- January 14, 2019 -

Snow drifted past the window, little specks of white slicing through the gray of the buildings and the overcast sky beyond. Pedestrians breezed past the window for the Wizarding Department of Social Services, more than likely not even noticing that the office was even there. Kibum stared at them, his gaze trailing each one of them until they slipped past the boundary of the window sill.

Minho’s palm was sweaty against his. Or maybe both of their palms were. But neither of them wanted to let go.

“When do you think they’ll call us back?” Minho whispered.

Kibum squeezed his hand. “Soon, hopefully.” He tore his gaze away from the window, looking over at his husband. “We’ll be okay, Min. I’m sure we’ll do just fine.”

“I know, it’s just…” Kibum kissed his hand, and Minho sighed, his thought seemingly trailing away as the receptionist got up.

“Mr. and, uh, Mr. Kim?” she called, scanning the empty lobby to find them standing. Kibum wiped his hand off on his pants leg before she shook his hand. “So nice to meet you. Ms. Nicholl will see you now.”

Ms. Nicholl’s office was a few floors up, a maze of hallways and stairwells leading them to it. The receptionist knocked on the door before reaching for the handle to open it. She moved aside, and Minho pressed on the small of his back, letting him enter the room first.

The room was painted a warm blue aside from the wall closest to the desk. That wall was white but marred with multi-colored scribbles from the myriad art supplies set up for the children who undoubtedly frequented this office. Ms. Nicholl herself stood to greet them — a short, plump woman with unmistakably kind brown eyes. Her salt and pepper hair was a mass of tiny braids, all of which was tied into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She smiled up at them as she clasped both of her hands around theirs as she shook them.

“Please, sit here,” she said, her rich Southern drawl a surprise in downtown Manhattan. They both sat in the armchairs she indicated, and Kibum made himself comfortable before he glanced over at Minho. “I hear you’re interested in fostering some children? Possibly adopting, if it’s a match?”

Kibum nodded as Minho said, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, I appreciate that, dear, but you can call me Myra. Ms. Myra, if you feel so inclined. I don’t mind either way.”

“Okay.”

“So,” she glanced between them, probably sizing them up. “You’re interested in adopting?” Kibum nodded again. “I have to warn you, it’s quite the process. Background checks, referrals, character testimonies…Did you get all of the paperwork that Sybil gave you filled out?”

Kibum cleared his throat, leaning forward. “Yes, we did.”

“How long does all of that take?” Minho asked.

“That? Plus the in-home interview and inspection? Could be six…eight months before we’re able to place some children in your care. Now,” she clasped her hands together on her desk, leaning in toward them. “Why have you chosen adoption?”

Kibum turned to Minho, offering him a small smile and a nod when he glanced his way. “Well, since we can’t have any children naturally, I…we thought that adoption was the best option. I mean, there are already so many kids out there who need loving homes, and I think we’ll be able to provide that for at least one of them.”

When Myra’s gaze turned to Kibum, the same question in her eyes, Kibum gestured to Minho. “We’re in total agreement about this choice, or else we wouldn’t be here. We…we both firmly believe that this is the right decision for us to make, and we’re excited about starting this new chapter in our lives.”

Smiling, apparently satisfied, she leaned back. “You put your address on the forms?”

“I think four, no, five?” He glanced over at Minho, who nodded. “Yeah, five times.”

“Well, then, I’ll send an owl your way to give you a heads up about your home inspection and interview. How does that sound?”

“Great!”

“We’ll be ready for you,” Kibum said, standing again when she did, and shaking her hand when she offered hers.

“I look forward to meeting with you again,” she said, waving them out of her office.

Neither of them relaxed until they reached the stairwell. Kibum’s sigh filled the room as Minho collapsed against the wall, his eyes closed tightly for a second before he blinked.

“I think that went okay.”

“Yeah, I think so, too.” Kibum sighed again, then grabbed Minho’s hand, leading him back downstairs.

Ms. Myra Nicholl’s owl didn’t reach them until the following Thursday. Minho called him when he got home from work, letting him know that she’d be there by noon on Saturday, and then he let him return to getting ready for the night’s show.

When Kibum returned, he was wholly unsurprised to find the house in disarray. Somehow, he just knew that he’d find Minho cleaning their already clean house as if his life depended on it. The TV blared, but when Kibum went into the living room, Minho was nowhere to be found.

“Babe?” He called out as he turned down the TV a few clicks, glancing around. At the sound of his voice, the puppies scampered down the stairs and Kibum grinned, plopping down on the couch and patting it roughly to get them to come over to him. “Hello, my babies,” he said, trying to pet them at the same time, despite their battle for his sole affections. “Where’s your other dad? Upstairs?”

Being dogs, they of course didn’t reply. Their tiny bodies only wagged a bit harder as he spoke to them.

“Let’s bring him down here, shall we?”

He smacked his knees, groaning as he stood, and trudged over to the kitchen. Of course, there were no leftovers to heat up. But if he really wanted to get Minho’s attention, leftovers would have never been good enough. Kibum grabbed his container of spaghetti, the bundle of fresh herbs in the fridge, and the mussels before he returned to the fridge.

Zoning out a little, he started preparing dinner. Slicing the mushrooms, pasting the garlic, boiling the pasta, opening the mussels… It wasn’t until he started on the herbed butter sauce that Minho wandered downstairs.

“When did you get home?” he asked, coming around the counter to wrap his arms around him. His chin rested on Kibum’s shoulder, and Kibum dipped his tasting spoon in the sauce, bringing it up for Minho to taste.

Kibum smiled as he hummed his approval. “Probably a half-hour ago?”

“Seriously?” Kibum nodded, his gaze sliding to the bit of Minho’s profile that he could see before he went back to stirring in the mushrooms. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“Yeah. Pour us some wine and try to relax.”

Minho sniffed a laugh, then kissed his neck before his hands slipped away from around his waist. “How was your day?”

Kibum shrugged, grabbing the cauldron of pasta and taking it over to the sink to drain the water. “More of the usual. What about you?”

Minho nodded with a sigh. “Same.” He passed Kibum a glass of white wine, which he sipped before setting it aside to finish up their dinner. “Got a bit of cleaning done. I almost made the spare room into a nursery but I felt like that might be overkill.”

Kibum chuckled. “Yeah, a bit. We can wait until we actually get a kid placed with us for that, I think.”

“Probably.” Minho cleared his throat, then was quiet for a few prolonged seconds. Drinking, more than lightly. Kibum dumped the mussels into the pasta, stirring them around a bit. “Moved most of the extra stuff that’s lying around up in the attic, though.”

“That’s good! I can help you after dinner,” he said as he pushed away from the stovetop, fetching plates from the cupboard. “How much do you want, love?”

Kibum carried their plates into the living room, and Minho their wine glasses, and they settled together on the couch. Minho got back up for seconds, bringing back the bottle of wine. He sidled up to Minho once he settled on the couch again. “So what is there left to do?”

Minho finished chewing his bite before he said, “Not much. Just need to finish packing stuff away in the attic and then we can clean.”

“That shouldn’t take long.”

“Hopefully not.”

As soon as Minho finished his seconds, he took his and Kibum’s plates back to the kitchen, starting the kitchen cleaning itself while Kibum lay across the couch. Kibum watched him start to head upstairs again, looking back when Kibum called him. “Come here for a second.”

“What do you need?” Minho asked as he drew nearer.

“For you to relax.”

Minho started to smile, glancing upstairs. “But there’s still so much to do.”

“Just for a little while, then.”

He sat up a little, holding his arms open. Reluctantly, Minho draped himself around him, his warm weight welcome as he rested his head on Kibum’s chest. Kibum held him close, his hands settling around Minho’s waist as Minho’s arms s around him. Minho let out a contented sigh, and Kibum chuckled as he pressed a kiss to his hair.

“I don’t know why you resisted, babe.”

“Because I know I won’t want to get up,” Minho murmured, his deep, quiet voice vibrating through Kibum.

“I mean, I wouldn’t have a problem with that.”

Minho nuzzled closer to him, his arms squeezing him a little tighter before he relaxed again.

Maybe he should have just let him go do his work…Kibum wasn’t sure when he nodded off — sometime after Minho, given that he had been lazily playing with his hair until he started his quiet snoring. Then, of course, he’d been stuck. Because there was no way he’d be able to move now that he was trapped beneath his sleeping husband. Not that he was complaining, obviously…

It was well past midnight when Kibum stirred. Minho was still snoring, and now the dogs were curled up between their tangled legs.

“Minho,” he whispered, though it didn’t rouse Minho. Kibum’s sigh ruffled Minho’s hair and he looked past him at their dogs. Both were attentively watching him. He held up his hand as if he had a treat — both of the dogs very alert now — and he stuffed his hand under Minho’s shirt. “The treat’s in there,” he whispered to the dogs, and they were up and digging with their cold wet noses up and under Minho’s shirt.

He woke with a start, delirious as he looked back around to get the dogs off of him. He gave Kibum a confused look as he tried to stifle his laughter, the furrow in his brow melting away when Kibum kissed him.

“Let’s go to bed, love.”

When Ms. Nicholl arrived on the snowy Saturday afternoon, Kibum welcomed her inside while Minho hurried to go make her some coffee to warm her up. They had spent all of their spare time cleaning up until the moment she apparated to their front door. Together, they gave her the tour, which didn’t last too long, considering how small their house was. She didn’t say much, just took some notes on her clipboard and asked a few questions about their plans for accommodating their future foster children.

As soon as they finished, they all sat down in the living room, Kibum and Minho sitting together on the couch and nervously sipping their coffee, their knees barely touching. Ms. Nicholl sat across from them in the armchair Minho had drawn up years ago when Jonghyun arrived from Europe after he broke up with Pierre. The clipboard hovered just behind her, a quick quotes quill scribbling notes into the parchment.

“So,” she said, and Minho’s knee pressed a little more against Kibum’s. “We’ve still got to conduct the background checks and character testimonies. I have no doubt that you’ll pass with flying colors, of course, but we don’t let just anyone foster the children in our care, so you’ll have to be patient while we wait to get everything situated, all right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“We expected nothing less, Ms. Nicholl.”

She gave Minho a lingering smile before glancing back at Kibum. “I’ll be in touch when we’ve got everything in place, then we can get the Quaffle thrown.”

Kibum blinked, confused until Minho leaned toward him and whispered in Korean, “You know, like get everything started?” He nodded mutely.

“I look forward to meeting with the two of you again,” she said, shaking hands with each of them before Minho followed her to the door.

Kibum listened to their goodbyes as he cleaned up their coffee mugs, wiping down the counters until Minho returned to the kitchen and slumped into one of the stools at the counter. “And...now we wait.”

Kibum covered Minho’s clasped hands with his own, and Minho bent down, kissing Kibum’s knuckles. “It’s a good thing we already know how to do that, huh?” Kibum sniffed a laugh and Minho grinned before he bent and kissed Kibum’s hand once more.

* * * * * * * * * *

- August 30, 2019 -

Lightning crackled across the overcast sky, setting the buildings of Salem Boulevard aglow for a few seconds. Rain pittered gently against the window of the workroom of Stein’s Quidditch Emporium, and Minho looked up at the storm as thunder rumbled in the distance. He took a deep breath of the petrichor seeping through the cracked-open window, then smiled as he returned to his widdling.

It’d been a long day so far, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Ilvermorny, just like Hogwarts, started their school year on the first of September, which meant that the parents of the Quidditch players were bringing in their brooms to ensure that they were in perfect working order. On this, the final day before the term started, there seemed to be twice the workload than there normally was. The parents just put this off to the last minute, probably.

Lightning ripped across the sky again, drawing Minho’s gaze away from his work, long enough for his knife to slip and slice into his finger. Minho winced, dropping the knife and the broom into his lap before he inspected his finger. Blood seeped from the thin, long wound, and Minho on his finger for a second while he set the broom and knife back on his workbench and went over to the back door.

