Author's note:

Wow, it's almost been a month…I think this is my slowest update ever but I finally managed to get this chapter done.

Man… I can't believe this story is over 400.000 words now. That is just… unbelievable. When I started writing it, I never imagined it would turn out to be this long. It wasn't a part of my plan at all, it just got completely out of hand, ha ha. And there's still quite a bit of story left!

Also, a friend of mine convinced me to get Tumblr, so I got that today. Feel free to follow me if you want: .

Anyway…enough of my yapping. On with the story!

Small, fragments of consciousness began to encroach on Jack's mind, slowly waking his brain from its slumber. He was in a lovely sleepy haze, not willing to open his eyes yet. His face rested comfortably against something soft and warm and he relished the snug bubble he currently found himself in.

He stretched his legs out a little, having spent too much time lying in exactly the same position. A content sigh escaped his lips.

"Jack…" he heard a very familiar voice say, invading his clouded mind.

Why was Hiccup here?

"Jack." Hiccup said again.

"Mhmm." was his eloquent response. He didn't want to wake up. He wanted to keep staying in this wonderful state of being half asleep and half awake. It was comfortable and warm and soft and he didn't want reality to set in. Reality, that jerk…with its early mornings, classes and homework.

Then he felt the warm surface he was lying against shift a little under him and suddenly soft lips were gently pressed against his forehead and a strong arm was wrapped around his back.

He slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. Hiccup was looking down at him with fond eyes and a small, soft smile on his lips.

Then it all came back to him.

He had kissed Hiccup. Hiccup had kissed him back. They had confessed their feelings to each other…and after some convincing that everything would work out, Hiccup had said yes to being…

A warm smile appeared on his lips as he continued to look into the green eyes of his boyfriend.

"Morning." Hiccup said and lifted a hand to let fingers glide through his white hair, still keeping his other arm around Jack's back. The gentle touches through his snowy locks sent pleasant tickling sensations through his skin and made his stomach flutter with affection.

Man…he could really get used to being woken up like this.

"Morning." he replied, unable to wipe that smile off his face. He was lying in Hiccup's arms, all snug and warm, and he knew for certain now that his love was returned. What feeling could ever be better than that?

He lowered his head again and let it lean against Hiccup's chest. His cheek rested on Hiccup's soft shirt and his ear listened to Hiccup's heartbeat. It was a soothing sound, a steady drumming of life, and it made him melt even more into Hiccup's arms.

He really wanted to go to sleep right now. Just float away into the dream world while resting comfortably in his boyfriend's embrace but he knew that wasn't possible. He forced himself to keep his eyes open.

"What time is it?" he asked. It was still dark outside so it had to be very early.

"Almost dawn…I'm going flying with Toothless now." Hiccup told him.

"Oh, okay."

He didn't want Hiccup to leave. He pretty much wanted to stay here for as long as possible but…Toothless needed to fly. He understood that, so he would have to reluctantly let Hiccup go, despite how wonderful and perfect their current situation was.

"Do you want to come?" he heard Hiccup's voice say.

Jack immediately felt revitalized, as a beaming grin parted his lips and he quickly lifted his head to meet Hiccup's eyes.

"Uh, yeah I want to come! Do you even have to ask?"

"I guess not." Hiccup chuckled.

"Let's go then!" he said and practically leapt off the couch.

Yes, he would like to have stayed here with Hiccup for much longer but now he actually had a chance to go fly on Toothless again. He definitely wasn't going to pass up that opportunity.

"Wow. That's all it takes to get you all energized? I have to remember that." Hiccup said in amusement as he got to his feet too.

"All it takes?" You're offering me a ride on Toothless! Who wouldn't get out of bed…err….off couch, for that?"

"Hmm, true, I guess." Hiccup said and then turned towards the other couch, where the black cat in question was resting. "Well, bud. You want to go flying?"

Toothless instantly left his comfortable position curled up on the couch, jumped down on the ground and began meowing wildly and running around Hiccup's legs.

Hiccup laughed a little. "I'll take that as a yes….well, let's go then." Hiccup said and began to move towards the door.

Well…he was in too much of a hurry for Jack's taste right now. There was something they needed to do first before anything else happened.

"Wait just a minute now." Jack said and quickly followed him.

"What?" Hiccup said and turned around to face him again.

Just as he did, Jack grabbed his shoulders and then quickly claimed Hiccup's lips. His eyes closed and their warm mouths moving against each other instantly sent his heart soaring and his stomach fluttering. He could feel Hiccup's body relax, leaning into his touch. He let his hands slide from Hiccup's shoulders down to his waist and wrapped them around him tightly. Protectively. Their wet lips molded against each other again and again in a slow, steady rhythm and everything in Jack's mind went silent. Oh how he loved that silence…how everything around them seem to evaporate, like they were the only two people in existence…how he could focus on nothing but the sensitive skin on his lips tickling deliciously when they brushed and pressed against Hiccup's wet, warm mouth.

He could do this forever.

But they had a flight on their schedule.

When he pulled back, Hiccup slowly opened his eyes and their gazes locked.

"We can actually do this now, remember? I intend to take advantage of that." he told his boyfriend with a mischievous grin. He and Hiccup might not be ready for the other students at the castle to know about them yet, but whenever they were alone, he would make sure to get a taste of those lips now that he was finally able to.

"I can't say I object to that idea." Hiccup said with a smile appearing on his lips that seemed to threaten to bloom into a beaming grin at any moment. His green eyes were shining with joy and Jack couldn't control the bubbly happiness swimming through his body.

It was so fucking wonderful to be in love and know that your love was returned. He could burst with joy right then and there. He could have Arithmancy from morning to late night every single day for a month and still be completely unable to wipe the goofy smile off his face.

He and Hiccup watched each other in silence for a few brief moments, before Hiccup leaned in to close the gap between them once again. Their eyes were gazing into each other until the last moment before their lips brushed and Jack's eyelids made the world turn dark. Hiccup put his arms around him on top of Jack's arms holding them down in a tight grip.

Hiccup began to kiss him slowly. Painfully slowly. With each new kiss, Hiccup let their lips graze softly before increasing the pressure just a little and then pulling back. Every nerve in Jack's lips was screaming with delight and he just wanted to grab Hiccup and smash their lips together with more force. But Hiccup kept him in place and took his sweet time to make everything in Jack's body bubble with love and need. It was maddening.

When Hiccup pulled back and let his arms drop to his sides, Jack opened his eyes again. As he took in the face of his boyfriend, he was met with a fond smile on Hiccup's lips.

"You are not playing fair, Haddock." he told Hiccup as an amused smile spread across his lips.

"Oh I know, Snowflake." Hiccup grinned, pupils dilated. Jack was definitely not alone in being affected by that kissing session. "Come on…let's go flying while there's still time."

They quickly walked through the exit of the Room of Requirement, Toothless fast on their heels.

It was so early in the morning that the sun hadn't risen yet. The corridors were empty and dark, only the pale moonlight through the windows making their surroundings slightly visible. Hiccup pulled out his wand and let a Lumos spell illuminate the stone hallways further.

They remained quiet through their walk along the passageways of the castle, content to simply walk next to each other in comfortable silence. Jack let out a little yawn and stretched his neck from side to side. How Hiccup was able to get up this early every day and not be ready to collapse with fatigue later in the day was beyond his ability to comprehend.

When they reached one of the exits of the castle, Hiccup pushed open the large, wooden doors and the three of them walked out into the brisk morning air. The freshness of the chilly breeze revitalized him even more and as he and Hiccup began making their way across a stone pathway and then onto green grass moistened by dew, he could feel the last remnants of his tiredness evaporating.

He breathed in deep, relishing the coolness of this cold winter morning and then exhaled slowly, his breath turning into pale fog drifting upwards into the dark sky.

Warm skin suddenly brushed his hand, as Hiccup reached out and intertwined their fingers. He couldn't help looking at his boyfriend and giving him a warm smile, which Hiccup returned. It was such an innocent contact but it spoke volumes of what they were now.

They continued walking in comfortable silence towards the small forest. The only sounds reaching Jack's ears were the wind whispering in the trees, their footsteps flattening moist grass and the chirping of birds who were already awake despite the lack of light. He briefly looked down to the side and watched Toothless trot along happily, obviously eager to get to spread his wings as soon as he was turned into a dragon again.

He let his thoughts wander as he and Hiccup kept holding hands and he savored the warmth of their skin touching. Hiccup kept his other hand raised, clutching his wand that was emitting the white light of the Lumos spell to guide their way.

It was still quite difficult to comprehend that this was actually happening. That he and Hiccup were together now. He had wanted that for so long but he had been convinced it was impossible. That Hiccup would never feel the same way about him. Now though…now they were boyfriends and holding hands on their way to the forest and it just felt right and natural in every way.

Hiccup was right though…it wasn't going to be easy. There were some serious difficulties they had to overcome…like the hostile tribes still wanting Hiccup dead…like the person who had helped McGowan, Levin and Zamora who still hadn't been found…like Hiccup's dad who might not accept this side of Hiccup.

And then…there were also the other Vikings. Jack had no idea how Vikings felt about homosexuality. Would they reject Hiccup when they found out?

He tightened his grip on Hiccup's hand a little and in his peripheral vision he could see Hiccup turning his head to look at him.

"Hic…?" he said, keeping his eyes trained on the grass his feet were swiftly carrying him across.

"Yeah?"

"About this whole chief thing…"

"What about it?"

"How does it work now that we're together?" he asked. He needed to know more about this…about the trials they were going to go through as a couple. He was really hoping the situation with the other Vikings wouldn't be too difficult, but he wasn't sure what to expect.

"Well…I guess, I don't have to worry about becoming chief anymore." Hiccup spoke softly. There was a combination of sadness and determination in his voice.

"Wait." Jack stopped walking. He kept his hand in Hiccup's and Hiccup halted his steps as well. Jack lifted his head and let his eyes meet Hiccup's. "You think they won't want you as their chief just because you're in a relationship with me?"

He had only known about Hiccup's future responsibilities since yesterday, so he hadn't really had time to consider all the implications their relationship might have on that.

Hiccup's face didn't really reveal any emotions. "Yeah, I'm fairly certain of that." he said and shrugged as if it was no big deal. It was though…and Jack knew Hiccup well enough to know he was just trying to be strong right now. That he was nervous about how his tribe would react. After all…who wouldn't be?

Jack could sense tiny knots forming in his gut. Hiccup was giving up the possibility of following in his dad's footsteps and making him proud…to be with him. He was well aware that Hiccup wasn't the type to actually want leadership responsibilities but…that was what he was always meant to do and now his whole future had become unsure. His relationship with his dad and the other Vikings he knew could even be broken.

He needed some kind of reassurance that Hiccup was absolutely certain he wanted to give all of that up.

"Hiccup. Are you sure you're okay with making that kind of sacrifice?" he asked him, balling his free hand into a nervous fist, while still clutching Hiccup's hand with the other.

Hiccup just looked at him for a moment, green eyes softening, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"Jack..." he said. "I don't consider it a sacrifice. I consider it my opportunity to be happy. With you."

Jack unclenched his fist and felt those tiny knots in his gut begin to untie themselves.

"I don't even know how a relationship between two guys is perceived in Viking culture?" he replied looking into Hiccup's reassuring eyes.

The small smile slowly vanished from Hiccup's lips.

Clearly, relationships between guys weren't seen as a good thing then.

"It's not approved of." Hiccup spoke, conflicting emotions shining in his green eyes. "It's seen as…a weakness. As a failure to be strong and honorable…Hopefully it will change in time, like things changed with the dragons but…right now, it's looked down on." Hiccup explained and then tore his eyes off Jack and observed the ground.

"Oh…" Jack said. So Hiccup was not just giving up the possibility of becoming chief and ruining his relationship with his dad. He was also risking becoming an outcast again, losing all the respect he had gained from the other Vikings in the last few years. Maybe he would even be forced to leave his home and all the Vikings he knew.

"I'm sorry…so your dad might not understand?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I'm pretty sure he won't but…let's cross that bridge when we get there." Hiccup told him and lifted his head to look at him again. His eyes were conveying the worry and sadness he obviously felt within and Jack squeezed his hand to bring him just a little comfort.

"Yeah. It's just…I'm sorry Hic. Things are a lot easier for me than for you." he replied.

He didn't have to worry about how his family would react. They would all be ecstatic that he and Hiccup were together now. The same could be said for all of his friends. He didn't have a role he had to live up to, massive expectations that had been forced down on him, a culture that was less than understanding regarding homosexuality. He and Hiccup's situations probably couldn't be more different.

Hiccup breathed in deep and then exhaled. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about how everyone back home is going to react but…in the end, the most important thing is that we can actually be together now."

Those words and the soft gleam in Hiccup's eyes when he looked at him right now conveyed everything Jack needed to know. There was no doubt about the love Hiccup felt for him.

He leaned in and pressed his lips against Hiccup's in response, still holding one of his hands. It was a brief, soft kiss but Jack savored every part of it.

"We'll deal with all of it together." he promised Hiccup when he broke the kiss, and he meant every word. He would be there every step of the way to support him no matter what happened.

"Yeah. We will." Hiccup agreed with a soft smile and the fact that Jack couldn't see any doubt in those green eyes made him feel touched.

Toothless suddenly meowed impatiently from next to them and they both chuckled in response and turned their heads to look at the black cat.

"Getting impatient huh, bud?" Hiccup asked and Toothless began to rub his black furry head against Hiccup's leg.

"Well, he didn't get to fly last night, so he probably has a lot of energy to get out."

"Yeah, he probably does." Hiccup replied. "Come on."

Then they resumed their walk towards the forest in the darkness of the very early winter morning. Jack enjoyed the refreshing sense and smell of moisture in the air from the morning dew resting on blades of grass, leaves, branches, rocks. Tiny beads of transparent water shining in the faint light from Hiccup's wand and the moon and stars.

When they reached the edge of the forest, Hiccup let go of his hand and turned towards Toothless. The black cat had sat down and was looking at Hiccup expectantly with those large, green eyes. Apparently Toothless already knew what was going to happen.

Hiccup did a quick flick of his wand and uttered the needed incantation and Toothless quickly turned from black cat to black dragon in a few moments.

The Night Fury immediately spread out his wings to stretch them and his mouth parted in a huge, toothless grin, revealing nothing but pink gums and tongue.

Jack smiled happily at the dragon and looked at Hiccup who was grinning at his best friend's enthusiasm.

"So…are you two ready to go?" the Viking asked them and Toothless instantly warbled eagerly, his bright green eyes lighting up with joy.

"I think we're more than ready." Jack told him.

"Let's go then." Hiccup replied and walked to Toothless' side before grabbing hold of the saddle and pulling himself up, placing himself comfortably on the dragon and clicking his harness into place. It was a good thing that the saddle reappeared whenever Toothless was turned back into dragon form, like clothes reappeared on people who were transfigured back into humans after being an animal. Toothless' saddle was quite complex, so if Hiccup had to take it off and on, it would take a lot of time.

Jack approached the Night Fury too and Toothless lowered his body closer to the ground to allow him easier access. Hiccup reached out a hand to help him up and he took it and grabbed the saddle with his other hand. Hiccup pulled him towards him and Jack heaved himself up using his other hand as well. He got on Toothless' back, behind Hiccup on the saddle. Unlike the last time Hiccup had taken him flying, this time he didn't have to worry about keeping some distance between them. He wrapped the harness around himself and clicked it into place, before he put his arms around Hiccup's midsection. Hiccup briefly looked back at him with a smile before turning his head forwards again.

Hiccup clicked his prosthesis into place. "Okay bud. Let's fly." he then said and Jack tightened his grip around Hiccup, because he knew what was coming.

Toothless lowered his body even more before taking off from the ground at massive speed, shooting straight into the dark blue winter skies. Jack's heart leapt with thrill and shock, despite having tried this once before. His breathing was stuttering and he wrapped his arms even tighter around Hiccup. Adrenaline was swimming through his blood, making his entire being feel energized and prepared for danger.

The forest below them quickly got smaller and smaller as Toothless took them further into the skies, flying almost vertically. Jack was grateful that Hiccup had made harnesses for the saddle to keep them in place, because shooting almost upright through the sky on a dragon was crazier than any ride in the world…and way more fun than anything he had ever tried before.

When Toothless ceased his vertical climbing and began to glide horizontally through the chilly air, Jack let out a sigh of contentment and his heartbeat slowed down again. He looked down at the world below, the magical castle, the forests, the lake, everything appearing so small from up here and only illuminated slightly from the white glow of the moon and stars.

It was peaceful.

The gentle but cold wind touching his skin, disheveling his white hair, making his black cloak flap in the wind. The closeness and warmth between him and Hiccup. The sound of air brushing past them and Toothless' large, impressive wings flapping once in a while to keep them adrift. The view of the world below.

Jack felt at ease. Calm. Happy.

Hiccup placed a hand on top of one of Jacks' hands that were still wrapped around the Viking and Jack intertwined their fingers and smiled to himself.

Hiccup guided Toothless lower and they flew only a few feet above the treetops of one of the forests surrounding their giant, magical school.

Hogwarts stood proud on the cliffs next to the water, the dark building contrasting against the pale moonlight. Tall towers reached into the night sky, striving to touch the heavens and stone walls were bathed in faint warm glows wherever torches hung outside. Square and arched shapes of yellow light could be seen in various places, from the rooms where the light was still on despite the ungodly hour.

