Chapter 8: Hallowe´en
Punzie entered the Great Hall that was packed with students, teachers and ghosts. The Halloween feast was perhaps the most anticipated event of the year at Hogwarts, even for her, who had never experienced a Halloween in her life. In Corona, the small country where she was born and raised, it was a celebration that was not taken into account very much, so as she walked through the halls of the castle seeing the enormous pumpkins and the live bats flying in all directions she could not contain her excitement. And when she arrived at the Great Hall and saw all the food and even more decorations, bats and almost all the ghosts that lived in the school, she almost forgot that she had not made a single friend in the two months she had been at school.
She wrote letters to her parents every day. At first she did not tell them that she felt lonely and missed them more and more every day, but after a few weeks it was the only thing she mentioned in her letters. Her parents tried to comfort her, encouraging her to put her fears behind her and start a conversation with a classmate. Punzie had tried, but the longest conversation she had ever had was three lines long and then nothing.
She tried to forget all that for the moment and sat down at Hufflpeuff's table. In front of her were all kinds of pumpkin-colored cakes, orange and green sweets, pancakes with pumpkin cream, milkshakes and all kinds of things that Punzie didn't get to try because she was so full.
Around her everyone was talking to each other, except her. Some topics she managed to hear were the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, some fifth-year girls worried about their O.W.L.s and more gossip. In the back of the Great Hall, near the large doors she could see Merida DunBroch with Hiccup Haddock and Jack Frost. They looked oddly suspicious. Just when Headmistress McGonagall announced that the entertainment was about to start and all attention was on her, except Punzie's, the three children, taking advantage of the situation, slipped out of the Great Hall.
It doesn't seem like they're up to anything good, Punzie thought
Still, why did she have the urgent need to follow them? She asked herself the same thing again when she was already halfway to the greenhouses, as were she saw the other three going, making sure that no one saw her leave the GreatH all.
What am I doing?
"Frost has to learn to control his bowels, Haddock" she heard Merida say when she was about to turn around to where they were.
"I don't think he went to the bathroom, he said he was going to the Slytherin dormitory for something that would be useful to him."
"It doesn't matter, he's wasting our time. If he takes too long the feast will be over and they'll notice that we're not there."
"It won't take long, just be patient."
Punzie heard the redheaded girl snort. She didn't know what to do. They hadn't seen her, so she could still sneak back to the Great Hall and eat one or two more pumpkin pies, she was already hungry again. On the other hand, she could come out of hiding and join them, maybe she could become their friend. But would they let her join them? Would they send her away or ignore her like most people had done so far? Merida had been rude to her before, but that time Merida was upset about the quidditch tryouts and the place she had been given on the Gryffindor quidditch team. This time it could be different. Plus, Hiccup seemed a lot nicer than most people. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone approaching her from behind.
"Who are you?" someone asked quietly.
Punzie felt a chill run down her spine.
"Is that you, Punzie?" A second voice, sweeter and kinder, asked.
Punzie turned slowly. She saw Jack Frost and Elsa staring at her.
"Oh yes," Jack said. "The weird… the girl who always goes barefoot. I think we met on the train."
Punzie nodded at Jack's comment, the part about seeing each other on the train, not the part about being weird. "Hi, Elsa," she said, faking a smile. The other blonde girl returned the gesture, sincerely. The truth was that Punzie felt hurt with Elsa, they had shared the entire trip on the Hogwarts Express, they had taken the same boat through the Black Lake to the castle, and as soon as Elsa was named to put on the sorting hat it was all over, they had not had another conversation, not even a greet.
"There you are, Frost" that was Merida's voice. "If we waste any more time the feast will end and… What are those two doing here?"
"Well," Jack began, "Elsa caught me sneaking out of the dungeons and wanted to come along and Punzie… What are you doing here Punzie?"
Punzie shrugged. "I… I don't really know, I guess I'd like to tag along."
"You don't even know where we're going."
"No, but it could be fun."
"That's what I say." Merida turned to Elsa. "What about you, Elsa?"
"Well…" the pale girl began to say. "If they catch you in the Forbidden Forest, they will most likely expel you, like that boy last year. And that is what I want, to be expelled from this place."
Forbidden Forest? Punzie's legs began to shake.
"Interesting…" Hiccup pondered. Jack nodded, it seemed that Elsa had already said the same to him.
