~The Big Five at Hogwarts~

Chapter 18

Astrid

I try not to look back at Hiccup as he leaves through the doors of greenhouse #3. Once I am finally done with the replanting and am sure that he is gone, I jog outside in the dark, straight towards the castle doors. Mr. Longbottom offers to escort me, but I'm not scared of a little darkness and I know he's busy. I come out of the castle, this time with the leather-bound handle of my battle axe in hand. Don't get me wrong, magic comes in handy and using it has taught me a lot, but wands just feel too flimsy and delicate in my hands; I feel much more comfortable with a heavy weight.

   I hardly hear the thump of the blade connecting with the wood because I am too deep in thought. Axe throwing has always helped me to clear my mind, and that is why I am standing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night flipping an axe at trees. I mean, I'm used to Hiccup acting strange, but this is just unlike him. He's suddenly so out of it; never around, and when he is, he seems distracted. This, along with the new Headmaster showing up, makes me suspicious.

I know that something is going on, but I just can't put anything together. My mind doesn't work like Hiccup's, it works like a Viking's. I have trouble expressing my thoughts and feelings in any way other than through violence, which often comes off as mean. I can't help wondering if that's why Hiccup hasn't been speaking to me? Then I shake my head to clear out that nonsense; Hiccup and I have been through too much. He is important to me in a way no one else has been before.

As I go behind a tree to lift my axe up from the ground after a misfire, something my dad used to say to me inexplicably comes to mind: "Astrid, I know you want to be a dragon slayin' warrior just like your Pa, but yet a part of two world's now, the magic one and the Viking one. Which means you gotta fight extra hard to get what you need in both. And I think you can do it." I smile to myself remembering his exact phrasing.

  But before I can grab my crumpled robes off the ground so I can leave, I hear a twig snap. I whip my head around, my gleaming axe instinctively lifting. Then a shadow barely crosses my vision, causing me to fling my axe in that direction. Apparently the figure is too quick though, because the weapon misses and disappears into the trees.

  All of the sudden, I feel cold fingers yanking my arm behind my back, trying to detain me. But I know this move; we've gone through it in training about a thousand times. I flip the guy (he appears to have the build of a man) onto his back while trying to suppress a chuckle as I recall doing the same thing to Hiccup a couple months ago. This, however, leaves me distracted and an open target for several more pairs of hands to grab me. Pretty soon I am overwhelmed and being dragged away, unable to struggle anymore.

~I apologize for skipping my update last week! I just wasn't entirely sure what to do with this story next. Then I decided to give you a little look into Astrid' s mind, because I just find her a fascinating character. Thanks for sticking with me! Just a little longer til the big finale! :)