It was night time, when the clattering noises from the great hall and the chattering voices of the students could be heard. Some of them were actually doing their homeworks, discussing nonsense stuff, as one particular boy nervously tried to calm his nerves. Glancing over everywhere but the faces of other, he was sitting silently while trying to distract himself from the whispering around him.

"You've got to be kidding me. him? of all people?"

"He's a wimp! he can't even speak without stuttering, how could they chose him?!"

"He doesn't even act like one of us!"

Zitao couldn't agree more with the last whisper he heard.

That's right. Zitao didn't act any of bit like the rest of his housemates. In fact, he didn't act like any of the slytherins at all.

Cunning, ambitious, sly, leadership.

They were famous for being cunning, no doubt. Sly and cocky? even more perfect. Not the smartest, that one was taken by the Ravenclaws, which perfectly fit the title. Brave? everyone knew the Gryffindors took that one steadily. Humble? That one possesively stayed with the Hufflepuffs.

So how about Zitao? the only thing that made him look so much Slytherin was the intimidating look of his. Black raven hair, dark eyes, tall figure and his constatly glaring face, but that didn't mean he was part of the Slytherin fully. Zitao was by heart a nice decent kid, who smiled and sometimes talked to the magical creatures at school, he enjoyed the company of the non-talking things, he did his homeworks gracefully, he greeted the professors at school halls, overall he was a nice kid that didn't show any sign of Slytherin.

That also the reason why he was chosen as the Slytherin prefect for two weeks already, despite he was only a 4th year, but the constant protests just didn't stop since he was chosen.

"I can't believe they made that weirdo our prefect!"

"What will the other houses think?!"

"This is a disgrace to our history of house!"

They were whispering, yet they made it clear so Zitao could listen to all their nasty talks.

The fact that his housemates loathed him so much really broke his heart. He felt like an outcasted, people didn't want to talk to him and despised him just because he acted all good boy and bright. The worry and discomfort face he showed must be seen by the older boy sitting beside him.

”Don't listen to them, Zitao."

Zitao quickly faced the older boy, still showed the signs of worry and discomfort.

"I know but..I can't help it.." Zitao mumbled and fiddled with his finger.

"Just focus on your duty, you still have late night patrols and I don't want you to get distracted. understood?" the older boy strictly warned Zitao, while looking in his eyes with dark orbs and thick furrowed brows that the girls loved so much.

"...Yes Kris.."

The older boy only nodded and resumed on reading his, according to Zitao, a really boring History of Dark Arts book : Volume #2, only the older boy enjoyed reading.

He was Wu Yi Fan, prefered to be called Kris Wu. 6th year and the infamous Slytherin's headboy who rumoured to be having dragon ancestors running in his family's blood. Probably one of the view Slytherins that didn't actually hate Zitao, in fact, the older boy seemed to be taking good care of him. Zitao really admired and looked up to the headboy, sometimes he found himself ogling at the older's perfect face. His ridiculous thick brows that made him constantly angry, the resting face with sharp jaws and pointy nose really made him as the guy who everyone wanted to date the most. Not to say his perfectly built and tall figure that really made Zitao looked small despite himself being tall. His cold and strict demenour with perfectly styled silver hair suited him really well. And that oh-y-dragon earing, dangling on his left ear.

Kris Wu was just the definition of perfect. and there was only one thing Zitao could think by Kris' presence.

Leadership. Ambitious. Cunning. Beautiful.

Slytherin.

He was the perfect example of Slytherin, the whole package that Zitao would love to trade everything in him just to be like Kris Wu.

---

Zitao hated night patrolls.

He had been patrolling the school halls at night, ready to examine anything that jumped out from the dark, alone.

It had been two weeks already that he patrolled alone. He was supposed to patrolled with the rest of the prefects, but apparently, they refused to patroll with "someone who doesn't act like Slytherin", so they made Zitao patrolling on the dungeon alone much to Zitao's discomfort. and the fact that he was the youngest among the other Slytherin prefects didn't help either.

It wasn't as if Zitao was lonely or wanted to be with the other Slytherin prefects, but he would appreciate company at night patrolls because thruthfully, Zitao hated darkness.

The dim light from his Lumos charm didn't help him calmed his nerves, the fact that he was alone, in a dungeon, and whatever chances might happenned in a dungeon like those trolls that broke loose in his 2nd year that made the whole school shook. What if the troll was actually lingering in the darkness right now, waiting to ambush him? or pixie cornish? gosh, Zitao hated pixie cornish! He recalled the story of one of his housemates, Jongdae about pixie cornish.

"They said that if you got bitten by pixie cornish, you will turned into blue and bloated! disgusting blue slime came from your nose and mouth and you will stay that way for a whole month!"