The scent of pine invaded Jack's nostrils as they made their way across the dark trees. It was a pleasant, fresh scent that he had come to associate with Hiccup.

"Hey…do you think you could do some tricks?" he asked the Viking in front of him.

"Sure…if you think you can handle it." Hiccup teased him and Jack could practically sense the amused smile on Hiccup's face.

"Of course I can handle it!" he objected.

"Okay, Snowflake." Hiccup agreed and slid his hand away from Jack's again to grab the steering rods.

He heard the sound of Hiccup clicking his prosthesis into a different position. Then they were climbing upwards into the skies again, though more slowly this time. Jack kept his eyes on the white and grey clouds drifting by in the dark heavens, sometimes gliding across the moon, veiling the white orb and dimming the pale light slightly.

They were approaching a little patch of clouds above them, but before Jack was even able to register it, Hiccup made Toothless pull up vertically and then just fall backwards through the air.

Jack held on to Hiccup tightly as they dropped through the skies. Air was rushing past him, crashing in his ears like violent waves. His hair was blowing in every direction, slapping against his skin and obscuring his vision. Every nerve in him was singed with the fire of adrenaline. His chest was constricting from the shock of his racing heartbeat.

The ground was coming closer, treetops seeming to rush right at them.

A click of a prosthesis. Black dragon wings unfolding. A sudden jerk upright, harness digging into his skin. Night Fury claws scraping at the sea of treetops underneath them. Branches rustling from the rushes of air from black wings flapping.

Another click.

Then the world was spinning. Treetops, dark skies, moon, wings were swirling in his vision like running watercolors blending together. Reality was an incoherent mess that was impossible to make sense of. His heartbeat was pulsating in his head.

A sudden turn to the right. Night Fury wings spreading out. The world was still once more. Up and down had been assigned their rightful places in his mind again.

A little nausea bubbled in his throat. The chilly winter winds tingled his cheeks and nose but he savored it.

"Are you okay?" Hiccup's voice sounded through the air.

"Yeah, just…a bit nauseous." he replied. He focused on his body still adjusting to flying horizontally again.

The Viking chuckled. "Yeah, that happens. You'll get used to it."

They glided gently through the dark skies for a little while, slowly ascending. Jack breathed in deep, letting brisk air chill his lungs. He watched the stars, hundreds of small orbs of shimmering light spread across a dark blue blanket and let their luminous presence calm his mind. Underneath massive black wings, the world was once more small and unimpressive in the dark compared to the wonders of the stunning heavens. His nausea diminished and was replaced with awe of the beautiful early morning. He clutched Hiccup a little tighter and the Viking took one of his hands off the steering rods to give his hand a squeeze. He heard Hiccup sigh in contentment and he couldn't hold back a little smile.

Toothless continued to soar through the air, while Jack was happy to just sit on his back with Hiccup and observe the breath-taking view and feel the tingles in his stomach from being so high up.

He watched the massive lake come into view in the distance. Another click of Hiccup's prosthesis could be heard and then they turned and dived straight down towards the grassy hills below. He sucked in a sharp breath. His chest ached, ribs about to be pulverized by his hammering heartbeat. Bursts of energy made his cells buzz with excitement.

Before hitting the ground, Toothless and Hiccup pulled up. They evened out and rushed across the earth, blades of grass swaying furiously from the gusts of air they left behind. They were nearing the impressive body of water ahead.

The adrenaline streaming through Jack's blood was addictive. Even the wildest rollercoaster in the world could not compare to shooting through the air on a dragon, falling through the skies, pulling up right before hitting the ground. It was fucking amazing and it was so much fun that Jack's brain could hardly process it all.

"That was wicked!" he shouted to his boyfriend, needing to express some of his joy.

"Good!" Hiccup said before laughing happily.

They swooped across the last grassy hill before they came to the large lake and began to fly across it, right above the water. He could hear water ripple underneath from the air from Toothless' wings. The dragon's claws skimmed the surface of the lake and small sprays of water left tiny chilly drops on his pale skin. It was refreshing.

A familiar click. Suddenly they pulled upwards and then backwards, making a large loop, before once again going straight ahead. Jack's stomach tingled pleasantly from the sudden movement and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Do that again!" he yelled at Hiccup, who chuckled in response before the exact same motion was repeated and Jack got to experience even more of that wonderful tickling in his body, as the adrenaline made him more and more energized and happy.

"You really like loops, huh Snowcone?" Hiccup asked from in front of him.

"Yeah! Who doesn't!?" he asked.

"Errr, a lot of people." Hiccup replied, sounding amused.

"Well, maybe they would if they were on a bloody dragon!"

Hiccup laughed at that and Jack couldn't help laughing along with him. He was deliriously happy in this moment. He was with his boyfriend, he was on a dragon and he was swooping through the air.

They were nearing the edge of the massive lake, where forest surrounded the area. Jack was expecting Hiccup to make Toothless ascend so they could fly above the treetops, but apparently the Viking had other ideas as they continued to head straight for the forest.

Jack wasn't nervous. Hiccup knew what he was doing. He was certain it was going to be fun though and that made more excitement stream through him.

The thick tree trunks ahead came rushing towards them and Hiccup guided the Night Fury into the forest. They navigated around every tree effectively and all the sharp turns, jerks up and down and close proximity to the large trees made the fun bubble in Jack's brain. He savored the quick movements and the sheer speed, trees appearing and vanishing before he even had time to fully register it.

As they dived down in one swift move and flew under a massive oak branch, Jack unleashed cries of joy from the thrill of it all. Toothless warbled happily and released a small plasma blast that luckily disappeared before they flew into it. Hiccup briefly glanced back at him and grinned, before he guided Toothless to the edge of the forest and they once again ascended into the skies.

"That was great! I can't believe Toothless can actually get through the forest that quickly!" he told his boyfriend. Toothless was a massive dragon and yet when he and Hiccup worked together, he was able to work his way around all those trees, even though the space between them was very narrow.

"Yeah, he's very agile." Hiccup said and Jack could almost hear him smile. "Right bud?" Hiccup asked the dragon and reached out a hand to pat the top of Toothless' black head. Toothless instantly made a low purring sound in reply.

They approached the castle and then flew above Hogwarts, the top of the towers only a few feet below them. Jack found himself thinking that most students inside the castle would never see their magical school from this angle and they were seriously missing out. It was both beautiful and fascinating to see the massive, ancient school from above like this, taking in all kinds of details that he had never seen before.

Hiccup steered Toothless towards the small forest where the cave was. Jack observed the Quidditch pitch coming into view and Toothless' black wings carried them past the wooden spectator towers. The pitch almost resembled an abandoned structure in a ghost town. Usually it was filled with excited people, walls of noise, colorful banners and flags but right now…it was empty. Dark. Deserted. Silent. It was a sharp contrast.

He could see the small forest in the distance, a blanket of treetops resembling a moss covered forest floor. Toothless began to descend slowly, being guided towards the clearing and the cave by Hiccup.

The Night Fury landed on the grass with a thud beneath each large, black paw. Jack let go of Hiccup and clicked his harness open, while Hiccup did the same. Then they both slid off Toothless' back.

The Night Fury's eyes were large, pupils dilated with excitement. His big, pink tongue was sticking out of his mouth, dripping a little with saliva. Toothless was looking ready to burst with joy and Jack couldn't help chuckling and scratching the dragon under his chin. The Night Fury warbled happily at that and wriggled his body, seemingly telling Jack to pet him even more. Jack quickly obliged and started to stroke and scratch Toothless down his sides. The dragon closed his eyes and low purring sounds vibrated in the black animal's throat.

Jack shook his head to himself. "You're truly something else, Toothless." he said affectionately to the large dragon. He had come to really care for Toothless by now. The dragon had a wonderful personality: loving, playful, mischievous, curious. Not to mention that he was unbelievably intelligent and fiercely protective of Hiccup, which only made the dragon even greater in Jack's opinion.

After a few minutes, Jack let his hands drop to his sides and turned towards Hiccup, who was watching him and Toothless with a soft look in his eyes. The Viking instantly covered the few feet between them, put his hands on each side of his head and brushed their lips together in a gentle kiss. Jack's heart drummed in his chest and he enjoyed the warm feel of Hiccup's lips on his.

Then Hiccup pulled back enough for them to look into each other's eyes.

"What was that for?" he asked with an amused smile.

"For being so wonderful." the answer spilled from Hiccup's lips.

It had been more than just difficult to get through classes today without his friends suspecting something. As soon as they saw him at breakfast, they started to question him on where he and Hiccup had disappeared too yesterday, since they were all supposed to hang out together and why they hadn't even shown up for dinner or later in the common room. Jack just told them that he and Hiccup had had a disagreement and they needed to talk it through but that things were okay now. If he did say so himself, he was quite convincing.

It wasn't entirely untrue either. He and Hiccup had fought and now things were great between them again. He just casually left out the part where they had made out, he had confessed his feelings to Hiccup and Hiccup had reciprocated them. That had to wait until later. He and Hiccup had agreed to tell their friends together, so Jack just had to find some clever way of getting through the day without grinning like a moron all the time. That would definitely raise suspicions. But he could manage. After all, he was an evil genius, right?

His friends seemed content with his answers and they didn't press the matter further, most likely because everything involving Hiccup was still a little delicate, because of his recent torture and brush with death. All of their friends knew that the Viking still had some emotional healing to do and that it would take time.

After breakfast their first class of the day was Defense against the Dark Arts, where they spent half the class with repetition, practicing disarming each other effectively. Afterwards they moved on to casting the Patronus charm for the remainder of the lesson. Even though almost every student in their class had now learned how to cast a Patronus, they still needed to practice it regularly to become familiar with using such a difficult spell. If they ever needed to use it outside of school, it would be against dark creatures or fanatic purebloods and in such cases, they would be affected by stress and fear. Therefore, as much practice as possible was needed.

After class they went to the dungeons for their Potions lesson. He helped Merida survive the class as usual, assisting her in brewing the Elixir to induce Euphoria, while still managing to make his own batch as well. Merida made sure to voice her complaints with the subject as usual throughout the lesson, until she got sidetracked at the end by Flynn, who insisted she was planning to use the potion on him, so he would be "too drunk on euphoria to fight off your advances, Simba".

Jack attempted to appear normal, even though it was beyond difficult, as he was practically bubbling over from the inside out with joy. His body and mind were itching to just express all that amazing happiness that filled him up. His lips wanted to curve into a goofy smile all the time, his legs twitched to speed through the hallways like a maniac and he wanted to jump around and scream and shout with joy. He couldn't wait for classes to be over, so he could be around his boyfriend again.

That wasn't in the cards though. He had to keep it together for now. Half of his mind concentrated on brewing his batch, keeping an eye on Merida and her cauldron, listening to his friends talking, chuckling at their funny comments sometimes, while the other half thought about Hiccup. Multi-tasking wasn't one of his strengths though, so sometimes he completely zoned out and his friends brought him back to reality by shouting his name or nudging his shoulder. He explained that he was just tired, which was a great lie because when he did lack sleep, he had a tendency to daydream or otherwise tune the world out.

When Professor Creek was wrapping up the class and briefly told them their homework, Jack glanced around the room casually and suddenly spotted Sam sitting a few workstations away from him. They briefly locked eyes and it took all of his self-control to hold back a smirk. His mouth desperately wanted to somehow signal to the Hufflepuff that Hiccup was his boyfriend now and that Sam could try all he wanted, but he would never get anywhere with him. Jack restrained himself though. Sam might be interested in Hiccup, but he was still a good guy, so he wasn't going to rub it in his face despite how smug and happy he felt in this moment.

The double Charms class they sat through afterwards went by in a blur. They practiced a bunch of different charms non-verbally and even though Jack was distracted by keeping his immense happiness under wraps, he actually did quite well in the lesson. Without a word he managed to create fire, freeze items and perform the silencing spell on Merida, much to Flynn's amusement, when Merida couldn't retort as he threw sexual comment after sexual comment at her, while she looked ready to explode. At one point near the end, when Professor Mansnoozie was explaining an upcoming assignment, Jack temporarily floated away from reality and thought about how much he wanted this lesson to be over, because then he and Hiccup could tell all of their friends about them being together now. He found himself being grateful he didn't have to wait even longer to tell them, because he wasn't sure at all if he would be able to do that. Just getting through this one day without raising suspicion had proved difficult enough.

He and Hiccup hadn't decided on a specific way to tell their friends. They had just agreed they would wait for some kind of opening, where they could stun them. Time would tell what kind of opening that would be, but it would be so fucking great to tell them. Mavis had suddenly nudged his shoulder and he had snapped out of his daze, discovering that he was grinning like an idiot. She narrowed her eyes a little, clearly analyzing him, but he just shrugged casually so she went back to focusing on their professor. That had been a close one though.

Professor Mansnoozie ended up dismissing the class fifteen minutes early, which was quite unusual but Jack definitely wasn't going to complain. He, Merida, Mavis and Flynn quickly gathered their things and stuffed them into their satchels and backpacks before leaving the Charms classroom behind.

When they stepped into the corridor, the lack of other students around gave him an idea. His three friends were moving to head towards an exit of the castle, when he spoke and made them stop.

"Hey guys." he said. They all turned around to face him.

"You go ahead. I'm going to the bathroom." he told his three friends, when in reality he was planning to find and ambush Hiccup.

"Oh, okay. See you in a bit then." Mavis said, while Flynn and Merida nodded before the three of them turned around and began their walk towards the lake.

When they were out of sight, he began to quickly walk through the passageways towards Ravenclaw Tower. Hiccup was most likely going to be there or somewhere close to it, since he needed to stock up on books, paper and charcoal pencils, before he went down to the lake.

He smiled mischievously to himself, as his feet carried him through different stone passageways. He was going to squeeze in a little alone time before they were going to be around their friends for the rest of the day, where they wouldn't exactly be able to be that affectionate with each other.

So now he was going hunting for a Viking.

The lack of students around was pleasant for Hiccup's mind.

His footsteps echoed through the stone hallways. Usually there were so many people around in the corridors and if that wasn't bad enough already, they were all watching him intently since he had had his near death experience. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Now though, he could walk along the passageways all by himself with Toothless strolling next to him in cat shape. He was heading towards the Ravenclaw Tower to grab some new books to bring with him when he was meeting his friends later on, in case he needed a break from socializing.

It was a good deal he had made with Jack. Isolation wasn't the way to deal with the aftermath of torture, he was well aware of that. He just hadn't known what else to do. It had seemed impossible to handle it any other way, but Jack had helped him open up and found a compromise that he could deal with.

He picked up the pace to get to the tower as quickly as possible. He really wanted to get his stuff so he could go to the lake and see Jack again. He had missed him terribly while they had been separated today. It was completely ridiculous since they'd seen each other this morning but he didn't even care that he was like some googly eyed schoolgirl. He couldn't control his emotions these days with all the love streaming through him and instead of trying to analyze it, he would rather just enjoy the happiness and hope that warmed his very core. So he had decided to savor having thoughts of Jack and how fucking wonderful he was in every single way swirling around in his brain constantly.

Of course he was also looking forward to spending time with their friends. It was great to be back among them, enjoying their company and their love and laughter. He had missed them all when he was going through his isolation. Even so, his psyche was still under repair from the damage it had recently attained. Sometimes it all just became too much for him. Sometimes it seemed like all of his thoughts, emotions and impressions couldn't stay in his head. There just wasn't room for it and he would become stressed out and getting that dreaded sense of being trapped in a corner with no escape route. It didn't have anything to do with his friends. They were loving and understanding as always. There were just moments where he needed to retreat from socializing of any kind and let himself calm down and unwind with some quiet, solitary activity like reading or sketching. To shut off all the activities, sounds, smells, ideas, views that were bombarding his mind and just focus on something simple.

So now he was going to the Ravenclaw Tower to grab some books, in case he needed to do just that.

When he turned around a corner and headed down another corridor, a hand suddenly came out of nowhere and closed around his arm, dragging him to the side. He barely had time to turn his head and register that flash of white hair, before he found himself at the side of the hallway, inside a little storage room, a closed door behind him.

They were surrounded by shelves upon shelves with different containers and boxes. Narrow beams of light streamed through the thin cracks on top and underneath the door and he could vaguely make out the angular features of his boyfriend's face. Jack's blue eyes seemed to be glistening with mischief, which really didn't help Hiccup to understand this situation at all. Even so he was just happy to see him right now, though he did kind of want some answers.

"Uh…Jack? What are we doing in one of the storage rooms?" he asked in confusion.

As soon as the question had left his mouth, Jack pounced and crashed their lips together, wrapping his arms around Hiccup's back, pulling him as close as he could possibly go. Hiccup closed his eyes instantly in response, while sudden surges of energy and raw passion crackled through his blood. He sighed happily into Jack's warm lips and his heartbeat stuttered excitedly.

Goodbye any kind of rational thought. Hello romance and teenage hormones.

Gods…how was Jack able to do this to him? He could completely banish all his rationality and control. Right now, he couldn't care less that they were in a storage room, that any minute a professor could be needing something in here and find them…because Jack was pressing their bodies together, he was holding him close, he was molding their wet lips forcefully with so much underlying craving that it matched Hiccup's own primitive need.

Jack's touches made him not give a shit about anything else. They made everything else fade away. It was addictive.