"You want to be expelled just because Professor Tenebrae made me humiliate you in front of everyone."
Elsa frowned. Everything felt cold. "My reasons are none of your bussines."
"Whatever, they are not going to catch us. If you two want to come, for whatever reason, it does not matter to me, as long as you do not interfere with the challenge I have with Frost. Let's go."
Hiccup moved forward. "We can still go back to the feast. The dancing skeleton show must not have finished yet and…"
"Don't even think about it Haddock" Merida interrupted him. "Let's go" she repeated.
Merida, Jack, Elsa and Hiccup began to advance towards the fields that were between the castle and the gamekeeper's hut. That's the way to the Forbidden Forest. So it was serious, Punzie had the vague illusion that they were hanging out somwhere safer. She no longer knew if this was the best or the only way she was going to make friends.
When they were several meters ahead of her Elsa turned around. "Are you coming?" Her voice was kind and friendly.
Punzie nodded and followed them.
Elsa felt the Forbidden Forest looming before them and for a moment, she had doubts. Although in the last few days she had managed to talk to McGonagall about her past, the headmistress had been uncommunicative. She did not speak to her as such about her parents, or her family… or anything.
"It is not yet the right time" she had told her. "But trust me, I'll tell you everything you want to know soon."
Minerva also assured her, by Merlin's beard, that he was not descended from a dark wizard. She felt a little, just a little calmer knowing the minimum about her past, but she felt like a hatred was growing inside her that she couldn't control towards Minerva and everyone involved, if she only knew who else was involved. Every time she thought about it she felt cold. That's why she wanted to leave Hogwarts, wherever, except to be there.
Merida's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Ready, Frost?"
Jack took off his black robes, leaving him only in his school uniform, a white shirt, untucked, a tie in the color of his house, a gray jumper with the Slytherin crest and plaid pants, also in the color of Slytherin. He began to stretch. "Readier than ever" he said.
Merida took off her robes as well and imitated Jack, her white blouse was poorly tucked in and her red plaid Gryffindor skirt was wrinkled. Merida and Jack started talking to Hiccup about the rules and who knows what other nonsense. At that moment, Elsa noticed how Punzie was shaking from head to toe. Her hands were pressed against her chest and she was rubbing them intensely.
"Are you okay?"
Punzie turned to look at her. It was obvious that she had startled her out of her thoughts. The barefoot girl nodded effusively. "Yes," she said. "I just don't know if this is a good idea."
"You can go back to the castle if you want. Actually, I think it's for the best."
Punzie shook her head. "No, I want to go."
Elsa didn't know how to feel about it, she didn't want Punzie to get into trouble. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Aren't you scared?"
"I'm terrified, but… I just want to make friends. I don't have a single one."
"But we are friends, Punzie. You were the first person that talked to me on the train."
Punzie bit her lip and Elsa noticed her eyes getting wet. "Yeah… I believed the same thing."
"You believed?"
"Yeah." Punzie started to sway back and forth, waving her arms slightly. "But ever since you got sorted into Slytherin and me into Hufflepuff, we haven't talked. Not once. I've tried, but it's like you don't see me."
Elsa felt a strong pressure in her chest. "I… I'm sorry, Punzie. It's just… Ugh, I have no excuse. Let's just say that… I didn't expect to be in Slytherin and… I don't like the way people treat me since the sorting ceremony. I… I forgot that you're one of the few people who hasn't treated me… like everyone else does."
"Well, it's not like they treat me any different than you. I mean, I don't wear shoes."
The two girls laughed. "If we don't get expelled, I'll try to be a better first friend with you." Elsa could see Punzie's eyes filling with tears.
"Thank you," Punzie smiled from ear to ear. "By the way, is it because of the way everyone treats you that you want to leave Hogwarts?"
Elsa became serious, frowned and bit her lower lip hard, a little more and she could have made it bleed. She didn't want to tell Punzie the truth about her relationship with Minerva. "Yes, for the most part yes," she lied halfway.
"I don't think you should go. My parents say that Hogwarts is a magical place full of… experencies you'll never forget and…"
"It's complicated. I..."
