Chapter Twelve: Drift

Berk was as cold as Hiccup ever remembered it being. Perhaps it was his emotional state, but he was shaking to his bones. The bus back to Berk was noisy and smelled like smoke, but he didn't have the guts to ask his father to come pick him up at King's Cross. As he walked up through the village, he wondered on the familiar sense of being home, and for a moment, that cheered him up.

When he got to the big wooden house where he lived in, he made slow steps into the entrance hall. His hand waving around to the light switch, until he found the button.

"Dad?" He tried. The house was quiet. "Dad?" He spoke louder.

He went up to the living room. Them the bedrooms. Stoick was nowhere to be found. Home alone, he muttered. Part of him felt relieved for not having got right out having to greet his father, but another part also had this sad empty feeling that he just wanted to have his father close.

The boy wandered to the kitchen. Dark and lifeless for months now. Dust and oil covered the oven and the sink, Stoick was never the best at cooking. But the scent of his mother could still be felt there, and when Hiccup acknowledged that, the tears came, and he broke down, for the first time, alone.

When Stoick did came home, however, it was only hours later, the bags under his yes making clear that he spent both his original shift and the night shift in the Ministry.

"Hiccup?" His voice echoed, and for a moment, that spark of hope flinched in Stoick's chest.

Said boy finally stood up from behind the kitchen table, walking towards the entrance hall. And then straight to his father's arms.

Hiccup had never seen his father cry before. Not when Valka went missing or when Stoick lost his job as Head of the Wizarding Artifacts Department, but now, in a high contrast, the tears were streaming from his eyes like a waterfall. And he hugged Hiccup so tightly the boy thought his spine might break, but he only hugged back, also crying.

"She's gone." Stoick said, again and again. The warmth in his chest turning so hot it could be actually fire, and he felt that perhaps he might not have enough to bare if he was alone. And for a moment, the strained relationship of father and son became as precious and more powerful than it has ever been in fifteen years.

#

"I was in the Ministry when I got the news." Stoick said in front of the oven as he prepared the tea. Hiccup was sitting by the kitchen island, hands joined in front of him as he watched his father. "Anheuser, my boss, yeh know, he came to me personally after he put his hands on the Prophet, said he was giving me some time off to take the news in." Stoick's hands shook as he carried the two tea cups to the island. "I didn't feel ready to just come 'ere knowing she… would not be, yeh know…"

"Yes," Hiccup nodded, wiping a tear off his eye. "When they offered me to go home I wasn't sure if I wanted to come back either."

The freckled hands took the cup, but only held it, feeling its warmth.

"Why did yeh come back, son?" Stoick said.

"I came back for you." Hiccup replied. "I didn't want you alone, specially now." There was a sad and honest grim from Stoick. He actually felt happy knowing that his son cared.

"Hogwarts is safer, son." Stoick said, shaking his head. "I would have understood if yeh had chosen to stay. Besides, I know it's going ter be painful here."

Hiccup shook his head. "It's going to be painful anywhere." He raised his cup to his lips, sipping on the hot tea. "I wanted to come."

"Well… The funeral will be the day after tomorrow," Outside, the snow fell faster against the grounds, starting to cover the windows. "I wasn't sure if there would be enough time for yeh ter see it. How long will yeh be stayin'?"

"Until Wednesday." From his chair, the boy turned his head to look outside the window, watching the snow. "Some students are not sure if they want to come back."

"Do ya?" Stoick asked. "I mean, I know yeh were never a fan of the castle and all… But I would like if you stayed where it's safer."

"I want to go back, yes." The boy replied. "I made some friends this year, they were there for me when we got the news."

"That's good news, son." The huge wizard actually smiled with that. "The first good news I hear in years, basically. But I wanted to talk about that night." Hiccup's green eyes met his father's. "All we have is the Ministry reports, I want to know how it actually happened."

Hiccup had a deep breath. "I don't know, it all happened so sudden. I was walking down the Grand staircase when they hit the shield."

"The Death Eaters?" Stoick's eyes went wide.

"Yes. They flew straight into it. They didn't get through, though." He made sure to mention this part. "But there was this loud… Boom, they truly hammered the shield, then I rushed to the nearest window I could get to, and there it was, the Dark Mark."

"Anythin' suspicious that yeh could've seen earlier?" Stoick again asked.

"No, nothing that got my attention." Hiccup said. "I ran to the Astronomy Tower, but they were already gone by then."

Stoick lowered his head, staring at his cup. "May the gods help us." He looked back up at the ceiling. "It's all goin' back to the way things were before."

"What you mean?"

"Durin' the Second Wizarding War, of course." Stoick answered, adjusting his seat on the table and making the tea cups shake with his huge size. "Things are… just like before. I don't know if it was in the Prophet since I trust none of what's written in there, but there has been more people missin', weekly."

"Like mom?"

