Best of Both Worlds

(A Hogwarts AU. Most Hogwarts AUs put Hiccup in Hufflepuff, but that doesn't fit for me at all. I prefer to see him as a Ravenclaw, and not just because that's my House. Toothless doesn't feature in this story, but rest assured, he's romping around the Forbidden Forest, probably hunting sanctimonious centaurs. I don't own Hogwarts and I never have. But lord knows I've made use of it.)

"If my calculations are correct, this place has the best chances of both catching the signal and having low enough magic levels to not interfere with my electronics. I mean, how much magic do we even use in Astronomy? 'Lumos'?"

"And magic on the telescopes," said Merida. She was leaning against the door to the Astronomy Tower, keeping watch. Hiccup was bent over a small television set, fiddling with the dials and antennae, and occasionally greasing the wires with an oily potion. They were on the westernmost tower, and the last of the sunset light picked up the red of Merida's hair and scarf, while blotting Hiccup's Ravenclaw scarf to a peculiar purple. "I'm still impressed ye managed to get all the pieces," Merida said.

"Gobber – that's my dad's best friend – mailed them to me over the last few months. He's a mechanic, handyman, computer programmer – you name it, he can do it."

"Except magic." Hiccup glared at her. He hadn't known a single wizard before his Hogwarts letter had arrived, while Merida's family was pureblooded almost as far back as the founding of Hogwarts. She grinned. "No, really, I'm very impressed. I've never seen a proper television before, but always hankered after one. Seems so much more fun than an ol' radio."

"You'll be even more impressed if it works," Hiccup grumbled. He attached the last wire to a set of potato batteries – the only electricity generators guaranteed to not go haywire in Hogwarts' magic field. But these were Rapunzel's very best Demeter potatoes, and each was about the size of a pumpkin. Sparks fluttered around them and their wires. "C'mon," he urged them. "Work!"

"So what makes this television program we're going to watch tonight so great anyway?"

"It's not just a program. It's a movie - it's a philosophy. It's a way of life."

"What?" Merida glanced to the door, as if contemplating a getaway. "It's not in Latin, is it?"

"No, I was exaggerating. It's... it's a movie. The first of three. The others will be on tomorrow and Sunday night."

"An' what makes them so special?"

"They meant a whole lot to me growing up. I mean, don't get me wrong, the wizarding world is great, but there's stuff in the Muggle world that you can't even compare with – like movies! And I want the best of both worlds." He glanced up and saw that Merida was giving him a wry smile.

"Now that is the spirit, Hiccup. Never settle for second best. We'll make a Gryffindor of ye yet."

He looked down again, his ears going pink, and not just with the sunset. "I just want to share some of my world with you… uh, with you guys. Where's Jack and Rapunzel?"

"Rapunzel said she'd stop by the kitchens. Jack is probably late just to spite you."

"Yeah, he would be," Hiccup agreed. "What time is it?"

"Five to six."

"Perfect. Now we just pray to the gods of our choice… and…" he pressed the Power button. Merida looked around in surprise – she was hearing the faint hum of television feedback, for the first time in her life. Static filled the screen, and Hiccup cautiously pressed the Channel-Up button.

The static was replaced by the image of a trustworthy-looking man talking about car insurance.

"YES!" Hiccup cried, jumping up. "It works!"

His voice echoed over the campus, and he clapped his hands over his mouth. Merida laughed. "Good on ye, Hiccup! Ye really did it. How do they get the little man in the screen there?"

"I've explained it to you a dozen times, you just weren't listening before." He was already changing channels, looking for the movie one.

"It wasn't working before. Hiccup, ye really are something else. Even me mum would be impressed with this."

He beamed. "Thank you! I just hope the others get here soon. Aha! Here we are. Come over here."

Merida sat down very close to him in front of the screen. "Did ye think to cast any Cushioning Charms?"

"Huh? No…"

"And ye call yourself a flier. Ye think anyone could stand to sit on a broomstick without a good Charm or three in place?" She took out her wand and cast the spells, while Hiccup looked over the ramparts.

"I see Rapunzel, she's running up here – and Jack's following."

"It's a good thing she's so easy to spot at a distance."

"You and her both." Hiccup got himself a shove for that.

"There. Come over here." Merida sat very close to Hiccup – very close indeed. He swallowed, and grinned. This was going to be a good night. The last commercial was replaced by blue text on black.

"Now wha' does that say?" Merida asked, as the first stars began to come out.

Hiccup cleared his throat. "'A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…'"