A/N: I know, I know, I said I'd be on hiatus to work on that other fic lol I changed my mind. I'll take a hiatus between the end of seventh year and the "after Hogwarts" chapters, so you're stuck with me till then. I just hope my enthusiasm for seventh year makes me able to post once a week like I have been doing! 

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Traveling by portkey was somehow worse than apparition. Maybe it was the distance they had to travel, but as soon as Kibum touched the toe of the boot, something took hold of his core and yanked him through time and space, twisting and roiling him and Slughorn together as they hurtled to the Enchanted Garden in Uganda.

All at once, the night stopped spinning around them, and Kibum staggered as soon as his feet were on solid ground. He fell back, sitting on the edge of a fountain, and stared past Slughorn at the garden.

Beams of colored light illuminated the darkened garden, hues of greens and pinks and blues. Colored sparks danced in the beams that were shooting up into the night from cauldrons placed around the garden. He couldn’t see much, aside from the lights glittering off the leaves or fronds or bark surrounding them. He’d have to get a better look in the morning once the sun had risen.

“Hullo?” Slughorn called out, making Kibum jump in surprise at the sound of his raised voice. He picked up Minho’s duffle bag and held it close as he stood again and rejoined Slughorn at his side.

“Cornelius!” someone, a woman, called back from somewhere in the shadows of the garden. Kibum’s eyes widened as he searched for her, only to see her striding out of what he assumed to be an archway. As she approached, he was taken in by her bright smile and beautiful dress. He bowed his head a little to her when she looked his way. “Is this your champion, Cornelius?”

Kibum was thankful for the night when he felt his face inflame. “Champion is a bit of a strong word, ma’am,” Kibum said, letting out a nervous chuckle.

“Nonsense. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t one.”

“Yes, Jendyose. This is Kim Kibum, Hogwart’s star Potions and Alchemy pupil.” She glanced him over again, no doubt appraising him. “Kibum, this is Jendyose Mbabazi, the Headmistress of Uagadou School of Magic.”

Kibum bowed again, a little lower, this time. “A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“And you as well, Kibum.” He smiled, pleased with how his name sounded with her accent. “Let’s go inside, shall we?”

Kibum lagged a few steps behind Slughorn and Headmistress Mbabazi, looking around at the garden as they passed it on their way to the looming mountain.

He heard the rush of a waterfall before he saw it in the darkness or felt the mist of it settling on his skin and hair. Kibum held on tighter to Minho’s duffle bag when he followed Slughorn and Mbabazi into a pool of water, his eyes blown wide as torches on either side of the pool burst into flame. He, unlike the others, had stopped walking as soon as he realized they were in water, but the other two kept on toward the waterfall, talking as if nothing had changed.

Kibum took a tentative step forward, and then another before he froze in place again.

Without any indication from Mbabazi that he could see, the waterfall parted down the middle, opening up to reveal a spacious, warmly-lit room within the mountain. Slughorn and Mbabazi walked up onto the landing before Mbabazi looked back at him, her melodic laugh cutting through the cascading waterfall. “Hurry, Kibum, before it closes!”

Quickly, he sloshed through the pool and joined them on the landing, his clothes and robe dripping wet. Mbabazi’s kind eyes met his, and with a snap of her fingers, she, Slughorn, and Kibum were once again dry. “Let me take you to the rooms you’ll be using while you’re here.”

Once again, Kibum trailed behind, looking up and around the circular room. It seemed to be that this had once been a volcano, given the fact that he could see a bit of the night sky at the very top of the cone-like ceiling. Natural rings were formed around the ceiling, no doubt where lava had once been waiting to burst forth, and columns of stalagmites and stalactites protruded from the floor and ceiling, marking tunnels that led to unknown caverns. A series of curved tables made a sort of circle in the center of the room, which Kibum assumed was Uagadou’s version of a Great Hall.

He couldn’t help but wish that Minho had been here to see this, too. His reaction would have been priceless.

Kibum hurried to catch up to Slughorn and Mbabazi as she led them down one of the darkened caverns. “This is where the international champions are staying for the duration of the competition. Durmstrang, Mahoutokoro, and Koldovstoretz’s champions are already here, Beauxbatons, Ilvermorny, and Castelobruxo’s champions will arrive either later tonight or in the morning.” Kibum nodded, looking around in awe at the lava-smoothed cavern and the round doors set into the walls. She stopped before the fourth set of doors, one on either side. “Cornelius, you’ll take the left, and Kibum, the right. Breakfast begins at seven, so please listen for the drums.”

“Thank you,” Kibum said, slipping into his room before Slughorn could drag him into his long-winded wish of goodnight to Headmistress Mbabazi.

As soon as the door behind him slid closed, Kibum leaned against it with a heavy sigh.

It was a small, round room, lit candles sending dancing shadows on the wall and ceiling. A small door off to the right led to what Kibum found on closer inspection to be his own personal bathroom, and a little wooden dresser sat below a gilded mirror. He set Minho’s duffle bag on top of it, snorting at how windswept traveling by portkey had made him look. After a second of trying to brush his hair back into its proper place, Kibum dug into the bag and pulled out Minho’s notebook and a self-inking quill before he went over to the bed that was carved into the wall, rolling onto it with a sigh.

Minho had already written to him, judging by the way the pages kept fluttering, but Kibum took his time opening to the right page, skimming their previous conversations with a slight smile.

Make it okay?

Yeah, I’m just settling into bed right now, Kibum wrote back, his smile growing when Minho instantly responded.

How was the traveling?

Weirder than apparition. I don’t recommend it.

As long as you didn’t lose a finger… Kibum shook his head and rolled his eyes. Why he continued to bring that up when he knew it would piss him off, he’d never know. Is it cool there?

Hard to tell, because it’s night, but I’d say yeah. He paused, brushing the feathered end of his quill over his lips. Wish you were here, though. Pictures won’t do this place justice. The school is inside a volcano.

WHAT?!? Kibum laughed. I packed your polaroid, be sure to take a bunch of pictures for me!~

I will!~ He really did wish he could have brought Minho along, since he probably would start to get stressed out once the competition started. What are your plans for tomorrow? he asked, steering his thoughts away from his growing anxiety.

Nothing too interesting, I don’t think. Probably just working on that essay for Crowell with the others and heading down to Hogsmeade for a bit when we’re done. But it won’t be the same without you here.

Yeah?

Yeah. Kibum watched the blank space on the page, wondering what Minho would write next when he saw him writing again. I guess I should let you sleep, huh? Keep me updated on how things are going?

Of course I will. Night, Min.

Night~ I’ll talk to you tomorrow~

Kibum drew a little sleeping face before he set his quill aside and closed the notebook, crawling under the covers. He hugged the notebook to his chest as he watched the flames flicker, his eyes slowly drooping closed as sleep claimed him.

He woke with a start and the rolling sound of drums echoing down the cavern. Blearily, he sat up, blinking as he looked around and tried to reorient himself. Right, he was in Africa for the Potions competition. Groaning, he slipped out of bed, hiding Minho’s notebook beneath his pillow before he dug through his bag for a change of clothes and his polaroid before he made his way back out into the main room.

