The phone on the wall rang, and Kimee jumped at the sound as she was pouring her first cup of coffee for the day. Who in the world could be calling at this hour? She set her mug down at the second ring and picked it up before the third.

"Hello?"

Static crackled over the line.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Is this Kibum's mother?" a hushed male voice asked on the other end.

Her brow furrowed and she switched hands, moving the receiver to her other ear. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm Choi Minseok, Minho's brother." Kimee relaxed marginally. "Minho is missing, and I suspect that he's with Kibum."

Concern started gnawing at her stomach as she tugged at the phone cord, activating the Extension Charm, and started toward the stairs. "Did something happen?"

Minseok let out a sigh, and a door closed on his side of the phone. "He and Dad got into an, well, argument isn't the right word…...but Dad ended up hitting him." She paused on the stairs, clutching the cord to her chest before she quickened her pace to her son's room. "I was able to pull Dad off of him but by the time I went to go check on him, he was gone."

Kibum's bedroom door creaked open as she peeked inside. Minho was indeed there, sound asleep in Kibum's arms. Jonghyun was there too, curled into a ball on Minho's other side. How they all fit into Kibum's bed, Kimee had no idea.

"Yes, he's here."

"Oh, thank God. Okay."

Kimee slowly closed the door, heading into the bathroom where the light had been left on. There was an open vial of Essence of Dittany on the counter, as well as a crumpled piece of toilet paper that still had thin streams of green smoke curling off of it. She picked the cork off of the floor, stoppering the dittany once more. "He was hurt?"

"Yes. Split lip." Though the words were few, there was a definite strain in them. Almost like he was near tears. "Would it be possible for him to stay with you? Just for a little while. Until everything calms down here…"

"Of course."

"I can try to send you money or something to help -- "

She waved her hand dismissively as if he could see her. "Don't worry about it. Are you okay? Do you need to come here, too?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. He'd never hurt me." Her grip tightened on the cord as she started back down the stairs. "I'll be in touch, from time to time. To check in on him and to let you know when it's safe for him to come home."

"Of course." She stopped when she reached the kitchen. "Do we want me to go wake him so you -- "

He let out a short laugh. "That'd take way too long."

"I'll make sure he's taken care of, Minseok, don't worry."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it. And I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. He's a sweet kid."

"He is." Minseok's voice was tighter than it had been for the duration of the call. "Thank you again."

"No problem. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will. You too. Goodbye."

"Good -- " But he was already gone.

She hung the receiver back on the wall before she started back upstairs, grabbing her wand from its stand by the door. She checked on the boys again. It looked like Jonghyun was starting to stir, but he was still curled up next to Minho.

Kimee closed the door with a gentle click before she went to the next room down the hall -- the one that used to be her bedroom. Childhood memories flooded back as she opened the door. The pale blue walls and frilly white curtains that her mom had made still adorned the room. As she walked further in, she stopped to inspect the mess of polaroids on the wall. They told the story of her years at Hogwarts, much like Kibum's did. She plucked her favorite one of Bumji off the wall, smiling back at him as his curious expression turned into a beaming grin.

It was the moment that she first told him she loved him. Sixth year, down by the lake. She had wanted to capture it on film, to remember it forever…

Even now, she was so glad that she did.

Clearing , she glanced about the room. It wasn't that she thought Minho would complain at the girlishness of the room; she just wanted him to be as comfortable as possible after that ordeal. She did a slow turn, surveying the room before she lifted her wand.

A warm yellow paint started eating away the blue until it enveloped the room. Wood paneling appeared on the walls, the rich scent of cinnamon and pine filling the space. Ivy unfurled out of thin air, climbing down the walls and across the ceiling. A bookshelf carved itself into the wall by the window, and the books from her closet flew to fill it.

Once she was satisfied, she lowered her wand. It was as close as she could get to Hufflepuff itself. Hopefully, Minho would find some comfort in that. She closed the door behind her, tucking the picture of Bumji into her robe pocket before she went downstairs to finally have some coffee.

* * * * * * * * * *

The loud chirrup of owls woke him, and for half a second, Kibum thought he might have fallen asleep in the owlery. But, the thought quickly vanished as he opened his eyes.

He was still in his room. Minho was still clinging to him, even in sleep. A glance at Nutmeg's perch told him that she was now joined by Geum-nan.

He rested his head back on his pillow, looking over to where Jonghyun was -- or rather, had been. Was he downstairs explaining the situation to Mom? Had he already gone home? Minho snuggled closer, chasing away the rapid-fire thoughts momentarily.

"Min," he whispered, his breath buffeting Minho's hair.

He didn't want to leave him, but he also didn't want to wake him before he was ready. While he thought, he buried his nose in Minho's hair, inhaling the slight musk of his shampoo. It'd be easier to move if Minho weren't so damn clingy. He smiled. Not that he minded, obviously...but Mom probably wanted to talk to him…

With a bit of effort, he was able to slip out of Minho's arms and replace himself with the pillow Jonghyun had used last night. After tucking the blankets around him, Kibum tiptoed out and hurried downstairs.

Jonghyun was still there. He was sitting at the counter nursing a cup of something while Mom was working on breakfast. "There he is," Jonghyun said after glancing in his direction.

Kibum sat beside him at the counter, looking up at Mom. "Did he explain what happened?"

She nodded. "Minseok called, too." As she relayed the basic details of the call, the rage that had filled him the night before began to surface again. It was lucky there wasn't a wand near him -- no matter if it was his or not -- or else he would have gone back to give Mr. Choi a piece of his mind.

And then some.

"What do you want to drink, hon?"

"Uh, cocoa…"

Nodding, she grabbed the steaming kettle from the stovetop and poured him a mug of it. "When do you think Minho will be up?"

Kibum shrugged. "He had the most Sleeping Draft last night, and he's not a morning person anyways, so…"

Mom smiled at him. "Well, when he wakes up, you guys can head into Diagon Alley to get your school supplies and some new clothes for Minho."

"He can just borrow some of my stuff."

"I know, but I want him to feel comfortable and not like he's intruding. Which is why he'll be using my old room while he's here."

"Oh."

She switched off the stove. "I've gotta head out or I'll be late. Make sure Minho is comfortable and feels welcome for me, okay?" Kibum nodded, and she smiled as her gaze flicked between them. "I'm proud of you both, I hope you know that."

"Thanks, Mom," Jonghyun said, and Kibum cracked up at that.

"Come see me when you get to the Alley, and I'll give you some money," she said as she walked into the living room and out of sight. "Diagon Alley," she said in clear English, and in a bright flash of green flame, she was gone.

"Do you wanna come with us?" Kibum asked, looking over at Jonghyun.

"Can't. Mom wants me to clean the house."

"Gross."

"Besides, I wouldn't want to cut into your time with him."

Kibum's face inflamed, much to Jonghyun's delight. "I mean, I appreciate that today, but don't stay away all summer. I hardly get to see you as it is."

"True. You must feel so deprived."

Snorting, Kibum got off his stool and went over to the stove to dish up a bowl of soup. "You wish. Besides, you're his friend, too."

Jonghyun let out a dramatic sigh. "The curse of being this amazing...it's a terrible burden to bear all on my own."

"Good thing it's not that heavy, then."

Minho wandered downstairs about an hour later, sinking into the stool Kibum had vacated to clean up the kitchen after breakfast. Jonghyun slipped an arm around his waist, looking up at him. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like , but I’ll be fine.” Kibum and Jonghyun shared a look before Kibum dished up some soup for Minho. “Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it, if that’s okay.”

Jonghyun rubbed his side. “It is. You don’t have to explain anything if you don’t want to.” Nodding, Kibum set the bowl before Minho and opened a few drawers before he found the utensil one and gave him a spoon. “And, on that note, I should head back home. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, probably.”

“Bye!”

“Bye, Jjong!”

Kibum watched where he had disappeared behind the wall, waiting for the front door to open and close. When it did, he looked back at Minho, who was pointedly staring at his soup as he stirred it. “Mo -- “

“Thank you,” Minho said, his voice quiet. “I don’t know what I would have done...if...if you…”

“I thought you didn’t want to talk about it,” he said as he slipped onto the stool beside Minho, rubbing his back.

