Disclaimer: All characters and places of Harry Potter, Frozen and Rise of the Guardians belong to their respective owners.

Young With Scabby Knees

II. Under The Thinking Cap

"DunBroch, Merida."

Jack's brows quirked in amusement as Merida jumped excitedly in her place. It was all he could do to keep from laughing when Merida confidently walked up towards McGonagall, a giant grin on her face and her red curls bouncing about her as she flopped on the stool. Not to mention McGonagall's perplexed expression at the girl's apparent hyperactivity as she placed the Sorting Hat on Merida's head. The girl was practically vibrating on her seat in excitement. The vibrating did not stop and her giant grin did not falter even when Merida's eyes just about disappeared under the big hat. Jack was beside himself with stifled sniggers. Hiccup had to elbow him in the gut to get him to shut up, even though Jack saw that he too was having a hard time suppressing his own snickering. Muffled chuckling and giggling had also spread amongst the students sitting on the tables. Too bad Punzie and Astrid have to wait until next year to get into Hogwarts and miss all this.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat shouted and loud cheering and claps erupted from the Gryffindor table. "Yes!" Merida raised her fists into the air triumphantly and jumped off the stool without even bothering to take off the hat. The school broke out into full-blown laughter at the sight of the small 11-year-old girl under a hat much too big for her. McGonagall hastily took the Sorting Hat back before Merida could run for the Gryffindor table with it. An impossibly bigger grin had formed on Merida's face when she caught Jack's and Hiccup's gazes. They gave her a thumbs up and she joyfully trotted off towards the Gryffindors, who shook her hand and clapped her on the back to welcome her.

Jack took the moment, as "Eckhin, Imogen" was being sorted into Hufflepuff, to observe the Great Hall. His eyes roamed towards the thousands of lit, floating candles to the high arches. The various, intricately carved gothic details on the tall walls glowed gold against the firelight. The buttresses and the tops of the long windows have all but disappeared under the magic of the ceilings."Wow…," he whispered to nobody in particular as he stared at the high ceilings, enchanted to look like the night sky outside and dotted with a million, brilliant stars.

"Ellardeen, Elsa."

A momentary hush fell on the students. Even Jack's attention was diverted. The Ellardeen family may not be as prominent as the Malfoys in the wizarding world, but they too came from old blood (and old money) and that was all the prominence they needed. Fitzwilliam Ellardeen is a very influential person. And it does not help that he is also generous, genuinely gold-hearted and fearlessly ambitious; an easily likeable, charming, man and a real competitor against those running for Minister of Magic. People say that the only reason he never won was because he was too honest as a competitor. Much too honest. But even then, Fitzwilliam Ellardeen is still an esteemed and much-renowned figure in the Wizengamot.

It was not the distinguished name, however, that had struck the crowd silent (for more famous, or infamous, names have been called out during the Sorting). It was the mere shock that this was the first time, in a very long time, that anyone has ever set eyes on the other Ellardeen child. When people speculated about the Ellardeen heirs, they always referred to the young, strawberry-blonde, daughter, whom the public saw often. Nobody ever thought about the older sister. No one ever understood why her parents had kept her so firmly inside the walls of the Ellardeen Manor.

The silence among the crowd of students and teachers turned into hushed whispers as the girl's footsteps neared the top of the Great Hall and onto steps that lead to the Sorting Hat. Jack took a glance at Hiccup, who was also evidently curious, before leaning on his staff and standing on his tiptoes to see the Ellardeen girl.

Her? He was mildly surprised. It was the pretty blonde who had bumped his trolley at Platform 9¾ just earlier that day.

So she's royalty, huh? Jack watched the girl quietly and nervously walk towards McGonagall, obviously uncomfortable with all the sudden attention turned towards her. Jack almost laughed when she sat down with her head bowed low to avoid the crowd's stare, her gloved hands in tight fists on her skirt. She'd better grow a spine or she'll end up as prank fodder before the year is out, thought Jack, mischievously. Wonder what it'd be like to piss off a princess…

McGonagall placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and must have whispered something comforting into the girl's ear because she nodded and sat a little bit straighter. Her clear-blue eyes rose slowly from her gaze on the floor only to be fixed somewhere beyond the spectating crowd. McGonagall then proceeded to place the Sorting Hat gently on her head. Like Merida, the Sorting Hat fell over her eyes and she almost seemed to visibly relax, now that her complete attention was on being sorted. Jack noticed that everyone had once again gone quiet, waiting and anticipating to hear where the Ellardeen heir would be sorted into. It took a moment, and the Hat yelled–

"RAVENCLAW!"