Merida's voice interrupted her. "Alrigtht, you two," the red-haired girl said. She had also taken off her jumper and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. Jack had done the same. "You guys will help Haddock make sure that neither of Jack or me cheat and leave through another part of the forest." Merida raised her hand towards the thickest part of the forest borders. "Maybe one of you will go there and the other…"
Elsa shook her head. "I'm going in with you," she interrupted. "If they catch me in the surroundings, nothing serious would happen, a punishment cleaning slugs maybe, but I wouldn't be expelled. I'm going in."
The truth was that she was scared to death, but her decision to be expelled was still there. A little weakened by her talk with Punzie moments ago, perhaps. But she was already there. There was no chance to regret it.
Merida frowned. "I don't think that's…"
"I'm going in with you," Elsa said, once again. "I'm not going to interrupt your silly little game or whatever. But. I am. Going. In."
Merida seemed at a loss for words and was about to say something, but Punzie got in first.
"I'm going in too," she said.
This time even Hiccup and Jack, who were busy looking at a piece of paper that Jack had taken out of his pants pocket, turned around in surprise. "Woah, woah, woah." Hiccup waved his arms in denial. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said.
"I agree," Jack said. "That place can be dangerous and too scary." Elsa felt like they were treating Punzie like a baby. "Besides, you're barefoot, you can get hurt."
Punzie shrugged. "Once at home I stepped on a piece of broken glass and it barely hurt. A branch or a rock can't be worse."
Jack smiled. "You really have something special."
Merida rolled her eyes. "Well, if you're so sure. Go ahead."
Elsa took Punzie by the shoulder. "Are you sure, Punzie? This isn't seeming like such a good idea anymore and I don't want you to get into trouble too. If you wait out here it might not go so bad for you." That was half true, but she wanted to protect Punzie.
Punzie shook her head. "Don't worry, besides... it's weird, but I feel like something is telling me that this is something I should do."
"The need to make friends?"
"No. Maybe. I don´t know. But I feel like there's something else. Telling me to get in the forbidden Forest." The moon seemed to shine brighter on them. Illuminating exactly the place they were in.
Elsa let out a deep sigh and turned to the other three, Merida was shouting something with a Scottish accent so thick that Elsa couldn't understand a single word. "We're ready" she told them.
Merida put her hands to her temples. "It can't be. It doesn't matter now. Haddock already said that he wants to come in too, whatever." She turned to Jack and pointed at him with her finger. "You better not cheat Frost. And the others better not screw this up."
Jack smiled and headed into the forest. He picked up his robes and turned to Merida. "You coming, frizzy-hair?"
Merida snorted and said nothing but followed Jack into the forest, Hiccup following suit.
Elsa lend her hand to Punzie. "Shall we go?"
Punzie took her hand and together they headed into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest.
Hiccup began to worry when the moonlight was less as they went deeper into the forbidden forest. It even seemed as if the moon was trying so hard to penetrate the thick foliage of the trees so as not to leave them in the dark.
What was he thinking? All he had to do was wait at the edge of the Forest to check that neither Merida nor Jack cheated by leaving early. That way they would be safe, from whatever was inside the Forest and from any punishment if they were caught. What was that sudden impulse that made him want to go inside? It was like something inside the Forest was calling him. Something that needed to be found.
The order of the procession was with Jack and Merida in front, a few meters ahead of everyone else. Hiccup was behind them and immediately behind him, Elsa and Rapunzel. Hiccup noticed how Merida looked from side to side, nervous, maybe… scared?
"And what is the challenge between these two about?" Hiccup was startled, he hadn't noticed when Elsa had stood next to him.
"Oh for the gods".
"Sorry…"
"Basically, and in Jack's words, 'the first one to get scared and run away from the forest loses'. But if one lasts a few seconds longer than the other in here it's enough."
"What a strange bet".
"You can say that again" Hiccup seconded. "But this pair hasn't gotten along very well since they met on the train and… let's say they want to prove who's better."
They continued walking in a straight line, so as not to lose their way back, for a few minutes. The moonlight was almost gone by this time. Still, Hiccup could see what seemed like a shadow slipping between other shadows. It was a shadow that moved with grace and agility, it was almost as if he was watching a sheet sway in the wind. The more he saw it, the more uncomfortable it made him feel. It was as if they were being watched. It's nothing, it's just your mind playing trick to you. He tried to convince himself.
"Can we rest a Little?" That was Rapunzel.
