“Are you cold, Sehun?” Minseok’s voice cuts through the wind as his face pops into view, bangs sweeping over his eyes.

“Huh? Oh..” Sehun realizes that he’s sitting with his feet up, arms curled tightly around himself. It was a habit to make himself smaller wherever he went, and he didn’t think anyone would notice. “No, I’m fine,” he says curtly. Then, “This is a bit boring.”

Minseok laughs at that, looking down at the Quidditch field. Jongdae flits around with the other players, their captain shouting out orders as they practice.

“It’s more exciting when they’re playing against another team,” Minseok agrees.

“Why don’t you play?”

“I’m not all that good,” Minseok says, wrinkling his nose.

“That’s not what Jongdae said.” Sehun sends him a look.

Minseok shrugs, turning his attention back to the field. Sehun keeps his eyes on him, losing himself in the way the wind gently blows as if running tender fingers through Minseok’s hair, the coldness lending a pink tint to his cheeks.

“My two favorite Slytherins!” A voice shouts from the other end of the bleachers as it approaches, breaking Sehun’s concentration.

Tao waves his hands over his head, yellow and black scarf fluttering behind him. Jongin trails along, hands shoved in his pockets and beanie pulled down low on his forehead. Minseok smiles at them and Sehun averts his gaze.

“Two of my favorite Hufflepuffs,” Minseok returns the sentiment, patting the seat next to him. Jongin beats Tao to it by a millisecond, leaving the disgruntled first-year to take the seat in front of Minseok.

“What are you guys doing at a Slytherin practice?” Sehun says, pulling his own green scarf up to his chin. “You better not be here to steal strategies.”

“Oh, please,” Tao sniffs, shaking his head as if Sehun’s accusation was preposterous. “No offense, but I’m really not all interested in sports.”

“Jongin is, though, right?” Minseok tilts his head to look at him.

“Yeah,” Jongin says, smiling. “It’s cool.”

“You should try out for the team next year, then,” Minseok suggests, and Jongin looks down shyly.

“Maybe..”

“Chanyeol is on the Hufflepuff team now,” Minseok recalls. “I’m sure he’d love to help you.”

“Yeah,” Jongin nods, lighting up a bit. “I’ll ask him!”

The four sit in silence for awhile, watching the practice below them. Sehun flexes his hands, rubbing them together and blowing hot breaths in them, feeling a bit annoyed at himself for forgetting his gloves.

He’s about to call it quits when Minseok silently takes off his left glove and slides it onto Sehun’s hand, the warmth enveloping his cold fingers. Minseok grabs his other hand, lacing their fingers together, and puts their hands in his equally warm pocket. 

“Better?” He says softly, and Sehun nods.

“How are they so warm?” He asks, wiggling his thawing fingers in the glove. “Are they—“

“Enchanted,” Minseok nods, grinning wide.

With a hum and a flame of contentment burning steadily in his heart, Sehun leans his head against Minseok’s shoulder, Jongin doing the same on the other side.

The crowd erupts into a cacophonous symphony of cheers as Slytherin’s newest seeker, Kim Jongdae, skids back onto the field with the golden snitch resting snugly in the palm of his hand.

“Rookie seeker Kim Jongdae has done it again!” Junmyeon shouts into the microphone, voice rising above the stadium as Yifan fiddles with the scoreboard. “In a neck-to-neck battle against Gryffindor’s seeker, he comes out with the golden snitch! Slytherin wins!”

Banners all around the stadium ripple into a rich green and silver, waving in the wind as students in the stands continue to cheer loudly. Luhan drops the quaffle in his hands as he lands, Yixing flying next to him and offering a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Baekhyun struggles with the bludger before finally managing to get it locked back in its case, slinking back into line with his fellow teammates a minute late.

The two teams bow to each other, shake hands, and exit the field. Jongdae catches Minseok in the crowd and raises his broom triumphantly, grinning widely as Minseok smiles at him, mouthing something excitedly. Luhan catches the gesture as he jogs past, clapping a hand onto Jongdae’s back.

“Good game,” he yells over the crowd before joining the Gryffindor team in their tent.

“We lost,” Baekhyun laments, throwing himself onto the couch, knocking several other brooms to the floor. Shaking his head, Yixing gathers them and places them in their rightful place on the wall.

“Oh hush, Baekhyun. It was a good game. Besides, you’re only upset because you won’t get to play against the Hufflepuffs next week.”

“That’s not the only reason! You’re probably the only Gryffindor on the planet who likes losing, Yixing,” Baekhyun huffs.

“I don’t like to lose,” Yixing says, frowning. “But I’m not going to pretend that we can win every single time.”

“Yeah, whatever..”

“You know, it’s probably a good thing we’re not playing next week. You and Chanyeol always just beat the bludger at each other anyways…” Yixing rolls his eyes, ruffling Baekhyun’s hair as he passes. “Or team up and beat it against everyone else. Basically the opposite of your job.”

“Sorry,” Baekhyun says, actually sounding a bit apologetic.

Yixing smiles before exiting the tent, almost bumping into Luhan on his way out. “There you are! I’ve been looking for…” He trails off when Luhan doesn’t respond and notices his eyes are fixed on the Slytherin tent.

