*Sorry for the late posting. Life kept getting in the way.*
Elsa 10
Standing in front of my four pillar bed, I held the blank piece of paper. Light from the tower window streamed in and dramatically fell across the white, wrinkled page I was holding.
With a dubious sigh I placed it back into my trunk and pulled out the list. River liked to call it our suspect list. It contained all the blonde haired hufflepuffs, each with a different mark indicating the likelihood of them straying into the forbidden forest.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the fourth year class goons, bore a scarlet mark, indicating their great potential of sneaking into the woods. A gold dot resided beside Kristoff and John Smith's names marking them of medium risk, and green dot marked Rory, Phillip, and Ferdinand as low.
The yellow members were both very much debated. There is something I don't like about that Kristoff boy though River can only see his innocence and River, after careful contemplation and spying is convinced that John is too twitchy to be innocent. I find this theory ridiculous. John Smith is such a kind person, the only one willing to make friends with the new girl Pocahontas, other than Heather of course. After much debate the two landed in yellow.
Looking at the list a rush of excitement from a month ago resurfaced. We weren't any closer to figuring out what was going on and at this point River is inclined to think that it was nothing after all. Perhaps it is my will for some excitement that makes me hold, so forcefully, onto this mystery.
I replaced the list and made my way to the window. The warm daylight bathed the Quidditch Pitch. I couldn't help but smile deviously. People had already started their progression towards the Pitch, it is time.
I made my way back to my chest and pulled out the necessary tools. Hiding them inside the bag that is bigger on the inside, a charm it took me forever to learn, I confidently made my way down the Ravenclaw Tower.
I stood at the main steps outside the Great Hall, tracing a fine, silver locket with my fingertips. It was in the shape of a heart and read, Anna Arendelle in gold. Father made one for each of us without magic, to commemorate the year we headed off to Hogwarts. Anna, no doubt experiencing homesickness, though she would never admit to it, wore it constantly, especially this past month. Though I didn't open it, I knew that a picture version of our family moved about inside.
I held it, feeling sick to my stomach. Can I use such a symbol in my evil endeavors? I stared at the engraving once more and my nerves steeled. It was for her own good. Plus, I rationalized to myself because I didn't steal it in evil intentions, it came to me as if a sign.
Yesterday, as I was studying in my common room, Marshmallow had gotten really quiet, I was sure Franny's frog was done for. When I finally found him, Marshmallow was, I'd like to say affectionately, clawing at a small locket. Once I figured out what it was, I grabbed it away in horror and Marshmallow received a reprimanding, after which he slinked away vindictively.
Holding the precious silver object, I could feel the cold of the metal through my gloves. The chill felt familiar and almost soothing. I wanted to hold onto this small portion of Anna and never return it, but knew she would be devastated if she lost it.
This thought struck another and soon a kindling of an evil idea formed. I had devised many plans of sabotage to keep my younger sister safe, but they all seem too drastic until this one. This one will allow the Gryffindor team to still play and who knows maybe even win without Anna being in harm's way.
I awoke from my thoughts as Anna and her little Gryffindor friends emerged from the Great Hall. They were talking and laughing and I felt another pang of guilt. I followed the girls at a good distance easily following their noise as much as their persons. We climbed to the seventh floor and walked until they located the Fat Lady painting. I had always wondered about this section of the school, before it seemed so pointless. I never would have guessed the Fat Lady painting was hiding the secret entrance though.
Ducking behind a pillar I watched as Anna said "Banana Fritters".
To which the Fat Lady responded with wild enthusiasm, "You are going to beat those Hufflepuffs today, right girls?"
Anna replied with a smile and a determined glint in her eyes, "Yes ma'am!"
The painting swung inward and all three girls entered. I settled down to wait shoving the locket in my pocket so I wasn't forced to look at it any longer.
After some time, the three emerged dressed in their new first year Quidditch Attire. My heart flew into my stomach as Anna made a subconscious reach towards her locket. When her hand didn't come into contact with metal, her face twisted into confusion. She stopped dead in her tracks.
"G-guys." She spoke, concerned.
The other two stopped as well and looked at Anna's slightly worried face.
"What's wrong?" Asked the blonde one.
Anna shook off her concern figuring she must have taken it off in their room. With a smile I could tell was just to not worry her friends she said, "Probably nothing. Although I seem to have forgotten something in our room. I'll catch up to you." Without waiting for an answer she ran back inside her common room again.