Everyone turned to see her, she had sat on a huge rock and was rubbing her feet. Elsa approached her, perhaps to make sure she was feeling okay.
Hiccup heard the fallen branches of the trees and the dry leaves rustling and moving. But everyone was still enough for them to be the ones doing it.
"You can wait here," Jack said. "Anyway, the challenge is between DunBroch and me."
"Why don't we wait for them? It's better that way."
"Is it because you're scared to be alone, DunBroch?"
Merida's cheeks turned the color of her hair, even in the darkness Hiccup could tell. "Scared?" she exploded. "It's because I don't want you to cheat, Frost."
Jack laughed. They both started saying more things, Merida rather shouting them. Jack just made faces and laughed at Merida.
The sound of dry branches and leaves moving around them became more noticeable. Merida and Jack were too focused on arguing to hear it. Hiccup tried to convince himself that it was the wind, but that shadow or shadows from earlier had made him paranoid.
"Do you hear that?" Hiccup jumped, Elsa had stood beside him, again, and he didn't sense her presence until she spoke, again. He hoped she didn't make a habit of doing so. The sound was getting closer. "Shut up, you two."
Merida and Jack turned around in surprise. Merida frowned. "Excuse me?"
Elsa put a finger to her lips and shhed her. "There's something else here."
Punzie stifled a scream. Hiccup and Elsa turned to where she was and in front of Rapunzel were four snakes, huge snakes standing on their tails. That way, her height was almost the same as Rapunzel's.
"Rapunzel," Hiccup gulped. "Step back, slowly, don't startle them."
The girl obeyed him, trembling, and walked backwards towards where they were, without letting the snakes that were stalking her get startled. The sound of the dry leaves breaking under her feet seemed to alert the snakes. Merida and Jack had already joined them. Hiccup could see how the five of them were shaking.
"Um… I think those snakes aren't the only ones." Jack tried to joke despite being terrified. Hiccup noticed it.
Behind them and to their right and left, there were more snakes, they had them surrounded from all angles. The children had already formed a circle, back to back. The snakes were all different sizes. Hiccup noticed something that they all had in common…
"They say they're hungry," Elsa said.
Say?
"Oh, no," was all Hiccup could say.
Rapunzel had already reached to their side, between him and Elsa. The barefoot girl grabbed her friend's hand tightly and began to hyperventilate.
"What can we do?" she asked between whimpers.
"Defend ourselves," she heard Merida say to her left. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the red-haired girl take out her wand and wave it. "Expell—"
Hiccup reacted quickly enough to grab her wrist. "Are you crazy? You attack one out of fifteen and then what? The others attack us. We can't fight them all."
Merida broke free from Hiccup's grip. "Any better ideas?"
"Let me think, let me think."
"Hurry up, buddy," Jack's voice was more like a screech. The snakes were getting closer.
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
He turned his head from side to side, trying to look for an escape route… and he saw it. Right between Jack and Merida was a gap between the snakes just wide enough for them to pass through.
"I got it, Jack, to your right, Merida, to your left. There's a gap without snakes."
"I see it," Jack said.
"What's the plan?" Merida asked.
"Listen up all four of you." Hiccup said in a firm voice. "Take out your wands. As soon as I give you the signal, Jack, Merida, and I will cast stun spells on the snakes closest to the gap. And you, Rapunzel, and Elsa, will try to make a protego so the rest of the snakes can't attack us while we all run for the escape route. Is that clear?"
Hiccup heard his companions agree with the plan.
"Um…" That was Rapunzel. "I forgot my wand."
"Hell mend ye…"
"Okay, okay." Hiccup had to keep order. "Elsa and I will do the protection spell." Hiccup clung to his wand, so tightly that he could feel the scaly shape of the wood digging into his skin. "Ready?" The snakes were getting closer. "Wait…" Closer. "Wait…" Much closer. "Now."
"Expelliarmus"
"Stupify"
The three or four snakes closest to the gap darted out to the sides and at that moment Hiccup shouted "Run."
The four obeyed without thinking. Hiccup hung back along with Elsa. "Protego" they shouted at once. The snakes that had lunged at them bounced off an invisible shield, allowing them to gain adventage.
