The letter Kibum received from his mother this morning was burning a hole into his pocket since he hadn’t been able to catch Minho before he made his way upstairs to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He tapped his thumbs together, staring impatiently at the hourglass on Slughorn’s desk. The sand could not be falling any slower, and Priyasha had started him on a tangent about the importance and potency of scarab beetles in potions.

Beside him, Callum was nodding off, his cheek slipping from where it rested on his fist.

The bell rang, and Kibum was up and out of his seat, hurrying toward the door before Slughorn could even dismiss them.

“What are you in a hurry for?” Aaron called down the hallway once he stepped out of the classroom. “We have a free period next!”

Kibum ignored him, hugging his books to his chest as he slid to a stop before the stairwell, then ran upstairs to the main floor. He scanned the students milling about as he stopped in the doorway, catching his breath. Where the hell was...oh, there he was. Minho was traipsing down the stairs from the third floor flanked by Gil and Marvin, covering his yawn with his hand. Kibum started for the foot of the stairs, staring up at the three of them until Minho noticed him.

“Oh, hey!” He offered Kibum a sleepy smile before he murmured See you later to his dorm mates. “How was Potions?”

“Dull as .” Kibum linked his arm with Minho’s, pulling him aside. “So, my mom wrote me,” he said, fishing the letter out of his pocket and passing it to Minho to read. Minho squinted, reading over the short letter where Mom told him that she wouldn’t be able to get back into the country until July at the earliest. Some sort of complications with her work visa, or something.

“Uh…”

“Right?”

“What are you gonna do?”

Kibum shrugged. “Jjong won’t be back in the country until then either, remember? He has that trip he has to take with his dad.” Minho frowned and started re-reading the letter. “I guess I could stay here until she gets back -- ” Minho looked up at him again. “ -- but then I might as well just stay the whole summer if she’s gonna be gone that long, you know?”

Minho’s gaze trailed away in thought, then he pulled his arm out of Kibum’s hold and took a step back. Kibum blinked and looked past Minho at the group of Gryffindors that just walked by. Questions sprung to the tip of his tongue but were soon forgotten when Minho said, “I could stay here with you!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, why not? It’d be fun. Oh, or -- “ he looked away for a second when someone called his name. A Hufflepuff girl that Kibum couldn’t recognize at this distance. Minho nodded toward the library where she was and continued. “ -- you could come back to Manchester with me!”

Kibum’s brow furrowed. “Do you think your parents would go for that?”

The light in his eyes dimmed and he looked away. “Maybe. We won’t know unless we ask.” She called his name again, and Kibum fought the urge to glare her way. Minho must have sensed the shift in his mood, because he said, "That's Pandora, one of my partners for the Transfiguration thing."

"Ohhh…" Minho started walking toward the library, and Kibum automatically kept up with him. "I mean, if you want to ask your parents, I won't stop you. I just don't see them saying yes."

"Well, hopefully they prove you wrong." Kibum glanced his way, his smile drooping when Minho himself looked hopeless at the prospect. He considered reassuring him, but they arrived at the library and Minho's attention turned to Pandora.

"Hey, Damien wants us to work on the spell now."

Minho groaned, rolling his eyes. "I thought he was going to do that part."

Pandora glanced at Kibum before she looked back at Minho with a smirk. "Yeah, well, our self-proclaimed leader has decided to delegate that to us right now."

"Oh, has he."

"Is that the prick from Gryffindor?" Kibum asked, interjecting himself into their conversation. Pandora snorted and nodded. "Ugh, he's the worst. He's in my Muggle Studies class." He glanced between the two of them, looking again at Minho when his jaw tensed. "Does he act like a know-it-all with you guys, too?"

She looked over her shoulder before she leaned a little closer to Kibum. "You have no ing idea."

"Well, then, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting! Make sure you give him hell for me."

"We will!" Pandora said, turning and entering the library. Minho gave him the tiniest semblance of a smile before he followed her. Hm...hopefully he hadn't upset him by mentioning his parents and their probable refusal of him staying with them. He'd have to ask him about it later if he remembered.

He started, the thought flitting away when someone ran into him from behind. He turned, finding a wide-eyed Cassidy, his fellow Slytherin and one of the girls from his Transfiguration group project. She was reading while walking and hadn't noticed him standing there. "Oh, sorry, Kibum."

"It's okay."

She glanced past him to the library. “Hazel and Gwen were wanting to study for the group project right now. I was gonna tell you but you left class so quickly.” She finished with a nervous laugh and Kibum smiled sheepishly and followed her inside the library once she started walking again.

