Kyungsoo glared at the notice on the wall, hands clenched into fists. He was staring so hard that it looked like he was willing for the parchment to combust on its own. Kyungsoo wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand as a bitter taste seeped into his mouth. “S-Soo? Kyungsoo!” He heard footsteps approaching him before he was turned around and Kai’s worried face greeted him. Kai grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand and lifted it up to eye level; traces of blood still remained on the surface. “Why are you bleeding Soo?” Kai thumbed the corner of his boyfriend’s lip. He had clenched his teeth so hard that it pierced his sensitive bottom lip. At the boy’s unresponsiveness, Kai got increasingly worried. He turned to glance at the notice Kyungsoo was staring at minutes ago. Ohhh… Kai sighed and wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo. It was then that the latter started to slowly calm down from his anger.

“Kyungieee… Oh there you are!” Chanyeol and Sehun approached the pair. Finally noticing the state of distress their best friend was in, the two Slytherins hovered around the couple. “What’s wrong Kyungie?” Chanyeol patted Kyungsoo’s head gently. The giant flinched and retracted his hand when Kai growled, staring daggers into his outstretched hand. “Is it because of this notice?” Sehun waved the parchment he had just torn down in the air. Chanyeol snatched it up and read its contents. “Hey, we’re going for a field trip! Aren’t you excited, Kyungie?” The giant whooped. Kai scowled whilst Sehun smacked Chanyeol on the head. You dense, oblivious giantpoo. “It’s a field trip to the Ministry, Yeol.” Sehun whispered. “Yeah! Isn’t that exciting though? We get to explore all the departments and maybe we can even meet the Minister of Ma-” Chanyeol froze at the harsh glares Kai and Sehun were giving him. Ohhh… Now he knew why Kyungsoo was so upset. “What a stupid field trip! So not exciting at all…” Chanyeol’s eyes starting shifting around, “What’s so cool about the departments anyways? Auror’s Headquarters and the Department of Mysteries aren’t cool,” He shifted on his feet again, “Not cool at all. I don’t want to visit these uncool places. Never ever…” The giant stuttered, “T-They … I rather visit Azkaban then go to the Ministry.” Chanyeol did an unconvincing one-eighty turn. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, it was obvious that Chanyeol sounded interested in visiting the Ministry… especially since it would be his first time, what with him being Muggle-born. “Maybe we can skip the field trip?” Kai suggested. It was Kyungsoo that responded with a despondent shake of his head, “It’s compulsory for all first and second years. We don’t have a choice… I wonder how Baekie is taking this news as well.”

“Bull! UTTER RUBBISH.” Baekhyun seethed, launching the offending piece of notice halfway across the room and into the fireplace. “Take a chill pill bro-” Luhan ignored Baekhyun’s low growl of “don’t you go all Krisyeol muggle homie on me, Lulu” and continued, “-we might not even bump into the Minister when we’re there. He’s a busy man right? I doubt he’ll come oversee a measly field trip. Also, COMPULSORY… dude we have no choice dude. SWAG.” Luhan patted his best friend’s back comfortingly, and made a peace sign. “Besides, we also have to form groups to visit a specific department. What if we get sorted into the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes… or the Department of Communication with Trolls, Earthworms and other Ghastly Creatures if there even is one? Imagine the we will have to go through!” Baekhyun groaned. Luhan chuckled, “Well… from what I heard. Chen’s going to take care of everything… our groups and the department we’ll be assigned to. Overheard him speaking to Xiumin about using the Confundus charm on Professor Longbottom… He and Professor Yunho are the two in-charge of the field trip.” Luhan smirked. Baekhyun’s face practically brightened, “Oh oh! We can form mixed groups with year ones and twos right? Tell him to put Kyungie and the Slytherins into our group! Oh in fact, let’s go find him now. Maybe we can help him bewitch Professor Longbottom.”

