It was deafening.

The clinking sounds of centuries old utensils overlapping the indistinctive sounds of people chattering reverberated across the Great Hall molding together into a one raucous blur.

It was the Start-of-Term Feast. Everyone was either busy talking each other's ears off as if to compensate the lost time they had over the summer break or gorging down the platters of mouthwatering food laid out from end to end in every table in the Great Hall to their hearts desire. Or maybe a little bit of both. But a sixth year in the Ravenclaw table seemed to be neither as he halfheartedly chew his steak and kidney pie with a particular dimpled boy sitting beside him as his audience.

"New professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts again, huh?" Yixing meticulously asked, staring at his senior for only a year, waiting for any response from the elder.

Minseok softly smirked, not at the younger's statement but at Yixing's poor attempt in cracking him out from his shell of indifference. But he appreciates the effort. He wasn't really approachable to begin with. He already gave up trying to understand why the younger was so persistent in wanting to be friends with him.

To Yixing's relief, he was contented with the small response from the elder. It was his go signal whether to continue to converse with the elder or not since he has noticed that the elder seems to have tendencies to have episodes of shutting down the world completely.

"So Minseok-ge, what classes are you going to take for your N.E.W.T.S.?" Minseok never asked why the droopy-eyed boy call him that. Although the younger did asked permission if it was okay to call him that, saying it was Chinese for big brother or something like that.

"DADA, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration and History of Magic." The elder enumerated with his usual monotonous voice.

"You're not taking Herbology?" Minseok shook his head right before the younger continues to ask him with another question.

"But isn't Herbology highly recommended for Auror standards?" Yixing asked as he was slicing his piece of meat.

"Auror? Who says I wanted to become an auror? And I never want to go through that again. I don't want to risk my sanity again just to study further all those stupid plants." The elder retorted.

Yixing slightly furrowed his brows for a moment and eventually nods his head as he understood what his Ge means after he recalls that one incident last year where his seat mate from Gryffindor almost got strangled by a.. What was it called again?

"Besides I'm also taking a special class with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." Minseok cuts off the younger’s thoughts.

"Special class?"

The elder responded only with a subtle smile right before he noticed Yixing’s small pout, and continues munching down his kidney pie.

∞

Minseok was leaning his back against the wall since the desks were nowhere to be seen, waiting for Professor Killick to show up. The said professor was the newly appointed professor for the Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Even after the second Great Wizarding War, it still seemed that the position wasn't free from the curse. Still constantly appointing new professors every school year.

The Ravenclaw student was the first one to arrive in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Ten minutes earlier than the scheduled time, only with a dragon's skeleton slightly swaying from the ceiling and a couple of Shrunken Heads for company. He had nothing to do save for shifting his weight to one leg or the other every few minutes.

It was already twelve minutes past three in the afternoon when the room was already filled with six students. Minseok, an unsociable person that he is, only knows Alfie Mitchell and Katie Harper who were both from the Gryffindor house. He was the only Ravenclaw of the six people, which was good. He wouldn't want to have someone to socialize more in the Ravenclaw tower and have someone badgering him about the lessons even in his temporary haven. Having surrounded by students and getting bombarded with school stuff all throughout the day was already taxing more than enough for Minseok.

"Good Afternoon!" Came out a boisterous, husky voice as the wooden door upstairs from the professor's office slammed open.

"Sorry about that," Noticing how late he was as he checks his pocket watch in hand, carefully climbing down the stairs.

"The flitterbies that Professor Dawlish asked me had escaped from their-"

The professor was cut off when the entrance to the classroom opened and walking through it was a lanky boy, explaining and apologizing profusely for being late. As much as Minseok is unconcerned to the people around him, the newcomer's face was new to Minseok but he had seen him in his other classes earlier. Probably a transferee, Minseok thought.

"No worries my boy. I myself was late as well. You're just in time." The professor reassured, his hands on his hips.

"Now where was I...? Ah yes, the flitterbies. Yes yes, hmm...” He pondered for a moment. "Nevermind about that. Now all of you here petitioned for a special class focusing on the Patronus charm. Am I correct?" The students nodded and confirmed the professor.

“Now the reason why you enrolled in this class is either you’re taking the road to become an auror or…” he refrains for a moment, appraising each and every one of his students in the eyes. “You’re here because of the tittle-tattles about having the ability to conjure the Patronus will give you a higher chance to get elected to high office within the Ministry of Magic?”

The slight grimaces on majority of his students’ faces was a dead giveaway and the professor was pleased to know that he had surmised it correctly. “Well, all of you have made a valid decision. Those rumors are not entirely wrong since conjuring a Patronus really is a mark of superior magic ability.”

"Alright. Just to give you a heads-up, the patronus charm is a ridiculously advanced magic even beyond for a N.E.W.T.S. student." The professor warned with his raised brows as he gawks at the faces of each student. Since nobody objected the professor proceeded with his lecture. There wasn't anything much interesting yet to the class since it's just the first meeting, it was all just the basics for now.

∞

The boy across Minseok was now tidying up his quill and ink the moment he’d seen the latter arranging his notes and books in stacks. The soft thuds of stacking books faintly echoed across the currently noiseless Great Hall, students nearby unfazed as they were busy studying.

“So, I happened to join a club called S.P.E.W. It’s an organization to promote liberation and equal rights to house elves.” The student across Minseok suddenly remembered, not looking at the older as he continues to arrange his things. It was typical of Junmyeon to be joining such organizations. Minseok just doesn’t understand how he’s able to prioritize everything: his grades, being a Ravenclaw prefect and the countless of clubs he’s part of. As soon as they’ve finished tidying up their things, the two walked together onto the corridor as they traverse towards the Ravenclaw common room.

