Author's Note: Hello everyone! I have to give a special thanks to all the Triwizard tournament ideas and their owners. They are all so creative and it's so tempting to use them all, I think I'm going to have a hard time choosing only three...

So, for this chapter, there's a huge secret revealed for the Big Four, though it's probably not that big a surprise for all you readers, having seen the movies (I hope). There's some conflict at the end, and conflict isn't normally my specialty, so feel free to critique it as much as you want. Feedback is always welcome. Enjoy the chapter.

I sat in front of the fire, fiddling with my hair nervously as Merida and Jack worked together on some homework we were given days ago. I was worried. Where was Hiccup? What had happened? Merida had told me he had left to a meeting with Prof. North while Jack had stayed awfully silent.

"It can't be a Hippogriff, Jack. Those things don't eat muggles." Merida muttered angrily. They were still arguing over some Care of Magical Creatures homework, the bickering over answers having gone on for hours.

"Well, then what is it?" Jack asked equally as frustrated. He sighed. "Where's Hiccup when you need him?"

A small creak could be heard as the Ravenclaw room door swung open. My head snapped up to the doorway. A small boy clutching a book stepped through the doorway quietly and closed the door behind him.

"Hiccup!" I said. I stood from my chair and ran over to him.

"Oh. Hi there, Rapunzel." He said.

"Where were you?"I asked.

Hiccup looked over to Merida and Jack, who were just standing now.

"I thought I told Merida I had a meeting." He muttered.

"Where were you, Haddock?" Merida demanded. "You run off the quidditch pitch, give a half-hearted excuse and then don't come back for hours!"

I looked over at Jack. He frowned sightly while studying Hiccup.

"What did you do to your robes?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked.

I reached forward and grasped the torn fabric of his robes, fingering a hole.

"Oh." He said. "I didn't realize-"

Suddenly, Merida gasped and pointed to Hiccups leg. I looked down trying to spot whatever had frightened Merida so much.

"Hiccup, what-your foot!" She squeaked.

I looked down to where Merida was pointing and saw a shiny metal contraption poking out from under his robes where Hiccup's left foot should have been. I dropped the fabric quickly, instead stumbling back, away from the surreal sight. I could hear Jack take a sharp inhale of breath beside me, while Merida stood there, frozen in shock.

"Uh, yeah. My foot, is missing." Hiccup said half-heartedly.

"What?" Jack barely whispered. "Why didn't..." He trailed off.

Hiccup sighed and turned to placed the large book he was carrying on a table beside him. He then sat down in an armchair in front of the fire. I walked over and sat down in front of him, on a plush couch. Merida stayed standing beside Hiccup and Jack perched himself atop the back of the couch.

He leaned forward and ran a hand through his mop of auburn hair.

"So, you guys know my dad right?" He asked, tiredly.

"The Chief of your village." I stated, not realizing I had spoken.

"Yeah. Well, this summer we had an...argument." Hiccup sighed. "I did something against his belief's, betrayed the village, he disowned me. I had warned them against...a creature. It was something they couldn't defeat on their own. But he was so stubborn. I had to go in before they could get there and save them, and I lost something in turn."

"Hiccup-" Merida whispered.

"They found me, unconscious on the beach, took me in, healed me. Don't worry. I defeated the...creature. But, when I woke up I-I realized I was missing something." Hiccup's voice grew very quiet. "I had lost...my leg."

"Oh my god. Hiccup-" I said. A hand flew up to my mouth, stifling tears.

Hiccup pulled up his tattered cloak to reveal a shiny, metal device where his leg used to be.

"So, peg leg!' He said with mock enthusiasm. "I made it myself, actually." He allowed himself a small, proud smile. "I made it in the village forge, then I...ran away." He dropped the cloak. "I haven't returned to the village. It doesn't matter anyways. Snotlout will become chief, my Dad will move on, Gobber will...find a new apprentice."

Merida's arms dropped to her sides and she began muttering to herself. She sat down on the couch Jack was perched upon. Hiccup stared glumly down at the floor while I tried so hard to fight back the tears. How had none of us noticed? Why didn't Hiccup tell us?

"Why didn't you tell us all this was happening?" I asked. "You could have sent an owl, or-or asked for help-"

"My village has...stubborness issues. We refuse to let others fight our battles. Vikings pride and all that."

"Vikings...?" Merida muttered, suddenly over her shock.

Hiccup winced. "Uh, yes. Vikings."

"You mean, you're a Viking?" She asked. Merida sounded betrayed and hurt. "You are a Viking." She whispered.

"Not anymore." Hiccup said, sounding equally as hurt as Merida.

I couldn't move, couldn't say anything. My mind still reeled around the fact that Hiccup had lost his leg. If he had just sent an owl, or asked for help, I could have helped. My hair would have fixed it and he wouldn't be crippled.

Merida began shouting. "Your people have murdered hundreds of our men, have pillaged harmless villages and you have the nerve, to-to come here and be-"

"My clan," Hiccup said over Merida's ranting. "Doesn't kill anyone. We don't pillage harmless villages, we haven't invaded the Scots ever since my dad became Chief." Hiccup stood and faced Merida.

"Guys-" Jack began.

"But that doesn't stop other Vikings from attacking our lands!" Merida said. "They are your people Hiccup-"

"They are not my people, Merida." Hiccup said.

I could only stare in mute horror at my two best friends, fighting. The room became uncomfortably quiet as Merida and Hiccup stared silently at each other.

"My father has disowned me, my mother is dead, and my only friend on that godforsaken island was a blacksmith. They are not my people anymore Merida, I am not a Viking." Hiccup said calmly, though I could see him shaking slightly.

Merida was silent, as were the rest of us. I looked over to Jack, the helplessness evident on my face. He appeared just as worried as I was.

"I'm sorry, I just..." Hiccup sighed. "I'm going to... I'll go now."

He walked over to the table he had left his book on and tucked it under his arm. He walked up the stairway, clutching the railing for support. I could now hear the distinct step-clunk-step-clunk of his steps as he climbed the wooden staircase. How could we have been so ignorant, so foolish?

"Merida?" I asked quietly.

"What is it, Punzie?" She whispered.

"Do you feel as bad as I do?"

"Even worse."