Chapter Text
Merida grunted as her mother began ranting on things she should and shouldn't do at the new school. Witchcraft and Wizardry was no secret to her, in fact she had received her invite just after she tried turning her mother into a bear. She figured transfiguration would be an easy and valuable class. Her brothers were running around crazed.
She noticed another girl with long blonde hair hugging her mother goodbye. The girl seemed to see her, she walked over with her cart and sighed, "Have you ever done this before?"
Merida shook her head, "Suppose it will be a first for the two of us." She managed a reassuring smile before the two girls noticed not too far off was a boy kneeling down to hug his crying sister.
"Hey, it's going to be fine, I'm coming back for the holidays." Jack cooed.
Emily buried her head in Jack's body holding tight she let go once her mother's hand came to her shoulder. "You promise?"
Jack grinned, "Cross my heart." He made a motion that seemed childlike...crossing his fingers over his heart as his younger sister let out a giggle and repeated the emotion.
"I'm proud of you..." His mother sighed hugging him.
Jack smiled at the both of them and watched as two girls with a whole-lotta hair raced between the platforms. He shrugged at the idea of running into a solid surface and took a bit of a head start before going right through the seemingly brick wall.
The train was stationed and let out a high whistle warning stragglers to get aboard.
Jack looked behind him and felt a slight sense of worry; he had never been on his own like this...after all he was only eleven.
Jack hopped on the train quick enough; he took an empty booth and took a window seat starring as the last few students ran onto the train. He heard a slight knock at the door; he turned to see a boy with brown hair and green eyes with a strain of freckles across the bridge of his nose sheepishly wave. "Do you mind?"
Jack shook his head, and gestured to the empty seats.
Hiccup smiled at the brown haired and brown eyed boy. He was shorter than most and welcoming at least. Once he had himself settled it wasn't long before he traded names.
"Jack Overland Frost." Jack greeted.
Hiccup chuckled, "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock."
"You seem like you're from..."
"I'm a Viking; my father's a whole lot bigger though." Hiccup finished.
Jack frowned, "I wouldn't have guessed... No offense."
Hiccup shrugged, "Well contrary to popular belief, it isn't so bad being a toothpick."
They both shared a laugh as another knock came on the door. They both looked to see an eager green eyed blonde and a more reserved and suspicious red haired and turquoise eyed girl waiting to be invited inside with heavy luggage in their arms.
After the boys let them in the girls stowed their luggage under the seats and overtop in compartments.
"I'm Rapunzel, this is Merida."
"I'm Jack and this is triple H." Jack replied.
Hiccup made a short laugh as the girls frowned at the odd name, "It's Hiccup..."
They sat down relaxed realizing it was a mild joke.
Merida paused as she inspected the two boys, "both of ya seem to be colonials."
Jack seemed uneasy at the observation as Hiccup sighed.
"I'm from Berk..." the young Viking explained.
Merida looked to Jack expectantly.
"Small town...you'd probably never hear about it." Jack shrugged; he shifted back into his charismatic defences. "You seem to be Scottish?"
Merida nodded, "Was it the hair or the accent?"
Jack chuckled, "Both."
Rapunzel smiled, "Are you guys excited or what? I haven't heard much about the houses other than the fact that there are four and as soon as we get inside we get sorted!"
Hiccup paused, "Yeah there's Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw."
Merida looked over to the green eyed boy seeing that this topic made him nervous. "Which one are you trying for?"
"My dad wants me to get into Gryffindor..." He admitted.
Merida nodded, "Yeah, my entire family has been in Gryffindor for ages, pretty sure I wouldn't be any different."
Rapunzel thought for a moment. "I'd think that as long as I got along with the house..." she looked to Jack, "Which one do you think you'd fit into?"
"I have no idea..."
Merida arched an eyebrow, "What about your lineage, the odds say the more in the family that go to a house is the dominant one...how about you Rapunzel? What house did your parents belong to?"
Rapunzel sighed, "My mother was from the green one and my father apparently was from the blue."
"Slytherin is green, Ravenclaw is blue." Merida explained.
