. Upon closer inspection I found those 'notes' happened to be a dusty old book, I'm assuming belonged to her mother.
When I walked over to the table River looked up with an exuberant smile, until she saw my exhaustion and it quickly changed to one of concern.
"Who do I need to beat up?"
"Well nobody, unless you feel morally ok beating up a bunch of book nerds. Then I have a couple people in mind."
"Honey, check your records again. I'm Riversong. I will beat up anyone you please." River said with her signature smile. "What happened?"
I went and sat in the chair next to her with a huff, "I was kicked out of my lunch group."
"They kicked you out?" River said incredulously. "Honestly I thought you would have left them by now."
"And go where?" In response to my question I could tell River's gears began to turn.
A slow smile spread on her face until she finally looked up, "We should go find somewhere else to eat."
"We should do what?"
"There are a lot of empty classrooms and it's not technically breaking the rules. I know because you would have told me it was by now. Why not?" A look of mischievousness sat comfortably in her eyes as the words 'why not' rang about us.
Finally, realizing I was sick and tired of that dull, friendless Ravenclaw table, I smiled and responded, "Why not?"
River practically jumped, having finally convinced me into one of her schemes.
When dinner rolled around we made our way to the Great Hall together. We separated as we headed to our tables with a gleam in our eyes. I was actually about to do something against the rules. I was able to rationalize it to myself because the rules don't specifically say you are not allowed to leave with food.
I filled a plate with the delicacies found in the Great Hall today, and repeated to myself 'I'm not breaking the rules', yet I knew I was. With a confident smile I swept up my plate and left the great hall.
That was too easy.
I sat and waited for River who was taking a very long time. I poked at my mashed potatoes and ate a grape or two. Finally River spilled out into the hallway mumbling about having to do something and sporting a large smile. I got up and we set off in search of an empty classroom that was inconspicuous.
River suddenly lit up, "I know the perfect one!" She started walking without waiting to see if I would follow. I ran to catch up with her and got there just in time to see her swing open the door to a classroom that was supposed to be empty.
Inside sat three first year girls, including my sister, whom seems to have just thrown her body at a wall, and two first year boys. They were throwing grapes at each other, like savages.
"Anna Serene Arendelle!" I cried angrily. They all jumped, surprised at my tone, which caused one of their plump little grapes to fly a misguided path and thump River right in the nose.
Anna rose to her feet, with one of the male's help, as I started toward her, and River's expression shifted from surprise to an impish grin.
As I weaved through the room to where Anna was now standing I called "What do you think you are doing? Not only out of the Great Hall, but with a boy!" I glared untrusting at the male who had helped her up. The boy whose hand lingered just a little too long in hers, while she was oblivious. "Do you ever thi-" I was cut short as some flying mash potatoes hit me on the cheek from where River was standing. Her mouth flew open in surprise.
She slowly put her tray down, watching me cautiously. Everyone had froze, waiting to see I would do. Anna who had begun to turn beet red with anger, quickly sizzled out. I wiped off my face and put my tray down as well, but instead of coming up empty handed grabbed a handful of mash potatoes. Throwing caution to the wind, I chucked them at my friend who was silently daring me on. She didn't think I would do it and in a quick response began firing grapes one at a time at me. Dodging a couple they gracefully flew and hit Anna who gladly retaliated.
It was a full on battle. Every man for themselves, except for Anna and her new little friend. Food was being flung about, both manually and by magic, and desks had been tipped to use as shields.
I was running about dodging and throwing until my plate didn't contain any more ammo. After being hit with a chicken wing, I ran out into the hallway in retreat, laughing.
Once outside, I sat to catch my breath and heard two hushed voices down the hall.
With a flick of my wand, I cleaned myself off and walked to the corner making sure to conceal myself behind the wall. Peaking around I saw the new girl, Pocahontas, and Heather having a discussion.
Heather, usually so steady and calm, looked nervous as she said, "Look. I have to go. I have an…" she trailed off as she tried to think of the word, "...an appointment, of sorts."
Pocahontas sighed, "Why are you hiding something from me? I thought we were friends. I thought I finally found one."
"We are!" Heather looked about, seemingly considering telling. Finally, she shook her head "I'm sorry. I just… can't. I have to go."