As a group, they had decided that they would try to turn a lizard into a bird, which Kibum had thought a bit odd of a choice until Gwen explained the evolutionary reasons behind it. Admittedly, he didn’t quite understand it, but her argument made sense, and it was decided. He and Cassidy were tasked with researching the biology of birds and determining the similarities between the two that could connect them. Honestly, Kibum knew he lucked out being put into this group. The other three were hard workers so the workload was fairly even.

His attention slipped momentarily from the book Gwen just passed him to where Minho and his group were sitting.

The other three were exchanging their thoughts while Minho sat a little ways away, reading his book and jotting down the occasional note. His chin was propped on his fist, and he kept looking over at the others in his group. Kibum’s brow furrowed, and he excused himself from his own group. He weaved through the students and desks between him and his best friend, plopping down beside him on the bench and smiling when Minho looked over at him in surprise.

“What are you doing?” Minho whispered in Korean, his eyes wide.

“You looked lonely.”

Across the table, Damien snapped his fingers at them. “Hey, this isn’t your group, so -- “

Kibum cocked his head, letting his lips curl into a smile as he gestured to the space between Minho and the rest of them. "Aw, can't I join? It looks like you have an opening." Pandora cleared , lowering her gaze. Kibum glanced down at Minho’s notes, picking them up. “I don't know what you all were chatting about but he’s over here trying to come up with a spell that’ll work for your group, so maybe you should include him in your discussion?”

“Bummie, it’s okay,” Minho said quietly, still speaking Korean.

He caught Damien’s glare and held it, raising his chin slightly, until he looked away. Then, he stood, returning Minho’s notes to him and waiting for him to meet his gaze. He could feel his expression softening when he did, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. “Remember,” he said, also in Korean, “your voice matters.” Minho gave him a small smile and nodded, and Kibum turned to rejoin his own group.

By the time he reached his seat, Minho had scooted down the bench, closer to Pandora, and was showing the other three his notes on the spells. Kibum smiled and went back to reading his own book until the bell rang, their free period ending.

Kibum stretched as the library bustled to life around him, everyone in a rush to get to their next class. He smiled at the girls in his group as they stood to leave, grabbing his own books and tucking them under his arm. His gaze trailed back to Minho to find him already watching him.

His attention darted to Minho’s group then back to Minho, his eyebrows raising, an unspoken “You good?” in his expression.

Minho nodded, a small smile forming as he looked down at his backpack in his lap. Satisfied, Kibum let himself be swept away with the others on his way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, unsurprised to find himself eager for the period to be over already so he could go to History.

* * * * * * * * * *

Working up the courage to write to his parents took a lot longer than Minho had been anticipating.

There hadn’t been a single letter from them since he refused to come home for Christmas, despite his several attempts to restart their communication. Minseok had written him a few times, short letters to update him on how he was doing or some cute thing Ember did...but it wasn’t the same.

Still, he didn’t regret staying here over the holidays. Kibum needed him, and he had promised Grandma that he would take care of him. And he would do anything within his power to keep that promise.

A warm breeze caressed him as he climbed the stairs to the owlery, his letter to his parents held tightly in his fist. He pinched his nose as he stepped inside the tower, grimacing as the stench still seeped through. The fluttering of hundreds of wings cascaded around him, punctuated by the curious hooting of the owls.

He sneezed. Twice.

Feathers fell like snow through the musty air, and he squinted, looking up at the roosts and nests until he spotted Geum-nan flew down to greet him. He patted her head and she blinked, staring at the letter in his hand. She took it in her talons and looked up at him, cocking her head.

"Take it to Mom and Dad, please."

And with that, she flew out the window, soaring over the Black Lake. Minho watched her until the smell was too much, then hurried down the steep stairs.

Hopefully Kibum would be done with choir practice by now.

It was several days before Minho heard back from his parents. In fact, he was partially surprised that he received a letter at all. It arrived during breakfast with the other mail, and as soon as Minho saw the address, he grabbed the remaining toast off of his plate and excused himself from the table.

He waited until he was back in his dorm room, the door slammed shut behind him, before he even opened the letter. Minho sat at the foot of his bed, tearing it open.

It was his father's handwriting -- he took a deep breath and started to read.

Minho,

I'm surprised to hear that you want to come home at all. I would have thought by now that the people at your school would have turned you completely against us. If this isn't some fleeting desire to see your family again then, of course, we'll be happy to see you again.

Mom and Dad

Minho gulped and looked up at the closed door across from him. They hadn't given permission for Kibum to come with him, but they didn't say no either. To be honest, he was a tad confused by the meaning of the letter, but the bell rang before he could even think about writing back to ask for clarification.