It seemed like a longer walk back to the main room than it had been last night, but that could have been because he was heading there alone. As he walked through, he found that it was even more brilliant in daylight. The walls were a deep, rusty orange that led all the way up to the glimmer of daylight through the peak of the mountain. The tables were all occupied, now, but the students of Uagadou School of Magic paid him little attention as he made his way into the room. He found the table of the others quite easily and he slid into the furthest seat, casting a nervous glance their way. A girl with mouse-brown hair looked up from her breakfast, her eyes brightening. “You’re Kibum, right?”

He blinked rapidly, and would have asked how she knew his name, were it not for her French accent. “Yes. Are you one of Jonghyun’s friends?”

She shook her head, chuckling a little. “No, I’m the little sister of the drummer of their band. Celeste Bellamy.” Kibum nodded, smiling at her as before he glanced at the others.

“Eduardo,” the guy next to him said before he took a drink of his water. “I’m from Castelobruxo.”

“Where’s that?”

“Brazil.”

The girl with the long, dark braid across from Kibum held her hand out over the table, which Kibum took and shook. “Hi! I’m Ayita from Ilvermorny.”

“I’m Kibum, obviously,” he said, with a chuckle. “From Hogwarts.”

“How late did you get here?” the ebony-skinned girl at the head of the table asked.

“I’m not sure. The professor and I left Hogwarts at about seven, I think.”

She nodded, tucking her braids behind her ear. “I’m Chriki, by the way. From here,” she added, gesturing around the grand room.

“That’s a pretty name,” Celeste said before she took another bite of her rice.

“Thanks.”

The others joined them one by one, all sleepy-eyed and a bit disheveled. There was Vivika from Durmstrang, a girl who seemed to only have eyes for Ayita, whom she sat beside; Michail from Koldovstoretz, a boy who ate quietly and only gave his name after several people asked him it; and Hiraku from Mahoutokoro, a boy who sat directly beside Kibum after he introduced himself with a deep bow. He didn’t speak to him, but he seemed to find comfort in there being another Asian person there, and Kibum couldn’t help but feel the same way, even if they didn’t share a language.

Chriki, Celeste, and Vivika carried the conversation, with Eduardo adding the occasional thought, while everyone else kept to themselves unless one of the other’s asked them a question. As Chriki was showing them where to put their dirty dishes, Headmistress Mbabazi approached them from what Kibum assumed was the professors’ table.

“Good morning,” she said, and smiled when they said it back. “If you would all follow me outside, I’ll show you around our garden and explain what to expect.” Hiraku fell into step beside Kibum at the back of the group as they followed her back to the waterfall, which once again parted for them.

The garden turned out to be more of a rainforest, just with mosaic-lined paths and brightly colored flowers adorning the bushes near the paths and into the depths of the forest. It reminded him of the Forbidden Forest, in that it was dark and dense, but it didn’t feel forbidden at all. Rather, inviting. Minho would have loved to spend hours exploring the different plants, he was certain of that.

“This,” Mbabazi said, gesturing to the mosaic paths and drawing all of their attention to it. “Tells the history of our great school. How we fought the dark wizard Mukasa for the right to claim the Mountains of the Moon for our school of light magic.” Kibum stared in awe at the shifting colors of the tiles, the pictures coming to life as they walked over them. “It is our tradition, to honor the trials we faced all those centuries ago, by holding a competition of our own, to display the strength of light magic and remind us of our victory.”

She turned, smiling proudly. “You’re here because you are the best in your schools at potions, which was what we used to defeat Mukasa. And, because of that, you will be displaying the versatility of potions and your own quick wit against the challenges you’ll be presented with. You’ll be given three days to prepare, and then you’ll be released into the garden with the other champions to complete the obstacle course that we have set. Afterward, there will be a ceremony where the winner will get to show us their talents in potioneering as well as a feast to honor all of you.

“Please, don’t hesitate to make yourself comfortable during your stay here. We want you to feel at home here in Uagadou, as well as familiarize yourself with the garden before the competition begins. Our Chriki will be happy to show you around the school and gardens as well as answer any questions you might have.” Kibum glanced her way before returning his attention to Mbabazi. “I’ll leave you to your own devices, for now,” she said, smiling again as she started back for the waterfall.

Kibum, along with the others, wandered around the garden, taking pictures of the different flowers and plants that he was sure Minho would have freaked out over. And, when no one else was paying attention, he took a few pictures of himself with the garden as a backdrop.

So, are you feeling confident about your chances? Minho asked him that night after he had settled into bed.

I’m not sure yet. I’m gonna do a bunch of studying still, and try to feel out the others to see where their strengths are.

I’m sure you’ll do great, Bummie. You always do.

Kibum smiled as he huffed a sigh. Thanks. Sounds like it’ll be more intense than I was anticipating. We’ll see how it actually turns out.

Well, I’ll still be proud of you, no matter what happens.

Kibum rested his head against the wall, staring at the words. It really meant the world to him that Minho believed in him as much as he did, and was as unflinchingly supportive as he was. He probably wouldn’t have made it this far, otherwise. Probably would have been too stressed to take Slughorn’s test, let alone pass it.

Wanna hear the dumb that Gryffindor got into trouble for today?

He sat up, reaching for his quill. yeah, tell me everything

Instead of sleeping, like he probably should have done, he stayed up, writing back and forth with Minho until his hand started to cramp and he fell asleep on his notebook.

* * * * * * * * * *

Waking up with your face stuck to a book isn't the most pleasant feeling, but one that Minho was rather familiar with as of late. Squinting, he peeled the yellowed parchment off of his cheek and rubbed his eye as he sat up, checking to see if Kibum was awake yet and had written back.

, I think I only got a few hours of sleep...I'm so nervous.

Are you still asleep? Wake uuuuuup, Minho

Min

Minho

Min~ Please wake up~

Time differences ing

Fine, ignore me, I don't care...I'm heading down to breakfast and I don't know if I'll be back before the competition starts, so, wish me luck!

Blearily, Minho fumbled around for his pen, finding it on the floor. Sorry, just woke up. Hope you see this before, but if not, good luck, buddy!~ I'm sure you'll be amazing, like usual!

He watched the space below for a few minutes, his eyes drooping shut as he struggled to keep them open. It was -- he rolled over, checking Seb's alarm clock -- a little past five, so it meant it was a little past seven there. Breakfast, maybe a little bit more studying, and then getting prepared for the competition that was supposed to start at nine. Minho rested his head back against his pillow, closing his eyes as he rolled some of the tension out of his neck. Before he drifted back off to sleep, a niggling hope that Kibum would be able to talk to him once more before the competition began flitted around his mind.

Minho woke as the others were heading out for breakfast, and he held his notebook over his face, checking to see if Kibum had been able to write back.

He had.

Thanks, buddy. I just you were here with me. I'd feel a lot better, I think.

Me too

He set aside his hope that Kibum would be able to write back. It was just barely seven now, which meant that the competition had already started.

Minho dressed quickly for the day, stuffing his notebook in his robe pocket, just in case. He wanted to be ready whenever Kibum wrote back after the competition was done. He hurried up to join the others, stopping by the Slytherin table to let Analecia, Callum, and Aaron in on Kibum’s update before he went over to Hufflepuff.