"Even worse," his father raised his eyebrows. "Yer mom was on their hunt, it was her job as an auror," Hiccup felt slightly proud at those words, "but now they are targetin' everything related with the muggle-borns."

"Have anyone else we known disappeared?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh yes, do yeh remember the Hoffersons?"

Hiccup nearly chocked. "What?"

"Asger and Vali Hofferson, the father of that blonde girl, I think she studies with you. In the same year." Stoick answered.

"Wait, that's… when?"

"A couple weeks ago." Stoick said. "We hadn't had news from 'em in weeks, until they sent some aurors to their house. Completely empty."

Hiccup had his mouth open. "But I… I just saw Astrid only yesterday… She didn't know anything."

"How often does she mails her family?" Stoick asked.

"I don't know, I never talked much to her." Hiccup said as his father stared suspiciously. "Jack would've told me something if she knew, she would've told him."

"Who is this Jack?"

"Jackson Overland, we became friends this year." Hiccup replied simply.

"Well, poor lass… if she depends on the Ministry she'll never get the news on time."

"Wait, but shouldn't it be the Prophet's job to let us know about all the disappearances?" Hiccup was getting each time more unsettled.

"Yas, but people are gettin' scared, Heccup, if they let everyone know about everythin' that's happenin', the Ministry will have a mass panic to deal with, if not a full uprisin' on their hands."

#

Astrid,

I know we have basically… zero closeness, but if the Prophet won't share the news then I guess I have to. Your parents have gone missing for two weeks now. They left no traces, and the ministry hasn't shared the information. I am sorry. I got little information, but I've been to the house earlier today: it is empty.

I am sorry for letting you know like this. But I know how it feels.

Write me back if you feel like it.

Hiccup.

Hiccup wrote that letter to Astrid later that day. He wasn't affectionate to her in any ways, but she had the right to know. He borrowed Ash, an old dark owl his family had, and sent it later that same night. The owl would arrive at Hogwarts by the morning. It made his heart sink to send the news through a letter, but he felt it was the right thing to do, sending the news as fast as possible.

Only a few people attended the funeral, mostly relatives, but some friends from Valka's time at Hogwarts. It was a grey day for most of what Hiccup could see. Valka's funeral followed the former Viking wizards tradition. The body in the ship, sailing peacefully on the water. Hiccup dried his tears with the back of his hands as his father raised his bow with the flaming arrow.

When the string was released, the arrow flew it's bowed trajectory to the boat, leaving behind a trail of smoke. Soon, the fire spread through the ropes and wood, gulfing the ship on fire, the red and gold flames mixing with the auspicious colours of the twilight sky.

As everyone started to walk out, Hiccup stood, even after Stoick had turned his back to the final lights of the flaming ship, after it had already disappeared in the horizon.

Hiccup's green eyes nearly reflected the view, glassy.

"Mister Haddock." A voice behind him spoke. The boy turned, startled.

A tall wizard in black vests, the Ministry's insignia on his chest.

"Who are you?" Hiccup asked, his voice low and husky.

"I am the Minister for Magic, Eames Shaw." The man said. He had this strong features on his face after Hiccup had a better look, as if the age turned his skin into a solid rock. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" The boy was unamused.

"An offering, my boy. And a deal. Consider that as an invitation straight from the Ministry's office."

"I want nothing from the Ministry, sir." Hiccup said, crossing his arms. "What do you want from me?"

The Minister took a deep breath, suddenly realising Hiccup would not be an easy going person.

"The wizarding community is scared. The Death Eaters, the Dark Mark. And I don't know if you've been aware, but your name has appeared on the Daily Prophet lately."

Hiccup raised his eyebrow. "I haven't read it, no."

"Well, people are intrigued. Your mother is the first known victim of Death Eaters in over twenty years. So the Daily Prophet figured it'd be interesting if you could give us a word about this whole story, you could start from when your mother disappeared, or letting them know of her bravery-"

"I'm not doing any of that."

There was a long awkward silence. Then Shaw smiled, looking sideways.

"I don't think you got it, Hiccup. People are getting scared, they need a role model. You need you to help us out, clearing the whole situation to calm down everyone-"

"I understood perfectly." Hiccup stated. "I'm not helping any of you."

The man stared at Hiccup, puzzled.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have to get ready, I'm heading back to Hogwarts by the morning."

"Mister Haddock…" The Minister tried again, until another voice boomed above them.

"Are we havin' a problem here?"

Stoick Haddock stood a few feet away from them, higher from his position on the top of the hill, still bathed on the last rays of sunlight. Hiccup looked up to him, and somehow found the amusement to smile. No wizard would be fool enough to mess with Stoick Horrendous Haddock.

Shaw gulped.

"No, I just wanted to have a word with our brave Hiccup here…"

"Yeh've had yer word." Stoick stated. "Now leave."