Jack's wet tongue teasingly licked his bottom lip and Hiccup's brain was an incoherent mess already. He instantly parted his lips to let his own tongue brush underneath Jack's and he felt a shiver going through his spine. His boyfriend tightened the grip on him and Hiccup threw his arms around Jack's neck and dug his fingers into the smooth, pale skin. They fused together in hot, open-mouthed kisses, wet tongues playfully twirling around each other and Hiccup could taste the greedy hunger they had for each other.

Their heated breaths were warming the air all around them. Bursts of pleasurable tingles and fluttering were running through his veins. Their bodies were glued together, the warmth of their skin radiating through their clothes and despite the impossibility, Hiccup just wanted Jack closer.

Pale fingers traveled from his back slowly down to the hem of his shirt. They crawled underneath and slid around his waist, before gliding up and down his chest, eagerly examining every inch of the skin on his torso. The wonderful friction of Jack's smooth hands on his chest made the hairs on his neck and arms stand up in delight. He pressed their mouths together harder, earning him full access to let his tongue slide completely into Jack's mouth, caressing his boyfriend's tongue. Jack moaned into his mouth, and the sound and the vibrations from it caused Hiccup's mind to almost snap right then and there because gods, what Jack was doing to him just wasn't fair. His face burned from desire and the heated air from Jack's mouth.

He let his hands glide from Jack's neck and down his boyfriend's chest on top of the white school shirt and striped Gryffindor tie. He mirrored Jack's initiative and let his hands slip underneath the shirt to begin exploring every piece of Jack's skin he could possibly get to. His calloused fingertips moved smoothly up and down his boyfriend's chest and abdomen, feeling every rib, every dip, every curve. Jack was not just gracefully slender but quite strong and firm as well. He could definitely feel a little muscle on Jack's torso despite his lithe frame. His heart pounded in his chest from the excitement of getting to touch his boyfriend like this. If it wasn't because their hungry, needy kissing kept his mouth wonderfully busy, Hiccup might actually have drooled a little.

He kept running his hands all along Jack's upper body, not being able to get enough of it and Jack hummed happily into their wet kisses, before his touches on Hiccup's torso became more erratic and rough. Pale hands feverishly stroked his flat stomach and firm chest, fingernails pressed into his skin.

Hiccup smothered Jack's lips against his, wanting and needing to taste and feel Jack as much as possible. Both of them released breathy groans, expressing how turned on they were getting. His hands found their way down Jack's sides and then onto his slightly toned back, where his fingers searched the skin and the muscles in eager touches.

He was in a heavy fog of wet, warm tongues, soft lips, smooth skin and hot breaths. His mind and body registered nothing but the thrill of Jack's touches and the feel of his boyfriend's skin against his own hands. Jack triggered such passion inside him that he had never known before. Every nerve in him was ready to burst with love and desire and the pure bliss of feeling so alive.

His hands scrambled across Jack's back, gripping onto skin and wiry muscles tightly. His boyfriend began to trail fingertips along the different scars on Hiccup's stomach and chest. The tingling touches and their frenzied French kissing pushed his mind even further into a haze. As they began to rock their hips against each other a little, he could feel that both of them had a serious problem in their trousers and it was driving Hiccup mad, biological instincts completely subduing his rational, self-controlled personality.

His mind was unraveling and he couldn't do anything about it, because he never wanted them to stop this. On the contrary.

He wanted more.

Jack let his tongue glide across Hiccup's bottom lip, before they melted into each other once more, pressing warm, moistened lips together hard, like it would kill them both to hold back even a little. Jack moved his hands around Hiccup's back and upwards to his hair. Jack grabbed handfuls of his brown locks, let hands trail across the skin underneath, twirled strands around fingers. Hiccup pulled Jack's bottom lip between his own lips and sucked on it. He could feel Jack tremble a little in his arms and he loved that he could have that effect on him. He let his lip go again and their parted lips smashed together once more, as they began to moan into each other's wet, hot mouths, the sounds only spurring them both on even more. Jack's noises were the most beautiful sounds Hiccup had ever heard.

He grabbed Jack's shoulders and pushed him backwards into one of the shelves. Jack gasped in surprise and slid his hands around Hiccup's neck and pushed their faces together with even more urgency, claiming Hiccup's lips in another deep, bruising kiss.

Hiccup broke the kiss and lowered his head to place kisses along Jack's jaw and down his throat. Shaky breaths and groans left his boyfriend's mouth and Jack's smooth hands fondled and groped every part of Hiccup they could reach. The pleasurable burning inside Hiccup only grew as he switched between kissing and sucking the pale skin on his boyfriend's throat and neck, before he worked his way to his lips again. Jack's pink tongue instantly slipped into his mouth and Hiccup savored the tingles that ran through his bones from their wet tongues sliding around each other.

Jack's hands began to stroke across his sides under the shirt, before they slowly snuck lower. Intoxicating shivers ran through Hiccup's entire body, as he felt his boyfriend's long, pale fingers softly glide between the inside of the elastic on his boxers and the skin. He dug his fingernails hard into Jack's back and they both moaned. Jack slowly let his fingers slide from Hiccup's side to his front and began to move them downwards and oh gods, this was going very fast but Hiccup just didn't care, because every single part of him had abandoned rational thought and Jack was so close to actually-

Suddenly a loud noise was heard from the corridor and they broke their kiss and froze in place. They turned their heads to look towards the door, both panting in the dark. Some mumbled curses could be heard before the sound of retreating footsteps reached them. Hiccup sighed in relief. He didn't want to have to explain why he and Jack were alone in a dark storage room, breathing heavily, their hair and clothes all disheveled.

He and Jack locked gazes. Their chests were heaving, as they stared into each other's eyes.

"I think we need to stop." Jack told him.

"Yeah." he agreed breathlessly and then they let go of each other.

"But that was…" Hiccup tried to express his emotions but failed to find any words that could describe what had just happened between them.

"Yeah..." Jack agreed, out of breath as well. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but it looked like he was flushed. Hiccup was sure that his own face was coated in pink too.

Then Jack chuckled. "I wasn't really planning on letting it go on for so long but I kind of…got carried away."

Hiccup's lips parted in a grin. "Yeah, me too."

They stood in silence in the dark storage room for a few moments, catching their breaths and trying to calm themselves down again. After all, they had to go see their friends now and they hadn't even told them they were dating yet, so they couldn't exactly show up looking all hot and bothered.

It was a good thing they had been interrupted. Despite how much he desperately wanted Jack, despite how much Jack drove him crazy with every touch, he knew that this wasn't the time or the place. Besides…they had agreed to take things slow. They had both temporarily forgotten all about that in this storage room, teenage hormones and all the suppressed attraction that was finally allowed to roam free, completely taking over. If they hadn't been pulled out of that trance they'd been in, Hiccup wasn't at all sure they would have been able to stop themselves from going further.

Without a word they both began to straighten out their shirts and run fingers through their own hair to get it back to the way it was before they got in here. Jack loosened his tie so it hung casually, but that wasn't unusual, he did that almost every day after classes.

"We should probably get going before they wonder what's taking us so long." he told Jack.

"Yeah, definitely." Jack agreed.

Hiccup moved towards the door and slowly opened it. The wood creaked in protest, as he peeked out to check if anyone was out there. Luckily for them, there wasn't a single student in sight. He quickly opened the door fully and stepped into the corridor, Jack right behind him.

Toothless was sitting next to the door and when Hiccup made eye contact with his best friend, the black cat rolled his green eyes, before getting up from his sitting position. It seemed like Toothless knew exactly what they had being doing in there.

They began to make their way through the empty passageway with Toothless trotting next to them. Hiccup's face was still burning and when he and Jack looked at each other Hiccup noticed that his boyfriend was just as flushed as he felt.

He couldn't fully believe the power Jack had over him. How he could shut his brain down completely with his warm touches, how he could make him forget every sense of logic and reason just by brushing their lips together. It was incredible and he enjoyed every single moment of it. He had never experienced anything like this before. He had never craved someone like that before and not just in the physical way but also on an emotional level. He not only needed Jack's touches, he also needed to just be around him, listen to his teasing and his opinions, see his smiles, watch his pranks, make him happy.

'Gods…you're completely head over heels for this guy, Hiccup' his mind told him and he really couldn't disagree with that.

They both chuckled a little as they turned down another corridor on the way to revealing their relationship to their friends. His stomach bubbled a little nervously at the thought. He knew their friends would all be incredibly happy for them and he was excited for them to know about it, but even so, he couldn't help feeling just a tad nervous.

He and Hiccup were just too good at making out with each other. That was the conclusion he came to, as they left the magical castle and strolled towards the lake, down the hills of soft, green grass to get to their friends.

What had just happened between them in that storage room was beyond what he could describe. Yes, he had snogged other people before but this was different. He had never been in love before this. He had never wanted someone so badly before this. He had never felt someone's touch fill him with such fire and adoration before this.

How far would they had gone? He didn't know. He was acting completely on instinct, his brain being more than content to just shut up and enjoy all the lovely endorphins their make out session was releasing.

He sighed happily to himself, as he and Hiccup continued to make their way in comfortable silence towards the large, blue lake that seemed to shimmer in the distance, the rays of the sun reflecting on the still surface.

It didn't matter anyway. It had been amazing, that was the important thing. To be so passionate with the guy he loved more than anything was more incredible than any other feeling he had ever experienced.

All around him he could sense that spring was drawing near. The blue skies with only a few fluffy, white clouds lazily drifting by and the sun bathing nature in its warm glow. The way the trees were beginning to sprout new leaves. The way the wind seemed less crisp and there was a distinct scent of dirt and grass floating through the air.

After a little while, their friends came into view, all five of them sitting together on blankets in their usual spot, talking and laughing with each other.

Fishlegs spotted him and Hiccup first and apparently told the others, as they were all watching them approach a few seconds later.

"There you two are!" Mavis said with a smile, when they were standing by the blankets, looking down at their happy friends.

"Yeah, we kind of got held up." Jack said, suppressing a chuckle to not seem too suspicious. He shared a quick look with Hiccup, whose lips were curving into an amused smile.

Soon they were both sitting among their friends, engaged in eager conversation and Jack was enjoying their company immensely, despite wanting more alone time with Hiccup too. Toothless had sat down by Rapunzel and was enjoying getting scratched behind the ear. The time went by quickly and as usual they covered a myriad of different topics from strange discussions like whether the Sorting Hat could fall in love to sharing frustrations and troubles like Rapunzel getting paired up with a well-known slacker in Magical History to teasing each other relentlessly with anything they could throw at each other.

"I'm just saying there's something quite creepy about the Sorting Hat being alive and sitting on every new student's head, looking into their mind." Flynn said and narrowed his eyes as if he was a bit disturbed by the thought.

"What are you talking about?" Merida said. "It's just a hat!"

"Yeah, but it's alive!" Flynn argued. "Who knows what horrors it has seen in everyone's heads? We don't even know how much it knows about everyone. It could know our deepest, darkest secrets!" Flynn said dramatically, clutching his chest.

They all chuckled a little at that.

"Do you have many of those, Flynn?" Rapunzel asked, lips twitching in amusement.

"Tons, Blondie. And I do not want them spilled to everyone. That would ruin the air of mystery I have going for me."

Mavis sputtered at that, Merida snorted and Jack couldn't stop himself from grinning at that absurd statement.

"Air of mystery! Hah!" Mavis said, rolling her eyes. "You're probably one of the least mysterious people on the planet."

"Let's not say things we can't take back, Vampire." Flynn told her and shook his head, as if he was disappointed in her. "You're just envious because you're a vampire who can't even hope to achieve the same levels of mystery that I have going on."

"Well, maybe I should have a nice, friendly chat with the Sorting Hat then. Get on its good side and then ask it to reveal all of your "dark secrets." Mavis told him, doing air quotes.

"You wouldn't!" Flynn pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Oh, I would." Mavis replied darkly, rubbing her hands together. "But of course it will turn out that you don't actually have any dark secrets."

"No matter what, you won't get that stubborn hat to talk." Hiccup said.

"Is that something you know or something you desperately hope, because you're hiding something suspicious?" Merida asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Jack scoffed. "The only thing he's hiding under that awkward exterior is even more layers of awkwardness." he said, eager to tease his boyfriend.

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny. At least I have more than one layer." Hiccup shot back.

"Ouch." Merida interjected. The others chuckled.

"I obviously don't need more than one, since that one awesome layer is made of enough pure magnificence to overwhelm anyone who lays their eyes on me!" Jack exclaimed dramatically and threw his arms to the sides.

"Yeah. Overwhelm them with a sudden loss of faith in humanity." Hiccup deadpanned.

"Be careful to insult a ninja, Hic. It might be the last thing you ever do." Jack narrowed his eyes, pretending to threaten him.

"For the billionth time, you are not a ninja." Hiccup rolled his eyes. "You don't even have the reflexes or the fighting skills to be a ninja."

"Oh please. I've just been pretending to be normal all this time. I joke around about being a ninja, because then none of you will ever suspect it."

"Trust me, we would never suspect it even if you had never ever mentioned it."

"Now now Hiccup, is that the thanks I get for being a masked hero, walking around the castle at night, protecting everyone from monsters and whatever might come?"

"What?!" Hiccup protested. "You don't do that."

"Of course I do. Have you ever encountered a monster in the night?"

Hiccup sighed, clearly knowing where this was going. "No."

"You're welcome, Hiccup. It's a good thing you have me to protect you." he said, one side of his lips curving in a teasing, crooked smile.

"That's not- I can't, that's just…you're not even making any sense. That is so- ugh." Hiccup shook his head and then crossed his arms.

Jack and the others laughed.

"I win!" Jack triumphed. "I've beaten Hiccup with my wicked ninja-ness!"

"No." Hiccup said, pretending to pout like a small child. "You've beaten me by being completely delusional. A rational person can't argue with an insane person."

Jack shrugged and his lips twitched a little. "Nuance."

Hiccup stared incredulously at him and Jack's lips formed into a grin.

Winning banter battles against Hiccup was hilarious and he really savored that pout on Hiccup's face right now.

"Aww, poor Hiccup." Rapunzel cooed teasingly with a small smile on her lips. "Is Jack being mean to you?"

"No. He's being mental and ready to get locked up, never to see the light of day again."

"That would never happen. No one could ever lock this up." Jack said and motioned to himself. "People would be devastated."

"People would be thrilled." Hiccup deadpanned but his eyes were shining with amusement.

"Now now, boys." Mavis spoke, as if she was a mother settling an argument between two fighting children. "Let's play nice, okay?" she teased them.

"Kiss and make uuuup~" Merida sang and the gleam in her blue eyes told Jack that she thought she had just made a brilliant teasing joke.

Well…two could play at that game. This was definitely the kind of opening he had been looking for.

He turned his head and briefly locked eyes with Hiccup, who seemed to understand what he was planning to do. He waited a few seconds, giving Hiccup time to signal to him if he had changed his mind, but Hiccup only smiled at him. That was all the confirmation he needed.

"Well…if you say so, Mer." he told Merida casually and shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

Then he turned his head towards Hiccup and quickly reached out his hand to hold Hiccup's neck. He pushed their faces closer, let his eyes slip shut and molded their warm lips together in a deep, loving kiss.

All conversation their friends were having around them immediately died. There was no sound but birds chirping and the breeze running through the grass and the branches.

When Jack leaned back and opened his eyes, he could see Hiccup blushing furiously. Hiccup was unable to keep a goofy smile off his face though and Jack could feel his own lips parting into a happy grin.

Then he trained his eyes on his friends and savored the sight of the five of them with open mouths and wide eyes, completely speechless.

Now…this was just hilarious. They reminded him of goldfish with those bulbous eyes.

A couple of seconds of silence went by. It was almost like someone had frozen their friends in time.

Merida was the first one to pull herself out of the trance.

"YES! FINALLY!" the Scot exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "It was about time!"

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" Rapunzel chanted happily and jumped a little up and down from her sitting position, grabbing Pascal from her shoulder and holding him up into the air excitedly. "I KNEW IT!"

Then chaos erupted in their little group of friends, as everyone began talking, laughing and squealing all at the same time. Wide, excited eyes. Huge, bright smiles. Loud, eager voices. The air was filled with noise and exhilarated energy.

"- did that happen?"

"Was that where you-"

"Who made the first-"

"- would happen!"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down guys!" Jack told his friends, holding up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "We can't even understand what any of you are saying."

All of their friends instantly shut up and just beamed at him and Hiccup, looking positively ready to explode with happiness. Jack felt his chest swell a little with love for their wonderful friends.

"How?! When!? Where?!" Rapunzel asked in an over-excited high pitched voice, green eyes large with curiosity, leaning forward a little.

"Yeah, when did that happen?" Flynn said, motioning to him and Hiccup. He was considerably more calm than Rapunzel but still with a huge grin on his face.

"It was when you two were gone yesterday? Right? Wasn't it?" Fishlegs asked them, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Yeah, it was." Jack told them and Hiccup nodded next to him.

"Oh my god!" Mavis exclaimed and clapped her hands together. "So that's why you were grinning like a moron in Charms. Tell us everything!"

"Yeah!" Merida agreed. "Who manned up first and confessed?"

"I did, actually." Jack told her, a crooked smile on his lips.

"How did you do it?" Flynn asked.

"We…sort of got into a fight and then I went to look for Hiccup to fix things and I kind of…ended up kissing him and confessing to him." Jack told his friends a little sheepishly.

Yes, he was usually a confident person, not used to getting embarrassed but he had never been in love before. He had never been in a relationship before. This was completely new territory and somehow that made him less immune to the embarrassment of teasing.