He peered through the drizzle, searching the overgrown lawn behind the Center until he spotted it. The wild dittany bush. He stepped out into the rain, not bothering to cover his head, and hurried over to the bush. After he plucked a few of the leaves, he stuck them in his mouth, chewing them a little as he hurried back inside. Sure, it was a bit gross, but it was a necessary step before he could use it for healing his, or anyone’s, wounds.

As soon as he was back inside, he took the wad of semi-chewed leaves out of his mouth and pasted it to his finger before he grabbed one of the clean polishing cloths and wrapped it around his finger. Once he tied it off, he went right back to work.

By the time he finished reshaping the twigs and polishing the handle, Minho tied the receipt to the broomstick and set it in one of the pickup slots. Then he clocked off, grabbing his sweater and hurrying out the back way of Stein’s until he reached the escalator taking him to the food court.

Kibum was already there, standing in the line to Gildong’s, his back to him. He didn’t jump at all when Minho casually rested his arms on his shoulders, only glanced his way with a small smile. “Hi, babe.”

“Hey.”

“Is Jjong here yet?”

Minho frowned, glancing around the busy cafeteria. “I was gonna ask you that.”

Kibum hummed, looking back up at the menu. “I’ll order if you just want to find us a seat. Want your usual?”

“Of course.”

He tilted his head, waiting for Minho to kiss his cheek before he straightened again. Smiling now, Minho slipped away from him, turning to search the tables for a spot for three. Eventually, he found one, but it was still dirty, and he had just finished cleaning it off by the time Kibum approached with their tray of food.

“So how’s your day so far?” he asked as Kibum set their tray between them.

Kibum passed him one of the pairs of chopsticks, sliding the plate of tteokbokki around until it was in the middle of the tray. “Nothing too interesting so far, but there’s always the show later. What about you?”

Minho shrugged, sighing. “Been a bit distracted today.” He stretched out his chopsticks, reaching for one of the rice cakes when Kibum grabbed it, redirecting him to inspect his bandaged finger. “Oh, yeah, cut myself earlier. I forgot about that.”

“Are you okay?”

He nodded, taking his hand back and moving two fish cakes to Kibum’s side before he grabbed a rice cake. “Got some dittany on it right away. This can probably come off now, honestly, I just — “

“Hey, guys, sorry I’m late,” Jonghyun said as he breezed past them. “Be right back!” he called over his shoulder as he hurried to the back of the line at Gildong’s.

“He looks happy.”

Kibum sniffed a laugh, collecting the fish cakes with his chopsticks. “Probably called Taemin or something.”

“Can’t believe he’d be late to hang out with us just to talk to his boyfriend.” Kibum’s eyes twinkled as he smiled, but it quickly faded as his attention returned to Minho’s wrapped finger. “I’m okay, Bum.”

“No, I know. I just…have you thought any more about it? About what you want to do?” Minho’s gaze fell to the tteokbokki between them. “Still not sure?” He shook his head, and he glanced up as Jonghyun weaved through the crowd of full tables to reach them. Kibum’s gaze followed his, finding him. “We can talk about it later.”

“Okay.”

“Guess what?” Jonghyun asked before he even sat down, his grin bright, his eyes glittering.

Kibum swallowed his mouthful of tteokbokki, his scarred eyebrow raised, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Taemin is just the most amazing and sweetest and caring boyfriend in the whole wide world?” He smirked when Minho coughed on his rice cake, holding back a laugh as he watched Jonghyun throw Kibum an exasperated glance.

“Do not even start with me. Do you know how long I had to sit through both of your bull?” Though his tone was slightly miffed, it was belied by a grin. “But anyway, once I get there tomorrow, he’s taking me on a weekend getaway to Jeju!”

“Oh! Jeju!”

Kibum’s attention turned toward Minho. “You’ve been?”

“Once or twice. When I was a kid.”

“You should have taken me on our honeymoon.” Jonghyun cleared his throat, drawing both of their attention back to him. “What? He should have.”

He his teeth at Kibum and Minho chuckled, grinning, before he dug around for another rice cake. “You know, one of these times, you’re not gonna want to come back from visiting him.” Jonghyun glanced his way a little sheepishly. “Or…you’re already there?”

He shrugged, looking down at his food as he stirred it. “I don’t know. I don’t really want to rush him.”

“I mean…you’ve been together for almost a year now, right?” He nodded, still not looking up at Kibum. “You trust him?”

“More than I ever did with Pierre.”

“And you can talk to him?” He nodded again. “I don’t see an issue with bringing it up. He might be waiting for you to broach the subject because he was the one who initiated everything and didn’t want to rush you.”

“True.”

Minho cleared his throat before taking a swig of his water. “Have you thought about whether you’d want to live there or here?”

He shook his head. “Either, honestly, would work. Wherever he’d be the happiest, I would be, too.”

Kibum watched him for a second, his smile growing. “You’re so whipped.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Minho cut in, laughing. “Guys, please…”

Kibum returned his attention to his food rather than to prolong the “argument” with Jonghyun, but not before giving him a furtive wink.

As soon as they finished eating, they parted ways, Minho kissing Kibum goodbye before he apparated back to Gershwin, then waving to Jonghyun as he left him at the vine-covered entrance to Crowley’s Remedies. Once he reached his workroom, he untied the makeshift bandage and washed the dittany off, surveying what was left of his wound. Just a thin pinkish line, as if it had been healing naturally for days.

He finished work a bit later than usual, but he did finish all the rush orders for the Ilvermorny students, so at least there was that. The sun was still hanging lazily above the tops of the buildings of Salem Boulevard as he walked home. It had been unbearably hot as of late, but the rain from earlier had helped a bit.

He grabbed the mail from their box at the sidewalk, then let himself inside. “I'm home, boys!” he called out, though he didn’t necessarily need to. The puppies had already come running at the sound of the door opening.

Minho managed to pick both of the squirmy, excited dogs up on his way to the back door. He opened the back door with his foot, then set them down to let them romp in the community backyard for a bit before he took them for a walk. He sat on the top set, sorting through the mail.

A thick letter from Analecia. Probably filled with a bunch of pictures of her girls.

A few bills, all of which they had already set up an automatic payment at the bank.

A postcard from Mateo with notes from all of the kids on the back. Minho smiled at the messages from Max and Manuel as he flipped over the final letter.

It was from Ms. Nicholl. He recognized the crest on the stationary. He slid his finger until the pale blue wax seal, unfolding the parchment.

Dear Mr. and Mr. Kim,

I am pleased to inform you that all of your background checks and character testimonies have been completed in your favor. You are now eligible to become one of our pairs of foster parents.

If you are interested, we have a temporary opportunity for you right away. Two children, Jameson and Jenny Delaney, have been orphaned after their parents were killed in a hit and run in the city. Their grandmother won’t be able to come to fetch them until October, so if you’re interested in caring for them in the meantime, please respond right away so we can initiate their stay with you.

Thank you,

Myra Nicholl

Minho read the letter over two more times, his hands shaking. It was finally time…

He got up, calling the dogs back inside and grabbing his wand on his way to their spare room. Would they want separate rooms? How old were they? Well, they could go in tomorrow to get things figured out with Ms. Nicholl, since it was his day off and Kibum didn’t have to work until much later.

It took a while for him to relax. He took the dogs on an extended run, the night full-fledged by the time he returned home. Kibum still wasn’t back, so he whipped up a quick batch of kimchi fried rice for himself and saved the rest for Kibum. He took the letter upstairs with him, setting it open on Kibum’s side of the bed before he went to take a shower.

When he came back out, Kibum was there, shirt half off as he clutched the letter. He looked up at Minho when the door opened, eyes wide.

“What do you think?” Minho asked as he crossed the room to sit beside him.

“That we should get things started tomorrow if we can. Whatever that means.”

Minho leaned over, kissing his cheek. “Me too.”

“Are you okay with this?” Minho hummed in question. “That it’s not possible to adopt them. That it’s just temporary.”

Minho nodded. “It takes some of the pressure off, I think.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

He kissed Kibum’s cheek again, earning a dimpled smile. “If you didn’t already eat, I made some dinner.”

“Mm, okay.” He finished slipping out of his shirt, then grabbed Minho’s hand and pulled him off the bed. “Come with me, then.” As someone who never needed any convincing to hang out with Kibum, Minho let him himself be guided downstairs, where he plopped down in the first stool at the kitchen counter and watched him putter around. He put on a kettle before he warmed up some of the fried rice. “Cocoa?” he asked, getting two mugs down from the cupboard.

“Sure, sounds good.”

Nodding, Kibum spooned some mix into each of the mugs, then grabbed a fork and ate a few bites of the rice before the kettle started to whistle. Then he finished making their cocoas, handing Minho his. He grabbed Minho’s hand, turning it to check his previously bandaged finger. Leaning forward, he kissed the scar, then released his hand to finish stirring his cocoa.

“So, what’s the plan, babe?”

“Plan?”

“With your career.”

Ah.

Minho sat back, toying with the handle of his mug, waiting for Kibum to look back up at him. “I don’t know. Still.” Kibum nodded, setting the spoon into the empty sink. “Sorry…”

“Nothing to be sorry for, Min. I…” He sighed, leaning against the counter, closer to him. Minho sipped his cocoa, maintaining eye contact. “I was just thinking that maybe...maybe you should quit your job for the time being.” Minho coughed roughly, setting the mug down between them. “Just until you get what you want to do figured out.”

“Will we be okay?”

“We’ll still have my income. Plus, a really nice cushion in savings, thanks to Dad and your Quidditch career.”

“If you can even call it that.”

Kibum speared him with a glare that softened when he chuckled. “Somehow, after all this time, you still amaze me.” Minho laughed, giving him an incredulous look. “How is it possible that you doubt how great you are? After everything you’ve been through?” He blinked, his amusement melting away. “Your determination with Quidditch, during the Tournament, with your parents...I just don’t understand why you can’t see it for yourself.”

Minho gulped, averting his eyes. “I don’t know about that. I could always improve.”

“Well, I mean, . Yeah, we all could.” Minho laughed, then, and Kibum cracked a smile. “Do you really want to settle for just any career?” Minho shrugged, searching his piercing gaze. “I know you can do anything you want to, but don’t you want to do something you’re passionate about?”

“It’d be nice.”

“So,” Kibum sighed, leaning back, scooping up a bit of rice, but not eating it yet. “Why not give yourself the time to figure out what that is? And, in the meantime, it’ll be great while we’re fostering.”

“That’s true. But, Bum, what about you?” His eyebrows rose in question. “Don’t you want a career change, too?”

After a second’s hesitation, Kibum nodded. “But your need for one is more important right now. And don’t argue with me,” he said before Minho could counter that statement. “Let yourself be prioritized for once. You might like it.”

Minho sniffed a laugh, then pulled his mug closer to take another sip. Inside, he was all aflutter. Quitting his job? Focusing on what he actually wanted to do? For whatever reason, he would have never even considered it. But now? It was the only thing that made sense. As if all of the paths he could have taken went dark aside from the one directly in front of him.

Kibum closed his eyes, sighing heavily. “Merlin, I’m an idiot…” Minho froze, staring at him over the rim of his mug as he took another drink of cocoa. “Here I am, telling you what to do with your life. I’m as bad as your d--”

“No, Kibum. It’s okay.” He met Minho’s eyes, his gaze imploring. “Please, don’t think that. You’re right. I do need to take some time to think about what I should be doing. I haven’t really done that yet. Which is kinda sad, if you think about it too long.” Minho chuckled, then reached for his hand, squeezing it. “I appreciate you looking out for me.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

“I’m so glad you are.”

Kibum’s expression turned fond as he kissed Minho’s knuckles before releasing his hand, letting him finish his cocoa while he ate his dinner.

They didn’t return to the Wizarding Department of Social Services until Sunday, since they both had the day off then. Minho paced back and forth behind the armchairs before Ms. Nicholl’s desk, one of which Kibum was sitting in, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. Minho kept pausing whenever he heard a noise down the hall and glanced at the closed door, but it was probably just his imagination. Until that is, he distinctly heard Ms. Nicholl’s gentle voice. Probably reassuring Jameson and Jenny.

