Chapter Five: Metamorphose

Jack woke up in the morning with the sun light peeking through the Gryffindor's red and gold dormitory. His eyelids pulled against each other, and he was about to fall back asleep when a book smashed hard against the back of his head.

"Oi'!" He yelled, rubbing the aching area. Aster was standing in front of his bed, already dressed up in Hogwarts vests, looking down at Jack with a smirk.

"Rise and shine, Ma'e." Aster said, his accent stronger as ever. "There's a mandatory note on our news board, everyone has to check it out."

Not a second later, he left, leaving behind a confused Jackson. The pale boy only stripped himself off his covers, staring at his skinny shirtless frame on the mirror near his bed. He wasn't all that bad, he thought. He had long legs and a very pale torso, which made him look even skinnier than what he actually was. He put on his vests quickly, tied up the red and yellow tie around his neck and made his way down to Gryffindor's common room.

Most, if not all of the Gryffindor students were gathered around the news board. He could hear their voices, but not the words. With a sinking feeling down his stomach, Jack made his way through the people, heading over the board with an unpleased look, and after a short search he found the tiny paper glued to it. A moving picture displayed the castle from distance, the lights on the towers lighting the night, and a deep dark cloud formed above, flying straight past the castle and disappearing in the forest.

The Daily Prophet:

DEMENTORS HOVERING HOGWARTS GROUNDS

'Our students are absolutely safe' states head of Regulation of Magical Education Department.

Right next to it was a handwritten note addressed to the students.

From now on, no student shall be outside de castle after sunset. Each and every expedition to Hogwarts' grounds must have a teacher's permit – Safe for Hogsmead trips, Quidditch matches and classes of care of magical creatures.

Jack took that in slowly, taking deep breaths as he realised the panic gathering in the students surrounding him. There were no Dementors working for wizards in over twenty years, and if they had been just spotted, then the Ministry had now hundreds of magical families to calm down.

In a minute, he understood why there was a High Inquisitor in Hogwarts.

#

When Hiccup woke up, though, with a splitting headache as he put on Hogwarts' vests, he made sure to avoid looking in the mirrors. He threw his backpack over his shoulders, nearly knocking himself to the side – he was still a fishbone after all. All eyes were on the notice board as he crossed the common room, and he made his way through the bodies gathered in front of the notice.

Hiccup knew very well what a Dementor was. The boy just shook his head, ignoring the elbows of another student trying to look at the notice.

It was on his way downstairs that he ended up seeing the last person he wanted to. The mess of snow white hair over the young wizard's head walking down the corridors that made Hiccup stop dead on his tracks. He turned his feet, turning in a U, looking everywhere else when he notice for a split second that the other boy's eyes locked on him. Too late, Hiccup thought, but he kept on walking away, then sprinting away.

#

Jack couldn't help but gash at the sight of Hiccup. All these years, and he still had his eyes set on the auburn haired boy. For some reason, he could not move on, Jack guessed even if life depended on it. Five years trying, first innocently, trying to act like nothing ever happened, as if he had never in his life talked to the other boy, but the feeling never faded. Much on the contrary, it got stronger.

Stronger to the point that every girl Jack dared to imagine kissing turned into Hiccup. It was scary, but then pointless to even try fighting.

But that was his Fifth year. And there was still something Jack had not tried.

None of his friends were looking at him, about to turn on the small corridor which would give him a five second window to go unnoticed. He watched as Hiccup's legs sprinted away down that corridor. Now or never, he thought.

And so he did, finding himself free from his friends, the white haired boy dashed where Hiccup had ran off. Looking over his shoulders, he made sure his friends weren't after him – he was on his luck. Speeding up, crossing through the people ahead of him, he managed to peek the shade of the reddish hair turning on another corridor. Jack smirked. Today is the day, he thought. If only Hiccup wasn't as quick as a bloody rabbit, it seemed. Because as soon as he turned where Hiccup had, he faced an empty corridor.

#

Targeted. That is how Hiccup felt all day throughout his lessons. Wherever he went, he'd hear the voices, avoid the stares and dodge the walls. Not that it was any news to him, if anything, he was used to it. But once it was because he was the abort of Gryffindor, now it was for a much different reason not even he could properly understand. What was so interesting about fighting back a bully?