"Way to go, Jackie!" Flynn said and nodded in approval. He seemed almost proud that his 'little brother' had finally taken that leap of faith and made the first move. Which he probably was.

"We're so happy for you guys!" Mavis told them, her blue eyes sparkling with joy and all their other friends immediately nodded or spoke happy words of agreement.

"I knew there was something there!" Rapunzel said and clapped her hands together quickly a few times, as if she needed some way of getting the excitement out of her body.

"What?" Hiccup asked her, a puzzled look on his face.

"I just knew, okay?" she said. "I figured it out recently. Apparently Fishlegs is not the only sharp observer here." she said proudly, a slightly smug smile appearing on her lips.

Hiccup shook his head a little with an amused smile.

"Well, I told Hiccup many times he shouldn't be so sure that Jack didn't feel the same way." Fishlegs interjected, as if it was now some sort of competition between them.

"Yeah well, I pretty much told Jackie the same thing…a bunch of times." Flynn said and then looked at Jack with his eyebrows raised in an I-told-you-so way.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it." Jack said, waving a hand dismissively. "You are all clearly geniuses."

"Of course we are." Rapunzel grinned.

"But you're like…together now? For real?" Merida asked.

"Yeah." Hiccup said. "We're…boyfriends now." he confirmed and that blush on his cheeks only deepened.

Jack chuckled at Hiccup's shyness and threw an arm around his waist, squeezing him a little closer. Sure, he was feeling a little shy and embarrassed too, but definitely not as much as Hiccup.

"This is just…WICKED!" Merida exclaimed and jumped a little from her sitting position, wild curls bouncing.

"Yeah, this is amazing." Fishlegs told them with wide eyes.

"Finally all the pining can stop." Flynn then said teasingly. "You've been longing for months now without doing anything."

"Heey!" Jack protested and then glanced at Hiccup, who seemed to hold back an amused grin. He had to punish his boyfriend for that reaction so he poked Hiccup in the side with the hand he had around his waist and Hiccup jumped a little in response. Jack chuckled and Hiccup narrowed his eyes at him in a mock threatening way.

"Well, it's not like Hiccup was any better." Fishlegs said and motioned to Hiccup with his head.

"Thank you, Fishlegs." Hiccup said sarcastically.

Jack couldn't keep the smile off his face. Hiccup had already told him yesterday about when he had discovered he had feelings for him but…it just made him really happy to know that Hiccup had been pining for him just as much as he had been pining for Hiccup.

"How long?" Flynn asked Fishlegs and Rapunzel and sighed a little, as if they were three parents discussing their hopeless children.

"Over two months now." Rapunzel said.

"Traitors." Hiccup mumbled and Jack grinned at that.

"Wow, so you guys have liked each other for over two months and you didn't even know?" Mavis asked. "You are such oblivious dorks."

"Heey, come on now." Jack objected to that statement. "It's not like any of you were certain that Hiccup felt the same way about me."

"Yeah, and I could say the same thing about Jack and you guys." Hiccup told Rapunzel and Fishlegs.

"Actually I was pretty sure." Fishlegs shrugged casually.

"Pretty sure is not the same as knowing, Fish." Hiccup said. "And you never told me you were 'pretty sure'. You just said I shouldn't rule it out."

"Well…it was kind of something you and Jack needed to work out for yourselves." Fishlegs said with that gleam of wisdom in his eyes that always made him seem older than he was. "But now you've actually talked about your feelings instead of just bottling them up inside. Is this the start of Ragnarok or something?"

"Ha ha, very funny." Hiccup deadpanned and Fishlegs grinned in response.

"So…tell us more about it? What happened?" Rapunzel said with curiosity in her eyes, resting her chin on her knuckles.

"Uhm…" Hiccup said uncertainly. He was obviously not sure how much he wanted to share with their friends about this.

"Come on, Hiccup. You have to spill it now!" Merida said and leaned back against the tree she was sitting in front of. "We need all the juicy details!"

Hiccup instantly groaned and let his palms slide down his face.

Jack and the others laughed, but even though he was amused by Hiccup's shyness, he did feel a little heat rise in his own cheeks as well.

"What was the first kiss like?" Flynn said. "Did you give him a peck on the lips or did you go for it and slipped some tongue in?" their friend asked and waggled his eyebrows to embarrass them as much as possible.

Merida instantly burst out laughing while their other friends grinned in amusement.

"Oh gods…" Hiccup said. "Odin, save me from this interrogation."

They all laughed a little at Hiccup's reaction. Jack had expected Flynn's question but it made his face burn nonetheless.

"Well, nothing's happening. Apparently Odin is a naughty guy who wants details too, Freckles." Flynn said. "So spill it!"

"Come on now, Flynn. A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell." Jack told him and stuck his tongue out.

"Good thing you're not a gentleman then." Merida said.

"Hmm, good point, Your Scottishness." he replied. "Well, if you must know – sorry Hic but if we don't give them something, they'll never leave us alone – it was neither of those. It was…making out but no tongue."

"Rawwrrr." Flynn growled teasingly.

"Saucy." Merida and shot them an amused grin.

"Ugh." Hiccup said and shook his head, unable to will that blush on his face away. Not that Jack minded in the slightest. It was bloody adorable.

"You guys are so cute together!" Rapunzel said, holding a hand on each of her cheeks.

Hiccup shot Rapunzel the most deadpan look Jack had ever seen, which caused all of them to laugh in response.

"Well, you are!" their golden-haired friend replied with a smile on her lips and shrugged. "That's not my fault."

"Bloody hell, there are some girls who are going to be so disappointed inside that castle when they find out you two are both off the market." Flynn told them and Merida and Mavis both chuckled.

"What a shame." Hiccup said sarcastically.

"That reminds me…" Jack said. "We're not ready for everyone to know yet, so…just keep it to yourselves, guys."

Everyone nodded and hummed in agreement.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Fishlegs said. "That way you can get some time to yourselves before everyone else starts to gossip and interfere."

"Yeah, exactly." Hiccup said.

"So, I assume you two were together all night then?" Merida asked and the way her lips twitched just a little in amusement were clearly indicating what she was implying.

"You're right, Curly. Jackie definitely wasn't in his bed until very early in the morning." Flynn said and shot him and Hiccup a teasing grin.

Hiccup coughed a little. "Do you have to say those things?" Hiccup asked, even though he clearly already knew the answer.

"Yes!" Merida and Flynn exclaimed in unison.

"You know the rule." Mavis said and winked at them.

"Yes, I know about your list of rules but I wasn't even friends with you guys when you made that. Why do I have to suffer?" Hiccup asked, unable to keep an amused smile away from his lips.

"Because you're our friend now, Freckles. Anyone who begins a friendship with any of us automatically signs our list of friendship rules." Flynn said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, that would have been nice to know, before I let Jack lead me and Fishlegs and Rapunzel into this group of mental patients." Hiccup joked and Fishlegs and Rapunzel both chuckled at that comment.

"Oh, like you have any reason to complain." Jack said and nudged Hiccup's shoulder playfully, before tightening his grip around his boyfriend's waist. Hiccup smiled at him.

"And don't think you can deflect, Hiccup!" Merida said, pointing a finger at Hiccup. "Did you two or did you not spend the night together?"

"Fine." Hiccup sighed, clearly preparing himself for the teasing to come. "We did."

"Ooooooooh." Flynn immediately said, while Merida chortled.

"My my my." Mavis said slowly, enunciating each word for maximum suggestiveness.

Jack's lips parted into a grin and he shook his head a little to himself. He knew this was only the beginning. He and Hiccup were going to be teased relentlessly about their relationship until the end of time, so they might as well get used to it.

"Come on, I'm sure it wasn't like that." Fishlegs said, doing a dismissive motion with one hand.

"Thank you, Fishlegs!" Hiccup said, shooting Flynn, Merida and Mavis a look that said 'see? Fishlegs understands it'.

"But if it was…good for you guys." Fishlegs then added, biting his bottom lip to keep from chuckling.

"Ugh." Hiccup said and rolled his eyes before a smile appeared on his lips.

"Thanks Fish. Or whatever you might say to something like that." Jack said.

"How did the whole confession thing play out?" Merida asked.

"Aww, come on. I'm not going to tell you that." Jack replied.

"We want details, we want details." Flynn began to chant and Merida and Mavis quickly joined in, while Rapunzel and Fishlegs laughed. This was some kind of bloody mutiny.

"We want details! We want details!" their friends chanted and Jack looked at Hiccup, who was biting his lip to keep from laughing.

"Okay, fine! Fine!" Jack agreed and their friends fell silent, all with huge grins on their faces. "What do you want to know?"

"Did you kiss him or confess first?" Mavis asked.

"Kissed him first." Jack replied.

Merida purred in response and their friends all chuckled. Jack shook his head at their endless teasing. In their little group, teasing was a sign of love but even so…he wished it wouldn't make him blush like this.

"Then what happened?" Fishlegs asked, sitting cross legged while rocking back and forth a little, almost resembling a child wanting to hear the next part of a fairy tale.

"Uh…" Jack said and looked at Hiccup, who was smiling a little at their friends' curiosity.

"I was shocked for a few moments." Hiccup told them, stepping in to help him out. "Before I kissed him back."

"And then you made out!" Mavis exclaimed happily.

"Yes, we made out. Get over it already." Jack grinned at their friends and Hiccup hummed in agreement.

"We can't! It finally happened." Flynn told them.

"So then you told Hiccup about your feelings?" Rapunzel said, trying to get them back on track.

"Yeah…and he told me he felt the same way but that we needed to talk."

"Ouch. Brutal, Hiccup." Merida said.

"Yeah, I know but things are complicated. We needed to discuss it properly." Hiccup said and Merida nodded in understanding.

"So…in the end, I managed to convince Hiccup that everything would be okay and that we could handle all the problems together." Jack explained.

"Thank goodness for that." Rapunzel said and let out a joyful sigh.

"So…where did you two stay all night?" Mavis asked.

"The room of requirement." Hiccup explained. "We had a lot of stuff to talk about."

"Sure…"talk about". Flynn said and did air quotes, his brown eyes gleaming playfully.

"That's code for 'making out and groping each other', everyone knows that!" Merida said.

Jack smiled. Well…he and Hiccup had made out and groped each other in between all the talking, so their friends weren't actually wrong about that.

"You guys are never going to stop teasing us, are you?" Hiccup asked them, even though all of them already knew the answer to that.

"Nope." Flynn said and Merida and Mavis both hummed in agreement.

When silence descended on their little group for a few moments, Jack decided it might be a good time for Hiccup to tell their friends the other secret.

"Uhm…There's actually some other news too." Jack then said and turned his head to look Hiccup in the eyes.

"Oh?" Mavis asked, now sounding concerned.

Hiccup cleared his throat. Jack let his eyes glide over their friends who all seemed to be watching them with worry.

"Yeah, uhm…I'm not really sure how to tell you guys this but…" Hiccup started, pulling at one of his braids. Jack gave him a reassuring squeeze with the arm around his waist. "The reason why Jack and I was fighting yesterday was because he sort of…discovered another one of my secrets. Something that I'd been wanting to tell him, and you guys, for a while but didn't know how to tell you."

Jack looked at Rapunzel and Fishlegs, whose expressions and body language both seemed to relax, since they now realized what this was about.

"Well…what is it then?" Merida asked, tilting that head of wild, red curls a little.

"Uhmm…you know how I rarely talk about my dad and those expectations that he has for me?" Hiccup asked the three of them.

"Yeah?" Flynn said, eyebrows lowering in confusion.

"Well…my dad is kind of…the chief of our tribe, so…when he dies or decides to step down then…I'll be the new chief." Hiccup told their friends and then broke eye contact with them and looked at the grass.

Jack observed their three friends. Three pairs of eyes had widened at the same time, all staring straight at him and Hiccup. Merida's mouth hung open a little, Flynn's hand had frozen in the middle of scratching one of his arms and Mavis' black eyebrows were raised up under the black hair resting on her forehead.

There were a few moments of silence, in which their friends were obviously processing what they had just heard. After all…it was a pretty big thing. But Jack had no doubts they would be understanding.

"What?...You'll be the leader of a Viking tribe?" Mavis asked for confirmation.

"Yeah." Hiccup said, lifting his head to look at their friends.

"That is bloody brilliant!" Merida exclaimed, having pulled herself out of her shock now.

"I don't know about that." Hiccup said but a small smile graced his lips.

"It is!" Merida insisted, blue eyes wide with excitement.

"This is huge." Flynn said and shook his head a little to himself, as if he was attempting to wrap his mind around all of this.

"Yeah." Mavis agreed. "I don't even know what to say right now."

"Well, I just hope none of you are going to see me any differently." Hiccup told them, observing their reactions carefully.

"Of course not, Hiccup." Mavis reassured him.

"Yeah, you'll still be the same old Hiccup to us no matter what." Merida said

Flynn nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys. I know it's probably a lot to take in but…I thought it was time you knew."

"Well, we're glad you trust us that much." Mavis said and she, Merida and Flynn all briefly had soft looks in their eyes. They all knew it was difficult for Hiccup to trust people this much, so Jack was pretty sure they all felt quite touched in this moment.

"So…how is that going to work with…you know…you and Jackie?" Flynn asked, wrinkling his forehead a little.

"It's a bit complicated…" Jack told him.

It was more than a "bit" complicated though. Hiccup might actually have to leave Berk and break contact with his dad and the other Vikings, depending on how badly they would all take the news.

"Yeah." Hiccup agreed quietly, looking over their friends one at a time. "Two guys being in a relationship is not really approved of back home, so…when I tell the other Vikings at some point, they probably won't want me as their chief anyway." Hiccup explained, as his face fell a little.

Jack understood how he felt. Well…he didn't fully understand since his family would just be happy for him but…he could imagine how nervous Hiccup must be.

"Really?" Merida asked, a furrow of disapproval appearing between her eyebrows.

"Yeah." Hiccup confirmed.

"I'm not so sure about that, Hiccup." Fishlegs said.

Jack looked at Fishlegs. What did he mean? Was there actually some hope that Hiccup could be accepted by the other Vikings, even though he was in a relationship with another guy?

"I know, Fish. You've told me that before." Hiccup said with a tiny, unsure smile.

Huh. So the two of them had had this discussion already.

"Yeah, but I still believe that." Fishlegs replied.

"Well…we'll see if you're right, when I actually manage to tell them."

"When are you planning to do that?" Rapunzel asked him, her gentle features scrunched a little in concern.

"I don't know yet. I need some time to just…mentally prepare myself for it. It's not like we'll be back on Berk any time soon anyway and it's not something I can just tell my dad in a letter, so…we'll see." Hiccup told them.

"Well, no matter what happens…we're here for you, Hiccup." Flynn told Hiccup with pure, raw honesty in his eyes.

Their other friends all quickly nodded or uttered words of agreement.

"Yeah and I'm here too." Jack told his boyfriend and then leaned in gave him a quick but loving kiss. It was soft and warm and he wanted to kiss Hiccup senseless until he forgot all about his worries but…that wasn't really possible right now with their friends around.

Hiccup smiled softly at him, when he pulled away and they both blushed a little, since they were kissing each other in front of their friends.

"Awww." Rapunzel said and held both of her hands over her heart.

Jack smiled at her reaction.

"I still can't believe you guys are actually together now." Mavis said.

"Me neither." Hiccup told her.

"Yeah…you're a lucky guy, Hic." Jack told his boyfriend with a mischievous grin.

"Am I now?" Hiccup asked him, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Yup. You landed all of this." Jack said and gestured to himself. He heard some of their friends chuckle.

Hiccup scoffed. "It's all a part of my elaborate scheme to finally get rid of you once and for all." he said and rubbed his hands together slowly, like he was planning something truly evil.

"Oh please, Hic. Even your dry humor can't hide the way you totally worship me." Jack retorted and lifted one eyebrow in a challenge.

"How can I possibly worship you? I'm not a Satanist?" Hiccup said and their friends laughed at that.

Jack suppressed a grin. He wasn't going to lose this banter battle to his smartass boyfriend.

He put his face in grave folds and looked at Hiccup with pity in his eyes.

"Hic…just come clean. It's okay that you see me as a god. Everyone else does too. It's not your fault I'm so glorious."

He heard Merida snort at that, while Rapunzel giggled.

"You know…the 'smug, arrogant bastard' strategy isn't as appealing as you think it is." Hiccup retorted dryly.

They both knew he was lying though. Hiccup loved it when he used that fake air of superiority when they were bantering.

"I know, I know, it's way more appealing. I always think too little of myself. It's my only flaw really: humility." Jack sighed.

Their friends all chuckled at that. He heard Flynn say "Riiight."

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's…something that's not quite right about that statement." Hiccup said and hummed in thought, as if he was actually considering what it could be.

"You're right." Jack agreed. "I have no flaws. It was silly to even think that."

"I have to say…It's kind of impressive, your commitment to full on insanity." Hiccup said.

"That's not how you pronounce 'awesomeness', Hic. Get your act together." Jack told him, rolling his eyes.

Just because they were boyfriends now sure as hell didn't mean they would ever stop their condescending banter. It was just too amusing and they both enjoyed it immensely. Not to mention that it had a lot to do with the strong friendship they had formed in the first place that had led to them falling in love with each other.

The rest of the afternoon by the lake went by too quickly in Jack's opinion. Naturally, his and Hiccup's relationship was the focus of most of the conversation taking place and their friends continued their incessant teasing whenever they saw an opening.

