A week passes since the night at the lake, full of studying and running around for the boys. Changkyun, especially, has to ask Hyungwon on more than one occasion to stay over in the common room to help him catch up on all the history and charms that all his classmates have grown up with. Hyungwon seems more than happy to oblige, though, as it gives him an excuse to stay the night and cuddle up in Hoseok’s bed. 

Hyunwoo stays behind, as well, despite Changkyun insisting he doesn’t want to be a bother. Of course, that could only be because he wants to stay the night in Kihyun’s bed, as well.  

Changkyun wonders if all this is really allowed, but he doesn’t question it. It isn’t as if he’s put out at all, and no one in the House seems bothered by it, so he remains silent.  

The next dueling club meeting comes by, and Changkyun follows his friends to the Great Hall. The week has passed by in a flash, and it’s almost as if they never left the Hall to begin with. The first-year spots Jiji and Seungwan off in the far corner, seemingly chatting up some Gryffindor girls. Something seems... off about the two boys.  

Oily, confident smirks contort their features, an unreadable light filling their eyes, and even the girls they're talking to seem to giggle nervously. Changkyun glances over to his hyungs to see if they notice anything different. Minhyuk and Kihyun look to each other, a silent conversation passing between them. 

Their silence doesn't do much to alleviate Changkyun's nerves about the situation.  

"Um," Jooheon comments, shuffling closer towards everyone, "maybe we should skip Dueling Club tonight, yeah? The atmosphere in here tonight is... I don't know, but I don't like it." Minhyuk hums adoringly in his throat, pulling Jooheon even closer to him with an arm. 

"Don't worry, Heonney," he assures the younger. "If anyone tries anything, I'll protect you~" A low whine emits from Jooheon's throat, a childish pout dripping from his lips. 

"That's not why I'm worried, hyung..." he mumbles, though his shoulders do visibly drop at the older's words. Changkyun gives Jooheon a cheeky smirk, for which the older swats at him playfully. Changkyun bursts out laughing at this, and is too amused by the weak retaliation that he almost doesn't notice the way Jiji and Seungwan look over at their group.  

Or, rather, at him specifically... 

Kihyun's hand grasps Changkyun's elbow and pulls him closer to him, a death-glare set in the direction of the Gryffindors. Hyunwoo physically ripples behind him, setting an arm around his shoulders much like Hoseok had when they'd interacted the week before. Changkyun looks over at the two curiously, wondering what could've spurred such actions. 

His mouth goes dry, and his heart beats faster than before... Jiji and Seungwan are staring at him with a practically predatory gaze. He swears Jiji  his lips when they make eye contact, and Changkyun can't help but stumble back even closer to his friends. His cheeks blaze a bright red, and he gulps down anxiously. 

Suddenly, the professor comes up, and announces that the duels will begin in just a moment. Changkyun breathes a sigh of relief, as the older man had been just the thing to pull the Gryffindors' gazes off him. 

He doesn’t know what he's done to deserve such a stare—hell, he's barely said five words to the both of them his entire life—but he hopes desperately that it doesn’t happen again. He feels Kihyun his back consolingly, and it's all he has within him to keep from leaning into the touch.  

"Is there anyone who would like to start us off tonight?" the same professor from the previous week asks, sounding almost hopeful. Minhyuk noticeably stiffens at this, a tired breath passing through his lips as he slowly pulls his arm away from Jooheon.  

As if on cue, Seungwan is already stepping up to the platform. He shoots Minhyuk a slimy sort-of smile just dripping with sarcasm, one that Minhyuk seems all too happy to return.  

"I'd like to challenge Lee Minhyuk to a duel," Seungwan announces, his confident tones reverberating throughout the silent hall. Minhyuk joins him on the platform without further ado, leaving Jooheon to cling anxiously to Hoseok. 

"I don't like this," Changkyun can hear him mumble. "I don't like this at all..." Hoseok hums in reply, his face set in a grim frown, watching Seungwan's smile morph into a sneer as Minhyuk approaches. Changkyun shuffles on his feet, his frantic heartbeat filling his ears. 

Hyung will win, Changkyun tells himself. He'll win just like last week. It'll be fine... Everything will be fine...  

The two boys bow to each other and walk to their designated places just like they had before. They take their readied positions, looking ready to lunge, and the professor begins the countdown. 

The next thing happens in the blink of an eye. 

Before the last syllable even leaves the professor's lips, Seungwan shouts out a curse Changkyun doesn't even catch, and Minhyuk's sent flying off the platform. The crowd gasps as one, watching with wide eyes as the brunette's limp body lands with the smallest of groans on the floor at least ten feet from the end of the platform. The others immediately rush to Minhyuk's side, picking him up and beginning to carry him out of the hall. He has trouble standing, as one of his legs is bent the wrong way. 

"I can still fight!" Minhyuk suddenly shouts around the blood dripping from his nose, struggling to get out of Hyunwoo and Hoseok's arms. He grips his wand tightly, looking about ready to let loose a string of curses directed towards his opponent, but Kihyun quickly snatches it from him before he can do anything. Changkyun spares a glance towards the sneering Gryffindor only to see the boy looking not at the opponent he's just beaten but at him again. 