He was still thinking about it when he reached Divination. He crossed his arms as he stood with the others, waiting for the silver ladder to fall when suddenly someone pinched the back of his neck. Lightly, of course, but enough to make him shrug his shoulders and throw back his head to fend off another round of pinching.

"Morning, Bummie."

Kibum stopped playing with his neck and came around to face him, his brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"My parents wrote back."

"ing finally." He paused to search Minho's expression. "They said I couldn't come, huh…"

"Not exactly." Minho huffed a laugh when Kibum frowned in confusion. "They didn't say yes or no. They just...didn't mention you at all." Silence fell over the group as the trapdoor opened and the silver ladder slinked down among them. Minho looked back at Kibum when the first of the boys started up it. "I'm gonna write back and ask again."

"You don't have to," Kibum said, glancing around at the group. "I don't want you to get in trouble on my behalf."

Minho tried not to smile as Kibum moved to follow the last of the boys up to the classroom. He held to ladder steady, waiting for Kibum to reach a few rungs above his head before he started to climb. It was sweet that Kibum was concerned for him, really, but he could handle any snide remarks from his parents, as long as Kibum was happy.

He had been lately, too, which was a profound relief. The nightmares where Grandma or his father or both died repeatedly until he woke up had become basically non-existent, which was good. The only downside was that they spent fewer nights together in the loft, but that was a sacrifice Minho was willing to make.

Kibum truly was the strongest person at Hogwarts, having had to endure so much...Minho was lucky to have him in his life and blessed to be able to call him his best friend. And, because of that, if there was anything he could do to help Kibum hold his head high, he was more than willing.

"What's that look for?" Kibum whispered as Minho slid in beside him on the wooden bench. Minho frowned, shaking his head in confusion. Kibum smiled, his dimples appearing briefly before he turned his attention to Trelawney as she started her lecture.

He sent his response the next morning after breakfast, hoping against hope that his parents would respond positively.

The end of the year exams loomed over them, distracting Minho momentarily from worrying about what his parents might say. Research for his group project and studying late into the night with Kibum ate up his time. Aside from Transfiguration, he actually felt moderately prepared to face his exams this year. He understood everything that was being taught and he knew exactly what he to expect going into this round of exams.

Transfiguration, on the other hand...Minho shook his head as he skimmed Richard’s messy notes. “Did you know that we have to do a presentation for this?” he said, his voice quiet in their still study closet.

Kibum’s toes wriggled beneath his thigh and he turned the page of his Standard Book of Spells. “Yeah, Crowell told us today.” He closed his textbook and Minho looked over at him. “It’ll be okay, you know. You’ll do great.”

Minho sighed, returning his attention to Richard’s notes. “I hope so.”

“Well, I know so…” Minho smiled to himself and glanced his way before pulling out Damien's notes.

His parents’ response didn’t arrive until the following Sunday, and all that was in the envelope was a short letter that said We’re looking forward to seeing you again and a single train ticket from King’s Cross to Piccadilly. Minho sighed, his shoulders drooping as he trudged across the Great Hall to where Kibum was and passed the letter to him once he set down his pumpkin juice.

He opened the envelope, peeking inside to see the contents, then passed it back to Minho with a small smile. “It won’t be so bad.”

“Won’t you be lonely though?”

Kibum lowered his eyes to his plate, picking up his fork and then setting it down again. “It’s only gonna be for a month, right? I’ll think of stuff to do.” The envelope crinkled in Minho’s hands, and Kibum’s arm slipped around him. “Like, helping Sprout with the gardens, or maybe I could ask Sookey to teach me how to cook...or Hagrid could take me fishing on the lake...or I could try to see how many secret passageways I can find without getting caught by Mrs. Norris, or Filch -- “

“Or Peeves.”

Kibum shuddered, which made Minho chuckle. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me, okay?”

“Okay.” He would, though, until he knew he was back with his mom and Jonghyun.

Despite the fact that finals were a mere two weeks away, they spent a lazy Sunday together, ignoring their studies as they always did and taking their lunch outside to enjoy the nice weather. Minho ended up falling asleep, his head resting in Kibum’s lap, the early summer breeze wrapping them in its warm embrace. When he woke, the sky had changed with the setting sun, the clouds washed with oranges and pinks. He blinked slowly, his focus turning from the sky to Kibum. His fingers were still in Minho’s hair, twirling strands occasionally as he looked out over the lawn toward the Forbidden Forest.

He had really pretty eyes.

Minho was at a bit of an odd angle, so he couldn’t see them properly, but… He had always thought they were just plain brown like his own, but now in the light of the dying sun, he saw that there was a warmth there that he hadn’t noticed before. He blinked and, for a split second, considered mentioning his newfound revelation until...