An annoyed, but clearly hurt look crossed Pocahontas's face clouding the delicate features on her cinnamon skin. "Ok if you have to, then by all means go." She turned her back and began walking away confidently, before pulling back the robes on her right hand to reveal a watch strapped to her by a piece of brown leather. She sighed again and began walking at a quicker pace.
As soon as she did so, Heather started to rush off in the opposite direction. What is Heather, the most stable girl I have ever known, hiding? I looked back toward the room where laughter fell out.
Making a quick decision I decided to follow her. She took many twists and turns and I couldn't trace the path to anywhere in particular. What is she up to?
I stayed a good hallway length behind her and it was a good thing, too because at one point she stopped and looked around, like she heard something. I stopped as well and strained my ears, but heard nothing. After convincing herself it was nothing, she continued on. I took a moment to allow a bit more distance between us.
I was just daring enough to peek around the corner when a loud whisper sounded in my ear, "What are you doing?" My heart flung to my throat as I swung around, wand at the ready, to find River with an amused look of confusion on her face. "What are you doing?" She whispered again.
"Shhhh! Stay here." I hissed. I hurried down the hall looking for any sign of Heather. I looked just in time to see a door close down the hallway. Confident there weren't any windows in the classroom she just entered, I ran to the door. I carefully twisted the handle, trying to be quiet, but it wouldn't budge.
I cringed as I spun the spell to unlock the door and the door gave a little click. I froze for a moment listening for footsteps, then tried to open the door again. The handle` smoothly turned and I edged the door open just enough to peak in.
Instead of Heather, I was surprised to see that standing in the middle of the room stood Frollo, the caretaker. He was a sadistic man who was simultaneously feared and hated by all the students.
One wall of the room was full of little trophies, but the room was otherwise empty. There seemed to be someone else standing along the far wall that I couldn't see at the angle I was at. All I knew was that its voice was that of a middle aged man.
"Is everything in place?" The mystery man asked.
Frollo stood confidently with a cruel smile resting on his face, "Yes. The Dreamcatcher is supposed to be meeting with him now."
"Can you be sure The Dreamcatcher is going to help us?"
"The Dreamcatcher doesn't have any friends at this school, well not really. The Dreamcatcher will do as we ask." I leaned in just a bit more to try and see who he was talking to. "Let the EQ know-" I gasped as I lost my balance and fell inward.
Frollo spun around calling "Who's there?!" But I was too quick and had gotten out before he saw anything. Slamming the door behind me to slow him down, I took off down the hallway. I might just get away.
Right before I rounded the corner, River, who had been alerted when I slammed the door, came rushing to my aid and we slammed into each other and hit the floor.
Frollo came out of the room I had just left behind and called "Stop! You are so busted." I froze with my back turned to him and my eyes squeezed shut. River also froze as she glared at the, now strolling, caretaker. "Melody Pond Williams. I should have known you would be involved in this." He was enjoying himself now. He knew he had us cornered and like prey he was coming in for the kill. "And who, pray tell, is your accomplice this time?" I opened my eyes to see him come into view. "Ms. Arendelle." His surprise gave way to a wicked smile. "Now isn't this interesting. Glad to see Ms. Williams has been a good influence on you." His taunts froze on his face as he remembered the empty classroom. "What were you doing?" He snarled.
I felt strength pulse through me as I stood and faced him. The determination in my eyes got a raise of his eyebrows. "She had nothing to do with any of this. I… I lost something in this area." I have absolutely no idea where we are in the castle at this point, and my classes have taken me far and wide on these grounds. I continued the lie confidently "So I came here to search for it and she tagged along."
"Ah yes. Of course that's it. Can you perchance tell me why you were in this area of the school before? People only come here for a reason."
"I-I was exploring." I said matter of factly.
"Yes of course. Exploring. Why didn't I think of that? There really isn't anything better that the students could be doing than wasting their time exploring. Children think they are so strong, so brave, and so clever. Don't you Ms. Arendelle. But sometimes children fall into matters that don't concern them. Then they try be heroic and try to stop a problem that never existed in the first place. Children have such wild imaginations. They read those books, like the one Nurse Pabbie wrote, what is it called? Harry Potter? Whatever they're all the same, full of brave children saving the day. The world is not so black and white and the adults not so stupid. Not just evil vs good, sometimes the line between those two, blur a little. Right Ms. Arendelle? You most of all should understand. Plus, any adventure you might partake on, remember it is foolish to think that anyone of you can really make a difference."
