They stood there pretending

to be just friends when all the while

everyone in the room could plainly see that

they were only existing

for each other.

— Emma Blake

When Park Chanyeol finally accepted his letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he promised himself to be sorted on Gryffindor, because he didn’t want to be sorted on Ravenclaw, where his super-smart older sister, Park Yura, or their super-intelligent parents, were sorted. She was five years older than him and whenever she came home, their parents just wouldn’t stop bragging about her; Yura is a prefect, Yura will be working for Ministry although she wishes to be a Quidditch keeper for national’s team, Yura is this, Yura is that, Yura is everything.

When he got the letter, their parents wished him to be sorted on the same house as Yura, they said it would do him good, but for Chanyeol it would only be a total nightmare. How could he live if he got sorted on the same house with his sister and ended up being compared just like what he had to experience when he was at home?

He didn’t hate Yura, he loved her. But the pressure to be as smart, as good, as over-achieving as her, wasn’t in his blood. So he really wished to be sorted somewhere else, Gryffindor for example.

Why, you asked. No, that was not because Park Chanyeol got the traits Godric Gryffindor wanted; Bravery, Nerve, Chivalry, Courage, Daring – but because it was a better option for him than to be sorted on Hufflepuff or Slytherin. And after all, their famous hero, Harry James Potter, was in Gryffindor. So yeah, Park Chanyeol aimed to be sorted in Gryffindor because he was tired to be compared and he wanted to make a difference at home.

He made up his mind right before he waved his family goodbye; He would be sorted in Gryffindor.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Yura-noona.

Today has been great. I put on my uniform and robe, met new friends on the train, and finally got the chance to see Professor McGonagall. She seemed stern but lovely, very lovely.

The dinner was great, I got to eat a lot of things I haven’t ever eaten before in my life, and I love the magic trick they did for the ceiling. You were right noona, the Great Hall is very beautiful place and I’m such in luck to be here.

Oh right, before I forgot. I got sorted. It was a long and tough decision, I even had an argument with Sorting Hat because he insisted I would do so much better in Ravenclaw while I wanted to be in Gryffindor. He wondered that if I really have the courage – something that somehow is required to be in Gryffindor. 

In the end, now you three are reading a letter from Park Chanyeol, your son and also your younger brother that writes his letter from on top of Gryffindor Tower.

See you on Christmas!

“Is there something on my face?”

Park Chanyeol was awoken from his reverie as he blinked repeatedly as he managed to catch the question that is being directed to him. He lightly shook his head before went back to his dinner, definitely tried his best so he wouldn’t have to gaze at her eyes again.

But he couldn’t help himself when she went for macaron served on the plate and a super tiny crumb stained her left cheek but she didn’t notice as she enjoyed it so much, since it was her favorite dessert. His hand went on and reached her face, before she widened her eyes, startled because Chanyeol touched her cheek that caused surprise to everyone on the dining table.

“Now you got something on your face.” He showed that crumb before went back for his dinner, being oddly silent, trying hard to steady his racing heartbeat.

Park Chanyeol knew he was ed.

He’s been crushing his best friend for some years, they were sixth years now and he had set his eyes on his best friend since the first day he saw her at train station, confused with her new surrounding, and after being made fun by conductor nearby that there was no such thing as Platform ¾. She even almost decided to ask her parents to just go home before Chanyeol came and showed her the way to reach Platform ¾.

It wasn’t unintentional to look at her reaction after finding out the way, because hey Park Chanyeol was raised as a gentleman to make sure always looked at the person he talked to. But that day was a big mistake; because he just found out a very beautiful smile, very – that scared him because the only person having a beautiful smile was his mother.

Her mother advised Chanyeol to be in the same compartment with her because it was her first time and she knew nobody, and then Chanyeol also found out that she was Muggleborn so she knew nothing about the whole magic world. Chanyeol nodded that time and promised her mother that he would take great care of her.

He reached out his hand, only after they found an empty compartment and managed to find themselves comfortable position for the trip. “I’m Park Chanyeol.”

She smiled back, and that moment where his heart skipped a beat, it happened to him when she reached his hand with a gentle touch and replied, “I’m Jung Eunji, so nice to meet you Park Chanyeol.”