It was another rainy spring day, so they all stayed inside to work on their loads of homework before their Potions lesson with Mrs. Weasley -- why Slughorn had called her Ms. Granger, he didn’t know, but she made the correction within the first minute of her first class with them. Luckily, he was able to finish his essay on the origin and etymology of the Cleaning Spell for Charms class over lunch. He packed it up and stuffed it into his backpack before he made his way downstairs to the dungeons with the others.

Mrs. Weasley -- or, Hermione, as she insisted on being called -- was already there and sitting behind Slughorn’s desk, no doubt looking over one of the other year’s homework that she assigned. A cauldron sat at the corner of her desk, a thin vapor curling off the pearly surface. It smelled nice...really nice… At first, he thought it smelled like freshly baked pumpkin pasties, but then maybe like the rich hot cocoa from Madam Puddifoot’s, or, when it changed again, the faint scent of vanilla and candle smoke that seemed to permeate the study closet.

Hermione looked up from her desk, and it was only then that Minho realized that he, and most of the others, were standing in front of Slughorn’s desk. Her eyebrow quirked up in what was clearly amusement, and she nodded behind them. “Please, have a seat. We’ll start in a moment.”

Minho glanced around at the others, who all looked about as dazed as he felt. He made his way back to his and Kibum’s usual spot, his gaze landing on Kibum’s empty seat. It’d just be a few more days, and he’d be home and everything would be right in the world again.

“Alright,” Hermione said as she stood, curling her bushy hair into a bun and holding it fast with a pencil. “Who knows what this potion is?”

Analecia raised her hand, and Hermione answered her with a questioning look. “It’s Amortentia, ma’am. It’s the most powerful love potion in the world.”

Minho’s face instantly heated, and he glanced around to see if he was alone in his reaction. He wasn’t.

“Correct, five points to Slytherin.” She flicked her wand toward the blackboard, which started to wheel itself towards her. With another flick of her wand, a piece of chalk picked itself up and started to write behind her, and Minho took out some spare parchment and a quill to start jotting down notes for Kibum. “Amortentia, when broken down etymologically, means ‘love held’. Amor is a Roman god of love, and amour is French for love, which isn’t a surprise that they are both similar, being that they are Romance languages. Anyways, tentia is Latin for held, so when put together, it means -- “

“Love held,” Minho said along with the others.

“Exactly. Now, I'm sure some, if not all of you, noticed that it emits particular scents. These are the scents that remind you of the object of your affection."

Travis raised his hand, and Hermione acknowledged him with a pointed nod. "Do you smell anything, Mrs. Weasley?"

She took a deep inhale, smiling slightly. "The notes that stand out the most to me are...my husband's shampoo, the dirigible plums he planted in our garden, and a home-cooked meal. As you can see, these are things that you associate with your significant other or your crush. I'm sure none of you smelled any of those notes."

Minho shook his head a little, glancing at the others to see if they were doing the same.

"Now...Yes, Mr. Brent?"

Damien cleared his throat and looked around the room before he asked, "Have you ever seen it used?"

"In a way, yes. Ronald, my husband -- " A series of hands shot up around the room " -- No, I didn't use it on him." One by one, the hands fell back down. "He ate some chocolates that were infused with a love potion that luckily wasn't Amortentia. But that's a whole other story.

"Believe it or not, but this is actually one of the most dangerous potions in the wizarding world. Does anyone know why?"

At first, no one responded, but Rhesa slowly raised her hand. "Is it because of Gamp's Law?"

"Yes!" Hermione said, beaming at her. "Five points to Hufflepuff." Still grinning, she went on. "In History of Magic, Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration states that life, food, wealth, knowledge, and love cannot be conjured from nothing. Doing so will only bring harm and ruin to those that conjure it and those that partake. There is a prevailing theory that Voldemort's mother used this potion -- " She turned, stirring the pearly potion again. Minho got hit with a wave of crisp autumn leaves and petrichor. " -- To trick Voldemort's father into marriage. Because of this theory, it is assumed that Voldemort was born without the ability to love.

"Now, to get to the good stuff, let's open our books to page…" She drew out the word as she went back to check her notes. "Eighty-seven, and let's discuss the ingredients. We won't be making this today," she added as they started to get out her books. "Because as you'll soon find out, it takes two weeks to brew this potion. Well, that," she said with a chuckle. "And I don't think it's a good idea to put this in the hands of students, and the Headmistress agrees."

Minho kept up as much as he could with his note-taking, but was distracted towards the end of class when his pocket started to flutter. Kibum! He was done! He rapped three times on the notebook and it stopped moving, but his heart continued it's rapid beating until the bell rang and he was able to leave.

He waited until he was back in his dorm, where he dumped his backpack under his bed, intending to get to it later. After he'd read what Kibum had to say.

I don't know if you're done with class yet but I just got back to my room. I'm gonna go shower the sweat and blood and stuff off me, be right back

Blood?!?

He tapped the end of his pen against his paper, worrying his bottom lip. The others came and went after they changed out of their uniforms.

"Coming upstairs?" Gil asked as he was heading for the door.

"Soon, probably."

Nodding, Gilbert closed the door behind him and Minho returned his attention to the notebook. Kibum still hadn't written back. Still showering, probably. He read the message again and again until he couldn't sit still any longer. Then, he got up, pacing back and forth until he heard the telltale flutter of pages.

Sorry for worrying you~ not all of it was mine. I'm fine now though, don't worry. Completely fine. Minho picked up his pen to write, but Kibum continued. I wish I could stay and talk but I can't be late to the ceremony. I'll talk to you when it's done?

That works. Are you sure you're okay?

He could almost hear Kibum's fond laugh in the ink. Yes, I'm fine. I'll be back soon~

It wasn't for another few hours, when Minho was heading for dinner from the library when Kibum wrote back. He slipped away from the others and hurried upstairs to the study closet, relieved that it opened for just him. Once some of the candles were lit and Minho was comfortably situated, he opened the notebook again.

I'm so exhausted…

I bet. Would you rather sleep? I'd completely understand if that's what you wanted

No, I want to talk to you. As much as I can.

Minho smiled at the words, but couldn’t help wishing that Kibum was there instead. This would have to do. So...how'd it go?

Do you want the full story?

If you're up for it, then sure!

I hope you're comfortable, buddy, because Merlin's beard…

* * * * * * * * * *

I'm sure you'll be amazing, like usual!

Thanks, buddy. I just you were here with me. I'd feel a lot better, I think.

Kibum stared at the open, knowing full well that he wouldn't write back. He probably crashed again. Just as well.

He brushed his thumb over Minho's last message before he closed the book and tucked it under his pillow. The drums announcing the beginning of the competition were starting, which meant he was practically late to Musaka's Ruin. He cast a quick, appraising glance at the mirror as he passed it, making sure that his new outfit looked like it was on right.

They were all dressed in some sort of athletic suit -- if Minho were here, he'd probably be able to come up with the Muggle equivalent for whatever this was -- that was decked out in their school colors. Kibum, being from Hogwarts, was dressed in all black, aside from a slash of each of the house colors across his chest.