Her friends looked at each other with a shrug and continued, at a slightly slower pace, on their way. Spinning the illusion charm I changed my hair color to a Raven black, added a couple pounds to my person and altered my skin color. Having done that, I set my watch time for ten minutes, so I could be long gone before the spell wears off.
I feel the weight in my pocket and remember the manipulative locket. I realize that I have to give it back to her, she is probably really worried. My mind wandered and I wondered just how Marshmallow got a hold of it. Did he make his way all the way to the Gryffindor common room?
While debating what to do, I looked down at my watch to see a minute had already passed. I need to make a decision now.
Going up to the Fat Lady I say in a disguised high pitched voice "Banana Fritters."
The Fat Lady looked at me in confusion, but allowed me to enter. Stepping into the common room I felt overwhelmed with all the obnoxious red. I stood in the small stone arch and memorized this small representation of Anna's life.
Reaching into my bag I pulled out a small jewelry box and placed the locket carefully inside. Setting it on the ground I made my way back outside into the main hall. Looking at my watch I found I still had seven and a half minutes.
Using my wand I turned on the Fat Lady and spun the Colloportus spell to hold the picture to the wall. The Fat lady began to protest wildly. As an extra measure, with six and a half minutes to spare, I pulled out my bottle of fast set, adhesive Gorilla glue, and set to work seal the painting manually to the wall.
"Who are you?" The Fat Lady called annoyed. "Undo this spell and stop gluing this instant" she tried again, her anger slightly escalating.
I ignored her until every last portion of the picture was secured. Looking at my watch I had one minute left to make my escape. I shoved everything back into my bag and ran. Just as I reached the sixth floor, the charm wore off and I returned back to normal.
I sighed in relief at my escape. Looking about to make sure nobody had seen my transformation I made my way calmly to the pitch. I might actually enjoy this match. Climbing into the stands amongst the other spectators I take my seat next to an alert Riversong.
"Ready?" she asks excitedly.
"More ready than I thought I would be." I say with a certain ease.
A squeal of the announcer's mike prompted the start of the first freshman game. A smile grew on my face as the young Hufflepuff first years made their way onto the Pitch. I twisted to catch a glimpse of the Gryffindor team, also making their entrance, but regret doing so. The smile quickly fell off my face. Two bright red pigtails bobbed excitedly beside her teammates, informing me that I had failed.
Anna 9
"Hey, Anna, is this your scarf?" Astrid asks, holding the scarlet and gold item aloft.
"Hmm? No. Well, not really." I lace up my shoes
"What do you mean 'not really'?"
"Well, I knitted it, but I didn't knit it for me. You can have it."
Merida takes the scarf from Astrid "You made this? When?"
"Oh, last night after practice. You guys ready for our first match?" I ask, leading the way out of the dormitory. It's a bright, chilly Saturday, with a tiny breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect weather for Quidditch. We grab some breakfast and head to our classroom. The rest of the gang is there already. I convinced Hiccup to start sitting with us too, but he doesn't really talk to anyone but me and Hiro, and Kristoff a little. He's already in his Quidditch robes, and he looks nervous. Kristoff is too, but his is a different nervousness, not all twitchy like Hiccups. His is shown by the amount of food on his plate.
"If you eat all that you're gonna get sick" I say to him.
He looks up, "Yeah? Tho wat."
"You won't play well if you've gorged yourself on french toast and eggs."
He swallows "You're not my mom."
"No, I'm your friend. And I don't want an easy win because your team has a Beater who's too busy throwing up in the bushes to play."
"Well, I can eat what I want."
"Quit being so stubborn Bjorgman." I cross my arms
"Quit being so nosy Arendelle." He shoots back.
I sigh and roll my eyes before turning my attention to my own food. I don't know why, but after Kristoff got over his shyness, he's been the friend I've argued the most with. It's weird. We'll just be having a normal conversation, then I'll say something, he'll say something, and we'll just start snipping at each other. It doesn't feel mean at all, and we've never really fought because of it. It's just our personalities I guess. We all finish our food, then head out. The three of us Gryffindor girls head back to our common room to get dressed in our Quidditch uniforms. I must be more nervous than I realise, because I think I see Elsa when we're talking to the Fat Lady. We dress in anxious excitement. The uniforms aren't full fledged Quidditch robes; they're scarlet tunics, trimmed with gold, with crimson leggings underneath. Our names aren't even on them, just numbers. Astrid is number 12, Merida is 1, and I'm 7.