The awkward clapping that had started eventually evolved into thunderous applause as it sank in that such a prominent name now belonged under the wing of the blue and bronze. Soon, the rest of the school joined in the applause and the Ellardeen girl started walking, considerably less stiffly but still looking slightly tense, towards her House. Her previously timid expression had faded into a teensy smile and shining, quite excited eyes. Jack glanced at her direction once she was sat among her now-fellow Ravenclaws, and an impish smile formed on his face... Which Hiccup caught the moment Jack laid his eyes back to the sorting of "Farley, Reginald".

"What?" Jack asked, innocently. Hiccup directed a dry look at him, crossing his arms.

"Jeez, Jack," he said. "You hardly even know the girl and you're already planning to make her cry?" Jack feigned a hurt gasp.

"Me? But, Hiccup...," Jack's expression turned from mock hurt into a sly grin. "Wouldn't it be funny to see ickle Elsie cry home to daddy-kins and their shiny, shiny Galleons?" Hiccup rolled his eyes when Jack draped an arm around his shoulders.

"Look who's talking! Your family's just as loaded!" Hiccup groaned. Jack rolled his eyes at him in reply, fingering his staff with his other hand.

"Not nearly as 'royal' as them though. The Ellardeens are a real old money, old blood family. That's fame, influence and power without having to work an inch for them. They just have to be born into it," he said, with almost contempt, narrowing his eyes at the Ellardeen girl. "Like ickle Elsie over there."

Hiccup sighed understandingly. "Jack...," he started exasperatedly, ignoring Jack, who's smirk was back and was wiggling his eyebrows at him. "Just... Let's not get expelled in our first year, ok?"

Jack's smirk turned into a bored look. "Fine," he spat. "Let's just see what Mer has to say about ickle Elsie." Jack smiled smugly when Hiccup buried his face into his hands, grumbling.

After "Fitzherbert, Eugene", a seemingly proud boy with a one-sided grin that got all the girls squealing and giggling, had been sorted to Slytherin, Hiccup's name came up on McGonagall's list. Jack gave Hiccup a clap on the back and Hiccup, with a look of shy uncertainty, walked up towards McGonagall. The students snickered slightly at Hiccup's gangly and awkward attitude as he almost missed the stool he was to sit on, trying not to be nervous. When he did manage to sit, he looked at McGonagall with a sheepish smile. McGonagall only sighed before placing the Hat on Hiccup. Almost immediately, the Hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hiccup's face broke into a relieved grin as the Hufflepuffs started clapping and giving loud whoops at their newest House member. Jack smirked and quirked his eyebrows at Hiccup in congratulations. From the Gryffindor table, Jack heard Merida give a particularly loud "Yeah, Hiccup!" Hiccup replied them with a lopsided grin as he made his way to the Hufflepuffs.

After a few more slobbery-nosed 11-year-olds (his… 'peers') were sorted, Jack sighed. He was getting antsy in anticipation. He was more than relieved that after one "Noruseth, Hans", McGonagall called out an "Overland, Jack". Without missing a beat, Jack stepped out of the lessening crowd of 11-year-olds, brandishing his shepherd's staff confidently. He knew why a low murmuring thrum had quickly formed amongst the students.

The Overland family were certainly not among the old blood, but they were infamous for other reasons: for being the first to rise above poverty and into power after the First Wizarding War. It became a matter of point of view, however, as to how exactly they rose into power. Most wizards and witches often regarded the Overlands as greedy cheats, frauds, manipulative opportunists, presumed to have fraternized with the Dark Lord and his sympathizers... Others thought that his father, Charles Overland, was simply a good and profoundly reliable, albeit scheming and calculating, businessman. It was no longer unusual to have suspicion associated to his family. Even now, he had thought right that the scandalized gossip would start at the mention of his name... Or it might be the staff he carried that was drawing attention. Or his stark white hair. Whatever.