Some of the others weren't so lucky with their color combinations.

Kibum closed his bedroom door behind him before he jogged down the tunnel and into the Feasting Room. Most of the others were huddled there, behind the waterfall. Hiraku stepped out from behind them, welcoming Kibum with a nervous sort of grin. He scanned them, mentally calculating who was missing, but before he could figure it out, Ayita and Vivika were running to fall into place at the back of the group.

"Ready?" Chriki whispered.

"Hopefully," Celeste whispered back.

Eduardo patted Michail and Hiraku on their backs, and they all moved together like a swarm of scared grindylows.

The waterfall parted for them, a thin mist wetting Kibum's skin before he hopped into the pool, sloshing with the others to the mosaic path that led to Musaka's Ruin. The drumming thrummed in the air around them; his heartbeat quickened to match it.

Headmistress Mbabazi was waiting for them at the heart of Musaka's Ruin, flanked on either side by the Potion's professors of the other schools. Kibum's attention flickered momentarily to Slughorn, who offered him a weak smile. Before her, on the path, lie eight random objects. Portkeys. Each one set up to send them to a random part of the Enchanted Garden.

Kibum, remembering what he had been told last night, stood before the Remembrall that was placed before Slughorn. The others likewise fell into place before their own professors, and Kibum took a deep, calming breath before he looked back over at Mbabazi.

"Glory and honor awaits whoever returns to Musaka's Ruin first. Will it be you?" she asked Celeste, then looked at Hiraku. "Or you?" Then, her gaze landed on Kibum, and his breath caught in his chest. "Perhaps you?" But as soon as she looked at him, her eyes swept back over the group of them and she raised her hands. "The wands, please."

Slughorn and the rest of the professors produced Kibum and their champion's wands from where they were tucked into their robes. They had had to turn them in to ensure that there was no cheating amongst the schools, or something. Honestly, Kibum had zoned out when it was being explained last night.

Kibum reached out, a smidge of relief soothing his anxiety to finally have his wand returned to him. His hold tightened on the curled grip and he gritted his teeth.

Let's get this over with, come on...

"Have courage, trust your instincts, and luck be with you, champions," Mbabazi said, taking a step back toward the other professors and lowering her hands in a grand gesture to the portkeys.

That was the cue…

Kibum took a quick breath in as he bent over, barely grabbing the small Remembrall before Mbabazi, Slughorn, and Musaka's Ruin vanished before his eyes. He slipped through time and space, the air around him shredded and rippling with the green of the garden and the gray of the overcast sky. One second, he felt as though he were inside out, and the next, right side out and once again standing on solid ground.

He tossed aside the Remembrall as he staggered back, gripping a thick tree trunk as he hurled what remained of his sparse breakfast. Once he finished dry heaving, he rested his head against the trunk and closed his eyes, allowing himself a second of reprieve before he turned back around to face the forest.

Alone.

The humidity clung to him, the scent of the rainforest and the flowers around him heavy and cloying. He covered his nose, taking a deep breath as he returned to where he arrived. Birds sang above and around him; cicadas chirped in the wind-rustled leaves. The quiet rush of water called to him from the distance, but he couldn’t tell from which direction.

There was a small leather pack on the ground near where he landed, almost concealed by the underbrush. He picked it up and sat on the ground by the Remembrall, unlatching it to look inside.

A handful of vials about the size of his pinky were inside, all filled with different potions and stoppered with a cork. None were labeled. He recognized a few at first glance, though. The acid green of the Shrinking Solution, The dark, shimmery purple of the Sleeping Draught. The thick, egg-yolk yellow of the Confusing Concoction. He didn’t inspect the others, rather, he slipped them all back into the pack, the glass of the vials clinking together musically, and stood.

What to do, now…

Well, figure out where he was and how to get back to the ruins. That would be his best bet. He glanced around at the thick layer of trees and leaves above him.

. He’d have to climb.

Why couldn’t this be a pair thing? Why couldn’t he have brought Minho along? This would have been much easier to go through if -- Kibum shook his head, shouldering his pack and tucking his wand into his waistband as he started for the nearest climbable tree. No use in wishing for what never could have been. He’d never win that way.

Bark scraped his palm as he scrambled up the tree. He lost track of how long it took to climb, but the heat and the humidity weren’t helping, given how slick his sweat was making his skin. There were several times he almost slipped and fell because he lost his grip, but he was always able to latch on to a nearby branch, clinging to it like his life depended on it.

Because, well, it did.

The breeze, while still warm, was still a nice reprieve as he peaked out over the top of the trees. Ah, okay, he was behind the Mountains of the Moon, now. He just had to make his way...south? North? Should he instinctively know which direction is which?

Whatever, he’d figure it out.

As he slipped beneath the leaves again, his heart sank. If only he could just drop to the ground, but he was up to high, and he could seriously...injure… Hold on. He reached behind him for his wand, holding it out in front of him. He could apparate to the ground...sure, he wasn’t licensed yet, but he knew he could do it.

Kibum braced himself as he held his wand in front of him and closed his eyes, concentrating on what he remembered about the ground. As the magic tingled around him, he thought harder, wishing to be down on the ground and not stuck up in the tree. All at once, the magic swept him away, hurtling him toward the ground, where he crashed into the underbrush and tumbled out into the small clearing he originally appeared in. With a groan, he stood, inspecting himself for signs of splinching.

“I’m okay...okay…”

He checked his bag for the potions once more -- to make sure that none of the vials had shattered -- and picked up the Remembrall before he started off toward the mountain.

At first, he tried not to disturb the lush, overgrown greenery. If Minho were here, he wouldn’t have appreciated it in the slightest. Instead, he just pushed it aside or let the leaves of the trees or the ferns graze him. But all that changed when he thought he felt a leaf and looked down to find a hairy tarantula making its way up his arm. He swallowed a scream and banished it with a panicked Delpulso before he started to run, cutting through the underbrush with Diffindo as he did.

He ran until he couldn’t breathe and then he ran some more until he came across a rushing river. He stopped, kneeling at the bank, holding his aching side as he struggled to regain his breath. Once he could breathe somewhat normally again, Kibum dipped his hands into the water, splashing it over his face and cooling his skin.

A ripple from the center of the river froze Kibum in place, and he stared, in horror as a huge purple troll emerged from the river. Water dripped off of his hair and loincloth, and the muscles of his arms bulged as he clenched his fists, roaring at Kibum, who was already skittering away from the bank and back into the rainforest.

“ -- “ he whispered to himself, watching the muddy water crash onto the bank on either side as the troll strode toward him. Quick, what did he know about trolls? Violent. Aggressive. Overwhelmingly stupid. Okay… He pressed his hand to his heart, calming himself before he reached around for his leather pack. He dug through the potions, grabbing the Shrinking Solution and the Confusing Concoction. Which to use, which to use…

He probably could apparate, but that didn’t seem like a good idea, at the moment. The possibility of being attacked by the troll would probably prove to be distracting, and he didn’t want to deal with a splinch in the middle of a competition, let alone an unfamiliar rainforest.