“I don’t. Really. I just -- “ He shrugged and his spoon clattered in his bowl as he released it. “I’m grateful to you. I don’t deserve -- “

Kibum stopped rubbing his back. “Look, I don’t know what your dad said to you, but you do deserve good things. You deserve to be cared for, especially by your parents.” Minho gave a tiny shake of his head, and Kibum clenched his jaw for a second as he pulled Minho closer. “You deserve only the best things the world has to offer, okay? You’re sweet and you’re kind and you deserve to receive ten times the love you give out so easily.” Minho looked his way, then, his eyes watery. “I understand not wanting to talk about it -- you know I do -- but if you do want to, at any point, while you’re here...I’m here for you, okay?”

Minho nodded mutely.

“Mom said we can go shopping for our school supplies today as well as some clothes for you. But, if you’re not up for it, that’s fine.”

Minho cleared his throat. “No, that sounds fun. We should. It’ll be nice to be back among wizards.”

Kibum smiled. “We’ll leave when you’re ready. And you can borrow some of my clothes, if you want to.”

“Okay.”

Kibum patted his back and slipped off the stool. “Eat. I’m gonna go get dressed. I’ll be right back.”

He left Minho then, hurrying up the stairs. He changed into jeans and a t-shirt and took his dress robes off their hanger, folding them and setting them on the desk before he pulled on his socks. After glancing at the roll of parchment and quill beside his green velvet robes, he did a wide-eyed double-take. The draft...of his letter to Minho...was right there… “Merlin’s beard,” he whispered as he snatched it up, scanning the room for a good hiding place.

After a few moments of frantic searching, he settled on stuffing it in one of his old shoes in the back of his closet. He took a deep breath and grabbed his dress robes, forcing himself to relax as he made his way to the bathroom, only to be met with another shock as he stared blankly into the mirror.

Of course he had to have an extreme case of bedhead when Minho was here. Why did no one say anything? He let out a low groan as he rummaged in his drawer for his comb, brushing his hair down so that it wasn’t sticking up everywhere anymore. Once he was satisfied, he went back downstairs to find Minho cleaning up the kitchen.

“I can finish that. Go up and get changed.”

“Okay.” He started to go, only to peek his head around the corner. “We wear the same size shoes, right?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Nodding, Minho ducked back behind the wall and Kibum’s eyes widened as realization set it.

......why did he choose to hide it in one of his shoes? Granted, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for Minho to happen on the letter rather than making Kibum have to go through the terrifying ordeal of handing the letter to Minho and waiting for him to respond. Even then, this, today, wasn’t the right time. A better moment would come. One where Minho wasn’t distraught about his parents.

Oh, right, he was supposed to be cleaning.

He picked up where Minho left off by putting the soup in a container to go into the icebox, used the Cleaning Charm to start the dishes cleaning themselves while he wiped down the counters. When Minho came back downstairs, Kibum was sitting at the counter, watching the dishes put themselves away. He looked Minho’s way when he let out a clipped laugh. “That’s so much better than having a dishwasher.”

No mention of the letter; he must not have found it.

Kibum sighed in relief. “You ready?”

“Yeah.”

He turned, starting for the door. “Where are you going?”

Minho turned, pointing to the door with a slight frown. “Knight Bus?”

“Nope, come on.” He tucked his dress robes under his arm and made his way to the hearth, dumping out a bit of the sparkling floo powder into his palm. “You’ve never used the Floo Network, right?”

“Floo...Network?”

“Here.” He passed Minho the bag of green soot. “Mom got our house connected to the Network so she could travel back and forth to work easily. It’s really simple,” he said as he tossed his handful into the crackling fire, turning the flames a bright lime green. “Watch.” Minho let out a choked sound as Kibum climbed into the fireplace. “It’s harmless, don’t worry. Now, all you have to do is say your destination clearly, which for us that’s Diagon Alley -- “

At Diagon Alley, the green flames engulfed him, and he was off, swooshing through the chimneys between Nottingham and London. He was able to pick up bits of conversations or squabbles as he flew through the stranger’s fireplaces. He kept his eyes squeezed shut until he came to an abrupt halt in the dining room of the Leaky Cauldron. Bracing himself on the wall, he stepped out of the fireplace. None of the patrons paid him any mind -- they never did -- as he sat down at the nearest table.

Hopefully, Minho would figure it out and be along soon. He brushed some of the soot off of his dress robes, glancing around the dingy pub until the fireplace exploded in green flames. Minho walked out, looking quite dazed. “You good?” When he nodded, Kibum stood. “Great, let’s go find Mom.”

Mom wasn’t in the office, once they had reached it. In a meeting with her supervisor that couldn’t be interrupted. So, she had left a coin purse with Septima, her secretary, for them to use for the day.

“Where to first?” Kibum asked as Minho dug through the coin purse, taking stock of what they had to work with.

“We have all the textbooks we need, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I think we just need dress robes, then.”

“You do. I just need a shirt. And tie.”

“Right.”

As they walked down the cobblestone lane, Minho looked around. He let out a quiet laugh, and when Kibum hummed in question, he pointed to the bright pink Sugarplum’s Sweets Shop across the way. “I went there the first time I came here. The owner let me hold a chocolate frog that hopped right out of my hand and out the door.” Kibum sniffed a laugh. “I wonder if it melted.”

“I mean, probably.” Kibum glanced back at the shop, barely seeing it through the crowd. “Is there a clothing shop here? I don’t remember any, other than Madam Malkin’s.”

“Like Gladrags?”

“Sorta...more like Muggle-passing clothes.”

“Ah,” Minho looked around, stopping walking when he found that they were standing in front of Madam Malkin’s shop. “We can look for one after,” he said as he hurried up the steps, Kibum following behind him. He hugged his dress robes as the door swung shut.

The air was refreshingly cool inside the robe shop. Malkin’s assistants were bustling around, cutting fabric, or ringing up customers or restocking the shelves. A girl that Kibum vaguely recognized from school approached them, looking rather harassed. “Here for a fitting? Do you have a reservation?”

“Do we need one?”

She nodded, her attention flitting away from them at the sound of a bell. “We’re quite busy with the Hogwarts students needing dress robes.”

“More than just seventh years?” Minho asked, astonished.

“Unless the seventh years got a lot younger, then yeah.”

Minho’s brow furrowed and he looked over at Kibum. “When would be a good time to come back?”

She started to flip through the thick book on the podium before her. “Next Tuesday. Around one in the afternoon. Will both of you be needing robes?”

Kibum shook his head. “Just him. I have these that I’d like to get altered, if possible,” he said, holding up the robes in his hands.

“Plus, like, shirts and stuff.”

“Yeah.”

The quill she had been holding started jotting all of this information down on its own. “Could I get a name for your reservation?”

“Kim Kibum,” Kibum said at the same time that Minho said, “Choi Minho.”

Kibum snorted, looking up at him. “Whichever.”

“Perfect. Would you like me to hold those for you until your reservation?” she asked, gesturing toward the robes.

“Uh, sure.”

She held her hands out expectantly for them, and Kibum reluctantly handed them over. “See you soon, enjoy the rest of your day!” And with that, she was off, returning to the organized chaos of the shop.

“So, now what…” Minho said after they went back outside.

Kibum shrugged, scooting closer to Minho when a couple of witches who weren’t paying any attention to anything besides their conversation blustered past them. “Look for a clothing shop, I guess?”

They found one rather quickly, near to the Leaky Cauldron called Twilfitt and Tattings. But it was way too expensive, so they quickly left, finding another eventually between Broomstix and Obscurus Books called Greggory Vaine’s Everyday Apparel. It had much simpler clothes than Gladrags and much cheaper clothes than Twilfitt’s, so Kibum was able to help Minho pick out a few items before they went back home.

When they returned for their appointment the following Tuesday, Madam Malkin’s was much calmer. He and Minho wandered through the shop, inspecting the different fabrics until they got asked to go sit down by one of the assistants. Minho sank into the couch, the plump cushions swallowing him as he sank further into it.

“Are you gonna be able to get up?” Kibum asked, looking over at him from where he sat perched on one of the firm armchairs.

“I honestly don’t know.”

Chuckling, Kibum glanced down at the variety of magazines and the copies of the Daily Prophet that were strewn on the table separating them.

“Kim Minho?”

Both of their eyebrows shot up and Kibum slowly turned around to look at the assistant who was expectantly standing between them and the fitting area. His face was rapidly getting redder, his embarrassment spreading from his neck to the tips of his ears. Don't look at Minho... Don't look at --

“I’m Minho,” Minho said as he struggled to get off the couch. “But my last name is Choi. Bummie,” he added quickly in Korean. “Help me.”