They became best friends afterwards, best friends that couldn’t stay apart because where Chanyeol went there must be Eunji and the exact opposite happened. They happened to be sorted in Gryffindor that made them stuck in an infinite loop called Friendship and Chanyeol lately realized he might not want to be in that loop anymore, he wanted to step up.

But how could he, when he was such a loser that had no courage to even ask her out properly, when he knew his best friend was such perfection and she wouldn’t go out with her loser best friend?

Byun Baekhyun, a male with cheerful puppy eyes, thin pinkish lips, and bright complexion rolled his eyes before he turned his head on Chanyeol and rolled his eyes. “Dude, you were really being obvious.”

“I don’t think so.” Chanyeol disagreed right away, worried he might be found out. It only needed a scowl on Baekhyun’s face before he admitted. “Was it really? Can you really tell that I was checking her out?”

“Only men with no brains that couldn’t see it Park.” The other from across their beds, the one that now tidying his parchments, looked up to them. He was Do Kyungsoo; he had darker complexion than the other two, jet black hair, heart-shaped lips, and big eyes that would be identified glaring, anytime anywhere.

“Why don’t you just confess your feelings for her—oops sorry, you did it already, I forgot.” Baekhyun chuckled as he saw Chanyeol’s expression. “You were so dumb, how could you even said that?”

Kyungsoo scoffed as he finished his works and turned his head to give Chanyeol full attention. “I agree on Baekhyun this time; you’re such a dumb . How could you ask her out just to freak her out with a lie like that?”

With encouragements (or most likely forcing words) from Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, Chanyeol determined to show his real trait as a Gryffindor and would ask her out for real this time – after umpteenth attempts that ended up on being forgotten or skipped because he just didn’t have the ing courage to do so.

Park Chanyeol might be brilliant and received straight As on his O.W.L.’s test but he definitely a when it came to speak out his mind. Somehow he wondered that Sorting Hat listened to his request because it pitied him or because he was really worthy of being a Gryffindor.

So here they were, walking around Hogsmeade as Eunji looked for a gift for Yoon Bomi’s birthday. She finally got her a handmade scarf, and then Chanyeol treated her caramel popcorn from Honeydukes because aside from macaron, popcorn was her favorite – she loved caramel popcorn so much that even her perfume smelled like one.

They stopped by to listen to street choir singing Valentine’s theme songs because Valentine was near and it would be perfect for Chanyeol to ask her out. When Eunji requested When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating, she was staring openly at him but being dumb he just nodded and didn’t say a word about her pick.

“Hey Eunji,” he cleared his throat as he got her attention with that small smile she had on her face. She waited for him to continue, but Park Chanyeol was tongue-tied. He was ed. He was never good at speaking up his mind.

Eunji might see his troubled mind so she stepped closer to him and reached his lower arm, “Hey Chanyeol, are you alright?”

“Huh, yeah, of course I am! Super, very alright. Haha,” his fake laugh wasn’t convincing but Eunji didn’t say anything to reply as she went back to enjoy the song she picked.

Chanyeol balled his fists as he made sure to not mess this up. He was a sixth year student, for ’s sake, and it meant he would only spend a year more with Eunji and if he didn’t do anything, Eunji might be gone before he knew it. And the thought of it made him shivering in afraid. He had to do it, right now right here.

“Hey Eunji.” He called her, this time more determined.

She turned her head to look up at him, eyes expectant. “Yeah?” she had this smile on her face that Chanyeol wasn’t sure whether she always that kind of smile of it might be just his delusional mind speaking.

“Would you…,” he started and she waited. It was as if she managed not to take a breath as he continued, “Would you go out…”

Chanyeol saw it; the expression on her face changed – he couldn’t tell anymore whether the stiffened expression was because she tried to hold back her smile or because she now tried to figure out ways to reject him. Chanyeol saw it and his mind suddenly screamed abort it, abort mission.

So he finished with, “Would you go out with me and Kyungsoo for double date?” Chanyeol was so nervous that he needed to look away because Eunji look stupefied with the sudden, weird question.

“W-what?” she blinked because of course she didn’t expect it coming.

“Yea-yeah, I mean… We live nearby back in London and it’s such a funny fact that Kyungsoo also lives across my house! Haha, I mean of course I know Kyungsoo lives across me, he’s my best friend since we were like five or six… And um, I mean, you would look nice with Kyungsoo and um, there’s this girl….” He trailed off and he just ed his future as he saw her face constricted but his ing stupid tongue just couldn’t stop talking, as if he had drunk a bottle of Veritaserum, the truth serum. “I really, really like this girl and I can’t imagine my days without her and I’m planning to ask her out. Oh God this comes out so wrong—” he was cut off because Jung Eunji was definitely had that big, disappointed frown all over her face.

