Snow fell from the clouds floating in the enchanted ceiling, glittering in the flames of the floating candles and the morning light from the windows around the Great Hall. Minho finished smearing his dirigible plum marmalade onto his toast and set aside his butter knife just as the first owl flew inside.

Instantly, he looked up, watching the openings at the top of the wall for Geum-nun. He wasn’t expecting much for his birthday from his family, since he’d be home soon, but he was still a little hopeful.

He only had to wait for a few moments before she appeared, snowflakes clinging to her charcoal feathers. There was a letter in her beak and it fluttered onto the table once she landed. She made this soft hooting sound when Minho her chest feathers in thanks, and she flew away to the owlery with the others.

Minho eagerly tore into the letter, ignoring the excited chatter of his roommates as they either ate or opened their own mail. He smoothed the stationery out with one and picked up his toast with the other, eating as he started to read.

Dear Minho,

Happy birthday! I hope your day goes well and you have fun with Kibum and your other friends. I’m sorry we didn’t send you a birthday gift this year. Your father and I decided that you wouldn’t need something material right now, as you would be packing it to come home in just a few weeks. There is something waiting for you, though what it is, you’ll have to wait and see.

He breathed a sigh of relief, glancing up when he saw movement from the opposite end of the Great Hall. What was Kibum doing? Minho lowered his toast and letter of a second as Kibum leaped out of his seat and started running for the door. He had half a mind to follow after him to see what was the matter, but his brow furrowed when Kibum bolted past the double doors and continued on toward the Hufflepuff table.

Both he and Gilbert scooted over, making room for Kibum to join them. Just in time, too. He slipped in beside them, panting slightly as he held out a periwinkle envelope to Minho.

“What -- “

“Just open it.”

Minho dropped his letter beside his plate, taking the proffered letter from Kibum. As he did, the periwinkle envelope started to vibrate in his hands. “Uh...”

He flipped it over, sliding his finger under the flap and breaking the violet wax seal. The letter slipped out of his hand and floated about an arms-length in front of him. Minho blinked rapidly as he watched the letter unfold itself and form what looked like a mouth.

“Kibum, what is th -- “ Kibum patted his arm, his dimples barely showing as he shushed him.

“Vous êtes prêts?” Jonghyun whispered, and Minho glanced at Kibum before leaning in closer to the floating letter.

“Sommes-nous la chanter en français ou en anglais?“ a voice Minho didn’t recognize asked.

“Anglais.” There was a pause, and then someone cleared their throat. “Trois...deux...un.” Another pause, shorter this time. It was broken when a singing blasted out of the letter, startling Minho enough that it took a second for him to catch that Jonghyun and his roommates -- probably -- were singing Happy Birthday to him.

Minho jumped back, leaning into Kibum as he watched the mouth of the letter move in time to the song. People were staring, and not just from the Hufflepuff table. The entire Great Hall had gone quieter than it had in the years that Minho had been at Hogwarts. He gulped when Jonghyun and his friends stopped singing, and he reached forward to crumple the still floating letter.

He stopped, however, when Jonghyun spoke again, but this time in Korean. “Happy birthday, Min!” There was a definite smile in his voice. “I hope you’re not too embarrassed. If you are, this was totally Kibum’s idea and I had nothing to do with it, but if you aren’t, you’re so welcome!” Minho laughed and glanced over at Kibum, who was sheepishly grinning. “Anyways, I hope you have a fantastic day and that we’ll get to hang out more this summer! Bye!”

The letter folded in on itself before it shredded into strands of ivory, periwinkle, and violet confetti.

Minho flicked pieces of confetti off of his plate before he glanced up, looking around at the other in the Great Hall. They had all mostly gone back to eating their breakfast, except for the Hufflepuffs closest to him and Kibum.

“Are you mad at me?”

“Why would I be mad?”

Kibum let out a sigh. “Good. Grandma made you a dosirak with all your favorites. And a scarf. I think there are some pumpkin pasties in there for you, too.”

“Not for you?”

“If they’re for me, I’ll share, of course. Analecia is guarding my package so I don’t have to worry about Callum or Aaron stealing.” Minho peeled another piece of confetti off of his toast and noticed the discarded letter from his mom that he hadn’t finished. “Is that from your family?” He nodded, picking it up to read once more. “What’d they send you?”

“Just this letter. Mom said I’d get my birthday gift when I get home for Christmas.”

“Ah.”

“Now, shush, I’m still reading.” He didn’t even have to look at Kibum to know he was making some sort of sarcastic expression or gesture. Minho elbowed his sighed, snorting in amusement when Kibum protested.

Your brother went on a trip with his class to London, and he said that since you’re coming home for Christmas, we should all go as a family. Your father and I are still discussing it, but I think it would be a lot of fun to take you, because you haven’t really seen much of London, have you? It sounds like he had a lot of fun. He even went ice skating, and I know how much you like that.

Minho snorted and shook his head when Kibum looked over at him in question. Ice skating was not really something he was very good at. He’d only been, like, twice with his family, and he was so uncoordinated that his parents jokingly called him Bambi.

But, that was years ago, and maybe he his few years of flying would help with his coordination? “You ever go ice skating?” he asked Kibum as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice, then passed it to Kibum when he held out his hand for it.

“Uh, once. It was at Rockafeller Center in New York. Mrs. Fuller -- one of my mom’s friends -- took me and her daughters there while my parents went to a doctor’s appointment.”

“Ah. Did you like it?”

“Yeah! It’s kinda hard though. Why?”

Minho held up the letter. “Apparently we’re planning on going during the break.”

“Oh...”

We’re all excited that you’re able to come home this year. We’re even waiting to set up the tree until you get home.

It’ll probably be easiest if we buy you a ticket to take the train home, instead of coming down to pick you up, so expect a letter with your ticket a day or two before your break.

Love, Mom

Minho folded up the letter and tucked it into his backpack on the floor. “Is your mom picking you up?”

“I’ll probably take the Knight Bus.” He laughed when Minho shuddered in memory of his short trips. “Come on, it’s not that bad once you get used to it.”

“I don’t believe you.” Minho took his pumpkin juice back from Kibum. “So, what are your plans for the break?”

“Uh, Jjong will be there after Christmas and until New Years, but other than that, we’ll just be at home, I think.” Both were quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. “It’ll be weird.”

“Hmm?”

“Not being with you for Christmas.”

“Yeah.” The first bell of the day rang, and everyone around them hurriedly finished their breakfasts. Kibum jumped up, waving goodbye to Minho as he ran back to Slytherin’s table to collect his books.

They didn’t cross paths at the doorway, which meant they wouldn’t see each other until Charms later on. Sighing, Minho descended the stairs and continued on to the Potions classroom, collecting his things. He checked inside his cauldron and saw a note inside.

Happy birthday, buddy! Hope your day is amazing!

Minho slipped the note into his pocket with a smile.