Rapunzel seemed content with the answer. "I like green...I also like blue though..."
Jack grinned, "Slytherin is represented by a snake, and Ravenclaw is represented by a raven. Then Gryffindor is red represented by a lion and then Hufflepuff is a mole? And it's yellow."
Hiccup frowned, "I don't think it's a mole."
Merida shrugged, "I never really though much of that house, supposing to myself that I'm probably going into Gryffindor."
Hiccup sighed, "My mom was from Hufflepuff."
Merida seemed embarrassed she dismissed the house after he said that. She coughed and roughly patted his shoulder. "It isn't a bad house...it's a badger or something...and those are feisty creatures."
Everyone began laughing at the idea of a badger being feisty, at least one that matched the power of the other three animals.
Time flew by as the friends began to fool around and test the dynamics of each person.
Jack was pinned as the trouble maker, yet the soft side was with his younger sister Emily whom he spoke of fondly and protectively.
Rapunzel was the day dreaming optimist who indifferently agreed. She had hopes and dreams of achieving all that she could, explain to her three new friends that up until this day she had never set foot outside her tower.
Merida was the rebellious and tomboyish girl who admitted being in love with archery which only created the thought of her accuracy with spells... She told them about her father losing his leg to a beastly bear named Mordu. Yeah she was probably going into Gryffindor...
Hiccup was clumsy and although reserved in his humor he did have some, which only seemed to be used when Merida wasn't making eye contact with him. Otherwise he began stuttering which caused Jack and Rapunzel to giggle at while Merida confusedly shot them a sideways glance.
The train stopped at the station where they were brought to boats, they were shifty looking and the night sky seemed to be illuminated by the full moon that shone above.
They all lost their breath once they caught the sight of the yellow lights peering out of the many rooms of the giant Castle Academy. The halls were enormous and Hiccup lost his footing as he gaped at the large columns.
Jack chuckled and pulled his friend back on his feet as they followed the Prof. who guided them into a large hall.
Four long tables where everyone belonged to a house and was seated accordingly. The four friends found themselves stuffed inside the crowd of new students and remained clueless until the sorting hat began calling out names.
The last four names for the last four standing in front of the wooden stool and enchanted hat.
"Merida DunBorch." The hat called.
Merida sat on the stool rolling her eyes as the hat merely hovered over her head and exclaimed, "Gryffindor." Shooting her friends an "I-told- you- so", she took her seat with her house.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock...the third."
Hiccup gulped as he crossed his fingers for Gryffindor. It seemed there was more motivation to be placed with the girl he and begun to really admire and fall for. But as the hat was placed on his head his father's request was not in vain. "Gryffindor." The Hat yelled.
Hiccup seemed surprised and managed a smile as made his way to the table beside Merida; Jack patted his back while he went.
"Rapunzel Corona!"
Rapunzel excitedly made her way onto the stool and the hat rested on her golden head. The hat laughed at this enthusiasm. "Gryffindor!"
Rapunzel squealed as she ran to her table, upset she wasn't with Hiccup or Merida she still was so happy to be here.
"Jack Overland Frost." The hat called.
Jack sat on the stool and seemed bored, even if he was still paying attention the hat took a while to decide. "Where do you belong...?" It mumbled indifferently.
Jack arched an eyebrow as he looked up at the hat, "Slytherin."
Jack let his signature grin spread across his face as he made eye contact with Merida, Hiccup and Rapunzel. Who would have guessed that they would all be in Gryffindor but him!
The other Slytherin members seemed reluctant to give a seat for Jack so he simply stole one effortlessly as the original owner of the seat blushed and sat somewhere else.
The feast was long and the four children felt like they had eaten their weight in pudding, roast beef and poutine. (Poutine is native to Canada so I understand if you guys are totally confused...jk)
Merida unpacked her things in the Gryffindor tower she looked out at the rain that had begun to softy pour. She sat on her bed and sighed, she was glad Rapunzel was in her house, as well as the cute Viking boy.
