- July 30, 2021 -

“Where is Appa going?”

Minho looked down at Yeongjin, then glanced over his shoulder to find Kibum melding into the crowd leaving Customs and Immigration. “He’s gonna go get our puppies, hon.”

“Can I go with?”

He was about to say no, but then he looked down in her eager, sparkling eyes. She was even bouncing on the tips of her toes. He sighed and stopped in his tracks, and before his husband was too far away, he called, “Hey, Kibum!” He swung back around, eyes wide in question. “Can Yeonggie come with?” He nodded, starting back to them. “Okay, he’ll be right back.”

Kibum scooped her up once he reached them, turning right back around after he threw Minho an amused smile. “I can’t hold your hand on the way back, though, Yeonggie, so be sure to stick close, okay?”

Whatever she responded was drowned out by the crowd, and Minho turned with Hyejin, taking the two of them to baggage reclaim. “Are you excited to meet your uncle?”

Hyejin’s eyes lit up. “Jjonggie?”

“No, my brother. Not Appa’s. His name is Uncle Minseok.”

“Oh,” she said, drawing the sound out as she looked around at the Muggle airport.

Minho chucked, adjusting her on his hip before he hurried to slip into the space on the escalator. “And you’ll get to meet your cousins, too. Make all kinds of new friends.” She nodded, looking back at him with wide eyes. He reached up, wiping the sleep from her eyes before he stepped off the escalator. “Then you’re gonna see Grandma and Grandpa, and they’re gonna spoil you and your sister absolutely rotten.” She nodded again, but she was still distracted by the people and the wide-open windows showing London beyond. “Are you still sleepy?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay.”

Her voice was so tiny and cute, Minho couldn’t help chuckling and kissing her cheek before he looked back around at his surroundings. Ah, there was the sign for baggage reclaim. Just an escalator or two more.

Once they reached the right carousel, Minho set Hyejin down and squatted, letting her stand and wander as far as she could while still holding his hand. The buzzer went off and the conveyor belt started going, suitcases eventually pushing past the plastic flaps. Hyejin sidled up next to him, watching the luggage file slowly past them. “Do you remember what our trunk looks like, honey?”

She nodded, and he smiled, glancing past her to find Minseok and Dominic running up to them. His eyebrows shot up, the thought of his luggage forgotten as he stood.

“We came as fast as we could,” Minseok said instead of hello as he hugged him. “I wasn’t expecting Immigration to be so quick.”

“Neither were we.” Minho turned his attention to his nephew, holding one arm out for a hug and smiling when Dominic obliged him. “Is Felicity in the car?”

“Yeah. Where’s -- “

But the question died in the air before Minseok could finish it, as Kibum and Yeongjin were approaching. Kibum carried both traveling crates and Yeongjin clutching the bars of Garcons’ so she didn’t get lost. Minho picked Hyejin up, and she clung to him, partially hiding from Minseok and Dominic while also watching them curiously. “Love, the trunk is on the conveyor belt.”

“Oh, I can get it,” Minseok said.

“It’s kinda heavy,” Minho said, his brow furrowing.

“Dominic, come help me. Go ahead and start for the car! She’s waiting just outside in the red van.”

“Okay, thanks Minseok!” He glanced back after falling into step beside Kibum, looking back to find Minseok and Dominic pulling the trunk off of the conveyor belt. “How are the boys? Did they do okay?” he asked when he looked back around at Kibum.

“I think so. They’ll probably just need to run off some energy before bed.”

“Right.”

The automatic doors opened, revealing the bustle of the arrivals exit. People hurrying to reach their taxis or reuniting with old friends or partners. The Knight Bus shot up out of nowhere, startling them all. A pair of witches boarded with their luggage, and it zoomed away, both of their girls staring where it had disappeared around the bend.

“Minho! Kibum!”

Minho’s attention swung back to the line of waiting cars, and he smiled and waved at Felicity. The back door automatically popped open, and they hurried toward the van as she and Winifred hopped out to greet them. Introductions were made between the girls and Felicity, car seats were conjured, and once Minseok and Dominic arrived with the trunk, everyone loaded up and they were off to the house.

“Have you gotten your wand yet?” Minho asked Dominic, looking around to the seat behind him where his nephew sat.

“Yeah!” He sat as far forward as his seat belt would allow. “Willow, and-and a dragon heartstring, and it’s ten and one-quarter inches long!”

Kibum glanced around at him, too. “Got all your school books, too?”

Dominic nodded eagerly, and from the driver’s seat, Minseok called back, “Kibum, if you want to play favorites with him, feel free.”

Felicity smacked his shoulder with a laugh as Kibum said, “Yeah, I don’t think that’ll be allowed.” But then he winked at Dominic, starting him grinning. “When do you start, Winnie?”

She was pouting, her forehead resting on the window as she stared out at the night. “Not for another two years.” She knocked her head against the glass. “I’m still going to the Muggle primary school.”

Minho was about to ask about how she was liking the Muggle school, but Felicity tapped his knee and he turned around, finding her shaking her head. Ah, must be a bit of a sore subject at the moment. He nodded and sat back around, clasping his hands in his lap and glancing over at Kibum, who bit back a smile as he pushed up the bridge of his glasses. Minho raised his eyebrows in silent question, and Kibum just shook his head, looking out at the city as it passed them by.

Once they reached the house, it took a while to get everyone and the dogs and the luggage unloaded and into the house. Everything was a bit chaotic, the dogs barking and chasing after Ember who rightfully smacked at their noses, the girls crying and clinging to them after such a long day, Winifred angrily watching Dominic’s excited showing off of his school supplies to his uncles. Somehow, they managed to order and eat some pizza before turning in for the night.

“I think she’s finally down,” Kibum whispered as he backed away from his setting Hyejin beside Yeongjin on the bed in the guest room.

Minho nodded, watching their daughters for any sign that they were about to wake and start crying again as he clicked the lamplight down to its lowest setting. When it didn’t seem to be imminent, he returned his attention to Kibum. “I don’t think there’s gonna be room for both of us in here,” he said with a quiet laugh. “You should take the bed, I’ll go sleep on the couch. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.”

“Wait, are you not coming with me to the castle?”

“Oh!” He shook his head. “No, I am. I’m just saying, it’s your meeting with McGonagall, so you need to get your rest.”

Kibum sniffed a quiet laugh before he went up slightly on his tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. “You’re sweet, love, but like I said, you’ll be right there with me, so…”

“You’re right,” Minho said with a relenting sigh.

“Of course I am.” Kibum kissed him again, his hand lingering on his arm until he moved too far away. He hunkered down by their luggage, slowly opening the trunk and digging around for their bathroom bag and his pajamas. “I’ll go wash up first, and then I’ll watch them so you can do the same.”

“Sounds good.”