He quirks up an eyebrow, shrugging as if he had no other choice in the matter. Changkyun purses his lips at this, turning to follow his hyungs out the hall, every student there watching them as they go. 

They take Minhyuk to the hospital wing, where only two other students lay. One girl has burns all over her arms and face, and soot covers her entire front as if she's just witnessed an explosion, and one looks absolutely green as he holds a bucket close to his chest. He makes a puking noise, and a full-grown slug drops from his mouth. Changkyun outwardly gags at this, feeling quite queasy himself all of a sudden. 

"Madam Poppy!" Kihyun calls, hurrying ahead to pull a screen out from beside a bed. Hyunwoo and Hoseok guide Minhyuk over, sitting him down gently. The injured boy holds a handkerchief to his nose in defeat, having given up on resuming the duel about five flights of stairs back. Jooheon sits beside him, grasping his free hand tightly in silent solace. 

A middle-aged woman suddenly bustles into the room, appearing from what Changkyun assumes to be an office of some sort. She rushes over with a flurry of skirts, tying an apron around her waist tightly as she frowns at Minhyuk's appearance. 

"What happened?" she asks, her no-nonsense tones making Changkyun shuffle out of the way. Hyunwoo smiles gently and pulls him over to the sidelines, setting a consoling hand on his shoulder. 

"That jerk Seungwan cursed me right out of a duel before the countdown even stopped," Minhyuk grumbles, earning a hum of acknowledgment from Madam Poppy as she takes her wand out of her apron. It glows with a golden tip and she waves it over Minhyuk a couple times. 

"Luckily, it's only a few things that are broken," she diagnoses, earning a collective sigh of relief from the others. "I can fix you right up, but I want you to stay overnight for observations." 

"Can we stay with him?" Jooheon asks, giving the woman an incredibly hopeful look. Madam Poppy obviously wavers for a moment, conflict flickering within her eyes. 

"Alright," she relents, "but don't make a mess of my wing. Got it?" Jooheon nods quickly, beaming from ear to ear. She sighs defeatedly, gesturing with her wand for Minhyuk to lie down. Jooheon bolts up from the bed and goes to stand beside Changkyun, gripping his hand tightly as he nervously watches the nurse wave her wand over Minhyuk's entire body. "Brackium emendo!" she declares in an overly-dramatic tone.  

A string of curses fly from Minhyuk's lips that are most definitely not the magical kind as his body convulses about, sickening cracks echoing throughout the air. Changkyun feels like he's gonna vom again, and he finds himself hugging onto Jooheon tighter than the older had been holding him. Madam Poppy lowers her wand after a moment, humming in self-satisfaction as she nods to a blanket on a nearby bed. It shifts up on invisible winds and glides over, settling over Minhyuk, who's now sweating and getting paler by the second. 

"Keep him hydrated," Madam Poppy instructs as a glass pitcher of water suddenly appears on the nightstand and pours its own contents into a drinking glass. "Come get me if there's any changes, though he should be fine by morning." 

"Thank you, ma'am," Hyungwon says genuinely, bowing so low his head becomes level with her waist. She hums again, a slight smile flickering across her lips as she turns and clacks around to check on the other two patients. Jooheon releases Changkyun immediately and goes to sit gently beside the older boy.  

"Are... are you feeling okay, hyung?" Jooheon asks gingerly, biting on his bottom lip in uncertainty. Minhyuk manages a small chuckle, his shaking fingers searching for Jooheon's atop the covers, sweat dripping from his brow. 

"I'm okay, Jooheonney," he answers, his voice more air than sound. Jooheon gives a shaky sigh of relief, and he leans closer to press a small kiss to the older's temple. Kihyun smiles at the scene, the light in his eyes reminding Changkyun of a loving mother. Minhyuk looks over to the first-year, chuckling again at the anxious look plastered to the younger's face.

"Sorry to worry you, Changkyunnie," he says softly. "I didn't expect that jerk to attack like that... Next time, I'll know better." Changkyun shakes his head adamantly, pouting. 

"Don't worry about me," he tells the older. "I'm just glad it wasn't anything more serious than this." The others nod at this, unable to agree more. Minhyuk sighs loudly, his gaze flicking up to the ceiling. 

"Hoseok-hyung, Wonnie," he says, his eyes trained on the roof above. The two straighten up at being called out, leaning closer to hear him better. "Promise me you won't fly off the handle tomorrow, yeah? Seungwan deserves to pay, and he will, but don't go off tomorrow on a revenge path... That isn't how this needs to be handled." Hoseok chuckles airily, shaking his head at the younger. 

"Of course not, Moongie," he assures the younger. "We know better than that. Don't we, Wonnie?" Hyungwon hums, a beautiful smile adorning his lips. Minhyuk sighs in relief, his eyes falling shut as he mumbles something about being so tired he could die. The others chuckle warmly and take seats on the nearby beds, beginning to make idle chitchat with each other. 

No one but Changkyun catches the small glance Hyungwon gives to his boyfriend, and how Hoseok only nods in reply. The first-year can't help but shift in his seat at this, having a feeling things are only just getting started...