Rapunzel was hopping around her bed organizing everything; she smiled as she let her chameleon, Pascal scamper onto her nightstand and rest himself near the warm candle. She giggled and began placing her clothes in her trunk.
"It's odd how Jack was put in Slytherin..." Merida thought out loud.
Rapunzel shrugged, "Well he never said which house his parents belonged to...besides he's still going to be in our classes, we can still be his friends."
Hiccup was uneasily seated on his bed; Merida and Rapunzel were in the girl's dorm across from the boys'. It had occurred to him that he hadn't expected Jack to be placed in Slytherin, then again when they were discussing lineage he hadn't mentioned which houses his parents had been in... He just wanted someone he was familiar with even if he was surrounded by friendly eager faces he felt sorry that Jack had been separated so easily even when they had just become friends. Hiccup also noted that strangely enough Rapunzel had been placed in Gryffindor despite her lineage being Slytherin and Ravenclaw...maybe the hat was just drunk or something.
Jack had already hid several 7th year students' socks in the cushions of the couches. He leaned his staff up against the bed and tried to get comfortable... He was so used to his sister climbing in and requesting some sort of story before bed and Jack knew he was definitely going to miss doing that. He silently hoped his little sister had the magic needed to get into this school... No one in his family had ever been magical in the slightest and he knew about the slang used to define someone without any 'pure' magical blood. Jack cringed at the thought of being called something so offensive and pulled the sheets over his shoulders hoping that he would have plenty of classes with his three new friends despite being in Gryiffindor's natural enemy house.
The morning brought with it the smells and sounds of magic. The first class of the day was Charms where the teacher with a scraggily black beard had been allowing several lemon scented candles to burn in the classroom.
The first graders had made their way to that class, most of them got to see the older students in the courtyard practising, studying and portraying what they were so eager to become.
Merida had seated herself in the middle of Rapunzel and Hiccup on the bench in the Charms class near the back of the room. The three friends were nervous; as soon as Jack walked in with his new green Slytherin robes they waved him over.
Many people shot out odd glances and scowls; a Slytherin, friends with three Gryiffindor's? Not likely...
"So how's your common room?" Jack asked settling in beside Hiccup.
"It's big, there's a huge fireplace in it and there are dorms in the towers and most of the older students are nice enough." Hiccup replied.
Merida sighed, "They have giant curtains over each bed, and I thought my bed was goin' ta swallow me whole."
Rapunzel smiled, "Was yours pretty much the same to that?"
Jack shrugged, "Lots of black and green...little creepy but definitely big."
Merida arched an eyebrow, "I didn't actually see where the Slytherin house went off to, all the other houses used the staircases but not yours..."
Jack sighed, "The Slytherin common room is located near...well in the dungeons."
Merida arched an eyebrow, "Huh, that's odd."
Jack nodded, "Yeah and our rooms have iron bars around them."
Hiccup and Merida snorted at Jack's sarcasm as Rapunzel took it seriously with a look of concern.
Merida tapped her shoulder, "He's just pullin' your leg."
Rapunzel broke out into a smile as she understood and gave Jack a tired look, "You're a trickster."
For the rest of the year they remained friends, Gryffindor won the house cup by one point that Jack had graciously allowed Gryffindor to steal from Slytherin. Jack had still kept to himself in his house because he was nervous about being discovered as a mud blood...
Second year Hiccup brought Toothless to school and Gobber took care of him while he was mostly in school, the friends would venture out to study in Toothless's company and Merida would bring her bow to shoot fish for the dragon's lunch. Hiccup had been in Quidditch for a week now and really didn't like it as much as Merida did, she wasn't on the team but she wanted to try out once a spot became free. Hiccup began dating Astrid after he made a lucky save on a match against Ravenclaw and although Astrid seemed a little rough around the edges, Merida and her got along fine. Merida would never tell anyone that she was jealous though...during this Rapunzel and Jack began to notice their feelings towards the other but neither knew the other felt the same way so their crushes on each other remained silent.