Kibum stood, pointedly not looking Minho's way and he extended his hand to him. “Is it really that bad?”

“It’s like I’m being in!”

Shaking his head, Kibum dared to look at him as he tugged on Minho’s arm, heaving him off the couch and sending him on his way to follow the assistant. His face seemed a tad pinker as well.

“Someone will be with you shortly.”

Kibum nodded as he sat back down. He took a deep breath, calming himself as soon as Minho was out of sight. He sifted through the magazines on the coffee table and picked up a recent issue of The American Charmer. He flipped through it, some of the robes or the Muggle-inspired fashions catching his eye, but ultimately, disinterested for the moment. Occasionally, he could hear Minho’s voice over the bustle of the shop. Just a few words, here and there, but it always drew his attention away.

He closed the Charmer, ready to toss it back onto the coffee table, when his gaze landed on the cover. Right under the bold print of 25 Ways to Charm Him With Your Street Fashion was From High Fashion to Higher Learning: How This No-Maj Fashion University Is Now Accepting Wizarding Folks. Kibum’s brow furrowed as he flipped through the magazine again until he found the right page.

Though we live side by side, the wizarding world has been segregated from the No-Maj way of life. Since before I can even remember, it has been this way. We live in secret, lurking on the fringes of the other developed world and hiding our abilities. I, for one, have always found that to be a bit odd. Shouldn't we work together with the No-Majs? Improve the conditions -- and fashions -- of both our lives, no matter how vastly different we are?

Well, I'm proud to say that we have taken a giant step towards that dream becoming a reality.

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) here in New York City has made the magnanimous decision to open its doors to the wizarding world. Other No-Maj universities are rumored to be following in their footsteps soon -- Harvard, Pratt, and Cornell, to name a few. At FIT, witches and wizards will be able to learn the ins and outs of the fashion industry, which will help bridge the gap between our two communities, when it comes to blending in. There will be exciting opportunities for wizarding students to intern at Louis Vuitton, Dior, or even in the costuming departments on Broadway!

“Kibum?”

He tore his attention away from the article, the thoughts whirring around in his mind making it hard to focus on the assistant for a second. “Yeah?”

“We’re ready for you now.”

He started after her, only to double back when he realized he was still clutching the Charmer. After he dropped it on the table again, he hurried to catch up with her, only catching a glimpse of Minho before he disappeared behind some privacy partitions.

A new woman, older than the assistants, approached Kibum after he stepped up onto the small round pedestal. His robes were draped over her arm and she smiled up at him. “Hello, Kibum. I’m Jean Rookwood and I’ll be taking care of you today.” Nodding, he glanced down at the robes and back to her. “I know you just want to get these altered, but I see that there’s not a suit to accompany them. Do you have that at home or will you need to purchase one today?”

Oh, , he hadn’t thought of that. “I’ll need one today.”

Nodding, she released Kibum’s green velvet robes and they flew to hang themselves up on the rod by the mirror. “Let’s go look at some options to see what your preferences are, okay?”

“Okay.”

He stepped off the pedestal, trailing after her as she started talking about the differences in suits. Tuxedos, evening wear, slim fit, classic fit, modern fit...If he weren’t so distracted by that article, he might have been able to focus on what she was talking about. He was able to decide after a while on a slim fit, black suit with leather-trimmed lapels. He chose a simple tuxedo shirt, and for the tie, Jean suggested that they figure that out later once everything else was finalized.

“Go ahead and change into everything and we can start with your alterations!”

The pants fit well, though they were a little long, the shirt was too big, the jacket was way too wide in the shoulders, and to Kibum’s dismay, the dress robes were too small… His heart sank as he looked in the mirror, his frumpled, disgruntled expression looking back at him. What was the point of all this, anyway? Couldn’t he just wear his school robes for whatever this was for? He trudged out and stepped back up on the pedestal, glancing between the three mirrors as Jean walked around him, appraising the fit.

“Hm, let’s start with the trousers.” Kibum took everything off except for the shirt and pants, handing them off to Jean before she unhooked her wand from her beside the pincushion on her belt. Then, she knelt and started fiddling with the hems of his trousers. “Looking forward to your final year at Hogwarts?”

“Yeah,” Kibum said absently, watching himself in the mirror as he billowed the excess fabric of his shirt.

“Do you know what you’ll do after you graduate?”

“Uh…” He chuckled, looking over in the mirror to what he could see of the coffee table. “I’m not sure yet.”

Honestly, he really didn’t know. No clue. Nothing stood out to him, and with Mom and Minho and everyone saying he could do anything he wanted… It didn’t help to narrow it down. Sure, he was good at Potions, but what sort of career could he make from that? He was good at other subjects, too, like Charms and Transfiguration…

“Well, we’ll be here for a while,” Jean said, glancing up at him before she switched to his other hem. “Let’s brainstorm. What sort of things are you interested in?”

"Um…I mean, I like taking pictures, but mostly of me and my best friend," he added with a nervous laugh. "Not like my mom. She works for the Daily Prophet." Jean hummed in interest, egging Kibum on. "I don't know, I just hang out with my best friend a lot. We go to Hogsmeade on the weekends when we can…"

She smoothed the leg of his trousers before she stood, directing her attention now to his oversized shirt. "Which shops pull you in the most?"

"The usual. Honeydukes...Zonkos...We go to Gladrags to try on clothes when I've had a bad week."

"So, you're interested in fashion?"

Was he? Hm, maybe he did have a few more books than the average wizard about the subject. He glanced back at the coffee table. "Maybe."

Jean, as nice as she was, wasn't who he wanted to discuss it with. He was somewhere to his right, laughing at something that Kibum wished he could see.

"Here," Jean said, holding out his suit jacket. "Put this on."

Kibum refocused on the mirror, astonished to find that she was already finished with his pants and his shirt. "That was so fast!" Jean chuckled as Kibum quickly slipped one arm and then the other into his jacket. Maybe she'd be able to fix his robes, too, if she actually was that good.

To Kibum's surprise and delight, she added length to the robes with a mere flick of her wand. Longer than he wanted, but she hemmed it back just as easily. When all that was left was the tie, she left him to check his appearance in the mirror, reappearing a moment later with a selection of bowties. He decided on a thin, ribbon-like tie, and she tied it around his neck in a bow, completing the look.

"What do you think?" she asked as she came around behind him, inspecting her work.

The longer he looked, the bigger his smile grew.

He looked distinguished, and, dare he say, handsome. The green was a shade or two darker, richer than the green in his school robes, but it suited him even better. He opened up the robe, peeking at his suit. It fit so well he'd have to ask Minho not to make him any pumpkin pasties until whatever this event was, happened. He didn't want to risk not being able to fit into it.

"I love it," he finally said, his voice a reverent sort of whisper.

"I'm glad." She patted his back. "Go ahead and get changed back into your street clothes and I'll package this up for you."

He met her by the cash register, where everything was wrapped in striped purple and periwinkle paper before it was placed in a square box. Kibum grabbed Mom's coin purse out of his pocket and looked up at her expectantly.

"That'll be twenty Galleons." Kibum tried not to choke over the exorbitant price as he counted out the gold coins, sliding them towards her. "Have a nice day, Kibum."

"You too," Kibum said, sliding his box off the counter and heading back to where he had been sitting an hour ago.

Hey eyed the Charmer as he sat. There was still at least a page left of that article… As he was reaching for it, Minho burst around the corner, and Kibum forgot what he had ever been holding his hand out for.

Where his robes had been green, Minho's were a deep ocean blue. Also velvet. The collar of his robes was popped up, but Kibum wasn't sure if that was intentional. Still, it drew his gaze to Minho's neck, which he forced himself to look away and at the charcoal gray suit beneath.

Which fit far better than his did.

Not that he minded the difference.

Like, not at all.

"Kibum."

He blinked. , had he been talking to him this whole time? . "Sorry, what?"

Minho's eyebrows went up in the middle, a sure sign that he was amused. "Do you wanna help me pick out my tie? I can't choose."

"Wow," he said, his voice cracking. His throat was way too dry? Where was some water? "Why am I not surprised?"

Minho snorted and turned, but before he could disappear behind the corner, Kibum was on his feet and a few steps behind him.