They ran through the forest, between shadowy trees and crunching leaves under their feet. Panting. Their robes and hair were tangled in the lower branches of the trees, tearing their clothes and pulling their hair, but they did not stop. And the snakes were still after them. They cast one or another disarming spell, but against so many snakes it was almost impossible to cover the ground. They would stun one or throw it away but another would take its place giving the previous one time to join the herd.
I don't even know if we are going in the right direction.
Behind them, he heard Elsa stumble and fall to the ground. The rest must have noticed too because they stopped dead and turned around.
"Elsa!" Rapunzel was the first to return to help her friend. She had cut her leg on the edge of a rock and blood was pouring out in trickles from the top of her right calf. The other three returned. They tried to be fast but the snakes caught up with them
At that moment, Hiccup heard the largest of the snakes hiss and in unison, almost all the others launched themselves at them.
He heard Jack and Merida cast spells, but it was useless, against so many snakes it was simply useless.
Hiccup stepped back, tripped on a tree root and fell backwards. He felt a strong sting in the back of his head and was about to faint. At that moment he felt very cold and heard one of the children hiss like a snake.
The hissing paralyzed Merida, in front of them, most of the snakes had frozen in mid-attack, falling to the ground and breaking into hundreds of pieces of ice. The rest seemed hypnotized. Elsa stood in front of them, with her right hand raised and the leg on which she had cut herself trembling from the pain. There were traces of ice and frost around her, as if an ice bomb had exploded where she was. The girl moved her hand to the right and then to the left, the snakes followed the movement. Elsa hissed and the snakes... did they respond?
Between hisses Jack and Merida helped Hiccup to his feet. And little by little, almost without realizing it, they backed away. How was it possible? Elsa speaking the language of snakes?
"What the hell is going on?" Merida managed to say.
"I think we already know why they treat her the way they do" said Jack.
"I say we should take advantage and run away" suggested Merida.
"No!" That was Rapunzel. She had grouped with them and was looking fearfully over Haddock's shoulder. "We... We're not going to leave her here."
Merida and Frost began to argue something, but Hiccup silenced them. "I agree with Rapunzel, no matter how much she scares us, we're not going to leave her here alone."
"The blow you got to your head affected you, right, Haddock?" Merida said. "You're not seeing what's going on?"
"I see it and I hear her." Hiccup said firmly. "She just saved us and she's still doing it."
Merida knew he was right, so she didn't say anything. She backed away a little more. Merida noticed that they had grouped together in a somewhat curious way, at least for her. In front of everyone was Frost, who had extended his arms in front of the rest, as if to protect them. To Frost's right was Merida, clinging tightly to Jack's arm. Hiccup was Jack's left, trying to pull Frost's arm away from his face. And behind Hiccup, barely peeking over his shoulder, was Rapunzel.
Merida didn't like the situation very much. No, she didn't like the situation at all. She was the Gryffindor, the brave one, she was the one who should be in front of everyone, showing her bravery and protecting the rest, not Frost. And, above all, she didn't have to be clinging to his arm like that. But she didn't let go, and that strange feeling in her stomach from a few days ago had returned.
Elsa hissed again. She screamed a hiss... (she hiss a scream?) and the snakes backed away, intimidated. The largest of the remaining ones tried to rise on its tail, but Elsa hissed some more and it flattened itself against the ground, with the rest of the snakes.
How much could she be telling them?
Little by little the snakes began to back away, until one gave a slight hiss and they left. Just like that, they didn't attack anymore, they didn't do anything anymore.
Elsa turned to them, in pain and limping on her injured leg. She probably noticed their faces filled with fear and some astonishment, even though they were already a few meters away from her.
"What?" Elsa asked.
"Are you seriously asking?" Merida's voice was shaking.
"You talked… You talked to the snakes," Jack emphasized.
"Mmm… yeah, what's so weird about it?
"Everything!" Punzie shouted from behind Hiccup.
Hiccup took a few steps forward. "Have you always been able to do it?"
"Well… I don't know, I think this is the first time I've done it." Everyone was even more surprised. "Oh, come on, we do a lot of weird things in class and you're surprised because I talked to a bunch of snakes? Hiccup is learning to speak Dragonese."
"The thing here is that when I speak Dragonese I just imitate sounds so that Toothless can understand me."
"Is that really your dragon's name?"
"Shut up, Merida, not the moment. Elsa, did you understand what those snakes were saying?"