“—I’m so happy for you,” a lie, Park Chanyeol could tell, “I hope you will get her in the end. And yeah sure, we could go on double date; you and that girl, Kyungsoo and me. It would be wonderful.” She then stepped back before made the end of their trip to Hogsmeade became the last.

Jung Eunji didn’t, ever, ask Park Chanyeol to go to Hogsmeade together after that happened. Sure they remained best friends because they were stuck in that infinite loop Chanyeol wished to break, but he could tell she distanced herself for couple weeks, until Kyungsoo was the first to notice and happily smacked his head with his textbook of Muggle Studies after he told his story.

Park Chanyeol was definitely not the Gryffindor kind of man.

“Good afternoon class.” Professor Horace Slughorn greeted the students warmly as his eagle eyes scanned on potential candidates for s of exclusive group, Slug Club, although he never admitted there was such thing as that. “I will be teaching you advanced Potion class, and I assume everyone here is sixth year?” He heard several groans of yes Professor and saw nodding heads, so again he smiled fondly. “Then welcome! I will make sure you have fun making potions with me.”

He then stepped back a little, pulling up his robe as he had this amused smile seeing Park Chanyeol that made the student anxious. “You’re Yura’s sister, aren’t you? You both have similar ears…,” he smiled and tapped his back before he showed something, a potion, inside the cauldron. “So can anyone tell me what’s inside this potion?”

Do Kyungsoo leisurely raised his hand, “It’s Amortentia Professor.”

Professor Slughorn seemed to be satisfied with his answer, “Good, very good. And you are?”

“Do Kyungsoo Professor.” Kyungsoo let out his super wide, fake, polite smile and somehow Baekhyun managed to pinch Chanyeol because he felt his smile was super creepy. Chanyeol shushed him with a look.

“And can you elaborate what Amortentia for, Mister Do?”

“Yes of course Professor. Amortentia is a very powerful love potion. It causes a powerful infatuation or obsession from the drinker.” Kyungsoo explained thoroughly and Professor Slughorn was pleased. “Amortentia smells different to each person, according to what attracts them. Despite its power, Amortentia doesn't create actual love; it's impossible to manufacture or imitate love. The person under the effect of the potion will only hold an obsession for the person who administered it.”

“Good, very nice and clear elaboration Mister Do, ten points for Gryffindor.” Professor Slughorn managed to step closer to the dangerous potion and continued Kyungsoo’s explanation about what happened, also the cases he handled about this love potion.

“Let me show you how it works,” he turned his head and right away caught gazes with Park Chanyeol that looked away in the speed of light. “Park Chanyeol, come over here. Show them how this works.”

Chanyeol gulped and remained rooted on his feet until Baekhyun intentionally pushed him along with Slytherin kid, Kim Jongdae. Chanyeol started to feel nervous because there was Eunji standing right across and she was with Yoon Bomi. He heard about this potion long ago, about how it worked, so he was worried that he might be found out about his feelings.

So then he started to imagine this celebrity crush on Barbara Palvin, and remind himself to whisper brown eyes, beach swimsuit, Budapest. Brown eyes, beach swimsuit, Budapest, he mumbled under his breath as he stepped closer to Professor Slughorn. Chanyeol didn’t really listen to whatever he said, but when Professor Slughorn asked him to step closer and smell, Chanyeol forced himself to mouth brown eyes, beach swimsuit, Budapest.

He took a deep breath, to calm his heart down and Professor Slughorn joked to the girls to be careful because somehow love potion could tell the truth and it might tell them who Chanyeol recently liked. The girls pretended to laugh but it wasn’t unnoticeable that they took a step ahead and started to be tense; because Chanyeol was not only just good-looking, he was smart, a Quidditch player, and had a good smile. To be liked by Park Chanyeol would be such the highest honor.

Chanyeol’s nose went closer to the cauldron as he started to smell the potion. Brown eyes, beach swimsuit, Bud—“Caramel popcorn, warm sunlight, Jung Eunji’s fringe…, wait what did I say?”