“Merida, show him,” Minho said to the stout, red-headed attendant who was waiting by the pedestal Minho stepped up on. She smiled kindly at Kibum as he stopped to look at the ties in the box she was holding. There were a few that stood out to him, namely the shimmering silver one and the patterned bowtie with constellations scattered across it. “I like this one,” he said, pointing to the plain black necktie. “But I don’t think it goes.”

“My suggestion,” Merida said in a thick, Scottish accent, much like Headmistress McGonagall’s. “Was this one.” She pointed to the bowtie with the constellations. “Because we decided on this -- “ She reached between Kibum and Minho, holding open Minho’s robe to show that the lining matched the tie. “ -- And I think it would tie everything together nicely.”

Kibum looked up at Minho. “Let’s try on the bowtie, then.”

Minho bent slightly, making sure that his neck was at a comfortable height so that Merida wouldn’t have to stretch abnormally to reach it as she fixed his tie on. “There, what do we think?”

He cocked his head as he looked at himself in the mirror, and Kibum his lips as he cleared his throat. “I think it looks good. It’s what I’d pick.”

“Yeah?” Minho’s gaze found his in the mirror. “You don’t think it’s too many stars?”

Kibum shook his head, and Merida glanced between them. “Do either of you know how to tie a bowtie?”

“Nope.”

“Is there a spell for that?”

She laughed. “Probably. But sometimes it’s nice to know how to do things with our hands. Here...” She touched Kibum’s shoulder. “Let me show you.”

It took about ten minutes for Kibum to master tying Minho’s bowtie. It would have been much quicker if Minho hadn’t been so goddamn close. And distractingly beautiful. But there were some struggles Kibum found worth enduring.

As soon as Merida was satisfied with his work, Minho went back to change into his normal clothes, and Kibum followed Merida to the cash register, now dreading the announcement of the price. “Will you be paying?” she asked when she stopped ringing all of the charges up. Kibum nodded, anxiously twirling the string of the coin purse around his finger. “The total comes to...forty Galleons.”

“,” Kibum whispered in Korean as he counted out the galleons. Luckily, there were enough in the coin purse...Mom must have expected the robes to cost so much… But still, hopefully it wasn’t too much. “Thank you,” he said as she handed him the receipt. He stuffed it into the coin purse and carried Minho’s box back to the waiting area, resting his chin atop it while he waited for Minho to arrive.

After a few minutes, his attention once again shifted to the Charmer. He glanced around. No one was paying any attention to him...there were already a ton of magazines laid out...and they probably had more… Tentatively, Kibum scooted forward, grabbing the Charmer, slipping it into his box and closing it up before anyone noticed.

“You ready?” Minho asked, and Kibum jumped at the sound of his voice. “You good?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Kibum said, passing Minho his box and hurrying for the door.

They didn’t linger in Diagon Alley. It was getting late, and since they didn’t want to travel via Floo with their boxes, they opted for hailing the Knight Bus and heading back home that way. They arrived slightly worse for wear, as was the norm for the Knight Bus, and to an empty house.

“I’ll get started on dinner, can you go put these upstairs?” Kibum asked as he passed Minho his box.

“Sure.” Kibum washed his hands before he opened the icebox to see what options they had for dinner. He looked up when the faucet switched on to find Minho washing his hands as well. “What are we making?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

After an extensive search through the pantry, Kibum decided on a pasta dish when he found a box of linguine in with some of the canned vegetables. Minho started working on cutting up some vegetables from the garden while Kibum filled one of the bigger pots with water.

He stared unblinkingly at the spot where the tile met the upper cupboards. Would that even be a smart decision? Going to some Muggle school in America? To study fashion? Sure, it sounded exciting and interesting, but --

“Bummie.” Kibum blinked, refocusing on the present. Water sloshed over the rim of the pot, spilling into the sink. He turned the water off and started dumping it out until it was at the right height. “Are you good?”

“Yeah, I just…” He clicked on the stove after he set the pot down then went over to stand by Minho, picking up one of the pieces of tomato he just cut. “Can I get your opinion on something?”

Minho glanced his way, still cutting, though slower now. “Sure.”

He laid out the details that he had read in the article as well as realizing today that fashion was something he was interested in. He left Minho’s side mid-explanation to stir in the noodles to the boiling water and once he drained them, he looked back at Minho. “I don’t know, does it sound dumb to you?”

Minho shook his head. “Not at all. I think it makes a lot of sense for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And, like, me going back to Korea and you being in America would , but I’m sure we could visit each other sometimes, right?”

Oh, damn, he hadn’t even thought about that. But… “Wait, you’re actually still planning on going through with what your dad wants?”

“Uh, yeah?”

Kibum frowned, leaving the steaming pasta in the sink to go back to Minho. “Why?” Minho shrugged, popping the stem off of a mushroom before he started slicing it. “Do you still want his approval?” A weighted silence settled between them, punctuated by the rhythmic slicing of Minho’s knife. He still had yet to talk about that night, and Kibum was doing what he could to respect his clear desire to ignore it ever happened, but this just didn’t make sense. “Do you?”

Minho’s jaw clenched and he dropped the knife, letting it clatter on the counter. “Of course I do.” He wiped his hands off on the crumpled towel beside him, shaking his head slightly. “I wish I didn’t, but I can’t help it. I want him to be happy with me. Proud of me. Of who I am. And now that I know he’s not, I -- “ His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to do. So, I’ll do what he wants. Because maybe...maybe that’ll show him I’m not the disappointment he thinks I am.”

A rash of goosebumps washed over Kibum. Was that what he said to Minho that night? Tears stung his eyes, but he couldn’t tell if they were from anger or sadness. Probably both, if he were being honest with himself.

“But anyway, I guess my only concern is you going back to New York City. You know…” He let the thought go unfinished, but Kibum grasped the sentiment. Because of his dad dying there. “But if you’re okay with that, then I don’t see anything wrong with applying. I think it’d be a cool experience for you if you were able to get in.”

“Yeah.” He went back to the stove, pouring a bit of oil into the pan. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

* * * * * * * * *

Torrential summer rain pounded on the roof of the Kim’s greenhouse, drowning out any thoughts. Minho worked quietly, focusing solely on the wilting Wiggentree shrub before him. He had been caring for it since Mrs. Kim brought it home from work one day, concerned that her desk plant was dying. It was, and for the life of him, Minho couldn’t figure out why. He had already turned the soil, repotted it, watered it, set it near sunlight….and nothing.

No change for weeks. And, with the new school year fast approaching, Minho was more determined than ever.

His cup of cocoa that Kibum had brought out to him an hour or so ago sat cold and abandoned as he carefully tied the branches to some twigs he had stuck upright in the potting soil, hoping that they would give it the strength to grow.

The door to the greenhouse swung open, and Minho didn’t even have to turn around to know that it was Jonghyun. Something about the way he walked wasn’t quite the same as Kibum. “You hungry yet?”

Minho shook his head, which was a lie. He just didn’t want to stop.

The door closed, and for a second, Minho thought Jonghyun left, but the approaching footsteps made Minho look up. Jonghyun pulled up a stool beside Minho, leaning against the tabletop as he searched Minho's face.

"What?"

"You don't have to hide from us, you know." Gulping, Minho looked back at the Wiggentree. "I understand being embarrassed, believe me, but like, we just wanna help you, if we can."

"I know. Sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry," Jonghyun said, patting Minho's shoulder. He offered him a small smile when Minho looked up at him. "You can wait until you're ready, we'll still be here." He patted Minho’s shoulder again before he stood, heading back for the door. “Lunch is just leftovers, so if you get hungry -- “

“Yeah, okay.”

The phone rang just as Jonghyun was closing the door. Minho looked back at the tree, tightened the knot of the twine holding it up, and stood to get the water pitcher. He was embarrassed, Jonghyun was right. Every time he saw the two of them, no matter the context, it just brought him back to that vulnerable moment they found him in all those weeks ago.

He let a little bit of water trickle into the pot. Hopefully that would help.

The door creaked open again, and this time it was Kibum. Minho looked his way. “It’s Minseok, do you want to talk to him?”

Minho set the pitcher down with a sigh and crossed the greenhouse, taking the phone from Kibum. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

Minho stared at Kibum as he listened to the static crinkle in his ear, and Kibum stared back, his gaze darting back and forth between his eyes. “How are things there?”