Minho stopped walking again, his hand resting on the back of Kibum’s armchair as he vacated it to stand and stare at the opening door.

Two small children were ushered into the room, guided by Ms. Nicholl’s hands on their backs. Jameson, a boy with the brightest hazel eyes Minho had ever seen, clutched the hand of his little sister, Jenny, whose chestnut pigtails were a little askew. Both of them stared wide-eyed at Minho and Kibum behind him as Ms. Nicholl cleared .

“I’ll give y’all a few minutes to get acquainted. Be right back.”

And then she closed the door behind her, leaving them alone.

Well...okay. This might be a bit harder than he originally thought.

Jameson watched him warily as he moved closer, then crouched down before them, getting to their eye level. Both Jenny and Jameson looked away from him as Kibum stepped up beside him, his hand shaking as he braced himself on Minho’s shoulder and joined him in hunching before the kids. “Hello, my name is Minho, and this is my husband, Kibum.”

“Hi,” Kibum said with a tiny wave, and Minho glanced his way to see him offering the pair a small smile.

“We’re gonna be taking care of you for a while if that’s okay? Just until your grandparents can come to take you home.”

Jenny just glanced between them, but Jameson nodded and said a quiet okay.

They apparated back to the Center with the kids in tow, Minho carrying their little suitcases while Kibum led them to the pizzeria at the food court and let them pick out their own pizzas. Each. Then they went back home. Kibum let them in, sending the pizzas to the kitchen just in time to catch Comme Des and Garcons from jumping all over the kids. He introduced them both, and Jenny was quick to pet them, but Jameson took a few minutes to warm up to the idea of them.

Jameson followed his and Kibum’s lead of slipping out of his shoes before walking into the house, and Minho helped Jenny out of hers before he took her hand and led her along Kibum’s tour of their house. The bathroom first, like their training from Ms. Nicholl had taught them, then their room, which Minho told them both that they could decorate their side of the room however they liked. All they had to do was ask.

After they showed them the backyard, Kibum gave them each a slice of the pizzas that they had picked out, as well as a cup each of chilled butterbeer that Minho had checked twice to make sure that it wasn’t one of the spiked ones.

They were quiet, understandably so. It was, however, a bit unnerving. Hopefully, they’d be able to warm up to them soon.

Once they cleaned up from dinner, Minho went back into the living room. Neither Jameson nor Jenny looked away from the TV as it plays some cartoons Minho had found to entertain them while he and Kibum cleaned up. Until that is, Minho crouched before them on the couch.

“I’ve gotta go walk the puppies, would either or both of you like to come with?” Jenny looked up at Jameson, her expression unreadable until Jameson nodded. Minho leaned away from them, glancing over to where Kibum was watching them in the kitchen. “Do you want to come, too?”

Kibum nodded, and as soon as shoes were on feet and harnesses were on dogs, they were off.

The kids walked between them, Jameson holding Minho’s hand only when they had to cross the street. But Jenny held Jameson’s and Kibum’s hands until they reached the park. Minho knelt, the puppies clambering over his knees in excitement as he tried to unclip their leashes. Once they were free, they romped away, chased by a giggling Jenny.

Kibum glanced at him, then Jameson, who was watching his sister play, his arms folded, his brow furrowed. Minho nodded to him and Kibum returned it before he ran after Jenny and the dogs.

Jameson stood there, frozen, watching Kibum chase Jenny. Minho relaxed beside him, keeping his eyes on him. “You doing okay, buddy?”

He nodded, but then all at once, his face screwed up and he started crying. Startled, Minho sprang forward, draping his arm around his shoulders as he started to rub his arm. Hopefully soothingly. Jameson covered his face with his little hands, rubbing his eyes as he heaved quiet sobs.

“I miss Mommy,” he finally said, his voice warbled.

Minho gulped, gripping his arm tightly before patting him. He had been expecting this. Their parents’ passing had been so sudden. And of course, Jameson felt it more than Jenny did. He was older, more acquainted with life with them.

“I know you do. I’m sorry, buddy.” Jameson tried to calm himself, looking over Minho’s shoulder at his sister as he wiped at Jameson’s cheeks, drying them. “Your grandparents will be here soon.”

He snuffled, wiping clumsily at his dripping nose. Minho slipped out of his flannel shirt, handing it to him to clean his face off on. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked, his voice soft. Jameson didn’t look his way, he only shrugged. “Well, both Kibum and I want to be here for you. Make sure you’re comfortable while you’re staying with us. Just let us know if you need anything, okay?”

He nodded, his bottom lip trembling as he tried to keep from crying anymore.

“Come here, bud,” Minho whispered, pulling him into a hug. It took a few seconds, but soon Jameson hugged him back, taking deep, self-soothing breaths. “You’re gonna be okay.” His chin knocked against Minho’s shoulder as he nodded. “Do you want to go play with your sister? Or would you rather just sit here with me?”

Instead of speaking, Jameson sat beside him, as close as he could. Minho dried his eyes with a few swipes of his thumb before he leaned closer, bracing his arm around Jameson as he returned his attention to Kibum, Jenny, and the puppies. He reached for Minho’s hand when they started to head back, holding it all the way home.

Kibum helped them brush their teeth and get ready for bed while Minho split the bed in the spare room, changing it from a double bed to two singles and setting them apart from each other. He enchanted the ceiling to replicate the night sky just before Kibum returned with them, and he helped tuck Jameson into bed.

“If you need anything, just call for us and we’ll be there, okay?” Kibum said as he stood poised to flip the light off. “Good night.”

Neither responded, but Minho hadn’t really expected them to, and Kibum cast the room in darkness. He left the door open as they slipped back out into the living room, then followed Minho over to the couch, slumping beside him. Minho threw his arm over his shoulder, pressing his temple to Kibum’s. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. It’s been a day.” Minho kissed his cheek, and Kibum snuggled closer. “Would you mind if we camped on the couch tonight? Just in case, you know.”

“It’s a good idea.” He lifted his wand with his free hand, gesturing with it to the stairs. “Accio bedding!”

Pillows for each of them and their comforter flew around the corner and straight to them, Minho catching the comforter and laying it around them, settling beside Kibum as soon as he finished. He drifted off almost as soon as he rested his head on Kibum’s shoulder.

All was dark and still when he stirred, groggily peering around the living room, trying to remember why he was down here and not in bed. As he rearranged the covers around him, he realized that Kibum was no longer beside him. He sat up again, now finding the golden strip of light below the door of the spare room. Minho slipped out from under the blanket and trudged over, pushing open the door to find Kibum sitting in Jameson’s bed, the kids on either side of him, both listening intently as Kibum read a story from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Minho leaned against the door jamb, smiling as he watched him get really into the narration. Both Jenny and Jameson giggled when he did different voices for the characters’ dialogue that the story was lacking.

He was such a natural at this… And to think, just a few short years ago, the thought of kids terrified him.

When Kibum finished the story, he looked up, meeting Minho’s gaze with a smile. “Your turn.”

Minho pushed away from the door jamb and joined them on the bed, taking the book from Kibum as he stretched out, making himself comfortable before he turned the page to the next story. He cleared his throat and began to read.

High on a hill in an enchanted garden, enclosed by tall walls and protected by strong magic flowed the Fountain of Fair Fortune...

As the days passed, both Jameson and Jenny seemed to relax and make themselves at home. About a week into their stay, they asked Minho after Kibum left for work that morning if he could decorate their room for them. Jenny wanted bright green, and Jameson wanted blue, and Minho made it so with a few flicks of his wand, adding vines and blooming flowers to cover the walls of Jenny’s side. To Jameson’s, he added ripples and illustrations of fishes and turtles and dolphins and sharks, all swimming around in the blue expanse of his walls. Then Jenny wanted a tree, which Minho made into a cheery forest, complete with woodland creatures peeking out from the shadows between the trees.

He took them all around the Boulevard, stopping in sometimes to say hello to Jonghyun or get a treat from Sandersons. They explored the park, venturing further into the forest than he and Kibum had ever been with the puppies. It was nicer than he had thought it would be. Quitting his job. It gave him a lot more free time, which, when their grandparents came, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with himself to pass the time.

But, he couldn’t think about that now. Not with there only being a few days left of them being in their care.

Rain fell hard and cold and heavy around them as they trekked across the Boulevard to the library. Minho blasted them both with the Hot Air Charm as soon as they stepped inside, and he quieted them both when they started to giggle. “Go pick out whichever books you want me and Kibum to read to you at bedtime, okay?”

Jameson nodded and pulled Jenny along with him as they ran off toward the now-familiar kid’s section. Minho followed them at a distance, heading down the aisle across from them, scanning the books on display without really paying any attention to the titles. He glanced over at the kids, smiling as he watched Jenny go up on her tiptoes to grab a book and place it in the growing stack in Jameson’s arms.

He looked back at the books before him, doing a double-take when a glint of silver caught his eye. An Herbalist's Grimoire: Using the Healing Force of Nature to Your Medicinal Advantage. Minho blinked as he was transported back, years and years ago. To the grounds of Hogwarts, where he and Kibum had discussed their hopes and dreams. Their future. Slowly, he reached forward, taking the thick leather book from the shelf.

How could he have forgotten? He, and Kibum, working together in an apothecary all their own. Minho caring for the plants and Kibum brewing the potions for their customers. He flipped open the book, glancing through the table of contents. A simple dream. Too simple, perhaps. Shaking his head, he moved to put it back on the shelf, his heart sinking a little as he did.

But it was still a dream, wasn’t it? His dream. Something he could vividly picture himself doing. Someday...so why deny himself?

Standing a bit taller, he took the book back, tucking it under his arm with a small smile.

He didn’t get to show Kibum until after they had tucked the kids into bed and had settled into their own upstairs. He sat tense and frozen as he watched Kibum flip through the book, trying to gauge his nondescript reaction. His eyes widened when Kibum looked up, and once he met his gaze with an eager smile, Minho relaxed. “So, dumb idea?”

“Of course not. It...it makes perfect sense for you.”

“Really?” Kibum nodded, handing the book back to him. Minho placed it back on his nightstand, then sank into bed, unsurprised to find Kibum still watching him. “Maybe I should go back to work at Crow’s?”

“Possibly.” Kibum flicked off his light, casting them in darkness, except for the silvery light of the moon and the stars from their enchanted ceiling. “More like an internship. Like what I did with Rouche?”

“True, but...I mean, eventually, I’d want to have my own apothecary, right?”

“I guess.” He sighed, his head resting on Minho’s shoulder. “Maybe Crowley will leave you his shop when he retires.”

Minho sniffed a laugh. “Maybe.”

“Anyways,” Kibum’s hand slipped under the covers, pulling himself closer to Minho. “It’s a start.”

“Yeah.” And a hopeful one, at that.

In the days before they had to return the books to the library, Minho read the Grimoire three whole times in the little spare time he had. During naps, during Kibum’s showers at night, in the morning just after he woke up, while Kibum was spending some time with them before work. Just trying to absorb as much of the information as he could.

He was a bit sad when he had to return it with the other books, but when he came home, he found the book sitting on the foot of the bed, with several other, similar books stacked beneath it. Thoroughly confused, he opened the book, then smiled at the inscription.

thought you might want a copy of your own ♡

He sighed, setting the book aside and hurrying back down to where the kids were playing with the puppies. He’d have to thank Kibum when he got home for getting those for him.

The day that Jameson and Jenny were set to be picked up by their grandparents crept up on him. He hadn’t wanted to think about it if he were being honest. He’s gotten quite attached to the kids, and vice versa, given how both of them started crying when Minho broke the news that they had to pack up their things.

Kibum took the next day off so he could accompany Minho and the kids to the Social Services office. They all sat in Ms. Nicholl’s office, Jameson in Kibum’s lap and Jenny in Minho’s, all impatiently waiting for the Delaney’s to arrive. They wouldn’t be swayed by Minho’s attempts to distract them with the art supplies, and when it came time to leave, both of the kids were in tears again.