Kibum’s hand grazed his as he passed him on the way to the door, and Minho turned to watch him go until the bedroom door closed behind him. He tiptoed back over to the bed, sitting in the space by Yeongjin. The covers had shifted around the two of them, so Minho pulled it back over their shoulders, tucking it in around them. Comme Des looked up from where he and Garcons were lying curled up on the other side of the girls, resting his chin on Hyejin’s hip with a sigh as he looked up at him expectantly.

“What? Do you need to go out again?” Being a dog, he didn’t respond. “Do you miss Kibum?” Comme Des' head cocked to the side when Minho lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “Me too. He’ll be right back, don’t worry.”

True to his word, Kibum crept back into the room in minutes, and both puppies were up -- puffy little tails wagging -- to greet him. “Okay, your turn.”

Minho slid off the bed, slipping past Kibum on his way to the bed. He grabbed the first t-shirt and sweatpants he found in the trunk and headed to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he went back to the guest room. He closed the door softly behind him, finding Kibum lying on the edge of a now magically extended bed.

“So, you’re saying you don’t want me to sleep on the couch?” he asked, smiling as he skirted the bed to turn the lamp completely off. Slats of moonlight shone through the blinds, lighting Minho’s way back to the other side of the bed. Kibum sat up -- Minho could hear the rustle of the blankets -- being careful not to wake the girls so that Minho could crawl in beside him.

There wasn’t much space for them, but that had never bothered them before.

Kibum waited until Minho had settled on the pillow beside him before he sidled up next to him and heaved a sigh. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head, his hair brushing against Minho’s shoulder. “Tomorrow just...makes it all real.”

“What if we just took this all in steps?”

“What do you mean?”

Minho cleared his throat. “So we’re meeting with McGonagall tomorrow. Figuring out the logistics of you shadowing Slughorn, asking about faculty housing. That’s the first step. If there is no faculty housing, then we’ll have to find a house in Hogsmeade, and that’ll be the next step.”

“And then your apothecary…”

“Right.” Minho turned, kissing the top of Kibum’s head. He smiled into his hair when Kibum slung his arm around him, scooting even closer to him. “But there’s no rush for that. We need to get settled first before I even think about it.” Kibum hummed in protest and Minho chuckled, kissing his head again. “I don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves and get stressed because of it.”

“I suppose that’s smart.”

“Thank you.”

Kibum pinched his side, and Minho his teeth, drawing a chuckle out of him, then a sigh. “It’s been such a long day.”

“Let’s try to sleep, then.”

Kibum’s breath tickled Minho’s neck as he rolled over on his side, nuzzling closer, his leg comfortably slipping between Minho’s. He relaxed, then, as Minho clasped his hands together around him. A few minutes after a mumbled good night, love, Kibum’s breathing steadied. Minho listened to it, as his eyelids grew heavy, eventually losing the battle to stay awake.

Morning arrived, and with it, more chaos. There was barely enough time for coffee and breakfast before they had to be out the door to King’s cross. Dominic came with Minseok on the drive to the station, since he had been the one to help them load their stuff back up in the van. Despite Minseok repeatedly saying no, he kept asking Minho and Kibum if he could come with them to Hogwarts, just for today. He tried to argue his case that it would be helpful to get an idea of what to expect when he arrived in like a month, all the way up until they reached Platform 9¾.

Kibum just laughed, shaking his head as he pushed the trolley with their trunk and the puppies through the brick wall. Something that Minho hadn’t anticipated freaking his daughters out.

Hyejin’s eyes went wide and watery as she tottered, hand outstretched, toward the brick partition. “Appa?”

Minho scooped her up, then Yeongjin, who also looked on the verge of tears. “Good luck,” he said with a glance at Minseok. “And thanks for letting us crash there.”

“Yeah, any time.” He glanced at Hyejin, who was really starting to cry now. “Go on.”

Nodding, Minho strolled purposefully -- yet nonchalantly as possible -- toward the brick wall. Hyejin hid her face in his neck, and Yeongjin gripped his sweater tighter as he walked right through it and onto Platform 9¾. She loosened her hold, and soon Hyejin looked around.

The platform was emptier than he had ever remembered seeing it. Just a few stragglers. Probably just on their way to Hogsmeade. Kibum was down by the engine, taking the dog crates off of the trolley as one of the workers unloaded the trunk. “See? Appa’s okay.”

Both girls wriggled to be let down, and Minho crouched, setting them down and smiling as they ran over to Kibum. He turned around, grinning at them as he set the dog crates on the platform, opening his arms to embrace Yeongjin, then Hyejin once she reached him. Minho stood, striding over them, picking up part of their conversation as he drew nearer.

“I’m sorry it was scary, honey, but see? I’m just fine.”

Smiling, Minho picked up the dog crates. “Just wait until we get to Hogsmeade. There’s gonna be so much amazing magic there! And you’ll get to meet your grandparents, and make some new friends...What’s Ana’s third daughter’s name, again?”

“Gwen. She’s Yeonggie’s age, too.” Kibum patted the girls’ backs, then grabbed both of their hands as he stood. “Come on, the train’s leaving soon. Let’s go find a good compartment.”

They hurried onto the first car — after the Prefects’ car, of course — and into the first empty compartment they found. Once the door was closed, Minho set the dog crates down and let Comme Des and Garcons free. Yeongjin pressed her face against the window, each breath fogging the patch by up, as Minho sat beside Kibum and propped his feet up on the opposite bench.

The Hogwarts Express started to move, and soon, Hyejin clambered into his lap, then Kibum’s, to watch the beige bricks zoom by. Then the city of London. Then the all-too-familiar countryside.

Yeongjin had long since returned her attention to the puppies and the toys Minho had packed for the girls in his backpack, playing with them on the floor. But once it started to rain, Hyejin climbed out of Kibum’s lap to join her sister.

Minho rested his head against the seatback, then knocked his elbow against Kibum’s. “You know, before we know it, it’ll be their turn to go to Hogwarts.”

“Can’t wait to embarrass them.” Laughing, Minho leaned against him, and Kibum snorted, covering his smile behind his hand when the girls looked up at them curiously. “Just think of how many opportunities I’ll have.”

“Entirely way too many. But that’s our job, isn’t it?” Kibum hummed in question. “To embarrass them?”

“Oh, definitely.”

The rain started to clear up as they went around the final bend of the track to Hogsmeade. He made the girls pick up the toys they had gotten out while Kibum coaxed the puppies back into their crates. When the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station, Minho grabbed one of the crates and Yeongjin’s hand, and Kibum picked up Hyejin and the other crate before he led the way onto the platform.

“Do you remember where your parents are staying?” Minho started to ask, but as soon as he reached the exit, he found the pair of them waiting on one of the benches. Dad floated forward eagerly at the sight of them, and Mom quickly followed him.