“Oh, you know...kinda ty.” Minho’s grip tightened on the receiver. “Dad wants you to come home.”

That was a first. Minho broke eye contact with Kibum, his gaze dropping to their feet. “Yeah?”

“I told him not to get his hopes up.”

“Ki!” Jonghyun called from the other room. “You’ve got a Hogwarts letter!”

Minho looked back up to find Kibum still watching him. I’m fine, he mouthed and nodded toward the living room. Kibum’s brow furrowed but he still moved away, making his way to Jonghyun. Minho watched him go for a second before he turned and sat on the step leading into the greenhouse. “I mean, I do need to get my stuff for school. I didn’t take anything with me except my wand.”

Something fell on the other side of the line. “Wait, you want to come back?”

He let out a long sigh, rubbing his hand over his face. “I don’t know what I want.” He listened to the static again, his heart clenching as the silence grew heavier. “What do you think I should do?”

“Wait. For as long as you can. I can work on getting you packed up for school so you can spend as little time here as possible.”

Tears started welling up in his eyes, but he blinked them away. “I just…” He pursed his lips together, shaking his head. “I wish I could have been normal, l -- “

“If you say like you I’m gonna find a way to come over there and kick your .” Minho let out a choked chuckle. “Do you realize how boring that would be if you were exactly like me? off with that bull.”

“Okay, okay.” Minho rubbed his nose, smiling a little before he sobered again. “Do you think it’s possible? To make amends?”

“Yeah, I do. Just...I still wouldn’t come over here until the very last minute. Make Dad work for it a bit. He deserves that much.”

“I just don’t want him to be upset with me.”

Minseok let out a long sigh. “He kinda forfeited that right, didn’t he?”

“I guess.”

“You doing okay, otherwise?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, I’m glad. If you give me the list of things you absolutely need, I can get started on packing for you. When do you have to be back?”

“The first of September.”

“Oh , that’s not very much time.”

Minho’s brow scrunched as he laughed. “That’s like two weeks from now.”

“Yeah? In the grand scheme of things -- “

“Oh, shut up.”

Minseok snorted. The static-filled silence returned. “I’ll let you go. Just wanted to check in with you again.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Behave.”

“No.”

He could hear the smile in Minseok’s voice as he said, “Bye.”

“Bye.” The silence abruptly clicked off and Minho heaved a heavy sigh as he pushed himself up, returning the receiver to its place on the wall. Both Kibum and Jonghyun were watching him, wide-eyed, as he walked into the living room. “So, what was the letter? Anything interesting?”

Jonghyun’s attention darted to Kibum as he passed Minho the letter.

Dear Mr. Kim,

I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected to be the Head Boy for the 2009-2010 school term. Your school records show an exemplary scholastic record as well as a willingness to do the right thing, no matter the cost. Your professors are in unanimous agreement that you are the right choice for Head Boy for the upcoming year.

I am certain that you will meet your newfound responsibilities with the same eagerness and tenacity you have for your coursework and defending what is right for your fellow students, especially with the sure to be interesting events of this coming year. Enclosed are the guidelines you will be expected to hold the Prefects and the student body to as soon as you step foot in Hogwarts come September 1st.

Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall

“That’s great, Bummie,” he said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster as he handed the letter back.

“Of all the things I was expecting…”

“Good to know that you can get into a fight and still become Head Boy of Hogwarts.”

Kibum frowned at Jonghyun, but Minho started to laugh, plopping down on the armrest beside Kibum and leaning against him for support. “It’s not that funny, Min.”

“Leave me alone, I’m exhausted.”

Once Minho stopped chuckling, he stayed leaning on Kibum, but his gaze trailed across the room to Jonghyun who glanced between them, his brow furrowing in amusement. Minho pushed away from Kibum, clearing his throat. “You said lunch was leftovers, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going back out after you eat?” Kibum asked as Minho opened the icebox.

For a split second, his heart was in his throat, making it hard to breathe. But the moment soon passed, and Minho glanced over his shoulder before looking back into the icebox. “No, I’ll stay out here.”

The rain didn’t let up for hours. The sun was down and Minho was tucked into bed before the storm started to pass. Sure, it was still raining, but less so, now. He stared, watching the streaks of lamplight drip down the windowpane, and turned his head on his pillow at the light knocking on his bedroom door.

“Yeah?”

The door creaked open, and Minho didn’t have to turn on the light to recognize the shape of Kibum in the dark. The part of the bed by his knee sunk under his weight as he sat down, no doubt watching him. “What did Minseok want?”

There was no reason to mince words, was there? “My dad wants me to come home.”

“Will you?”

He sighed. “Eventually I’ll have to, won’t I?”

The weight of Kibum’s scrutiny lifted, and Minho traced the lines of his silhouetted profile in the lamplight. “I don’t want you to go alone.”

Panic coursed through him, tingling in his limbs, his fingertips. He sat up slowly, reaching for Kibum, finding his hand in the dark. He couldn’t go with him; he couldn’t face his father with Kibum by his side. What if Dad hurt him? What would he do then? “I won’t be alone,” he whispered, and Kibum squeezed his hand. “Minseok will be there.”

“I know…”

“And I’d like to try to make things right...or as right as possible...before school. I think it’d be better that way.” Kibum nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

The days leading up to Minho’s return home went by way too quickly. Minho found a book to help him nurse the Wiggentree back to health, which only took a few more days, and the rest of his time was spent either helping Kibum come up with what to say to the Prefects on the ride into town, playing with Roo with the other two, or giving Jonghyun feedback on his new songs before he left to join up with Pierre and Phillipe. They were off to try to make a name for themselves and Nebulous Stardust by performing in whichever pubs or bars would allow them, and Minho couldn’t be happier for him.

His arrival back home had been prearranged with Minseok -- 5:45 in the evening, right before Dad got home from work. Mrs. Kim returned to Nottingham early that day, and now the four of them were sitting in the living room, toes tapping, fingers drumming as they watched the seconds tick tick tick by. Minho stopped tapping his wand on his knee as the clock reached 5:44.

“Are you sure you’re not too nervous to disapparate?” Kibum asked, glancing between Minho and the clock. “I can get you there.”

“I’ll be fine,” Minho said, even as he swallowed thickly.

“You have your notebook?”

“Ki, relax,” Jonghyun said as Minho nodded at Kibum. “You’ll just stress him out further.”

Kibum stopped wringing his hands in his lap, glaring at Jonghyun.

“Let us know that you’re safe, okay?” Mrs. Kim asked as the minute hand struck 5:45.

Minho’s knees trembled as he stood. “I will.” He held his wand out, forcing himself to steady his hand. He gave Kibum one final look -- a determined nod -- and he turned in place. The Kims’ living room vanished in a swirl of color and sunlight as Minho hurtled toward Manchester.

He reappeared exactly where he had left -- in the center of his room. Glancing wildly about, he patted his chest and stomach before he checked his arms. No sign of splinching. He sank into his bed in relief, flipping open his notebook to tell Kibum he was okay when his bedroom door swung open. Minho snapped his notebook closed, his gaze darting to meet Minseok’s eyes. He tossed his notebook and wand aside as he stood to hug him, coughing a little as his wind was knocked out of him.

“Is he here yet?” Minho managed to say despite how tightly Minseok was squeezing him.

“Not yet.” He patted Minho’s back roughly before he let him go, looking him over. “Mom’s downstairs, if you want to see her before Dad gets home.”

“Okay.” Minho glanced back at the notebook before he closed his bedroom door behind him and followed Minseok down the stairs. As soon as they rounded the corner to the living room, Mom looked up, her eyes shining with uncried tears. Ember bounded off her lap and over to greet Minho, weaving between his legs with happy little meows.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as she stood, her voice trembling as she bowed deeply to him.

“Mom, it’s okay,” Minho said as he drew nearer, reaching out to embrace her as her crying turned to sobs. “It’s okay,” he said, repeating it as often as she apologized. “I’m fine, see?”

She cried for a few more minutes, and Minho looked back at Minseok, who looked pissed off, for whatever reason. His expression hardened, however, when the front door opened. Mom dried her eyes, slipping out of Minho’s embrace and looking past him while she waited for the arrival of Dad.

Gulping, Minho turned, watching, waiting, not breathing until his father appeared in the archway.

