- September 2, 2023 -

“Professor Kim?”

Kibum looked up from his desk, setting aside the roll of parchment he just picked up when he saw Maureen Jones, one of the girls from the class that had just let out. She was hugging her very new copy of Magical Drafts and Potions to her chest, her knuckles white around the book. Kibum clasped his hands together as he leaned forward to ask, “What can I do for you, Ms. Jones?”

“I’m…” Her eyes were slightly red-rimmed as if she were on the verge of tears.

His brow furrowed, and his tone shifted as if he were speaking to either Yeongjin or Hyejin when he asked, “Is there something wrong?”

pressed to a firm, thin line, and she blinked rapidly as tears started to fall. “Am I a bad person, Professor?”

“What?” he said before he could stop himself, then he glanced down at her uniform, finally seeing the hints of green peeking out from over her textbook. “Are you worried about having been sorted into Slytherin?” When she nodded, he flicked his wand at the fire, charming the kettle to set itself over the fire so he could make them some tea. “Well, I can’t tell you not to be, because I get it. I felt the exact same way when I first started here at school.”

“Really?” she asked, wiping some of the tears away as she plopped down in one of his armchairs.

He nodded, smiling now. “I heard a lot of bad things about Slytherin, and when I got sorted, I cried, too.” Her eyes went wide. “But you know what? It’s not as bad as you’d first think.” The kettle started to sing, and Kibum held up a finger to her before he slipped out from behind his desk to get some tea made for them. He set her cup down on the desk before her before he sat back down. “Do you want to know a secret?” She nodded, scooting closer when Kibum leaned in conspiratorially. “Slytherins can be just as good, or kind, or loyal, or smart as anyone from Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw.” He raised his hand to block his mouth as he whispered loudly. “The Sorting doesn’t really matter all that much. Your House is just a place to call home while you’re here, and your fellow Slytherins are your family.”

“What about the other Houses, then?”

“Just think of them as your close friends and family, and you’ll get along just fine.” He glanced at the picture of Minho smiling back at him on his desk. “And, from one Slytherin to another…” He looked back at her with a small smile. “Do yourself a favor and befriend a Hufflepuff. I promise you won’t regret it.”

* * * * *

- March 14, 2026 -

Steam from the bubbling cauldrons around Minho filled the workroom, fogging up the windows of Healing Touch Apothecary. Rain pittered merrily outside, the joyful melody accompanied by the sounds of the girls playing a game with Dad in the storefront. What they were doing, he wasn’t quite sure, but he was glad they were having fun.

He added the last few dittany leaves to the pile on his cutting board before he started mincing them. There were quite a few orders due today, but luckily, this was the last of the potions he needed to have started before he took a break. Once he was happy with the size of the leaves, he pulled the gold set of scales Kibum had bought for him for his birthday last year toward him, measuring out exactly what he needed before he scooped every last bit up and tossed them into the nearest cauldron and pulled the orders out of their clips to inspect them.

A burst of green flame in the fireplace filled the workroom, startling Comme Des and Garcons to wake and start barking. But Minho didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

“Hey, Bum,” he said absently, shuffling through the order slips, his brow furrowing.

“Hey, love” came his reply, right before he kissed the crown of Minho’s head as he passed by. “Taking a break soon?”

“In a minute.”

He caught a glimpse of him as he stepped up into the store, smiling despite his break in concentration at the girls’ excited greeting when they saw him. Minho sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes before he got up from his bench and started for the archway between the workroom and the store. But by the time he reached it, Kibum was already ushering the girls back toward him, Dad floating behind them. “You hungry?” Kibum asked, his hand resting on Minho’s hip as he stopped beside him.

“What’s for lunch?”

Kibum shrugged, smiling as he went up on his tiptoes to kiss Minho. “I didn’t even look. Come on.”

He grabbed Minho’s hand, and Minho let himself be pulled along, he grabbed his wand out of his apron and flicked it at the /Open/ sign, flipping it over to /Closed/.

* * * * *

- September 1, 2031 -

“Kelly, Karin,” O’Neely called, his voice ringing out across the Great Hall as a girl hurried up to sit on the stool so she could be sorted into her House.

Kibum cast a furtive glance down the dais before he leaned slightly back so he could see the page of his notebook as he wrote, I think Hyejin might be next.

He didn’t have to wait for very long for a reply. Are you still thinking she’ll be in Slytherin? Minho asked, and Kibum nibbled his bottom lip, looking up at the sound of his House being called, then…

“Kim, Hyejin.”

We’re about to find out.

He sat up in his seat, glancing around at the sea of students, finding Yeongjin easily amidst her fellow Gryffindors as she practically stood up on the bench to see her sister better. Before Hyejin sat down on the stool, she peered around O’Neely, and waved at him. Grinning, Kibum waved back, and she plopped down on the stool, to face the others.

His heart started beating a bit faster as O’Neely lowered the Sorting Hat to her head. What must be going on in her head? Was she nervous? Excited?