Chanyeol looked up and found everyone in the room, also Jung Eunji, was stunned hearing his words. Some of them slowly turned their heads to see Eunji and Chanyeol, back and forth.

Before Professor Slughorn could even say anything, not even an inhale of breath, Chanyeol excused himself out of the class.

“ myself, myself. Just myself.” Chanyeol cursed continuously as his cheeks started to brighten.

Park Chanyeol managed to avoid Jung Eunji for two weeks solid now after the incident in Potion’s class. They still managed to hang out but never long, it was always Park Chanyeol that excused himself after an hour or two, reasoning he had essays to finish – which he didn’t lie because there were tons of essays he had to take care – or Quidditch’s useless trainings. The captain of the team, Kim Kibum asked him to stop that Spartan training but somehow he knew about the story, so he chose to let go.

It was one fine afternoon lunch on weekend and the Great Hall was nearly empty as everyone finished their food or was still in Hogsmeade. Kyungsoo was sitting across Eunji and they seemed to have a very intense conversation as they saw Chanyeol walked in, soaking wet in sweats after practice. Chanyeol was about to make a U-turn once he saw his childhood friend wasn’t alone there, but too late. The doe-eyed male has noticed his presence and called for his name, and it would be rude if he just walked away.

Chanyeol greeted Kyungsoo and let out a grim smile to Eunji that had this look on her face. “Rough day, big guy?” Kyungsoo asked knowingly as Chanyeol cleaned his sweats off of his forehead with his palm. “I just got back from Hogsmeade with Eunji.”

“Oh right, nice.” Chanyeol nodded and finished the glass in one gulp and he wanted more. He was thirsty, he was exhausted, and heartbroken. “Man isn’t there anything I can drink? I’m ing thirsty.”

Then Kyungsoo put down a very big glass of Chanyeol’s favorite beverage, Butterbeer and got the taller’s eyes sparked in excitement. “Someone left this here and I guess it’s free to drink. I mean…, it won’t be poisonous or anything, don’t you think? No one would dare to do such a horrible trick under McGonagall’s nose right?” Kyungsoo sounded unsure but Chanyeol was exhausted.

Chanyeol took the glass and when he was about to drink, Kyungsoo stopped him and again reminded him that the glass might belonged to someone. Chanyeol replied that he would buy them another glass but right now he needed a drink and this Butterbeer would be a perfect choice.

“Alright, your call…” Kyungsoo held back his amused smile as Chanyeol managed to finish the beverage in one gulp. Chanyeol was like that; a black hole of food and drink.

“. WHO TOOK MY BUTTERBEER?!” Byun Baekhyun out of blue popped out around their table and looked puzzled. “Did you Kyungsoo?” Kyungsoo shook his head, “Did you Eunji?” She also shook her head. “Did you—oh . YAH PARK CHANYEOL!” Baekhyun shouted loudly.

“What, what?” Chanyeol seemed to be flabbergasted with Baekhyun’s shout. “I’ll buy you new one later, two if you insist. What, what’s that expression supposed for?” Chanyeol looked dumbfounded and Baekhyun needed to bend over so the only people could hear him were Chanyeol, Kyungsoo, and Eunji (hopefully).

“That Butterbeer has love potion in it!” Baekhyun hissed, Chanyeol was about to pass out. “And more, this love potion is an advanced one! More powerful than the one that Professor Slughorn taught us weeks ago!”

Chanyeol covered his mouth and he suddenly felt sick. Kyungsoo looked at him worriedly and he asked, “How could it be more advanced than the other one? I mean…, love potion itself is already dangerous.”

“This love potion has power to make you confess your feelings. Sure it makes you feel obsessed upon this certain someone, but also makes you confess your truest feelings. This love potion clears your head and your heart, unlike the other one that makes you obsessed for the giver and creates false love!” Baekhyun shook his head. “That is why I was about to throw it away, Yoon Bomi is about to give that glass to oblivious Zhang Yixing.”

“Isn’t Zhang Yixing dating that girl from Hufflepuff?” Kyungsoo wondered.

“My point exactly! Yoon Bomi couldn’t be able to handle that truth, she doesn’t know about Yixing’s relationship yet…” Baekhyun dramatized as he shifted his eyes to look at Chanyeol, whose face was as white as paper.

