Chapter Six

Jack Frost-

Jack and Bounder made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Everyone had demanded to know how Merida was when he returned from the hospital. Jack had yawned them off, saying he'd tell them in the morning. Truthfully he didn't want to tell them at all. His visit with Merida hadn't gone too well.

**Flashback**

"Hey Merida," he smiled as he approached her. Merida was laying in a small bed with white linen sheets. She had a bandage around her head and her arm was in a sling. She glanced at him as he spoke. Her blue eyes burned with fury.

"You!" she screeched. Jack jumped back in surprise.

"Umm, yeah. It's me," he said. Merida struggled out of the bed. She grabbed a nearby broom and swung it at him.

"You idiotic Slytherin," she yelled. Jack ducked and dived behind another bed.

"Are you crazy?" he shouted. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting payback," she said crawling on top of the bed he was hiding behind.

"Payback for what?" Jack asked, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about. He knew it was his fault she was hurt, but he hadn't expected her to be this mad about it.

"You know what," she smacked the top of his head with the handle of the broom. Jack yelped and backed away.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you fly that fast," he apologized. Merida advanced on him.

"What?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"If I hadn't challenged you, you wouldn't have flown into the wall," Jack said as he nervously backed against the wall. Merida stopped and stood still. Jack froze, waiting for her reaction. Suddenly she burst out laughing.

"You think that's why I'm mad?" she asked between laughs. Jack glanced around in confusion.

"Are you ok? Do I need to get Madam Lawson?" he checked.

"No," Merida sighed. She returned to her bed and sat down. "I can't believe you think that's what I'm mad about," she shook her head.

"Well, what is it then?" he asked eyeing the broom that was laying on her bed.

"Because of our little race everyone is going to think I can't fly because I was the only one who crashed into the wall," she explained. Jack blinked.

"So you aren't mad at me because I was the one who made you get hurt, but because you think I've ruined your reputation?" he checked. Merida nodded. Jack rubbed his head with his finger tips. "Girls," he sighed under his breath.

"It's not your fault I was going that fast. I would have reached that speed anyways. Don't beat yourself up about it. Beat yourself up because now people are going to think I won't be fit to play Quiditch," she said. Jack rolled his eyes and Merida smirked.

"Well I'm glad to know you're doing better," Jack said. "I better leave before you get angry again and try to kill me," he turned to leave.

"Bye Slytherin," she called.

"Bye Gryffindor," he waved.

"Don't think this means we're friends," she shouted as he closed the door.

**End of Flashback**

As he sat down to have breakfast Tess turned to him. She opened her mouth to talk, but the mail arrived before she could say anything. The table was showered with small packages and letters. Jack, as always, didn't receive anything.

He borrowed Bounder's edition of the Daily Prophet. Without really paying attention he glanced over the front page.

Minister of Magic Assassin Plot Foiled!

Jack blinked at the headline. He still wasn't sure he knew who the Minister of Magic was, but it looked like he had just been saved. "Hey look at this," he showed it to Bounder. Bounder glanced up at it from a letter from his mom.

"Hmmm, looks like someone had it in for Xandlerfer," he shrugged.

"Isn't that important?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure the adults are all over it, but right now all I'm worried about is the History test," Bounder said "Besides it's not the first time it's happened. Xandlerfer gets attacked all the time and it just doesn't make it into the paper". He turned back to his breakfast. Jack looked over the article. It appeared the assassin had escaped without a trace. There was no picture or name.

They listed the hero to be Alexander Hillson Yosterfield. Jack gasped. "Alex saved him." Bounder and Tess glanced at him.

"What?" Tess asked.

"Right here it says 'The plot was foiled by none other than Hogwarts professor Alexander Hillson Yosterfield,'" he read. They looked at each other. "I for one didn't know we were being taught by some police guy," he said.

"What's a police guy?" Bounder asked.

"I'll tell you some other time," Jack said.

"I heard that Alex was real buddy, buddy with the Minister. He used to work as a special guard before he became a teacher," Tess said. "That's part of the reason my mom sent me here. She said she felt there'd be no safer place for me than with the Minister's old guard."

"Cool. Is the school gonna have like a big celebration for him or something?" Jack asked.

"Don't count on it," Shade butted into their conversation. "This school doesn't celebrate much of anything except for a Valentines dance and occasionally a teacher will hold a small formal for their top students."

"Oh." Jack turned back to his breakfast.

"So Jack. How's Merida?" Tess asked.