He felt calm and content being in their presence and having revealed his and Hiccup's secret. It was great that their friends knew about them now, that they were there for them, that they understood why both of them were ready to scream with happiness. There were still keeping their relationship a secret from the other students in the castle but at least their friends knew now and could share in their joy.

Hiccup always enjoyed being in the large, old library at Hogwarts.

The scent of old parchment and leather bindings spoke of the ancient origins of many of the tomes in this room. The rows and rows of bookcases stocked with knowledge was awe-inspiring, a massive collection of wisdom gathered through many years. The thought of all the things he could learn if he actually had the time to read all of these tomes was amazing, and he found himself wishing he was one of those people who had the ability read a book in ten minutes and still remember every word.

His green eyes darted across the room, searching for a particular head of blonde hair. When he didn't see it, he began to walk along the almost endless rows of tall, dark bookcases filled with tomes on every subject related to magic. There was always a special atmosphere in the old library, as if all the ancient magical knowledge floated through the very air as thin wisps of energy.

He turned his head to look down the space between every row of books he passed, taking in students who were busy writing and scribbling down notes, students who were sitting close together by small tables talking or working on assignments together and students walking around looking for specific books or putting them back to their original place.

He passed a row of bookcases where three second year students sat and studied together while talking excitedly about the new things they had learned in Charms. Hiccup smiled. It was two boys and a girl and they briefly reminded him of himself, Fishlegs and Rapunzel when they were that age.

He kept making his way through the large, old library, checking in every direction to find the person he was looking for. Suddenly he spotted her, sitting together with her two closest Hogwarts friends.

Astrid, Megan and Katie were sitting around a small, round table by one of the large, arch windows, where a little light streamed through the colored glass. They were clearly discussing homework, as they flipped through the pages of their textbooks once in a while or wrote down something on their parchment in between speaking to each other.

Hiccup began to approach them, the nervousness building up inside him. He and Astrid had finally gone back to normal after he had turned her down, and he really didn't want that to change. She meant a lot to him and the anxiety bubbled in his stomach by the thought of telling her about him and Jack. Maybe her feelings would be hurt. Maybe she would once again decide that she couldn't be around him for a while.

He clenched his hands into fists and took a deep breath, as he continued on his way towards the three girls. When he got closer, Megan spotted him and said a few words to the others, who instantly looked his way too. Astrid waved at him and he returned the gesture.

When he was by their table, Astrid looked at him with a warm smile.

"Hey Hiccup."

"Hey Astrid." he said, trying his best to hide his nervousness but he knew he had failed.

Astrid's smile instantly vanished and her blue eyes narrowed a bit in concern.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, practically studying him to find out what was the matter. That wasn't unusual. She'd always been quite a protective friend and her concerns for him had only increased since he was tortured.

"Can I talk to you for a minute…alone?" he asked her, briefly glancing at Megan and Katie before turning his focus back to Astrid.

"Oh. Yeah, sure." she replied and closed her textbook before getting to her feet.

"Come on." he told her and began to walk towards the exit of the library. He couldn't exactly tell her about him and Jack in the middle of a fairly crowded library, where someone could accidentally overhear their conversation.

They quickly made it through the exit and he continued walking a little down the corridor with Astrid close behind him. He opened the door to an empty classroom and went in there, holding the door for Astrid and closing it behind her.

He moved towards one of the many long, dark wooden desks placed in rows and sat down on top of it, wringing his hands a little. Astrid stepped over to him and just stood in front of him, giving him some time to collect his thoughts.

He lifted his head and met her eyes. He could see the worry in them. She was probably concerned that this had something to do with the torture.

"Uhm…I have something to tell you, Astrid…but it's not easy to say." he told her honestly.

"Okay." Astrid replied, a wrinkle appearing on her forehead. "Well…just take your time." she said and Hiccup appreciated her patience. Astrid was not the most patient person, but somehow she always managed to summon it when it came to him.

Hiccup took a deep breath.

"Okay." he said. "I know this might seem very strange but I really hope it doesn't change anything between us because…I was really happy that we were getting back to normal."

"Me too." she said before she exhaled shakily. "Gods Hiccup, you're making me all nervous. Are you in trouble or something?"

"No, of course not." he said. "It's just…" he then trailed off, still looking into Astrid's familiar, very blue eyes.

Then he sighed. He should really just get it out there.

"I'm…dating someone now. And I thought you should hear it from me first." he explained and kept his eyes on Astrid, to try to decipher any change in her expression.

Astrid was silent, just looking into his eyes for a few moments and anxiousness streamed through Hiccup's veins. He was really hoping she wouldn't be hurt.

"Oh…" she said and Hiccup was just relieved to get a reaction now. "Who is the lucky girl?"

Oh gods…this was going to be so awkward. As if it wasn't bad enough that he might hurt her, he also had to come out to her now.

"That's the thing, Astrid." he began, not sure what to expect from her once he finished his next sentence. He grabbed the hem of his shirt. "It's not…a girl."

Astrid stared blankly at him, not reacting in the slightest. That really didn't help Hiccup's nervousness. He knew Astrid would never judge him for being with a guy, but even so, it was frightening to actually tell her about this. So few people knew about that side of him.

"You're dating a guy?" she then asked, disbelief shining in her eyes.

He exhaled. At least she wasn't in shock anymore.

"Yeah." he said.

"Wow…" Astrid said, breaking eye contact between them to stare at a wall for a brief moment. "I did not see that one coming, Hiccup."

"I hope you're not…mad or hurt."

Astrid trained her blue eyes on him again, before a small smile curved the corners of her lips and her entire expression softened.

"Of course not, Hiccup." she said. "Really…don't worry about me. I'm okay."

"Thank the gods." he exhaled.

Astrid's smile grew a little at his obvious relief. "Can I ask who the guy is?"

"Uhm…" he spoke uncertainly, not really sure how to say this next part.

"Oh gods, it's someone I know, isn't it?" she asked and tilted her head. She practically seemed amused by that idea.

"Err…yes." he confirmed.

"Well come on Hiccup, don't leave me hanging here."

Hiccup hesitated for a few moments before deciding it would be better to just throw it out there.

"It's…Jack."

Astrid's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jack? As in…your friend Jack? Jack Frost?" she asked.

He nodded in response.

Silence hung in the air between them.

"That's…unbelievable." Astrid spoke quietly.

"Yeah, I know." he agreed.

"So, how long have you…?"

"Only since yesterday."

"Wauw. Really Hiccup, I just…I had no idea." Astrid told him and then exhaled loudly.

"Yeah, I know. Almost no one did." he replied and gave her a small, apologetic smile.

"Look." Astrid said. "I know things were a bit awkward between us for a while but…I really want you to be happy. So…if Jack makes you happy then…I'm on board with it." she finished and a crooked smile tugged at one side of her lips.

He got to his feet instantly and pulled her into a hug, putting his arms around her in a tight grip. Astrid seemed surprised by the sudden contact but then wrapped her arms around his back. He was so relieved by her reaction that it was difficult to express just with words.

"You're a great friend, Astrid." he told her and squeezed her a little.

"Calm down Haddock, it's not like I just saved you from death or something." Astrid chuckled and stroked his back.

"No, but I'm just so relieved you're okay with this…our friendship means a lot to me." he said, as he broke the hug and they pulled away from each other again.

"Yeah…me too." she replied with warmth in her eyes. "But make sure Jack knows that if he ever hurts you, I'll hunt him down, rip off his testicles and turn them into a pouch."

Hiccup chuckled. "I'll make sure he gets the message."

Astrid nodded once in satisfaction.

"You and Jack…I still can't fully believe it."

"Yeah, me neither."

"So…what are you going to do with your dad and everyone else back home?" she asked, her features scrunched in concern.

"I have no idea yet. I'll have to tell them at some point but…I need some time first." he explained, gesturing with his hands to express his worries about that particular problem.

"Of course. I won't say a thing." she reassured him.

"Thanks Astrid. Oh and…me and Jack want to keep it a secret from the other students for now, so just…keep it to yourself."

"Sure, no problem." she agreed and nodded. "I understand."

He smiled fondly at her. She was a great friend and he truly appreciated her. He didn't know if she still had feelings for him, but even if she did, she was clearly willing to push that aside so he could be happy without any guilt. That was definitely a sign of an amazing friend.

"Hiccup? Can I ask you something personal?" Astrid then said, gripping the end of her long braid with one hand.

"Uhm…yeah, sure." he said, not sure where this was going. What did Astrid want to know?

"Do you love him?" Astrid said.

Hiccup's eyes softened. "Yeah. I do."

Astrid nodded slowly in understanding, letting go of her long braid again. "I'm happy for you, Hiccup. Really. You deserve to be with the person you love."

"Thanks Astrid." he said. "I hope everything can still be the same between us."

Astrid's lips formed a warm smile.

"It can."

This was too much. The stone corridors of his magical school had never seemed so uncomfortable to Hiccup as they did these days. Yes, he never actually liked to be among people but recently the familiar passageways had gone from being somewhat unpleasant routes around the castle to being a cage in which he was studied by everyone around him.

He had come to actually dislike walking around the castle among the other students now. Since his secret about the dragons was out, he hadn't liked the way other students stared at him and whispered about him but now…now it was worse than it had ever been. No one except his friends, Liana Hayes and the school staff knew why he had been close to dying that day and that only seemed to increase the attention directed at him. Everywhere he went, people were either openly staring at him without even trying to be discreet or glancing when they thought he didn't notice it. They whispered. They gossiped. They followed his every move.

It was almost maddening. Every pair of eyes watching him, every hushed voice clearly talking about him, every pointing finger that people thought he didn't see. It was all tearing holes in his fragile emotional shield and it was only a matter of time before he would have serious trouble handling this and he would need to get away to be alone or with his friends.

He walked past a little group of third year Slytherins, who were standing outside a classroom, engulfed in conversation. They didn't stop talking but he could feel their eyes on him, ghosting over his skin in that invasive way. He pretended he didn't notice and grabbed the strap of his satchel resting on his shoulder. Toothless kept walking along next to him, the black cat easily navigating between the moving people in the passageway.

He had gone back to classes today. He still had more time off, but he had decided that he needed to get back to normal and continue his life, despite what had happened. It had been strange to return and he had been nervous at first but now he was just slightly agitated and stressed.

His first class of the day had been Potions, which had been a good way to ease into being back, since that lesson was dedicated to repetition and they ended up brewing Hiccoughing Solutions. Afterwards he had had Herbology with Rapunzel and Fishlegs in the greenhouses. The peace and quiet and smells of dirt and plant life was calming and luckily, they didn't have to handle some devil spawn in plant form today. Both Professor Creek in Potions and Professor Cherry in Herbology had welcomed him back discreetly and told him that if he needed any help catching up to the other students, he only had to say so and they would be available. He truly appreciated that. He wasn't really the type to ask for any kind of help in school, he would just work hard until he had completed whatever he needed to do or learn, but this situation was unique. If it turned out that he did need some support at some point, it would be stupid not to take the help that was being offered to him.

He balled his hands into fists along his sides, as he briefly met several pairs of curious eyes following him. Two Hufflepuff guys stopped their conversation as he walked past to just observe him and a little group of third year girls started whispering to each other and stealing glances at him. Apparently they thought they were being subtle.

He was already sick of this. This was something deeply personal and horrible that he just wanted them to leave alone. Their staring and whispering and pointing actually made it more difficult to move on, because they constantly reminded him of what had happened.

He sighed to himself, as he continued to make his way down the corridor. He briefly locked gazes with Elsa, who was standing with her sister Anna at the side of the passageway, both of them with a few books clutched in their arms. Elsa's blue eyes were filled with sympathy and her little sister's lips twitched in a small but sad smile.

Somehow that was even worse than the curiosity. He wasn't frustrated with Elsa and Anna because he was fairly certain they had good intentions but…he really didn't want people feeling sorry for him.

He walked past them and began to look at the floor to avoid meeting more eyes brimming with emotions that he didn't want any part of.

His emotional shield was being weakened by the second. Little flakes were pealing off in a trail of broken defenses, forming small openings that would eventually grow bigger until he could no longer keep his walls up against invasive people.

His heartbeat began to speed up. His breathing had become a little strained. He wrapped his arms around his midsection as a psychological way of shielding himself and signaling to others that they should leave him alone.

The stress was increasing inside him, drumming in his heart, forming a tangled mess in his stomach, pressuring on his chest.

If he could just make it to class soon then maybe he would be okay.

Only…

…his next class was Building, Managing and Repairing Magical Objects. Which meant he had to go back to the workshop for the first time in over two weeks. The very place he was tortured and had been close to dying.

Rapunzel and Fishlegs had both offered to go with him but he didn't feel like bringing them along. That would only increase that feeling of being a victim. A feeling he did not like at all.

No. He could do this. He needed to overcome it.

He kept his eyes on the floor and walked at a fast pace through the corridor, wanting to just get away from all these people as quickly as possible. Despite his growing uncertainty about going back to the workshop, at least that part of the castle was quiet and peaceful.

His shoulder bumped against another student's as he passed a group of young Gryffindors. Their eager conversation and laughter were like a drill into his brain.

His senses were going into overdrive. Even the whispering of other students sounded loud now and even the quickest glances seemed to break big chunks off his protective bubble.

Okay…

He needed to calm down now. He was getting overwhelmed. He would get completely stressed out soon, if he didn't do something about this.

He moved to the side of the hallways and leaned against one of the stone walls. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. He tried to take some deep breaths to make that feeling of pressure on his chest disappear and to even out his breathing. His eyes focused on the floor, on some of the tiny details he could see, like small cracks and scratches. He began to block out the rest of the world and just kept looking at the floor…just kept taking in the tiny damage on it and inhaling and exhaling as evenly as he could.

Something stroked against his leg and he knew it was Toothless who was sensing his distress and trying to comfort him.

"Thanks bud." he said quietly and then continued to concentrate on his breathing.

He could feel the weight on his chest diminish a little.

"Hic?" he suddenly heard a familiar, soothing voice ask. Jack stepped out in front of him.

He blinked.

Then he lifted his head and looked into those familiar, beautiful blue eyes. Jack's forehead instantly furrowed.

"Hey, are you okay?" his boyfriend asked him.

"Uhm, yeah…" he cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Jack observed him for a few seconds in silence, those blue eyes narrowing skeptically.

"Hiccup. Come on. I can tell something's wrong." Jack told him and then placed a hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture and squeezed it. "Just tell me, okay?"

He hesitated for a brief moment but he knew that Jack was right. He was always right in these situations.

"I'm just…a little stressed out right now." he told him honestly.

Jack nodded slowly. "Yeah, I can tell. What's going on?"

"It's just…it's unpleasant. Being around all these people who are looking at me, talking about me, following my every move. It makes me feel…stressed and uneasy. I don't want them to watch me and gossip about me and try to figure out what happened. That's private."

"I understand." Jack told him with a small, sad smile. "But it will blow over in time. I know it's really annoying and unnerving right now but they'll lose interest again at some point."

"Yeah…I guess I just hope it will happen soon."

"Yeah, me too." Jack agreed and then sighed before he let the hand that had rested on Hiccup's shoulder drop.

Hiccup bit his bottom lip a little.

"What else is bothering you?" Jack asked him softly.

Wow…he really did know him too well by now, since he could pick up on such small signs and know what they meant.

"I'm going back to the workshop for the first time since…the torture." he explained. "And that's going to be…strange."

That was the best way he could explain it. Was he scared of going back there? No. Did he think he was going to have some kind of psychological break down? No. He couldn't really describe the growing uneasiness inside him. It just felt…strange. Foreign. Surreal. Unpleasant.

"Oh." Jack said, understanding appearing in those blue eyes. "Well…I'll come with you." his boyfriend told him with an encouraging smile.

"No, it's okay, Jack. You don't have to do that." the words rolled off his tongue before he even had time to properly think about it, which showed just how ingrained this way of thinking was in him.

"I know that, Hic but you really shouldn't be alone when you go back there for the first time." Jack argued.

Hiccup remained silent for a few moments, contemplating this. On one hand, it would be nice to have Jack there for support. On the other hand, it made him feel like a little child, who couldn't take care of himself.

But that was one of those thoughts he should push away. He needed to learn how to rely on others, when he was having emotional problems. Jack was his boyfriend now and he was the kindest, most supportive and understanding person Hiccup knew. He should really be able to trust him with anything.

"Okay." he agreed quietly.

A small but genuine smile appeared on Jack's lips. "Come on." Jack told him before he put his arm around his shoulder. Hiccup instantly took comfort in the closeness between them.

Then they walked next to each other along the corridor with Toothless behind them, while Hiccup kept doing his best to ignore the other students. It definitely helped to have Jack with him. He could focus on the pleasant warmth, the weight of Jack's arm around him, the familiar scent of peppermint. It all helped him relax and the intense feeling of stress began to fade slowly.

When the hallways became more and more deserted as they were nearing the part of the castle where the workshop was, Hiccup could feel his muscles tense up a little once again. Usually, he would relax when there were fewer students around but this time it meant that they were getting close to the workshop…and he wasn't entirely sure how he would feel when he entered that room again for the first time since everything that had happened.

Jack's arm tightened its grip around his shoulder and he turned his head to look at him, while they kept moving down the corridor. Jack gave him a small but reassuring smile. Apparently he could easily tell that Hiccup was getting a bit uneasy. A tiny, unsure smile quickly twitched his lips but then vanished.