Seeing Minseok crush Jongdae into a hug hurt a little bit, Luhan will admit. It was hard to watch Minseok shower praise onto the winning team, but thankfully the Slytherin tent was too far away for him to hear what he was saying. Truthfully, Luhan wished that Minseok was there to congratulate him when he won all those games in their second year, but he understood—he was a Gryffindor, and Minseok was a Slytherin. It wouldn’t have made sense.

But even so…the loss only made him want to try harder. He was sure that one day he’d look up into the stadium mid-game and see Minseok cheering for him, loud and proud. Then after the game, he’d take him back to his room and—

“Luhan!” Yixing shakes him none-too-gently, bringing him back down to the ground.

“Huh?” Luhan jumps a bit, almost dropping his broom. “Did you say something?”

“I said, are you okay? I know you hate losing. We were on a winning streak too,” Yixing mumbles the last part, mostly to himself.

“More than fine,” Luhan says with a grin, sounding much too happy for someone who had just suffered a crushing defeat. “I’ll see you at dinner, Xing,” he waves before rushing back into the tent.

“…You’re not a Chaser for no reason, I guess,” Yixing says aloud to no one in particular, a fond smile finding its way onto his face.

When Junmyeon wakes up, the first thing he notices are the cobwebs everywhere. He counts twenty on his way to the bathroom, but with a flick of his wand they disappear as he mutters about dirty roommates and old castles.

There’s a cauldron in the middle of the Gryffindor common room when he walks down the stairs, bubbling and brewing something certain to be nasty.

“Who in their right mind does their Potions homework here?” He complains with a frown. He misses the severed hand on the floor, stepping right over it as he leaves the Gryffindor tower, bumping into Minseok on the moving stairs.

“Hey, Junmyeon,” Minseok greets with a grin.

“Oh my god,” Junmyeon gasps unintentionally. Minseok’s face is bruised, bloody, and pale. He has dark rings under his eyes, a nasty scratch on his cheek, and dried blood at the corner of his lips. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“Who did this to you, Minseok?” Junmyeon asks, feeling horror and confusion churn inside his stomach. He was going to kill whoever did this to his friend.

“Baekhyun.”

Junmyeon’s jaw swings open.

“My class is here. See you later, Junmyeon,” Minseok waves before disappearing into the morning rush of students. 

“This is the best Muggle holiday ever,” Baekhyun gushes.

“Don’t you think you’re going a bit overboard?” Kyungsoo questions.

“Definitely not. Chanyeol, what are you going as?”

“A wizard!” Chanyeol enthuses, gesturing to his hat.

“Is that why you’re wearing the hat? You never wear the hat. No one wears their hat,” Baekhyun raises an eyebrow.

“The point of Halloween is to dress up as something you’re not,” Kyungsoo reminds Chanyeol.

There’s a moment of silence before everyone simultaneously realizes the weight of Kyungsoo’s words.

“Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol yells in excitement.

“No! I take it back!” Kyung scurries down the hall, groaning.

“No take-backs!” Baekhyun croons loudly.

“Does this mean you recognize me as a real wizard?! I’m so happy! Wait, stop running! Kyungsooooo!”

“…so apparently it’s Halloween,” Junmyeon sighs, finishing recounting the multitude of horrors he faced throughout the day. “And that’s why Minseok looks like he got severely injured.”

“Only you would miss one of the biggest Muggle events of the year,” Yifan comments, half-chewing a bite of bread.

“Okay, how do you even know about Halloween?”

Yifan jerks a thumb towards Luhan, who’s staring across the dining hall (as usual).

“..Okay, yeah,” Junmyeon shrugs. “Whatever. I was just preoccupied with other things. You know how exams are coming up, right? There was supposed to be a review session today but it was canceled because some people don’t know how to keep the celebration down. The entire study hall was slimed in some awful green liquid, and that idiot Byun Baekhyun was on top of the tables yelling something about a ‘Nickel Odin’.”

“Mmm. That .”

“Byun Baekhyun,” Luhan says out of nowhere—the first thing he’s said all dinner.

“He is a menace. Along with Chanyeol and Jongdae…” Junmyeon shudders. “I have so much respect for the prefects.”

“Baekhyun and Minseok,” Luhan continues muttering to himself, “Spending time together. Getting closer. Becoming best friends, probably.”

Luhan shudders visibly.

“Halloween, indeed.”

“Yeah,” Yifan snorts, “Can’t think of anything scarier than Minseok having someone replace your role of….oh yeah, nothing.”

“I am going to hex the socks off of you,” Luhan threatens.

“Hey, if it means you’ll finally find some bravery then go right ahead,” Yifan shrugs.

“Wait, what are we talking about?” Junmyeon looks between the two, confused.

“Nothing,” Luhan says. “Nothing at all.”

Yifan gets up, leaning down to whisper one last thing in Luhan’s ear before leisurely exiting.

“Yule Ball.”

Luhan throws a bread roll after him.

Notes:

//slams down the bottle of red wine i've been drinking all night

I'M BACK (sorry for the wait)