Elsa became serious and nodded slowly, lowering her gaze.
"And what did they tell you?" despite her fear, Merida was curious.
"That… that they were hungry. That since that thing entered the forest it has stolen all their food and… that they are afraid of it. I don't know what they meant and I didn't pay attention to most of what they told me, I just wanted to keep us safe. The truth is that they seemed hypnotized when I spoke to them."
Everyone remained serious. The fear was passing, but there were still many doubts in Merida's mind. Elsa grimaced and writhed in pain on her leg.
"Could you help me? It hurts a lot."
Without thinking, and ignoring all the fear she felt, Rapunzel stepped forward and went to help Elsa, standing beside her and helping her lean on her shoulders.
"So, what I did is not something common, is it? Not even for the wizarding world."
Rapunzel nodded
"It's something that only a few wizards have been able to do," said Jack, wizards like Salazar Slytherin… or Tom Riddle."
Elsa's face turned grim. "They were dark wizards, right?"
Rapunzel nodded.
"I see," Elsa's voice was barely a thread.
"We should go now," said Hiccup. "The feast should be over by now. If we're lucky we'll be able to sneak in to our dormitories."
"But Elsa's wound," said Rapunzel, "How are we going to explain it?"
"Don't worry, Punzie, I'll think of something." Elsa grimaced in pain. "For now, help me walk."
Jack moved closer so that Elsa could lean on his shoulders as well. "It will be faster if I help you too."
"Thanks."
"Merida, you lead the way." It was the first time Jack had called her by her first name. "Hiccup, you help us keep an eye out for anything else nearby."
"Let's go this way," Merida said. They set off, with Merida in front, Jack, Elsa and Punzie right behind her and Hiccup bringing up the rear. Everyone, at least those who could, had their wands in hand.
Merida didn't know how, but something inside her told her that the path she was leading them on was the right one, illuminated slightly by the moonlight.
A few minutes later Elsa asked them to stop. They helped her sit on a branch that had come out of a tree. Her right calf was almost completely covered in blood, most of it already dried.
"That doesn't look good at all," Jack observed. "Is there something we can do?"
Rapunzel examined Elsa's wound carefully. She let out a long sigh before speaking. "I can do something. But you have to swear that you can never, and seriously never, tell anyone."
"Punzie, what are you talking about?"
"Something I've always had the ability to do. But I really need you to swear that you'll never talk about it."
"You sure do like to add mystery to the situation." Merida was losing patience. But she knew they couldn't waste any more time. "But okay, I swear it… by the Holyhead Harpies."
Jack and Hiccup did the same, one for Puddlemore United and the other for his dragon.
Rapunzel let out a deep sigh. "Fine. Whatever happens, don't interrupt me." The blonde girl took a thick lock of her hair and began to wrap it around Elsa's calf.
"Punzie, you're dirtying your hair with my blood."
Rapunzel shushed her and cleared her throat.
"Flower, gleam and glow…" her voice trembled.
Suddenly, they heard the hissing once again.
"The snakes, they found us."
Suddenly the snakes jumped to attack Hiccup, who had kept a little distance from the rest. This time, not even Elsa could react, weaker than before and much farther away.
Before any of them could do anything, a figure stood between the attacking snakes and Hiccup. She waved her wand and the snakes were suspended in the air. The witch's sapphire-colored robes flashed before the light rays of moonlight that penetrated the Forest. The witch waved her wand again while shouting "Vipera evanesca." The snakes, paralyzed in the air as they had been, disappeared.
Professor Flee Hummings turned to the group. To say that she looked upset was tos ay little. "You five are in serious, and I mean serious trouble." Merida turned to look at the others, all of them looking worried, scared. Even Elsa, who had said so much that she wanted them to be caught. To tell the truth, the five of them were terrified, the snakes were less terrifying than the fact that they had been discovered. Their stay at Hogwarts was in danger.
Merida took a step forward. "Professor Hummings, I'm sorry, we…" the professor raised a hand to silence her, walked over to where Elsa was, knelt before her and pointed her wand at the girl's wound. She muttered some incantations and after a few seconds the wound disappeared and she cleaned most of the blood on Elsa's calf.
"That will do for now. As soon as we get to the castle Madam Abbott will check you out."
This time it was Hiccup who spoke. "Professor, I'm sorr..."
