Excitement thrummed through the Great Hall, even before the owls made their appearance. The first couple days of school were always charged with such enthusiasm – with the first years eager to see if Hogwarts lived up to their expectations, the seventh years anticipating the end of the term, even at the beginning of the year, and everyone in between ready and waiting to prove themselves in this new term.

It was always fun, while it lasted.

Kibum poured himself a second bowl of Pixie Puffs as he listened to Analecia talk about her family trip over the summer to visit her grandparents in Spain. Based on her descriptions alone, the Gràcia Festival in Barcelona was something that he wanted to see for himself someday, if possible.

“Third years, right?” They both looked up, as did Callum and Aaron across from them. Marjory Phillips, Slytherin’s new Head Girl, looked at them over the huge stack of papers in her arms.

“Yeah, we are,” Aaron said.

Marjory the forefinger of her free hand and sifted through the papers, her green and silver nail polish glittering in the light of the hovering candles. She passed one to each of them, moving on to the next cluster of students before they could thank her.

Kibum scanned his copy quickly to see which classes he shared with Minho this year. Divination, History of Magic, and Astronomy were all a given, but… “Charms and Herbology, okay.”

“Hmm?” He glanced over at Analecia, who was still studying her schedule.

“Nothing.”

He took one last bite of his cereal before he got up and started for the door. Footsteps pounded behind him, and Kibum smiled, knowing exactly who it was without having to turn around. Minho’s arm slung over his shoulder, holding him close for a second before letting him go.

“Hey, buddy. How’s your morning?” he asked as they started down the steps to the basement.

“Okay, so far. Getting settled into your new room?”

“Yeah.” They both stopped in the corner of the basement hallway, deciding whether to head to Hufflepuff or Slytherin first. Kibum nodded toward Slytherin, and Minho followed him down the darker hallway. “I’m a little sad – “

“Oh, no. Why?”

“ – because they finally ripped out that Christmas tree we planted in first year.”

Minho pouted for a second. “Probably Filch.”

“Probably, yeah.” They stopped before the empty brick wall, and Kibum fished his wand out of his pocket. “Argenti anguis,” he said, tapping the right brick three times. Both of them took a step back as the wall took itself apart to let them inside. Kibum stepped through, glancing back at the darkened hallway where Minho still stood. “You coming?”

“Is…that okay?”

Kibum scoffed. “Yeah, why not?”

Tentatively, Minho stepped inside, looking around the common room. It had been almost two years since he had been inside Slytherin. It wasn’t a huge deal to have students from other houses come into Slytherin, although, they were usually guests of the older students.

Both of them kicked off their shoes, leaving them on the rug of four intertwining serpents as Kibum lead him to his new room. It wasn’t much different than the other two, though the beds seemed slightly bigger, if possible. He flipped up his bed skirt, revealing his textbooks – both old and new.

“How much time do we have?” Minho asked as he slipped Kibum’s schedule out of his robe pocket.

Aaron’s alarm clock read 8:50. “I’ve got five minutes. You’ve got ten.”

Minho nodded, pulling out The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and dropping it on Kibum’s bed. “Today is Friday, right?”

“Yeah.”

Unfogging the Future joined The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection on Kibum’s bed. “Divination on the first day…are we ready for that?”

“Not sure,” Kibum pulled A History of Magic and the third volume of The Standard Book of Spells out and placed them on his lap before he grabbed the other two textbooks. “You tell me…What are you doing?”

Minho’s face morphed into this mock-serious expression, his eyebrows scrunching almost comically. He placed his fingertips on Kibum’s temples and hummed quietly as he struggled not to smile. “Hmmm…my mind’s eye is telling me…the vision is a little foggy but…it’s telling me…” he dropped his hands and opened his eyes, grinning as he tried not to laugh. “…nothing. It’s telling me nothing. I got it removed in ‘96.”

Kibum coughed back a laugh. “Oh, did you.”

“Yes. It was traumatizing.”

Both burst into giggles, Kibum shoving Minho away before he collapsed against his shoulder until he could catch his breath. After a second of calmness, Kibum looked up at the clock again. 8:56. “Oh, , I’ve gotta go to class.” He helped Minho up and they hurried to the door. “Meet me by the stairs after class?” Kibum asked as he shoved his feet into his already-tied shoes.

“Sure.”

“Good luck!” He called out as he started for the stairs once again.

* * * * * * * * * *

Panted breaths and heavy footfalls echoed in the stairwell up to the third floor. Once they reached the top, Minho stopped and rested against the banister with Travis and Rhesa for a second. After a moment, they continued on, but Minho remained.

