A Penchant for Mischief [Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons Hogwarts AU]

Out of the Blue

So much for giving Hogwarts something to remember him by.

While Jack hadn't pinned all of his hopes on being selected as the Hogwarts Champion in the tournament, he had made the mistake of letting himself consider the possibility of being chosen, and he had to admit that having been overlooked stung, just a little. Especially considering who had actually been chosen - some notoriously accident-prone Ravenclaw.

Although, it was supposed to be an academic tournament, so maybe it was based on grades, like most smart kid things were.

Not that it mattered, anyway - Jack had more important things to do, such as dumping the contents of his backpack onto his bed.

Sifting through the miscellany, he quickly located a slightly squashed roll of parchment wrapped with a blue elastic band, snatched it from the pile, and tossed it back into his bag alongside a self-inking quill. Zipping the bag, he threw it over his shoulder and then pulled one of the curtains of his four-poster almost-closed to hide the mess. He'd deal with it when he got back.

Tugging on his sneakers, he stuffed his wand into the pocket of his hoodie and made his way to the Great Hall on the off chance there were any last minute orders before he headed to out for the day.

Rounding the corner at the bottom of the grand staircase, Jack found himself face to face with a familiar, freckled Gryffindor and it was only his instinctive sidestep that kept him from being run over as she thundered down the stairs.

"Whoa!"

"JACK!" She exclaimed, her twin braids and the pair of binoculars that hung around her neck still swinging as she beamed up at him, her freckled face especially flushed as she tucked a stray lock of auburn hair behind one ear. "I was hoping to run into you! Well, not actually run into you, but, well, you know what I mean."

"Morning Anna," he said, grinning at her usual exuberance. "Where are you running off to?"

"Same place as you! Good luck today – I've got my binoculars and everything so I can come watch the whole thing!"

"Binoculars?" Jack repeated, tilting his head in bewilderment "For... Hogsmeade? Are you going to the Shrieking Shack or something?"

"No, silly!" Anna giggled, wrinkling her nose at him as though he was in on the joke. "For quidditch."

"The house cup is cancelled this year," Jack said. "You know, for that whole Tournament thing."

"Very funny," Anna planted her hands on her hips. "Is this your way of telling me that you don't want me to come cheer you on at tryouts?"

"Anna. What tryouts?"

Her teasing smile vanished and her brows knit together as it finally seemed to click in. "Oh. You really don't know. All the would-be team captains decided to organize an unofficial quidditch league, since it's not fair that everyone else has to sit out from the tournament."

Jack turned, running a hand through his brown hair at the strange, hollow annoyance that opened up like a chasm in his chest. Obviously, he didn't expect to be invited to everyone's birthday parties, but he was the best seeker that Hufflepuff had seen in more than half a century, so quidditch had always been something he could rely on.

Had, past tense.

Evidently, that was no longer the case.

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Pulling the hood of his sweatshirt lower over his face, Hiccup sighed through his nose and pushed through the large double doors into the foyer. Not even Hogsmeade had offered even a moment of respite from the way the other students nudged one another and the swell of conversation died on their lips as he drew almost within earshot. It had been like this since the moment his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, and as the heat rose back into his face and ears anew, Hiccup decided that he didn't like being noticed as much as he thought he would.