Minho’s throat grew tight as he tamped down the urge to join them, hugging them one last time. “I gave you our address, so you can send us owls whenever you want, okay?” Kibum said beside him, wiping away Jameson’s tears before he passed him to Minho with a pained look before he gathered Jenny up and took her to her grandparents.

He cupped Jameson’s face in both his hands, drying the tears that just kept coming. He mumbled something that sounded sort of like I’ll miss you, so Minho hugged him, rubbing his back. “I’ll miss you, too, buddy. Be good for your grandma and grandpa, okay?”

He nodded before he pulled away, rubbing his eyes with his arms. Standing a bit taller, trying to put on a brave face. Minho’s fist clenched before he placed his hand on Jameson’s shoulder, gently guiding him over to where his grandparents were waiting.

As soon as they could get away, they did. Minho grabbing Kibum’s arm just before he apparated back home. Once he was aware of his surroundings, a quietly crying Kibum was in his arms, his face buried in his neck as he clung to him. Minho joined him in crying, rubbing his back slowly, holding him gently.

Kibum didn’t move, not even after he stopped crying. He sighed, wrapping his arms around Minho. “That was so much harder than I was expecting. Saying goodbye.”

“I know.” Kibum sighed again, and Minho dried his own eyes before he turned his head, kissing Kibum’s temple. “Maybe next time we won’t have to.”

* * * * * * * * * *

- March 3, 2020 -

“Hon?” Minho called from inside, his voice floating through the cracked-open back door. “Coffee’s ready!”

Kibum sighed, pushed himself up off the back porch step, and kissed the air to get the puppies' attention. They came bounding back toward him from the garden, slipping inside as Kibum held the door open for them. He stretched and yawned as he glanced around the sunlit yard once more before he too went inside, closing the door behind him. He was met with Minho handing him his first cup of coffee of the day.

It was already doctored the way he liked, he didn’t have to taste it to be sure of that. He smiled softly at Minho as he turned to make his own cup, but it went unnoticed. His phone vibrated in his pajama’s pocket, but he ignored it as he passed Minho on his way to sit at the counter. Kibum closed his hands around his mug, letting the warmth seep into his palms.

It was a quiet, cheerful morning, like so many before it. Ever since Minho had quit his job at Stein’s, he had started waking earlier, rising with him most mornings. That had something to do with the kids, but being that it had been several weeks since they last had any foster kids to look after, it was just a habit for him, now. Kibum quite liked it, given how often he had to leave to go to work, having an extra hour or two to spend with his husband was always welcome.

His phone vibrated again, and Kibum took it out of his pocket, glancing at the screen before he set it aside. Just a text from Jonghyun. Why he was texting him when he was supposed to be on a date with Taemin right now, he’d never know.

“Heading out again today?” Kibum asked when Minho turned around, leaning against the counter once he faced him. “You’d think you’d have already found all the plants the forest has to offer by now.”

Minho grinned then shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, but it’s nice being outside. The boys like it, too.” Kibum nodded. He couldn’t deny that. Not with how many times he had come home to find both Comme Des and Garcons sprawled out on the floor or couch, completely exhausted after their day of romping around in the woods with Minho. “Besides, you never know, I might have missed something.”

“In any case,” Kibum said, smirking at Minho’s cute half-smile. “I’m sure Crow appreciates whatever you find for him.”

“He does,” Minho said as Jonghyun texted Kibum again. No, called him. Minho frowned at the phone as Kibum leaned for it. “What’s he calling for?”

Kibum shook his head as he lazily swiped across the screen, answering the call. “What’s up?” he asked as soon as he set it to speaker.

“ing finally. What were you doing?” Kibum started to answer, but Jonghyun cut him off. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

“Hi, Jonghyun!” Minho called out, leaning closer to the phone.

“Tell them, babe,” Jonghyun said, then the sounds of fumbling filled the kitchen.

Taemin cleared his throat, clearly smiling as he said, “Jjong is moving in with me!”

Kibum blinked hard, slowly meeting Minho’s gaze over the phone. “No.” Jonghyun laughed, his exasperated smile evident in his voice. “Not that bit. The other — “

“Other..?” Jonghyun started to laugh again, coming closer to the speaker. “Oh!”

But Jonghyun had already started saying it. “I proposed, and he said yes!”

“Already?” Minho whispered, and Kibum chuckled, lightly slapping his arm.

“Already?” Jonghyun asked, sounding affronted, though Kibum knew he wasn’t actually. “Just because I don’t have the stupid patience that you two did, I — “

“Whatever,” Kibum said, cutting him off with a laugh and a wave of his hand over the phone. “We’re so happy for you. Both of you.”

“Yeah, of course,” Minho added, leaning a bit closer to the phone. “When are you moving?”

“As soon as I can.”

Kibum opened his mouth, about to say that they’d help him out when he got back, but the thought died before he could speak. A great mass of silvery mist — a corporeal patronus — bound into the living room through the window over the couch. A rottweiler.

“Uh, Jjong, we’ll talk later.”

“Enjoy the rest of your night,” Minho said, also thoroughly distracted by the presence of the patronus, and Kibum hung up the phone before either Jonghyun or Taemin could reply.

The patronus spotted them, walking over to where they were, and sat in mid-air. Then, a voice emanated from it. The voice of Ms. Nicholl.

“Please come to the office as soon as you are able.”

And, before they could ask any questions, the patronus dissolved.

Their coffee sat abandoned and forgotten in their flurry to get ready to go. They were out of the door in mere minutes, apparating across town and hurrying inside the lobby of the Social Services office. Marlene, the receptionist, smiled at them and gestured for them to sit, informing them that Ms. Nicholl would be able to see them in a few moments.

“Wonder what this is about,” Minho muttered in Korean as he took the seat next to Kibum. He could only shrug in reply, too caught up in watching the door for Ms. Nicholl’s expected arrival.

Eventually, the door cracked open, a haughty male voice floating out into the lobby before he followed it into the room. “…And I know it’s my own fault, but the freedom is such a relief, honestly.”

A tall, dark, and splendidly-robed wizard stepped through the door. Perhaps he would have been handsome, were it not for his smile. It didn’t reach his eyes, which set everything else about him awry.

“Yes, well, hopefully, you don’t make the same mistake twice,” Ms. Nicholl said, her voice so icy that it startled Kibum enough to stop glaring at the wizard for a second.

“Oh, believe me, I won’t. It doesn’t matter how exotic they are, no more foreign Mudbloods for me if I want to keep my inheritance.”

Minho stiffened, and Kibum’s hand found his, holding it tightly as Ms. Nicholl said goodbye to the wizard, who didn’t seem to notice or care that there were other people in the room. Kibum watched him go, the little bell above the door tinkling in celebration of his departure.

Ms. Nicholl didn’t call them over right away. She and Marlene whispered back and forth for a moment, then she let out a clipped sigh and straightened before finally looking their way.

“Thank you for coming at such short notice, you two.” She gestured for them to follow her, and they were up and across the room in an instant, still holding each other’s hand. “It’s a bit of a delicate situation,” she said as she led them up to her office.

“That was Dorian Slater, son of one of the senators currently serving in MACUSA. He got into a bit of a scandal a few years back while he was in college, parents sent him on a trip around the globe to get a bit of perspective, and he came back with a pregnant wife. She was Muggleborn, and his parents didn’t approve. They considered this the final straw and cut him off completely. He didn’t say as much, but just based on how the girls interact with him and the way he talks about the woman he married, I’m guessing there’s some level of abuse there.”

Kibum frowned, stopping before her office door when she did. She sighed heavily, sounding exhausted, despite it being so early in the morning. “Anyways, the wife up and left a few days ago, leaving no trace for him to find her, and so, to get back in his parents’ good graces, he wants to leave the girls here so he can get a fresh start.”

“Those poor girls,” Minho said, his voice subdued and tense.

“I’m hoping to place them in a good home so that they have their best chance at life.”

And with that, she opened the door, letting them inside.

At once, Kibum realized why she had thought of them. The girls, one no older than two, and the other probably around six months old, were Asian. The mother, whoever she was, must have been. Ms. Nicholl answered his unasked question as she said, “All I know about the mother is that her name was, or is, Byun Eunwoo. Dorian said she was Korean -- “ Kibum nodded absently, looking back at where the eldest girl was sitting on the floor next to the crib of the other, watching them all with wide, frightened eyes. “And that she frequently spoke to them in Korean.”

“What are their names?” Minho asked.

“Candice and Melissa Slater, but when he gave me their birth certificates, I saw that they also have Korean names. Let me…look…” She shuffled some papers around on her desk, pulling out two sheets of parchment. “The eldest, her name is Yeongjin, and the younger is Hyejin.” When she fell silent, Kibum looked back at Yeongjin. “She seems a bit afraid of men, or at least she was of her father, but I thought...if you spoke the same language as her mother, it might help.”

“Can we…” Minho gestured over to her.

“Yes, please. But for her peace of mind, I’ll be staying with you this time.”

“Of course,” Kibum said, watching Minho stand and move over to where Yeongjin was clutching the bars of Hyejin’s crib. Not wanting to overwhelm her, he didn’t follow him.

“Hello,” Minho said softly in Korean, and Yeongjin’s eyes followed Minho as he crouched before her. “My name is Minho. You can call me Uncle Minho if you want. I don’t mind.” She just blinked at him, her attention slipping over his shoulder as she met Kibum’s eyes before she looked back at Minho again. “That’s my husband, Kibum.” She didn’t respond. She just looked up at him, probably just unsure what to think of the whole situation.

“I’m going to do what I can to find and contact their mother to see if she wants her girls returned to her, but until then, would the two of you mind providing a home for them?”

Usually, Kibum would consult with Minho before deciding this, but this time, he knew that it was wholly unnecessary. “Of course we can take them in.”

Hyejin didn’t wake until they got them home, and she was immediately crying. Kibum hurried to get the formula Ms. Nicholl had sent them home with started for her while Minho did his best to soothe her. Yeongjin watched them both cautiously from her perch on the couch. She had warmed up to the dogs well enough, which was a good sign. Maybe her biological father had dogs, too.

Once he got the formula bottled, Minho started to feed Hyejin, still rocking her back and forth as he followed Kibum when he took Yeongjin on a tour of the house.

Yeongjin didn’t eat at dinner, though Kibum was relieved that she at least sat with them at the table. She still looked frightened, and honestly, Kibum couldn’t really blame her. Not after what Ms. Nicholl had said. She would need time and space to adjust to her new life with them, however long that happened to be.

“Are you sure you want me to sleep up here?” Kibum asked Minho as he brushed his teeth.

He nodded, and a few seconds later, spit out his frothy toothpaste and wiped his mouth. “Yeah, you have work in the morning. You need to be well-rested.”

“So do you?”

Minho smiled at Kibum in the mirror as he threw his toothbrush back in the cup. “I can handle a few days on the couch.”

“Yes, but can our marriage survive that?” Kibum’s faux serious demeanor broke when Minho’s face scrunched up in a quiet laugh, and he shoved him away, shaking his head. “Will you come get me if you need me?”

Minho leaned in, kissing him lightly. “Of course.”

“Good night.”

“Love you,” he said, kissing him again before he made his way down the dark stairwell.

As there always was with a new set of kids in the house, there was a bit of an adjustment period for everyone. Hyejin smiled first for him. He had been complaining about her blowout diaper in the same voice he used to talk to the dogs, and she cracked a toothless grin.

“Oh, you think this is funny, do you?” he asked her, scrunching his nose at her before he finished cleaning her up. “You’re lucky you’re so cute. You can literally get away with like this.” He changed her into a new sleeper and picked her up, squinting at her. “Save the next one for Minho, okay?”

For the first few days, however, they couldn’t get more than a couple of words out of Yeongjin. She still seemed a bit skittish, too, but neither were really sure what they could do to help her realize that she was safe here with them. About a week had passed before Kibum heard her laugh. He had been upstairs at the time, getting ready for work, when the sound of her giggle floated up to him, followed by Minho’s laughter.

He abandoned getting ready and hurried downstairs, finding all the books from the shelves flapping around her in the living like a flock of birds. She was twirling around, watching them, and clapping her hands as she giggled, while Minho stood on the couch, his wand extended, directing the books like an orchestra.