Merida-

Merida woke around lunchtime. Madam Lawson brought her in some food from the Great Hall. As Merida was eating she had a visitor. Merida was expecting Rapunzel again or Liam and Blake. To her surprise it was Hiccup.

"Hey Hiccup," she smiled. He nodded.

"I um, brought your Charms homework," he mumbled. Merida noticed the books and paper he had in his arms.

"Here," she motioned towards the table next to her bed. Hiccup placed the work there and backed up to leave. "You don't have to go," she said. He glanced back at her. "I mean unless you have class," she added.

He glanced outside the window. "Flying isn't for a while," he shrugged and sat on the bed across from her.

"I thought Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff flew next week," Merida wondered aloud.

"They decided to switch the schedule so you won't be behind," Hiccup explained. Merida blushed, realizing it was her fault her house had to wait to fly.

"So how are classes going?" she asked awkwardly.

"Fine," he answered. They grew quiet. Merida fiddled with her bandage. Hiccup clasped his hands. "So, um, how are you feeling?" Hiccup asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm feeling much better. Magic healing is a lot better than what the muggles have got," she smiled. Hiccup nodded. They grew quiet again. Suddenly Hiccup grasped his chest. He grunted and grabbed at his stomach. Merida could just see what looked like a bubble of air running around under his robes.

"What is that?" she asked as Hiccup grabbed at the air.

"Uh, nothing," he said finally catching it. His cheeks burned and he hurried towards the door. "Bye."

"Bye," Merida said. She blinked in confusion. Then she shook her head and settled down in her bed and continued her lunch.

Rapunzel-

Rapunzel walked on to the courtyard with the other first year Hufflepuffs. Drake instructed them to form a line next to their brooms. The Ravenclaws did the same opposite them. Rapunzel smiled and waved at the one across from her. He smiled back.

"Now put your right hand over the broom and say 'up,'" Drake said. They obeyed. Rapunzel's broom stalled for a moment then flew into her hand. She smiled and glanced around. Hiccup was in the Ravenclaw line. She noticed his cheeks were pink like he was flustered. Rapunzel absently wondered why. He was holding his broom so she knew that wasn't it.

"Mount it and I'll check your posture," Drake distracted her from her thoughts. Rapunzel mounted her broom and waited for Drake to check her. He moved her hands up, but other than that left her.

"When I blow my whistle, kick off into the air. Hover a few inches then come back down," Drake commanded. He blew out one long clear note from his whistle. Rapunzel rose into the air. After a few minutes she pushed down on her broom and returned to the ground. "Very good. Now I want you to see how high you can go without passing the castle walls," Drake said.

He blew his whistle again and they rose into the air. Now that Rapunzel was going higher her broom shook slightly with her hands. She gulped as the ground grew farther and farther away.

"Don't look down," Drew advised. Rapunzel jerked her head away from the ground. Most of the class had risen above Rapunzel so she sped up a little to catch up.

"Go at your own pace," Drake noticed Rapunzel's hurried motion. Rapunzel took and deep breath and steadied herself, allowing the broom to slow back down. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Hiccup on his broom. He looked less frustrated and more concentrated now.

"You can come back down now, if you want," Drake called to them. Rapunzel sighed with relief and sank back to the ground.

"He let the others fly farther," Drew whispered.

"He's just being cautious because of Merida," Rapunzel whispered back. Drew shrugged.

"Now we're going to work on steering and turning instead of just going up," Drake said. He picked up a broom that had laid unnoticed by his feet. He mounted it and began to show them different ways to turn your broom. Pushing it with your hands or legs, leaning, pulling it, he demonstrated everything.

"Now get back up there and show me what you've learned," he said. They pushed back into the air. Now instead of going straight up they weaved within each other. Rapunzel stayed low and wove through the flying students.

"Hi Hiccup," she said as she passed him. He glanced at her.

"Oh hey." Rapunzel flew away before they could say anything else.

"Weeeee," she laughed as the wind ruffled her ponytail. Feeling more comfortable on the broom she went farther up. The sun shone down on her and warmed her robes. This high up she could see the Forbidden Forest. It still looked dark even in the daytime, but now the leaves were beginning to turn orange and yellow, giving it a friendly look.

As she watched a figure in a black cloak walked out of the castle and headed into the woods. She squinted her eyes to see better, but it was too far.