The girls, while shy at first, warmed up to both of them on the walk back to the Three Broomsticks -- which was where Mom and Dad were staying until they could find a place to live here in Hogsmeade. Once they reached their room, Minho and Kibum had to turn right back around to leave so they could be on time for their meeting with McGonagall.

Minho took Kibum’s hand as soon as they stepped out of the Three Broomsticks and started down the lane to the castle. The summer air was cool and pleasant, perfumed with the scent of distant rain and blooming bluebells. It carded through his hair as it whispered through the leaves of the Forbidden Forest. Smiling, Minho glanced over Kibum’s head when the Shrieking Shack appeared in a gap between the thinning line of Hogsmeade shops.

“Remember when we snuck into there?” he asked.

Kibum looked up at him before he followed his gaze to the Shack. “Which time?”

Minho sniffed a laugh. “All of them.”

“Of course I do.” When he looked back at the path ahead, he wore a little smirk that Minho was sure was showing his dimple on his opposite cheek. Without letting go of Kibum’s hand, Minho surged a few steps ahead and turned to walk backward before him, just so he could see if the dimple was there. It was. And, it was accompanied by an amused twinkle in Kibum’s eye as he met his gaze. “What are you doing?”

Sunlight glinted in his hair, gilded strands glimmering as the breeze toyed with them. His eyebrows rose expectantly, and Minho shrugged, grinning. “Maybe I just wanted to look at you? Is that a crime now?”

Kibum closed his eyes as he shook his head, his attempt not to smile fading. “Maybe it should be, though.”

“So what you’re saying is you want me to serve life in Azkaban.”

“Essentially, yes.” Minho stopped walking in faux shock, letting Kibum surpass him until he couldn’t take another step without letting go of Minho’s hand. “Come on,” he said, laughing as he tugged on Minho’s hand to get him started again. “We’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”

Minho relented, smiling, and picked up the pace until he was back by his side. They continued to the castle, their joined hands swinging between them. Their footsteps echoed in the empty halls. It was strange to see the castle devoid of students. Unnatural and surreal, even.

Kibum stopped at the base of the marble staircase at the sound of Peeve’s laughter, which of course was followed by the sound of something smashing. “Let’s take our shortcut instead,” Minho said, backing away from the stairwell and leading Kibum back to the hidden door beneath the stairs in the wall. He let Kibum head in first, then closed the door behind him as Kibum started for the rickety ladder.

He held the tapestry open for Minho to slip through, then extended his hand to help him onto his feet. “What did she say her password was?” he asked as they reached the gargoyle standing guard over the entrance to the Headmistress’ office.

Kibum dug into his pocket, pulling out the letter from McGonagall, scanning the spidery script before looking up at the gargoyle and saying, “Russian Blue.”

It shuddered to life, leaping aside so that they could ascend the narrow spiral staircase. Minho released Kibum’s hand, letting him go up first.

McGonagall’s curt greeting of “Come in” slipped through the door before Kibum could even knock. He glanced back at Minho, who gave him an encouraging nod, and opened the door. “Go ahead and take your seats. Horace will be with us in a moment,” she said without looking up from her letter-writing.

It almost felt like they had been called into the Headmistress’s office because they had gotten in trouble in class. She might have been writing to their parents, had Minho not remembered after a nervous glance at Kibum, that they were not in fact still students at Hogwarts.

She set her quill aside, her narrow eyes scanning the letter she had just written before she folded it up and stuffed it into an envelope, and sealed it with gold wax. “How were your travels?” she asked, in a slightly kindlier voice.

“Good,” Kibum said after clearing his throat. “Our daughters did okay on the Muggle plane, which was a relief.”

“Truth be told, I’ve never been on an…aeroplane,” she said carefully, almost questioningly. “I don’t think I could stomach it, not with apparition and portkeys at hand.”

Minho chuckled, then coughed to cover it. The image of Minerva McGonagall on a plane was a bit too funny. Before she realized why he was amused, the door to her office burst open, and Minho didn’t have to turn around to guess who it was.

“Kibum, my dear boy, how lovely it is to see you again!” Slughorn said as he advanced into the room, beaming at the pair of them as he sat down on the opposite side of Kibum.

“Alright, now that we’re all here, I’d like to make this as quick of a meeting as we can. The Minister is expecting me for our annual meeting before the start of term.”

“Oh, do tell Ms. Granger hello from me, Minerva.” He patted Kibum’s arm jovially. “One of my brightest students. After you, of course.”

McGonagall cleared , leveling Slughorn with a piercing stare until he sobered. “Before we start, do you have any questions that you’ve been wanting answered?”

“No, I can wait.”

Nodding, she went on. “Horace and my expectations when it comes to shadowing him are that you will observe how he runs a class, how he decides on curriculum, how he disciplines the students when necessary. You may be expected to take over and teach some days — not right away, don’t worry — as well as grade essays and judge the students on their potions skills.”

“Also,” Professor Slughorn added when she took a breath. “You’ll work as my assistant in class and help students along with me, should I ask you.”

“Does that sound alright?”

Kibum nodded. “What…what about housing?”

“Ah,” McGonagall glanced quickly between him and Kibum. “Yes. Well, most of the staff are single, aside from Patrick and Abigale, of course.” It took a second for Minho to register that she was referring to O’Neely and Chanin. “So, we all live within the castle. “There are rooms that we could designate for you and your family, but, if you’d rather, we could help you find a place in Hogsmeade.”

“Yes, that sounds like the best idea.” Kibum’s hand rested on Minho’s knee before he patted it a few times. “He’s planning on buying a location there to open an apothecary.”

“Oh!” Her eyebrows shot up in interest, and she nearly smiled. “That’ll be good. It’s been so long, I can't even remember the name of the old shop...Abandoned during the war, but just never taken up again. Poppy has talked about how much she misses having one so close by several times.”

“Well, whenever I open, she’ll just need to send an owl and I can make her whatever she needs.”

McGonagall smiled, then, and sat up in her chair. “Yes, alright let me see.”

She shuffled through some sheets of parchment, finding what she was looking for after a few seconds. “Here,” she said, smoothing it on top of her desk. Minho joined Kibum in standing so he could look over it as well. It was a map, not only of the Hogwarts grounds but of Hogsmeade as well. A few of the dwellings were marked in purple ink, but the rest was all in black. “Some of the funds from the school go to providing outside housing to the professors or staff members who choose to live outside of the castle, for whatever reason.”

Minho’s shoulder pressed into Kibum’s as he leaned closer. He found Gil and Analecia’s spot on the map easily, having been there a few times himself. There were a few places marked in purple around where they lived, but the one between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts in the middle of seemingly nowhere kept catching his eye.

“What do you think?” Kibum whispered in Korean.