“Oh, you’re awake," Kibum said, immediately pulling his hands away. His cheeks were dusted in pink as Minho nodded and reluctantly pushed himself up, stretching. “Do you wanna head inside?”

“Sure.”

They parted ways in the hallway, Minho watching Kibum for a moment before he started for Hufflepuff. He was still sleepy, despite his nap and the early hour, so he crawled into bed. Only, once he pulled the covers over his shoulder, his sleepiness melted away. His roommates were reading or, in Seb and Travis' case, talking to each other quietly because he had his curtains drawn around his bunk.

Minho rolled over onto his back, staring at the myriad glowing stars above his head.

Was it weird that he thought Kibum was pretty? Not just his eyes...he had a nice face, too...and smile…

Frowning, Minho rolled onto his side, tucking his arms and legs up until he was in a tight ball. No, he should think about him like that...they were just friends, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

His mind wandered back to Korea last summer, to Sooyoung and Miyoung. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He had come to the conclusion then that he might have a...a crush on Kibum, but that was swiftly ignored and forgotten when they got the news about Grandma.

Was it really possible for boys to like boys like they were supposed to like girls? At the moment, he really wanted to be able to call Sooyoung so he could ask her, but even if he had a phone, the time difference would be too much.

The lights dimmed and switched off, his roommates hurrying to settle into bed for the night. Marvin said goodnight to them all and got murmurs in return.

Maybe it wasn't weird to think your best friend was cute? And pretty? He rolled over on his back, his fingers carding through his hair as he resettled. Maybe whatever he was feeling towards his best friend was just a phase...yeah, he’d get over it soon enough...he just spent a lot of time with Kibum, that’s all… His gaze trailed back up to the glowing stars above his head, and he traced the constellations he had made when he rearranged them last.

When he spotted the Boötes constellation, his hand went to his chest, feeling the pendant of the necklace Kibum had given him last year. Maybe he could talk to Gilbert about this, instead of Sooyoung, since he talked to Minho about his crush on Analecia often. After a second, he thought better of it.

It would be better for him -- and by extension, Kibum -- if he kept whatever he was feeling to himself. Word could get to Damien otherwise, and that was the last thing Minho wanted…

He sighed heavily and rolled over again, reaching blindly for the drawer of his nightstand. Once opened, he felt around for the once-Remembrall and closed the drawer. He tucked himself back into bed before he shook it, the glass ball coming to life with the night sky. A tiny shooting star shot across the sky, Minho following it until it disappeared.

Minho pressed his hand over his heart, gripping his sleeping shirt with his fist. Maybe things would be different in the morning…but, even as he thought that he hoped that it wouldn’t be the case.

 * * * * * * * * * * *

The owls flew into the Great Hall, carrying the rain with them. Kibum continued to eat his breakfast, watching the others get their mail from their families. Probably their tickets home for the summer or even well-wishing for the upcoming exams. He gulped as he looked back down at his food. Despite his bravado yesterday, he really was dreading the end of the term now. But, he really didn’t want to make Minho feel guilty for something he couldn’t control.

He would be fine, he knew that much, but he also would be very lonely until Mom would be able to get him.

He tossed a curd of scrambled eggs around his plate with his fork, resting his chin on his hand with a sigh. There was no use wallowing in self-pity, especially when there was nothing he could do to change the circumstances.

Across the Great Hall, Minho shot up out of his seat, drawing Kibum’s attention. He moved faster than he had ever remembered seeing him move this early in the morning, running to his side. Breathless, Minho passed him an envelope before he sat beside him.

“What’s this?”

“Just open it,” he said, grabbing Kibum’s pumpkin juice and taking a drink.

The seal of the envelope had already been broken, so Kibum just pulled the flap up to find another ticket. From King’s Cross to Piccadilly. He frowned in confusion and Minho leaned over, pulling out the slip of paper behind it. For Kibum, it read. He stared at it for a moment before he looked over at Minho, his eyes wide.

“My mom must have changed her mind. Or Dad’s mind.” He nudged Kibum with his elbow, a smile in his voice. “You get to come home with me! Aren’t you excited?”

“Of course.” His smile grew as he continued to stare at the ticket. He tucked it back in the envelope and passed it back to Minho. “Keep it with yours, I don’t want to lose it.”

“Will do.” Minho cleared his throat, his gaze darting to meet Kibum’s for a second before he looked away, his cheeks coloring. “I’ll, uh, see you in Divination,” he said, scooting away from Kibum.

“Yeah, see you later.” He searched Minho’s expression when he looked back at him with a small smile, then turned to make his way back to Hufflepuff’s table.