He stared at Minho for a few seconds, his mouth a thin, white line. Then, slowly, he knelt before him, his hands stretching out before him as his forehead pressed against the hardwood floor. Minho tried to swallow past the lump in his throat as he joined Dad on the floor. “Get up, please,” he said, blinking back tears. “Dad, please, it’s okay.”

Slowly, Dad pushed himself up, still kneeling before Minho. His eyes were red, seemingly in an effort to keep from crying. He reached forward, palm out, to cup Minho’s cheek. Minho couldn’t help but flinch. He sat frozen, watching Dad warily as he gently cupped his jaw. “I’m so sorry, Minho. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

The tears welling up in his eyes and the ever-growing lump in his throat made it impossible for Minho to speak, so he nodded and let himself be wrapped in a tight hug.

Dinner passed by in a daze. Minho ate sparingly, as he was still too worked up to eat more than a simple bowl of rice. As soon as he was allowed, Minho hurried back upstairs to his room, grabbing his notebook. I’m so sorry, Minseok came in as soon as I got home so I couldn’t write. All is well. He apologized.

Kibum’s response was immediate. Merlin’s ing beard, Min, you scared me.

I’m sorry.

I’m glad you’re okay, though.

Minho snapped his notebook closed as his door swung open, and he hurried to stash it under his pillow until -- “Oh, it’s only you.”

“Yeah,” Minseok said, closing the door behind him. “How are you holding up?”

Kibum must have replied, given how the notebook pages were fluttering. Minseok eyed it curiously, and Minho stuffed it under his thigh. “Okay. Better than I expected.”

“Ready for the new school year?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Minseok sat on Minho’s bed, glancing over at the closed door before looking back at Minho. “Does Kibum know?”

Minho blinked rapidly. “Know...what?”

“That you like him.”

Minho froze. He was pretty sure his heart stopped, actually. “I-I-I don’t know...what -- “

Sighing, Minseok leaned over, grabbing his wallet out of his back pocket. He opened it, sifting through the notes before he pulled out a worn piece of parchment. The same piece of parchment that he had written Kibum’s landline number down on. Little animated hearts popped up and winked out of existence around Kibum’s name. A stupid little doodle he had done one night when he was missing Kibum and something he was quite definitely regretting now that he looked back at Minseok.

“He doesn’t.”

He let silence fill the room then, as Minseok stuffed the parchment back into his wallet. “Found that the night you left. Figured I might as well call there to see if that’s where you went.”

The rice Minho had managed to eat might make a reappearance. He clasped his hands together in his lap, his knuckles white. “You didn’t...tell them, right?”

“Of course not. What kind of do you think I am?”

Minho let out a nervous laugh, his heartbeat finally pounding in his ears. “You don’t mind?”

“Mind?” He shook his head, slightly smiling. “I had my suspicions.” Minho stared at him blankly, and Minseok chuckled. “Remember Changmin?” Minho’s face instantly inflamed as he thought back to the silly crush he had had on Minseok’s older classmate, and Minseok’s smile grew. “Thought you might. And then I saw how you were with Kibum a few summers back...It just makes sense.”

“You’re really okay with it?”

Minseok took a deep breath in as he turned toward Minho, letting it all out before he said, “No matter what, not even you being a gay wizard can change the fact that you’re my brother who definitely needs me to look out for him still.” Minho let out a huff of a laugh as Minseok clapped his hand on Minho’s shoulder. “You’ll never have to worry about me like that, okay?” Minho nodded. “Get some sleep. I’m taking you to the station in the morning.”

“Okay.” Minseok got off his bed and made his way for the door. “Minseok,” he said quietly, waiting for him to turn around before he added. “Thank you.”

He winked as he threw up a finger gun, then left his room, closing the door behind him. Minho sank into his bed, his hands trembling as he reached for his notebook again. Sorry, he wrote before he could focus on the wall of text Kibum sent him. Minseok came in to check on me. I’m okay. I think I want to try to sleep before tomorrow, if that’s okay?

Yeah, that’s understandable. I’m just glad you’re safe, Min.

Me too. I’ll see you tomorrow.

He closed the notebook, stuffing it into his duffle bag along with his wand before he turned off the light and fell back into bed. The conversation with Minseok and his parents’ apologies whirled around in his mind as he slipped into a restless sleep.

* * * * * * * * * *

The constant stream of parents and students, both old and new, into Platform 9¾ did nothing to ease Kibum's nerves. He paced back and forth past Mom and Jonghyun as he watched the entrance. He said he was fine. That he was fine and on the train here…but where was he? Was Aaron here yet?

"Relax, he'll be here soon," Mom said, her voice as soothing as Kibum allowed it to be.

"They could have changed their mind and pulled him off the train. Burned the notebook so he couldn't tell me."

"Kibum..." There was a pitying laugh in her voice. "I'm sure that's not the case."

"Ki," Jonghyun said, smacking his shoulder and nodding toward the entrance.

Kibum whirled around, relief flooding him as Minho glided through, talking about Quidditch, no doubt, with Aaron. After the relief subsided, Kibum cupped his hand around his mouth. "Hey!"

Minho stopped mid-sentence, finding Kibum in the crowd. He said something quickly to Aaron before hurrying toward him, Mom, and Jonghyun. "I'm okay, see?" he said, holding an arm out to hug Kibum. "I'm okay."

"I was so worried," Kibum whispered, and Minho's other arm wrapped around him, holding him tightly. "I know, I'm being stupid."

"It's okay, I understand." Minho rubbed his back. "I'm sorry."

Kibum shook his head, pulling away to look Minho over. No cuts, no bruises. Minho was fine; he could truly relax now.

"Okay, I've got to head to work now. Minho?" Mom held her arms out, hugging Minho. "Have fun this year, alright? Do well."

"Thanks, Mrs. Kim."

Her eyes fell on Kibum, and he rushed to hug her as well while Jonghyun said goodbye to Minho. "Don't wait too long, okay?" she said quietly in his ear. "You'll feel better once you tell him."

"Okay, Mom."

"Study hard." She stepped back, still holding him. "I'll send you the college application when it comes in." He nodded, waving to her as she hurried off.

Kibum glanced between Jonghyun and Minho, who looked toward the train. "I'll save us a spot?"

"Sure, thanks."

He watched Minho go, looking back at Jonghyun when the bustling crowd swallowed him. "Did you pack the letter?"

", no…" He had been such a mess this morning, it had completely slipped his mind.

"Write a new one, then. Don't try to be fancy, it'll ruin the moment." Kibum laughed. "I'm serious. Just be yourself, okay? And try not to worry too much about it. I guarantee it'll turn out like you're hoping it will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I have a brain and working eyes." Kibum rolled his eyes, and Jonghyun shook his head, grinning. "You'd better hurry or he'll think you're in love with me again."

"Oh, shut the up."

Jonghyun's laughter followed him to the Hogwarts Express, and as he reached the first step he turned, waving goodbye to him before he went inside.

"Do you have your notecards?" Minho quietly asked him when he reached their seat.

, that was another thing he forgot this morning. "No…"

Minho shifted in his seat, his brow furrowing. "Do you remember everything you're supposed to say?"

"I think so."

"Hey, strangers," a familiar voice said, and Kibum turned to see Analecia coming up behind him, looking him over as she leaned on the seat in front of them. "What are you doing back in the first car?" Kibum reached around to the front of his robe, showing her his Head Boy badge. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Minho laughed. "That's great!"

"Thanks. Do you know who the Head Girl is?"

She nodded, gesturing blindly over her shoulder. "Priyasha. She just had a mini meeting with us girls outside."

Kibum nodded absently, glancing across the car to find Priyasha talking to her fellow Ravenclaw Prefects. "I guess I should go then, huh?" he asked, looking back at Minho.

"Yeah."

Minho offered him a soft smile as Analecia slipped between them and took the seat beside Minho. It would just be for now, while he delivered the instructions, then the Prefects would be off to parole the train and Kibum would finally get to relax with him.

Kibum joined Priyasha in the front row, but she was so absorbed in her conversation with Rhesa that she barely noticed him. When the door to the train car slid shut, butterflies started fluttering in his stomach. Exhaust plumed past the window, obliterating the final view of Platform 9¾ before the train chugged forward. By the time the exhaust cleared, they were in the heart of London.

Clearing his throat, he stood and turned to face the waiting Prefects. Aside from Minho, the other Quidditch captains weren't paying any attention to him. Too wrapped up in their own conversation. Not that he blamed them at all. His gaze fell on Minho, who gave him a cheesy and enthusiastic thumbs up. Kibum shook his head with a small smile before he forced himself to look away.