Third year rolled by quickly after Slytherin won the House Cup but lost the Quidditch cup, Merida and Jack got into a tense fight for the first three months of school and that was when Jack warmed up to a few select Slytherin's who were like him, Alessa and Frank who kept to themselves for the same reasons Jack did. Jack's mudblood secret was still sealed and he almost was found out at the end of the year when people began to wonder why he never got any magical mail. Hiccup began to help Gobber with the new dragon arena built at Hogwarts and many of the kids were excited for it to open in the fifth year after the construction and populating was finished.
Fourth year Rapunzel was brought home for the first few months of school until Gothel finally let her return, by this time rumors had spread about a force rising up from the shadows but no one really paid too much attention. Near mid-year Hiccup had quit the Gryffindor Quidditch team and opened the spot up for Merida who spent a full month in training to make sure she got the spot. She did but while practising, Jack was immediately noticed by his two fellow Slytherin Prefects who made him the Slytherin Seeker. Jack had to admit that he didn't have the money to buy a broom and the secret got out that he was muggle-born.
The rest of the year Jack struggled to stay away from his own house as they mocked him daily, he spent his days with Hiccup in the dragon's ring, with Merida on the Quidditch field or in the library with Rapunzel. He had been postponed to play for the Slytherin team because the house didn't want a mudblood to play for them; by the end of the year Jack had seated himself at the Gryffindor table and cheered among the loudest when Gryffindor won the House Cup along with the Quidditch Cup.
Fifth year, autumn went by fast as the bullies of Slytherin stopped being so harsh and agreed to let Jack play the first match in winter since they had shamefully lost both the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup to the Slytherins.
The dragon arena was set to open around the end of winter and it would be just in time for the Tri-Wizard tournament...
The four friends laughed as the snow began to fall outside Hogwarts.
The moon was full in the sky and it shone down on them like a welcoming beacon.
"You're just jealous because he's on the team and he didn't even have to try out." Rapunzel giggled.
Merida gasped, "I am not!" She took a breath as her loud response caused her friends to laugh.
"I am simply statin' that the Quiddich Cup is always Gryffindor's win, and there is no way I'm gonna let it go to you Overland."
Jack grinned, "Well you don't have to let it go to me...I'll just take it."
Merida let out a frustrated growl, "Seriously you don't even like Rusty or Jen so why'd you join the team?"
Hiccup sighed, "There's no way you missed it Merida, I know it when I see it...Jack loves flying." He was referring to his dragon training experience.
Everyone had known that Toothless was Hiccup's legendary dragon and the first trained Nightfury in existence! Hiccup hadn't taken to the broomstick method of flying but as soon as they saw him on Toothless they knew that he was born to fly.
The same could be said for Jack, he had been simply fetching a stray ball for Merida's practise and before he knew it the two Slytherin prefects had caught him and told him to join the Slytherin Quiddich team as the new seeker.
Merida was one of the chasers and was renowned for her brute force on the field, but the new attention on Jack effortlessly getting a post in his house's team was infuriating. Especially since Merida had spent a month training intensely before she tried out for the team.
Rapunzel patted Merida's back, "You are still a really good Chaser, it's just that Jack is a Seeker...the Seeker can win the game with one move so it's a lot more drastic to be thrown into that position on the field..."
Merida rolled her eyes as Jack grinned with pride. "Oh he only got in because Slytherin has a poor team as is; the standards for Gryiffindor's team gotta be tightly woven because we're the better team."
Hiccup groaned. He was on the Gryffindor team for his first two years until he was allowed to let Toothless come along to Hogwarts, he much preferred his dragon friend to the fast-paced and violent game of Quiddich. He had left his spot leaving one open for anyone who wanted it really but Merida had blown away the other young Gryffindor kids who had tried out as well. Merida really regarded Jack's new interest in flying as some sort of competition one that only seemed to make Jack push it further.
Jack arched an eyebrow, "Don't fuss about it, the tournament begins in a few days, then you can mindlessly chase the Quaffle to your heart's desire...it won't matter if I catch the snitch."
Rapunzel kept Merida from slapping the back of Jack's head. "Come on guys, no matter which house wins...this is a good night...we shouldn't be arguing over something so petty."