“That it’d be nice to have some space to plant a garden or build a greenhouse at home rather than in the village.”

Kibum glanced at him, meeting his gaze for a second before returning his attention to the map. He pointed at the Hogwarts-owned house between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. “What about this one?”

“The Shrieking Shack?” Kibum looked up as Minho did, both surprised. “Well, I don’t see why not. It’d be nice to put it to good use.”

“Isn’t...isn’t it haunted?” Kibum asked, his brow furrowing.

“Oh, no, that was just a rumor. The story behind it is much longer than I have time to tell at the moment, but no, it’s completely specter-free. There are just some enchantments placed on it that need to be lifted. I can have Patrick drop by to take care of them before you and your family move in, if you’re still interested.”

Kibum looked back at Minho, waiting for his approval. Minho nodded, then said in Korean, “Plus, there’s also that secret passage that leads to the school. We can just set up torches to light the way to the Whomping Willow.”

He nodded at Minho with a small smile before he looked back at McGonagall. “We’ll take it.”

O’Neely didn’t return to Hogwarts until the following Monday, and that Wednesday he sent Minho and Kibum an owl to let him know that the Shrieking Shack was now theirs to fix up as they liked. So, leaving the girls in the care of Mom and Dad -- who had been spoiling them at every given opportunity with sweets from Honeydukes -- they set out for their new, very run-down home, wands in hand.

“Do you think Mom was serious about moving all of the plants from Grandma’s greenhouse up here for me?” Minho asked as he hurried up the steps to open the door for Kibum.

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

Minho shrugged, shaking his head. “I don’t know. It’s just really nice of her to do.”

Kibum stopped in his tracks, swinging around to look back at him as he closed the door behind him. “Why do you sound so surprised? She did raise me, after all, of course she’s nice.”

“She’s a saint for putting up with you.” Kibum his teeth as he turned back around, and Minho laughed as he draped his arms around Kibum, kissing his cheek then holding him close as they looked around at their new...ish home. “It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, huh?”

“That’s a bit of an understatement, my love.”

It took several days of consulting the spellbooks they had bought when they moved into the townhouse in Salem Boulevard, as well as figuring out exactly what they wanted for the layout, look, and feel before the house formerly known as the Shrieking Shack became their home. Minho worked on clearing the dust and striping the shredded wallpaper and fixing the marred floors and furniture while Kibum charmed some vibrancy back into it. A new coat of “paint” on the walls, a fresh “stain” for the hardwood floors, new covers for the chairs, the bedding, the rugs, the hearth in the living room and kitchen, as well as new cupboards for the kitchen. On the last day of remodeling, they split up, Kibum brightening up the passage between the bedroom he and Minho chose for themselves and the Whomping Willow while Minho got to work on erecting a greenhouse just off the kitchen and “repainting” the outside walls and fixing the roof.

They collapsed into bed that night, exhausted after several days of non-stop work. “We should probably go say goodnight...to the girls,” Kibum murmured as he shifted closer to Minho.

“Mm,” was the last thing Minho remembered saying before his eyes slid shut.

They had a few days to settle into their new home before Kibum’s duties started up at school, and most of that time was used up by unpacking Kibum’s trunk and then many boxes Mom dropped off filled with the plants from Grandma’s greenhouse.

The girls really seemed to enjoy the openness of Scotland compared to the compactness of Salem Boulevard. They also bonded quickly with Gwen, Morgana, and Morgause, even though Morgana and Morgause were a few years older than them. Analecia’s hair salon was right next to the apothecary, so all of the girls played together in the salon under Analecia’s watchful eye while he and Kibum met with the previous owner of the apothecary.

“I’ll just need a few weeks to run all this paperwork through,” Aster Armitage, the former owner, said. “I’ll send an owl when the time comes, and we can all meet at Gringotts.”

“Sounds great!” Minho said, excitement thrumming through him as he his hand out for Aster to shake.

“Thank you,” Kibum said, shaking his hand as well before Aster said his goodbyes, leaving them alone in the storefront.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Minho finally failed the fight against his broad smile as he looked around. It was a bit run down, truth be told, which was probably why Aster was giving it to him for so cheap. But there were shelves and dusty glass bottles and vials, as well as a store of cauldrons in the back workroom that even Crow would have been envious of. And it all came with the shop. It was all gonna be his.

He looked back at Kibum, finding him watching him, his eyes bright and his smile fond. “You look so happy.”

Tears started welling up in Minho’s eyes, but he blinked them away as he sighed. “I am.”

Kibum grabbed his hand, pulling him into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, you know.” Minho closed his eyes, nodding. “I can’t wait to get my discount on potion ingredients.”

Minho laughed heartily as Kibum leaned away to look up at him, a mischievous glint in his eye as he grinned. “You can get anything you want from me for free.”

“You mean it?” Minho hummed his assent. “I knew marrying you would come in handy someday.” Before he could retort, Kibum grinned as he went up on his tiptoes, his hand slipping behind Minho’s neck as he guided him into a kiss. “Let’s go relieve Ana, hm?” Kibum asked as he pulled away.

“Yeah, okay.”

All five of the girls romped ahead of them on their way back to the house, Minho and Kibum trailing behind, hands clasped, fingers interlocked. They played together outside in view of the windows of the greenhouse, where Kibum was helping Minho catalog his stock of plants so he could decide on what he needed to buy for the shop when the time came. Up until it started raining, then he and Kibum had to practically drag the girls back inside. They cleaned the mud off of them on the porch before letting them inside, then got busy making them dinner and hot cocoa to warm up from the rain while they played what sounded like a hilarious game of “The Floor Is Lava” in the living room, judging by the number of giggles floating into the kitchen.

The soup was nearly done by the time Analecia had closed up shop and dropped in to get the girls, so he invited her and Gil — once he was done with work — to just stay over for dinner. She and Kibum waited outside on the porch for him to cross the invisible line that would allow him to apparate the rest of the way home so they could catch him before he did. Minho put on the kettle again to make some tea for him to warm him up once he got here, and waited in the doorway so he could keep an eye on the girls and dinner as well as chat with Kibum and Ana while they all waited.

Once they spotted him, Minho slipped back in, calling the girls in to have them come get their soup. He set up the dinner table in the living room, extending it and adding some extra cushions with a few flicks of his wand. Kibum and Analecia were dishing up the girls’ dinner and Minho started a cup of tea steeping for Gil before he came in out of the rain.

It was a nice, cozy dinner. Gil, Ana, and their girls sticking around until the rain let up long enough for them to trek back to the village in the growing night. It took some coaxing to get the girls into the bath, then their pajamas, and then bed. Kibum cleaned up from dinner while Minho got them to bed, then he took over for Minho, letting him relax on the couch while he tucked them in and read a bedtime story to them until they, finally, fell asleep.