We head out, but we only just make it past the Fat Lady when I realize something. I'm missing the locket dad gave me. I send my friends ahead and go back to our room.
I dump everything I own on the floor, digging through it all, hoping and praying that I'll catch a glimpse of glittering metal in the mess. I don't. Maybe I should take a leaf out of Elsa's book and try being more organised. I look down at my watch. I've been up here for ten minutes! Well, it's a good thing we were heading down to the pitch early. But I have no idea where my locket is! I think, the last time I saw it was last night. I took it off before practice, to make sure it didn't get broken or anything. And now it's missing!
I jump down the stairs. I have to get to the Pitch before the game starts. Maybe one of my friends knows where-
"Ow!" I call out. I stubbed my toe on something and sent it skittering across the floor. It's a jewelry box. My heart rises in my throat and I dive at it, bashing my elbow on the ground in my haste. Ouch. I grab the box and lung at the portrait hole, twisting the lid off as I go. the good news: my locket is inside. The bad news: the portrait hole doesn't open. I hear the Fat Lady yelling on the other side, something about glue, and my stomach grows cold. I look at the locket, and the spark of relief I felt curdles.
"Olaf!" I yell. Someone left paper and quills on the common room table, and I grab at them "Olaf!" I scream again, more desperate this time as I scribble a quick note. Most owls stay in the Owlery, but Olaf likes to stay in the dormitory with me. Astrid and Merida don't mind. And I have never been so glad about that.
I tromp up the stairs and throw open the door. Olaf's flying around the beds in a flurry of feathers, but as soon as he see's me he flies to me. I grab him, a little rougher than I'm proud to admit to, and fasten the letter to his leg
"Take this to Astrid and Merida down at the Quidditch Pitch, alright Olaf?" I say. Olaf hoots happily. I unfasten a window and Olaf shoots out in a white blur. I lean out the window, watching the little Scop owl until he's too small to see. And then the waiting starts. I hate waiting.
I only had to wait seven minutes and fourteen seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Of course, that might have had something to do with me checking my watch every five or six seconds.
Help comes in the form of two scarlet and gold figures on brooms and a tiny white dot that I see heading up to the window.
"What is going on?" Astrid asks as Olaf flies back in, hooting and circling my head like a satellite.
"I came up here to look for my lucky locket, and when I tried to leave, the portrait hole was sealed shut!" I clamber up onto the window sill. "I think, well, it sounds kinda paranoid, but I think someone's trying to keep me from playing Quidditch. Now get closer." I climb out of the window, balancing on the thin window pane. Merida grabs my arm and helps keep me steady as I climb onto Astrid's broom.
"Why would someone try and keep you from playing Quidditch?" Merida calls out
"I don't know, but why else would I find my locket in a jewelry box in the common room right after someone seals the Fat Lady's portrait shut. It just seems too coincidental."
"But why-" Astrid starts, but below us a voice rings out
"Girls! What is the meaning of this?" Merida's mother is standing just outside of our team, and she looks furious. "Do you know how dangerous and foolish climbing out of that window is?"
"But, Professor, someone sealed the Fat Lady's portrait shut!" I cry out.
The angry teacher stops, and her scowl turns into a look of confusion "What?"
"We were coming down here from the common room, but I forgot...something, so I went back to the dormitory to get it, and when I tried to come out, the portrait wouldn't open!"
Professor DunBroch looks troubled. "Hmm. Very well girls. I shall send Frollo up to see. You girls go play." We rush around her before she speaks again "And girls? Good luck." She gives us a very Merida-esq smile.
"Thanks Mum!"
"Thank you Professor."
"Thanks ma'am!"
We run into our team. "Where were you three?" Ariel growl at us as we line up.
"It's a long story" I say. And then the team is mounting up and next thing I know were out in the sun and our names are being called out as we take up our positions.
"Both of the teams are out now," a confident voice echoes across the field "and we are ready to begin Hogwarts first Junior Quidditch match! I'm Flynn Rider, everyone's favorite commentator, and-"
"Mr Fitzherbert!" That's Merida's mom
Flynn sounds grumpier when he starts again "Yeah, sorry, this is Eugene Fitzherbert a.k.a Flynn Rider, almost everyone's favorite commentator, and before we begin, I have to go over the rules. This match will be like any other Quidditch match. Chasers score, Snitch is 150 points, yada yada yada. But, there's a time limit, to keep the little first years from getting too tired and falling off their brooms."