Kibum slipped the Confusing Concoction into the wrist of his left sleeve, then his wand in his right, before he packed his satchel back up and started for the river again. He held his hands up, grinning as amiably as he could manage at the troll, who let out a low, rumbling growl.

“Don’t mean to cause any trouble,” he said, his voice tight in his throat. “I just wanna get over there.” He nodded to the opposite bank. “Can I cross?”

* * * * *

Wait, so you actually said that to the troll?

Yeah, that's how I remember it, at least.

Oh my god

Well, what happened next?

I probably would have told you by now if you hadn't interrupted me, Min

ㅋㅋ Sorry~

* * * * *

Creeping closer to the bank now, he stopped at the edge, watching, waiting for any sort of movement from the troll. There was none. It was almost like it was doing the same thing. Kibum glanced down at its legs, noting how high the water was splashing up its thighs. If he had to guess, he’d come to about his hips, which meant the water would be about chest height for him. The current, however, was strong...he’d probably be swept away. He still wasn’t the strongest swimmer, after all.

But, if things went according to plan, he wouldn’t be in the water for very long at all.

A bird let out a sort of squeaking chirp.

Cicadas continued to sing.

Kibum stepped one foot into the muddy water, and in that instant, the river troll charged. His stomach dropped as he tried to scramble out of the troll’s reach, but it had already grabbed him by the arm, hoisting him up above his head. Kibum stared wide-eyed at the creature as it inspected him, then flinched instinctively as it bellowed in his face. Spittle specked his skin, hair, and clothes, and for a second, the forest went silent around him.

He fumbled for his sleeve, but he couldn’t move the arm captured by the troll -- his wand arm. He’d have to do this without it. With an effort, he pushed away from the troll, planting his feet on its broad chest as he shook the small vial out of his sleeve, catching it in his palm. Its chest, however, was slick with river water, and his foot slipped and he kicked the troll’s chin. Kibum felt the growl rumble through the air between them before he heard it, and then he was being swung, arm first, into the water. Luckily, that was enough of a warning to stop breathing and close his eyes, but some water still seeped in through his nostrils and lips. It held him under for what felt like ages, his lungs burning until he was yanked from the water with a worrying pop in his shoulder.

The pain of it hit him in waves, shuddering down his arm and back. He bit back a cry, instead, he unstoppered the vial and held it, waiting for the troll to bellow in his face again. He cringed away as the stench of its breath settled around him, and blindly dumped the entire vial into its mouth before it could yell again.

Its eyes instantly crossed, and it staggered back, tripping over its own feet and dropping Kibum into the river.

He had been right about the current.

It swept him up immediately, and he floated down, trying to paddle with one arm toward the other bank. In vain, he grasped at the overhanging grass and rocks and branches, until there was a felled log, hanging into the river. He braced himself for the impact, but he still wasn’t ready for the pulse of pain that coursed through him as his aching shoulder slammed into the soggy log. He gasped, choking on the muddy water as he hoisted himself up. He clung to the log, allowing himself a moment’s rest, before he started to shuffle up the log until he was at the opposite bank.

He collapsed there, his legs still dangling in the current, shuddering. “I want to go home,” he muttered repeatedly under his breath.

His teeth chattered, despite the heat, as he grabbed fistfuls of grass and pulled himself fully out of the water. Wincing, he reached around, finagling his wand out of his sleeve, and tapped at his shoulder. “Episkey.”

First, there came another pop as she shoulder lifted itself back into its socket. Kibum’s stomach turned at the sensation, and he would have probably started crying, had it not been for the waves of hot and cold that ripped around his shoulder, dulling the ache settling there.

He closed his eyes, settling back down on the grass. For his own sake, he needed to be smarter, going forward. Mentally, he took stock of the potions he had in his arsenal...a few of them would have been better, more effective, had he taken the time to think things through. No more rashness...he wasn’t a Gryffindor, after all. Time to put that Slytherin cunning to good use.

His right arm trembled as he pushed himself up, and he surveyed the forest around him.

It all looked the same. Same green, same trees, same grass, same rocks...same everything. Huffing, he stood, holding his arm close to his body as he started forward into the forest again. A heavy mist curled through the trees, enrobing Kibum in humidity as he stepped into it. He must have been close to the mountain now.

A scream pierced through the relative tranquility of the forest, stopping Kibum in his tracks. A bird? Another champion? Kibum watched the spaces between the trees, and just as he decided to move again, a dark figure moved through the mist, her long dark hair billowing out behind her. His eyes widened in realization, and he covered his ears just in time before she screamed once more.

What the was a banshee doing in Africa?

He brought his satchel around, digging through the vials until he found a bone-white one. With shaky hands, he unstoppered it, steeling himself before he drank it all. The forest around him darkened, and as he turned back around, he found her looming over him, her hair a dark curtain around him. She cocked her head, her green-tinged skin damp in the humidity, her gaping black eyes staring into him. Almost curiously.

As she opened to scream again, Kibum burst out laughing.

* * * * *

Oh, right, because the Laughing Potion is the way to defend yourself against Banshees

Yeah, exactly

Thank you, O’Neely, for going over that last week

Right?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ anyways --

* * * * *

He rolled away from her on the ground, clutching his sides as he continued to cackle. If she screamed, he couldn’t hear her. He could only hear his own raucous laughter tearing through the forest. Once the last of his giggles subsided, he peeled himself off the ground, looking around to find the banshee gone.

His body thrummed with energy, and he looked about, getting his bearings before he darted off into the trees again. Hopefully he wasn’t following where the banshee went off to, because he didn’t have any of the Laughing Potion left.

He ran and ran, cutting through the ever-thickening underbrush as he did. His heart continued to race, pounding a staccato beat in his chest, much like that morning he had had too much coffee before going to watch Minho’s Quidditch practice. As the adrenaline faded, he started to slow his pace, gathering where he was from his surroundings.

“No ing clue…” he muttered to himself.

Should he climb another tree? His shoulder ached at the thought.

He slashed through more underbrush, making his way through what seemed like the thickest part of the forest, his heart sinking the deeper he went. His limbs felt weighted, every step was a struggle. Tears pricked his eyes as he continued to cut through the greenery.

Must be the Laughing Potion wearing off.

He staggered to a halt, slumping against the trunk of a nearby tree and staring forlornly at the mist. What if he got lost in here? Would anyone be able to find him? Would he ever be able to get back home? Would anyone truly care if he went missing? He rested his head against the multi-colored bark, heaving a sigh.

A harsh hissing and the snapping of jaws cut through his sudden melancholy, and he gripped his wand tighter as he went to go inspect the noise. The trees started to get thinner and more spread apart as he drew nearer, and he froze as a three-headed snake reared up like it was a cobra. It was coiled up on the mosaic path, which meant he’d be on the right track finally...once he’d passed the creature.

He gulped, his mouth and throat suddenly dry.

Damn, why had he never taken Care of Magical Creatures?

* * * * *

I doubt that whatever that was would get taught about in that class

I mean, you’re probably right, but you never know

What? You think I’m right for once? Be right back I have to tell the whole world

Shut the up ㅋㅋ

* * * * *

The head on the left kept hissing. Clearly, it was upset about something. The other two snapped at its neck, the one on the right more than the one in the middle. Kibum took a tiny step to the left, cringing at the snap that followed. The middle head stopped, peering over the others and flicking its tongue out to taste the air. The right head soon did the same, though its eyes found Kibum instantly while the middle head lost interest.