Zitao shuddered and shook his head, exhaling deeply, not wanting to think further about those nightmares, and cursed internally because dammit, why was he such a scaredy cat?

Well at least this part of him might be the reason why the sorting hat chose him to put in the Slytherin house.

As he was deep in his random thoughts, cackling noises heard from afar and Zitao stood frozen.

What was that?

It was silent the moment Zitao concentrated and all he could think was not pixie cornish, not pixie cornish..

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Zitao was still frozen, this time the noises of someone sctratching walls. His light flickered from his wand. His hands were shaking, and he couldn't concentrate on Lumos anymore because apparently he was busy thinking about whatever low-grade defensive spell he was going to use until..

BANG!

That was enough to made Zitao yelp and flee back, as fast as the infamous firebolt broomstick, to his common room.

-----

Kris was sitting in Slytherin's common room, relaxing on the soft couch while reading another History of Dark Arts : volume #3, waiting for a certain prefect boy that have not yet come back from late night patrolls.

The room was spacious with the magnificent color of emerald green transmitted by the glowing green fire by the fireplace, black velvet brick walls giving the mysterious vibes, and don't forget about those oh-so-expensive couch. This room was probably the fanciest common room among the great houses, as expected from the filthy riches Slytherin.

“Not going to bed, Kris?”

Bang Yongguk, one of Slytherin’s prefect asked him. Tall and muscular, the 6th year boy eyed Kris curiously. He just went from his late night patrolls and ready to snuggled on his bed.

“You go ahead. Still waiting for that boy.”

 Yongguk scoffed.

“What? That 4th year brat? He’s fine, just go to bed already.”

That’s the problem. Zitao was a 4th year. He was supposed to be partnering with Leo, a 7th year Prefect but where was he? Leo went back an hour ago yet the 4th year boy didn’t show up until now.

“Do you know where he is? Or where he went?”  Kris looked up from his book to met Yongguk’s eyes.

Yongguk shrugged, pretending not knowing anything.

“Who knows. Maybe he was off talking to some magical creature of his.” He snickered.

Kris narrowed his eyes, “You didn’t do some pranks on him did you?”

“Woah Kris, calm the down. You are being too soft. I have never seen you giving this much attention to other prefects like you do to this boy.” He smirked.

“Careful now, I only do this because he’s still young.” Kris growled, glaring at the smirking prefect.

“Whatever.”

---

The green light fire reflected perfectly with his silver hair, he was on chapter 9 when he got sleepy while suddenly the room's door bursted open and there he was, the boy he waited for the past hour, closing the door hurriedly while panting, like some prey chased by the Hungarian Horntail, not that Kris would say that out loud.

The boy was busy catching his breath, that he didn't realise the headboy was frowning at him, arms folded, waiting for an explanation.

"Where were you?"

Zitao shrieked, hand clasped over his chest, eyes widened and breath heavy, he really looked like Hungarian Horntail's prey, and Kris would think it was cute only if he wasn't annoyed that the prefect boy came late.

Wait what?

"Kris! You startled me! I..I thought you were pixie cornish?!" Zitao shouted, but then relaxed when he saw Kris’ figure instead of pixies.

The headboy only rolled his eyes. Must be another silly lies Kim Jongdae told the poor prefect boy.

"That's ridiculous. I have never seen Pixies at school since Lockhart's incident, now what is up to you?"

"You were wrong! just now, there were pixie cornishes in the dungeon!"

Kris furrowes his thick brows and frowned, because, what the hell Zitao talked about?

"Zitao, it's-”

”I swear to Merlin's beard! There were pixies....or trolls....I don't know.." Zitao mumbled, not really sure anymore about those pixie cornishes.

Kris sighed, really, he wanted to scold the poor boy for being nonsense and late, but he didn't want to pressure him because how much was a burden for a 4th year becoming prefect? what was on those professors mind?

"There were no pixies, Zitao, I guarantee you. now back to my question, why are you late? the other prefects were here like 2 hours ago, where were you?

Kris looked down, eyes gazing calm into Zitao's but fierce and strict, demanding an answer.

"I..umm...d-dungeons..”

Zitao didn't know why he was nervous, the fact that he just encountered creepy experience or because the hot headboy was standing tall, looking intimidating in front of him. He was thankful that Kris didn't spit harsh words or scold him though.

Yet.

”Go on.”

”There were...um noises...dungeon..”

”There was a what?"

"There were noises in the dungeon! like cackling and scratching...and a loud bang like something just fall!"

Kris was silent, so did Zitao because he knew what the next question was going to be.

"So..did you check what those noises are?"

"....No...." Zitao sniffed, this time he was going to get scolded for sure.

He heard Kris sigh and an annoyed face showed on his handsome face. Zitao felt guilty instantly.

