We Will Meet Again

Chapter 2-Suspicions

Question: Would you rather eat Haggis or Yaknog and why?

The two girls went to eat, while Jack went up to the Gryffindor common room. The truth was, he was hungry, but there were other things on his mind, and he wanted to get them clarified. He was worried about his friend. Yeah, Hiccup had to miss some school because things in Berk were 'rough', but he was sure there was more to that. He'd stopped being up his normal self, and was a lot quieter than before, a bit like when he was hiding Toothless in the woods all those years ago. Something bigger had happened in the month that he'd been off school, he was sure of it.
Approaching him, was Tooth, most likely going to dinner, as were most of the students at this time of day.
"Hey Jack, aren't you coming to dinner?" she asked him.
He smiled at her," Not really hungry, but thanks," he look up at her and remembered something,"Oh, Tooth, I think Punz wanted your help with some spell. She's gone to eat."
"Okay, thanks," she replied.
He continued his walk through the corridor; absent mindedly, he bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry..."he looked up to see who he'd walked into, "Astrid, wait, Astrid?" He said, confused.
She gave him a strange look, "Everything okay there frost boy?"
"Sorry, it's just, we thought you were with Hiccup but you're not... so you haven't seen him, have you?" He asked
"Nope, sorry. He's been hanging out with you guys all day. Why?" replied Astrid.
Jack hesitated before speaking, "it's just, he's been acting strangely these past weeks. I was wondering if you knew something."
"I... it isn't my place to say anything," she said, and for a second, Jack thought he saw her eyes shine up with a tear, but it was gone too soon to decide if it was a trick of the eye or not.
Astrid quickly walked off, no doubt to find Fishlegs or the twins. Jack's stomach was rumbling, maybe he should have gone after all, but what she said still rung in his ears. It isn't my place to say anything. Does that mean something happened, or was she just toying with him, being typical Astrid?

Jack shook his head in confusion. All he needed was a bit of sleep, and then things would be clearer in the morning. He finally got to the Gryffindor common room and said hi to Anna, who was sitting on a sofa reading a book.
"You okay?" She asked.
He sighed,"Yeah, just tired."
She gave him a knowing smile," I'll bet you've been playing Quidditch all afternoon."
"Something like that," he said, and went to the boy's dormitory.
Jack sat on the window sill and looked outside to the night sky. He thought he could see the black silhouette of something flying in the air. Maybe it was Toothless, after all he'd been using that new tail Hiccup made him so he could fly without a rider.
.................
A lone figure sat outside in the courtyard. His head was in his hands and silent tears were rolling down his cheek. Someone else came towards him and put their hand on his shoulder.
"I know how it feels, but sometimes you just have to accept it. The sooner you do, the easier it'll be for you," said the standing person.
"It hurts... it hurts so much," the person sitting down stopped speaking for a moment, took a breath and carried on, "How did you cope when you lost your parents?"
The other figure sighed,"It was hard, I find it hard even now after it's been nearly fifteen years, but it happened, and I just had to make the best of it. I'm proud to be the son of the greatest dragon trappers ever, and I remember them with happiness. You know, crying makes it easier, so don't be ashamed to do it."
The sitting figure nodded, and the tears continued to roll down.
................