Merida seemed to nod reluctantly she shot Jack a playful scowl, "We'll argue later."
Jack chuckled and took a seat on the grass along with his three friends.
Jack had brown hair and eyes, he was shorter that almost everyone the first year at Hogwarts but after the third year he began to grow like a sprout and by now he was about half an inch taller than Hiccup and three quarters of an inch taller than Merida and Rapunzel. This made Merida furious after she had teased him mostly for being a shorty. He wore his own clothes, something rare in Hogwarts but it was the day before Christmas break and everyone became slacker with dress attire.
Jack was wearing his blue sweater with brown pants, he had no shoes on but that wasn't anything new. His mother had always had financial problems and Jack grew up mostly without a pair so he had gotten used to not wearing any unless there was snow on the ground.
Hiccup had brown hair and green eyes; he wore a green tunic under his fur pelt vest with loose foot wrappings and dark brown pants. He had a thin line of freckles across the bridge of his nose.
Merida wore her favourite green pants with her black long sleeve shirt and leather woven belt. She had brown slim fitting boots and her hair was in its usual uncombed state. Red curly hair sprung out of her head and some fell just in front of her turquoise eyes. She had always excelled in spells and charms since she was so accurate with a bow she transferred the accuracy down to wand motions, movements and casting angles making her a deadly duel opponent.
Rapunzel had on her black school skirt with a pink t-shirt and over it she had her Gryffindor black robe. She wore purple slippers and on her shoulder sat a familiar green chameleon named Pascal. She was usually light hearted and didn't mind still being in the school uniform especially since it had taken her years to convince her mother to let her go to Hogwarts and now in their fifth year it seemed like she still hadn't found all of the wonder of being with her friends in a magical school in the open place.
The friends sat on the grass; Hiccup had begun pulling out the blades of frost covered grass and piled them absent mindedly.
"I hear that there was quite a commotion today in potions." Merida began.
Rapunzel sighed, "Aw did the Professor notice we were gone?"
Jack shook his head, "No the two of you hadn't even been called on the attendance yet when I had gotten myself detention after the holidays."
Hiccup huffed, "Yeah and took about ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin."
Merida punched Jack in the shoulder, "just because Slytherin looses points doesn't mean you have to drag us down!"
Jack chuckled, "I was only talking to Hiccup about his bringing some more for us to try to ride and then the professor slammed down his wand and growled at me for getting off topic."
Hiccup rolled his eyes, "Then you said that class hadn't even started to there was no topic to get sidetracked from."
Rapunzel and Merida giggled as they pictured the look on Professor Pitch's face when Jack made that retort.
"At least you stood up to him, he's always hated us." Rapunzel sighed.
Hiccup arched an eyebrow, "He hates everyone."
Merida nodded, "Yeah but ever since we started school here he challenges us, we look at him wrong in the classroom and he snaps."
Jack shrugged, "Well you did accidentally blow up your sleeping potion in class what, second year?"
They laughed remembering how everyone had passed out for five hours and found Pitch still snoring in front of the class. Someone had the nerve to take a moving picture and posted it all over school while the four friends he deemed responsible-Jack, Merida, hiccup and Rapunzel-were taken twenty points from each as well as a month of detention.
Jack paused as his friends continued to banter about the other teachers. He stood as a flash of white light caught his gaze, he gasped. "Run!"
Within seconds of the friends looking up in confusion at Jack there was an explosion at the east section of the school behind them.
Multiple white and green lights were being catapulted at the school and as students poured out the North side screaming the four friends scrambled to get on their feet as dark figures raced towards them.
They drew their wands but before they could react an explosion at their feet sent them flying.
Jack's eyes opened slowly as he sat up the wave of nausea hit him, he saw Hiccup laying unconscious a ways away with his leg bleeding with shrapnel sticking out.
Merida was dragging herself to Rapunzel who was the furthest from them and the closest to the new foes.