“Do I want to know?” Kibum asked, drawing Minho’s attention to him for a second.

Minho shook his head, and Kibum grinned, reluctantly heading back upstairs to continue getting ready for work.

Days turned to weeks, and gradually, they all found their new normal. Yeongjin, now that she had grown accustomed to them, had become much cheerier and more outgoing. Since Kibum was the one who had to leave during the day, she would tuck herself away wherever he was getting ready, her giggles giving away her hiding spot. Kibum didn’t let that stop him, though. He still searched and searched, calling all over his bedroom for her, grinning as he pretended not to be able to find her.

He was late to work a lot more often than usual, but he couldn’t really find it in himself to care that much.

Something else that she really seemed to enjoy was taking to the air with Minho on his Firestorm. Minho had made a harness to strap her to his chest and the broom so she wouldn’t fall off in the air. Which, that let Kibum, Hyejin, and the puppies firmly on the ground in the park, watching them chase the breeze.

“Be careful with her!” Kibum called out when he did a lazy barrel-roll, both of their laughter filling the spring air. “She’s gonna be a daredevil just like him,” he said with an exasperated sigh and a shake of his head, then he glanced down and was up in an instant, chasing after Hyejin before she crawled too far away.

After her initial check-ins, Ms. Nicholl didn’t contact them until the end of May. Kibum was at work when Minho called him, saying that they’d gotten a letter from her. Kibum frowned at his terse tone, and he looked up at Natasha, gesturing over his shoulder at the door before he slipped out of the room.

“What did it say?” he asked as soon as the door closed behind him.

“That she was able to contact Eunwoo.”

Kibum hesitated before he pushed the door to the alley open and stepped out into the sunlight. “Does she want them back?”

“No.” Minho’s voice was tight as it wavered through the speaker. He was close to tears. “She wants nothing to do with them.”

Kibum gulped, leaning against the graffitied brick wall. “Did she say why?”

It took a few seconds, but Minho said, “No.”

“So, they’re up for adoption, then.”

Minho’s side of the call fell so silent that for a second, Kibum thought that he had hung up. “Kibum, we can’t be impulsive about this. I love them, too, but they can’t lose anyone else.”

“I know, love, I know. I just…it’s something to start considering, don’t you think?”

He let out a long sigh. “Yeah. We can ask Ms. Nicholl during the next check-in.”

“That’s a good idea.” He paused, listening. “Are you okay? Do you need me to come home for lunch?”

“I’ll be okay, babe, don’t worry.” He sighed heavily. “They’re just the sweetest girls, I don’t get it. Who wouldn’t love them?”

“We do, don’t we?” Minho’s quiet yeah held a bit of a smile, now. “And as long as they’re with us, we can make sure they feel that they’re loved. And wanted.”

“You’re right.”

Kibum his teeth. “Why do you always sound so surprised when you re-realize that?”

“I do not.”

“And now you’re lying to me, I see how it is.”

Minho chuckled and sighed. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. And try to get some rest while they’re napping.”

“Will do.”

* * * * * * * * * *

- November 6, 2020 -

Pale sunlight slipped through the skeletal fingers of the barren trees of Witchaven Wood. A hint of icy petrichor caressed the wind, bringing with it the lingering promise of snow. Though, with the clouds looking as they were right now, the possibility was slight.

Minho turned at the sound of Yeongjin calling after the wandering dogs, his hand going to where Hyejin was strapped to his chest to steady her. She tramped after them into the spiny underbrush, her boots and jeans and thick coat protecting her from scrapes. Still, Minho called “Be careful!” after her as he patted Hyejin’s stomach, who was watching her sister slip between the trees. “I should probably go get her, huh?” he asked, and Hyejin babbled in response.

He couldn’t help but be curious what her first word was going to be. She was close, so close, to whatever it was. Her baby talk nearly made sense to him now, though, that could just be because he spent so much time with her.

He sighed, his breath buffeting her dark, silky hair, and he trudged after Yeongjin. “Come on, Yeonggie, let’s go home!” he said as he fished in his deep coat pocket for Comme Des and Garcons’ leashes.

He found the rambunctious trio inspecting the trickle of a stream that sliced through the woods, Yeongjin crouched down between the puppies as she poked around in the gurgling water with a stick. Minho hunched down beside her, pointing to the twig. “Is that your wand, Yeonggie?” Her eyes lit up as she looked up at him, nodding. “What spells do you know?”

“Wing guard levio!”

“Yeah, good job!” he said, surreptitiously reaching for his own wand as he diverted her attention to a large branch across the stream. “Try it on that.”

She waved her stick at it but didn’t say her interpretation of the spell until Minho prompted her again. When she did, Minho wordlessly lifted the branch with his own wand, much to Yeongjin’s delight. She jumped around, giggling and clapping. Somehow, Minho was able to guide her out of the woods, but they were often deterred by her trying to levitate branches or leaves that crossed their path, and Minho silently obliging her.

They stopped off at Sanderson’s before they went to the Center, both of the girls effortlessly charming Winnie and Mary enough to give them free hot chocolates. Minho held Hyejin’s, sipping from it occasionally once they were on their way back home. The dogs made it hard, though, given that Yeongjin was holding his other hand and trying to pull him closer to the puddles so she could stomp in them.

He set the half-full cup of cocoa on top of the mailbox and released the dogs’ leashes once he got the gate open, letting them run free up to the door. Yeongjin pulled on his hand to follow them, and he let go, watching her as he grabbed the mail. Once inside, it was chaos until he got Hyejin out of her harness, the dogs unclipped from their leashes, and Yeongjin out of her coat.

He pressed the small of his back as he stretched some of the aches out, then grabbed the mail, flicking through it on his way down the hall. Bill, bill, letter from Analecia, bill, letter from Hogwarts, spam, sp—

Hold on…

Frowning, Minho went back to the familiar thick envelope, staring at the spindly green script. It was addressed to him.

Blinking rapidly, he set aside the other mail then ripped open the letter, pulling out the parchment and sinking into the seat at the kitchen counter.

To Mr. Kim,

As I’m sure you remember from your years in my Advanced Flying class, there frequently were lessons taught by former students of mine who went on to play Quidditch professionally. I would like to extend that opportunity to you, Minho, for the lesson on the twenty-seventh of November. Please send your answer as soon as possible so all of the arrangements can be made for your arrival.

Many thanks,

Rolanda Hooch

Minho leaned back, staring off into the distance for a few prolonged seconds. Him? Teach an Advanced Flying class? He started to smile, but before he could think about it any longer, something crashed behind him and he set the letter aside, hurrying to see what happened.

It didn’t come back to mind until long after dinner, with both of the girls curled up on either side of him as he read to them when the distinct pop! of Kibum apparating on the landing filled the downstairs. Everyone perked up, the puppies running to go greet him, the girls sitting up sleepily. Minho set the book aside and helped Hyejin off the couch as she waddled after her sister on their way to go hug Kibum in greeting.

Kibum scooped Hyejin up, smiling down at her as she babbled at him. “I missed you, too,” his hand resting on Yeongjin’s head until she scampered off to grab the twig she had brought home from their trek in the woods.

“Look!” she said, brandishing her pretend wand and Minho grabbed his from the side table. “Wing guard levio!”

She shook her wand at the pots of plants Kibum had collected, and Minho gestured with his own, raising them, letting them hover for a few seconds before setting them gently back down. He glanced over at Kibum, who was watching him with an amused smile, and he shrugged with a grin. “That’s incredible, honey!” Kibum said, patting the space between them for her to clamber up onto the couch. “Sounds like you had a fun day.”

“Yes, very,” Minho said quietly, earning a sniff of a laugh from Kibum.

“Let’s go get you ready for bed, then. No, come on, no complaining!”

“Good night!” Minho called out to the girls as he leaned back, his head resting on the couch as he watched them head into her bedroom. He had nearly zoned out by the time they reemerged, Yeongjin and Hyejin pajama-clad, and made their way to the bathroom to brush their teeth for the night. This was the routine that worked best for them, given that Kibum was gone five days out of the week for work, it gave Minho a bit of a break for Kibum to be the one to put the girls to bed for the night.

While they were distracted, Minho pushed himself up, stretching and yawning as he walked past the kitchen. His gaze fell on the letter from Madame Hooch, and he picked it up, reading it over again as he made his way upstairs. Of course, he’d like to be able to do it, but how would that work with their schedules? In any case, he’d have to discuss it with Kibum anyway, so he set it on Kibum’s side of the bed on his way to the bathroom.

He showered, brushed his teeth, and had been comfortable in bed for at least ten minutes before the downstairs went dark and Kibum trudged up the steps. He immediately crawled into bed, ignoring the crinkling of the parchment beneath him as he let Minho wrap him up in his arms. He murmured something that Minho didn’t quite catch, so Minho kissed his head before asking, “Long day?”

“Mm. I’m so tired.”

Minho held him a little tighter. “You can rest now, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

Kibum sighed. “I know.”

Neither moved, neither spoke. For several minutes or maybe hours, they just let themselves be held by the other. The warm light from Minho’s bedside lamp pooled like honey over them. The house creaked in the blustery autumn wind, the blanketing darkness gnawing at the edge of the lamplight, beckoning them to sleep. But it was too peaceful, too tranquil to move. For Kibum to get up and ready himself for bed; for Minho to let go of Kibum long enough to flick the lamp off and let the darkness devour them.

Kibum shifted closer to him, Hooch’s letter crinkling the reminder of its existence. He lifted his head from Minho’s chest as he reached around, holding the letter up. Upside down, at first, but by the time he flipped it around, Minho had already explained what it was. Still, Kibum read it for himself, and the spell of tranquility was broken as he sat up.

“The twenty-seventh?” Minho nodded, though Kibum was still focused on the letter, and absently slipped his finger through Kibum’s belt loop. “There’s no way we’ll be able to take the girls with us. We won’t be able to get their passports in time.”

“True.” They had started the process last month when Jonghyun and Taemin set the date for their wedding since they were getting married in Korea. But getting passports in under a month? Unthinkable. “I mean, I could go by myself. It’s just a few days.”

“I guess.” He sounded so dejected.

Minho sighed as he sat up, resting his chin on Kibum’s shoulder. “Should we ask Ms. Nicholl if we can get someone to look after the girls for a few days?”

Kibum folded up the letter, leaning away from Minho to set it on his nightstand. “We can try, but if she says no, then we’ll have our answer.”

In a of luck, she said she could look after them herself when the time came, given that it was just three short days that they would be gone. When the time came, however, saying goodbye to the girls was harder than either of them had thought. Once they were able to stop them both crying, he and Kibum reassured them that they would be back so soon it would be like they hadn’t even left. As they started to leave and the girls started crying, Ms. Nicholl told them to just go. That the sooner they were out of sight, the sooner they would be able to calm down. So, with heavy hearts, they said goodbye one last time and apparated back home.

They packed light, given that it was just a few days, and they would be heading to Nottingham after Minho’s lesson anyway so they wouldn’t need much aside from a few changes of clothes and their toiletries. As soon as their portkey lit up, they were off, yanked across the Atlantic, and dropped unceremoniously on the Hogsmeade train platform.

Snow drifted lazily around them, the air filled with the familiar smells and sounds of Hogsmeade at Christmas. Minho staggered forward, still a touch unsteady on account of the portkey, and looked around. How long has it been? he thought to himself as Kibum took his hand and together they stepped off the platform and onto the main street.

He was bombarded by memories with every step, every glance. Spintwitches, where Kibum and the others had paid to fix his broom during the Tournament. Honeydukes, and all the money he spent buying treats for Kibum. Gladrags, and all Saturday afternoons he followed Kibum around and tried on clothes. The copse of trees that concealed their secret pond. The welcoming warmth of The Three Broomsticks. Madam Puddifoot’s, where all the happy couples went.

It was the first shop they had ever stepped inside.