It was near the library where they ran into the trio of Ravenclaws. “Chen! Did you make Professor Longbottom go cuckoo yet?” Luhan yelled as they sprinted down the hallway to meet the three boys. Chen sniggered, “Xiumin put the Confundus charm on him when I was distracting him with floating Mimbletonia, that guy is obsessed with them. It was epic!” The two Gryffindors stared at Xiumin in awe. Xiumin the resident do-gooder had officially fallen to the dark side, courtesy of troll Chen. Xiumin blushed under the troll’s compliment, “I grouped all twelve of us in one team.” Baekhyun nodded appreciatively. At least I have Kyungie with me. “Which department did you assign us to?” Luhan swung an arm around Xiumin. “OH! You’re going to like this one… Met the Hufflepuffs just now and they are EGG-CITED~” Chen chimed. “It’s the Department of Mysteries.” Xiumin said. “I think only the Auror Headquarters can compare with the amount of coolness that practically oozes out of those mysterious doors…” Chen whispered. The three boys stared worriedly when Baekhyun froze up upon hearing the Dept. of Mysteries. “Is there something wrong with choosing the Dept. of Mysteries?” Xiumin frowned, neither boys expecting the Gryffindor to have such an averse reaction to the Dept. of Mysteries.

Baekhyun shook his head belatedly and answered with a soft voice, “N-No… It’s fine.” The boy’s tone was final and though the other three were curious, they made no moves to push Baekhyun to explain.

“Alright, gather round everyone! I’m going to call out the groups Professor Longbottom has assigned and we’ll depart for the Ministry in batches.” Professor Yunho shouted for the attention of all the excited year ones and twos in the Great Hall. “The Auror Headquarters team. Come forward when I call your name…” Baekhyun tuned out the rest of his speech to make his way to where his brother and his two Slytherin friends stood. “Hey Kyungie, Chen’s got us all into a group already.” Baekhyun pulled the trio over to the rest of the gang. “How?” Chanyeol scratched his head. The Gryffindor chuckled, “Let’s just say he convinced Professor Longbottom?” The group of boys stood up when Professor Yunho turned to them. “Next, the Department of Mysteries-” Baekhyun felt Kyungsoo tense up, much like he did the day before, and placed a comforting palm on the younger’s back. “It’ll be alright, Kyungie.” Baekhyun whispered in his ear. The look Kyungsoo gave him showed that he wasn’t so sure. The other ten boys noticed something off about the pair, but they just passed it off as the brothers not being in a good mood, as they would soon be visiting their father’s workplace. “The twelve boys who would be touring the Department of Mysteries are as follows: Bow down to the Great Chen you peasant, Marshmallows for cheeks Xiumin, Ancient granddaddy with the cash Suho, I love Taylor Swift more than my boyfriend Kris, More than just your regular Panda Tao-” Professor Yunho’s frown deepened as he read down the list, whilst the students were all laughing at the obvious prank, “- Unicorns over flowers Lay, All that sass Luhan, 1800-Talk-Nonstop Baekhyun, Look at my hot abs Kai, Enough with that Muggle homie bull Chanyeol (SWAG), Call me Sehoney Sehun, and He who must not be named ver. 2 Kyungsoo.”

The twelve boys huddled together and gave Professor Yunho a collective innocent look. “Did you write down this name list, Professor Longbottom?” Professor Yunho narrowed his eyes at the fidgeting Herbology Professor. He sighed and decided to turn a blind eye to the blatant prank. The boys were waved forward to the only remaining Portkey, and in a blink of an eye upon touching the Portkey… the boys had arrived at the Grand Atrium of the Ministry. “Welcome to the Ministry. My name is Kohen and I’m an Unspeakable. I’ll be your guide for today.” A monotone voice and a stoic face that far surpassed the expressionlessness of even Sehun greeted them. There weren’t any other groups around in sight, which meant that they were getting individual tours of their assigned departments. “I-Is that Harry Potter?” Kris, being the tallest amongst them, squeaked. All eleven remaining heads swung to the direction the Hufflepuff was staring at. “Where? Where!” The shorties in the group aka Suho, Xiumin, Baekhyun, Chen and Kyungsoo started hopping to try and see pass the many adult heads. “He’s somewhere there… in that mob of people.” Kris frowned after losing sight of him. Despite not being able to see him, it doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be able to hear them. “I LOVE YOU HARRY!!!” Chen hollered. “NOT THE GUY FROM ONE DIRECTION.” Chanyeol clarified, “I LOVE YOU MORE THAN TAYLOR SWIFT!!!” He waved both arms in the air wildly. “Yoohoo! We’re here!” Luhan cheered.

Kyungsoo hunched lower behind Kai’s larger frame, hands clutching both sides of his embarrassed face. Why must I have such humiliating friends? Why… The final nail in the coffin came wh