The letter confirming the tutoring sessions came the next morning at breakfast, swooping down to the Hufflepuff table in the form of one of the school’s tawny owls. Jonghyun fed the bird a piece of his croissant and watched her fly off before opening the parchment to read.

Mr Kim,

Kibum has agreed to our arrangement. Your first session will take place in the library tomorrow evening at 7:00pm. Take care.

Most sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Jonghyun grinned. That was one less thing he had to worry about. Casting a quick Tempus revealed the time to be 9:30am, and being a Saturday, Jonghyun thought it a great time to visit Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. Folding his letter and sliding it into his coat pocket, Jonghyun picked himself up (not before grabbing a few treats for Fang) and began the trek down to the half-giant’s hut, humming as he walked. Jonghyun wouldn’t admit it to many people, but his visits with Hagrid were one of the highlights of his time at Hogwarts. The air seemed somehow clearer down by the forest, and while Hagrid’s rock cakes certainly were questionable, the man made fantastic tea and never failed to put a smile on Jonghyun’s face. Not to mention that seeing Fang was sure to brighten anyone’s day.

He supposed that was another upside of the magical world. Not Fang, of course. He was just an average dog. But there were various other magical beasts and creatures which excited Jonghyun immensely, his favourite perhaps being the centaur. Jonghyun had spoken to one only once, and while he had certainly been abrupt and impolite, Jonghyun appreciated his appreciation of the stars.

Nearing Hagrid’s hut, Fang bounded up and knocked him down, though Jonghyun could only laugh as the canine his face and sniffed the pockets where Jonghyun had hidden his treats. ‘Only if you’re good, Fang.’ he laughed, waving to Hagrid in greeting from his position on the grass. ‘Hey, Hagrid!’

‘Hullo there, Jjong.’ Hagrid greeted, and Jonghyun’s eyes crinkled in delight at the nickname. He was certain Hagrid only called him that because he couldn’t pronounce his actual name, but Jonghyun didn’t mind. He found it to be quite endearing. ‘Yeh want summat to eat?’

‘No thanks, Hagrid. Just had breakfast. I wouldn’t mind some tea though, if that’s alright?’

‘O’course it’s alrigh’, Jjong. I’ll start the kettle for ye’.’

Jonghyun grinned widely, gently pushed Fang away from him and entered Hagrid’s cosy abode. Tea was served in mugs the size of dinner bowls, but Jonghyun couldn’t have cared less. He sipped away merrily as he listened to Hagrid’s latest tale of a horklump he had bought over the break.

‘Aren’t they quick breeders though?’

Hagrid laughed, before pulling a stray piece of rock cake from his beard and popping it into his mouth. ‘Well that’s why you only buy one of ‘em, innit?’

The morning passed quickly, and after visiting Hagrid and Fang, Jonghyun had sent a quick owl to his mother about the tutoring before heading back to the Great Hall for lunch. He sat on the far end of the Hufflepuff table and began his meal as soon as the dishes appeared, eating hurriedly and avoiding eye contact with majority of his housemates. Hufflepuffs were lovely. They were loyal, kind, just and patient. But Jonghyun found their conversations to be quite one sided, and had yet to find a ‘best friend’ during his time at the magical boarding school.

Taking a sip of his pumpkin juice, Jonghyun took the time to survey the students before him. Was Kibum someone from his own house? Or perhaps if he were so intelligent, Ravenclaw? He studied the Great Hall closely, eyes peeled for a male with Asian descent. Jonghyun almost snorted at his own idiocy. There were at least seven male students who matched the vague description. Dumbledore hadn’t even told him the tutor’s last name. Not that ‘Kibum’ was a particularly common name to begin with, but the sentiment would have been appreciated.

Jonghyun turned to the student next to him and worked up his nerves before asking softly: ‘’Scuse me? Do you happen to know anyone at this school called Kibum?’

The student jolted in their seat, as though they were surprised by the fact that Jonghyun could speak. ‘Huh? Oh… Um, Kibum? Yeah, yeah,’ the student turned to the person across from them. ‘Oi, Kibum’s that really smart Slytherin guy, yeah?’

‘Yeah, man.’

He turned back to Kibum. ‘Yeah, he’s a Slytherin fifth year. Super smart. Pretty sure even the dungeon bat likes him, and that’s sayin’ something.’

‘Dungeon bat?’ questioned Jonghyun curiously. ‘You mean Snape?’

The student snorted, and maybe it was just Jonghyun’s anxiety speaking, but he could’ve sworn they had rolled their eyes to the person across the table. ‘Yes, Snape. Have you been livin’ under a rock? Sweet Merlin...’