Jack pulled himself to his feat to counter their spell aimed at Merida and Rapunzel. As the girls turned to see Jack counter the spell that could have disarmed them they watched in horror as a hooded man flung out his wand and a white light tipped with green tint shot out at Jack. It was a curse, one of the unforgivable ones just by seeing how Jack reacted. The blast did not move him, it hit him and he arched back in overwhelming pain as his body seized uncontrollably.
He let out a cry of agony and Hiccup's eyes opened in terror, he felt his leg's throbbing pain and aimed his wand in the sky hoping that Toothless would see it and come to their defense.
Another man disarmed Hiccup and placed his foot on his throat. He turned to see Merida being thrown back and Rapunzel being grabbed by the hair. The dark figure pulled out the gleaming blade and cut the hair upwards as Rapunzel screamed in fear. As the man tried to send a curse at her a dragon's roar sent the men scattering. The purple blasts of flame attacked them and three were killed instantly. One wounded man groaned as the dragon pinned him and let out a deafening screech.
Once the men had scattered the cruse on Jack had released him from the grip, he had been standing there growing limp, his brown hair turned a stark white and his eyes a bright blue. His skin slightly more pale he blinked as his breath became heavy and his shoulders sagged.
Merida slowly stood grunting at her small scrapes and bruises, she staggered to her feet as she saw Rapunzel with short brown hair, tears down her face as she watched Jack stumble to his knees with a thud and fall on his side. He began to hyperventilate as his lungs tightened abnormally and his brain flashed with a pain so raw it kept him from moving or screaming.
Hiccup felt the dark edges of his vision surrounding him as Toothless knocked the live attacker unconscious and bounded over to him with worry.
Hiccup was helped to his feet by Merida and Rapunzel, they pushed him onto Toothless and Hiccup looked at his torn up leg, he couldn't move it... He swallowed as his throat tightened with panic.
Rapunzel attempted to put a hand on Jack but a wave of blue magic lashed out and she screamed. She was unharmed but they knew that moving Jack wasn't optional.
The faint cries of the teachers attempting to collect students were heard near the north.
"HELP!" Merida screamed.
The two girls made their wands shoot signals into the sky until a flock of teachers raced to their position.
Jack was now withering and squirming at his body contorting without permission.
Professor Tooth whispered a spell and shot it at the blue circle encasing Jack.
By that time Jack was slipping into darkness, as the blue energy around him faded so too did he...
The Professor leaned down and checked the student's pulse as she recoiled from touching the icy skin.
Within the hour the hospital was overflowing with kids. Those with small cuts and bruises were being escorted out of beds for those knocked unconscious or those who fainted during the attack.
Hiccup was lying on a bed starring at his leg as it was being wrapped in a cloth.
Rapunzel was going down with a fever and being spoon fed medicine as she starred up at the ceiling in disbelief at losing her hair.
Merida had a dislocated shoulder and it was being snapped back into its socket when Hiccup was knocked unconscious. The nurse wheeled him into a surgery room to amputate his torn up and infected leg.
A few hours passed and Hiccup was still out, Jack was still out, Rapunzel watched as they replaced Hiccup and his left leg was wrapped with stitches...a stump just below his knee.
"Oh god." Rapunzel cried.
Merida hugged her friend as best as she could with her right shoulder throbbing and held in place by a sling. She waited with Rapunzel until Hiccup woke up and simply nodded at his lost leg. The girls noticed why he was so dismissive of it when they got a real good look at Frost.
His hair was white, they had believed it would be just from the lighting outside but it was really white and silver, his skin really ghostly pale and his figure seemed to be slightly slimmer as if the life had been sucked out of him.
Three nurses had wrapped his entire body in casts, all of his bones had been broken and his body temperature was still at zero degrees.
Over the three weeks it took to heal Hiccup's stump and get him walking in his own false mechanical leg he and Gobber had designed, he was going to class along with Merida and Rapunzel.
Jack had still not woken up once since that night, and as the month passed they found themselves doing their homework on his bedside as slowly the broken bones were mended and the casts came off.
Jack's eyes twitched but his friends sat near his bed without notice.
"Charms were really great today..." Rapunzel managed, her hand absently went to play with her hair which was now short and brown since the evil men had cut it.
