#jackpunzel

Lost and Found

Several days after the Triwizard Tournament, Jack went to go find Rapunzel. He knew how devastated Rapunzel must have felt when hearing the news about her boyfriend, Flynn. Jack couldn’t help but feel that Flynn’s death was Jack’s fault. Maybe it is his fault. If his name wasn’t pulled out of the hat as the unnecessary fourth person, then maybe Flynn would have lived and Rapunzel would still be happy. Jack wanted to apologize to her for everything that has happened. Strangely, he felt slightly happy that Flynn was gone. Immediately, Jack mentally smacked himself and felt more guilty after thinking such a thought.

Jack talked to some Ravenclaw students if any of them seen Rapunzel, they reported they haven’t. He hasn’t seen Rapunzel since he dragged Flynn’s body back to Hogwarts. Jack and Rapunzel haven’t had any classes all school year, but they managed to spend time with each other outside of class time with Hiccup and Merida. However, nobody has been able to talk to Rapunzel, especially her best friend Merida. It seemed like the beautiful girl with the magical golden hair somehow secluded herself from all of her friends. Merida reported that Rapunzel tries to avoid all of her closest friends but she will talk if people need something from her. For Jack, it felt that Rapunzel was avoiding him completely.

Jack checked the greenhouses since she likes to explore there. He knew that Rapunzel liked spending time with magical creatures and plants, he remembered her saying that these beings were unpredictable and she wanted to learn more about them so she observed them. After checking with Hagrid at his hut to see if he has seen Rapunzel, he shook his head.

It was getting close to dinner time and Jack did not want to give up despite his growling stomach. As he searched, Jack recalled his few memories of Flynn during the Triwizard Tournament. Flynn was a typical Slytherin: Ambitious, cunning, achievement-oriented, and a strong leader. Yet, Flynn also had a charm to him that seemed to woo all the ladies. Jack remembered Rapunzel saying that all of Flynn’s egotistical characteristics were all just a ruse and she joked he should have been in Hufflepuff. And Rapunzel was right, Flynn should have been in Hufflepuff.

After Jack was called to be the fourth person to participate in the tournament, Flynn was the first one to support and help him during the competition. Jack also remembered when he found out about the dragons in the first task and warned Flynn about it to repay him for being supportive. He also remembered Flynn repaying him back when Flynn didn’t have to by providing advice on how to solve the second task. It seemed strange for a Slytherin to help others in a competition. Maybe both he and Flynn should have been Hufflepuffs.

Jack also remembered about the Yule ball and how jealous he was of Flynn. Jack and Hiccup both attended the ball with some female students but neither boys paid attention to their dates. Hiccup was busy staring at Merida and her date dancing away and he couldn’t help but wish he was the one dancing with her. While Jack couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Rapunzel was laughing away in her pink, glimmering dress and her long, golden locks flowing in the air. Her green eyes glowed in happiness and Jack wished he was the one that made her feel the way Flynn had made her feel. Jack chuckled to himself when he remembered that he and Hiccup were both brutally dumped by their dates in the middle of the ball. He clearly remembered how their dates dramatically poured glasses of sparkling wine all over the boys and left in a huff. After Hiccup and Jack’s dates did that, it caught the entire ball’s attention. Hiccup wasn’t too happy to be embarrassed in front of Merida as she gazed at the boys disapprovingly. Jack was hoping it distracted Rapunzel from her date, and luckily it did.

Then Jack remembered that when he and Flynn reached to the end of the third task, they both agreed that they would win together. Unfortunately, they were sucked into a port key and Flynn was killed. Jack didn’t want to relive that memory again and he shook it off.

Suddenly, Jack remembered the one place that Rapunzel liked to go whenever she wanted to think. It was on a ledge on top of the north tower where she liked to gaze at the stars. Jack went back to his dorm and grabbed his broomstick to fly up to that spot. When he got there, Rapunzel wasn’t there. Disheartened, Jack was going to go back but then he saw a glimpse of a golden lock hanging off the ledge.