“Aren’t you coming?” Rhesa asked.

Minho turned from where he was leaning on the curled end of the banister on the third floor, looking up at them. “No,” Travis answered her before Minho could. “He’s waiting for Kibum.” 

“Yeah, we’ll be up there soon. It’s in the North Tower, right?”

Rhesa nodded, and they resumed their trek up the stairs, followed by several other Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. When the first of the Ravenclaws passed him, Minho perked up, watching the stream of third-year students coming out of Classroom 3C for Kibum. Soon, however, the stream became a trickle until there were no more students coming down the hall.

But still, no Kibum.

Minho adjusted his backpack and started down the corridor, his pace picking up once Classroom 3C was in sight. As soon as he reached the open doorway, Kibum was coming out. Both jumped, Kibum clutching his armful of parchment rolls and textbooks to his chest as he let out a deep breath.

“What took you so long?” Minho asked, turning around so Kibum could get into his backpack.”

“Sorry.” He stuffed one of his books inside. “I accidentally spilled ink all over my notes.“

“Oh no!”

“It’s okay. O’Neely helped me.”

“Oh.” Minho looked down the empty hall. “Ready?”

Kibum zipped Minho’s backpack back up, patting it. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

They started down the corridor, hurrying to catch up to their classmates, who were nowhere to be found. The journey to the North Tower was quite the trek, even from where they were on the third floor. It took far longer than it should to get there, with the changing staircases and the misdirection from the well-meaning paintings. After another seemingly wrong turn, Minho spotted Peeves throwing buttons at a hissing Mrs. Norris in an abandoned classroom.

Sighing heavily, he looked over at Kibum. “Should we ask Pe -- “

“Minho,” he said, his voice laced with exasperation. “I know we’re lost as hell but are we really at our last resort?” There was a flicker of movement in their peripheral and Minho glanced up. Oh, no...he spotted them. Kibum grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the doorway and they took off down the hall. “We don’t talk to him! Remember what happened last time?”

“Shh!” Minho pulled his hand back, glancing around. “Someone could hear you.”

“Who? Who the f -- “

“Beware!” Kibum froze, his gaze flicking to Minho as both of their eyes widened. “Beware, young comrade, as a foul slip of the tongue when fair maidens are present is unchivalrous!”

Minho peeked over Kibum’s head and stared at the painted knight who stood in a windy, grassy field, leaning against a rather fat and dappled pony. Two Ravenclaw girls were standing at the foot of the painting, amused as they watched he and Kibum approach them. 

“We were just asking Cadogan -- “

“SIR!” the knight bellowed, Minho flinching as his voice rang through the landing.

“-- right, yeah, Sir Cadogan how to get to the classroom.”

Sir Cadogan lifted his visor and cleared his throat. "It is quite simple. All one needs to do is -- "

“Yeah, yeah, we heard you the first time. Come on, guys,” one of the girls said, the other waving for Kibum and Minho to follow them into a room with a narrow, spiral staircase. The girls stopped and glanced at each other, one of them stepping up on the first step while the other moved aside. “You two can go first.”

“No, really, you two go,” Minho said. The one on the steps gulped and smoothed her skirt as she averted her eyes. Kibum let out a small little oh before he started to climb the stairs, motioning for Minho to follow him. “What was that about?” Minho whispered when they reached the second flight of stairs.

“I think they didn’t want to risk us looking up their skirts, even if it was an accident.”

“Ohhh...”

“Come on.” There were another couple flights of stairs, each one narrower than the last. Now feeling a little dizzy, Minho and Kibum staggered into the small, circular room at the top where all the other students were waiting.

“Took you long enough,” someone muttered when the Ravenclaw girls joined them.

A sharp creaking from above stopped any conversation, and everyone looked up to see what was causing it. An elaborate trapdoor in the ceiling was opened, a warm crimson light seeping out from the circular opening. There was a flash of silver, and the crowd parted as a thin rope ladder descended in the midst of them. 

“I guess...we’re supposed to climb it?” Someone on the opposite side of the room said.

“Yeah, no .” Several people laughed, Minho and Kibum included. 

“Ladies first,” Damien said with a deceptively kind smile -- Minho knew better than to believe it. 

When Chelsea stepped up to the rope, Minho surged forward and swiped it out of her hands. “No, we will,” he said, looking directly at Damien, who’s smile faltered slightly. He hoped no one noticed how his hand was shaking on the ladder when he looked back at Chelsea and the girls behind her. “Do...do you guys mind?”

