~The Big Five at Hogwarts~

Chapter 11

Rapunzel

                After the announcement at breakfast, just about everyone seems on edge. I am trying not to worry, because I know that McGonagall can take care of herself, but I can’t help thinking—no, knowing—that her being gone is not because of her teaching skills. When Merida meets up with me after lunch and tells me the she feels the same, it only strengthens my certainty. We make our way over to Hiccup’s hut to meet the others, discussing it all the way.

            “And why do you think he wants to remain anonymous?” Merida wonders aloud as we approach the house.  

            “Honestly, I’m not sure what to think anymore,” I say absentmindedly stroking Pascal's head. Jack, Hiccup, and Toothless are sitting on the front steps of the hut talking once we reach them.  (Well, Toothless isn't talking, just sniffing Jack's hair)

            “Where’s Elsa?” I ask them as I sit cross-legged on the grass in front of them.

            “We’re not sure—oh, there she is!” Jack points to Elsa trudging slowly towards us with her head down. She doesn’t say anything, but just kneels down a few feet from us. Her eyes look red and puffy and she is delicately holding a piece of parchment in her hands. The others seem to notice this, but I don’t think they know what to do. There is an awkward silence as I scoot over to Elsa and ask quietly, “Elsa, are you okay?” She sniffs and tries for a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

            “Yes of course I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” she replies.

            “Okay,” I say softly, “you don’t want to talk about it, but if you do, we’re right here.” But when I pause to look at the others, tears start to well up in her eyes again.

            “I don't know what to do!” Suddenly the words burst from her mouth, but the rest is muffled because her head is in her hands. Merida, Jack, and Hiccup join me next to her, trying to comfort her and ask her what’s wrong.

            “You guys, give her some space, please,” I say, prompting them to back off slightly before I go on. “Elsa, please tell us, we can help.” She takes the crumpled parchment from her hands and smoothes it out in her lap, which is when Pascal hops onto it himself to look up at her face with his big sad eyes.

            “I received a letter from my sister Anna this morning.” She mumbles, “She told me that our parents have set off on a voyage again, leaving her alone at the castle except for a bunch of servants. Sometimes I feel like she’s growing up without a sister because I am always hiding away. I want to be there for her, but I’m afraid I’ll—I’ll hurt her.” She finishes and heaves a shuddering sigh.

            “How would you hurt her, Elsa?” Jack speaks softly. Elsa finally looks up from the letter to answer.

            “I already have, with my ice spells. We were able to heal her, but…”

            “You can’t trust yourself,” Jack finishes and she nods. “Elsa, I know that you just want to protect her, but I don’t think hiding away is the answer.”

            “He’s right,” I tell her, “if there’s one thing I’ve learned since I’ve come into this world, it’s that the only way to fix things is to go out there and face them.”

            “But I’m the only wizard probably in all of Arendelle,” she says, “going out to fix things isn’t easy when you’re a freak.”

            “I know what it’s like to be different,” Hiccup suddenly interjected. “And if you’re a ‘freak,’ then I think there need to be a lot more freaks in Arendelle.” This finally makes Elsa smile. And for the first time in all the years I have known her, Merida is speechless. She silently puts her arm around Elsa’s shoulder and smiles at her.

            “Thank you. I’m sorry for dumping my problems on you,” Elsa mutters.

            “It’s no problem, but we really should get to discussing this ‘Headmaster’ and what he wants.” Merida finally seems to have snapped out of her speechlessness.

            “Who’s to say that he wants anything?” Hiccup asks.

            Jack says, “Hiccups right, maybe McGonagall really was just fired and this guy took her place.”

“Well, considering that his identity is a mystery, McGonagall has mysteriously disappeared during a dragon attack, and it is all brushed off with some flimsy explanation, I am going to say for now that this man has ulterior motives. Does anybody disapprove?” Merida waits. When no one responds, I continue,   

“okay, then what do you think he wants?”

            “Maybe he just wants to rule the school,” Jack guesses, shrugging his shoulders.

            “Yes, because the first thing a man with a deadly dragon wants to do is order around a castle full of children,” Merida says sarcastically.

            “Well, it is possible,” Elsa pipes up.

            “True,” Hiccup nods. We all look at them incredulously.

            “I mean, there are hundreds of students here that are capable of magic. Controlling us and what we’re taught would give him a lot of influence.”

            “Not to mention,” Hiccup adds, “that the students are the future of the Wizarding World.”

I start to understand what they’re saying, before I remember something else that’s been on my mind.

            “Fair enough. But does that mean the Minister is aware of all this?”

            “I don’t know. And even we wouldn't be able to alert him without being certain of anything,” Elsa admits.

            “I just wish we could see this guy,” Jack mumbles, “then we could know vaguely what we’re up against.” Just then, a distant bell ringing can be heard coming from the castle. I have forgotten how long we’ve been here. All of us get up and start to sprint back towards class, waving goodbye to Hiccup and probably thinking about this information.