"Okay, just a few words that most of us already know. Remember, we've been chosen by the Headmistress and our professors for a reason, and we're to lead the student body by example, both in our behavior and our participation in the classes. Uh -- " He glanced at Minho, who was miming something by wiggling his fingers as he pulled his hand down. Kibum squinted. "What?"

"House points," he said in a loud stage whisper.

"How was that supposed to be...don't answer that." A few of the Prefect girls giggled, glancing back at Minho, who was grinning cheekily at him. Don't glare at them...don't… "But yes, we are allowed to take away House points, but don't abuse that power, or else you'll lose your badge. There was another...thing...oh! I'm not sure what it is yet, but McGonagall alluded to something interesting happening soon that would mean more responsibilities for us, but I'm not sure what it is yet, so I'll get back to you when the time comes, okay?"

A murmur of assent went up in the train car, and Kibum gestured casually toward the back door leading to the rest of the train. "I'm done now if you wanna get started on paroling the train."

He waited for the commotion to subside before he plopped down beside Minho, heaving a sigh as he leaned his head back against the bench. "I wonder what it'll be."

Kibum shrugged half-heartedly. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough."

Soon enough turned out to be that night, after the Sorting and the welcome feast concluded. Headmistress McGonagall returned to the podium, in what Kibum thought would be their dismissal. He took a few more quick bites of his pumpkin pastie before he wiped his mouth free of crumbs, preparing to stand --

"There is just one final announcement to make before I release you to your Houses tonight," she said after she had garnered everyone's attention and curious silence. Kibum sank back down on the bench. "Hogwarts will once again be the host to the Triwizard Tournament."

The Great Hall erupted in an excited buzzing, only to be quieted by a stern look from McGonagall. "It has been highly debated whether the event should or should not be resurrected, given the events of the previous Tournament."

"Someone died last time, right?" Callum whispered to Aaron, drawing Kibum's attention away from McGonagall.

"Yeah, I think so."

Frowning, Kibum looked back up at the dais. "From the suggestions and direct input from the surviving Champions of the previous Tournament, changes have been made to ensure the safety of the Champions this year. The age restriction of seventeen-year-olds and up will once again be in place. One witch or wizard from Hogwarts, as well as a witch or wizard from both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, who meet that criteria will be selected to be their school's Champion from the names of the students that enter.

"The delegations from the other schools will arrive in a few short weeks, and the Tournament will begin shortly after. Because of this, there will be no Quidditch this year -- " She held her hand up, quelling the angry outburst before she continued. " -- As the Quidditch pitch will need to be reconstructed several times for the upcoming trials the Champions will face." Kibum peered around Aaron's head, trying to catch a glimpse of Minho's reaction to that bit of news. "The selected Champion from Hogwarts will be exempt from their end of the year exams as well, given that their attention will be so diverted because of the Tournament. That is all I have for you right now, please wait patiently for more information. You're dismissed," she said, waving her hand toward the door.

"Would you mind taking care of the first year girls?" Kibum asked Analecia as they both stood.

"Yeah, no problem."

Kibum led Slytherin downstairs, glancing back when they split off from Hufflepuff at the corner. He unlocked the common room with a press of his wand on the right brick and Valerian, the first of the many passwords he would have to come up with this year. "Right, first year boys, with me!" He kept walking toward the dorm rooms, though slower now, letting the first years take in the no-doubt foreboding common room. It had been to him, at least, when he first saw it, so he understood why they all looked at least slightly terrified.

“We’re honestly pretty relaxed here in Slytherin,” he said as he guided them down the hall to the first year dorm room. “The rules are pretty simple. Be quiet and courteous of your roommates and don’t, for any reason, go into the girl’s dorms.” He opened the door to their room. “Go ahead and make yourselves at home, and be in bed by lights out. If you need me, I’ll be in this room.” He pointed to the door right behind him. “Any questions?”

Several of the boys shook their heads.

“Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, smiling before he closed the door and turned to go to his room. He closed the seventh year door behind him, his head knocked against the door.

“Oh no,” Callum said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “The Head Boy is here. We’d better not misbehave now.”

“Shut it,” Kibum said, chuckling as he pushed away from the door and started for his trunk.

He changed into his pajamas quickly, laying out his uniform for tomorrow morning before he flopped into bed. The ceiling of his bed was bare...he’d have to stick his pictures up during one of his free periods. Sighing, he turned his head, his eyes landing on his mustard yellow notebook. He grabbed it, opening it where he left his quill to find Minho already writing.

That’s crazy, about the Triwizard Tournament. Seb and Travis are still talking about it…

Kibum glanced around at the others before he wrote, Are you gonna enter?

Not sure. Maybe. You?

Kibum scoffed and Fredrick glanced over at him. Kibum shook his head at him and he went back to his book. Yeah, no, I’ve already done that...I’m good.

I guess that’s true.

You should, though. If you get chosen, I think you’d excel at this sort of thing.

Really?

Why is that a surprise? Of course I think that

ㅋㅋ It’s not, I’m just making sure. The lights winked out, and Kibum grabbed his wand from the nightstand, closing the curtain around himself before illuminating the tip of his wand so he could still see. Whenever we can enter, I will.

Okay

This is definitely not what I was expecting when Mcgonagall said “something interesting”

Me neither…I guess we should sleep, huh?

I suppose that’d be the smart thing to do

You coming over for breakfast tomorrow?

Is that allowed? I thought you had to lead by example~~

Kibum pursed his lips, shaking his head as he tried not to smile. I swear to Merlin, if you all don’t stop teasing me about this...

ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’ll stop then. Night Bummie

Goodnight, Min

In the next few weeks, when not in class or studying, Kibum was helping either Hagrid or Filch with the cleaning of the castle and grounds. He organized the other Prefects and formed a squad to help the caretaker and groundskeeper in their extra duties before the arrival of the other two schools. Minho, of course, joined in on the cleaning, bringing his Quidditch team along to help. By the day Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were set to arrive, the castle was gleaming clean and the grounds and Quidditch pitch were pristine.

The dais was a little fuller that night. Harry Potter was there -- chatting merrily with Hagrid -- along with a stunningly beautiful woman and a burly man that Kibum vaguely recognized, but he wasn’t sure from where until Aaron looked back at them, wide-eyed.

“What?” Analecia said, looking at him with concern.

“That’s...Krum...The Viktor Krum…”

Kibum glanced back at the man. Ah, some famous Quidditch player.

Disinterested now, he looked outside, doing a double-take when something large and blue flew past the window. A carriage? Another one flew past, and gasps started going up down the table. Kibum got up to peer through the window and many of the other Slytherins followed. A third carriage burst into view, drawing his eyes up to it as the winged horses carried it down to the grounds. He followed its progress only to be distracted yet again by the mast and sails appearing from the center of the Black Lake. Water sloshed and waves crashed onto the shore as an entire ship emerged from the water.

“Which one is which, do you think?”

Kibum looked up at Minho, who had maneuvered his way through the crowd to stand by Kibum at the window. Smiling, Kibum looked back at the students exiting the carriages. “Could you imagine Jonghyun arriving in an underwater ship?”

Minho snorted. “Good point.”

As the Durmstrang students started to leave the ship, Kibum turned, shooing the students who were trying to get a look back to their seats. Instead of going back to his table, Minho sat by Kibum, his gaze darting to the entrance of the Great Hall. His thumb tapped a staccato beat on the tabletop, and Kibum’s knee bounced as they watched, waiting.

Kibum’s mouth opened slightly and Minho leaned back, reaching for him when a woman who was as huge as Hagrid walked through the doors, surveying the Great Hall. Once he was able to look away from her, he saw the students dressed in pale blue silk surrounding her. Minho half-stood, peering over the heads of the Gryffindor students. They followed her to the dais, where they turned where she pointed, going to the set of stands to the right, where they stood, watching their Headmistress as she made her way up to the dais, Hagrid hurrying out of his seat to pull the empty chair behind McGonagall out for her to sit in. She looked up at him fondly before he went back to his seat.

“Are they…” Kibum asked as the Beauxbatons students finally sat down.

“Do you want to know?” Minho asked, his voice colored with amusement.

“You’re right, I don’t.”

