The room was quite warm, actually. The flames were crackling in the fireplace and the greenish-yellow lamps were b with a sense of comfort. The carved serpent was staring, lurking beside the vast bookshelf, and the carpet was mildly warm against the soles of shoes. No strong wind was blowing in through the windows, for they were closed.

But seeing the Head of the house sitting behind his desk, his face feigning innocence when he was actually anything but innocent, was not something that Himchan could find warmth from. Especially not with the heavy tension between them.

"I had no intention of offending you, sir. I was requesting you to please stop intruding into my private life." Himchan's voice was calm, unwavering, making a point. Very unfortunately, though, it wasn't the first time he had made that statement, and it didn't seem like this would be his last time saying those words. "My father has no right to order you, and he has no rights to recieve any kind of information about me either. I hope you understand."

The Head of the Slyntherins only sighed, and leaned forward towards the student sitting across his desk. "Well, first off, you're right. He does not have the right to order me, but there are consequences following if I don't listen to him, isn't it? And the problem here is that I have totally no idea about what you're talking about. Us spying on you? We do ask about you from time to time, but spying? No. That does not happen."

Himchan looked into the elder's trembling pupils, and held his breath before he spoke again. "I'm sorry but I'm not ignorant to the things around me. I know that he's been sending his people here. And they're watching me. All the time."

"There is no proof, Himchan. No evidence." Sanders mumbled, and paused for some time before asking, "But why do you oppose his wishes so much? Why are you being rebellious? If you follow his commands you won't ever have to work in your life, and  become the next greatest Magus! That's a free ticket to paradise! I'm shocked you're throwing away such a precious gift!"

Himchan's fist tightened around his wand on his lap, his veins starting to stand out from the force of his grip. "Sir." He replied, holding back the urge to yell. "I really do hope you understand that I am not rebelling against him, but I had no plans on having anything to do with him, from the beginning. I shall not follow the footsteps of a man who abandoned his family. My mother needs me more than he does."

"That's totally not true."

"I have prepared to look after my mother for the rest of my life...something he promised to do yet failed to."

"Ofcourse." The wizard scoffed. "She was just a mistress, Himchan. A human, with no noble blood or significant wealth. A nobody who he used for..." He grinned obnoxiously at the young man. "But who knew, you're--"

"Enough." Himchan stood up rather abruptly from the chair, causing it to tip back. His breathing was uneven from the rage. "I did not come here to listen to anyone insult my mother. And it seems like there's no point in trying to communicate with you, sir. Excuse me; I'm leaving."

"Wait, Himchan!" The wizard called as the young man turned to leave. "Your father demands for you to stop seeing that ordinary griffindor!"

At that, Himchan swallowed and took a deep breath. He turned around, standing by the door, to face the wizard. "What Griffindor? As you probably have heard, I'm seeing no griffindor. He's a slyntherin from the royal family, a part of the Choi bloodline."

"Yes, I have heard of that," The old wizard said. "But I also happen to know that it's not true. That is a lie, to cover that griffindor--"

Himchan left the room, shutting the door lightly behind him. He knew he was being rude, but he didn't have to listen.

*****

Junhong was humming as he upped his pace, long limbs moving easily in long strides. It was a fine morning indeed, but fine mornings usually meant that bizarre activities were expected for class later. He didn't seem to care, though, about how suspicious an easy morning in Hogwarts was, or about the arm that was wrapped loosely around his waist.

Himchan's arm.

Junhong was getting used to it already, the whole acting thing. At first he used to flinch whenever Himchan got a bit too close, or addressed Junhong as his boyfriend, because they considered each other as brothers, but as time passed he scarcely cared what Himchan did, as long as it wasn't crossing the boundary. He owed Himchan and that was the least he could do to help him. Afterall, he felt the eyes too, everywhere. Watching them. Eyes of the Great Magus, following each and every of Himchan's action and very likely, Yongguk's too.

He slowed down suddenly, causing Himchan to raise an eyebrow at him.

"If Jung Daehyun was one of them, you're done for." Junhong mumbled, eyes on a small group of griffindors entering the main school building and Himchan turned towards what Junhong was looking at.

Jung Daehyun. Jung Daehyun and Bang Yongguk, to be precise...with some other griffindors. Yongguk looked rather comfortable with Daehyun, they marked. Laughter was easily heard from them, though Yongguk's was more like a low chuckle, the other's voices way louder than his, and his arm settled comfortably on Daehyun's shoulder. Any outsider would see that they were a couple. They were, indeed, but the word fake came before that. They were in total a very happy looking fake couple.

Himchan and Junhong knew better than that, though. Yongguk was probably thinking, what are they laughing about. Himchan shrugged at Junhong, and gave his slim waist a small squeeze. "Daehyun is not one of them I think..." He muttered, urging Junhong to hurry up. This time Junhong shrugged. "I was just saying, hyung. Never harms to be careful, is it?"

Never harms to be careful, Himchan repeated in his head. Since when did Junhong started forming literate sentences like that? He took one last glance at the griffindors, hopefully not to Junhong's notice. He really didn't care about them, but his roommate would probably have thought otherwise, and...

Their eyes met.

It was unexpected for Himchan, but he did not look away. He did not blink either. Instead, he stared back, their gazes seeming to melt into each other. Yongguk's eyes were deep in concentration, staring reassuringly, a sense of warmth radiating from his dark brown pupils. In that small moment several unspoken words were exchanged between the two of them.

Words that no one else needed to know about.

******

Himchan felt apologetic towards Junhong. He had always felt apologetic to the younger, actually. Ever since he realized he was being spied on, he had seemed to drag Junhong around, everywhere. Surely he did not like having to put up an act all the time, but somewhat he knew Junhong was the one that was at the most disadvantage.

Junhong was not like him, who was just a few months, not even a quarter of a year away from graduation. The younger was supposed to be enjoying his school life with worthy friends and have fun as if he were to die the next day. He was supposed to be venturing with his curiousity, find happiness through mastering magic, have a few harmless competiti