"I think I'm going to get some supper." Merida sighed as she stood; Hiccup nodded to follow and looked back to Rapunzel who didn't move. "You want us to bring you something back?"
Rapunzel shook her head, "No thanks."
Hiccup shrugged and left the hospital wing with Merida making sure he was steady in walking.
Rapunzel jumped at the sudden noise when Jack's eyes bolted open and he sat up in a panicked state, he was disoriented and fell off of the bed by accident, he was shirtless, several hookups onto his chest that tugged off when he fell and his blue gym shorts.
Rapunzel ran to his aid and Jack blinked as his eyes burned.
"It's alright Jack, you're okay!" Rapunzel calmed as she stroked Jack's head, Jack sighed heavily with his eyes still wild with fear he hugged her and she blinked back tears of joy. As she stroked the back of his head she cooed him and she hardly noticed she was rocking him slowly back and forth.
Her warm body and breathing calmed him; the slight rocking steadied his nerves. His eyes hurt, it was cold in the room and he felt irritated that he couldn't shake the feeling of it.
Rapunzel helped him up as he staggered up to get back onto the bed, he sat up against the headboard and sighed deeply, feeling a rush of energy fall over him like he was being rejuvenated he cracked a small smile. "Hibernating sucks."
Rapunzel giggled as she held Jack's hand, the two looking into each other's eyes they released any reservations and their lips met eagerly. The kiss was short but it satisfied the feelings both had been holding in since second year.
"I'm glad you're awake." Rapunzel smiled.
"Me too...so...how are Merida and Hiccup?" Jack swallowed as he remembered the damage Hiccup had on his leg...all that mess of blood...
"They're just fine; actually they left for the dining hall not too long ago." She admitted.
Jack nodded slowly, "I just...I thought I saw Merida hurt her shoulder...and Hiccup's leg was torn up bad."
Rapunzel squeezed Jack's hand. "I'll go get them, they'll be so happy you're awake." She stood and gave Jack a reassuring look before she went off to get their two other friends.
Jack took a deep breath, he looked to the ground and cautiously placed his foot on it, he wanted to walk. He was sturdy enough and he spotted a fresh white t-shirt at the end of his bed, he pulled it over his head and put on a pair of his pj pants that were laying there. Without a brighter thought he walked out of the hospital wing and down the hall, no one was in it, most were in the library or the dining hall...some sort of announcement was proven by the rows and rows of flyers announcing that there was one.
Jack continued down the hall and on the grounds, he ended up in the spot exactly where he had been innocently sitting with his friends when the commotion started. He retraced his steps while his blue eyes kept their gaze on the ground as if he saw some invisible prints he had left there. He stopped to where he had been hexed and felt a pulsing energy, with no better idea he began to dig with his bare hands. Once he had been digging for a few minutes Jack found what his hunch had unknowingly told him. He dug under the thin stick-like object but knew it was no such thing once the cool power pricked his fingers. He dug around the shape and as Hiccup, Merida and Rapunzel came running out calling his name ecstatically Jack heaved it out of the ground.
A staff looked like a Sheppard's crook but a thin layer of frost coated it with a magical feel that Jack knew was natural. He stood and looked at Hiccup's leg and without a better thought pulled his friend in for a tight hug.
Hiccup laughed at the random gesture as Merida stopped mid-lecture that no one seemed to be paying attention to anyways.
"What are you doing out here?" Rapunzel asked eyeing the staff.
Jack let go of Hiccup and shrugged, "I really don't know...cool staff though right?"
Merida huffed at Jack's dismissive behaviour as Rapunzel and Hiccup laughed.
"Ya know ye almost died, why all this crazed behaviour, you're gonna get labelled a loon!"
Jack sighed, "I missed you too Scottie." He pulled Merida in for a hug like he had previously with Hiccup and Merida groaned, "You've lost it Frostbite..."
Jack laughed, he picked up the staff, "What do you think the odds are that this thing saved my life?"
"Huh?" Hiccup frowned.
"Some staff just buried right where I happened to get hexed; I mean I'm pretty sure I should have died."