I could tell he knew it was a lie, but I also knew that he couldn't call me on it without bring up what he was doing in that classroom, and I have a feeling, with all the effort he is putting into getting me to stay silent, the school wouldn't approve. I could also tell that that was a warning. What was he doing? What is this EQ? What did he mean by 'you most of all should understand'? My mind burned for answers.
Then with a smile he turned toward River still covered in food. "And what were you doing? A food fight I presume?"
River gave him a warm smile "as a matter of fact it was a food fight. It was loads of fun. Sorry we didn't invite you, we have a pretty strict no adults policy, but hey we are just children." With a shrug and an innocent smile she concluded with "What are you going to do?"
His smile fell off his face as he turn away and took a couple steps with his hands clasped behind him. "Well running around the halls, exploring, and food fights are, as I'm sure you know, infractions. So you two get to join Ralph or Felix tonight for detention." He seemed pleased with himself for finding a way to punish us.
His face grew serious once more as he leaned in very close to me and snarled in a whisper that River couldn't here. "Ms. Arendelle, whatever you think you might have seen, I highly suggest you forget it."
He straightened back up to his full height in time to see an owl fly our direction with a note in its claws. It landed on Frollo's arm just long enough to pass on the message then quickly left. I wish I could have escaped with it. I was quickly growing tired of not being afraid.
Frollo opened up the note and quickly read it, the wicked smile forming on his lips once more. "Well isn't tonight just very exciting? Looks like a couple of your friends decided it was a nice night to take a walk in the forbidden forest."
Anna 7
Hiccup slowly approached the beast, and Hiro and I follow, fascinated now that the initial shock has subsided.
"A Night Fury?" Hiro and I say in unison.
"A really rare dragon." Hiccup says. He kneels by the Night Fury's head, and the great creature moans and shifts its weight, lowering its head to the earth and closing its luminous eyes. "Someone shot him down." Hiccup growls "The mutton-head. This could possibly be the last Night Fury left in the world." He turns back to us, "Do you know how big this is?" He asks us. "Night Fury's have been thought to be extinct for almost fifteen years!" Hiccup turns back to the dragon. "We have to set him free."
A sinister hissing sound comes from the shadows to our left. The Night Fury's eye snaps back open as another dragon comes into view. This one has a bulbous head and a thin, whip-like body that corkscrews through the air with every wing flap. It's skin is a mottled blue-green-grey color, with red fins decorating its spine. Its eyes are pale and milky, like two small moons hovering in the trees. It opens its large mouth to reveal several rows of teeth, some that rotated in its mouth. Which is where the hissing sound is coming from. It eyes the four of us, and then slowly, almost like it's taunting us, moves closer.
"Whispering Death." Hiccup breaths out. We all stand for a moment, frozen and mesmerized by this newcomer. Then Hiccup jumps. He fires a spell, not at the Whispering Death, but at the ropes binding the Night Fury. Some of the ropes snap, but there are too many to sever in one go. Hiro and I copy his spell; ours aren't as strong as his are, but we make quick work of the ropes.
Freed from its bindings, the Night Fury leaps to its feet, and shrieks. The sound is loud and piercing, and the boys and I clasp our hands over our ears and run away from the dragons. The Whispering Death heads for us, too fast to be avoided, when a brilliant blue-purple fireball explodes against the side of its head, knocking it off course.
The shock wave bowls the three of us over, and we hit the ground, hard. The Whispering Death looms at us again, but suddenly he's blocked, by a large form that's as black as my Dad's dress socks. The Night Fury. It spreads its bat-like wings wide and screeches again, jumping on its front legs.
The Whispering Death wails back, and then darts to the left. The Night Fury blocks it. The Whispering Death cuts right, but the Night Fury is there too. The Whispering Death tries to get at us, but every time the Night Fury is in between it and us. Finally, the Whispering Death gives up, snorting in disgust and flying off. The Night Fury yowls after it, sounding part triumphant and part challenging.
And then it turns towards us. The relief I felt at seeing the Whispering Death leave soon curdles as I realize: the Night Fury might have only protected us so he could eat us instead. The dragon bends over us, nostrils flaring as it sniffs and nudges us. It's pupils are more dilated now, making him look more cat-like than reptile-like. But still, thoroughly terrifying. After a minute, the dragon sits back, snorts, and starts to walk off. After it goes a few paces, it stops and looks back at us then, I swear it rolls its eyes before jerking its head sharply in the direction it's heading in.
