Hakuna Matata Actually Means a Lot of Worries

One Pureblood won’t stop singing Disney songs. Her eight friends are a million percent done.

All members of Twice

A/N: Fun little shot, since I haven’t published one about Twice yet. I got carried away with Tuna.  ; ] Also, to hell with responsibilities! I'm obviously not attending to mine.

“Good evening. We are gathered here tonight to share our experiences and comfort each other. This is a safe environment. You may speak freely. Would anyone like to go first?”

Jihyo spun slowly on her heels, observing each student sitting in the ring of wooden desks with a motherly gaze. One girl stared ahead with a fuming expression. Jihyo was positive that glare wasn’t meant for her. She signaled to them and they nodded back. Jihyo gracefully slid through the gap between two desks and sat in an empty seat.

The girl stood on her chair, climbed over her desk, and sat on top of it facing the center with her legs dangling off the edge. “Hello, my name is Jungyeon.”

“Hi Jungyeon,” the others chorused except for one.

“Yeah, we know,” said Tzuyu in confusion. She wondered why Jungyeon was introducing herself to her friends of at least five years.

“It’s just a theme,” whispered Chaeyoung, tugging on Tzuyu’s sleeve. Tzuyu’s lips formed an O.

“Please continue,” said Jihyo kindly.

Jungyeon cleared . “Words of caution. Nature spells are not her forte,” she said curtly.

~|~|~|~

“Yo, Yoo!”

“Sup, Im?”

Jungyeon waited for Nayeon to catch up. Her friend looked oddly clumsy rambling up the dirt path in slightly oversized robes.

“Did you get a new haircut?” Asked Nayeon, nudging the rim of her large circular spectacles higher up her nose bridge.

“Yeah, about six years ago,” said Jungyeon, bemused.

Nayeon reached for Jungyeon’s sleek bronze hair. “It’s an inch shorter than last month,” she said, closely inspecting Jungyeon’s head like a gorilla grooming its young.

“Hey, that tickles!” Jungyeon slapped Nayeon’s hands away and glared at the girl. Having her hair ruffled sent a weird, uncomfortable tingle down her spine.

“Has anyone ever told you, this boyish look suits you well,” said Nayeon appreciatively.

“Get in line,” laughed Jungyeon. She climbed up the sloping path expecting Nayeon to follow.

“Hey, slow down! I’m dying back here!” Groaned Nayeon.

Jungyeon turned back again to see Nayeon sluggishly ambling up the path while holding her stomach. When she had caught up, Jungyeon set off at a slower pace.

“An athlete should have enough stamina to run a few feet,” said Jungyeon. All concern thrown out the window, she smiled blatantly to show her amusement at Nayeon’s suffering.

“Excuse you, I’m in great shape,” huffed Nayeon indignantly. “I’ve just got serious cramps.”

“Oh,” frowned Jungyeon sympathetically. “Yeah, being a girl , doesn’t it.”

“Right? Being a guy would be so much easier,” agreed Nayeon.

Jungyeon laughed weakly. “Wouldn’t it be convenient if there was a spell to turn us male once a month until it passed?” She scrunched up her nose at the absurdity of the idea.

Hearing nothing but her own mirthless chuckles, she turned to check if she had left Nayeon behind again. But the girl was walking next to her with a creepy smile on her face. Jungyeon furrowed her eyebrows in suspicion. Nayeon grinned even wider and took a deep breath.

“Oh no,” groaned Jungyeon. She looked wildly around for an escape route, realizing belatedly what Nayeon was about to do.

“BE A MAN!”

Jungyeon stomped forward, pushing her feet off the ground as hard as she could. Just when she thought she was out of range, she felt a rude yank on the back of her robes. She tumbled backwards and slammed into Nayeon, who twirled her around and bellowed in her face.

“WE MUST BE SWIFT AS A COURSING RIVER! Aguamenti!”

Jungyeon flinched as Nayeon brandished her wand and a gigantic jet of water spewed from its tip. In her opinion, this was very much like a geyser and very unlike an earth-bound river. She watched with horror as the stream blasted a poor First-Year into a nearby bush. His friends yelped and scurried over to pull him out while trying to avoid Nayeon’s spell.

Jungyeon rounded on her friend. “Nayeon! You can’t just—”

“WITH ALL THE FORCE OF A GREAT TYPHOON! Ventus!”

“Please! Nayeon!” Jungyeon screeched.

Nayeon twirled her wand in the air dramatically. A strong gust of wind mutated the jet of water into a miniature hurricane. But since Nayeon was the worst example of a focused student, the hurricane lost control and collapsed on itself, drenching Jungyeon completely.

Jungyeon flipped her soaked hair out of her eyes and glared at Nayeon. “Alright, now that my robes have ten extra pounds of water weight, will you please stop—”

“WITH ALL THE STRENGTH OF A RAGING FIRE! Incendio!”

“Oh bloody hell…”

Jungyeon didn’t bother and made a run for it. She panted heavily as she hiked up her robes and bounded towards the castle, her boots squelching in every puddle she made. She sincerely hoped she wouldn’t be associated with Nayeon and whatever damage she was about to inflict.

“If I can just get past the Lake onto the Grounds!” Jungyeon gritted through her teeth.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of red. A great ring of fire blocked Jungyeon’s path, singeing more of the grass with every passing second.

“For crying out loud! Aguamenti!” Jungyeon grunted, pulling out her own wand. A controlled jet of water spouted from the tip as she doused the encroaching flames.

The fire died down. Steam billowed up in large puffs around Jungyeon. Everyone in the vicinity was staring at her except for one girl cackling a few feet away while holding her stomach.

“Cramps my ,” Jungyeon growled maliciously. Nayeon just cackled louder.

“Miss Yoo,” said a stern voice from behind.

Jungyeon’s eyes widened in fear. She straightened her back and turned about face. “P-Professor M-McGonagall. I c-can explain,” she stuttered hastily.

“I’m sure you can. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss what happened. If you don’t mind, please help Miss Im off the ground and make sure she accompanies you to detention tonight.” Without another word, McGonagall strode into the castle.

“Ooh, you got in trouble. You got in trouble,” sang Nayeon, poking Jungyeon in the ribs.

Jungyeon rolled her eyes in annoyance. She stripped off her outer robes, bunched them up, and squeezed them with all her might over Nayeon’s giddy face. She smiled sadistically when Nayeon let out a disgusted squeal. Feeling an ounce of vengeful satisfaction, Jungyeon swung her robes over her shoulder and shouted behind her, promising to pick up Nayeon in front of her common room to her to detention in McGonagall’s office that night.

~|~|~|~

“I’d never thought I’d say this, but ‘Mulan’ was a terrible inspiration,” said Jungyeon tiredly.

“Serves you right. It was your idea to show her that movie,” said Dahyun.

“Being the good friend that I am, I thought I was helping her with Muggle Studies,” said Jungyeon in exasperation. “What harm could a Disney movie do?”