Only a few moments after, they found themselves by the large, wooden doors to the workshop. They had stopped walking and were now just standing still in front of the entrance.

Jack had let go of him. Hiccup was watching the doors for a few moments, taking in the rich dark color of the wood and the black, metallic doorknobs.

He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. He could do this.

He sensed Jack looking at him, but his boyfriend stayed silent, waiting for him to be ready to go in.

He extended his arms and pushed the heavy doors open, revealing the large workshop behind them. He quickly walked inside before he could change his mind, Jack following behind him.

The smell of wood and paint and metal invaded his nostrils, as he began to move across the floor towards his usual workstation. Only Liana Hayes, a few other students and Professor Cooke was in the room, all watching him intently. He tried to pretend he didn't notice but he could clearly feel his skin crawling. He briefly met Liana's eyes and gave her a small smile, which she returned, as he and Jack walked past her workstation.

She was the main reason he was even still alive. If she hadn't forgotten her textbook that day and had come back to the workshop to get it, she would have never seen McGowan and the others drag him into the room and wouldn't have found Flynn afterwards. Then he would be dead now. Such a small coincidence as a forgotten textbook had made the difference between life and death.

He had given her a note a few days ago, where he had thanked her and explained that he didn't really have the energy to talk about it but he just wanted her to know that he was grateful for what she'd done. He knew his friends had thanked her as well.

He stopped as he found himself in front of the workstation he usually used. It seemed strangely surreal to be standing here again, in this very room where something so horrible and life changing had happened. Toothless jumped up onto the workstation and sat down, watching him.

He let his eyes drift over the stone floor ahead until they landed on the spot…the exact spot, where he had been lying a few weeks ago, bleeding, writhing, screaming. The place where he had wished to die so the pain would be over. The place where he had thought about everyone he loved and how he would never see them again.

The old, sand colored stone floor had been cleaned now. There was no trace left of the horror that had occurred there. Of course he had expected that. It wasn't like the headmaster would just go "Oh yeah, let's just leave that pool of blood there, the workshop is so dull, it could use a splash of color".

So now the blood was gone. The floor had been purged of his crimson fluid…as if it had never really happened. Now the only physical evidence left was on his body.

"Hic?" he heard Jack's voice say, slicing through his thoughts.

He blinked.

Then he turned his head and looked at Jack, whose eyes were watching him intently.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"I think so." he said. The uncertainty of how he actually felt about this was creeping through him and he was trying to figure out what it all meant. He wasn't sad or on the verge of freaking out. He wasn't afraid. He was just…a bit conflicted. On one hand, it was slightly unpleasant to be back here because the smells and surroundings triggered memories. On the other hand, it felt a little empowering because he was determined to move on and the only way of doing that was to process those horrible memories.

Jack put one arm around his shoulder and then squeezed him a little, before once again letting go. They were among other students, so they couldn't be too affectionate with each other, even though Hiccup could tell Jack clearly wanted to comfort him more.

He gave Jack a small smile to try to convey that he would be okay.

He saw someone move towards them in his peripheral vision, so he turned his head and watched as Professor Cooke approached him. The middle-aged, dark haired man with the kind blue eyes seemed a bit uncertain as he walked closer. Not that that was surprising. A lot of people seemed a bit unsure around him these days, not knowing how to act around him because of his near death experience in the castle.

When the professor was standing in front of his workstation, he cleared his throat a little.

"Welcome back Hiccup." Professor Cooke spoke softly to him, a small smile appearing on his lips before fading away again. Professor Cooke was the only professor who called him by his first name, because the two of them had become pretty familiar with each other through the years. "I'm informed of what happened to you here. I just want you to know that I am deeply sorry and if you need any breaks or extra help during classes or perhaps some more time off at some point, that will not be a problem."

"Thank you, professor." Hiccup told him, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

He really was grateful for those options, even if he doubted he would use any of them. Still, it was good to know they were there, if it turned out he needed them.

Professor Cooke nodded once at him before he turned around and headed towards his large, dark wooden desk again.

"Do you want me to stay, Hic?" Jack asked and he turned his head to look at him. "If you'd like me to be here, I can skip class."

Gods, how was it even possible to love someone this much? Hiccup felt so incredibly lucky that he had Jack's love. Someone who loved so fiercely, who was always willing to sacrifice his own wellbeing for the people he cared for. Jack's offer to stay with him warmed his heart, even though he wasn't going to take advantage of it.

His boyfriend must seriously have some kind of endless box marked 'support for loved ones' inside of him, as he never seemed to run out of it. There was nothing but reassurance and love in those blue eyes.

"Thanks…but I'll be okay." he told him and did his best to let his determination show.

Jack nodded in understanding.

"Okay. I'll see you after class then." Jack told him and briefly reached out and squeezed his hand a little behind the workstation, so no one would notice. Their hands touching sent pleasant tingles through his skin and in that flicker of a moment, it once again struck him just how surreal it was that he and Jack were actually together now.

"Yeah. See you." he replied.

Jack just looked at him for a few moments before he leaned in close to whisper in his ear.

"I love you." Jack told him and the beautiful words as well as Jack's warm breath on his skin made him shiver a little.

"I love you too." he whispered in reply.

Then Jack smiled at him before he made his way towards the large, wooden doors to go to his own class.

Hiccup kept his eyes on him. When Jack had opened the doors and was about to leave, he turned his head and looked at him hesitantly. He was obviously checking that he was sure he would be okay.

Hiccup waved goodbye to him to reassure him that things would be fine. Jack smiled in response before waving back and then disappearing out of the workshop.

As soon as he had left, Hiccup began looking forward to seeing him again after this class. Being separated from Jack right now, when they had only just confessed their feelings a few days ago instantly triggered that craving inside him. The longing to be around him again.

Yes, it was incredibly clingy and pathetic but…

He was in love. And after yearning and being in pain, he finally knew that his love was reciprocated.

There was no greater feeling than that. It was more overwhelming than any surge of emotion that had ever flowed through his veins before. His body and mind was being overtaken by this foreign flood of raw feelings but he didn't want to resist it for even a second, because the way it made his heart stutter…the way it unleashed a soft contentment in every part of him…the way it filled him with hope and made him believe everything would be okay in the end as long as he and Jack had each other...

It was perfect.

He sighed happily to himself as he sat down by the workstation and waited for class to begin. He kept himself occupied by working on a drawing of Jack and Toothless, taking his time to make every detail as perfect as possible, while Toothless had laid down on top of the workstation, casually watching him and swishing his black tail slowly from side to side. He caught himself smiling like an idiot when he was taking a break and just looked at the drawing. Jack and Toothless. There were many loved ones in his life but the two of them held a special place in his heart that no one else would ever reach. He extended his arm and petted his best friend on the head, receiving a content purr in response.

In the end, his first class back in the workshop actually turned out to be quite pleasant. The other students kept to themselves and didn't try to interact with him. They seemed to be content just working on their projects. Professor Cooke informed him what sort of objects the others had been mending and building in the last few weeks, while he had had time off. Hiccup had immediately set to work on completing those tasks, so he would catch up to the others. Throughout the lesson Professor Cooke asked him once in a while if he needed help with anything, but much to Hiccup's relief, he didn't actually have any problems solving the repairing projects. At least not the ones he had managed to do in this particular lesson.

When class was dismissed, Hiccup quickly cleaned up his workstation, slung his satchel over one shoulder and left the workshop with Toothless. He was eager to be around Jack and their friends again, even though he was definitely not looking forward to walking through the crowded hallways.

"-and that's why I changed my name to Flynn Rider instead." Flynn explained to their golden-haired friend sitting next to him on the wooden bench by one of the tables in the classroom.

Jack was tapping his quill against the dark wooden desk impatiently. Hiccup wasn't here yet and he was eager to see his boyfriend again and ask him how everything had gone. Even though Hiccup had assured him that he would be fine for his first lesson back at the workshop, Jack had been a little worried throughout his own class.

His blue eyes glanced around the room, taking in the different, large cages placed all around with birds, lizards, frogs and small rodents. They sometimes used these animals when they had to practice transfiguring animals into other species. In general, Jack wasn't much for keeping animals in cages but he took comfort in the fact that they were treated well and regularly let out and petted. As he listened to the chirping of the birds, the croaking of the toads and watched the small rodents play around with each other and the lizards catching small insects that had been brought to them, he thought that they seemed happy enough.

"I see." Rapunzel's light voice spoke.

Flynn had finished telling the story of how he changed his name. It had started by Jack calling him Eugene again to tease him and this time Rapunzel had asked why he did that. Much to Jack's surprise, Flynn had actually agreed to tell Rapunzel the story. He had never willingly told anyone about it before, except for Jack, Merida and Mavis so that was very unusual.

"You can't tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation." Flynn's voice said and Jack knew the statement was a combination of truth and joke.

"Ah. We wouldn't want that." Rapunzel said, her tone filled with underlying amusement.

"Well, a fake reputation is all a man has." Flynn told her and Rapunzel chuckled a little at that.

Jack absentmindedly kept tapping his quill against the hard, wooden surface.

"Jackie, would you stop doing that?" Flynn then asked him. "What's the matter?"

He trained his eyes on his two friends. "Nothing, I'm just…a bit worried about Hiccup."

"He'll be fine, Jack." Rapunzel reassured him. "He'll be here any minute now, then you can see that for yourself."

"Yeah, I know. I just worry too much after everything's that's happened."

"We all do." Rapunzel told him with a sad smile.

Jack spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, so he instantly turned his head and spotted his boyfriend walking towards them. Speak of the Viking. He smiled fondly at Hiccup, whose lips curved into a crooked smile.

"Hi guys." Hiccup said and they all greeted him. Hiccup slumped down in the seat next to Jack and put his black satchel on the desk, before pulling out his textbook, parchment and quill.

"So…everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Hiccup told him and there wasn't anything that indicated otherwise, so Jack was satisfied with that answer. He briefly shared a look with Rapunzel and Flynn who both smiled at Hiccup's response.

"Great." he said. "So, you're ready to bask in my glory, when you see me perform a perfect human transfiguration, while you're still struggling to not turn Flynn into some sort of cat mutant?"

"Oh please." Hiccup said. "You won't be able to do that."

"How do you know I haven't already done it in another lesson?"

"Because then you wouldn't have been able to shut up about it?"

"True." Flynn interjected.

They both had a point, but Jack wasn't going to admit that.

"Pssh. Just wait and see, dragon boy."

"Oh, I will." Hiccup told him. "It's on, Snowcone."

Jack grinned at the challenge. Then a thought occurred to him.

He reached into the pockets of his robes and pulled out the letter he had received from North this morning.

"Hey by the way." he said and Hiccup watched him with interest as he handed him the paper. "My family wrote back. I forgot to tell you earlier but maybe you should just read it yourself."

Hiccup nodded and unfolded the piece of paper, taking in the letters on the page. Jack looked at it simultaneously, reading the message even though he had already read it once. North's enthused handwriting filled the entire paper.

"JACK! MY BOY!

This news is wonderful! Shostakovich! You finally made move! I told you, you just needed moment of courage.

We are all very happy for you! Anna and Emma jumped around living room together when I shared news. Tell us more about what happened in your next letter.

We love you and we miss you a lot. We can't wait for you to come home for Easter holidays. And you have to bring Hiccup! We will not take no for answer! We must meet him!

Treat each other well. You and Hiccup share special bond now. Never forget that.

Love North.

P.S: Here is message from Emma: FINALLY! I can't wait to meet him and to see you! I miss you lots! Hugs and kisses."

One side of Hiccup's lips curved upwards as he finished reading the letter. Then he folded it again and handed it back to Jack.

"Your family is just…great." Hiccup told him with a warm smile.

"Yeah, they really are." he agreed, feeling that familiar pang in his chest from missing them. "Would you want to come home with me for Easter like North suggested? You don't have to of course, if you'd rather go home or something but…it'd be nice if you could meet them." he told Hiccup, a little heat rising in his cheeks.

He and Hiccup had only been boyfriends for a few days and he was already making plans to bring him home with him. But it didn't feel rushed at all, because they hadn't started their relationship almost from scratch, where they still had to find out so much about each other. They had already been close friends. They knew each other.

"Yeah, that would be great." Hiccup said. "I'd like to meet them."

"Great!" he replied. "It's a deal."

Hiccup nodded.

"Hey, where is Toothless?" Flynn suddenly asked and only now did Jack notice that the black cat wasn't there.

"He's waiting outside, taking a nap." Hiccup explained with a smile. "Professor Hyde doesn't want pets in here because of all the other animals."

Well, that made sense. There were already so many animals in the cages in here and now they would be attempting to turn each other into animals as well, so there wasn't really a need for even more creatures.

It didn't take long before Professor Hyde arrived and class could begin. After a brief reminder of everything they learned in the last lesson, their professor set them to practice their human transfiguration again. There was still no one who had actually been able to do a full transfiguration yet, but their professor assured them that that was completely normal. Full human transfiguration was incredibly difficult, so it could take quite a while to learn. The room seemed to buzz with excited impatience, as everyone pushed their chairs away from the tables and got to their feet to pair up with their friends and begin practice.

Jack and his friends quickly went to one of the corners of the room, the place where they could have the most space to themselves.

"So…who wants to start out?" Flynn asked them and then looked at Hiccup. "You've missed some really hilarious results from the last two lessons, so maybe Jackie could start, so you can get something to laugh at."

"Heey!" Jack protested while Hiccup and Rapunzel both chuckled at the wound to his pride. Of course he knew Flynn was just kidding but still…he shouldn't just get away with that. "Well, if you're so much better, why don't you show us how it's done, Rider?" he asked his friend with a challenging raise of an eyebrow.

"I will then." Flynn agreed and shrugged casually. "Who volunteers?"

"I'll go." Hiccup said and then walked a little to the side, so he and Flynn were facing each other but with a little distance between them.

"You better focus, Flynn. I don't want dragon boy here to get stuck with paws or whiskers." Jack joked and his friends all smiled at that.

"Don't worry, Jackie. I'm an expert." Flynn told him confidently. Not that that was true in the slightest. Flynn was decent at Transfiguration but it was a difficult subject and like Jack himself, Flynn wasn't much for hardcore studying.

"Ready, Freckles?" Flynn asked Hiccup, who had crossed his arms and watched Flynn with skepticism in his green eyes.

"Yes, I'm ready to get some of my limbs exchanged for cat limbs." Hiccup deadpanned.

"Oh please, don't be such a pessimist already, Hiccup." Flynn said and took his brown wand out of one of the pockets in his robes. He held his arm up and directed the wand at Hiccup.

As soon as the incantation had left Flynn's mouth, they all looked at Hiccup, who hadn't seemed to change.

"Hah!" Jack triumphed. "What was that about being an expert, Rider?"

"There's obviously something wrong with my wand." Flynn said.

"Not this again…" Hiccup said, making all of them observe him, as he pulled out a long, fluffy brown tail from the back of his trousers.

"Just like last time." Rapunzel grinned.

Flynn huffed. "Clearly, I just need to focus a bit more."

"Clearly." Jack said sarcastically and Flynn glared at him but with a small smile on his lips.

Flynn lifted his wand again and narrowed his eyes in concentration. He spoke the required words once more and let his arm drop to his side again.

Hiccup was unchanged.

"Tail gone?" Jack asked Hiccup, who nodded.

"Bloody hell, why isn't it working?" Flynn asked them.

"Ish kind of workhing." Hiccup told them and it was clear right away that he had serious trouble pronouncing the words properly.

They all looked at him with furrows of confusion on their foreheads.

Hiccup sighed and opened his mouth. Jack's eyes widened and he, Flynn and Rapunzel all stepped closer to take a look.

Hiccup's usual teeth were gone and replaced with sharp, white cat's teeth. Two long fangs stuck out from each side of the upper part of his mouth as well as the lower part. His tongue was still the right size but it looked very coarse and raspy, so Jack was pretty sure it had in fact been turned into a cat's tongue.

Jack extended his arm and let one of his fingertips touch one of the pointy fangs. Bloody hell, that was sharp.

Well…Flynn better be able to turn his boyfriend back to normal. Their makeout sessions would be a lot less pleasurable if he had to deal with sharp cat fangs and a grating tongue.

"One last try, Hiccup." Flynn told Hiccup, who closed his mouth and nodded in response.

Jack and Rapunzel backed away a little to give Flynn and Hiccup some room.

When Flynn cast the spell on Hiccup the third time, the effect was actually visible right away. Hiccup had long, white whiskers sticking out from his human nose and more whiskers above his eyes. His brown eyebrows had disappeared and that made his whole face look strangely unbalanced.

Jack and Rapunzel couldn't help but chuckle a little and Jack's lips parted into a grin when Hiccup felt around his face with his hands and rolled his eyes, when he found out what had happened.

"So…my turn now?" he asked the others, after Flynn had turned Hiccup back to normal and had admitted defeat.

"Sure, go ahead." Rapunzel told him. "You can do it on me."

"Great. Go over there, Punzie." he said and pointed in front of him.

Rapunzel quickly moved, her long golden hair swaying down her back, before she stood face to face with him a little distance away.

Jack grabbed his pale wand from his pocket and extended his arm towards his golden-haired friend. He tried his best to focus his mind and then cast the spell on Rapunzel.

He, Hiccup and Flynn all broke down laughing, when they registered the results. The top half of Rapunzel's head and face was covered in wheat-colored fur, her long hair completely gone. Two bushy cat's ears stuck out of the fur, and the look was complete with green cat's eyes, a cat's nose and white whiskers. The lower half was still human with light skin, pink lips and chin.