"Mr Fitzherbert!"
"Sorry Professor. Right, anyways, this match will last for 45 minutes,or until the Snitch is caught. And then after this, the older Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams will take the field and play."
Toothiana flies up, and, with a blow of her whistle, starts the game. I circle the Pitch, dimly aware of the action, looking for two things: the Snitch, and Hufflepuffs Seeker. He looks nauseous.
The first point is scored by Hufflepuff. I keep looking for the Snitch, but I'm getting a little bored. So I do something that's probably dumb. I dive down sharply, spiraling into the action.
"It looks like Arendelle sees something. And Darling is following her down but not near as fast." Flynn calls out. I can hear the crowd murmuring, and I start to smile. It's probably really egotistical, but I'm putting on a bit of a show.
"Darlings pulled up, but Arendelle's still going. Going really, really fast now- and she just dodged a bludger!"
Yipes! That was close! And so's the ground now.
"PULL UP SMALL FRY!" Flynn scream, and the crowd screams with him. With one last corkscrew, I level off, my toes skimming the grass. I look up at the game, and from down here I can see something I hadn't been able to see before. The Snitch is hovering low to the ground, by the stands.. I shoot after it.
"Hufflepuffs Keeper takes a massive Bludger hit from Hofferson, and Gryffindor scores!" The crowd is full of cheers and groans. The Snitch moves at the last second, and I curve after it, roughly bouncing off of the stands. The Snitch heads up, and I go after it, entering the middle of the game. The Snitch weaves in and out of the other players, and I follow it, slowly gaining.
"Hufflepuff has the Quaffle, and they score again! And what is Arendelle doing? Ballette?"
"Mr Fitzherbert! She's chasing the Snitch!"
"Oh, yeah. That's probably it Professor. She's pretty good, for a first year."
I block them out. The Snitch angles straight up, and I follow it.
"Shift your grip forward Anna. Streamline yourself." Mama's voice echos in my head, as loud as it would be if I was back in our backyard flying with her. The Snitch is coming closer. I reach out for it, and its blurred wings buzz against my fingertips.
Almost...got it...so...close...IT'S MINE! I let out a whoop and pull my broom into a loop. I fly over the stands, holding the glittering Snitch high over my head.
"And thats it folks, its over! Arendelle catches the Snitch and Gryffindor wins, 160 points to 10."
I touch down and I'm immediately engulfed by my team and the older team. I'm the first Gryffindor to catch a Snitch in seven years. At that though, I hold the Snitch up and cheer in elation. My team takes up the cry, and suddenly I'm in the air on Merida and Astrid shoulders. I hold the Snitch higher.
We tromp off the field, and when my team finally puts me down I'm surrounded by my friend. Emma and Rapunzel both wrap their arms around me and scream, jumping up and down.
"Holy cow Anna! That was amazing!" Emma gushes
"You are soooo good!" Rapunzel adds on
I feel myself start to blush "No, I'm nothing special. But thanks guys."
Hiro steps up next "'Nothing special'? Are you kidding me? I practice with you and I didn't know you were that good Pigtails!"
My friend and team, and some random Gryffindors all join in, showering me with compliments until I feel like I'm drowning. "Well," I concede "I guess all that practice has paid off at least."
"Anna, you were great!" Hiccup comes up, pushing through the crowd, his canary yellow robes earning him some looks from the older Gryffindor players. He either doesn't see or doesn't care. "You've been holding out on us! You have a gift Anna, really."
The approval feels different coming from Hiccup. Hiccup, Hiro, and I have flown around outside of practice a few times since our escapade in the Forest, and he's actually a really good flyer. He just isn't a good Beater.
I throw my arms around his neck, prompting a small gasp from him. Awkwardly, one of his hands pats me on the back.
"Thank you." I say. I catch a flash of movement behind Hiccup. Someone stopping to watch us.
"Hey, no hug for me Pigtails?" Hiro says.
I pull away from Hiccup and throw my arms around Hiro and the rest of my friends, smiling as widely as I can. But in my mind's eye, I keep seeing Elsa over Hiccup's shoulder, a look of betrayal on her face, right before she turned around and made her way towards Hogwarts.