"Silence, Haddock." Professor Hummings' voice made them all pale. "And that goes for everyone. I don't want to hear a single word come out of your bratty little mouths until we've reached the headmistress's office. Understood?" All the children nodded. "Now, let's get going."
The path out of the Forbidden Forest seemed to last forever. Everyone was silent, following Professor Hummings, her footsteps seemed louder, and more annoyed, than the others, the leaves crunching louder under her feet.
Little by little the moonlight penetrated deeper into the forest, which meant they were closer to leaving. Before long, Jack saw the exit of the forest. Elsa and Hiccup seemed relieved to be out. He couldn't say much about Rapunzel, she spent most of the walk back whimpering and hiding her face in the sleeves of her robe. And as for DunBroch, she looked furious.
When everyone was out of the forest, Professor Hummings turned to Jack, who had stayed at the edge of the forest, just inside it, pretending to tie his shoelaces. "Mr. Frost, don't waste your time, hurry up."
"Sorry, Professor."
The castle was completely silent, as all the students and teachers were already in their dormitories. Jack had never seen Hogwarts so quiet, nor were the ghosts in sight.
Hiccup was the first to pluck up his courage and break the silence. "Excuse me, Professor, but how did you know we were in the Forbidden Forest?"
The professor turned to look at him, but said nothing. "Misses Perkins and Hofferson," she said at last, once she had focused her attention on the path.
"Those traitors," Merida muttered. Not quietly enough.
"Don't worry, Miss DunBroch," the teacher said. "Your friends covered your back as much as possible. But when we realized that none of you were in your respective dormitories, we had to be a little… persuasive with your classmates. In the end, only Emily and Astrid knew about your plans."
"Professor," Jack wanted to ask a question too. Why had they sent only her and not all the teachers to find them? The Forbidden Forest was huge. But Professor Hummings silenced him without giving him the chance to say anything else.
"Silence, Mr. Frost. I told you I didn't want to hear a single word until we got to the Headmistress."
Jack bit his tongue.
Between turns and more turns, Jack knew he had something important to tell DunBroch and he couldn't wait any longer to do it.
"Hey, DunBroch."
"What do you want, Frost?"
"Quiet, children."
Jack addressed the red-haired girl again, but as quietly as he could that he could barely hear his own voice.
DunBroch was annoyed. "What?"
"Maybe it's not the best time for this, but you got out of the Forest before I did."
DunBroch's eyes widened. "When… you weren't tying your shoelaces…" She muttered a curse under her breath. "You've got to be kidding, Frost."
Jack smirked. "Eighty-eight galleons, I'm just saying."
"I can't believe you," the red-haired girl said to herself. Her face was already as red as her hair.
"But if you want, we can bet again."
"I'm not that stupid, Frost. I've already lost to you twice. I know when to stop."
"Well, you know what they say. Third time's a charm. And Gryffindor versus Slytherin's match is in two weeks."
Merida raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I hear you."
"It doesn't matter which team wins, it only matters which of us two caught the Golden Snitch. Same rules, you win and you don't owe me anything, I win and well… one hundred and sixty-six galleons on you."
"That's one hundred and seventy-six. Check your math."
Jack did some quick math. Let's see eight plus eight is sixteen, I leave the six and take the one and… "Whatever. Do you accept?"
Merida smiled. "If we don't get expelled, consider yourself defeated, Frost."
As soon as they reached the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmistress's office, Professor Hummings stepped forward and said the password. When the staircase that would lead them to their fate was revealed, the professor ushered them in first. Jack began to feel a strong pressure in his chest. He knew they were in trouble and he was just beginning to realize that he could be expelled from school.
What would he do if he got expelled? His wand would be taken away, he wouldn't be able to work in anything related to the wizarding world. His mother would kick him out of the house, his little sister would be disappointed in him and never speak to him again, and he would have to… get a muggle job. The thought alone made him shudder. He worked hard to get those ridiculous ideas out of his head.
In the headmistress's office, besides herself, were the three heads of the remaining houses. Professor Tenebrae, of Slytherin; Professor Longbottom, of Gryffindor; and Professor Dipett, from Hufflepuff. They were all sitting in a semi-circle. To Jack it looked more like a tribunal.