It looked completely ridiculous and Jack's chest was heaving from laughing so much. Hiccup and Flynn both had tears in their eyes. Rapunzel quickly discovered what had happened and crossed her arms.

"Very funny guys." she said, trying to be strict but she was unable to keep the mirth out of her tone.

"Sorry, Punzie." Jack told her breathlessly, before he removed the spell and Rapunzel turned back into the bubbly, completely human girl they knew and loved.

"That was great." Hiccup said and Flynn quickly agreed.

"I'm glad you guys are amused." Rapunzel told them with a grin.

Jack had two more tries before it was someone else's turn, so he mustered up all the willpower and concentration he possibly could and tried changing Rapunzel into a cat without any human characteristics left. The second time, Rapunzel had thick, light fur covering her entire neck, throat and all around her head except for her face sticking out, making her look like she was wrapped in some kind of cat jacket with the hood up. The third time, Rapunzel's hands were replaced with small cat paws complete with sharp claws that she could retract, while she had thick line of fur running across her forehead like some kind of cat unibrow.

Rapunzel didn't fare much better than he and Flynn had done. She did some great attempts though and after two tries where Flynn had had minor parts replaced with cat limbs, Rapunzel almost managed a full transfiguration.

The last result left both Jack, Hiccup and Rapunzel gasping for air. Something in their brains burned down and they couldn't stop laughing, when they looked at what Rapunzel had done to Flynn.

Flynn was completely turned into a cat…except his head. He was sitting on his brown, furry legs on the floor, a very unamused look on his features, as he waited for them to stop laughing.

It took several minutes for them to calm down enough to actually speak. It was the funniest thing Jack had seen in a long time and every time he looked at Flynn, he broke down once more. Hiccup had serious trouble controlling his laughing as well, and Rapunzel was actually the first to get herself under control again.

"Sorry Flynn." Rapunzel said, a few giggles escaping her lips afterwards. "I'll turn you back into yourself again."

"No, don't do that! Just leave him like that, he looks great!" Jack joked.

"Yes, that's a great look on you, Flynn." Hiccup agreed. "I'm sure your smolder will be even more effective now."

Jack chuckled at that, as he got some hilarious mental images in his head of Flynn trying to pick up girls while having a cat's body and a human head.

"Ha ha, very funny guys." Flynn told them, his lips twitching a tiny bit.

Rapunzel did a quick flick of her light brown wand and Flynn was restored to his human shape again, much to Jack's and Hiccup's disappointment as they were just having way too much fun teasing their friend.

"So, Hic…are you ready to give it a shot?" he asked his boyfriend. Hiccup had only gotten back to classes today and even though he had assured Jack that he was ready for it, Jack still wanted him to take it slow. He shouldn't stress himself unnecessarily.

"Yeah, I'll try." Hiccup told him, so Jack nodded and then stepped out in front of him, since he was the only one who hadn't volunteered to be experimented on yet.

"Ready?" Hiccup asked, as he lifted his wand.

"Yup. Do your thing."

Hiccup nodded and then spoke the words. The sparks left the wand and flew towards Jack. The next thing he knew all of his friends were howling with laughter.

He quickly found out why, as he looked down himself. Every inch of him seemed to be covered in white fur. He brought his hands to his face and let them glide through the soft fur that also covered the skin there, except for his eyes, nose and mouth.

"You look very soft, Jackie." Flynn teased him. "I could use a new pillow."

"I'm not going to be your bloody pillow." Jack stuck his tongue out.

"Hmf, your loss." Flynn said. "You could have had these silky cheeks resting against your fur, but whatever." his friend said as he stroked his own cheeks with a hand and Jack and the others chuckled.

Hiccup quickly turned him back to normal and Jack was quite relieved about that. It was seriously warm to have fur all over your body and he wasn't the best at dealing with excess warmth to begin with.

His boyfriend pointed the wand at him again, his features scrunched as he tried to focus. Jack was excited to see what he would be turned into now. It was always fun, although a bit unnerving too, to be transformed into part animal.

When the sparks reached him, he instantly looked down himself and tried to feel around his face and head. His friends chuckled at him.

"You've got some nice, blue cat's eyes now, Jack." Rapunzel told him.

"And some ears to match." Flynn added.

Jack let his fingertips touch the tip of the furry ears and they shivered a little in response. Then he closed his eyes and let his fingers glide over them. They felt smaller and almost completely round.

"Those eyes are kind of creepy." Flynn told him with a laugh and Rapunzel agreed.

"Yeah…I'd better turn you back to normal." Hiccup said and flicked his wand to reverse the spell. "Much better." Hiccup added when Jack was his usual self again, and he couldn't help but smile fondly at that comment.

"Okay, last try, Hic." Jack told his boyfriend. "Make it count!"

"Okay." Hiccup agreed and then closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. A wrinkle had appeared between his brown eyebrows, as he seemed to gather all of his concentration.

When the incantation was spoken once again and the sparks shot into Jack, everything suddenly turned taller and taller, as he sunk towards the ground. Hiccup, Rapunzel and Flynn looked giant right now and they were all wearing happy grins, as he looked up at them.

"You did it!" Rapunzel beamed at Hiccup and threw her hands around him.

Hiccup had actually done it? He knew his boyfriend was the best of them at Transfiguration but still…

Jack tore his eyes off his friends and looked down, only to see a set of white, furry cat's paws. He lifted one of them and wiggled it a bit. Then he turned his head to look along the rest of his body. He had smooth, white fur everywhere and a long, fluffy tail that he tried to swish. It took a few tries but then he managed it.

"Well done, Mr. Haddock." Professor Hyde spoke and Jack trained his eyes on their professor, who was watching him with approval in his brown eyes.

All around them their fellow students had taken a few moments to look as well, before they returned to trying to achieve the same thing.

"Thank you professor." Hiccup replied before he focused on Jack again, unable to hold back a bright smile.

"Wauw, Hiccup. That was wicked." Flynn said.

"Thanks." Hiccup replied and then crouched down on the ground, facing Jack.

Jack instantly took the hint and trotted over to him, his soft, white paws bouncing comfortably against the stone floor. It was incredibly strange to be in this foreign body and use four legs to walk on instead of two, but it was a lot of fun at the same time to be an animal just for a little while. He could feel his small, flexible cat frame moving with ease, small muscles, joints and bones working together to create swift, elegant movements.

When he reached Hiccup, Hiccup began to scratch him behind one of his ears with a soft smile on his face.

Wauw…that felt really good. No wonder cats were so happy when you did that to them. He couldn't help purring a little and was happy to finally understand how exactly cats were able to make that sound. Even though he'd never done it before, it just seem to come naturally to him in this state.

"You look cute, Jack." Rapunzel told him happily and he chose to meow in response. It was fun to try out different sounds and movements in this form. To explore it as much as possible.

He rubbed his white head against Hiccup's arm and Hiccup chuckled and began to scratch and pet him all over his head and neck.

Man, this was great. He began to understand why cats would just stroll right up to random strangers and begin to rub against their leg, so that person would start petting them. Not that Jack wanted anyone but Hiccup petting him but still…

"Calm down, you two." Flynn told them, lowering his voice. "Unless you want people to find out about you, you should probably stop doing that before it becomes suspicious."

"Yeah, you're right." Hiccup agreed although he didn't sound too happy about that. Then Hiccup got to his feet again, leaving Jack discontent from the sudden lack of wonderful contact.

He meowed grumpily to show his disapproval and his friends all grinned at him. Then he covered the few feet between him and Flynn and scratched his friend's leg to punish him.

"Ouch. Hey, it's not my fault, Jackie." Flynn said, chuckling. "You two just have to wait to grope each other until you're alone."

Hmff. That was easier said than done, but he knew Flynn was right. He decided to focus on something else and have a little fun exploring how it felt to be a cat.

He jogged towards the nearest desk, leaving his three friends staring after him. He crouched down and then set off from the floor and flew through the air. He made a perfect, elegant landing on the desk and trained his eyes on the others, who were all watching him with amused grins on their faces.

"Very acrobatic, Jackie." Flynn told him and Hiccup hummed in agreement, while Rapunzel cooed at him for being a cute feline.

He trotted along the wooden surface heading for the end of the long table. The skin pads underneath his fluffy paws were tough and yet sensitive. It didn't feel like walking on bare feet but at the same time he could sense the temperature and the texture of the old, wooden table.

He neared the end of the long desk and once again lowered his body before jumping forwards into the air towards a bookcase. He landed on top of it and took a few moments to just look over the room and all the students there. His three friends were still keeping a close eye on him, looking very amused by his eager curiosity to explore this cat form. All the other students in the room seemed occupied by focusing intently on transfiguring their friends, so they didn't really pay him much attention. He spotted Astrid at the opposite side of the room, trying to transform another student, a look of intense concentration on her face. It wasn't enough to succeed though. She only managed to turn her friend's legs into cat's legs, resulting in the poor girl falling over. Jack could relate. That had had happened to him in a previous lesson.

He walked lazily on top of the row of bookcases that were placed next to each other all along the stone wall. It seemed like a long way down due to his small shape but he wasn't worried. Cats always landed on their feet, right?

When he reached the end of the row of bookcases, he looked down. There was a tall, rounded birdcage nearby that he could use to land on and then continue to jump down on a low cupboard and then onto the floor. That could work. He felt a little bad about possibly giving the birds a shock but they were used to other animals, so they should be all right.

He prepared himself and then leapt towards it with his claws out to keep a firm grip on things. He landed on top of the metal cage. Instantly, chaos erupted among the birds inside, who thrashed all around in the cage, their wings flapping in panic, letting out screeches of terror. A large raven flew straight at him in alarm, squawking in hysteria. It banged right against the metal under his paws and the sudden vibrations caused him to slip and glide right off the cage, falling through the air.

A brief moment of panic surged through his blood. His heart hammered in his little chest.

Then something caught his fall.

Warm arms curled around him, holding him close.

He lifted his head and stared into the familiar green eyes of his boyfriend, who had taken on a worried frown.

He sighed in relief. The fall hadn't been high enough to kill him, but it could have caused some painful injuries.

Hiccup briefly looked him over and Jack assumed he was looking for potential damage.

He briefly glanced around the room and noticed all the other students staring at him and Hiccup. That was to be expected though. He had pretty much just made every single bird in that cage scream and shit themselves in pure, unrestrained fear. That was definitely something that caught people's attention.

"Mr. Overland." Professor Hyde spoke and both Jack and Hiccup trained their eyes on the tall, blonde professor. "In the future when you're transfigured into an animal…try not to kill off our birds through a collective heart attack and risk your own safety." the willowy man told him, his facial expression remaining neutral but his voice taking on a hint of amusement.

Professor Hyde told the other students to get back to their practicing, so a few moments after, the room was once again filled with the noises of students casting spells, talking and laughing at each other's results. The professor turned and headed towards a small group of girls, who seemed to have trouble transforming one of their friends back into human form.

Hiccup put him down on the floor and pulled out his wand. Jack sat perfectly still while Hiccup did a quick movement and said the words. Then he felt himself grow taller and bigger once more, his friends turning from giants to normal human beings.

He stretched out his now human arms, while looking at his two friends and his boyfriend who were all watching him.

"Are you okay?" Hiccup asked him.

"Yeah, no harm done." Jack shrugged.

"Jackie, seriously…be more careful in the future, okay?" Flynn told him.

"Yeah, I know, I know. I kind of got carried away, it was so much fun to be a cat!" he said and then grinned sheepishly.

"You had us a little worried there." Rapunzel told him with a small smile.

"Yeah…sorry." he told the three of them, before he looked at Hiccup. "Thanks for catching me."

"I figured you might try to experiment with some stunts." Hiccup said, the corners of his lips curving.

He knew him too well.

"Yeah…I could get used to being a cat once in a while." he replied, trying to change the subject into something more fun.

"Well, next time just don't jump onto a cage filled with birds." Flynn said and shook his head.

"How was I supposed to know a humongous beast was going to come right at me?" Jack asked, gesturing wildly with his hands to convey how massive that bird had seemed when he was in cat form.

"It's a bird, Jack. You know…birds panic when cats come close to them?" Hiccup teased him.

Jack huffed. "Well…I assumed they would be a little startled but that they'd be used to cats. They see cats all the time in this castle."

"Yeah, but those cats usually don't come jumping down on them from above like some kind of furry ninja." Hiccup rolled his eyes and Jack couldn't help chuckling.

"Hey, at least you've finally admitted that I'm a ninja!"

"No, I didn't. I said: like some kind of furry ninja. There's a difference." Hiccup argued in mock annoyance, twitching lips revealing his amusement.

"Pssh. That's not what I heard." Jack waved dismissively with one hand.

"I know. We're all aware of your selective hearing."

Flynn and Rapunzel grinned at that and Jack pretended to scowl at them.

When Professor Hyde ended the class and the four of them walked along the corridors on their way to meet up with the rest of their friends, Jack had his arm around Hiccup and kept him close. He couldn't wait for them to get down to the lake at their usual spot, where he and Hiccup could actually be affectionate with each other without worrying about other people. He agreed with Hiccup that it wasn't time yet for everyone to know about them, but it was also quite difficult and irritating sometimes that he couldn't just hold Hiccup's hand through the corridors or give him a kiss whenever he felt like it.

It would be a great day when they were finally ready to let everyone know that they were together.

25 scratches. 14 patches of mold. 30 cracks. 10 dents. 27 sets of initials.

Peter McGowan knew these stone walls like they had fused into him and were now a part of his own being. He had absorbed every piece of information the room could give him. The cramped space of his cell seemed to grow smaller every day and he had no way of occupying his mind except thinking and observing his surroundings. He had explored every inch of his cell, had processed even the smallest detail, had counted every category he could come up with from patches of mold to the initials that were scratched into the stone in various places, telling the stories of who had been in here. Not that he could figure that out, since those initials could belong to many people, but there were a few sets where he was fairly certain of the identity of the person behind them.

His back was aching from lying on the hard cot that seemed more like a rocky terrain than a bed. He folded his hands on his stomach, as he let his eyes drift across a particularly large imperfection that resembled the shape of a bear in the stone ceiling. Above him, that frustrating light bulb hung on an exposed cord.

He hadn't seen daylight since he was brought here two weeks ago. The only light he got was from that bulb in the ceiling. The one that bathed everything in an artificial, yellow glow that made it seem like he was sitting inside on a dark night, when in reality he knew it was the afternoon.

The slamming of fists against stone walls echoed through the hallway, quickly followed by an angry shout. In the distance he could vaguely hear Andrew throwing up. Again.

Ugh. This was basically the soundtrack of his stay here: vomiting from a guilt-stricken coward and the bashing of hands against the walls by an abused weakling.

Andrew and Thomas should really pull themselves together. They were acting like small, crying children who needed someone to rescue them.

Didn't they care how it made them look? Didn't they realize they were playing right into the police officers' hands?

Apparently not. They were too stupid to understand the importance of perceptions.

He wasn't. He knew that any show of weakness would be used against him. It was the law of the jungle that was applied in here: the strongest person controls the situation. He wasn't going to give the authorities even the smallest chance to gain the upper hand.

Loud, distressed moaning began to float through the air. The rage boiled inside him instantly. He wanted to smash something.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP!?" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the dark walls.

He was done with this shit. Andrew needed to man up and stop being a sniffling, vomiting idiot. Thomas needed to stop feeling so bloody sorry for himself all the time and just accept that he had failed to achieve his goals and take it like a man.

The moaning didn't stop though. Andrew's tired, unhappy noises kept reaching his ears.

He clenched his fists by his sides and shut his eyes tight before opening them and staring at the ceiling again.

If it wasn't because he was physically contained in this cell, he would have punched Andrew's face in right now. He had listened to this for weeks now and if there was one thing that annoyed the hell out of him, it was weak people who couldn't pull themselves together and do whatever needed to be done to better their own situation. People who were either too stupid, too cowardly or too righteous to play the 'game' of life: to participate in all of those power plays in life that occurred between humans. Even the smallest actions and words could make a difference, could make you gain an advantage over someone else.

Footsteps on old stone floors reached his ears and he lifted his head and looked towards the entrance to his small cell. Who was coming? Usually the officers and guards didn't come by his cell at this time of day.

Nonetheless, the door swung open and two guards appeared in his little cramped space. He hadn't seen those two before. One of them was tall, slim and looked fairly young with short, black hair. The other was older, probably in his 50's, with dark bushy eyebrows, brown hair with streaks of gray and a large nose.

"McGowan. You're coming with us." the older one spoke, bushy eyebrows knitted together.

"Is that so?" he asked, as he got to his feet and eyed them skeptically.

Neither of the guards replied. The older one approached him, while pulling out a pair of hand cuffs from one of the pockets in his uniform and motioned with his head for him to put his hands forward.

He extended his arms and let the guard cuff him. He found the whole experience of being hand cuffed beneath him but if he wanted to keep playing this game and maybe eventually gain something, he had to put up with it for now.

Each of the guards grabbed one of his arms and led him out into the dark stone passageways. Their footsteps reverberated in the empty, silent surroundings, as the three of them walked along old stone floors, the gloomy hallways only being illuminated by a few light bulbs on the walls.

He was fairly certain he knew what was going on. They had told him the last time he was interrogated that that was his last chance to cooperate. Now though, it seemed they had changed their minds.