“Ravenclaw!” the Sorting Hall called out, and Kibum blinked in surprise as he watched her traipse down to join her new school family. She sat by the other first years who had already been sorted, then looked up at Kibum, who gave her a bright grin and a thumbs up before he picked up his quill again to let Minho know.

You know what? That works. Now we have one of each in our family.

Oh, true...And you know what else this means?

What?

We finally have the house...all to ourselves again.

Are you implying what I hope you’re implying?

Kibum coughed to cover his laugh, and glanced around to see if anyone noticed before he looked back down at the notebook. I guess you’ll have to wait and see, hm?

* * * * *

- July 22, 2033 -

“Have fun!” Minho called after Yeongjin, Hyejin, and the Edwards girls, watching them as they ran around the bend in search of the caves hidden in the catacombs of Magiabajo. Reluctantly, he turned away when Kibum’s hand settled on the small of his back.

“They know their way around, honey. They’ll be just fine.”

“I know, I know.”

He cast one last glance over his shoulder before he followed Kibum up to the floating island that Gil and Ana were already lounging on. She looked up from her book and set it aside as they sat in the chair opposite of her. “Where’s Gil?”

“Probably getting beer.”

“He was still talking to Mateo when we left.”

She smiled, leaning back and stretching out in the sun filtering through the river overhead. “Mateo may curse you for inventing the Babbling Concoction by the end of this trip.”

Kibum shrugged. “I mean, if he hasn’t so far, I don’t see why he’d stop now.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“Don’t give him a big head,” Minho murmured as he leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “He already thinks he’s right all the time.”

Ana chuckled when Kibum flicked his knee. “It’s because I am and you know it.”

“You’re right, of course, dear.” But when Kibum turned back around, Minho met Ana’s gaze and rolled his eyes with a smile.

“I saw that,” Kibum said, even though he didn’t turn around.

Minho pushed himself up, wrapping his arms around Kibum and resting his chin on his shoulder as he said, in Korean, “I guess I’ll just have to make it up to you later.”

Kibum reached around, holding the back of Minho’s neck as he glanced his way. “Is that a promise?”

“Oh good,” Ana said with an exasperated sigh. “I’m glad to see that even fifteen years of marriage doesn't stop you two from flirting in Korean.”

“Old habits, and all,” Minho said in English, winking at her as she shook her head.

“Well, don’t let me stop you,” she said, hiding her amusement as she picked up her book and opening it to where she left off.

* * * * *

- June 16, 2034 -

“Appa, do we really need a babysitter?” Yeongjin asked as she flopped down on Kibum and Minho’s bed. “I’m almost seventeen, I can look after us both.”

Kibum hummed absently, pulling some of his clothes out of the closet to pack for his and Minho’s annual after-school honeymoon. “I thought you were excited about Uncle Jjong and Tae coming to visit.”

“I mean, yeah, but…” She sighed heavily. Dramatically. Kibum bit back a smile at how much she was taking after him.

“What? Were you planning on throwing a wild party while we’re gone?” She scoffed dismissively, and Kibum grinned when she started to smile. “Your grandparents and Aunt Ana would let us know if that happened.”

“I know,” he said, drawing out the word as she fell back on the bed again. “Can we have friends over, at least?”

“Depends.”

The sound of the front door gave them both pause, especially when it was followed by Minho’s cheery “Honey, I’m home!”

Kibum glanced back at Yeongjin, correctly interpreting the glint in her eye as she bounded away. He tossed the clothes he had picked out onto the bed as he rushed to follow her downstairs, and before he could greet Minho, she was already badgering him with pleas. Minho met Kibum’s gaze over her head, his eyebrow quirking in silent question. Kibum just sighed, but that was enough of an answer for Minho. “Hon, did you already ask your father?”

“Yes,” she said, her tone sullen.

“So, why are you asking me? You know I’ll side with him.”

She sighed again, and Kibum cleared his throat, garnering both of their attention. “Yeonggie, Hyejin, you too…” He waited for a second, but soon Hyejin poked her head out of her bedroom door, adjusting her glasses. “I’m fine if you both invite friends over while we’re gone, as long as it’s okay with Jjong and their parents, okay?”

Hyejin gave him a small smile before she slipped back into her room, but Yeongjin did a happy little dance before she hugged them both tightly and ran off toward her room, saying something about needing to send a few owls.

Kibum rolled his eyes, shaking his head a little before glancing Minho’s way. Unsurprisingly, he was watching him with a bemused smile. “What?”

“Getting a bit soft, are we?”

“Shut up.” Minho grinned as he closed the distance between them, Kibum happily letting himself get wrapped up in Minho’s arms as he kissed him, at last. “Good day?”

“It is now.”

Kibum sniffed a laugh, smacking his chest lightly before he pulled away. “Come help me pack, love.”

“Okay.”

The stairs creaked beneath their feet as they went up to their bedroom, and Minho sat down on the bed to start folding the clothes Kibum had already picked out. “I guess we should pick a destination, huh?” Kibum asked as he resumed his place before their closet. “Where do you wanna go?”

Kibum looked back at him when he didn’t answer right away, finding Minho giving him his annoyingly, overly fond smile. “Anywhere, as long as you’re...you know, by my side.”