The hardest part, though, he had to admit, was sharing potions class with Jack. Not that they would sit next to each other, but considering that he hardly ever matched his classes with the other boy, it now seemed like nearly every class they seemed to have together. The sad part was… Jack was never alone. All the time, the boy would be in company of one of his many friends or by a cheeky girl making a hundred and one provocative poses to get his attention. Pathetic, Hiccup thought.

The things girls did to get boys' attention… And unknowing that himself, there was Hiccup, unconsciously biting his lower lip and straightening his back on his seat in close attention to how he looked. That wasn't entirely meant for Jack, though, but he was starting to acknowledge the new rebellious reputation that he heard surrounding him.

Truth be told, the broody looks, the shaggy hair and careless style was setting Hiccup up for a rebellious type. But most of it was because of his stare. He was no longer quiet for being shy. He was quiet because there was simply nothing to be said. At any mirror he looked, he seemed off himself.

Even his name was not matching anymore. Not that anybody did that, by if his name was ever to be called, Hiccup, it felt like calling another person, or perhaps the ghost of a person, long gone.

#

Every day ended with a checking mark. Curfew was not only mandatory, but each student had to mark his presence with a tap of his wand on a parchment at every common room. Great… Both Hiccup and Jack thought at the same time. Secretly, they both wished they could escape their common rooms for only a little while.

But while Hiccup was focused on leaving, Jack was focused on chasing. He was determined to talk to the auburn haired boy. He heard every single rumour, and he'd be damned if he didn't ask for some himself. But he couldn't believe any, like the one saying Hiccup was devoting to the Dark Arts, or that he would become a new school psycho. Nonsense, Jack thought, but still, despite all that, he was determined to talk to the boy.

"Hey, Jack!" Augustus Flinch, from Gryffindor called the white haired in the corridors one day. "Signing up for the Quidditch team again this year? We could use you." Flinch had this excited tone on his voice, and he sang the words in his Irish accent.

"I think so," Jack muttered, a bit off by his previous thoughts on Hiccup. "Yeah, probably."

"Wicked!" Flinch sang again, smiling. "Trials begin next week!"

"Alright," Jack replied. To be perfectly honest, Jack didn't care all that much about Quidditch. I mean, he made the team on his third and fourth year, and he was good at being a chaser, but he could think of other things he'd like to do better. On that Friday morning, things seemed to work out wonderfully. For the first time in years, Jack found himself sitting apart from any of his friends. Astrid and Aster were sitting together on Defence Against the Dark Arts, while that other annoying girl, Stephany Bones, who tried way too hard to get his attention showing Jack her cleavage, was out for a different class. That girl couldn't take a hint! I don't even know her house! Jack smiled to himself at the thought of how the poor girl needed to find a straight boyfriend. Not that he was her boyfriend, but again, he wasn't straight.

Jack sat on an empty table, being left out with no partners. And he was guiltily relieved for it. People could be tiring. But then, think about that one time when something happens just as you wished. Just once in a lifetime, and the satisfying feeling that comes with it.

That is how it felt for Jack when the last student came in, stopped dead in his tracks for a minute, looking for any empty seat, right before slipping right next to Jack. There was Hiccup, looking as tired and annoyed as ever.

Jack's joy lasted nothing, since the boy had barely sat down and he noticed how much the bags under his eyes were shadowing his features, or how the energy surrounding him seemed cold and depressing. His eyes were glassy, and he stared to his books as if he was one moment away from setting them on fire.

Whatever happened to that boy, Jack could not tell.

"Glad to see everyone is already on their seats." The dark skinned professor standing right in front of them announced. Quim Shacklebolt, former Minister for Magic and new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. "For fifth graders like yourselves, passing the O.W.L.s exams are everything. I have the feeling that simply ignoring the true importance of this lesson would be a serious mistake from every single one of you." And suddenly everyone understood Quim's background. The battle for Hogwarts at the second wizarding War. And also too suddenly, this entire class got too interesting. "But it would be my mistake to simply bore you right from the start, so, everybody, save your books and stay with your partners."