He smiled to himself after a while, when they turned a corner and headed in the direction of the interrogation room. He had read the situation correctly. Not that that surprised him.

When they reached the door to the interrogation room, one of the guards opened it, while the other tightened his grip on him. He rolled his eyes. He was in handcuffs and in the middle of a prison filled with guards on a bloody island. Sure, if there was an opportunity to escape, he would take it, but right now there wasn't.

He was led into the stone room by the other guard and was placed on that hard, uncomfortable wooden chair by the table. There was no one else in here yet but he knew why.

They were making him 'sweat'. Letting him sit here alone for a while, thinking about his situation, working himself up, getting panicked and nervous.

Someone like him doesn't get panicked and nervous. They were going to have to try another strategy if they wanted even the slightest chance at beating him.

Not that they would be able to anyway. He could see through their schemes. Through their manipulative words. Through their attempt at hiding their disgust for him.

He sat on the wooden chair, leaning back casually. He stayed silent and just observed one of the dark, stone walls.

He wasn't going to show any kind of impatience or distress. He would just sit here in a relaxed position with a neutral look on his face, waiting for someone to arrive. He didn't like to be kept waiting by anyone but right now it was an advantage to appear calm and collected. To them, it would seem like he had all the time in the world and wasn't afraid of anything they might throw at him.

Which was true. This was a game and he intended to win.

He didn't know how much time passed but if he had to guess, he would say about 15 minutes. Then the heavy, dark wooden door creaked open and a person he didn't know stepped into the room. He couldn't see their face properly due to the darkness, which was only broken by light at this table he was sitting by. Still, he knew he hadn't seen this person before. There was an air around them, he was sure he hadn't met before in this prison.

When the man sat down in front of him at the table, the dim light bulb illuminated his face. He seemed to be in his 40's, with short black hair, thin lips and a large nose. He was neatly shaved, his hair was smoothed back and he had a hint of cologne on him.

The man watched him intently in silence, blue eyes seemingly trying to analyze him. The guy didn't blink but just observed him with his lips in a thin line.

He stared back, not being intimidated in the slightest. Then he smirked.

Well well well.

This guy was definitely not a guard or a police officer. No. He had 'Ministry of Magic' written all over him. The neatly ironed black suit with discreet, narrow white stripes, the white shirt that appeared almost sparkling in its clean, bright wonder, the dark blue tie that gave the whole outfit a little splash of conservative color that achieved that balance of being discreet enough for ministry work without being a complete black and white, tedious drone without personality at all.

This guy…he could achieve something with this guy. For this man to come and see him, it must mean that the ministry was willing to offer him something in exchange for information. And if they'd decided to negotiate with a prisoner who had used the Cruciatus curse, they must have no other choice.

One side of his mouth curled upwards into a crooked smile.

A new power play had begun.

"Peter. I trust you've already figured out I'm from the Ministry of Magic." the man told him, folding his hands.

Well…at least this one wasn't condescending and thought he was some kind of blithering idiot, like the police officers who had interrogated him in the last two weeks.

"Yes." he replied, still staring into the guy's eyes.

There was no reason for him to give this one the silent treatment. After all…this was a different kind of game than what he had going with the guards and the police officers and aurors. And this one was a lot more interesting with the potential for a bigger advantage.

"My name is Nathan Wright and I work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I've been sent here to speak with you because you have vital information regarding a source in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that is connected to this torture and attempted murder that you're being tried for." he spoke calmly, not seeming affected by this situation in the slightest.

He eyed the man carefully and remained silent.

"Do you know of such a person?" Nathan Wright asked him.

"Yes." he replied. Whether he chose to divulge this information depended on what they were willing to offer him. If he decided not to share it, it would still give him satisfaction that the ministry knew that he knew the identity of the source but was keeping it from them, being too clever and strong to fall for any of their schemes or attempts to manipulate him or frighten him.

"I see." the dark-haired man said and nodded a few times, seemingly to himself, in understanding. "And would you be willing to share that information?"

"No." he said and tapped his foot against the stone floor twice. "Not without getting something in return."

The man sitting across from him didn't change his expression.

"I was expecting you to say that. You must be aware that since you've cast the Cruciatus curse, your position to negotiate is weakened?"

He shrugged. "I was aware of that but now you need something from me. The rules have changed."

Oh, how he was enjoying this. He wanted the ministry to crawl on their knees for him. They were going to give him what he wanted, unless they wished for the source to stay inside Hogwarts. Which would probably mean that the school would risk being closed.

He figured the officers had probably gotten all the answers they could get from Andrew and Thomas and had come to the conclusion that they in fact did not know who the source at the castle was. That he was the only one who knew and that he was the only option the authorities had for solving this case.

"I suppose they have." Nathan Wright agreed with him, calm blue eyes still observing him without any noticeable worry. "Now…Hogwarts is a vital institution in our society and we cannot have someone dangerous roaming free inside its walls. For that reason I've been authorized to offer you a deal. An offer of a reduced sentence in exchange for the identity of the source."

A flicker of a smile appeared on his lips

His silence and refusal to cooperate had paid off. They were now bending the rules to receive information from him. They were puppets and he was the puppet master. Even from inside Azkaban he was in control of the situation.

It made him feel damn good. He had proven cleverer than the authorities. They had not been able to make him give in.

He maintained an intense, silent eye contact with the ministry man sitting in front of him. The ball was in his court now and he took his time to consider his next move. He was showing this man that he was not stressed in any way. He had plenty of time to consider this proposal. He wasn't dependent on the government or anyone else to save him.

He weighed his options. On one hand, he could continue to withhold the information and revel in the power it gave him, knowing that this person was still inside the castle and no one could do a bloody thing about it and even the ministry reaching out to him would be refused, because he was stronger than them and didn't need them. On the other hand, it would be quite foolish for him to pass up the opportunity of a reduced sentence. He did not want to stay here in Azkaban forever, so this could be a ticket out of here at some point.

He had still won, even if he accepted the offer. They had given him something they would usually never give anyone, but because they were desperate and he had been wise enough to keep the identity of the source to himself, they had caved in. They had surrendered to him.

So it all came down to one single question.

"How much would my sentence be reduced?" he asked.

"If you are found guilty in the trial…instead of a life-time stay in here, you can be released when you're 60." Nathan Wright told him.

He tore his gaze off the dark-haired man and observed one of the dark, stone walls.

He did not like the idea of staying in here for 43 years but on the other hand…he could still have 20 years or so left when he got out, if he took this deal.

Still…he needed to try to push this further.

"I want my sentence reduced more than that." he told him, as he once again looked into the ministry man's unaffected, blue eyes.

Nathan Wright didn't move or blink.

"I can't offer you that, Peter. We are already in dangerous territory here. If the public ever discovered we had reduced the sentence that much for a prisoner who has performed the Cruciatus curse, there would be a scandal."

He had expected that answer. He could choose to push the matter even more, or he could move on to other areas in which he might achieve better terms for his stay in prison. He was well aware that even offering any kind of reduced sentence to someone who had used an Unforgivable curse was a very rare occurrence.

He decided to try to gain something else instead. He wasn't going to accept their offer unless they put something else on the table too.

"Well, then I want improvements in my stay here."

"What sort of improvements?"

"I know how this prison works. A lot of the prisoners are kept in isolation for most of the time and there isn't much to do in here. I don't want that. I want to be able to interact with some of the other prisoners on a regular basis. And I want to be able to come outside in the fresh air and daylight at least once a day. And I want to have a better bed and a continuous supply of books and paper and pencils, as well as a TV and games. I don't intend to go insane in here."

Nathan Wright's blue eyes stared intently into his own. Peter made sure not to break eye contact even for a second. They were sizing each other up, trying to figure out how far the other would go.

And he was certainly not going to back down first. If they wanted his information, they would need to offer him something worth more than the satisfaction of keeping that secret.

"Excuse me for a moment." the dark-haired man said before he left the room.

Now he was once again sitting alone in here with only the flickering, yellow bulb in the ceiling to keep him company.

He knew what was going on. This 'Mr. Wright' had to check in with his superiors about whether it was acceptable to fulfill his demands.

He stayed in his relaxed position and waited. Patience wasn't his strong suit but he could summon it, when he needed it to achieve something.

When Nathan Wright came back and sat himself down at the table once more, the man simply observed him for a few moments, his face in neutral folds.

When he spoke again, his voice was calm.

"Well, Peter. My superiors have accepted your terms."

"I want it in writing." he told him. He wasn't stupid. If he didn't have any kind of proof of what they had agreed on, the authorities could simply deny that they had ever promised him anything.

"Yes, I expected as much." the ministry man replied. "You will have that."

"Well then…gather a team of your finest heroes." he told him mockingly with an amused smirk. "You have someone to arrest."

Hiccup enjoyed the emptiness and quietness of the courtyard as he sat by one of the tables, leaning over his Potions textbook, eyes darting over letters. Toothless was resting his sleek, cat's body on the table, his black fur shining in the mild sunlight. The feline's green eyes roamed across the courtyard, keeping a look out for anything suspicious, like a personal bodyguard in cat form. Hiccup wrapped his Ravenclaw scarf a little tighter around his neck, protecting his skin from the chill of the crisp, winter breeze. He savored the cold air though and he appreciated that the chilly temperatures these days kept the other students inside most of the time.

It was late afternoon and he had taken some time to himself to catch up on some of the homework he was terribly behind on. What he really wanted to do was to be with Jack but he couldn't keep postponing doing all of this work. It would only keep piling up unless he actually did something about it. That didn't stop him from regularly zoning out, because he was thinking about his wonderful boyfriend and what he might be doing right now.

He sighed to himself as he read the same paragraph all over again, because his eyes had taken in the words the first time but his brain had failed to understand the meaning, as it was busy showing him images of Jack and making him long to be near him.

Man…he would probably have done twice the work by now, if it wasn't because his boyfriend had invaded his mind. Being in love was seriously distracting. He couldn't stop thinking about how much he wanted to feel Jack's lips against his right now, how he wanted to hold him, banter with him, watch him laugh, see his blue eyes sparkle, let his wonderful childish, playful spirit make him feel happy and warm inside.

'When did you turn into such a sap, Hiccup?' his mind asked him.

"Shut up and let me be happy." he mumbled to himself.

It was surreal how one second could turn everything upside down.

The second Jack chose to kiss him changed things between them forever.

The second he chose happiness with Jack over the expectations and responsibilities looming over him changed things between them forever.

One second is all it takes.

He scribbled down a few notes on the parchment about the paragraph he had now finished reading again. Toothless stretched out his cat limbs and yawned before he curled up on the wooden surface.

"Hiccup!"

His head instantly turned to the side to see Flynn running towards him. Toothless jumped down from the table. He quickly shut his book and got to his feet.

"What's going on?" he asked, immediately concerned by Flynn's urgency.

Flynn stopped in front of him, breathing heavily from running, holding his sides.

"I was told by headmaster Lunar to get you. They've found the person who helped McGowan and Levin and Zamora." his friend explained.

Ice ran through Hiccup's veins.

This was it. Now he would know who inside this castle wanted him dead. Who had assisted those three boys in torturing him. Who had some kind of connection to the hostile tribes back home.

"Who is it?" he asked, anxiety bubbling in his stomach.

"I don't know. They didn't tell me." Flynn shook his head, an apologetic look on his face.

"Lead the way." he told Flynn, trying his best to remain calm.

Flynn nodded and whirled around to walk towards one of the entrances to the castle. Hiccup quickly stuffed his book, quill and parchment into his satchel, slung it over his shoulder and followed Flynn at a fast pace, Toothless hurrying along beside him.

He and Flynn began their quick walk down the corridors, moving as fast as they could without actually running and drawing attention to themselves. This was a private matter and they didn't want anyone to find out what was going on.

Hiccup's mind was clouded by scattered thoughts, as they made their way towards their destination. He was really hoping there was some kind of reasonable explanation for why the person had helped McGowan and Levin get inside the castle. There was a very big risk that this person was someone he had had some kind of contact with through the years, whether it was just a few words exchanged in a class or working together on an assignment or one of the people who had sought him out after his secret about the dragons came out. That thought made the uneasiness grow inside him. It was surreal that he had probably talked to this person at some point.

Corridor after corridor, staircase after staircase seemed to appear and disappear almost in a blur, as his feet carried him across the floor beside Flynn, while he was trying his best to somehow prepare himself for what was to come, even though he knew he couldn't.

By the end of the corridor they were now walking through, Hiccup spotted Professor Bunnymund and Professor Mansnoozie standing in front of the Transfiguration classroom, obviously standing guard. Next to them, headmaster Lunar was telling them something Hiccup couldn't hear.

He increased the tempo and Flynn and Toothless both kept up with him. When they were finally by the three professors, headmaster Lunar trained those wise, green eyes on him.

"Mr. Haddock. I am truly sorry for this horrible situation." his headmaster told him. "As headmaster I should have been able to prevent this. I promise you I will increase the security measures for the castle even further after this."

The professor's voice was calm but Hiccup could hear the underlying sadness in it.

He breathed in deep and then exhaled.

"Can I go in?" he asked, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"Mr. Haddock…I'm not certain that is a good idea. We should discuss this first." his headmaster said.

"Look…I want to see this person for myself. I want to look them in the eye and ask them why they did this to me." Hiccup explained. This wasn't just some random idea he had gotten into his head. This was something he needed to do.

Professor Lunar hesitated. "I would recommend that you bring either myself or one of the other professors in with you."

"I would like to go in alone." Hiccup said calmly.

Headmaster Lunar's green eyes observed him for a few moments in silence.

"As you wish." his professor then agreed. "The authorities are on their way as we speak, so you will not have long before they will need to transport him to Azkaban for interrogation."

Hiccup nodded. So it was a him. He deliberately avoided asking the professor who it was, since he would see for himself now.

"Hiccup, are you sure you should go in alone?" Flynn asked him with concern in his brown eyes.

"Yeah. I'll be okay. It's not like the person still has their wand or anything, right?" he asked headmaster Lunar.

"Of course not." the headmaster confirmed.

Hiccup nodded and then looked at Flynn again.

"Go find Jack and the others and tell them." he told his friend who immediately nodded, spun around and began walking down the corridor at a fast pace.

"Toothless. Stay here." he said to the cat, who instantly hissed in discontent.

"Yeah, I know you don't like it. But I'll be okay." he reassured his best friend. Toothless watched him skeptically but then sat down on the floor in acceptance.

Hiccup turned towards the doors and exhaled deeply as he mentally prepared himself to open them and discover who had assisted in his torture. Who didn't mind the idea of him getting hurt and killed. Who had some part to play in the problems back home with the tribes.

His eyes slid shut for a brief moment before they slowly opened again. Then he reached out his hands and pushed open the massive doors. The wood creaked in protest.

He hurried inside the classroom with the dark wooden tables and the many cages filled with small animals. He closed the doors behind him. Only then did he lift his head and train his eyes on the person in the room.

One second can turn everything around.

His breath caught in his throat. His heartbeat quickened.

No no no no no.

This was wrong. This was all wrong.

He was frozen in place, unable to move in any way. He stared at the person in shock, unable to say or do anything right now.

This didn't make sense. How could this be true?

In the middle of the large stone room with the high windows and the mahogany desks, on a dark wooden chair sat a person with their hands tied behind their back.

On a dark wooden chair sat someone Hiccup had thought was a good person.

On a dark wooden chair sat someone Hiccup had talked to and laughed with over the years.

On a dark wooden chair sat someone Hiccup had come to like.

On a dark wooden chair… sat professor Cooke. His favorite professor.

One second can change everything.

Author's note:

(edit): A few people have asked me why the ministry don't simply approve the use of Veritaserum (truth serum) on McGowan to get him to spill the beans. There are several reasons why I have chosen not to do that.

First of all, Veritaserum does not work in the same way on everyone. It is best used on the weak and unsuspecting and some witches and wizards can actually resist the effect. It is unreliable and therefore it can't be used to prove innocence or guilt, truth or lie with certainty.

Second of all, after the war where Voldemort was defeated, I would find it very likely that the ministry of magic would be very occupied with applying a new, more humane way of doing things to re-create trust between the magical community and the ministry and to avoid "bad seeds" to thrive and spread corruption and other horrible behavior inside the ministry. Voldemort and his followers were able to infiltrate and overtake the ministry, where they used horrible methods to achieve their goals, such as registration of muggleborns, unpleasant interrogation methods, murder and so on. So it makes sense that the ministry would want to follow a new path after the war with more focus on humane methods as well as more control on what goes on in places like Azkaban, because let's face it: the way the prisoners are treated there is equal to torture. I don't care what horrible crimes they've committed: keeping prisoners in isolation in tiny cells with nothing to do for years while the dementors slowly suck any happiness they have out of them, making them relieve the worst moments of their lives constantly IS torture. It makes them slowly go insane and death would be more humane than that. In that aspect, the ministry of magic (even before Voldemort infiltrated it) is no better than the people they have imprisoned. It would be vital as a part of re-creating trust between the population and the ministry to show them that they are NOT the same as Voldemort and his death eaters...that they are civilized and that they can be trusted again now that Voldemort is gone. Using Veritaserum on someone IS coersion and that would not fit into this new strategy. Imagine someone giving you a potion that forces you to tell them something you don't want to tell them. It might not hurt physically but it's an invasion of privacy and a violation of human rights that doesn't belong in this new reality in the post-war society. There is no longer a war going on that can justify suspending the rules because it's a matter of life and death. So those are the reasons I chose not to do that.