“Evidently a lot. That’s why we have a support group,” deadpanned Mina. “Now she’s watched the entire classic collection.”

“Oh, those poor First-Years though. They must be traumatized,” said Jihyo worriedly.

“Dry ‘em off and send ‘em to bed. They’ll be fine,” scoffed Dahyun. “You should’ve heard her singing that during Quidditch practice though.”

“You’re not even on our team,” said Tzuyu with that same adorable look of confusion she always had. “Were you spying on us?”

“Yes,” Dahyun admitted bluntly and shrugged. “Nobody kicked me out of the stands.”

“What happened?” Momo interrupted while nibbling on a Cauldron Cake.

“She told her team they were the saddest bunch she’s ever met and that they’re a spineless, pale, pathetic lot who haven’t got a clue,” laughed Dahyun. “Their Keeper actually cried and ran off the pitch.”

Dahyun found this so funny, she was actually slapping the desk as she threw back her head. Tzuyu didn’t quite like the way Dahyun was enjoying her teammate’s breakdown and Nayeon’s unprofessionalism as their Captain. While Tzuyu did come to the classroom voluntarily, she thought she should salvage a bit of Nayeon’s dignity.

“She’s not always like that,” said Tzuyu. “Singing actually helped.” She paused when seven skeptical pairs of eyes flickered in her direction.

“She’s not allowed to lie at this meeting, right?” Chaeyoung stared at Jihyo for confirmation before turning back to Tzuyu. “You’re not allowed to lie.”

Tzuyu calmly pushed Chaeyoung’s accusing finger out of her face. “I’m telling the truth. It was the best she’s ever played.”

“By ragging on her team?” Said Dahyun incredulously.

“No, it was a different time. She sang ‘Go the Distance’ and—”

“Oh Lord, she ruined my favorite song?” Groaned Jungyeon.

“She has a pretty decent voice,” said Sana.

“That’s not the point. It’s that she wreaks havoc whenever Disney is involved,” said Jungyeon.

“Let’s just hear what Tzuyu has to say,” interjected Jihyo, nodding at the youngest.

Tzuyu smiled back gratefully.

~|~|~|~

“Bludger on your left!”

“I am on my way! I can go the distance!”

“Bludger, where? Ah!”

“Got it!”

Tzuyu sighed in relief as one of the Beaters swooped down and hit the incoming Bludger away from the Keeper. Tzuyu was up high searching the pitch for a glimpse of the Snitch when she heard her teammates shouting warnings to each other. She glanced over at the others who seemed thoroughly annoyed but couldn’t berate Nayeon. They continued playing.

“Pass the Quaffle, I’m open!”

“I don’t care how far, somehow I’ll be strong!”

“Nayeon, you don’t have to be strong, just be fast!” Yelled a Sixth-Year Chaser, catching the falling Quaffle in his arms.

“I know every mile will be worth my while!”

“The pitch isn’t even that long. I really don’t think this is the time to be singing,” said their youngest Beater timidly while flying past Nayeon who hadn’t noticed her presence.

“I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong!” Nayeon’s voice rang across the nearly deserted pitch.

“How does she not feel like she belongs?” A Fifth-Year Chaser asked Tzuyu as they watched Nayeon belt out verses without a care. “She’s the Captain, for Merlin’s sake.”

Tzuyu thought it was finally time to step in as she was the only one who hung around Nayeon outside of practice. She flew down to Nayeon’s level and tapped her friend on the shoulder. “Nayeon, please stop singing because nobody here knows what you’re referring to. We need to go over your strategies before Saturday’s match,” she pleaded.

“I will beat the odds! I can go the distance! I will face the world, fearless, proud, and strong!” Nayeon flexed her thin biceps which were hidden deep in the sleeves of her Quidditch robes.

Tzuyu sighed at having been ignored. Actually, she thinks Nayeon acknowledged her presence by singing even louder, seeing as Tzuyu was the only one who would understand the lyrics. Tzuyu glanced at the rest of the team before the annoyed Sixth-Year boy caught her eye.

“Is it too much to ask for one uninterrupted session?” He asked rhetorically. Without looking, he whipped the Quaffle out of his hands intending for it to fall to the ground twenty feet below.

Tzuyu gasped as a Bludger turned tail around the goalposts and rammed right into the Quaffle, sending it flying in her and Nayeon’s direction.

“Move!” Shouted Tzuyu as she dived out of the way. She looked above to check if Nayeon had even heard her, but the girl was still singing incessantly.

“I will please the gods! I can go the distance!”

The Captain was looking straight at the incoming ball, but hadn’t flown out of its trajectory. Instead, she leapt off her broom and did a kind of pirouette in mid-air. Tzuyu watched with amazement as Nayeon swung her broom around by the handle like a bat. She smacked the ball cleanly with the tail end. The team stared with slack jaws as the Quaffle zoomed through the center hoop. Tzuyu turned back to Nayeon, who remounted her broom before gravity kicked in.

Nayeon pumped both of her fists in the air in celebration. The Quaffle fell to the grass below with a distant thud. “‘Till I find my hero’s welcome! Right! Where! I! Belong!”

A slow clap began from the astonished Keeper and ended with the Sixth-Year Chaser applauding the loudest. Nayeon bowed so deeply, her broom lurched forward to start a nose-dive. Tzuyu smiled wearily as she too clapped along.

~|~|~|~

“Pfft, she’s not that agile,” said Dahyun. Tzuyu just blinked back at her. Her smile dropped. “You’re not supposed to lie,” she said, mimicking Chaeyoung’s words.

“I’m not lying. That was the best I’ve ever seen her play,” Tzuyu reiterated.

“Wait, isn’t that how Nayeon scored the winning goal against your team?”

Dahyun paused, then narrowed her eyes. “You’re not helping, Sana.”

“Why don’t you share?” Asked Mina lazily, wanting to move on with their meeting. The question was directed at Sana, but Momo groaned instead. Mina raised an eyebrow and looked further along the ring of desks. “What’s with you? Indigestion from one too many Cauldron Cakes?”

“No, it’s just my story is our story,” sighed Sana.

“If it concerns both of you, it must be about food,” said Mina, eyeing Momo who had face-planted on her desk. “Nothing else is as high as that on her priority list.”

Sana laughed softly. The memory of that day must have made Momo sad. But dejected or not, her friend still nudged bits of the chocolate pastry into . She just didn’t bother to sit up. Sana figured she had to be the narrator this time.

~|~|~|~

“Lumos.”

A small ball of light illuminated the base of the stairs to the Entrance Hall. Momo held her wand higher. The light reflected off the four giant hourglasses off to the side. Each of the jewels inside twinkled back at her. Momo listened for a few seconds but heard no footsteps. The coast was clear. She scurried down the marble staircase and descended a flight of stone steps.

Momo sniffed the cool air. “No stench of bat spleens, so it’s not the Dungeons. Good, good.” She hopped down the last few steps and turned right.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh my God!” Momo screamed. She gripped her heart in shock, then winced at hearing her voice echo off the stone walls. “Ahem, hey Sana…” She said slowly.