Smiling, Minho tugged on Kibum’s hand, guiding him over to the chintzy tea shop. Kibum, of course, needed no explanation. In fact, he opened the door for Minho to enter first.

Madam Puddifoot herself was behind the counter, wiping down surfaces from what was probably a long day of serving her customers. She looked up, glancing between them. It took a second for recognition to dawn, but once it did, she was out from behind the counter, bustling over to them. “I never thought I’d see the pair of you two in my shop again, but Merlin’s beard! How are you! Doing well, I see? Can I get you your usual?”

“You remember our order?”

“Course, I do, dears. Course, I do. Just go sit yourselves down by the fire, it’ll be just a moment.”

She brought them their hot cocoas, then sat with them at the table, asking after what they were doing now. Minho let Kibum do most of the talking, content to just listen to the sound of his voice. They stayed long past the time the shop usually closed, and she sent them on their way to the Three Broomsticks with another cocoa each. It was just now lunchtime there, but given the time difference, they didn’t feel much like eating yet. Especially not after two cups of cocoa.

So, instead, they wandered the streets hand in hand, reminiscing. They found themselves traipsing through the woods to the secret pond, and Kibum scraped the accumulated snow off a stump and sat as Minho braved the icy pond, cautiously walking out onto it.

“I mean, if you wanted, you could go rent some skates from Gladrag while we’re here,” Kibum said when Minho slipped and almost fell.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

He sniffed a laugh, his nose scrunching up a little as he shook his head.

Minho took a deep breath of the chilly air, smiling as he let it all out. “It almost feels like coming home, doesn’t it?”

“A bit, yeah.” He shuffled back over to where Kibum was, letting himself be helped off the ice and only firm, solid ground. “When does your lesson start?”

“At three.”

Kibum checked his watch. “Yeah, we should probably head up now, then.”

Minho couldn’t help the skip in his step as they started up the well-worn path to the castle. Maybe he was just living too much in the past, but some of his happiest memories were here. At the castle, on the grounds, in Hogsmeade. All with Kibum.

Of course, he loved the life they had built together in New York, but just being back here, where their life together started…

Kibum started them toward the pitch, but Minho stopped before they got too far, and Kibum looked back at him, a question in his eyes. “Didn’t you want to go find Gil and invite ourselves over for dinner?”

“Well, yeah, but I thought I’d go with you during the lesson.”

“I’ll be okay, Bum,” he said, clasping his hands around Kibum’s. “I don’t want you to get too cold.”

Kibum gave him a soft smile, his eyes twinkling in the gray daylight. “You’re too sweet to me, you know that?”

“Yeah, just because you’re used to it. I have a status quo to maintain now.” He grinned when Kibum went up on his tiptoes to kiss him. “I’ll come find you afterward.”

“Okay, good luck, love.”

Minho waved goodbye and watched him walk a few steps before he continued to the pitch.

He dug through Kibum’s bag as he hurried along to the Hufflepuff corridor, pulling his Firestorm out and setting the bag inside one of the unused lockers. As soon as he was through the double doors, he mounted and was off, closing his eyes as he ripped through the snowy air.

Ah, it always felt so good to fly. So free. He didn’t do it much anymore, though Yeongjin did love it. Hyejin probably would, too, but Kibum wasn’t ready for that quite yet. Minho smiled at the thought.

When he opened his eyes, he found that the class had started to gather on the pitch, all watching him as he came back down to earth.

Merlin’s ing beard, did they all look that young when they were in sixth year?

Hooch joined them before Minho could speak, and she introduced Minho and his accomplishments. Working his way up to Quidditch captain while he was here, competing in the Triwizard Tournament and winning, and then going on to play professionally for a few years. The kids all stared at him in awe, and he bit his tongue to hold himself back from downplaying everything she had said.

Sure, it was all true, but he wasn’t doing anything with that now.

Kibum’s voice filled his head. Stop talking yourself out of admitting how amazing you are. Especially to yourself.

His grip tightened on his Firestorm as he smiled at the kids. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

He went over barrel rolls and hairpin turns, tricks to get out of a dive quickly, the most effective feints he’d used or come across. Anything that came to mind until the bell rang up at the castle, dismissing the students, even if they seemed to want to linger.

Hooch clapped a hand on his shoulder as they watched them go, and Minho looked down at her. “Want some tea, kid?”

“Ah, no, thank you. I’m supposed to go find Kibum.”

She patted his shoulder, squeezing a little before she let go. “Would you mind if I asked you back occasionally? You did well with them.”

Really? “Yeah, that’d be great!”

She released his shoulder and he waved goodbye before he ran back across the pitch. He stuffed his broom back inside Kibum’s bag before he eagerly made for the castle.

He found Gil almost as soon as he hopped over the banister for the courtyard and slid into the corridor because he was mopping up the muddy footprints of the students who had just passed through. Gil pulled him into a tight hug, then grinned at him as he stepped away.

“Did you already see Kibum?”

“Oh yeah, and I told Ana, too! She’s so excited to see you two!”

Minho smiled, glancing around at the dancing flames in the torches. “Do you know where Kibum is, by any chance?”

“Went upstairs with Slughorn a while back. Haven’t seen him since.”

Upstairs, huh? Minho allowed himself a small smile as he said goodbye to Gil and hurried down the hall to the stairwell. He, of course, took the secret passage that Harry showed him, and as soon as he pulled the tapestry back, he grinned.

There it was. Their study closet.

Minho pulled himself the rest of the way up and shook himself off before he reached for the handle and let himself inside.

It was just as he remembered. Smaller, perhaps. And without their school books. But the blankets and cushions and candles were all there, Kibum lounging amidst them. He looked up from a book as Minho slipped inside. “How’d you know I’d be up here?”

“Seriously?”

Kibum blinked, then smirked as he sat up. “I guess that is a dumb question, huh?”

“A little bit, yeah.”

He patted the cushion beside him. “Come here. We need to talk.”

Minho frowned and let the door click shut behind him before he stepped toward Kibum.

* * * * * * * * * *

By the time Kibum reached the greenhouses, Minho was already up in the air, zipping effortlessly around the pitch. He turned, watching him until he soared back down below the stands, then went inside.

The castle enveloped him in warmth, drawing him further in. He stamped the snow off of his shoes, drying them with a flick of his wand so they would stop squeaking on the stone floor. A plethora of students was milling about, those who had noticed him eyeing him curiously. He couldn’t blame them, of course. If he had come across a random adult roaming the halls during his time at Hogwarts, he probably would have thought it strange, too.

He smiled at the ones who met his gaze, amused when they all immediately looked away. He poked his head inside the Great Hall, finding it empty, save for Gil and Flitwick, who were working on decorating the first of the ginormous Christmas trees that would adorn the Great Hall.

Kibum waved when Gil looked over and stepped inside when he gestured for him to come closer. “It’s Kibum, Fillius!” Gil said, shockingly addressing Professor Flitwick by his first name.

He squeaked in surprise, looking around at Kibum from his perch on the spindly ladder. Gold and burgundy baubles floated among the branches, nee ones blooming from the tip of his wand. Kibum stopped at the base of the ladder that Gil was holding steady, smiling up at the tiny professor. “It’s good to see you, sir!”

“Sir? Please. Call me Fillius!”

There’s absolutely no way he’d be able to do that. Luckily, Gil drew his attention away with a question. “So you came with Minho?” Kibum nodded. “I heard Hooch talking about him coming in the staff room. “I was planning on inviting him over but now that you’re here too — “

“You’re stuck with both of us, then.”

“Yeah!” he said, grinning as if an extra person joining his family’s dinner wasn’t an imposition in the slightest.

The doors to the Great Hall boomed open, and Kibum turned, finding Hagrid trodding in with another tree as large as the last. Flitwick directed him where to put it, and when he turned to set it on the other side of the hall, Kibum caught a glimpse of Slughorn, vials full of something amber in hand. Pine sap, most likely. For Pepperup Potion.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” he said to Gil before he moved away, hurrying after Slughorn as he ducked out of the Hall. “Professor!”

Slughorn turned around, and Kibum grinned at him as he slowed, his mouth slightly agape. “Kibum, my boy, is that you?”

“Yes, sir. It’s nice to see you again,” he said, reaching out to shake his hand, but Slughorn shook his head, pulling his hand away.

“It’s covered in sap. Need to wash up.” Then he chuckled, his bright eyes twinkling as he inspected Kibum. “Would you mind joining me for tea? I’ve got an empty period at the moment.”

“Of course, sir!”

He chuckled as he shook his head. “You’re not my pupil any longer, dear boy. You can call me Horace.”

He turned then, leading Kibum up the marble staircase. Kibum glanced around at the portrait-covered walls, nearly missing the trick stair. Slughorn was going on about something, but Kibum was finding it hard to focus on him as he took in the castle after so long. Something about his current students. Once they reached the sixth floor, Slughorn let him into his office.

“McGonagall let you move back upstairs like you wanted?” Kibum asked as Slughorn busied himself preparing his tray of tea things.

He set the kettle over the fire, looking back at Kibum with a curious expression. “When did I mention that to you?”

“During my private lessons. When we were preparing for that competition?”

“Ah, yes…” There was that look in his eyes again as he surveyed Kibum. But it was fleeting, since the kettle started to sing.

Kibum settled in one of the armchairs across from Slughorn’s empty chair, watching the elderly professor. He was looking frailer, more worn than he remembered. But then, he had been an old man by the end of Kibum’s schooling. Had it really been ten years? Just as Kibum thought about jumping up to finish preparing the tray in his stead, Slughorn brought it over, setting it between them and grabbing one of the scones from the tray while Kibum sat forward to make his tea.

“So, how have you been, Professor?” Kibum asked, his brow furrowing as his expression shifted from mild pleasure to weariness. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m just tired, dear boy.” He sighed heavily as he looked back at Kibum. “I’d been retired for many years before I took this job again as a favor to Dumbledore, then I kept on after the war because Minerva and I couldn’t find anyone suitable. Twenty long years…”

He sighed again, and Kibum set aside his tea before he even sipped it. “Is there still no one who can replace you?”

Slughorn’s wiry eyebrows lifted as his eyes were alight once again. Amusement, this time, it seemed. He held Kibum’s gaze for several long seconds before he cleared his throat. “You know, I always thought you would make a fine Potionsmaster, here.” Kibum blinked, freezing before he could fully sit back in his chair. “I seem to recall saying as much in your career consultation.”

“You did, sir.”

Slughorn gave him a tired smile, then. “You were one of the most brilliant students I’d ever come across in all my years. A natural talent. It was effortless for you. Still is, probably.” Kibum nodded absently, his mind abuzz. Him? A professor at Hogwarts?

“But...but I never trained. Not to teach.”

Slughorn shrugged, still smiling. “If you’re interested, I think I have one more year in me after this one. You could shadow me. Be my assistant and then take over for the next term.”

“I...I…” He didn’t know what to say, besides, “Can I have time to think this over?”

“Oh, yes, of course! I don’t mean to pressure you. Just, do consider it. It would be a shame for your natural ability to go to waste.”

Right. He nodded, mumbling his goodbye as he stood, and he wandered listlessly out of his office. Could he...become a professor at Hogwarts? Potions was the obvious choice if he were, but even still… He glanced around as he came to a stop, looking up at the tapestry of the trolls doing ballet than at the blank wall opposite it. Would it still be there, after all this time?

He walked back and forth and back again before the wall, pausing when a door started to etch itself into the wall. Kibum reached for the handle, pulling it open. He smiled as he stepped inside, the door falling closed behind him as he whipped out his wand to light a few of the candles. Once there was enough light to see by, he stuffed his wand back inside his robe pocket and made his way over to the mass of cushions and blankets, flopping down amongst them. He winced as something rigid dug into his spine, and he reached beneath him, pulling out a copy of Transformations of Matter and Magic.

His old Alchemy textbook.

And it was his because it had his name scrawled in the nameplate on the front inside cover.