“The president is urging us to recruit. The number of members even barely reached the number of years the club has been standing.” The Ravenclaw prefect winced. “Maybe you’d like to join? The more people to fight for a good cause the better.”Junmyeon persuaded the older while nodding to greet the people he knew (which probably everyone in school) they come across with in the corridors.

Minseok was about to respond when he was interrupted by a hissing sound echoing through the corridor. The two Ravenclaws simultaneously turned their heads towards the source of the sound. The older knew that sound very well as his body habitually readied itself to avoid the loathsome creature but was too late when a dark furred cat scurried past their legs particularly Minseok’s. It rendered the older of the two to yelp and had him almost lost his balance as he felt the thing brushed against his trousers as it speeds by. Minseok hasn’t recovered from his startled state yet when someone had bumped into him which eventually had Minseok ended up sprawled on the floor along with his things.

“What in the bloody hell-“ Minseok cursed, glaring at the person at fault.

“Oy! Watch where you’re going!” The Ravenclaw prefect yelled, crouching down to ask the elder if he was alright while gathering the scattered things as the latter was still busy glaring.

“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” The boy chanted, turning his head back and forth as he was torn between helping the person he accidentally rammed into and running after his cat. When Minseok was able to see the boy’s face clearly, it dawned to him that it was the brunette who came late for the special class the other day. With the brunette’s stuttering movements by his indecisiveness, running after his cat finally won over as the giant fur ball was already out of sight.

Minseok huffed as he watches the brunette ran off and looked down at the mess. The raven haired grumbled as he tried to harshly brush the cat fur off from his trousers and the rest of his day filled with people not daring to bother him and avoiding him like plague as exasperation was clearly palpable in his demeanor.

∞

“There are two types of Patronuses. Anyone has an idea?” Professor Dawlish asked, sauntering back and forth with his hands clasped together in his back.

“Yes, uh mister…?” The professor acknowledged the sole student who raised a hand.

“Kim, Sir.”

“Mister Kim, would you be so kind as to elaborate.”

“There’s a corporeal Patronus and an uncorporeal Patronus. The former is a Patronus that has a particular form while the latter has none.” Minseok answered in his usual complacent manner.

It’s already unsurprising to hear the raven haired speak a full sentence. Any classmate of his by now are accustomed to frequently hear him talk actual sentences during classes. That’s only because nobody attempts to approach him outside of class anyway and Minseok was never one to start a conversation with anybody. The only known people who casually converse with him was the prefect, Junmyeon, and a fifth year student who are both from the Ravenclaw house.

“That is correct, 5 points for Ravenclaw. Thank you Mister Kim.” Professor Dawlish pleased with his answer.

“Now, with what Mister Kim has elaborated, our aim is to conjure a corporeal Patronus. A corporeal Patronus is more preferable since an uncorporeal one will only have a partial effect on the target.”

Minseok couldn’t care less with the professor’s explication as he already read the books in the library way more advance anyway. With little else to do, he couldn’t help but notice the magnified nod of a particular Slytherin student in his peripheral view. It reminded Minseok of one of those useless, odd muggle artifacts he’d seen before in the Muggle Studies class what’s it called again? Bubble heads?? It irked Minseok even more when that particular student was the brunette who had the former’s things scattered onto the floor not even bothering to offer a hand with the mess he’d caused before him. The Ravenclaw student shook his head with distaste.

“In order to successfully cast the spell, the Patronus requires you to muster your happiest memories. The happier the memory, the stronger is your Patronus charm.” Professor Dawlish continued to explain.

“And begin draw circles with your wand as to increase the power of the charm and enunciate the incantation: Expecto Patronum.”

A silvery wisp of light emerged from the tip of the professor’s wand right after he articulated the spell, the silver light subsequently forming into a stallion, galloping elegantly through the air. Murmurs of excitement filled the classroom and visages of students were etched with great awe as they witnessed the professor easily casting the Patronus charm.

After the demonstration, the class was instructed to focus and muster their happiest memory they can think of and try to cast the spell whenever they think they’re ready.

Everyone dispersed to situate themselves wherever they find comfortable to practice on their own except for the Ravenclaw student who hasn’t moved from his position. The said student was already starting to do his utmost effort to concentrate with his eyes closed. He mustered every happy memory that he’s got from every corner of his head when his mind was finally devoid of distractions. Minseok looked profoundly composed. Moments later, he opened his eyes with his wand at the ready and self-assuredly enunciated the incantation.

“Expecto Patronum!”

“Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful.” Professor Dawlish marveled, rendering Minseok to gasp at the professor’s remark.

It caught everybody’s attention the moment a silvery light luminesced in the room which had everyone interrupted their non-improving task at hand. Might as well take a break from the frustrating activity.

“Merlin’s beard!” The professor chuckled.  “Never have I seen such a young wizard to conjure a Patronus charm at this rate. Although it may be an uncorporeal one but nevertheless uncoporeal Patronuses are still difficult to conjure especially for beginners like you.”

“It won’t take long for you to cast a corporeal Patronus. What was your name again young man?”

“Lu, sir. Han Lu.”

∞

Minseok was appalled. He gulped in anticipation, staring at his wand in case something or even just a sliver of light would come out from his wand. Instead he got nothing. He took a glance around and checked if anyone had seen him having trouble. Much to his relief, everyone was still busy on their own. He had tried to cast the charm several times already but he was nowhere near improving like his classmates had, especially Lu.