Minho, who had drifted off a little while he waited for Kibum, stirred when Kibum’s fingers carded through his hair on his way around to sit beside him. “Are they out?”

Kibum nodded, sighing as he leaned his head against Minho’s shoulder, letting him drape his arm around him. “It’s been a day.”

“A good day.” He hummed happily, and Minho smiled before he kissed the crown of his head. “Ready for bed?” Kibum shook his head, and Minho pressed another kiss into his hair. “Okay.”

The fire crackled merrily in the hearth, Comme Des curled up as close as he dared to it in his little cushion, and Garcons sprawled out, spread-eagle, on the rug a little further away. The rain, as it had picked up again by the time he finished with Hyejin’s bath, hammered on the windows. A soft staccato, accompanied by the steady quiet breaths of his husband.

“Do you want something to drink?” Kibum asked after a moment, and Minho lifted his head. “Tea? Cocoa?”

“Mm…cocoa.”

After a few prolonged seconds, Kibum reached up, grabbing the hand Minho was resting on his shoulder, and pushed himself up, bringing Minho with him. Minho raised their joined hands, making Kibum twirl twice before he intended to let him go.

“Oh? Are we dancing now?” Kibum asked, his eyes alight as he settled into Minho’s now-open arms, starting them swaying in the living room.

“We can if you want to,” Minho said, smiling when Kibum started to hum.

It was a tune he didn’t recognize, but he liked it. Very much. It carried them around the living room, then into the kitchen, the light of the fireplace in there more subdued. Kibum clung to him as they swayed together, and Minho was content to let him do so, given that, now that they had started dancing, he was loathed to stop.

Kibum’s chin rested on his shoulder, and in turn, Minho laid his head atop of Kibum’s, his quiet humming vibrating against his temple.

“I have a secret,” he said once he had stopped humming, though neither of them released each other.

“What is it?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the love of my life.”

Minho smiled, his eyes slipping closed in a few seconds of pure contentment. “Bum, I’m really sorry to tell you, but you’re at keeping that a secret.”

Kibum chuckled, and he was pressed so close to Minho that he could feel it in his heart. “I’ll have to try harder to hide it, I guess.”

“Good luck.”

“Thank you. I’ll need it.” A couple of seconds of warm silence embraced them, then, “You’re not so great at hiding it, either.”

“That’s the thing, I’m not trying to.”

“Ah. I see.” Kibum let out a sniff of a laugh that usually accompanied a smirk, and Minho nuzzled his head against Kibum’s. “You’re so sappy.”

“So?”

Kibum shook his head, and Minho lifted his so that he could look down at him as Kibum leaned slightly away. “Do we still want cocoa?” Minho was about to ask, but then Kibum was kissing him, one hand slipping beneath his sweater, grabbing his waist and pulling him closer, while the other tangled in his hair.

All thought of anything except Kibum completely slipped from Minho’s mind. The percussion of the rainstorm crescendoed outside, nearly matching the tempo of his heart as Kibum led him upstairs into the ever-welcome embrace of the night.

* * * * * * * * * *

- August 31, 2021 -

“Is there anything else you need from me, sir?”

Professor Slughorn, who had long since stopped insisting that Kibum call him “Horace” looked up from the scrolls of lesson plans that Kibum had just finished organizing for him by year and subject. He shook his head, leaning back leisurely in his chair with a smile. “No, Kibum, you can go back to your office. I’m sorry I had to take you away from getting it ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh, it’s alright, sir,” Kibum said with a small smile. “That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?”

“Right you are.”

Nodding, Kibum ducked out of Slughorn’s office and stuffed his hands in his robe pockets as he strolled down the corridor to the stairwell in the wall. That is until he spotted an ajar door. Feeling an odd sense of deja vu, he veered off course, pressing open the door and peering into the dust-covered memory.

It had clearly been a classroom once, but now it was filled with odds and ends. Things that no longer served their intended purpose. Kibum frowned, looking around. He and Minho had come exploring up here, once. Ages and ages ago. He remembered that now. It had been where he had found the dress robes he had worn to the Yule Ball.

Smiling now, Kibum squinted through the glittering dust filtering through the daylight streaming through the windows until his gaze landed on it. The mirror that Minho claimed had shown them kissing — or him kissing Minho, he couldn’t remember — years before they started dating. It was covered by a sheet that, after a slight hesitation, Kibum yanked off. And, yes, it was the same mirror with the weird, non-English nor Latin script arching over the mirror.

He looked down from the inscription and was met with his own reflection.

It did everything he did. No change, no magic about it. Maybe it had just been a trick of the light when Minho had looked inside? Or, perhaps he had just imagined what he was hoping would happen, someday?

Kibum struck a pose that could have been on the cover of a wizarding fashion magazine, then another, then laughed at himself in the mirror.

Nope, nothing was happening to his reflection. It was still just him.

He hummed to himself as he turned away, flicking his wand at the sheet to replace it on the mirror before he poked around the room. While he had already done quite a bit to brighten up his dungeon office, it could always use a few more knickknacks on the shelves or accent tables or his desk. After a bit of digging, he found a couple of oddly shaped, flat-bottomed vials and bottles.

Maybe Minho could make him a little terrarium inside?

He collected the lot, smiling as they clinked together on his way to the dungeons. Flames automatically burst to life on the torches lining the dark corridor just past the Slytherin Common room. A thin strip of golden light lined the cracked-open door, and he pushed the door to his office open with his toe and stepped inside, only to stop in his tracks.

“What are you doing here?” he asked when he found Minho sitting on the edge of his desk, looking at the framed pictures of himself and their family.

Minho looked up from the photos, then jumped off the desk and hurried over to relieve Kibum of some of the bottles in his arms. “I got an owl from Aster,” he said as he set the bottles he had taken down on Kibum’s desk, the tinkling filling the room for a second. “Everything is finally ready for me to come and sign.”

“Oh? That’s great news!”

“Yeah.”

“When do we leave?”

“We?” Minho asked, his brow furrowing.

Kibum blinked, then frowned. “Didn’t you want me to come with you?”

“Yeah, but,” Minho laughed, then, his expression slightly incredulous. “Bum, school starts tomorrow, don’t you have a lot to do?”

Kibum shook his head, reaching around Minho to twist the nearest bulbous bottle so it caught the firelight. “I finished up the lesson plans I needed and Slughorn is reviewing them now, so I’m free.”

“Really?” Kibum nodded, looking up at Minho to find him smiling. “Mom and Dad are watching the girls right now, so…”

“So, what if we spend the night in London and head back on the Hogwarts Express with the students?”

Minho’s eyes lit up. “Can we do that?”

Kibum shrugged, smiling now. “Why not? It’ll be nice to have a little escape before I get busy with school and you with setting up the apothecary, right?”

