Once entering the Trophy Room, Chanyeol grinned widely at the group of Kim’s chatting away, Jongin grinning back. Before he could make his way over to the group, the Headmaster and the Head of the Houses–Jungsu, Taeyeon, Yunho, and Qian–walked through the door after Chanyeol.

The students moved to their professors before the Headmaster began to speak.

“Now, you all know the rules. There is no backing out of the games; you put your names into that basin knowing there was a possibility of you being chosen. The first task will be held on October fifth, this gives you exactly a month to prepare for it.” The Headmaster paused before continuing. “I would like to give you all some advice, before I let you go though,” he said looking to each group of students.

“Learning each other’s strengths can give you an advantage towards the games. Teamwork will be very important. So I suggest, if you already aren’t, get along, you’re lives may depend on it.” And with that the Headmaster turned around and left.

The students looked toward their professors, each handing one student an envelope. “This envelope holds a clue to what you’re first challenge will be.” Each professor told their group of students.

Slowly each student began to open their envelope. Inside, a folded piece of paper with words written in gold ink.

My first is in adventure, but isn’t in trip

My second is in river, but isn’t in ship

My third is in chalice, but isn’t in cup

My fourth is in ascending, but isn’t in up

My fifth is in error, but isn’t in flaw

My last is in talon, but isn’t in claw

My whole is a beast, who will eat you for dinner

My treasure you are after, will crown you a winner

“What the hell is this!” Sehun cried, throwing his hands in the air.

“It’s a riddle, stupid,” Soojung said, smacking him on the arm. Kris scoffed at the two as their teacher watched in amusement.

Jongin frowned at the words. “A beast?” Seulgi questioned looking over Jongin’s shoulder at the piece of paper. “That could be anything.” Chanyeol groaned.

“Why do we need to solve the riddle? Will it tell us how to win?” Hyoyeon asked, looking towards Professor Qian.

“You solve the riddle to find out what you will be doing in the first task, so in a way, yes. Solving the riddle could help you win.”

Jongdae frowned. “How long do we have until the first task again?”

“A month,” Amber said, laughing at his pout. “We’ll be able to figure it out by then.”

Jongdae huffed. “Why can’t you just give us the answer Professor.” He whined.

Professor Qian hid her smile behind her hand. “Where’s the fun in that?” Jongdae rolled his eyes, before looking back at the paper with Amber and Hyoyeon. “Besides, you have two very smart young ladies to help you.”

“I’ve got it!” Juhyun exclaimed, before shrinking back into her group, hoping no one from the other groups overheard her outburst.

“Really?” Sunyoung asked, Minseok following with, “What is it?”

“Come on, come on,” Juhyun said taking her teammates hands and leading them out the trophy room, Professor Yunho following behind.

Jongin stared dumbfounded after the group; of course, Juhyun would’ve gotten it first. She’s not the top of the class for no reason. The brunet looked over to Sehun and his group, noticing the way every time Sehun spoke Soojung would get frustrated. Professor Taeyeon spoke to her group, catching the trio’s attention before nodding and leaving the room.

Each of the remaining professors looked at each other before Qian and Jungsu spoke up. “It’s almost curfew, why don’t you kids head up to your dorms.”

The students nodded in understanding, slowly filing out of the room.

“Hey Jongdae,” Jongin called out as the champions made their way up the stairs. Catching up to him, he threw his arm around Jongdae’s shoulder. “Soooooo,” Jongin began, “if you figure out the answer, will you tell me?”

“Probably not,” Jongdae replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, come on. We’re the Kim Jong bros. If my group gets the answer, you’ll be the first I’ll tell.” He squeezed Jongdae's shoulder.

Jongdae laughed before replying. “You got me. I can’t break the Kim Jong code.” Raising his hands up in defeat, Jongdae slipped out of Jongin's hold and walked down the hallway leading to the Kumiho dorms.  

“So,” Baekhyun started when Jongin and Chanyeol entered their shared room. “How’d it go?”

Chanyeol sighed, stripping himself of his uniform and leaving himself in nothing but his underwear, before face planting into his pillow. “Talk . . . ab- . . . tomorrow. Love . . . you,” he mumbled before soft snores could be heard.

Baekhyun smiled at his boyfriend before looking to Jongin, who had just finished changing into his pajamas.

“Professor Jungsu gave us an envelope with a riddle in it.” Baekhyun nodded, as Jongin pulled back his covers. “Juhyun figured it out within five minutes. And Seulgi said she’d look at it before going to bed.” He finished curling up underneath his covers.

“Well,” Baekhyun said softly settling down in bed.

“Good luck.”

“Have you guys not figured it out yet?” Wendy asked, sitting down at the table Seulgi and Chanyeol were currently occupying in the library. Seulgi working on homework, while Chanyeol rested his head on his arms taking a nap.