He sat down and his vision darkened slightly as he felt the hat coming down over his eyes. "Hmmm, yes... Right then, right...," said a small voice somewhere near his ears. "Hah! Another elemental! Same abilities no less! Right then!" A small confused frown fell upon Jack's features. Another? he thought, curiously.

"Yes, boy. Another. Except, unlike her, you've got no problems with your abilities, it seems…," the patched-up Hat replied, sternly. "Hmm, right. Plenty of ambition you've got in your head, eh boy? And there's a great deal of cunning in you... And you're not really afraid to use that cunning, eh? Yes. There's definitely talent. And there's a nice hunger for something else... Trying to prove yourself, aren't you, boy? My, my. Aren't we greedy... It's all here in your head…," the voice continued. Jack waited. "Very well then... SLYTHERIN!"

The table where the Slytherins sat roared with claps and whistles at their newest member. Jack's lips pulled into a self-satisfied smile, not in the least surprised at the outcome. Almost all his family also belonged to Slytherin. He strode towards the Slytherin table once McGonagall took the hat off his head, dragging his staff on the floor.

"Welcome to Slytherin," said a tall, burly boy. A prefect badge gleamed against his black robes. "I'm Alex Wrothe, Slytherin Prefect. I'm sure you'll make a great addition to our bunch, Overland." He smiled coolly, offering his hand. "Your father is one of my personal heroes." Jack shook it firmly and thanked him, before setting his staff against the table and sitting down.

The Sorting went on and Jack's eyes swept across the room, scrutinizing each of his fellow first years where they sat in their new houses. Another elemental, huh? He took in the crowd of students. They had the same abilities, the hat said. Someone here also has ice powers. Someone here is just like him. He felt excitement and curiosity bubble inside him. The decision was made: he had to find her. What could she do with her ice powers? What was she like? Obviously she'd be awesome; they have the same gifts after all. Maybe they could be awesome together. Maybe they could team up. Maybe they could be legends and then school wouldn't be as boring. How fun that would be! How fun everything would be!

When the Sorting finally ended, Dumbledore stood up from his throne in the middle of the professors' table to give his welcome speech and last minute reminders. Soon enough, with Dumbledore's blessing, the feast began. Various kinds of food, in overwhelming measures, started appearing on their golden dishes. Jack marveled at all the food, astounded by the sheer amount and smell if it all. Mouth watering, he did not waste anymore time and chomped down on a giant leg of roast chicken and a spoonful of creamy mashed potatoes.

In the midst of gobbling down his food, his gaze caught Merida's and Hiccup's from their respective Houses. It was really too bad that Punzie and Astrid weren't here yet to play. But then again, Jack thought as he swallowed, this unspoken game could all start anew when they get here next year. Merida and Hiccup threw giant grins his way, and he grinned back just as toothily. He understood what those smiles meant and the prospects of starting school just became brighter.

May the best House win!

A/N: Thinking cap as in it literally thinks and decides which house to sort students into. Geddit? Geddit? HAHAHA.

I found it quite difficult at first to write Merida and Hiccup's characters. But I eventually got around to it, I think? Hahaha. Also it's in my headcanon that Astrid and Hiccup would be childhood friends (as the Big Four apparently are in my head, which is why Astrid is sorta lodged in with them) and that Rapunzel would be the youngest out of the Big Four (even if canonically speaking, Hiccup is?), which is why they don't appear in the AU yet.

I had fun writing this even if this chapter has left me sort of blergh cos I just feel like it's not one of my best. Another difficulty I had was that I had to remind myself constantly that 16-18 year old Jack would have to think and act differently than 11 year old Jack (which is why he seems to be excitable (and distracted much?), immature and borderline naughty to the point where he might be a bit OOC). I also felt like I needed to lay a bit of background (like these "extra" pureblood wizarding families) just to sort of mesh the Frozen, ROTG and Harry Potter crossover altogether. T'is a very spindly web I'm spinning, it seems. HAHA.

So... I still hope you guys enjoy :)

All other names that are unfamiliar are original names by me :D

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who have read and faved or dropped a review! You guys have no idea how happy you make me! :')