A relieved not at all seemed to be the consensus from the girls, so Minho handed Damien the ladder and stepped back as he started to climb it. He glanced over at Kibum, who gave him a quick nod before Minho followed Damien up. Minho was preparing himself on the climb up for a probable confrontation with Damien, only to find him standing there with his mouth slightly agape. 

The air itself was a dusty pink, permeated by the crimson light shining through the draperies and the smoke from the incense that perfumed the room with the scent of jasmine and rose. Minho struggled not to sneeze as he climbed into the room. The professor, Trelawney, he thought her name was, sat in a plush armchair by the roaring fire. Her eyes were closed, but she followed their movement into the room.

“Just take a seat wherever you feel is best, my children,” she said, her voice a soothing whisper. “Ah, not there, Mr. Brent, there is some lingering chocolate that will stain your pants.” Damien shot out of the seat he was about to take and moved to another. 

More boys filed into the classroom, Minho keeping a close watch for Kibum from his seat closest to the wall of teacups. When he finally appeared, Minho waved him over through the perfumed haze. “What took you so long?” he asked as Kibum sat cross-legged on the ottoman across from him.

“I was the last guy.” 

One by one, the girls came through the trap door, and once Analecia closed the door behind her and was in her seat, Trelawney opened her eyes, her voice floating to them through the haze, almost like they were underwater and she was speaking to them from the shore.

“Welcome, one and all, to Divination. I am Professor Trelawney, and I will be your spiritual mentor and guide for the rest of your years spent on these hallowed grounds.” 

“Is she referring to the classroom, or...” Kibum let his whispered thought trail off when her wide, glasses-magnified eyes glanced their way. 

“Perhaps I am not as familiar to you as the other professors.” Which was true. Minho only remembered seeing her at the opening and closing feasts of the year. “As it is, I find it exceeding difficult to traverse the halls. It fogs the mind’s eye to always be immersed in society. 

“I almost regret to inform you, my dears, that not everyone will be gifted in this, the most difficult of all the magical arts. If you do not have the Sight, there’s only so much I can teach you, as your spiritual mentor. Do not think that if you are talented in the violent or abrasive magic of waving your wand about that your skills will carry over to this, the gentler and mysterious magic of looking into the beyond and gaining insight on the future. 

“Sadly, for most, the gift of sight is granted to but a few. You, my child,” she pointed to the opposite side of the room to Rhesa. “Your familiar, how does she fair?”

“...Fine?” 

Trelawney's expression pursed to one of great sorrow and concern. Minho thought he could see tears fogging up her thick glasses. “I hope I am wrong, then, for your sake.”

She turned back to the class, continuing as though nothing had happened. 

“For those gifted few, as well as the rest of you, I will be guiding you through the most basic methods of Divination -- my dear, please stop tapping the table with your toe, or else you’ll break my favorite piece of china, “ she said as she glided past Travis, who scoffed when he glanced down at his and Rhesa’s empty table. “ -- which include the art of reading tea leaves, then palmistry, followed by fire omens, and, if we have indeed recovered from his -- “ she gestured to Millicent across the room, “ -- tragic mishap with his wand, then we’ll be able to return to this classroom and continue our study of crystal balls.”

Trelawney sat back against the table before her chair, the firelight tracing her in a glowing orange aura. “Now, if you would, Mr. Choi,” Minho froze in his seat, dreading what pronouncement might follow his name. “Please bring me the largest teapot you can find, and the rest of you, divide yourselves into pairs.”

He gulped as he stood up, and searched the wall of shelves full of teapots, teacups, and saucers on the other side of Kibum. When he spotted the largest one, a silver one, he stepped down onto the bright red shag carpet and cautiously made his way over to where Trelawney was. She gave him a solemn nod before he hurried back to Kibum.

“Now, if you would all make your way to the wall and choose the teacup and saucer that speaks to you. They do not have to match!” she added as they all started to get up from their seats. “And Mr. Reed, be sure to take two and set one to the side.” Travis frowned at her as they all got up to find a teacup for themselves. 

“Once you have your tea, go ahead and drink it, leaving but a thimbleful in the bottom. With your left hand, swirl your teacup three times and place it rim-side down on your chosen saucer to allow it to drain.”

Minho picked one with delicate red roses painted on the rim, a thin gold line tracing the brim and the handle and the base. He blew a thin layer of dust out of the cup and started to clean it with the sleeve of his robe. “What’d you get?” he asked Kibum when he stood behind him in line. He held his up, showing Minho the cluster of blue violets painted on the side as he also wiped his clean. 