Seulgi shook her head, at the same time a muffled ‘No’ came from Chanyeol. “Well, it’s only been – what, two weeks?” Wendy asked.

Seulgi sighed, setting her pencil down. “Yes. I feel so stupid for not having the answer already. I would ask Juhyun, but I don’t want to sound desperate.” She shoved at the sleeping boy next her. “And he won’t help. I’ve asked him to get some of his friends to he-“

“We don’t need help! We got this!” Chanyeol shot up, slamming his hands on the table, startling the two girls. The people around them gave him ugly looks and some shushed him.

“Baekhyun’s not talking to you because you won’t let him help out!” she hissed back, smacking him again.

“Maybe, I could help?” Wendy asked, the duo looked towards her, Seulgi’s face filled with joy, while Chanyeol shook his head profoundly.

“Can I see the paper?” Wendy asked, Seulgi’s smile suddenly dropped. “Jongin has it.” She groaned, dragging the palm of her hand down her face.

“Well do you remember the riddle?”

“Of course!” Seulgi chirped, as she began to recite the words, a hand was smacked over .

“Thank you, but no thank you, Wendy. I guarantee you, we got this.”  Chanyeol smiled at her, while Seulgi struggled in his grip.

Wendy opened to speak when. “Yeol, Seul, I got it!” Jongin’s teammates looked in his direction.

“Really?” Chanyeol asked, Seulgi, taking her chance, escaped from his grip. Jongin jogged up to the table, before taking the seat next to Wendy.

“How did you figure it out? Wait, no, first – what is it?” Seulgi asked. Jongin began to speak before looking to the girl next to him. “Um, Wendy, uh –“

“Wendy, could you give us a moment, please.” Seulgi interrupted Jongin.

“Oh, oh yeah, secret champion stuff. Sorry. Later Seulbear.” She smiled, before leaving the table.

“Ok. So I was sitting in the common room, when I heard some of these second years playing some child’s game, right.” His teammates nodded. “And one of them said something about their dragon burning down the other’s city and taking their gold.” The two nodded again, and then the realization of what their friend just said sunk in.

“A dragon!” Seulgi whispered loudly.

“Mhm.” Jongin nodded his head frantically, while he pulled out the piece of paper. “Look.” The piece of paper was practically falling apart, the ink faded slightly, and the creases from it being folded over and over again made it hard to read. Letters were circled in black ink, and scraggly handwriting strewn across the bottom of the paper.

“Wow,” Chanyeol said taking the piece of paper from his friend. “How did you guess the letters spelt dragon?” he asked, Jongin shrugged.

“I don’t know. After I heard the word dragon, I pulled out the paper and read it a few times before it clicked.” Jongin smiled sheepishly. Seulgi smacked her forehead with the heel of her palm, mumbling. “Why didn’t I see that.”

“Dragon. That should’ve been so easy.” She whined bringing her head down towards the table, repeatedly hitting her forehead on the desk, mumbling ‘stupid’. Jongin slowly moved a book to where her head was meeting the table. Chanyeol laughed lightly, grabbing Seulgi by the shoulder, pulling her upright in her seat.

“It’s ok, Seul. You’re just busy with homework and classwork.” Chanyeol smiled. “We don’t think you’re stupid. You just had too much on your plate.” He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, before he paused and looked at the paper on the table.

“Y’know, now that I think about it. I should’ve gotten that, Baek was reading some fairytale about a dragon.” Chanyeol’s hand slid from Seulgi’s shoulder to his lap, before he moved to get up.

“I’m going to go apologize to Baekhyun,” he said grabbing his things. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” And with that he was gone.

The two watched their teammate leave, before looking at each other. A smile crept up on both of their faces. “We got it!” they whispered happily, high fiving.

“Hey, Jongdae. Can I speak to you?” Jongin asked catching up with his friend up the stairs. Jongdae looked down from where he was talking with Hyoyeon. “Sure. What is it Jongin?”

The two made their way down to him. “It’s about the first task.” Hyoyeon and Jongdae looked at each other before looking towards Jongin. “Really?” Jongin nodded his head.

“We think Amber might’ve figured it out,” Hyoyeon said, Jongdae nodding. “Yeah, Henry told us she needed to talk with us.”

“Well, if she tells you dragons. She’s right,” Jongin said pointing up to the duo, before he bound down the steps. He was most likely late for his class.

Hyoyeon and Jongdae, watched Jongin disappear down the staircase, their expressions filled with horror.

“Hey guys, you will not believe what our first task is!” They heard their teammate say hurriedly behind them. Slowly turning around, the two paused to look at each other as their teammate continued. “We’re going up against –"

“Dragons.”

“You said you had this figured out two weeks ago!” Junmyeon exclaimed, waving a piece of parchment in his hand at the three in front of him. The youngest of the four, were currently skipping stones out on to the lake.