"There was that blue shield around ya; it wouldn't let anyone touch ya." Merida commented.
Rapunzel nodded, "Maybe it did..."
Jack grinned, "The hex felt cold...this staff practically emits frost...as far as I know I'd say this staff took the blunt of the blow..."
"It might have morphed the hex...made it into something of a transformation rather than an attack, it would explain why your eyes and hair changed."
Jack froze, "My what?"
Rapunzel pulled out a small mirror and showed Jack as his eyes widened in surprise. His jaw dropped and his friends felt a pang of sympathy that Jack hadn't known that he had changed.
"Jack...its okay." Hiccup reassured.
"Definitely not what I was expecting...I look pretty good in white huh?" He smirked.
Rapunzel giggled.
Merida frowned, "Ya look like a senior."
Jack grinned, "I even have a cane to go with." Jack slouched his back over and walked pigeon toed as he impersonated an elderly man and the old raspy and wheeze of a voice, "Get back to class you whippersnappers, time's a wastin'!"
Everyone erupted into laughter as the head nurse raced outside, "Jackson Frost Overland you get your butt back in the infirmary for observation if you want to be released is that clear?"
Jack continued his impression as he waddled over to the nurse. "I was just tellin' these youngsters to help me back, I feel so old in my bones."
The nurse cracked a smile, "You're humor definitely hasn't suffered...let me just make sure you have no side effects and you can go to the last few minutes of supper."
The check up didn't take long and Jack had changed into his Slytherin robes faster than ever, his friends laughed and walked with him, all of them sat at the Slytherin table ignoring the hushed remarks about the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor invading their table.
Hushed whispers of other students filled the room at Jack's appearance but he paid no attention to them.
He dug into his food with a gusto that surprised his friends and he slowed down upon their confused looks.
"Are you breathing in-between bites?" Merida teased.
Jack nodded with a signature grin, "You're right, I need to watch my girlish figure because no one else will."
His friends and the Slytherin's who had heard the remark roared with laughter, everyone relaxed that their friend, despite coming so close to death, had still kept his wonderful retorts.
"Where did you get that staff Jack?" Alessa asked; she was one of the few Slytherin's that Jack was friends with on a closer level and Jack simply shrugged in response.
"I dunno; I just figured it would complete my look."
Alessa rolled her eyes, "okay Jack Frost."
Jack's eyes widened, "I know right? I am the spirit of winter!"
Merida gaped, "Ya know that's just a myth right?"
Jack nodded, "Yeah I am pretty legendary."
Hiccup chuckled, "Jokul Frosti it is an honor to sit with you."
Jack winked with a small grin as he continued to scarf down his first real meal in a month and a half.
"So you've missed out on a lot of classes...I can tutor you if you need any help." Rapunzel said with a small smile forming on her lips with a hidden secret hidden behind the meaning.
Jack glanced up and grinned, "Sure." He reflected back on their kiss and knew he wouldn't get much studying done...
Hiccup arched an eyebrow, "I can tutor you too."
Jack and Rapunzel glanced over to Hiccup with surprised looks.
Jack swallowed his soup, "Uhh sure."
Hiccup remained oblivious to the secret between his white haired friend and brown haired friend until Merida casually excused herself as she hid a nudge of his back to follow her, when he glanced back he knew exactly what made the two so surprised to hear Hiccup volunteer to help Jack study. He face-palmed as Rapunzel gave Jack a small blush and smile as Jack too had some pink color to his cheeks.
"I guess I'm not good at seeing the signs." Hiccup admitted sheepishly.
Merida shrugged, "Boy, what has happened to yer eyes, I thought that dating someone like Astrid would make ya know when someone was being forward..."
Hiccup shrugged, "I broke up with her in fourth year...I can't really remember anything else but her forcing herself into our conversations and trying to avoid Toothless."
Merida smiled as Hiccup followed her out of the hall; she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Since ya said you can't see the signs." She walked off with that off-beat march as Hiccup's cheeks heated up, he stared blankly at her.
"Hey, where are you going?" Hiccup called out running after Merida.