Jack chuckled, “I know you’re there, Punz. I can’t believe I forgot that I lent you my invisibility cloak.”

Rapunzel slid the cloak off of her, clutched it, and forced a smile, “How’d you know I was here?”

“We’ve been friends since we were eleven, how could I not?” Jack floated down next to her and sat on the ledge. He felt awkward since they haven’t talked in several days and especially since he felt it was his fault that Flynn died. “Hey, I’m sor-“

“Did you know that Flynn isn’t actually his name? It’s actually Eugene?” Rapunzel interrupted.

Jack shook his head, surprised, “No, it’s a nice name, I wonder why he didn’t like it.”

“Eugene thought his real name sounded nerdy, but I really liked it. It fitted him more.” Rapunzel explained, “I decided to research the meaning of his name and it comes from the Greek meaning of ‘well born.’ ‘Eu’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘genes’ meaning ‘born.’ Aren’t names fascinating?”

Jack wasn’t sure where to go from that. It seemed that Rapunzel was trying to avoid the conversation. However, Jack wanted to apologize. “Yeah, but anyways. I wanted to apo-“

“Did you know your name means ‘God is gracious?’” Rapunzel started to tear up, “Like it’s so fascinating that the meaning of our names define who we are.”

“Rapunzel...”

Rapunzel continued, “Like my name means ‘rampion’ or ‘lamb’s lettuce.’ Isn’t that so silly? What does that supposed to mean? I am not a vegetable! I am a girl with magical golden hair. You, Jack, are somebody that was given God’s grace and maybe that’s why you’re alive and Eugene’s not. I mean, I don’t want you to die either, but Eugene was one of my important people. He was up there with you, Merida, and Hiccup. And I don’t want to experience this kind of hurt again. I don’t want to lose you-“

Jack pulled her into his chest and hugged her. Rapunzel continued to sob into his shirt, and Jack replied softly, “I..I wanted to apologize for not being able to save Eugene.”

Rapunzel looked up and blubbered, “I-It’s not your fault that Pitch killed Eugene. It’s not your fault that you were forced into this competition. Jack, I don’t blame you for Eugene’s death.”

Jack smiled weakly, feeling a little relieved that his crush doesn’t blame him for her boyfriend’s death. However, Jack still felt he could have done something about it. He remembered a conversation he had with Eugene one day. Jack smiled and placed his fingers on Rapunzel’s forehead to move some strands of hair out of her face, “Y’know, I remembered a conversation with Eugene about some of the things that drew him to you.”

Rapunzel sniffed, “R-really?”

Jack nodded, “Yeah. He said that he was intrigued by how warm and brave you were as a Ravenclaw. He also thought you should have been a Hufflepuff too. But what made him really fall in love with you was how much love you give to those you care about.”

Rapunzel started to tear up once more and buried her face into Jack’s chest. He agreed that was one of the reasons why he began crushing on Rapunzel as well. Including her curiosity about the world. How her eyes sparkled whenever something piqued her curiosity. How whenever she laughed, the world around her seemed to become brighter. How her resourcefulness seemed to help him, Merida, and Hiccup get out of trouble. Maybe all of these other little things were also the reasons why Eugene fell for her.

Jack tightened his grip on her and rested his chin on her head. After Rapunzel calmed down, she sniffed, “I-I don’t think Eugene wants me to avoid my friends and continue sulking about him. I think he’d rather have me doting on him instead of crying about him.” She laughed, looked up at Jack, and grinned, “Thank you for finding me and cheering me up.”

Jack grinned, “No problem, anything for one of my best friends.”

“Jack?”

“Yeah?”

Rapunzel leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek, “Thanks for finding me.”

A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep

In dreams you will lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep

If a mortal woman cried seven tears into the sea during high tide, the selkie would come ashore, shed his sealskin, and love her.