Kibum held his breath, not blinking as the snake maintained its eye contact. If ever there was a time to discover that he was a Parselmouth, this was it.

He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. The left head soon found him, and once the middle head locked eyes on him, Kibum began to run.

It slithered faster than he was expecting, gaining ground on him with worrying ease. But still, he ran, his breath coming in clipped puffs as he furiously scanned the trees and the underbrush for any sort of cover. He zigged and zagged through the trees, trying anything to get them off his trail, but any creature with three heads would never be so easily escaped.

Wait...wait, wait, wait…

He threw a glance over his shoulder at the fast-approaching snake, before he darted off to the left and scrambled beneath a bush before they came into the copse of trees.

He knew he was breathing too heavily to stay hidden for long. He reached around for his bag and dug through it until he found it. The fizzy potion with the silvery sheen.

The silhouette of the snake crept over him as he unstoppered the vial. He forced his trembling hands to close up the satchel before he slipped it back on and downed the potion. It burned all the way down, like the soda that Minho had in his fridge during the summers. He held his hands out in front of him, waiting for the potion to take effect.

He let out a relieved sigh when he started to see the ferns through his skin, sitting back on his heels as soon as he couldn’t see his hands at all. Kibum found the snake, its orange and black heads turning this way and that in search of him. The minutes ticked slowly by, each one stretched out much longer than usual. Eventually, the left head hissed violently. So violently, in fact, that the right head turned and ripped into its throat.

Orange blood spurted from the wound, even more so when the middle head joined in. It fell all over the clearing, dripping down from the leaves and onto Kibum, whose hand flew to his mouth to keep himself from giving his location away. The left head fell to the ground with a heavy thunk, and Kibum watched in horror as the snake glided away, the stump of the third head twitching as it left Kibum alone once more.

When he could no longer hear anything but the birds and the cicadas, Kibum slipped out from under the bush. Still invisible, but that would wear off soon enough.

He retraced his steps back to where he found the three-headed snake as best he could, which was quite the difficult feat. Still, it was worth it to be back on the path back to the Ruin. If he were being honest with himself, he wouldn’t be surprised if he came dead last. In fact, the others were probably already back by now. Easily having escaped the creatures they came across. He’d probably be the only one there who was covered in blood and cradling a gimpy arm. He rolled his eyes at the thought, and trudged on, glancing up at the bits of blue sky through the cloud cover.

The mosaics on the path were starting to look more familiar, as were the trees and flowers. He was reaching the parts that he and the others had explored within the first few days of arriving, which meant he was almost there. Almost done. Almost on his way back home. Honestly, he couldn’t wait to get back, even if it meant that exams would be coming soon. It’d be a nice break from the stress of this whole excursion.

Something on the pathway glistened, chasing away his thoughts as it caught his eye. A thick, glittery trail of what looked like mucus was spread over the pathway. Something clearly passed over, and something quite malevolent, too, given the way the vegetation on either side of the path shriveled and dried up. He stopped walking before he reached it, his gaze following it from one side of the forest to the other.

And that’s when he saw it. Or them. A leg sticking out of the fern.

Kibum rushed over, his mouth agape as he stepped over Chriki, who lay prone on the ground. One of her arms was curled at her side and the other outstretched with some invisible toxin slowly eating away at her extended finger. Immediately, he reached around for his pack. “!” It was still invisible, just like him. He scanned her quickly, finding her satchel at her side. “Sorry about this,” he said quickly as he reached for it, rummaging through it until he found a shimmery pink potion.

With one hand, he unstoppered it, and with the other, he found , tugging it open as much as the paralysis would allow and pouring the potion inside.

The result was instantaneous. She cried out clutching at her injured hand, which seemed to be getting rapidly worse now that she was awake.

“Hold on,” Kibum said, pulling out his wand and flicking it at her hand. “Episkey!”

Her ebony skin started regrowing almost instantly, and she looked in his general direction. “Kibum?”

“Yeah.”

She pressed her hand over her heart. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I couldn’t have just left you after I found you, could I?”

She chuckled for a second before her brow furrowed. “Why can’t I see you?”

“Had to go up against a three-headed snake -- “

“Ah, the runespoor.”

“You’ve heard of it?”

She laughed as she checked her bag before closing it back up again. “It’s native to Africa. We’re quite accustomed to them.”

“I absolutely cannot relate.” Chriki smiled in his direction, and Kibum started to get up. “Wanna head back together?”

“You don’t want to go alone?” she asked as she also stood beside him.

“Not really. You?”

"Can't say I do."

She stepped around the mucus trail, and Kibum followed her back to the path. He asked after her experience in the forest so far, and she after his, once she had finished telling him about the hypnotic streeler that she had come across to put her in the state he found her in. Kibum, in turn, told her of his adventures, his limbs and face coming back into view as he started talking about the banshee.

"Hey, there I am!"

She laughed, high and melodious and echoing off the trees. Kibum smiled, his mind wandering to another laugh that he longed to hear. It felt like much longer than it had been since he had been away from him.

"We're almost there," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper as she -- and, by association, Kibum -- picked up the pace. "As far as I know, there's one final creature we have to face. The worst one yet. At the Ruin. That's what my dad said is the tradition, at least."

"Together?" Kibum asked, absolutely certain he didn't want to have to battle her as well as whatever the creature was.

"You sure?" She asked, her eyebrows raising. He nodded mutely, stopping when she stopped walking. Chriki stuck out her hand, and Kibum grasped it, shaking it once. The agreement was made. "Let's go."

Kibum’s heart started pounding in time with the drum beats as soon as he heard them. The trees were more sparse now, giving way to more pathways and plots where obscure potions ingredients grew. When they came across the fountain he had rested on when he first arrived days ago, they stopped, Kibum a few steps ahead of Chriki, and looked up toward the Ruin.

Where Mbabazi and the other professors had been, there lay a giant serpent, its immense mass uncoiled across the garden. Its six eyes were closed, its face turned toward the sun. Kibum’s wand hand shook as he traced the length of the snake. If he had to guess, it was probably about sixty feet long, but even that seemed like a scant estimate. He glanced back at Chriki, finding that she looked about as terrified as he felt.

Brilliant. This was sure to go well.

He was about to turn to ask Chriki what their plan should be, but the serpent’s tongue flicked out, slowly tasting the air. Each eye snicked open almost instantaneously, and the snake turned its head, staring at the pair of them. A hiss erupted through the garden, sending a chill down Kibum’s spine as well as a rash of goosebumps across his skin.

Its body started to move, coiling and writhing over the rare plants and dilapidated edifice. Kibum held his breath, maintaining its many-eyed gaze as he tried to extrapolate information. Its ink-black hide seemed thick, like he imagined a dragon’s hide would be like, so it was probably impervious to spells and hexes. It wasn’t a basilisk, despite its immense size, because if it were, he and Chriki would be dead by now. That thought was confirmed as its head rose higher than before, a cobra-like hood appearing from its blood-red underbelly as its head started to weave and bob. Probably venomous, then, but as far as he could tell, it only had the two fangs.