His expression shifted to one of almost unbearable fondness, and Kibum would have looked away had Minho not slipped his finger under his chin and kept him from turning his head so he could kiss him. “Let’s let your parents know before we go, at least.”

“Okay,” Kibum said before kissing him again. “I’m gonna go see if Slughorn needs anything from Diagon Alley first, though.”

“Hm, okay.” Smiling, Kibum kissed him one last time, then grabbed his hand and started them upstairs to the sixth floor. As they passed the abandoned classroom, Kibum reached around to smack his arm. “What?”

“I can’t believe you lied to me about that mirror.”

“What mirror?” Kibum pulled him back toward the door, pushing it open for Minho to look inside. “Oh, that...what do you mean?”

“It’s not enchanted at all! You told me you saw us kissing in it before we were a couple!”

“I did!” Kibum his teeth at him, and Minho, shaking his head slightly, dragged him inside and pulled back the sheet that Kibum had replaced. It just showed them, exactly as they were. “Why isn’t it working?”

“Here,” Kibum said, letting go of Minho’s hand and stepping out of the mirror’s frame, still meeting his gaze within it, though. “What about now?”

Minho looked back at his reflection, turning this way and that. “That’s so weird…”

“Nothing for you, too?”

“Yeah.”

He was frowning at the mirror, stepping a bit closer to inspect himself, as if that would make a difference. “What else have you lied to me about? I think I deserve to know.”

“Do you really?” When Kibum nodded, Minho cracked a playful smile, his gaze meeting Kibum’s again in the mirror as he winked. “It’s a secret.” He laughed when Kibum shoved him aside then stepped into the frame of the mirror to fix his hair. “I wasn’t lying, though.”

“Sure,” Kibum said with a roll of his eyes, but then he smiled at Minho in the mirror before reaching for his hand again and leading him back out into the corridor.

Slughorn, as it turned out, didn’t need anything from Diagon Alley. He congratulated Minho on his imminent acquisition of the apothecary before they said their goodbyes and made their way back downstairs to the lawn. Instead of taking the long trek back to the house, They made their way down to the Whomping Willow, Kibum letting go of Minho’s hand as he moved away to get the long stick they used to press the knot to calm the flailing branches.

The torches along the tunnel to the house lit themselves as they hurried down it to the door leading to their bedroom. Kibum slipped out of his robe as Minho closed the door behind them, and Minho left him as he started changing into some Muggle clothes so he could go tell Mom and Dad that they would be staying in London overnight. The girls, as it turned out, had just had their lunch and were down for a nap, so they snuck into their room to give them a quick goodbye kiss on their foreheads before they left.

“Where do we want to go first?” Kibum asked as Minho stepped out onto the porch a few minutes after him, hefting his backpack which was assumedly full of their overnight things.

“Minseok’s, probably. Just to make sure it’s okay if we can stay there tonight.”

Nodding, Kibum held out his hand for Minho to take, and as soon as their fingers interlocked, Kibum twisted on the spot, carrying them away to London.

They arrived at the quiet street in Bromley with a loud crack, both glancing around to make sure that none of the Muggles who lived there noticed. Tentatively, Minho started them walking down the block to Minseok’s house, but Kibum kept his guard up, looking everywhere to make sure that no curious Muggles were watching them. All was well, it seemed, until they reached Minseok’s front door. Minho stepped up to knock, and Kibum followed him, still holding his hand.

A car door slammed across the street, startling Kibum enough to jump and turn around to inspect the noise. Minho knocked again as Kibum looked at the house directly across the street.

His heart stuttered to a stop momentarily, the blood in his veins chilling.

It was Mr. and Mrs. Choi.

He’d known they had moved back to England -- to be closer to Minseok and their grandchildren, because of course -- but he never expected to see them.

They were both carrying bags of groceries, but had looked over, no doubt interested to see who was visiting their son. Even from this distance, he could see it register in their expressions as they froze in their driveway. That it was him they were seeing. That the man that Kibum was holding hands with was their other, long-forgotten son. The one they hadn’t spoken to for nearly ten years.

Every fiber of his being, every cell that composed him longed to cross the street so that he could tell the pair of them exactly what he thought of them and their treatment of Minho over the years. There would be no repercussions; they had no hold over him now. Except...on today, of all days. The day that Minho was about to achieve the dream he was so excited about. It would probably cause him distress to know that his parents were there, let alone whatever would have happened if Kibum were to go over there.

The thought alone made him turn his back on Mr. and Mrs. Choi, his jaw clenched as he squeezed Minho’s hand a little tighter. Minho deserved only happiness today, and he’d do everything he could to assure that that was all he had.

“I don’t think they’re home,” Minho said, raising his hand to knock again when the door opened before his knuckles could connect. It was Winifred, and she opened the door wide to let them in.

Somewhere behind them, a door closed, and Kibum didn’t bother to look back around at the Choi’s house before stepping inside.

“Dad’s at work,” she said, sounding almost bored, as Kibum closed the door behind them. “We’re heading to the Alley soon to get a few more things for Dom.”

“Oh, hey, that’s where we’re going, too!”

“Minho?” asked Felicity, her voice floating toward them from another room, soon to be followed by the woman herself. “What are you two doing here?” she asked as she pulled Minho into a quick, tight hug.

Kibum let Minho explain as he tugged on the strap of Minho’s backpack, and Minho maneuvered it off his shoulder for Kibum to take back to the guest room. By the time he returned, Dominic had joined them in their hurry to get ready to leave. They all piled into the car, Winifred up front with Felicity, and Dominic sitting between Kibum and Minho in the back. Kibum was glad that Minho was distracted by asking Dominic about what he still needed to get for school to notice his parents peeking out from behind their curtains as they pulled away.

Felicity found a place to parallel park on Charing Cross, and they let Dominic out before they followed him, Felicity, and Winifred into the Leaky Cauldron, but they parted ways at the entrance to Diagon Alley. Kibum and Minho slipped away with a wave and a call of goodbye to the others, hurrying along to Gringotts.

Aster was waiting for them in one of the rooms off of the main hall. He explained the paperwork to the pair of them, giving Minho time to read it all himself before he signed it. Then the three of them went down to the vaults to extract the galleons Minho needed to pay to make the apothecary officially his. It was a little over the thousand galleons he won in the Triwizard Tournament, but they had enough in their savings to cover the last two hundred galleons and not worry about their funds.

Minho clutched the deed in his free hand -- he was holding Kibum’s hand with the other -- all the way back up to the surface and out into the Alley once more. Kibum looked up at him as soon as they were back in the sunlight. His eyes were shining, his grin was plastered on his face. The sheer amount of joy and excitement in his eyes and expression was contagious, as Kibum couldn’t help but to go up on his tiptoes to kiss Minho’s cheek.

“I’m so happy for you.”