And not too seconds later, all the desks on the class floated off until they cushioned against the windows.

"Who here has a way with stunning charms?" A sly looking girl at the front of the class raised her hand. "Can you give me the incantation?"

"Stupefy," The girl answered promptly.

"Correct, now, stunning charms is by far the most useful tool you have on a duel. Easy, quick and powerful, but also very tricky for non-initiated. So, for today's lesson, you guys will have to practice it against your partners. By the end of the class, the best two may duel using only this one spell and defensive shields charms."

Everyone stared at their teacher, puzzled.

"Off you go. You may start!"

Small duos were worthlessly flicking their wands, to every possible direction, trying to make the spell work – none of them functioning.

"So… I guess that makes two of us, then?" Jack asked Hiccup, in a weak attempt to make a conversation. Perhaps communication would fit better.

"You cast it. I'm ready." Was all Hiccup said, and Jack raised his brows at the confidence.

"Okay then… you asked." Jack said. He flipped his wand and…

Nothing happened.

Hiccup just stood there, his wand ready on his hand, waiting for the charm, ready to cast it away if it hit. But he kept on waiting as Jack tried to get the way of the spell.

"You must feel it, mister Overland." Professor Shacklebolt's voice made its way to the white haired boy. "Feel the attack coming at your enemy."

"He's not my enemy." Jack suddenly said, and Hiccup raised his own eyebrows in surprise.

"This is practice, you two are obviously not fighting for real. But again, if you were, I have the feeling mister Haddock would have already liquidated you a long time ago."

To that, a few students smirked, including Hiccup. His very first smirk in a long time. The little shit, Jack thought. Even though seeing any alteration in Hiccup's expression was better than his usual frown, the reason why he was smirking was enough to tick him off.

In a moment, Jack swung his wand.

"Stupefy!" The bolt of red light flew from his window, all the way to the edge of Hiccup's wand, where it was blocked by his defensive spell.

"Great job, Overland! And great defence there, Haddock." Quim saluted. Jack had to acknowledge the disappointment of seeing his charm so easily defeated by Hiccup's defence. "Now, I want to see you trying mister…"

Quim had no time to finish his sentence. In a fluid motion, Hiccup's wand swung around over his head, no sound emitted as the boy silently casted his charm straight into Jack, right on the boy's head. The impact echoed through the room with a loud snap as the boy was thrown off the floor, flying several feet backwards until he landed on his back, efficiently stunned.

The silence fell on the room as everyone stared at the scene. Hiccup only stared back, nearly daring for comments, before lowering his wand. The Professor only made an intrigued look of confused acceptance before stepping away, commanding the others to go back to their work. Enough time for jack to get slowly back on a sitting position.

"Need any help?" Hiccup walked to him, extending his arm to him. Jack still had his own hand surrounding his neck, making sure no bone was broken before rising, ignoring the hand stretched to him.

"No need to aim in the face, mate!" Jack hissed, now turning his head sideways before going back to his original position.

"Sorry about that." Hiccup replied.

You need to feel it – the words repeated on his mind. Did Hiccup really want to jinx Jack that badly?

By now, most of the class managed to, at least, complete the charm, even if mostly missing their targets for feet of distance. Soon enough, the two left competitors were Hiccup and another boy from Gryffindor who he did not know.

"May the last duel commence!" Quim announced proudly.

Hiccup raised his wand to his head's level, then turned around, five steps back, and then back to facing his opponent.

"One… two… three."

"Stupefy!" The Gryffindor boy's charm exploded to Hiccup's direction, but the spells were quickly repelled by Hiccup's wand, as if sucked by the tip.

With a quick motion, Hiccup again spoke no words when his hand swung through the air, the warm energy flowing on his fingers as the spell erupted to his wand, and three swift lightning bolts darted to his opponent. The first one shattering his new formed shield, the second one hitting him on his chest, and the last one punching to his head, knocking him unconscious.

Everyone stared in awe at the scene. There was a five-second silence, and then the bell rang, freeing them off to their next class.