Sana crossed her arms. “What are you doing out of bed? It’s well after curfew.”

“Oh, come on Sana. Can’t you cut me some slack? I can’t sleep on an empty stomach,” whined Momo. She added a pout for good measure and tugged at Sana’s sleeve.

“You were the last one to leave the Great Hall during dinner.”

“That was like seventy-nine hours ago. A growing girl’s gotta eat,” Momo said casually.

“You can do without a four AM snack for once,” said Sana firmly.

“No I can’t. That’s the whole point of a four AM snack. You’re hungry between dinner and breakfast, so you get a snack. Silly Sana.”

Momo spoke with a tone that suggested Sana was being extremely daft. How could her best friend think for one second she would survive without nighttime munchies? Especially when Hogwarts provided unlimited food during term.

“You’re not going to listen to me, are you?”

“Hehe. So does that mean you’ll let me off the hook?” Grinned Momo.

Sana smirked back. “It means I’ll have to get Jihyo to come down here.”

Momo’s eyes widened in horror. “Please don’t do that Sana. She’ll kill me!”

“That’s kind of the point,” laughed Sana, trying to loosen Momo’s death grip on her robes.

“You’re supposed to be the cool RA,” sniffed Momo pitifully. She was on her knees now.

“One, this isn’t university. Two, we’re called prefects. Three, get up,” said Sana.

Momo did as she was told and lowered her head. Her straight brown hair fell over her shoulders, shielding part of her face from view. Sana sighed deeply. As strict as she wanted to be, she couldn’t handle Momo looking like a puppy left out in the pouring rain. She could feel her brain and heart battling fiercely. They clashed somewhere in Sana’s throat and the reigning victor’s war cries tumbled out of .

“Don’t tell anyone. Let’s go.” Rules be damned.

Momo perked up immediately and pulled Sana down two more corridors. They came up to a large painting of a bowl of fruit. Sana checked if they were being followed. Seeing no one, she turned back to Momo who was looking at her gleefully. Sana hastened Momo along. She didn’t want to be caught breaking rules, while on duty no less. Momo tickled the pear. It giggled brightly and turned into a green doorknob. The portrait swung open to admit them.

“Woah,” breathed Sana.

She had never been in the Hogwarts kitchens before. The room was vast, warm, and had a high ceiling. The walls were lined with brass pots and pans of all sizes. In the very back there were large cauldrons perched on steel stands, under which lay the remnants of old burnt firewood. There was still an aroma of roasted chicken and hearty vegetable soup from last night’s dinner. Even the sugary scent of treacle tarts lingered in the air.

“Can I be helpings you, Miss?”

Sana jumped at the sudden squeak by her knees. She looked down to see two large, round, glossy eyes staring back up at her. The small House Elf awaited her command.

“Nothing for me. I came with a friend,” said Sana politely. The House Elf bowed herself out.

Sana scanned the room and found Momo sitting at one of the four long wooden tables at the end nearest the brick fireplace. She was deep in discussion with five or so House Elves. Food certainly brought out the best in people. Sana shook her head and walked over to them.

“I want to try one spicy variety and another that is marinated. Is this doable?”

Sana stared curiously at Momo. She had never seen her friend so serious before. Momo often spoke lazily, her words slurred, as if she was perpetually drowsy. But now she was attentive, articulate, and businesslike. The group of House Elves nodded furiously at Momo’s request and dispersed to their stations upon dismissal.

“What did you order?” Asked Sana, taking the vacant seat next to Momo.

“Jokbal,” said Momo excitedly.

“And am I supposed to know what that is?”

“They’re pig trotters! Don’t look at me like that,” said Momo quickly at Sana’s expression of revulsion. “I heard they’re really delicious! Try some with me!”

“Do the House Elves even have that in stock? I doubt Hogwarts ever has anything like feet or hooves delivered to the kitchens,” said Sana skeptically. She grabbed a mug of hot tea that a House Elf had left for her.

Momo just grinned and pointed at the other end of the long table that resembled those in the Great Hall. Sure enough, two House Elves padded across the cobblestone floor balancing silver platters piled high with raw, pink-skinned pig feet on their heads. One of the piles was dumped into a large cauldron over a kindling fire. The House Elf then scampered off to prepare chilis and spices for a tub of sauce. The other platter of pig trotters was dumped into a deep pan filled with some sort of brown liquid. Three other House Elves set to work chopping bowlfuls of garlic, ginger, and onions to add to the marinade stock.

“This is going to take a while. You sure you don’t want to go to bed?” Asked Momo.

“I’ll stay,” yawned Sana.

Despite herself, Sana couldn’t help but lay her head in her arms. It was very warm by the fireplace. The distant clangs of pots and dishes were oddly soothing. The rumble of boiling cauldrons and sizzling pans grew fainter with every second. Sana glanced at Momo through half-lidded eyes. She seemed well behaved while overseeing what would be the pinnacle of her eating career, so Sana deemed it safe enough to take a small nap.

Just as Sana felt her mind drifting into a numbing sleep, she heard the portrait frame creak open and a loud gasp from behind. She bolted upright in her chair, an excuse on the tip of her tongue. Jihyo catching her away from her post, sleeping while on duty, and being Momo’s accomplice all at once would certainly result in a painful scolding. And Jihyo did not possess an inside voice.

Sana slowly turned around and was surprised to see Nayeon sniffing the air with a dreamy expression. She thought the Seventh-Year had wandered into the kitchens while sleepwalking. Then, Nayeon looked right at Sana and Momo with a broad smile.

“What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” Hollered Nayeon as she bounded over to Momo’s other side.

Sana could only stare in disbelief. Her heart was still pounding from the thought of having been caught. But it seemed that the older girl didn’t care about being out of bounds. Without hesitation, Momo jumped into a longwinded explanation of her fantastic culinary discovery.

“But that’s going to take forever! Merlin’s beard will have great-great-grand-beardchildren by then,” groaned Nayeon. “Let’s kick things up a notch.”

Sana’s stomach dropped at Nayeon’s wicked grin, the girl’s prominent incisors gleaming in the firelight. Nayeon slipped her wand out of her sleeve and stood up grandly. Momo watched with admiration, evidently finding nothing wrong with Nayeon Im of all people interfering with Hogwarts employees’ duties.

“A one. A two. A one, two, three, four.”

Sana winced as Nayeon poked at the air like a conductor with a baton. Hogwarts being a school for magic, one does not simply wave their wand without something coming to life. Despite Nayeon’s penchant for brewing chaos, Sana was surprised to find things going smoothly.

A House Elf juggling three bowls of chopped raw onions while trying to stifle his tears tripped over his worn cloth toga. Nayeon flicked her wand just in time to catch all three bowls in mid-air, not a single onion slice out of place, and saved the House Elf from face-planting onto the stone ground. She set the worker upright and the bowls floated evenly to the marinade pan as if on an invisible conveyor belt.

“Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test! Tie your napkin ‘round your neck, cherie, and we’ll provide the rest!”

Sana turned towards Momo, who was happily clapping along, a wide white dinner napkin folded into the front of her robes like a bib.

“Where did you get that?” Asked Sana.

“No idea,” replied Momo without a care. She clapped even louder, bouncing in her seat.

“Soup du jour, hot hors d’oeuvres. Why, we only live to serve!”

Sana found herself bobbing her head to the beat. She smiled at the House Elves who were also tapping their feet as they cooked. They must not have much time for entertainment what with all the chores they have to do around the castle. All of a sudden, Nayeon swished her wand through the air and the knives flew out of the House Elves’ hands. They scattered immediately, frightened at their utensils having come to life. Under Nayeon’s command, the knives began chopping the vegetables haphazardly. Bits of pulp and skin littered the counter and floor.

“Nayeon, I don’t think you should bother them,” said Sana worriedly.

Nayeon’s unnecessary vibrato overpowered Sana’s voice. “Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious!”

“It’s not delicious by the way,” whispered Momo, still clapping along faithfully.

“Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes! They can sing, they can dance! After all, Miss, this is France!”

Right on cue, a set of shining china plates rolled across the house table and belted out a four-note harmony of “It’s de-li-cious!” Sana muttered something about Scotland just as the plates rolled themselves right off the edge of the table, shattering all over the floor. A passing House Elf gasped and apologized profusely to Sana and Momo before rushing off to get a dust pan.

“Wait, it’s okay!” Sana shouted. Not wanting the House Elf to injure herself, Sana used her wand to levitate the broken porcelain bits into the trash bin. She turned to cut Nayeon off before things got worse only to find the problem had escalated since the last verse.

“We’ll prepare and serve with flair! A culinary cabaret! You’re alone, and you’re scared. But the banquet’s all prepared!” Nayeon sang as she tap danced on the table top.

To Sana’s horror, Nayeon had magicked an oversized pestle to pound a bucket full of chilis in a large wooden mortar on its own. The two House Elves tasked with making the spicy sauce shrieked and scampered away from the bewitched tools. Paste painted the walls like stains of coagulated blood. The other House Elves had begun cooking breakfast for the students and staff. An unfortunate soul passing by with a ten-by-ten carton of fresh eggs got a splat of paste in his eye. The House Elf wailed in pain and slipped on another blob of paste on the floor. He slid into two other workers, knocking over their platters of sausages and bacon. The carton of eggs whizzed through the air before pelting the area with yolks galore.

Meanwhile, Sana was having a heart attack, Nayeon hollered her lines at the top of her lungs, and Momo was still clapping along with a goofy grin on her face.

“If you’re stressed, it’s fine dining we suggest! Be out guest! Be our guest! BE OUR GUEST!”

Fearing for the House Elves’ safety, Sana cried, “Nayeon, stop it!”

She ran over to the table and yanked on Nayeon’s wrist. Nayeon toppled over, all three girls ending up in a heap by the fireplace. Taking it as a personal offense of her singing abilities, Nayeon stumbled to her feet, hair unkempt, and threw her arms in the air.

“What’s the big idea? It was only for fun!” Nayeon whined, waving her wand arm around.

“Oh no,” whimpered Momo, staring past Nayeon.

Sana’s eyes bulged as the kitchen’s entire stock of food shot out in all directions. Hash potatoes sizzling in seven pans flew into the air and landed in jugs of orange juice, turning them a murky brown with a layer of oil rising to the top. Fried eggs soared across the room like miniature UFOs and splatted themselves against the walls. Their runny yolks dripped down the brick surface into bowls of washed fruit along the counter. The pounding of the giant pestle grew stronger, its rumbling beats shifting the firewood under the cauldrons. A vat of porridge bubbled violently over the brim as its fire burned more fiercely.

This had gone far enough. Sana excelled at Charms, but she couldn’t deal with this mess. She bolted out of the kitchens and zoomed up the stairs. Her own wheezing was barely audible over the loud chatter floating out of the Great Hall, the whole student body ready for a hearty breakfast to start the day. Bracing herself for the scolding of a lifetime, she burst through the wooden doors and strode down the aisle towards the staff table. She hadn’t even reached a fourth of the way when a great clattering of plates sounded from below.

A great mess of platters and mangled chunks of food materialized before the students. To the left, Sana witnessed sausage links whip around like a greasy lasso. Pumpkin juice bottles juggled themselves in the air. Charred toast raced around the Great Hall before clashing above the house tables, sprinkling burnt bits everywhere. Waffles and pancakes dunked themselves in syrup, leaving sticky puddles all over the tables. A mountain of terrifying pig trotters dripping with brown marinade and scarlet blobs of chili paste clattered onto the staff table.

Suddenly, all became still and silent. Sana could hear the blood rushing in her ears. This was still fixable. She had to believe it. It was the right thing to do, to admit she had defied her duties and ignored her responsibilities as a prefect. The teachers could easily put things straight. With a single self-encouraging nod, Sana stepped forward. A strangled cry echoed from her right. Sana’s head whipped around to see a girl spring out of her chair.

“Ugh! Who did this?! Stop teasing me, it’s not funny anymore!”

The entire scene progressed in slow motion and Sana felt utterly hopeless.

Irene Bae, usually one of the most composed students, clawed at the obnoxious singing cabbage on her plate. Summoning the strength of ten ravenous bears, she flung the offending cabbage in a random direction. A stray slice of flying toast rammed into the bulbous vegetable, setting its trajectory for the end of the Great Hall. The great leafy head catapulted into the base of the pig trotter tower. The appendages tumbled into the laps of the professors. Shrieks and yells bounced off the high ceiling. Students shot out of their seats when they glimpsed fat toes pointing up at them from the floor.

Sana sank to her knees in disgrace as the entire school populace ran past her in disgust. She hadn’t noticed she was in the Entrance Hall until Jihyo slammed her into the crevice between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw hourglasses. They narrowly avoided a stampede of Hufflepuffs.

“By Lumiere’s candelabra , what the bloody hell is going on?” Jihyo demanded.

Sana stared back blankly. Jihyo shook her by the shoulders harshly, rattling her brain. Sana smiled sheepishly, knowing full well she was doomed. “Funny you should mention him…”

~|~|~|~

“Nearly lost my prefect status that day,” sighed Sana gloomily. The shame rushed back tenfold.

“Of all three hundred and ninety-four pig trotters, I couldn’t taste a single one,” moaned Momo. Wallowing in her memories, she stuffed another half of a Cauldron Cake into .

“Honestly, your priorities are a mess. Your best friend gets the full brunt of your shenanigans and you’re depressed about not eating collagenous digits,” Mina mumbled snidely.

“I thought you said this was a safe environment,” Momo whined to Jihyo. “Why is she allowed to attack me?”

“Am I wrong?”