“But this would help him to be an honest, daring, courageous Gryffindor man.” Kyungsoo tapped Chanyeol’s shoulder as he managed to distance himself from Chanyeol, Baekhyun followed suit.

There was something weird on Chanyeol’s tongue; like an urge to spill out everything he’s been through, a force to speak about his truest feelings, a beg to be freed.

So Park Chanyeol made up his mind.

 “Jung Eunji I’m in love with you.” was loud and clear and everyone in Great Hall of course heard it.

Eunji widened her eyes and the macaron fell from her hold.

“What I smelled in love potion, in Professor Slughorn’s class was true. , I even tried hard not to think about you and made up my mind to mention other things about someone else, but what did I do? I mentioned you. Somehow it’s like the universe is joking with me, wanting to fight me because I kept my feelings hidden.” Chanyeol swallowed but his eyes never faltered.

“I asked Sorting Hat to put me in Gryffindor although I got no traits to describe me as one. I hesitate on almost everything, and it’s funny because everything in my life relates to you. Since the first day I saw you, back when you were confused in Platform ¾ I knew I’d be so much infatuated with you. I knew I had to keep you but I don’t know how, so friendship became our infinite loop.” Chanyeol raked his hand over his frustrated mind.

“I thought being your friend is enough but then I realized I wanted so much more than that, I wanted you to be mine permanently. Friends can’t mark like couples could do, and that’s exactly what I wanted to do; to mark your territory, to make sure you’re always going to be with me in the end.” Chanyeol sighed. “We literally saw each other growing up, doesn’t that scare you at all? Of the chances I might be thinking of going out with someone. Because Jung, I’m scared like hell to see it coming, I don’t think I can handle that. I can’t see you going out with someone that is not me, because I might or might not think to do Cruciatus curse on that person.”

Eunji laughed but Chanyeol’s sharp look made him shut up right away.

“I’m not joking Eunji.” Chanyeol surrendered to the truth and somehow he felt so much better after telling this, after hiding for too long. “What should I do? I think I’m insanely in love with you.”

“Tired?” Kyungsoo suddenly popped in to the conversation as he pushed another big glass of Butterbeer in front of Chanyeol.

“No thanks, I don’t need another love potion to spell out my confession for Eunji. This is so embarrassing…” Chanyeol run a hand to mess a little with his face before he looked tired.

“Oh this doesn’t contain love potion at all, either the previous one you drank. Baekhyun and I made it up to make you man up and confess your feelings.” Kyungsoo admitted honestly, eyes easy and sparkled in mischief.

“WHAT?”

“Yeah, you’ve been disturbing our peace by bugging us about your feelings and we realized that we’re not that pathetic to listen to your nagging all the time. So we decided to do something about it and this happened.” Baekhyun smiled cheerfully, obviously pleased.

“What, are you really thinking there’s such thing as advanced love potion? Dude, you’re the smart one between us three and you really think it exists?” Kyungsoo stood up and raised his hand in surrender. “Let’s go Baekhyun, let’s find a new friend we can make fun of.”

Chanyeol was too stunned to even move a muscle, to even look up to Eunji, to see there was this big smile on her face after hearing his confession. He was over-embarrassed and he was thinking of drop out and move to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons if it was necessarily needed.

A small hand reached his big one, and Chanyeol looked up to find Eunji was smiling at him. “Hi.” She greeted warmly, there was something in her eyes that sent sensations over Chanyeol’s spine.

“Hi.” He greeted back, held that small hand a little tighter now, but giving a chance for Eunji to pull away.

But she didn’t, and the smile was still there.

“I’m sorry I embarrassed you,” Chanyeol said a little bashfully. “But I don’t mind to be embarrassed, as long as I do it for you.”

“It’s alright, I like to be embarrassed, as long as I’m with you.”

Park Chanyeol finally proves his worthy of being a Gryffindor man and now smells Jung Eunji out of love potion.

HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY FOR OUR NATION’S BOYFRIEND, PARK CHANYEOL! Finally he’s reaching another year of blast and I’m wishing and only wishing for good things in his life.

I’m super excited to write this because I really wanted to write something for him on his special day and I wanted to write about Hogwarts because I just finished the HP6 movie. This was all made up and might be not accurate, please don’t be mad with me. I’m still trying, so be patient with me.

Anyway may you like this Chanyeol-Eunji oneshot alright!