"Zitao...there's a reason why you are called a prefect. One of it, is being responsible and help out the school. Now, what you just did is irresponsible. You should've checked what was in there so we could tell the professors."

Zitao felt embarrassed, and guilty, and he just wanted to cry because he managed to disappointed someone he adored so much. He wanted to answered back that it was because he was patrolling alone and he was scared, Kris didn’t seem to notice that but he didn't want to piss the headboy any further so he just stayed silent.

Kris sighed again, he wasn't this soft with other prefects, he would usually curse them if they did something wrong, but the poor boy infront of him was holding back his cry, so Kris decided not to be an .

Zitao was an exception.

"Alright then, off you go. make sure you check that place again tomorrow night"

So Zitao bid goodnight softly to the headboy, walked to his room and screaming internally because he did not just told to go back to the dungeon.

Alone.

-----

Zitao just wanted to smash his face with the cauldron in front of him, they were now in the middle of brewing potions, which was afternoon class with fellow houses, and he just realised this morning that he lost his freakin wand.

His. Freakin. Wand.

He did not check his wand after he fled from the dungeon last night, probably because too scared for his own life that he didn't realise he must've dropped the wand somewhere.

Or worse, in the dungeon.

He just wanted to scream and cry out of frustation, because tonight he had shift patroll again, and to his luck, in the dungeon courtesy of Kris Wu.

The boy next to him must've seen his distressed face because then he spoke out of curiosity,

"Are you okay?"

Zitao looked at the boy. Dirty blond hair, almost as tall as Zitao, only a few inches shorter. He had sharp jawline, and quite handsome to be honest, that Zitao immedietly recognized him as Gryffindor's golden seeker, Oh Sehun.

"I'm..uh..okay?"

The boy snorted.

"You don't look okay. you look like you will throw yourself into that brewing potion in front of you soon."

Zitao stared at the boy, mouth hanging.

"So what's your problem?"

The boy looked at him expectedly, waiting for an answer.

"I..I lost my wand.."

"You what?!"

Everyone's eyes were focusing at the two boys, staring judgingly. Sehun clasped his mouth as professor Slughorn shushed him or else he would be eating desserts in his office, much to everyone's dismay of detention.

"You lost your wand? how?" Sehun whispered rather harshly.

Zitao was confused that a fellow Gryffindor was actually talking to him. He thought Gryffindor and Slytherin hated each other by heart, but he didn't care because maybe, talking to someone about his problems would actually made him better.

Even he knew some of the Slytherin housemates were staring at him disgruntledly that he was talking to a Gryffindor.

"I think I dropped my wand when I was doing my night patrolls"

Zitao whispered back, not as harsh as Sehun’s.

“Ah..but your house prefects, they helped you find it?”

Zitao stayed silent and debating wether he should asnwer or not.

“.....I was patrolling alone...”

Sehun was surprised, Zitao was a 4th year prefect just like him, so letting such a young boy patroling alone was a dangerous move.

Let alone Zitao looked like if he dropped his home-made candy from Hogsmade he would instantly cry.

“Oh? But you told them you lost your wand?”

“.......”

“You didn’t.....? at least tell your bloody headboy about it?”

“......”

Zitao couldn’t even patrol with the rest of the Slytherin prefects, heck, even his whole housemates hated him except for Kris, Jongdae and that guy Jongin. He didn’t tell Kris because he didn’t want to create another bad perception of him being a useless prefect.

As if the answer were clear, Sehun smiled apologicaly when suddenly he had an, according to him, a grand idea.

“I could help you find your wand after this.”

Zitao looked up immedietly, eyes wide and Sehun thought he looked just like a panda. a cute one.

“But you’re a Gryffindor...”

Sehun raised his brow, because something wrong with that?

“So? What if I’m a Gryffindor?”

Zitao stayed silent, eyes filled with worry. If he were to find his wand, at daylight, in the dungeon, his housmates would despised him even more. Because hello, Gryffindor? Archenemy?

“I’m a Slytherin..people might talk..my housemates might talk.”

Sehun didn’t quite understand, but he nodded his head anyway.

“Alright, how about we do it at night?”

Zitao eyed him strangely like Sehun just said something very stupid.

“But students have night curfew?”

Sehun snorted again.

“You didn’t know? I’m a prefect myself. That means, you and I are going to do the night patrolls together. That If you want to find your wand.”

Zitao’s gasped and his eyes widened again, because how come he didn’t know there was a fellow 4th year prefect? He was actually happy that someone was willing to help him find his wand and he didn’t care if he was going to be judged but he squealed and thanked him reapetedly.

Sehun only laughed in response, both of them no longer listening to Professor Slughorn’s class.

“Meet me at Griffindoor's boys stalls, 2nd floor 10 pm sharp.”

“Got it!”