Momo opened to argue, but came up with nothing. She slouched over her desk and played with the cake crumbles. Normally it was against the forces of nature to agree with someone who made Momo sulk, but the event itself was personally upsetting. Sana unconsciously smiled at the normally stoic girl for knocking some sense into Momo. Mina smirked in satisfaction.

“Saltiness, level monosodium glutamate,” Dahyun sang, avoiding everyone’s eyes.

“Aren’t we all here because we had the urge to strangle Nayeon every time she belted a tune from a critically-acclaimed childhood classic? Even the new animations…” Mina growled back.

“Now, now. Strangle is very graphic term,” Jihyo tutted. She placed a hand on Mina’s tense shoulder, easing her back into her chair.

“Aren’t we all here because we… don’t exactly appreciate Nayeon’s musical antics?” Mina rephrased in a controlled voice.

“I thought it was common knowledge not to piss you off, Myoui. What on earth did Nayeon do to offend you?” Said Jungyeon with a lopsided grin.

Mina massaged her temples and inhaled sharply. “‘Frozen’ has brainwashed our generation, and Nayeon is a compulsive liar when it comes to flexibility and graceful coordination.”

~|~|~|~

“U-um so, I heard you got an O on your Defense Against the Dark Arts essay.”

“Yeah, and so did you. And again, I’m very proud of us both. But this is the third time we’re talking about it. Are you sure you’re alright, Mina?”

Sana reached over the table and pressed the back of her hand against Mina’s forehead. She furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side.

“F-fever?” Mina asked, berating herself for sounding hopeful.

“No,” frowned Sana, not noticing Mina’s odd behavior. “Do you feel dizzy at all?”

“Hmmvv…” Mina mumbled. She didn’t realize she had been staring at Sana’s well-defined collarbones until her friend snapped her fingers in front of her face. “Sorry, what?”

“I’m worried. We should get you to Madam Pomfrey if you’re having lapses in consciousness.” Sana stood up and moved to offer Mina support as if the girl had a broken leg.

“Oh, no! No, it’s alright. I’m fine. Really,” Mina laughed nervously. Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest just from sitting with her crush. Her skin nearly burned when they touched. So she definitely couldn’t handle Sana practically side-hugging her all the way to the castle.

Sana wore an expression of extreme concern. Mina sighed heavily, hating herself for what she was about to say. “I’m okay, you don’t have to worry about me. You should hurry along, your patrolling duties start in twenty minutes.”

“I nearly forgot! Thanks! But I don’t want to leave you alone. We were supposed to spend the whole day together,” said Sana apologetically.

“Go on. I’ll stick around for a bit longer, then I’ll head back.” Despite her inner turmoil, Mina managed a small smile. She knew it would at least appease the older girl. Sana patted Mina’s head with a grateful grin before rushing out of The Three Broomsticks.

Mina leaned back in her chair and glared at the table. There was a low whistle. A glass of steaming, frothy Butterbeer slid in front of her. The legs of Sana’s vacated chair scraped along the wooden floor of the popular pub and someone plopped down on it.

“Tragic.”

“What do you want?” Groaned Mina. She could not deal with this right now.

“I want you to stop tiptoeing around Sana like she’s a sculpture of glass that will break at the slightest glance from you.”

Mina’s eyes flickered across the table. Dahyun casually sipped from a glass of hot Butterbeer before nodding at the glass in front of Mina. That was Dahyun’s nonchalant way of saying, “It’s on me, you pitiful soul.” She played the blunt friend. She never failed to express her thoughts, raw as they may be, especially if the topic was frustrating enough. Sugarcoating did not exist in Dahyun’s dictionary. But at the root of it all, she was still a friend. She was blunt because she cared, somewhere deep down in that bottomless pit she called a heart.

“I don’t know how to flirt,” admitted Mina. She chugged half her glass and sloppily wiped the foam off her lips with her sleeve.

“Hey, take it easy.”

Mina stared exasperatedly at Dahyun, but set the glass down and leaned back.

Dahyun sighed. “You don’t need to flirt. Just, oh I don’t know, smile?” She drawled.

While anyone else would bark back that it was the obvious thing to do, it was completely different when applied to Mina. Not one to comfortably express herself, she knew Dahyun was being honest, even if the girl’s tone incited agitation.

“I saw what you thought was a smile,” Dahyun continued. “You looked constipated.”

“Gee thanks,” Mina deadpanned. “I’m looking for constructive criticism here, not just ten thousand reasons why Mina Myoui is a social potato.”

“Well now, you’ve got us eight as friends. That counts for something.”

“Lucky me.”

“That’s the spirit!” Dahyun clinked her glass with Mina’s and drained every drop. Madam Rosmerta swept by with refills. “Look. Sana’s the kind of gal who sees the good in everyone.”

“Like Jihyo?” Said Mina skeptically. “But she’s not anyone’s love interest.”

“Don’t remind me. Her love life’s dusty and deprived of daylight, the poor thing.” Dahyun put her hand over her heart and creased her eyebrows in sympathy. “Anyway, Jihyo’s more like the mother figure. She sees the good in all her children. Sana on the other hand, is your resident angel. Always smiling, always giggling, always a worrywart. She’ll coddle anyone who scrapes their knee.”

“So what you’re saying is, I have to scrape my knee to get her attention?”

“What?” Dahyun spat out her Butterbeer. Mina glared back in disgust and conjured some napkins to clean up the table. “For someone so smart, you sure are stupid.”

“For someone trying to give advice, you’re being a real pain in the ,” replied Mina. “Out with it. I haven’t got all day.”

“Actually, you do because Sana just ditched you for volunteering. Here’s a thought. Go patrol with her,” said Dahyun, leaning over the table and emphasizing each word.

Mina pushed Dahyun’s face away. “Why would I do that? It’s her job to be a prefect, not mine.”

“Oh my— Mina, who in their right mind would deny a student willing to enforce school rules?” Dahyun asked incredulously. “It’s the afternoon so it’s not like you’re patrolling after curfew without permission. You’d literally have an excuse to walk around with Sana, alone while nearly the whole the school is at Hogsmeade, to talk about anything and everything under the sun. Sana would’ve accepted just to have company. You know she gets lonely on duty.”

Mina sunk lower in her chair until she finally collapsed onto the table with a dull thud. Dahyun glanced around the pub, ready to explain to any onlookers that she had not Stupefied a student in public. She gingerly lifted a few locks of hair and found Mina staring glumly back at her.

“I’m such an idiot,” Mina groaned softly.

“Now you’re catching on.” Dahyun rolled her eyes. “And really, smile. You look prettier when you do, you’re more approachable. Sana already sees you as a close friend—bless her heart for finding your default glares endearing—but you’re keeping up a wall. The least you could do is install a door and give Sana the key. Or a lock-picking set. Whatever floats your boat.”

“Ok. Smile. Show that I’m happy and I like being around her.” Mina glanced at Dahyun for approval, to which the girl nodded. “I’d… I’d like to ask her on a date, b-but it’s just so hard.”