“Junmyeon, calm down,” Kris said resting his hands on the frantic Junmyeon's shoulders. HIs brows only kneaded deeper together. “Kris. You three only have a week before the first task, and you don’t know what you’re going up against!” he cried out.

The two youngest stopped their playing to look back at him. “Junmyeon, we’re sorry. We should already have it by now. You’re right,” Soojung said apologetically as she walked up to them.

“We’ve just been focusing on our school work, Myeon.” Kris explained. “That, and Quidditch practice, our plates are always full.” Sehun added in, now standing with the three.

Junmyeon pouted, nodding in understanding. “Have you guys tried asking any of the other champions for help?” He looked to the three in front of him.

“They won’t tell us, Junmyeon.” Sehun whined stomping his foot. Soojung rolled her eyes at him. “What it’s true!” He cried looking at her.

“You asked Amber, and she said, ‘Soojungie can figure it out on her own’,” Sehun said, mimicking said girl’s voice.

“Shut up.” She growled threatening to punch Sehun in the arm. He flinched at the raised fist before adding in. “Sunyoung wouldn’t help you either, she teased you just as much as Amber did!” knowing that the punch was coming, he evaded the attack.

“Did you guys try asking Jongin or Jongdae?” Junmyeon asked, looking to Sehun then to Kris. The two huffed. 

“You would think,” Sehun began angrily. “being Jongin’s best friend, he would tell me.”

“Jongdae was just a little ,” Kris said, Sehun nodded in agreement.

Junmyeon scoffed. “Ok then, what about Minseok?”

Kris’ expression darken suddenly at the mention of the name. “No.”  

Junmyeon raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“I thought you did ask Minseok?” Soojung asked.

“I did.”

“Then what happened?” Junmyeon exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

“He’d only tell me, if I let him win the next Quidditch match.” Kris growled, his dark expression turning into a pout.

“Oh my God.” Junmyeon mumbled as the palm of his hand met his face.

“That sly son of-“  “Are you s-“ the two youngest began simultaneously, only to be interrupted.

“Ok!” Junmeyon began. “Did you ask Chanyeol?”  

“Jongin told him not to tell anybody.” Soojung sighed, Sehun pouted with a nod of his head.

“So, all of your friends have turned their backs on you.” Junmyeon pinched the bridge of his nose and letting out a sigh, as he looked down at the paper, reading it over carefully. “My treasure you are after,” he read aloud.

“A beast that is protecting its treasure,” Junmyeon thought out loud, “it could be a griffin.”

“A griffin?” Kris questioned.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” Sehun piped up.

“Yeah, fighting a half-lion half-eagle monster should be easy,” Kris said sarcastically.

“But what about the rest of the riddle though?” Soojung asked, going to Junmyeon’s side to read over the paper.

“You’re right.” Junmyeon nodded. “It could spell out something?”  

“I never thought of that.”

“So we just have to find out the letters!” Sehun said happily coming over to the duo to look at the paper.

“Yes! We got this!” Soojung cheered wrapping her arms around Junmyeon and squeezing him tightly. Sehun joined in as well.

“Are you going to join in Kris?” Junmyeon laughed out. Kris smiled as he walked up to the trio, wrapping his arms around them, resting his head a top of the object of their affection at the moment.  

“Ok, ok, let’s figure this riddle out so I don’t have to yell at the three of you again,” Junmyeon said after a while, the three released him as they all took a look at the paper in his hands. Their thoughts were interrupted only minutes later by a call from up the hill.

“Junmyeon!” the four looked up to find the owner of the voice, Minho stopping halfway down the hill. “You promised to help me out with herbology. Remember?” He smiled. Junmyeon nodded his head. “Oh right. Sorry, I got caught up with these three,” he replied frantically waving his hands to the trio around him, as he handed Soojung the paper.

“You’re leaving us?” Sehun all but whined. 

“Yes, Sehun.” Junmyeon confirmed as he grabbed his things. “You guys know what to do now. You’ll have it by dinner?” Junmyeon looked to Kris with concern in his brown eyes.

Kris nodded before Junmyeon started walking towards the boy waiting for him. “Thanks again Junmyeon.” Kris called out as the pair head up the hill.

Junmyeon turned around and waved. “No problem, see you later!” he said before disappearing over the hill.

“Ok, we can do this.” Soojung started. “No distractions,” she said, looking at both boys next to her. She stopped to look at Kris, who was still watching where Junmyeon had been moments ago with a frown on his face. “Kris? What’s wrong?”

Before Kris could answer, Sehun butted in. “He’s just jealous of Minho.” He laughed.

Sehun cried out in pain as a fist met his arm and a hand smacked the back of his head.

So I hope you guys liked it! Next chapter is the dragons!!