He flipped through it absently, his mind still whirring with thoughts of him possibly teaching. Him...teaching… It was a ludicrous thought, no matter what Slughorn said. Minho...well, Minho would probably think it was a good idea. According to him, he could do anything he set his mind to. Kibum sighed, smiling, and flipped another page. In any case, he needed to talk to Minho before he even thought about this anymore. If the idea festered any longer, he might start thinking it’s a good idea.

But the logistics of the move, coupled with having Yeongjin and Hyejin waiting for them back home in New York, maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all… That being said, they could adopt them now, or at least get the process started. They had almost been with them for a full year, now, so it would no longer be a rash decision on their part.

He frowned when the handle jiggled, looking up to find Minho stepping inside. “How’d you know I’d be up here?” he asked, and Minho gave him an incredulous look.

“Seriously?”

Kibum smirked, then pushed himself up so he was no longer laying across the blankets. “I guess that is a bit of a dumb question, huh?”

Minho chuckled. “A little bit, yeah.”

He patted the cushion, nodding Minho over to him. “Come here. We need to talk.”

Minho’s brow furrowed as he let go of the handle and he looked over at him in concern once he was sitting beside him. “Is something wrong?”

After a second’s hesitation, Kibum shook his head, then he launched into his explanation of what Slughorn had said. “It’s crazy, right?” he asked when Minho had kept silent for a moment after he had finished. “Can you imagine me as a professor?”

“Well…” His brow furrowed again, but he was smiling this time. “Yeah, I could. I think I said so before, but...but you had been teaching me ever since we met. I only did as well as I did in school because of you, Bum.”

“But you’re a good student on your own.”

Minho sighed, leveling him with a half-amused, half-exasperated glare. “Kibum…”

“I know, I know…” He rubbed his hand over his face.

“I mean, you’ve been wanting a career change for a while now. Maybe this is what you’ve been waiting for? An opportunity like this?”

Kibum sat back, his head resting against the wall as he looked up at the glow of the candles on the shelves above. “What about the girls? Do you think it’s time to…”

“Adopt them?” Minho finished for him, and Kibum nodded, still focused on the candlelight. “I do, yes. Ms. Nicholl said it takes a while for the paperwork to go through, so if we file as soon as we get back to New York, they would be our daughters around the time we need to move.”

“Would you want to move?” Kibum asked as he leaned away from the wall. But as soon as he met Minho’s gaze, he had his answer. His eyes were too bright, his expression too eager for it to be a no. He couldn't help a small, soft smile as he asked, “Where would we live?”

“Hogsmeade, of course. We’d be able to find a place pretty easily, I think.” His eyes lit up even more, and he sat up excitedly, drawing a fond smile out of Kibum. “And I still have my Tournament winnings in a vault at Gringotts, so we’d be able to put a down payment on a home fairly quickly.”

“No, hon, that’s yours -- “

“Ours,” Minho interjected. Kibum shook his head, then froze as an idea struck him. “What?”

“Hogsmeade doesn’t have an apothecary, does it?”

Minho’s eyes widened, and he blinked rapidly. “It was abandoned, wasn’t it?” Kibum nodded, watching Minho look his way again. “I could...buy the place?”

Kibum nodded again, his smile growing until he remembered, then he schooled his expression. “I haven’t agreed to it yet, though. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“Right, right, of course.”

He thought about it all night; he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not even when they joined Analecia and her family for dinner. Not even when they returned to their hotel for the night. He laid awake, listening to the sound of Minho’s steady breathing as he thought and thought and thought.

The only things tying them down in New York where the girls and his work on Broadway, and one of those would be taken care of as soon as they signed the papers that let them adopt Yeongjin and Hyejin.

Minho clearly was all for the idea of moving. And, the longer he thought about it, he agreed with him.

Because, aside from the girls, their family was all here in England. The move made sense. That, and teaching would never grow dull and monotonous like his job at Gershwin had. He would encounter fresh faces, new kids every year that he could help grow into talented students and adults.

It would be fulfilling. Very fulfilling.

When they reached Nottingham the next morning, he asked his parents over breakfast what they thought of the idea. They, like Minho, were almost annoyingly supportive. But it did put his mind at ease somewhat, though not enough to sleep again that night. He tossed and turned for what felt like hours, before muttering, “ it.”

He slipped out of bed, being careful not to disturb Minho, and went over to his old desk. After rummaging around a bit, he was able to procure a few sheets of parchments and an old quill and ink bottle. He lit his wand, holding it between his teeth as he wrote:

Dear Prof. Slughorn,

I’m accepting your offer to replace you as Potionsmaster. I am honored beyond expression and words that you think so highly of me and my abilities, and I look forward to the opportunity to learn as much as I can from you in the following year.

Please let me know when I and my family needs to return before the start of term, as well as anything I need to do on my end.

Thank you again for thinking of me for this, and if you need to contact me by owl post, my address is #25 Vista Lane, Salem Boulevard, New York City,

Sincerely,

Kim Kibum

He sat back, staring at the parchment. Some words were a bit shaking, but that was because his hand had started trembling. He gulped and set it down as he returned to bed, shaking Minho awake.

He stirred groggily, reading over the letter several times by Kibum’s wandlight. “Yeah, sounds good, babe.”

“Okay.” Kibum leaned forward, kissing Minho’s head. “Sorry for waking you. Go back to sleep.” He rolled up the parchment and crept downstairs, finding Nutmeg on his perch, his wide, lamplight eyes monitoring Kibum’s approach. “Hey, Meg,” he said in response to his quiet hoot. “Can you take this up to Hogwarts for me? To Professor Slughorn.” He looked slightly indignant but flew out the window as soon as Kibum opened it anyways.

Relief coursed through Kibum as he trudged back upstairs. Professor Kim. That would be him this time next year.

What an oddly beautiful thought.

He climbed into bed, maneuvering Minho’s arms around him as he got comfortable beside him, and at last, he was asleep within minutes.

Kibum broke the news over the coffee the next morning, Minho hilariously not remembering being woken up in the dead of night. Both Mom and Dad were beyond pleased for him, and Mom started talking about the idea of moving to Hogsmeade — “You know, to be closer to the grandkids.”

Their portkey lit up before Mom could convince them to eat some lunch, and after quick hugs and waves of goodbye, they took it back home.

The sun was barely up in New York City when they reappeared on their front porch. Kibum opened the door, tossing his bag onto the bottom step.

“Do you want to go pick up the girls now or later?” Minho asked, leaning against the wrought iron banister on the steps up to their townhouse.

“Ms. Nicholl knows we’re back this early, right?” Minho nodded, and he stepped down when Kibum closed the door, taking his hands out of his coat pocket. “Might as well, then.” He held out one hand to Minho, who took it as Kibum joined him on the sidewalk. “Besides, that’ll mean we can get the paperwork started right away.”

Minho grinned. “Exactly.”

Kibum twisted on the spot, taking them up town to the office of Wizarding Social Services. Matilda, one of the other receptionists, greeted them as they walked through the door. “Ms. Nicholl will be here in about five minutes.”

Minho thanked her and they sat, waiting for her and the girls to arrive. Kibum looked up at the sound of the little tinkling bell, smiling at the sight of a very bundled up Yeongjin and Hyejin.

“Daddy!” Yeongjin said as she broke away from Ms. Nicholl, bounding over to them. Kibum’s breath caught and he reached out, his hand brushing against Minho’s back as he stood.

That was the first time she had called either him or Minho that.

Minho scooped her up, swinging her around. “Did you miss us?”

Kibum didn’t pay attention to her response, as he crossed the room to pick up an excited Hyejin, who grabbed at his face with the beginnings of a toothy grin. “Ap…pa,” she said, and Kibum’s heart stuttered as he stared down at her.

“She’s been saying that almost as soon as you dropped her off.”

“It…it means ‘dad’…in Korean.” Ms. Nicholl patted his arm, and as soon as Kibum was able to tear his gaze away from Hyejin, he said “I think we’re ready to start the adoption process” all in one rushed breath.

She smiled knowingly, patted his arm again, and gestured for the door that led upstairs. “We’d better get started then.”

* * * * * * * * * *

- May 17, 2021 -

“Appa…”

“What, honey?”

“Appaaaa!”

Minho stirred, opening his eyes and looking around to find Yeongjin trying to scramble out of her airplane seat. He pulled her back just before the stewardess passed by with the garbage bag again and tightened the strap of her seatbelt before she could get up again. Glancing across the aisle, he found Kibum watching him with much amusement, Hyejin watching her sister with her wide, brown eyes.

“How long was I out?”

“Not long.”

“Are we almost there?” Yeongjin asked, fiddling with the buckle of her seatbelt. “Don’t wanna sit more!”

“I know, Yeonggie,” Minho said, rubbing his eye as he cast about for anything to distract her. In the background, Minho could faintly hear the pilot telling them that they were beginning their descent into Gimpo International Airport. He pushed up the shade on the window, drawing Yeongjin’s attention to the clouds. “It’s like when we’re flying on my broomstick, huh?”

She rested her cheek against his arm, nodding. Minho glanced down at her, then reached around to fix her flyaway strands of hair. Looking at them now, he was pretty proud of his braids this time. They were holding reasonably well, considering that it was an excessively long flight with an excessively energetic toddler. She wrapped her arms loosely around his forearm, still staring out at the clouds. “Can we go this high, next time?”

“We can try,” he said, then looked back at Kibum, unsurprised but still amused to find him adamantly shaking his head no.

“Can we, can we fly here?”

“No, Yeonggie, I don’t think we’ll have time. We’re here to see Uncle Jjong get married. Do you remember him?” Her face scrunched up in concentrated thought. “It’s okay if you don’t.”

She shook her head then leaned forward, pointing at a particularly puffy cloud, gasping in awe.

Minho looked up, finding Kibum pointing out pictures on the safety guide to Hyejin, who was staring at the bright colors. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered in English. “I think we have a future Quidditch player on our hands.”

“Just my luck,” Kibum muttered, then smirked over at Minho before he pointed at another picture for Hyejin.

Somehow, they were successfully able to distract them both as the plane landed in Gimpo, taxied to the terminal, and then deboarded. Minho slung his old backpack over his shoulder, which they had magically extended to fit everything they needed for this short trip, and grabbed Yeongjin’s hand as he followed Kibum and Hyejin off the plane.

“They’re meeting us at the hotel, aren’t they?” Kibum asked as they slipped into a cab.

“Yeah, I think that’s still the plan.”

Kibum glanced around as the driver started heading into Seoul. “You know, if there’s time, you should take me to that night market.”

Minho blinked, looking over at him. “What night market?”

“The one you took that girl on a date to.”

Minho burst out laughing, and Kibum hid his grin by looking away and out at the passing city, but Minho could still see his reflection. He fiddled with the silver ring on his thumb and glanced down at the matching gold one on Kibum’s ring finger. “If we have time, we can try.” Kibum’s eyebrows shot up before he turned around, and for a second, Minho thought he was going to tell him not to bother, but then he smiled, nodding.

Their room was on the seventh floor and it had a balcony with glass walls, which meant that he was sitting outside, hunched beside Yeongjin, who had her face pressed against the glass, with Hyejin in his lap. Kibum was puttering around behind them in the hotel room, unpacking their things. Until there was a ding! Minho turned around, looking back at his husband as he pulled out his phone to read the text.

“They’re downstairs,” he said, looking up as he pocketed his phone.

They gathered the girls and their coats, in case they got cold later, and hurried to meet Jonghyun and Taemin in the lobby. Hyejin eyed them curiously when Kibum introduced her to the couple, but Yeongjin hid behind Minho’s leg until Taemin lured her out with a piece of candy.

“So, where do we want to go?”

Kibum half-shrugged, looking over at Minho as he adjusted Hyejin on his hip, so Minho said, “What about Gwangjang Market?”

Kibum’s smile was slight, but definitely there. Taemin blinked in surprise, then turned. “We can walk, it’s not that far away!”

Yeongjin was able to keep up walking on her own for a few moments, but soon she was in Minho’s arms and he was back at Kibum’s side as they followed Jonghyun and Taemin down the sidewalk. He glanced around, eventually spotting Shortbus, the gay bar he and Joohyun had ducked into that night so long ago. He pointed it out to Kibum as they passed it, but they couldn’t linger, since they had to hurry to catch up to Taemin when the light changed and they could cross the street.