He took a deep breath, about to speak, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He gulped, still smiling, and kissed Kibum’s hand instead. He wasn’t able to express his feelings until much later, once they were in bed after dinner and a late-night chat with Minseok and Felicity.

“It’s almost surreal,” he whispered to the darkness, and Kibum looked toward the sound of his voice, stifling yet another yawn. “You know? To finally know what I’m doing with my life.”

“It is, a bit. And, I’m sure it's a relief.”

“Oh, definitely.”

Kibum scooted closer to him, laying his head on Minho’s shoulder and pillow. He closed his eyes with a smile when Minho rested his head automatically atop his. “Have you decided on a name yet?” Minho nodded without lifting his head off of Kibum’s. “What is it?”

“I was thinking...Healing Touch Apothecary.”

Oh, how fitting. Assuming, that is, he chose it because that had been his first indication that he was part of the wizarding world, all those years ago. “I like it.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

Minho kissed the crown of his head, and Kibum let out a contented sigh. “When we get back, I’m gonna work on redecorating while I wait for my supplies to arrive.”

“What are you thinking about doing?”

“Probably something like the Hufflepuff common room. Lots of greens and yellows...I’m not sure, I haven’t decided yet.”

“Greens and yellows,” Kibum murmured, his exhaustion starting to set in. “I like it.”

“Well, yeah. Those are our colors.” When Kibum just hummed in response, Minho lifted his head. “Are you getting tired, Bum?”

“Yeah, a bit. Sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” he asked, scoffing as he rolled over on his side, his arms wrapping around Kibum as he fit snugly against him. “Get some rest, sweetheart. Merlin knows you have a longer day tomorrow than I do.”

He rested a hand over Minho’s clasped hands, holding them in place over his heart as he slowly, but surely, drifted off to sleep.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Minho…” He frowned, his face scrunching up as he buried it in his pillow. “Babe, we have to leave soon if we don’t want to miss the train,” Kibum said, shaking Minho’s shoulder a few more times before he walked away. “Unless you wanna just apparate. I don’t care either way.”

Minho pushed himself up on his elbow, glaring at the sunshine cutting through the blinds. He did want to go on the Hogwarts Express, but… “What time is it?”

“Almost ten, I think.” Minho let out a quiet harrumph, which only made Kibum laugh and come back to him to ruffle his pillow-mussed hair. “Do you want me to leave without you?”

Minho glared at him, though he doubted it had the intended effect, given that he had just woken up. It was an empty threat and they both knew it. Regardless, Minho slid out of bed and trudged over to his backpack, digging inside to find a change of clothes.

It was a mad dash for the door, Dominic forgetting several things in his excitement and nerves. But soon they were all loaded up, Dominic hugging the cage of Aang, his wide-eyed little owl as they drove to King’s Cross.

He and Kibum trailed behind their family as they hurried along to Platform 9¾, just to ensure that Dominic would be able to go through first. Kibum tugged on his hand, and Minho glanced his way before bending slightly so Kibum could whisper in his ear. “Do you remember our first day?”

Minho nodded, and Kibum inclined his head to him so he could whisper back “I was so scared. It was lucky you were the first person I met on the train, huh?”

Kibum squeezed his hand a little tighter, looking back as Dominic ran through the barrier. Felicity, holding both Minseok and Winifred’s hands, was quick to follow.

“Ready?”

When Minho nodded, Kibum led him straight through the barrier and onto the platform. Now this was more like it. The chaos, the excitement, the chatter of old and new friends greeting each other, owls hooting, cats mewling their displeasure. The throng was so thick that they had to let go of each other. He got separated from Kibum, but he couldn’t stop to look for him, as he was too caught up in the flow of the crowd heading for the train. Eventually, he gave up trying to fight it. Kibum would join him soon enough.

He boarded the train alone, peering through every window in search of an empty compartment. Once he found one, he slipped inside, slumping onto the bench facing the door and dropping the backpack between his legs.

Exhaust bloomed and billowed, floating past the window, obscuring the brick wall. The train jerked forward, a distant window sounding, and the calls and cries of farewell and well-wishing from outside grew louder still. Minho smiled, his head resting on the seatback as the brick wall started to pick up speed until it was gone entirely, and they were traveling through the heart of London.

Just as he was beginning to wonder where Kibum had gotten to, he heard the familiar call of “Anything from the trolley, dears?”

Out of habit more than anything else, Minho searched his pockets for a galleon or some sickles, but then Kibum’s voice on the other side of the door distracted him. “Two pumpkin pasties, please.” Then, “Thank you.” Minho watched the door, waiting for his husband to appear in the little window. When he did, Minho started smiling, and Kibum opened the door, slipping inside. “If you think you’re getting either of these, you’re wrong,”

“What are you talking about?” he said with a laugh as Kibum sat down beside him. “We always share.”

Kibum closed his eyes and sighed heavily, as if he were preparing himself, then he tore the one he had already taken a bite out of in half, handing the bitten side to Minho with a smug smile.

“It’s almost like you don’t want me to make these as soon as I get home.”

His eyebrows shot up in interest. “Were you planning on it?”

“No, but I can.” As long as the girls allowed for it, that is.

“Hm, alright.” He took the half out of Minho’s hand and passed him the in-tact one.

“Where were you, anyway?” Minho asked before he took a bite.

“After we got separated?” He nodded. “With Dominic. He needed a bit of reassurance after he boarded.”

“Aw, should I go see him?”

Kibum shook his head, covering his mouth as he chewed his bite. “He found a couple of the kids on his street and so he’s hanging out with them now.”

“Ah, okay.”

By the time they finished their pumpkin pasties, they were nearly to the moors. Minho kept catching glimpses of them through the window as the track winded closer. He stretched out, propping his foot up on the opposite bench and crossing his other leg over at the ankle. Kibum slipped his hand around his arm as he laid his head on his shoulder.

“How are you holding up? Getting nervous?”

“Yeah. I’m trying not to think about it too much.”

Minho hummed, nodding. “At least it’s just dinner tonight, right?”

Kibum chuckled. “True. I’ve sat through that about a billion times.”

“Hm, that seems like a conservative estimate.” He sniffed a quiet laugh, smacking his arm lightly a few times. “Are you getting excited, too?”

“I am,” he said, and Minho didn’t have to look at him to know that he was smiling. “I’m..., this sounds dumb, but…”

He sat up, and Minho looked around at him, holding his gaze. “What?”

“I’m...kinda looking forward to, well, students being upset with being sorted into Slytherin. You know, like I was,” he added quickly when Minho’s brow started to furrow. “Because I’ve lived it, right? And I could help them to come around and see that Slytherins aren’t evil or cruel or whatever else the war made people believe. There’s no shame in being Slytherin. We’re just like everyone else, and that’s okay.” He started to smile, and Minho couldn’t help but join him. “Is that weird?”