"Rapunzel," Drake called, brining her to the present. She looked down at him. "It's time to come back down. Class is over," he said. Rapunzel blushed when she realized everyone else had returned to the ground and was heading for their next class. Quickly she followed returned to the ground and chased after them.

Hiccup-

Hiccup strolled into his potions class with his friends. Jack waved him over to his table. Hiccup and Mason sat across from him and Bounder. Hiccup was beginning to become familiar with the Slytherin students. He was happy it was because they were friends instead of because they were bullies.

"How was flying?" Bounder asked as they sat down.

"Great. I think I might try out for the Quiditch team next year," Mason said.

"What about you Hiccup?" Bounder asked.

"Eh," he shrugged. Hiccup wasn't thinking of flying at the moment. He kept going back to his visit with Merida. Toothless had almost escaped from his hiding place in his robes. If Merida had seen him he would have been expelled for sure.

"It'll be better next time," Jack clapped his back. "At least you get to fly with Punzie. She won't let anyone make fun of you if you mess up," Jack pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess," he mumbled. The others exchanged glances obviously realizing he wasn't really listening to them.

"What's up Hiccup? Something on your mind?" Mason asked. Hiccup turned to look at them.

"What makes you ask that?" he asked nervously reaching for where Toothless was sleeping in his robes.

"Um, well you're not paying attention to us at all," Bounder suggested.

"Oh I'm just distracted," Hiccup covered up quickly. Bounder and Mason shrugged, but Jack looked interested. Just then Professor Starling entered and started class. She instructed them to make venomard potion and Hiccup started immediately. Suddenly a paper ball landed on his book.

He unrolled it under the table and read it.

Meet me outside the sixth corridor tonight.

-Jack

Hiccup glanced at him. Jack was focused on his potions book. Hiccup looked down at the paper again. He scribbled down a quick 'ok' and threw it back. He didn't watch for Jack's reaction, but got back to work.

By the end of class he had perfected the potion and had been given five points for Ravenclaw. As he walked out of class he tried to catch up to Jack to ask him what it was about, but tripped over someone's foot and fell on the ground.

His books scattered everywhere and papers flew all over the corridor. The Slytherins busted out laughing. "Nice going Ravenclaw," a lanky light haired boy laughed.

"Hey, leave him alone," Jack shouted. He bent down to help Hiccup pick up his books.

"Ohh Frosty's being sweet on a Ravenclaw," the same boy nudged Jack. Jack glared at him and his grip on the books tightened.

"Shut-up Jasper," he practically growled. Jasper ignored him and continued to taunt them. A chubby red head joined him. Jack's eyes darkened. He stood up and pulled out his wand. "I said Shut-up," he bellowed.

The whole corridor went dead silent. All eyes turned on Jack and Jasper. Jasper looked terrified, Jack looked furious.

There was a scuffling behind him and Jack glanced back to see Gowthur and Deb standing there. He noticed Gowthur had a piece of paper in his hand, but he ignored them and turned back to Jack.

"Is there a problem Mr. Frost and Mr. Owens?" Professor Starling asked, coming out of her classroom. Jack lowered his wand.

"No Professor," he said quietly. Professor Starling looked at Jasper with her dark critical eyes.

"No Professor," he agreed.

"Then continue on your way, all of you," she ordered. The students dispersed. Hiccup was hoping Jack would stay behind so he could ask him what he wanted to talk about, but Jack was the first to disappear. Mason and Pally helped him pick up his books.

After he had gathered everything he realized he was missing the letter from Jack. He glanced around, but it wasn't in the hall. Shrugging it off he followed his friends to the Ravenclaw common room.

A/N:

Chapter six! I know I said I would be updating every weekend but, I really like how this story is going. If it wasn't for my loyal readers and reviewers I wouldn't be writing this so thank you! I realized in my last chapter update that I didn't name my reviewers so here they are. These are my reviewers from chapter 4 and 5. Bailey24, Sharon1224, WordWarrior192, and Rory. Thanks you guys! Sharon1224 you write the sweetest reviews. Thanks so much. That is like the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my writing. You made me feel so good. Thanks. Now about this chapter I know I didn't focus much on the whole attempt on the Minister's life, but that's because it isn't important until much later on, and because since he is the Minister of Magic that kind of a thing is a common occurrence, at least it is in my wizard world. Also I know that in the books they don't have a Valentines dance, but like I said this is my wizard world, not JK Rowling's so they have a dance. First-years aren't allowed though so it won't be featured in this story. Well anyways thanks for reading and please review!