Disney Hogwarts

Chapter 18: Thursday, January 25, Durmstrang Ship Jasmine Agrabah

The January air was Arctic here at Hogwarts, but nothing compared to Durmstrang. Father said it was character building to learn about other countries' forms of magic. And besides, in the summers, tutors from Uagadou School of Magic would fill me in on what the other children of viziers and emissaries below my father. After all, no one knew that the princess had magical gifts. I was to be the secret weapon.

Heavy boots signal his return. My back stiffens on instinct, but I force myself to keep my lazy, unbothered lean on the wooden railing facing a snow-dusted Hogwarts castle. Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show. We may be allies, but I always knew to be on my guard.

"Princess! What are you doing above deck without a coat? Surely you'll freeze to death in these conditions if you're not careful."

I winced at the acknowledgment of my identity, "Princess." It was the poisonous dart that threatened to destroy everything my father and I had worked so hard for. It was the blackmail that had sealed my role in this whole Tournament.

"Hello, Hans," I crooned, refusing to show how much I loathed him. Surely he already knew. "Don't you have some Chosen One to hunt down or innocent girl to seduce? Maybe a puppy to kick, at the very least?"

Hans leaned against the railing surveying the same castle I did. "Tsk, tsk, surely you know the animagus at Hogwarts is a frog, not a dog, yes? Our ally confirmed as much."

"And yet our ally cannot confirm the identity of the Chosen One you seek? Seems like you keep poor company."

Hans grimaced. "This is as much your task as it is mine. You're supposed to be assimilating into Hogwarts even now."

I shook my head. "I'd think you'd know this since you're always hanging around that girlfriend of yours, but the students are in their last class of the day. Once it lets out, we'll see all the little first years flood out of the school to play. They're not a threat, so we disregard them. The threats will be making their way to the dueling club led by the Head Boy and Girl. That'll tell us who will be the problem once the Tournament is over. But then, maybe your Chosen One will be there too, who knows? Certainly not you, as you never accompany me to these things."

Hans grinned conspiratorially at me. "C'mon, Princess. Someone has to run the operation. While you're playing with the Hogwarts students, I'm meeting with our ally, playing spy, training to be the Durmstrang champion, and reporting it all to Headquarters."

He glanced around the deck to check who heard us. But Vanessa and Cruella were gossiping belowdecks about a few of the Hogwarts boys while Dingwall, Macguffin, and Macintosh were playing darts at the other end of the ship, completely oblivious. I wasn't entirely sure, but I thought that if Headmaster Hook knew what we were doing...well, he might even be the adult contact Hans had nearby to report back to.

I could trust no one.

And if I'm honest, no one should've trusted me.

Rather than dignify Hans with a response, I marched down the gangway plank and up the lawn to the castle. I couldn't spend another minute with that slimy eel. As it turned out, my timing was perfect; I passed several first-years flinging snowballs across the lawn with the new Wingardium Leviosa spell they'd likely just mastered. My heart twinged, just for a moment. Maybe it was better them than my people, but still...I would do what I could to make sure these innocents weren't caught in the crossfire.

By the time I reached the Great Hall, dueling club was in full swing. The curious thing I'd noticed was that the Head Boy and Girl ran their two ends of the Hall very differently. Sitka Inuit worked with each pairing for a few minutes before moving onto a new pairing, and his students were struggling through the forms. The Head Girl, Elsa Arendelle, must have the advanced students. She wandered among them silently, reminding them gently to try their spells silently when they could. In the quiet Elsa radiated through her students, it was hard to slip into the Great Hall unnoticed.

And...drat. The Beaxbatons girl I usually paired up with, Ting-Ting, was partnered up with a skinny Hogwarts boy in a yellow tie. Her sisters were also paired off, each with a different Hogwarts boy, in a red and blue tie respectively.

With a start I realized that most of the pairings today were Yule Ball dates. Hushed giggles and sly smiles and flirting mixed with the spells being cast and blocked, a sort of dance on its own. I almost turned to leave the room, vowing to leave earlier next time. Maybe if Hans hadn't held me up, I wouldn't be standing against the wall, alone, watching all the couples like a fool.

But then, Aladdin caught my eye.

He was grinning at his friend, a brown haired boy with the start of a goatee on his chin. The friend was playing defense, blocking and parrying each spell Aladdin cast. But the friend was distracted by a girl with long, golden hair a few feet away practicing with a red-haired girl and boy with a hump. Aladdin, so quick, so sharp, immediately noticed and feinted left before casting Petrificus Totalus. The spell hit Aladdin's friend squarely in the chest and knocked him backwards onto the floor, flatter than a board. But Aladdin...he was honorable. He only snickered for a moment before casting the counter-curse and hoisting his friend back to his feet. I don't know why I kept being drawn to him whenever I was sent to the castle to spy. Maybe it was because Aladdin was so sly and clever and yet...he was good. He was genuine and kind and loyal.

He was also a distraction. I needed to focus.

The Head Boy and Girl drew my eyes again. Surely Merlin would pick the strongest witch and wizard to lead Hogwarts this year with everything going on outside the castle. So maybe one of them could be the Chosen One...

Someone tapped lightly on my shoulder. I turned and met brown eyes, warmer than the summer dunes back home. "Hey, Jasmine. Been a while."

I shrugged scanning the room again rather than melt in his eyes. It was safer for me this way. "Yeah, I haven't seen you since..."

"The Yule Ball," he finished for me, pulling a couple red apples out of his robes. He tossed it, rolling it over his shoulder and elbow until it landed in my palm.

"Wow. Yeah, I guess since then. How was your break?"

Aladdin shrugged. "Flynn and I stayed at Hogwarts. But it was kind of lonely since he was spending all his time with Blondie." He jerked his head towards the blonde girl, who Flynn was now sparring with, albeit half-heartedly so she'd win. But the girl's eyes were sharp. I'd have to make a note of that. If she knew Hogwarts well and was as smart as she looked, she could be a potential problem.

"Well that's fun. I went home to spend the time with my father. It was nice, if not quiet. I missed...school." How could I tell him I missed the bustling corridors of Hogwarts, the constant activity, the inability to be lonely. My father's palace and Durmstrang just didn't compare to this. I missed him too, over the holidays.

Wait, what? No. Focus, Jasmine.

Aladdin nodded, smiling slightly like he already knew what I meant. "Well, do you wanna be my dueling partner? I'm sure you could teach me a few tricks. Just go easy on me."

I laughed at his devilishly charming grin and allowed him to lead me across the Great Hall. His fingertips on mine as we maneuvered around other students reminded me of his hands on my waist as we danced, his shy smile when he first spoke to me, the way his kind eyes could always find me in a crowd.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope. I couldn't risk everything for him. I had made a deal to protect my people, and could not let myself be swayed. Aladdin would have to be a private daydream that my father and Hans and Headquarters never ever learned about.

But for now...I could duel with him.