"I think, he wants us, to follow him." Hiccup says.
"Wait, what?" I say
"I think he wants us to follow him." Hiccup says it more confidently now, rising to his feet and then helping us up.
"Are you out of your mind?" Hiro asks "He wants us to follow him?"
"Yeah. That's what it looks like. C'mon, he's leaving us behind." Hiccup takes off after the dragon, and Hiro and I have no choice but to follow.
"Where do you think he's leading us, Hiccup? Cause seeing as how he's a dragon, I'd bet we're following him back to his cave, so he can eat us." Hiro whispers the last part urgently.
"Not a chance." Hiccup scoffs
"And why is that? Are Night Fury's vegans?" Hiro snarks
"No. They don't live in caves. That's a cliche Hiro. A dragon like this probably lives in a grotto. No roof, fresh water, and maybe some fish to catch."
"Oh, good, that's great. At least we'll die in the pretty moonlight." Hiro says sarcastically.
"Hey Hiccup, is his tail supposed to end like that?" I point at the dragon's tail. On one side, a small wing is flexing and folding in time with the Night Fury's movements. but the other side is bare, no wing to be seen.
Hiccup scowled "I don't know Anna, but I don't think so. He must have been injured when he was shot down."
"How did he even get shot down in the first place?" Hiro asks, all sarcasm gone now. "I don't think a student could do it, the teachers all steer clear of the Forest unless they have to go in, and I doubt Headmaster North would let a group of dragon hunters stay in the Forest."
I scowl "Are there poachers in the Forbidden Forest?" I wonder
"It would make sense" Hiccup says. "This place is full of some rare creatures, as we can all see," He gestures at our guide "And no one would actually be dumb enough to do it, so it's actually kind of perfect. As long as they don't get caught."
The dragon stops, and Hiccup bumps into it, eliciting a low growl. The dragon points with its head, and up ahead I can see lights through the trees.
"He just brought us back to the castle." Hiro says, amazed.
"What did I tell you?" Hiccup smirks, then grows serious "Guys, you need to promise me something." Hiro and I share a look. Hiccup continues "You cannot, under any circumstance, tell anyone that he is here." Hiccup points at the dragon, who's watching us with huge eyes.
"Okay." I say
"Alright. But, why?" Hiro asks
"Well, other than the fact we aren't supposed to be out here, Night Fury's are widely regarded as the most dangerous dragon species to have ever walked the earth. If the wrong people find out about him, he will be hunted down. And I don't think he can fly without that tail fin to stabilize him." Hiccup frowns. "He wouldn't be able to get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon."
"Well, then let's un-down him!" I say.
"What do you mean?" Hiro asks.
"Let's make him a new tail! You guys are both really smart, and I'm, y'know really positive! You guys build it, I keep your spirits up, and he," I wave a hand and the Night Fury, "gets to fly again!" I smile at them, and slowly they smile back.
"Gobber, one of the Care of Magical Creatures teachers," Hiccup starts slowly, "has a workshop on the edge of the Forest. He lets me work in it when I have free time. It's got all the tools we would need to do it."
"We can say that we're designing our own brooms." Hiro says "I've been working on something like that at home, so I have research and schematics we can use as a cover."
I laugh, prompting a questioning growl and a tilted head from the dragon "This is so perfect!" I say. Then, a rustle behind me makes all of us jump. "But we should probably get inside before we get eaten."
"Agreed." Hiccup says. He turns to the dragon and holds out a hand, trying to pet it. The Night Fury shrinks back, growling, before retreating slowly back into the Forest. "Yeah. See you later bud."
The three of us walk back to the castle, silent.
"Alohomora" Hiccup whispers, and the large doors creak open. We pause, listening for any signs of people in the entryway hall. All is silent.
We creep in and gently close and lock the door. "Whew," Hiro sighs, "we missed old Creep-Face." He holds up a fist, and Hiccup and I oblige, performing a three-way fist bump.
"Oh did you now?" A voice says. We whirl around, and see Frollo, old Creep-Face himself, stepping out from behind a suit of armor. "You know, I don't think you did miss 'old Creep-Face', Mr Hamada. I don't think you did." He smiles, and the light casts cruel shadows over his sharp features, and of all the things that could come to my mind, the only thing I can think of is that he looks like the Joker.
"Aw, cats." I say softly.