Jonghyun bought both of the girls pouches of pomegranate juice and a stick of odeng to share. The colors and bright lights dazzled Hyejin, and Yeongjin’s braids kept smacking Minho across the face and she looked this way and that, completely taken in by the clamor of the market.

As he surveyed the crowd, Minho thought he spotted Joohyun, her hand clasped by a tall, masculine-looking woman’s hand, both waiting in line at the kimbap stall. Joohyun, if it was her, looked right over him before returning her attention to her companion when she leaned in to whisper something. Whatever it was, it made her laugh. Covering her pink-tinted lips with her hand as she buried her face in her shoulder.

So, she was happy.

Minho sighed into a small smile, looking away at the sound of Kibum’s voice. How different his life had been, last time he had been here. Almost completely cut off from the wizarding world. Closeted. Still speaking with his parents. Though, granted, it wasn’t for that much longer. But still.

He had been so scared, and for what? If he had known how everything would have turned out, what his life would become...But then, that was part of it, wasn’t it? The uncertainty of it all. It tainted everything, then. His desire to belong in his natural-born family. His need to be with Kibum; to be home.

It was as he crawled into bed that night, the girls between them as they were refusing to use their own bed in such an unfamiliar place, that he realized. He’d found it. The answer to the question that had plagued him since he discovered the wizarding world.

Where did he belong?

All those years in limbo, trying to live up to his parents' expectations while also attempting to be the best wizard he could be. But he had chosen the next morning after the catastrophic date. And your choices are the catalysts that control your circumstances, so there was no way he could have remained in the Muggle world. Not when he was aching to return to where he belonged.

And where he belonged was right here.

With Kibum.

With his family that actually felt like home.

Someone shifted in the bed, but Minho couldn’t tell who it was until Kibum sat up, moonlight glinting in his eyes. “Can’t sleep?” he whispered, quiet enough to not wake the girls sleeping between them.

“My mind won’t shut off.” Kibum hummed in question. “Tonight brought up a lot of memories, that’s all. So, I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

He smiled. “About how lucky I am to be able to love you like I do.”

Kibum sighed. “I know, I’m incredibly easy to love, but babe, there’s no reason to lose sleep over it.”

Minho chuckled as quietly as he could. “You’re right.”

“I know I am.” Minho let out a quiet snort, and he could sense Kibum’s smile as he said, “Try to sleep, my love.”

After a quick breakfast and a thorough double-checking of their hotel room, they hurried downstairs to Taemin’s car, finding that Jonghyun had extended the inside to fit Minho, Kibum, and the girls in the back seat. Minho drew up some car seats while Kibum talked the girls into getting into them, and they were off. They added Jinki and his family to their caravan as they passed through Gwangmyeong.

It was a long drive to Mokpo, especially with how Taemin drove, but since Minho was the only other one in the car who knew how to drive and it had been years since he had done so, they had to settle for Taemin’s slightly erratic and very distracted piloting. Luckily, however, they made it to Mokpo in one piece, and after Jonghyun paid for their ticket, they loaded their car on the ferry and piled out of the car.

Soon, they were sailing gradually across Cheju Strait, the wind ruffling Minho’s hair. His back was to the sea as he watched Jonghyun and Taemin keep Yeongjin and Hyejin occupied with Jinki and his kids. Beside him, Kibum sighed as he looked out over the sea. Minho looked his way, committing his serene joy to memory. “It’s kinda nice, isn’t it? Traveling this way?”

Kibum nodded, a dimple appearing as he smiled a bit more. “Apparating and portkeys are really convenient, but taking your time can be nice, too.”

“Yeah.” He watched Kibum for a second before he turned his back to the deck and rested his arms on the railing so he could watch the waves. “I love the sea.” Kibum hummed. “When I was little, we used to go to the beach a lot. Minseok and I would find these huge pieces of driftwood and we’d pretend to sword fight like we were pirates or something.” Kibum snorted, glancing over at him. “It would have been fun.”

“To be a pirate?” Minho shrugged, grinning when Kibum sniffed a laugh. “I can’t believe you’d want to be an outlaw. It’s like I don’t even know you at all.”

“I think it’s y of me, to be honest.” Kibum laughed, shoving Minho so he stumbled a step away with a grin. “You’d be right there with me, of course. Partners in crime.”

Smiling with satisfaction, Kibum looked back out at the sea. “That sounds better.”

As soon as they reached the port, Minho was entrusted with figuring out the directions to their hotel. Once they, he unloaded the girls, said goodbye to the others and watched them drive off.

Yeongjin tugged on his hand as she stared after the car. “Where is Appa going?”

“He’s gotta go practice the ceremony with Uncle Jjong and Uncle Tae.” She let out a quiet Oh and plodded along beside him as he took them inside to go check into their room.

Almost as soon as they reached their room, the girls collapsed in bed. Their romping with Jonghyun and Taemin and Jinki’s kids on the boat must have really worn them out. Minho tucked them into bed, planting a kiss at the top of each of their heads before he ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower.

He nearly fell asleep himself while he waited for Kibum or anyone to contact him. The girls woke up before that happened, though, and as soon as they saw the beach outside their window, he knew he had to take them down to pass the time.

The beach was covered with warm white sand that coated his bare feet. The throaty roar of the waves crashing onto the shore filled the briny air. Yeongjin ran a few paces ahead of him, her braids whipping back and forth as she kicked the sand around, giggling. When he saw the looks of the nearby tourists, who were probably worried that Yeongjin was about to disrupt their calm, Minho hurried forward, leading her past the outcropping of rocks and out to where the sand was wet.

“Let’s look for seashells to show Appa, okay?”

And, they got to work, Hyejin too. All getting absolutely caked in wet sand. Once they had found enough acceptable seashells, Minho rinsed them out in the water before stuffing them in his pocket, only to glance over to find Yeongjin chasing a receding wave.

“Oh, honey, no!”

But it was too late.

The next wave had already lapped over her, knocking her into the sand and leaving her absolutely drenched. It would have been hilarious if she didn’t look like she was about to cry.

“Oh, Yeonggie, it’s okay!” he said as he hurried over, scooping her up and carrying her far away from the edge of the water. Hyejin ran along behind them as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. “Do you want to go back to the hotel room?” She nodded, eyes wide at watery, her firm frown warding off tears, for now.

He picked up Hyejin after setting Yeongjin down, holding her hand as they walked back to the hotel. Kibum was already up in the hotel room, and he was quick to take over soothing Yeongjin and getting her dry and sand-free for dinner tonight. Minho kept Hyejin occupied by playing hide and seek with her until Jonghyun texted Kibum that they were ready downstairs.

The wedding happened the next day on a secluded spot about twenty minutes away from their hotel. As same- marriage wasn’t exactly legal yet in Korea, it wasn’t official, but neither Jonghyun nor Taemin cared too much about that. Kibum officiated, and Minho held Jonghyun’s ring in his pocket and Taehyun, Taemin’s older brother, held his.

The couple stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, and Kibum with his back to it, the wind ruffling their hair. Minho sat in the small crowd in the chairs set up before the curtain of trees protecting them from prying eyes, the girls on either side of him.

“Do you, Jonghyun, promise to...wait, seriously?” Jonghyun snorted, and Taemin prompted Kibum to keep going. He sighed heavily. “Do you, Jonghyun, promise to kill all the bugs for Taemin, no matter the hour?” Jonghyun chuckled, his eyes shining as he looked at Taemin. “Do you promise to remain true, loyal, and faithful to him? To love, support, and cherish him until the end of your days?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Taemin, promise to put up with Jonghyun’s composing of songs, no matter how loud? Do you promise to remain true, loyal, and faithful to him? To love, support, and cherish him until the end of your days?”

“Oui.” Jonghyun laughed, and Kibum speared Taemin with a look. “I do, I do.”

“Can we have the rings?”

Minho fumbled in his pocket, pulling out the plain silver band. “Yeonggie, can you go give this to Uncle Jjong?”

She nodded and hurried up to them, shyly handing the ring to Jonghyun before going to hide behind Kibum’s leg. Kibum patted her head with a small smile as he went on. “As you place the rings on each other’s fingers, think of it as a seal that is preserving the vows you made to each other today.” Then he slipped the paper with his script into his pocket, glancing between them. “By the power vested in me as your best friend, I pronounce you husbands together.”

Before Kibum could direct them to kiss each other, they already were.

The reception was lively, stretching on as day turned into twilight. Music and laughter and chatter filled the air, accompanied by dancing on the beach in the light of the dying sun. Minho danced with both of the girls, holding them up and swaying to the music with them. First Hyejin, then Yeongjin, when Hyejin toddled off to find Kibum to go dance with him. As the night wore on, the exhaustion from the long day seemed to set in for them, and Sodam offered to keep an eye on them while they slept so both Minho and Kibum could enjoy the party on their own for a little bit.

Minho pulled Kibum onto the section of the beach that was being used as a dance floor, twirling him into a slow dance. Kibum rested his head on Minho’s shoulder with a heavy sigh. “Tired?” Minho asked, his voice quiet.

“Mm. And now I’m just thinking about what’s waiting for us in New York. So much work to do.”

Minho sniffed a laugh. “It’s just a few more months. We’ve got this.”

“Yes, but now I have to train a replacement, and,” he shook his head, lifting it from Minho’s shoulder to look up at him. “Can’t we just head to England right after this? I just wanna move on right now. Why wait?”

“Unfortunately, we’ve gotta be patient.”

Kibum his teeth at him but relented to be kissed when Minho leaned in. “I hate that.”

“I know.”

Sniffing a laugh, Kibum looked up at him, returning Minho’s smile. “Did I tell you that Mom is officially planning on moving to Hogsmeade?” Minho nodded. “Talking about retiring, which is just...such a strange thought.”

“Just think about it this way. If we ever wanna go on a date night, we’ll have a very accessible babysitter.” Kibum’s eyebrows rose, his eyes glimmering as he smiled. “Besides, it’ll be nice to have your parents close by. Just because.”

“Yeah, it will.” Kibum looked around, and Minho followed his gaze to where Sodam was sitting with the girls. Both were curled up beside her, asleep. “Should we head back?”

“Probably.”

They gathered up the girls, saying their goodbyes to the happy couple and their friends before they ducked into the shadows of the trees and apparated back to the hotel room. The girls barely stirred, waking only long enough for him and Kibum to help them into their pajamas. But soon they were tucked into their bed for the night, and Minho collapsed into the other bed while he listened to Kibum doing his nightly routine. It was almost enough to lull him to sleep, the quiet familiarity of it all, but then he remembered he should probably charge his phone before their flight back to New York tomorrow.

So, he sat up, propping himself up on his elbows, and fought with the charging cords. It was only when he had finally gotten his phone charging that he noticed it. A letter, sitting on the nightstand. The handwriting on the front was familiar, though, in his tired state, it didn’t quite register until he flipped it over, finding the stamp for the Wizarding Social Services in the pale blue wax seal on the back.

He sat up quickly, head spinning as he tore into the envelope. Skimming the pleasantries at the beginning, he stopped, reading the meat of the letter multiple times.

I’m happy to say that the paperwork has finally gone through. Yeongjin and Hyejin are officially your children now.

Hands shaking, Minho pushed himself off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom. Kibum glanced at him in the mirror before he bent to spit out his toothpaste. “Do you need in here? I’m almost…” His gaze landed on the letter in Minho’s hand. “What’s that?” Mutely, Minho handed it to him, watching his slight shifts in expression as he read it. Kibum looked up slowly, meeting his gaze in the mirror before revolving on his heel. “They’re ours?”

Minho nodded, grinning when Kibum rushed forward, hugging him tightly and burying his face in his neck as tears started to burn his eyes. He would do everything in his power, now, to give them the life they deserved. A loving home. One that nurtured them, supported them, helped them follow their dreams, wherever that would lead them.

The home he never had, until he found Kibum.

He held Kibum tighter still. “They’re ours.”