Minho shook his head, then reached out to cup Kibum’s cheek, brushing his thumb across it. “Not at all. I think it’s admirable of you.” Kibum held Minho’s hand in place as he turned his head to kiss his palm. “I’m really proud of you.”

“I know.”

“God, you’re so annoying.” Minho grinned when Kibum burst out laughing, catching him as he fell into his side.

Twilight started to creep over the countryside as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade station. The booming voice of Hagrid calling for first years to head to the boats filled the air. Kibum -- who had changed out of his Muggle clothes and into his fancier, first-day-of-school robes -- and Minho sat back, waiting for the students milling past their compartment to pass. When it seemed all clear, Minho picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder before reaching for Kibum’s hand.

His palm was a little clammier than usual, but Minho didn’t mind. He just held on tighter, hoping that his being there until the last minute was enough to calm Kibum’s nerves.

They followed the crowd of students to the thestral-drawn carriages, which still, of course, looked like horseless carriages to him. Kibum took a deep breath as one stopped before them, and Minho helped him up into the carriage, but Kibum still didn’t release his hand.

“You’ll be great. Amazing, even.” Kibum gulped, and Minho went up on his tiptoes to kiss his hand. “And, you’ve been through, what was it? A trillion of these dinners?” Kibum cracked a small smile, and Minho sank back on his heels, squeezing his hand. “I’ll be waiting for you at home, okay?”

Nodding, it took a second for Kibum to say “Okay.”

The thestral must have started walking because the carriage started to move. Minho walked a few steps with it before he had to release Kibum’s hand. But he didn’t turn away and head home. Not yet. He watched Kibum go for a few more seconds before he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted “Go! Go! Kim Kibum!”

Though it was faint, Kibum’s laughter still rang through the air, the thought of it carrying Minho home with a smile.

The girls were already in bed by the time he reached home, and after thanking Mom and Dad for watching over them, he slipped into their rooms to wish them good night. Hyejin was already sound asleep, so he kissed her forehead and made sure she was tucked snugly in before he found Yeongjin practically wide away, both Comme Des and Garcons curled up at the foot of her bed.

“Where’s Appa?”

“He’s at work, honey. He’ll be home soon.”

“Will he come say good night?” Minho nodded emphatically and she relaxed into her pillow.

Minho kissed her forehead too before he headed upstairs to change into something other than jeans. Once he was wearing sweatpants and one of Kibum’s t-shirts, he snuck back downstairs to start on the pumpkin pasties. He was just pulling them out of the oven when a door creaked open upstairs. For a second, he thought about grabbing his wand, but as the footsteps drew nearer, he knew it could be no one else but Kibum.

He didn’t come right in, though. He stopped in to visit both of the girls, and when he finally reached the living room, both of the puppies were on his heels. “You actually made them, huh?” Minho nodded and picked the nicest looking one at first glance, and held it out to him. “You’re too good to me.”

“Am I? Or am I only as good as you deserve?”

Kibum scrunched his nose up at him before he covered his lips with his hand. “The second one.”

“I thought so.” Amusement glimmered in his eyes, but by the time Kibum lowered his hand, he had taken another bite. “How was dinner?”

“Good. Dom is in Hufflepuff.”

“Oh, really?” Kibum nodded. “Good for him.” They both leaned against the counter, and Kibum broke the rest of the pastie in half, handing the uneaten portion to Minho. “How are you feeling about tomorrow? Still nervous?”

“Yeah. More excited now, I think. It just feels more real, you know?”

“You know, we should probably head to bed early, given that it’s a school night.”

Kibum smirked at him. “You’re right.”

“What?” Minho sat back, his eyebrows shooting up. “I finally get to be right?” He his teeth at him before he grabbed at him, making it seem like he was about to punch him playfully. “It’s a rarity, okay?” Minho said, laughing.

“So don’t let it go to your head, then.”

“Oh, believe me, I won’t.” Kibum shook his head at him, which only made Minho grin even more, and as soon as he was done with his pumpkin pastie, Minho followed him up to their bedroom.

Kibum slept fitfully, which in turn, made Minho a bit more restless than usual. Minho rose reluctantly with the sun, helping Kibum to check and double-check and triple-check that he had everything he needed. Mom and Dad had come over to help keep the girls out from under them while Kibum tried to get ready for his first day, which allowed Minho to keep his focus on his husband.

Once Kibum was sure that he had everything, Minho retreated with him to their room, sitting down at the foot of the bed as Kibum held the door to the tunnel open, staring out at the darkness stretching out before him. “Will you come with me?” Kibum asked, a slight tremor to his voice. Minho slipped off the bed and took his hand, stepping into the tunnel first. The first of the torches lit their way, and they were off.

He could think of nothing to say to reassure Kibum that he hadn’t already said. But Kibum didn’t really need him there for his words, did he? He just needed whatever comfort Minho could afford to give him, and that Minho was more than willing to share.

In the dim light, the switch to open up the trunk of the willow was hard to find, but he got there eventually, poking his head out of the opening first to hit the knot to calm the tree. When he looked back at Kibum, he found his eyes on him, and Minho stepped back before him, pulling him into a tight hug.

“You have your notebook with you, right?” Kibum nodded. “I’ll have mine on me, too, so anytime you need me, I’ll be right there.”

“Okay.”

“You’re gonna do great, sweetheart. I believe in you.”

Minho kissed his hand, then the other, while Kibum took a few steadying breaths. “Okay, I think I’m ready.” When he met Kibum’s gaze again, there was a determination there, now. It overrode the previous anxiety, especially when Kibum cupped his cheek and drew him into a kiss. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“Of course.”

Smiling, Kibum kissed him again before he slipped through the opening in the tree and started trekking up the lawn.

Minho watched him go until he disappeared beneath the dip in the lawn leading up to the castle, but then he glanced up. The spires of Hogwarts pierced the cloudless sky, the familiar turrets and towers looming overhead. Peace settled around him like a warm blanket as he looked away from the castle towering overhead and back up to the greenhouses. Kibum had nearly reached them, and once he had, he turned around. Even from here, Minho could tell he was smiling. He couldn’t help but grin in return as he blew a kiss to Kibum. His call of I love you, too! was quieted by the distance, and Minho was sure his heart was about to burst.

With happiness, with love. He wasn’t sure exactly which. When it came to Kibum, though, it all meant the same thing anyway.

He sighed as Kibum disappeared behind Greenhouse 3, his gaze trailing back up to the castle. They were very lucky to be able to return to Hogwarts, after all this time. But then, there was no place he’d rather be than here.

With his family.

With Kibum.

Because Hogwarts...the place where they met, where they grew up together, where they fell in love…

It was, and would always be their home.

 

T H E     E N D