~The Big Five at Hogwarts~

Chapter 21

Hiccup

It is about that time that the teachers show up. Great timing, guys. We could've used your help about two minutes earlier. Everything happens too fast for me to follow: Cribrune and his goons are taken away, an owl is sent to clear things up with McGonagall at the MoM, several nurses crowd around Elsa and Astrid, and Professor Cronglle does his best to keep the growing clusters of students from getting out of hand. While Jack is over with Elsa and Rapunzel works on healing Toothless' wire cuts, Professor Longbottom comes over to us.

"You're all heroes, you know," he says.

"Forgive me if I don't dance in celebration," I say. My gaze flickers back to where Astrid still lies, hardly moving. Her braid is unraveled and her eye is swollen.

"She'll be just fine." Longbottom assures. He doesn't seem to know where to put his hands.

"Were we really the only ones suspicious of Cribrune?" Merida asks, changing the subject.

"No, actually," he shifts his weight. "I had a vague idea." That makes us widen our eyes.

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Merida demands.

"If you hadn't noticed, it wasn't very safe. Besides, I couldn't be sure of anything. I had to make Cribrune think he was safe. I did send an owl to the Minister of Magic, though Cribrune may have intercepted it. You will also remember that I gave you plenty of research time in the library. I was planning to tell you I knew tomorrow, but apparently that would've been too late; sorry about that." Rapunzel lets out a giggle.

"Didn't he blackmail you too?" I wonder. To this, he sighs.

"He did threaten my wife. But I know that Luna would've thought it worth the risk. Plus, she's out investigating a Blubbering Humdinger sighting, in a place where I'm sure she's perfectly safe." He smiles. This surprises me, since I wasn't aware that anyone knew about the brightly colored flightless dragons found near Berk.

"Thank you." Rapunzel tells him. The professor nods, leaving us alone once more.

"I'd say we did pretty good!" Merida gives Rapunzel and I each a congratulatory punch in the arm.

Eventually, after many questions, the students and teachers started going back inside the school. My three new friends and I follow them to spend the night in the hospital wing with Elsa and Astrid.