“Baby steps. You could gradually work your way up. Let it happen naturally. That seems to fit your personality anyway. Hang out as friends, and maybe there will be those moments when, you know…” Dahyun gestured vaguely at the air.

“I do?” Questioned Mina.

Dahyun took a steadying breath. “I mean, there will be moments when a hang out suddenly feels more like a date. Follow your instincts. Maybe you’ll be laughing and joking, but then you get the urge to hold her hand or something. Go with the flow. Sana won’t push you away. In fact, if she sees you’re sincere and comfortable, she might like the idea more than she thinks. Let her decide. Oh my God, what are you doing?”

“What? I’m not doing anything,” said Mina innocently. Honestly, she was just listening to Dahyun. Her friend was actually giving her sound advice.

Dahyun on the other hand, looked half intrigued, half fearful. “Y-your mouth. It’s… It’s curved up? My God, are you smiling? Like legit, looking at me with happiness? Because that’s not how you look at me when you want to choke me.”

“I don’t want to choke you. You’re being extremely helpful right now.”

Dahyun turned to the side and held her hand to her forehead, swooning in her chair. “This is a miracle. I-I can’t handle this. Madam Rosmerta, one Firewhisky please!”

“Cancel that, she’s not of age,” replied Mina hastily. Madam Rosmerta blinked confusedly at the two students, then continued cleaning glasses behind the bar while chatting with Flitwick and Slughorn. Mina turned back to Dahyun with a light glare.

Dahyun quirked her lips at the more familiar expression. “You can’t blame me,” she shrugged. After a moment, Mina shrugged too with a nod.

The two talked for a bit more as they finished their drinks. Dahyun checked her watch and told Mina it was still early. If they returned now, she could still join Sana on her corridor patrol. Mina agreed and they exited the pub together. On the journey back up to the castle, Dahyun kept giving Mina general obvious tips. To Mina, everything was essential intel.

“The castle’s pretty big, and so are the Grounds. If you can’t find an activity, just walk around and talk comfortably. But for the love of Unicorns, don’t bring up that damn D.A.D.A. paper—”

“Aw. I heard everyone Fifth-Year and up was assigned it. Sounds like you didn’t do too well?”

Dahyun’s jaw fell open as she glanced between Mina and the person trudging through the snow behind her. Mina inclined her head ever so slightly with a questioning look. In an effort to remain subtle, Dahyun dipped her head down then up as she closed . It was an awkward mix of a head bob and a partial body wave. But the message got across fine.

“I’ll see y’all at dinner. Bye!” Dahyun waved and trotted up towards the castle.

Mina took a deep breath, slapped on a smile, and spun around. Her cheeks felt sore immediately, but she had to endure it. “Hey, Sana,” she greeted as cheerfully as she could.

“Hey, Mina! There was already a prefect patrolling my quarter so I have the rest of the day free. I thought I’d come find you, but it seems like you’ve had enough of Hogsmeade for one day.”

Sana sounded slightly disappointed, but maintained a bright grin. As the seconds ticked by, Mina found that smiling didn’t hurt so much, not when Sana was beaming back at her. Baby steps, Mina reminded herself. “That’s okay. How about we just hang around here?”

“Sure. Let’s take a walk. I love the crisp winter air.”

Sana strolled up to Mina, hooked their arms together, and led the way to the path along the Black Lake’s perimeter. Mina nearly squealed and died. And yet she was still walking and Sana was still babbling. All was well, except for her knees shaking violently. She could do without that.

“Are you cold? Maybe we should head back to the castle. I hope you’re feeling better after having a warm drink with Dahyun.” Sana reached out to feel Mina’s temperature again.

“Y-yeah, I feel a lot better. I’m, um, just restless! Yeah! We should…”

Mina examined her surroundings. The trees were bare, so bird watching was out. Not that Mina particularly liked animals. Except squirrels, but only one kind, and it was a she, and she was human, so therefore not a squirrel. Anyway.

Mina’s eyes locked onto the white vastness before them. Her smile stretched so that her teeth were showing. She turned to Sana, excitement seeping into her voice. “Let’s skate.”

Sana glanced between the frozen surface of the Black Lake and Mina’s expectant gaze. “I don’t know how to ice skate,” she pouted dejectedly. Then, she jumped on the spot and grabbed Mina’s hands. “Teach me,” she chirped.

This was too much to handle at once. Sana smiling at Mina like she was the only one in existence (to be fair, nobody was standing around in the freezing cold). Sana was holding her hands, their fingers interlocked. Sana wanted Mina to teach her to skate. That involved being in close proximity, and looks of approval, and being impressed by Mina’s outstanding athletic skills.

“Sure, I’d love to—”

“I want to skate too!”

Mina felt her world imploding. It was the loudest mental record scratch she had ever heard. Already feeling her anger bubble up within, Mina watched as Nayeon barreled down the snow-blanketed hill and broke through her and Sana’s linked hands. Nayeon skidded to the edge of the lake and called for the other girls to join her.

“Or maybe we could get some hot chocolate?” Asked Mina, inching towards the castle.

“Don’t you want to see my fantastic figure skating? The wizarding world has fine arts academies too, you know. I learned ballet when I was little, just like you!” Bragged Nayeon.

“But— That— Ballet isn’t figure skating! And you can’t do either!” Barked Mina.

“I can do the splits. It’s practically the same thing,” Nayeon shrugged.

“Except you can’t and it’s not,” deadpanned Mina. “I’ve seen you stretching before matches. You tumble off balance just by kneeling to pick up the Quaffle. Whizzing around on a broom six days a week does not equate to having the finesse of a rhythmic performer.”

Sana didn’t seem to have noticed Mina and Nayeon bickering in front of her. “Come on, Mina, it’ll be fun!” She giggled and pulled Mina towards the lake.

Mina groaned internally, but followed along because rejecting a happy Sana went against her morals. She glared daggers at Nayeon. Given this was Mina’s usual expression, Nayeon brushed it off and flashed her famous incisors. Not wanting to be a killjoy in front of Sana, Mina pulled out her wand and reluctantly conjured three pairs of ice skates. She resisted the urge to set one of them on fire.

Nayeon cackled madly and scampered off with her set. Mina shook her head and took a seat next to Sana. It didn’t take her long to tie up her skates.

“Um…”

Mina glanced to her left and saw Sana smiling sheepishly, hands dangling by a knot of string. Mina giggled softly, surprised at how natural it came out. “Let me help you.”

She bent down on one knee and set Sana’s right skate securely in her lap. Her deft fingers unraveled the knot easily. She tugged at the string, efficiently lacing the two ends through the holes in a cross pattern. She tied the laces with a neat bow around Sana’s ankle and did the same for her left skate. With a gentle pat on the knee, Mina pulled Sana up.

“Wait! Don’t let go!” Sana pleaded and held onto Mina’s arms.

“I won’t. I’m right here.” Mina was pleased at how stable her voice sounded because her mind was freaking out. Her hands were around Sana’s waist. She was mistaken. Now she could die. With careful steps, she guided Sana onto the ice.