"Thank you, Professor Hummings," the Headmistress said as soon as everyone had entered. "Now, children, would you like to explain to us what happened?"
"It was my idea." What the hell am I saying?
"No, it was my idea," that was Merida. "You can ask Emily and Astrid."
"And they will no doubt support your version because they are your friends." Shut up, you idiot.
The teachers looked at each other. "I think it is obvious," Professor Tenebrae began, "that we have already spoken to Miss Perkins and Miss Hofferson."
Damn it. It is true that Professor Hummings told us.
The Headmistress was the one who spoke this time. "Miss DunBroch, I will ask you just once, was this your idea?"
Merida stepped forward. "Yes, Headmistress," she said decisively. "It was all my idea. I wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest to explore it. Emily and Astrid didn't want to come, and I don't blame them. So I thought that Jack would want to come, so I convinced him and Hiccup too, so that Jack would agree more easily." Why are you lying? Merida turned to see Elsa and Punzie, who was still with her face buried between the sleeves of her robe. "As for your daughter and her friend… I convinced them too. It didn't seem right to go alone with two boys. That's all."
"Alright miss, Dun— Miss Corona, please calm down— Miss DunBroch, thank you for clarifying the situation for us. What you all did was very dangerous, the punishment that each of you will receive is the least important. Your lives were at risk. The Forbidden Forest has that name for a reason. There are many magical creatures in there. And believe me, the vast majority are not nice to humans, much less to a group of children whom they could devour or worse in a matter of seconds."
Like snakes. It was clear.
"First of all, I will have to write to your parents to inform them of the situation. Second, each of you will lose 40 points for your house."
Forty? That meant that Slytherin would lose eighty. EIGHTY. Elsa must have thought about it too, Jack assumed since out of all the children she was the only one with her mouth open in surprise.
"And as for your punishment." The headmistress looked at them one by one, Jack noticed that she lingered a little longer on Elsa. She sighed deeply. "I will let the heads of your houses decide the appropriate punishment for each of you, except for you Miss DunBroch. Since you were the one who came up with this nonsense and put yourself and four of your classmates in danger, you will have an additional punishment to the one Professor Longbottom assigns you, dictated at this moment by me."
"I understand, Headmistress." Merida did not dare to look up from the floor. "Are you going to expel me?"
"No, Miss DunBroch. And in case there was any doubt, none of the five of you are going to be expelled."
Jack felt the hollow in his chest fill up again. Elsa was crestfallen, Hiccup was about to celebrate and Punzie for the first time raised her head, her face was red from crying.
"Your punishment, Miss DunBroch, is that you will be suspended from the Quidditch team for an indefinite period of time. Which means that you will not be able to participate in Quidditch matches during the school year, nor attend training.
Whaaaat?
"I understand, Headmistress," Merida's voice broke.
Jack didn't know what strange force took hold of him to move forward until he was side by side with Merida and did what he do.
"Headmistress," he said firmly, "I also broke the rules and went to the Forbidden Forest." He still had time to shut up, but it wasn't fair. Not at all fair. He turned to look at Merida, the girl had her head turned, so that they wouldn't see her cry, but by the way she was shaking it was obvious. Jack looked the Headmistress straight in the eyes again. "And I am also part of my house's Quidditch team, I think I deserve the same punishment as Merida."
"A very noble and supportive gesture on your part, Mr. Frost. But since it wasn't your idea, your punishment will be decided by Professor Tenebrae, and if he thinks it would be appropriate to leave you off the Quidditch team, then so be it.
Jack turned to look at the professor and begged him with his eyes to punish him in the same way. Professor Tenebrae scrutinized him with his gaze. "You will be informed of your punishment tomorrow morning, Mr. Frost, as will you, Miss Arendelle."
The rest of the Heads agreed that it would be best to wait until tomorrow to impose the rest of the punishments.
"Very well then, if there is nothing else to discuss, teachers, do me a favor and escort your students to their dormitories and Professor Tenebrae, please take Elsa to Madam Abbott, they must check her leg."
"As you say, Headmistress."
"You may all go." Headmistress McGonagall took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "We all need to rest."
Man, this chapter is the longest I've wrote so far. Mostly beacause I have all the five protagonist a POV. It was really exiting to write this one. I really hope you like it and feel free to leave a review telling me what you thought.
See ya'll and thank you