As if that wouldn’t be more than enough as it was.

His wand almost slipped out of his sweat-slick palm. They couldn’t stare the thing down forever. Eventually, one of the three of them would have to move.

“What are you thinking?” he whispered without moving his lips.

“That we need a distraction.”

“Which potion should we use? Shrinking Solution?”

She her teeth, but Kibum couldn’t look away from the serpent. “I used all of mine against the tebo, remember?”

“.”

It was starting toward them, now, its head dropping from the top of the Ruin and the rest of its body slowly following as it slithered around the gurgling fountain. Chriki darted away, and Kibum immediately followed her as she trampled back into the rainforest. “We need to stay behind it!” she called over her shoulder. “Out of the strike zone!”

Which made sense, but… He shrank back when he saw the shadow of its body move past. It was taller than he was. “How are we supposed to distract it?”

“Smell. That’s how they see the world, right?”

Oh, right. He remembered that now. “What can we use?”

She grabbed her pack, and Kibum did as well, the clinking of the glass vials no doubt revealing their location as they dug through them. Then, Kibum found what he was looking for, pulling out the tiny vial of lime green potion, only to find that Chriki was doing the same. He held out his hand for hers, which she cautiously gave him, and then he set them both on the forest floor. “Engorgio!”

The vials ballooned, both reaching the size of one of the beakers back home, the potion sloshing around inside as it filled the larger vial. “It’s probably a bit diluted, now,” Chriki said, inspecting hers.

“Probably, but it’s what we’ve got to work with.” He sat back on his heels, picking up her Sleeping Draught and his Shrinking Solution. “Okay, this is what I’m thinking…”

After he finished explaining his plan, she made a few adjustments, and they were off, both pocketing their smaller potions and carrying their enlarged Noxious Potion as they ran back toward the heart of the enchanted garden. Kibum slid to a stop once they reached it, his eyes instantly finding the giant serpent back where it was before, guarding the height of the Ruin. Only this time, it only took a second before it noticed them.

Chriki touched his shoulder. “I’ll start from here. Just follow the smell.” She unstoppered her Noxious Potion and tossed the cork aside as she started to run back through the forest, leaving behind a trail of green fumes.

The stench lingered, and definitely interested the snake, as he started to flick its tongue out to taste the air. Kibum pulled his shirt up over his nose as he crept closer to it, slowly unstoppering his own vial. He shook it a little, more of the fumes pouring out of the mouth. He coughed, and the snake started for him, more quickly than before.

“, , -- “ he kept muttering as he rain after Chriki, the sound of the mosaics cracking and the plants and greenery of the rainforest being trampled by the heavy body of the giant serpent following him. Dodging trees and hopping over and around the underbrush, he ran, doing his best not to turn around to keep tabs on the advancing serpent.

But soon, he couldn’t help it.

He threw a glance over his shoulder after he jumped over a log, only to trip and roll into a patch of ferns. He tried to get up, quickly, but his arm gave out under his weight and he let out a cry as the snake’s body descended on him. Without thinking, he grabbed his wand. “Protego!”

A white light burst from the tip of his wand just as the snake’s body fell over him. The weight of it crushed his invisible shield but didn’t demolish it. Kibum felt every pound pressing down on him as it slithered over his shield, unable to move, think, or breathe as he watched its red underbelly move. The muscles rippled, the tail thinned, and all at once, it stopped moving.

His hands shook as he held his wand aloft, daring to look toward where he knew Chriki would be. He saw her, running toward him, her braided hair bouncing off her back until she stopped beside him. “Can you move?”

He shook his head. She shoved her body against the snake, but it was to no avail. Too heavy for anyone to move on their own. “Win...Wingardium…” he managed to say, a suggestion. Just to lift it enough so he could crawl out from under it.

Instead of pulling out her wand, she gestured toward the snake, sort of mimicking the swish and flick that accompanied the Levitation Charm. The body slowly began to lift. Once there was enough clearance, Kibum released his Shield Charm, turned over, and army-crawled over to her, crouching on the ground as she carefully lowered it.

They sat there, panting for a moment at the exertion. “We should hurry,” she said, glancing back toward the snake’s head. “I don’t know how long the potion will last on a creature this size.

“You go.” He winced as he sat back against a tree, the aches of the day catching up to him, now that he was done. “I’ll just slow you down.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Before Kibum could protest, Chriki slipped her arm under his, hoisting him up to stand. “Together, or not at all, okay?”

Kibum shook his head, sighing. “Okay.”

The trip back to the garden was slower than before, despite the urgency of the sleeping snake and the imminent announcement of the winning champion.

Once they reached the garden, Kibum started to let go of Chriki, but she held him fast, leading him to the stairs. He wasn’t sure if the sound he was hearing was his pounding headache or the drums as they made their way to the top, standing victorious at the center of Musaka’s Ruin. He squinted, looking back at the cheering crowd, finding a very pleased Slughorn clapping with the others.

Mbabazi glided forward, her hands raising to quiet the excited crowd. “We have a tie!” Kibum squeezed his eyes shut, blinking away the sweat dripping into them. “A rare, but not unheard of, event for this competition. Go, champions, and refresh yourselves for a second round of competition.” If Chriki hadn’t been supporting him, Kibum would have slumped over at the announcement. “Something you’re more familiar with.” His brow furrowed and he glanced over at Chriki, who looked just as confused as he did. “Return in an hour, please.”

They made their way through the crowd, people patting their backs and congratulating them as they went. Once through the waterfall, they parted ways, Kibum leaning on the wall to support himself as he made his way to his room.

* * * * *

Ah, so that’s when you wrote back

Yeah

* * * * *

When he returned to the garden, twilight had fallen. The other champions had returned, all clean now, but still exhausted. He and Chriki took the stairs down to the fountain when Mbabazi stood with an hourglass in her hands. Before her sat two workstations, with a cauldron, a wire stand, an adjustable flame candle, a mortar and pestle, a set of scales, and frankly way too many beakers. Kibum took one side, and Chriki the other, and he placed his hands on the workstation, smiling. Finally, he could relax and actually do something he was good at.

He glanced around, finding the Uagadou students, the other champions, and their professors all watching from above or around them.

“The goal,” Mbabazi said, garnering his attention again. “Is to brew a perfect Draught of Living Death within the hour. Starting...now,” she said, flipping the hourglass over.

Heart pounding with excitement now instead of fear, he grabbed one of the beakers and went to the fountain, filling it up with the exact amount of water he needed and poured it into the cauldron before he lit the candle with his wand. He cupped his hand around the base of the cauldron as he adjusted the flame to the right height.

Ingredients...where were they?

A glance over at Chriki told him what he needed to know. She had just run off toward one of the bushes, plucking pods off of a plant. , he’d have to find all of the ingredients in the garden.

It took longer than he would have liked to find the ingredients, his heart sinking as Chriki returned to her station to begin brewing long before he found the Valerian plant.

* * * * *

Oh...Bummie...