Jonghyun felt his insides coil uneasily, and heat rose to his ears. ‘Sorry.’ he mumbled, turning back to his empty plate. With one last heavy sigh, Jonghyun picked up his belongings and left the Great Hall, deciding it was probably a good idea to head to the library and attempt to start on some of that homework. It was there he ran into Hermione Granger – a Gryffindor girl from fifth year who had convinced him the year prior to join her S.P.E.W. campaign promoting the welfare of house elves.

‘Hey, Hermione.’ he greeted with a kind smile, placing his books across from her. ‘Do you mind if I sit here?’

The girl looked up, and her face broke into a smile. ‘Oh – Hello, Jonghyun! Not at all, here...’ She shifted her books so that there was more space for Jonghyun’s. ‘I have a few friends coming in half an hour, but they probably won’t bring any books so you’re fine to stay there for as long as you’d like.’

‘Thanks,’ Jonghyun beamed, taking out his Astronomy textbook and opening it to a particular page he’d marked several days ago.

‘I heard about what happened in McGonagall’s class yesterday. Are you alright?’

Jonghyun’s froze and felt his stomach drop. Just how many people had already heard of his utter incompetence? ‘I-It’s already spread around the school?’ he choked out.

Hermione leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on his arm. ‘Don’t stress, people think it’s quite amusing, really. I’m just worried about how Professor McGonagall would have reacted – did you get detention?’

Shaking his head negative, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

‘She just threatened that I wouldn’t be able to sit my exams if my grades didn’t lift. So then I had to go to Headmaster Dumbledore and organise a tutor, and –’

‘Oh, Jonghyun!’ she exclaimed sympathetically. ‘I could’ve tutored you if I had known…’

‘Nah, nah, you’ve probably got enough on your plate! Dumbledore organised some Slytherin guy called Kibum to be my tutor so it should be alright.’

Hermione gasped. ‘Kibum?! Oh wow, Jonghyun...’

‘What? What’s wrong with him?’ Panic was beginning to settle in his stomach.

‘No, nothing! I’m just… You’re really lucky to have him as your tutor. I’d say his grades are a fair lot higher than mine. I heard rumour they were considering to let him skip a grade. And that never happens at Hogwarts.’

Jonghyun slumped in his seat, half in relief, half in surrender. ‘Merlin.’ he muttered. If this ‘Kibum’ was supposedly that smart, how stupid would he think Jonghyun was after taking a look at his work? Jonghyun didn’t think he really wanted to find out. He and Kibum were already polar opposites. The teachers were considering taking Kibum up a year, and Jonghyun was fairly certain they had probably already considered making him repeat a year. Or two. He groaned into his Astronomy text.

‘What’s his problem?’ came a foreign voice, and Jonghyun shot up in humiliation.

Hermione scowled at the new additions to their table, whose identities immediately registered in Jonghyun’s mind. His throat ran thick. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

‘Ronald!’ scolded Hermione, ‘Be nice!’

Ron’s ears glowed red, and he slumped into the chair beside Hermione, shooting Jonghyun a smile the Hufflepuff was sure was forced. ‘Sorry, mate. I’m Ron. Why the long face?’

Jonghyun quirked a smile. ‘All good, I’m Jonghyun. And McGonagall’s practically making me get a tutor so I can sit my exams. Some supposed childhood genius, I don’t know.’

‘Tch, that’s tough. What’s their name?’

‘Kibum.’

Harry Potter let out a long whistle. ‘You’re grades will be thriving in no time then, I reckon.’

A question played in the forefront of Jonghyun’s mind, and he considered asking it aloud before concluding he would just find out for himself tomorrow anyway. But apparently, the golden trio were more observant that he bargained on.

‘You’re lookin’ a little peaky, mate. You need to visit the Hospital Wing?’

Jonghyun vehemently shook his head. ‘No, no. Just a little worried I guess. This Kibum guy… I don’t want to be stereotypical or anything but he is in Slytherin and –’

Hermione giggled and Harry waved his hands to assure that Jonghyun had nothing to concern himself over. ‘If you’re worried about him being a total git, then don’t. He’s a pretty decent snake.’

‘Well, that’s a relief.’ Jonghyun laughed. And it really was.

The following evening came much more quickly than what Jonghyun would have liked, and he felt his knees wobbling apprehensively as he neared the library for the second time that weekend. This was it. The moment he was going to meet his tutor for the remainder of the year. The esteemed ‘Kibum’. The Slytherin genius. Jonghyun’s mother had always told him how important first impressions were, and for some odd reason, Jonghyun felt as though this was the most important first impression he would ever have to make.

You’re being stupid, he berated himself. He’s just another student.

But as Jonghyun finally found the courage to push open the library doors, he realised immediately how incorrect that prior thought had been. Because Kibum wasn’t ‘just another student.’

He was the most beautiful student Jonghyun had ever seen.