All heads turned back to the threshold as a short, yet imposing woman clad in a brown fur robe entered the Great Hall. Her chin lifted as she was joined by her students and started walking, guiding them into the Hall and leading them to the stands opposite of the Beauxbatons students. Krum, much like Hagrid, but with less enthusiasm, got to his feet to pull the chair out for her to sit. But this time, she didn’t bother to acknowledge him as she took her place beside McGonagall.

Around the room, excited whispers turned into chatter until McGonagall stood and made her way toward the podium. She glanced between the two visiting schools before she looked out at her students. “The moment we’ve all been anticipating has finally come. The Triwizard Tournament begins tonight.” She held her hand up, quelling the students' excitement before they started up again. “It has been fifteen years since this event has taken place, and with the help of the surviving Champions -- “ She gestured over to where Harry and the others were sitting. “ -- We have made the Tournament as safe as possible for this year’s selected Champions.

“A word of caution, to those who decide to put their name forth: each task is designed to test your magical capability, your bravery, your wit, and, as it will soon be obvious, your ability to handle the pressure of danger.”

Kibum sank back in his seat. Even if he had wanted to enter, he definitely wouldn’t want to now. He cast a glance at Minho and was unsurprised to find his brow furrowed in determination.

“As the name suggests, there will be only three Champions who will compete. One from each of our schools. Their performance during the set tasks will be graded by myself, Madame Maxine -- “ She gestured to the tall woman from Beauxbatons on her right. “ -- Headmistress Nakova -- “ The short woman from Durmstrang stood and inclined her head to them. “ -- As well as Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour Weasley, and Viktor Krum.”

McGonagall waited for the applause to die out at the mention of Harry and Krum before she continued, and while she waited, Filch approached the dais carrying a heavy-looking wooden crate.

“To enter one’s name to be chosen, you must write your name clearly on a slip of parchment and put it -- thank you, Argus,” she said as he set the chest down before her. “You’ll place your name in the Goblet of Fire.”

“Goblet -- “ Minho started to ask, only for his question to be answered before he could get it out.

She produced her wand from her sleeve, tapped the surface of the chest three times. Dancing blue light shone out as the lid to the chest opened, and Mcgonagall stooped, reaching inside to pull out a large wooden, well, goblet that looked like it had been filled with alcohol and then set alight. The lid to the chest closed as soon as the goblet was free, and she set it on top of it.

“The Goblet is imbued with magic similar to that of the Sorting Hat in that, it will judge the names that are submitted and it will return the ones it deems most worthy to represent their school.” If the Great Hall wasn’t quiet before, it certainly was now. “This time tomorrow, we will reconvene here to find out who will be chosen to be our Champions.”

She clapped twice, and their dinner appeared down the middle of the four tables. As she made her way back to her seat on the dais, the students from Durmstrang joined Slytherin and Gryffindor while Beauxbatons joined Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff’s tables.

“Well, this is certainly exciting,” Calum said as he started to dish up his food.

“Are you gonna enter your name, Minho?” Aaron asked, looking across the table at him.

Minho shrugged, nodding. “I think so. You?”

“Yeah. No Quidditch this year, so might as well.”

Kibum coughed into his water, holding back a laugh when Minho looked at him in concern. No Quidditch? Alright, let me just offer myself up to be tried and tested by unknown dangers. What a great plan. Still...He glanced over at Minho, finding him absently poking at his roasted vegetables, unable to take his eyes off of the Goblet. He’d never fully understand that part of him -- that thrill-seeking athleticism -- but that didn’t mean he couldn’t support him on the sidelines.

He nudged Minho’s elbow, his eyebrows raising in amusement when Minho blinked and met his eye sheepishly. Kibum shook his head and looked back at his food, stabbing a carrot from his plate and moving it over to Minho’s.

In the morning light, the blue flame of the Goblet was just as eye-catching, especially when silhouettes of hopeful Champions passed by to drop their name inside. Aaron finished eating his breakfast as quickly as he could, grabbing the folded parchment with his name in it and darting toward the Goblet before his fork hit the table after his last bite. Beside him, Minho sniffed in amusement as he watched Callum run after him.

"When are you putting your name in?"

"When there's less people around."

That proved to be a bit of a problem, given how basically everyone who had a free period was hanging around the Goblet to see who would enter their name. It sounded like Seb and Travis were keeping notes on who put their name in and taking bets from the onlookers.

Minho, who had written his name down on a spare bit of parchment during Charms class, stood in the doorway of the Great Hall, his thumb dragging back and forth over the folded edge of the parchment.

Kibum looked over at him, letting his gaze linger before he looked back to where Minho was staring. At the Goblet of Fire. "Worried?"

"A bit."

"You don't have to do it, you know."

Minho nodded, a small smile turning up the corner of his lips. "But I want to, though."

"What are you worried about, then?

"That I'll be disappointed if I don't get chosen. And if...if I do, then that I'm not gonna be good enough to win." He shook his head, looking over at Kibum. "Dumb things to be worried about, I know."

"I don't think so." Kibum shrugged. "It's up to you, of course. But, if I can say, I know you'll be upset with yourself if you don't at least try."

Minho his teeth, let out a long sigh, and started forward. Smiling to himself, Kibum followed him.

A sort of cheer went up in the gathered crowd as someone -- Damien, Kibum recognized as they drew nearer -- stood and went to drop his name in. He grinned at them, but his smile wavered when he looked back to see Minho and Kibum approaching. He walked quicker, then, going up on his tiptoes to peek inside the Goblet before he let the swirling flames swallow his parchment.

Kibum stared at him until he turned away and went to go gather his things.

"Excuse me, sir?" Seb asked in an exaggerated Cockney accent, gesturing to a chuckling Minho. "Sir, what's your name?"

"Oy, please tell us, for the bets, sir?" Travis added, his accent somehow worse than Seb's.

"Minho. Choi Minho," he said, making a finger gun under his chin. He was probably winking, judging by the girls' tittering reaction. Kibum rolled his eyes and shook his head as Minho tossed his name in.

"You're an idiot," he said when Minho came back to him.

"Yes, I know."

"That's good at least. I'm glad you're aware."

Minho grinned as he slung his arm over Kibum's shoulder, and Kibum couldn't help but smile as he leaned against him.

When they returned to the Great Hall for dinner that night, they found that bleachers had been set up on either side of the long room, leaving the center clear, except for the Goblet of Fire. Kibum followed Minho to an empty section toward his normal spot and Analecia and Gil sat on his opposite side. “This is so exciting,” she whispered, but when Kibum turned his head, he realized that she was talking to Gil.

“Nervous?” Kibum asked Minho as the professors and the former champions filed onto the dais.

“And excited. And curious.”

Kibum nodded. That was understandable. He kept his gaze on McGonagall as she broke away from the professors and continued down into the room until she was standing by the Goblet. A hush fell over the students when she lifted her hand and the torches around the room immediately dimmed, drawing everyone’s attention to the brilliant blue flame of the Goblet.

“The moment has finally arrived: the selection of the Triwizard champions. ” Behind her, the flame grew, sparks flew, and the fire changed to burgundy, washing the Great Hall in a pinkish light for a moment. A singed piece of parchment burst forth from the center of the Goblet, and Mcgonagall reached out her hand to catch it as it floated past. “From Durmstrang...Miloni Abel.”

Everyone looked across the room to where the delegation from Durmstrang sat. A short, stocky girl from the third row stood, smiling at her cheering classmates. Minho joined in with the polite applause the started up everywhere else, and Kibum got a few claps in before the flame changed again.

Purple, this time. A royal purple that sent a shiver down Kibum’s spine. McGonagall once again caught the parchment that spurted from the flame, taking her time as she unfolded it. “From Beauxbatons...Turner Bellamy.”

Kibum grabbed Minho’s arm before he could start clapping for the boy getting up amidst the Beauxbatons students. “What?”

“I think he was in Jonghyun’s band…”

Minho’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?” Kibum nodded, and Minho started clapping with the others. Kibum searched for Turner in the poor lighting, finding him up on the dais being greeted by the former Champion Fleur Weasley and being escorted away.

The flame changed once more. A bright green, now. Kibum held his breath as he unconsciously reached for Minho. As soon as the parchment was dispelled, the light returned to its original blue as McGonagall opened the folded note. She looked up, searching the Hogwarts students closest to her before she said --

“From Hogwarts...Choi Minho.”