I know, I know,

You can yell at me later

I’m almost done

* * * * *

He had only been able to make it halfway through the brewing of the potion before Chriki rang the bell at the corner of her station. As much as he wanted to stop to see how she did, Kibum picked up the pace, juicing the Sopophorous beans he needed for his own. As soon as he added them, however, Mbabazi clapped once, and he looked up.

It was over.

He had lost.

Tears pricked his eyes as Mbabazi named Chriki the winner, but he blinked them away before he congratulated her. He trailed behind the others with Slughorn on their way back into the mountain for the celebratory feast. Slughorn said nothing -- a departure for him. Instead, he clapped his hand on Kibum’s shoulder, squeezing lightly as they found their places at the table.

The food was good, warm, and filling after the day he had had. If only he had been able to stomach more of it, but he was just too tired and too upset to savor it. He clapped for Chriki as she was awarded the golden cauldron; he smiled for the group picture of all the champions. But, as soon as he was able to escape, he trudged back to his room, eager to be alone.

* * * * * * * * * *

Not so amazing anymore, am I.

Minho stared at the words, dumbstruck. Sure, he was feeling down about losing, and he couldn’t blame him for that, but… Had he not realized what he wrote?

You’re kidding, right? Minho paused, searching for the right words. When Kibum didn’t immediately rebuff him, Minho thought he might have -- understandably -- fallen asleep. If anything, you’re even more amazing than before. I’m so proud of you and even though you didn’t win, you’ll always be a champion to me.

Once again, he didn’t respond right away. Minho picked up his pen, about to wish him a goodnight, when Kibum started to write.

Thanks a lot, . You made me cry.

Minho sighed into a chuckle. Just this once, I’m not sorry.

I can’t wait to get home…

When do you leave tomorrow?

I think Slughorn said sometime after lunch.

He has a special meeting with the other professors or something.

At least tomorrow’s Saturday. You can just come back and not have to worry about schoolwork.

Once again, there was a long pause. Minho’s stomach growled and he reached for his phone, checking the time. 10:47? No wonder he was so hungry, he completely missed dinner! He glanced back at the notebook, unsurprised to find that Kibum hadn’t written back. Try to get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow~

And, with that, he closed his notebook, extinguishing the candles before he hurried down to see what he could get from the kitchens.

Kibum didn’t arrive until the tail end of lunch. Both he and Slughorn appeared with a pop! behind the professors' table. Minho looked up from his lunch, sitting up straighter when he realized Kibum was really there. Slughorn kept a hold on Kibum as he led him up to the podium, no doubt to explain the outcome of the journey.

Minho watched, wishing that he could run up there and take Kibum away from the oncoming humiliation that Slughorn was about to unleash.

“We’re back!” Slughorn announced, and a smattering of applause answered him. Kibum searched the Hufflepuff table, but Minho couldn’t tell at this distance if he was able to find him as Slughorn launched into a rather drawn-out explanation of what happened, focusing mainly on the failed potions aspect rather than the troll, banshee, runespoor, and giant serpent that Kibum faced.

“I thought he was good at potions,” he thought he heard Seb whisper to Travis. He him, piercing him with a glare that Seb quailed under once he noticed it. “I just meant -- “

“If I find out that you said anything to him, I’m kicking you off the team.”

“Okay. Sorry,” he added when Minho didn’t look away immediately.

Nodding, Minho looked back up to find Slughorn finally releasing Kibum. Instead of heading right toward Slytherin, he turned to the left, walking along the wall toward Minho. Gil was already scooting over, leaving a spot for Kibum to sink into. He buried his face in his arms, and Minho put his arm over his shoulders, rubbing his no-doubt still sore shoulder.

“Are you hungry?” he asked in Korean, giving them the illusion of privacy amongst the others. Kibum shook his head, not lifting it. “Do you want to go hide somewhere?”

“We can leave with everyone else,” Kibum mumbled into the tabletop.

Minho glanced around at the others watching them, silently daring them to say anything negative. Luckily for them, they didn’t. They ate quietly, talking amongst themselves for the rest of lunch. Minho, though vaguely still hungry, couldn’t eat another bite. He was too excited that Kibum was home to care about food, at the moment.

When the bell finally rang, a handful of the other students, as well as Minho and Kibum made their way out of the Great Hall. Minho picked up his duffle bag, heading downstairs so that he could help Kibum unpack it. “Can we just leave it here?” Kibum asked, his tired voice stopping Minho in his tracks. “Can we go upstairs?”

“Yeah, we can do it later, don’t worry!”

He set it down in the corner, conjuring a little sign that said Don’t Touch! Property of Choi Minho on it before he caught up to Kibum on the stairs. As they reached the fourth-floor landing, Kibum started to slow, and Minho glanced back at him to find him leaning against the wall, tears streaming down his face.

“Hey, hey,” he whispered, cupping his face in both his hands as he wiped away his tears with his thumbs. “It’s okay.”

“I’m so...ing embarrassed,” he said, his voice coming out in an almost unintelligible blubber. “I’ve let down the...the whole school...and…”

He fell into Minho’s embrace, hugging him tightly as Minho tucked his face into Kibum’s neck, rubbing his back soothingly.

“I don’t know what I-I was th-thinking…”

As much as he hated the fact that Kibum was feeling so ty, he couldn’t necessarily blame him. If he had gone through the same thing, he probably would have been a mess as well. What to do...what to say to make him feel better? For now, he held him until he stopped crying, leaning against the wall and supporting Kibum’s weight as he leeched whatever comfort Minho could give him.

Kibum rested his head on Minho’s shoulder, taking deep shuddering breaths and wiping at his nose. “Sorry, I made a mess...”

“That’s what I’m here for, right?” Minho smiled when Kibum looked back up at him, and he started to dry Kibum’s cheeks. “Come on, you’ll feel better upstairs.”

They started up the stairs again, Kibum’s hand slipping around Minho’s arm. He broke off to get a drink of water from the fountain as Minho kept walking, holding the study closet door open for him to enter.

“Did you do anything fun while I was gone?” he asked after he laid down at the back of the closet, his head resting on Minho’s lap. He tried to resist, but his hand betrayed him as he started to toy with Kibum’s hair.

“Not really. Just a lot of studying, mainly.”

"How was Potions without Slughorn?" Kibum asked as he shifted his head, making himself more comfortable on Minho's lap as he continued to his hair.

"Uh...interesting. We learned about Amortentia."

"Oh?" Kibum slowly blinked his eyes open, looking up in interest before they closed again. "Slughorn had me start that a few weeks back. I made the stuff that you guys learned from."

Minho stopped his ministrations. "Did you smell anything?"

"Mm, no, not really." He yawned, and Minho picked up again. "Got a whiff here and there, but I couldn't place anything." He stilled, long enough for Minho to think he had fallen asleep until he smacked his lips and moved again. "Did...you?"

Minho's eyes blew wide as he looked down at Kibum. But, his eyes were still closed, and he was totally relaxed now. A few more of Kibum's hair, and a soft snore drifted up to him.

His gaze caressed Kibum’s face as he started to pull his hand away from his hair. "You," he whispered, tracing the scar in his eyebrow with his thumb as he cupped Kibum’s cheek. "I smelled you."