“One step at a time, just like walking. There you go,” Mina encouraged. “Try pushing off with your other foot at an angle now. Good!”

Mina glided backwards as Sana pushed forwards, never taking her arms away.

“Hey! Mina! I think I’m doing it! I’m skating! I’m—Ah!”

Sana’s skate caught onto a branch frozen into the lake’s surface and she stumbled forward. Mina bent her knees to catch Sana’s weight and they glided backwards until coming to a stop naturally. I really have to stop dying, thought Mina. Sana was practically draped over Mina, her arms circled tightly around the younger girl’s neck. Mina’s arms were wrapped securely around Sana’s waist, holding her steady and upright.

They stared at each other with wide eyes, neither moving an inch. Their noses were barely touching. Their warm breaths mingled in the cool air. Sana was the first to break eye contact. But she didn’t turn away, nor did she put distance between them. Mina watched as Sana’s eyes flickered down, as if examining something lower on Mina’s face. A light blush crept onto Mina’s cheeks as she too trailed down Sana’s visage, her eyes landing on a pair of pastel pink lips.

“LET IT GO! LET IT GO! I AM ONE WITH THE WIND AND SKY!”

Sana broke out of her trance at the sudden howling. Mina sighed and wholeheartedly prayed for her death. Forcing her eyes not to roll out of her skull, she slowly turned to the conspicuous third wheel prancing around on the ice. A sudden gust of chilled air sliced across their rosy cheeks and whipped their silky hair around. When Mina could finally open her eyes again, she saw Nayeon attempting choppy twirls and heavy leaps on her skates.

“Let it go! Let it go! You’ll never see me cry!”

“I just might. That isn’t art, it’s sacrilege,” muttered Mina, scrunching up her nose in disdain at Nayeon’s poor technique. Mina couldn’t hide it anymore. This was actually offensive.

“Oh, it’s not that… bad…” Sana’s expression begged to differ. She looked as if she got a whiff of Professor Sprout’s prized dragon dung fertilizer.

“Here I stand in the light of day!” Nayeon flung out her arms and jammed a toe pick down.

Mina squinted at the ice, a defined crack propagating from under Nayeon’s foot. “Wait! Don’t—”

 “LET THE STORM RAGE ON—WOAH!”

Sana screamed as Mina tackled her sideways, the pair landing on the soft snow by the bank. Mina rolled over and stood up to search for Nayeon. A muffled yelp drew her attention to the fluffs of snow being tossed into the air. A giant tentacle had broken through the ice and held Nayeon’s head down. Mina cringed as one large suction cup sealed itself around Nayeon’s mouth, muffling her singing and cries for help.

“Wait here,” Mina commanded charismatically.

She left Sana and skated around the perimeter where the ice was still intact. Within ten feet of Nayeon, Mina crawled on her hands and knees. She tentatively reached out towards the tentacle and tickled it between the cups. It uncurled itself from around Nayeon’s mouth, retreating back under the ice into the lake.

“You okay?” Mina panted, her concerned tone masking her annoyance.

Nayeon gave a great shudder and gaped at the sky. “The c-c-c-cold-d n-ne-v-ver-r bother-r-r-ed-d m-m-me an-nyway-y.”

~|~|~|~

“Tragic,” laughed Dahyun, remembering her conversation with Mina.

She glanced around the ring of students. She was the only one who grasped the gravity of the situation from the abbreviated retelling. Perhaps Jihyo too, as their designated mother hen consoled Mina. Jihyo was usually more observant than the rest.

“Better luck next time, sweetie,” said Jihyo. Mina nodded, looking defeated.

“There won’t be a next time if Nayeon stars in another The Clunky Nutcracker on Ice. Mina will go berserk and petrify her ,” scoffed Jungyeon, misinterpreting Jihyo’s words of comfort. She was still stewing in anger from yesterday’s detention. “You should’ve just left her. She should have enough spells under her belt by now to escape.”

“No, kids! You do not attack the giant squid with magic!” Jihyo warned the group, catching Chaeyoung and Dahyun exchanging devious smirks.

“Yeah Jungyeon, set a good example for us!” Teased Chaeyoung, sticking out her tongue.

“You little…” Jungyeon swiped at the air just a few inches shy of Chaeyoung’s nose.

Chaeyoung pointed her finger accusingly to her right. “Did you hear that?! She brought up you-know-what! Ban her!”

“No I didn’t! Stop being so sensitive. We weren’t even talking about that,” grumbled Jungyeon.

“And she’s making fun of my feelings!” Cried Chaeyoung, though not a tear was visible.

“You did provoke her,” said Jihyo calmly. Chaeyoung frowned and leaned into Tzuyu’s side. Jungyeon laughed in Chaeyoung’s face. “Sit down. You’re not helping your cause.”

“Double standards. You didn’t yell at Nayeon when this happened,” Jungyeon complained.

“I’m not yelling right now.” Jihyo raised her eyebrows.

Jungyeon pointed to Jihyo’s right. Tzuyu had subtly stuck a finger in her left ear. When she caught Jihyo’s hurt expression, she yanked her hand down and said, “Sorry, um. You’ve just got healthy vocal cords?” Tzuyu awkwardly returned to comforting a pouting Chaeyoung.

“What happened to my partner in crime?” Asked Dahyun, leaning over her desk.

“She—” Jihyo glimpsed Tzuyu flinching out of the corner of her eye. She consciously lowered her voice to a soothing hum. “Chaeyoung? Are you comfortable with sharing your experience?”

Tzuyu offered a supporting pat on the back. Chaeyoung huffed and crossed her arms. She nodded for Jihyo to speak, but added one last comment.

“Nayeon Im is a meanie .”

~|~|~|~

“Alrigh’ class. Tha’s it for today. Ey! Get yer nose outta the bushes, Fiddleton! The Bowtruckles’ll slice it clean off!”

“All set, kids?” Jihyo called over her shoulder.

“In you go,” said Chaeyoung.

She and Tzuyu placed an armful of Nifflers each into the mesh pen. Jihyo closed the lid and bolted the lock. The three packed up their belongings hidden among the tall uncut grass by Hagrid’s hut. The Care of Magical Creatures professor waved jovially at his assistant and his two students, who waved back before hiking up the dirt path.

Jihyo pushed back her sleeve. The needle-thin handles of her watch swept past the many constellations twinkling through the clock face. “The others should be getting out of Herbology soon. Let’s go meet them.” Jihyo veered off in the direction of Greenhouse Three.

“Do you hear something?” Chaeyoung stuck her index finger in her ear and rotated it.

“No?” Said Tzuyu, copying Chaeyoung with both of her fingers in her ears.

“Stop that, it’s not ladylike,” said Jihyo reprovingly, tugging at Tzuyu’s arms. She inclined her head to where several students filed out of a glass building covered in ivy. “Someone’s just whistling. Nothing unusual,” she shrugged.

“Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho. To home from work we go!” A girl bellowed from afar.