Once they reached Trelawney, she filled their cups half full and sent them on their way with a wave of her hand. Out of sync slurps were heard all around the room as they struggled to drink their too-hot tea quickly. “Can we ask for sugar?” someone asked behind him, but Trelawney didn’t hear them, as she seemed to be meditating in her seat. 

Or, she was just ignoring the question.

Several long minutes passed, and when the last cup was down Trelawney opened her eyes. “When you are sure the tea is drained, pass it to your chosen partner and open your Unfogging the Future to pages five and six, and begin your readings.”

“You think it’s ready?” Kibum whispered, peeking under his overturned teacup with Minho turned to the right pages. 

“Sure.” Minho turned his over, not even daring to look inside as he passed it to Kibum. “Okay, so it says here that we’re supposed to read counter-clockwise starting at the handle.” He stared at the leaves in Kibum’s cup, trying to find the symbols in them.

“So, this one sorta looks like a ladder,” Kibum glanced back and forth between the textbook and his cup. “Yeah, a ladder, which means...you’re gonna travel? Oh, or wait,” he studied the book again before he squinted at the teacup. “Okay so that was talking about the past, because the bottom half is the past and the top is the future.” 

Minho nodded, scanning the book himself now. “And the left is negative and the right is positive.”

“Right, okay, so you traveled, which is obviously referring to your move here. And...a horseshoe,” he said, turning the cup, “which means success or luck when choosing a partner or friend.”

“That must mean you!” 

“Yes, you were incredibly lucky that you met me.” Minho cracked up and Kibum grinned, both sobering when the watchful eye of Trelawney focused on them for a moment. Clearing his throat, Kibum turned the cup again. “I think this one is a hammer, or...or an axe, which means that you’ll overcome some problems you’ve been having.” 

“Huh, I wonder what that means.” He set Kibum’s cup down and leaned onto the table. “What’s next?” 

He turned the cup some more. “Well, there’s not much. They look kinda like undefined blobs, see?” He tipped the cup toward Minho. It was true, they did look like blobs. “Maybe they’re mountains, which means either powerful friends or enemies. Or maybe they’re clouds? I don’t know, it’s really hard to tell.” 

Across the room came a tinkling crash, and both of them looked to see Travis staring open-mouthed at the broken cup on the floor. “Mr. Reed, if you would bring up your second cup,” Trelawney said without looking up from her palm.

“What about mine?” Kibum asked when everyone went back to their readings.

“Oh, right!” Minho picked up his cup. “So, there’s these squiggly lines just below the handle. That means...that means difficult journey, but since it’s in the bottom that means it’s in the past,” he added when Kibum gulped. “And this one, well, two kinda look like the mashup of a heart and a butterfly, which means you’ll be successful?” 

“Well, that’s good.” 

“Mmhm.” Minho hummed, turning the cup. “Most of it drained on the right side, which is good.” 

“What...about the left?” 

“Well, there’s definitely an arrow, which means bad news is coming. I don’t know how serious that is.” 

“It can’t be good,” Kibum said with a nervous laugh. “Anything else?” 

“Uh...” Minho stared at the symbol -- a coffin, he was sure about that. He didn’t want to tell Kibum, especially after the arrow, but it was in the bottom left, so it was most likely referring to his dad. Still, he didn’t really want to bring it up, especially since it seemed that Kibum was taking this very seriously. “Nope, there’s a couple of specks, but I don’t think they mean anything.” 

Kibum let out a long sigh before lacing his fingers together in his lap. “I wonder what the bad news will be.”

“Probably nothing. You heard her, there’s probably only a few of us that are gifted with sight,” he said, mimicking her airy tone and grinning when Kibum chuckled. “And that’s probably not me, so...” 

“I guess.” 

It wasn’t too long after they finished their readings that Trelawney dismissed them. Minho took a huge breath of fresh air when they were free from the trapdoor, Kibum coughing roughly behind him. “Charms is next, right?” Minho asked as they started back down the narrow, winding staircase.

“Yeah!” Minho groaned, and Kibum pulled him along down the hall. “Come on, it won’t be that bad. You’ve been doing so well!” 

“But -- “ 

“Nope, you’re gonna do great again this year, right?” They stopped walking when the staircase started to move. “Right?” Minho nodded, trying not to sigh. “Of course, you will.” They started walking again when the staircase connected to the landing. “You really don’t think the reading was accurate?” 

He shook his head. “Of course not,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster.

Kibum took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Okay.”