Nayeon marched up to Jihyo, Tzuyu, and Chaeyoung standing off to the side. Instead of greeting them however, she circled them and threw old mulch leaves over their heads.

“I stand corrected,” sighed Jihyo, blowing out air to unbalance a leaf clinging to her bangs.

“Um, what are those?” Tzuyu drawled.

For a second, Jihyo wanted to shout at the taller girl. Jungyeon had peppered Jihyo with memes all year since she decided to be more “culturally attuned” over the summer. It had become almost instinctual to feel pain at the mention of such phrases. But Tzuyu was not Jungyeon, and surprisingly she had no interest in surfing the internet even though she knew how.

Jihyo squinted at where Tzuyu was pointing. Neatly cut green stones littered the ground and trailed behind the prancing Seventh-Year. The girls listened closely. There was a faint chink that came from the Nayeon’s pockets.

“Yes Jihyo, those are emeralds from the Slytherin hourglass,” said Jungyeon drearily.

Jihyo gasped and placed a hand over her heart, clearly affronted. “Why does she have house point gems in her pockets?! How did she even get them?!” Jihyo shouted.

“Stole them I suppose,” said Mina lazily, coming up from behind Jungyeon. “She’s only good at magic when it’s convenient for her.”

“Where’d you come from?” Asked Jungyeon with a little more life in her voice.

Mina held up a bucket of fish. “Researching Grindylows for my D.A.D.A. project.”

A shrill whistle cut through their conversation. Nayeon skipped around the group once more before coming to a halt. She closed in on Chaeyoung’s face and sang in a deep, reverberating voice, “Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, HEIGH-HO!”

“Hi ho?! She just— I’m not— Jihyo! Ban her!” Chaeyoung whined and gestured indignantly at Nayeon’s retreating back.

“For the last time Chaeyoung, we don’t ban people from our friend group. We confront them with our issues and settle problems through communication and mutual agreements.”

“I mutually agree to ban her,” said Chaeyoung defiantly.

“If I second that, it’s technically mutual within the group,” shrugged Mina.

Jungyeon looked at the two thoughtfully and opened to speak, but closed it with one sharp look from Jihyo. She clamped a hand over Tzuyu’s mouth. The girl often agreed to whatever the others said, whether or not she actually listened. Jungyeon didn’t think it prudent to have Tzuyu snuff out her own Captain’s social life.

“Relax,” said Jungyeon calmly, retracting her hand from Tzuyu’s mouth. “Nayeon wouldn’t stop singing, ‘Dig dig dig dig dig dig dig,’ while shoveling a pile of Mooncalf dung into pots. You’d think the stench would shut her up, but she just loves the Dwarves’ song—”

Chaeyoung was trembling now. Tzuyu reached out to wrap an arm around Chaeyoung’s shoulders, as her best friend was getting rather emotional. By accident, she had rested her elbow on said fiery witch’s head. Chaeyoung had reached the end of her short fuse.

“A Dwarf?!” Chaeyoung screeched. “I’m a Muggle-born, you hear?! I swear I don’t have Dwarf or Goblin blood or anything of the like! I just didn’t drink enough milk when I was younger! I don’t like dairy, so sue me! Gosh, why does Nayeon have to point it out?!”

“Chaeng, calm down,” said Tzuyu in her soothing, airy voice. She pulled Chaeyoung into a side hug as the girl wailed loudly, drawing attention from a few straggling Herbology students.

“Give me strength,” sighed Jihyo as she looked up to the sky and massaged her temples.

“Perhaps Chaeyoung prefers to be greeted as a ho,” chuckled Mina lowly. “Like in 'Mean Girls.'”

“What’s 'Mean Girls'?”

“Ah!” The girls screamed and scattered.

“What?” Nayeon blinked innocently at her friends.

“Didn’t you leave already?” Jungyeon gasped, searching for a nonexistent hidden passage.

“Forgot my bag. And my emeralds— I mean… Ahem. So, what’s 'Mean Girls'?” Nayeon leaned in closer with an inquisitive expression.

“Literally females who behave atrociously to each other,” Jihyo and Mina chorused flatly.

“Oh.” Nayeon’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. The gleam in her eyes from the prospect of discovering another Muggle film faded away. She shrugged, happy instead that Jihyo was distracted from her bulging, rattling pockets. “See you all at dinner!” Nayeon scampered off.

“Maybe we should let her watch 'Mean Girls 2.' Tell her it’s also Disney,” suggested Jungyeon. “It might put her off the whole idea and she’ll never look for more movies.”

“We do not speak of that abomination,” muttered Mina with intense loathing. “Besides, what if she sees the first one? The last thing we need is for her to make Fetch happen at Hogwarts.”

“Oh Lord, no. And no ‘Santa Baby’ talent shows in the corridors. I can’t deal with that mess,” moaned Jihyo in despair.

“Neither can the student body. Everyone will jinx her if she tries to seduce them.”

Four pairs of eyes stared up at Tzuyu.

“You were actually paying attention?” Said Jihyo in surprise.

“I’m not as oblivious as you all think,” replied Tzuyu.

“You learn something new every day,” Chaeyoung mumbled.

Tzuyu unconsciously tilted her head and leaned down to hear better.

“Why are you bending your knees?! I’m not that much shorter than you!”

Three girls groaned and walked towards the castle, leaving the youngest to rattle off apologies.

~|~|~|~

“Pfft,” scoffed Dahyun, a dab of spit flying out.

“You’re not that tall!” Chaeyoung roared across the ring of desks. “And I thought you had my back! Oh, the betrayal!”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Jihyo’s level voice echoed off the stone walls. She waited until Chaeyoung sank back into her chair, exhausted from yelling.

“You know, not everyone’s out to get you. There are worse things than wearing insoles,” said Sana tentatively. “I think you’re height is rather cute.”

“She’s cute? I’m shorter than you too,” said Mina quickly, suddenly alert.

“Yeah, you are,” said Sana in confusion. Admittedly, Mina’s expectant look was also adorable. Sana reached out and combed through Mina’s hair affectionately. A soft purr emitted from Mina’s small body.

“You know what else is cute? Jokbal,” mewled Momo dejectedly. She had finished all her therapeutic Cauldron Cakes, but she didn’t know how to conjure more food from the kitchens.

“That’s… disturbing,” remarked Jungyeon with a judging stare.

Jihyo clapped loudly to bring back some order. “Is that everyone?”

“Dahyun didn’t share,” said Tzuyu, her hands muffling Chaeyoung’s ears in case another comment about vertical body dimensions slipped past someone’s lips.

“I don’t have a story,” Dahyun declared proudly. The rest scoffed in disbelief. “Really. I’m smart enough to vacate the area when Nayeon pops up. If we’re all together, well, one of you ers is bound to be her target instead.” There was a rise and fall of annoyed grumbles.

Jihyo glanced one more time around the ring. “I guess everyone’s vented enough for the evening then. We best turn in, it’s almost curfew. Meeting adjourned.”