- October 9, 2005 -

It was always a moment highly anticipated, the appearance of the owls with the mail first thing in the morning. Kibum stirred his cereal, resting his chin on his fist and glancing up at the windows when he heard the first flutter of wings. 

It had been almost two weeks since either Grandma or Mom had sent him anything, and he honestly wasn’t expecting anything. He took a couple bites of his Pixie Puffs, trying to blink away his sleepiness away. His spoon clattered into his bowl, splashing milk over the rim, when Nutmeg landed on the table before him.

“Hey, Meg.” He reached out to the feathers between his eyes. He dropped the package in his talons and flew away as Kibum said, “Thank you!”

“What’d you get?” Aaron asked, looking at him over the top of a letter from his mom. 

“Probably the usual.” Kibum opened the package and closed his eyes, smiling, when the scent of fresh pumpkin pasties wafted toward him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Callum reaching across the table to grab one. Out of instinct, Kibum smacked his hand away.

“Come on, they smell so good!”

“Yeah, I know. And they’re mine.”

Callum scoffed. “Analecia always shares her stuff.”

Kibum glanced over at her before he hugged his package to his chest. “Yeah, but...these are precious...to me...” his voice trailed off as his face grew warmer.

“Mine is always, like, candy bars.” Analecia shooed Callum away when he started to reach for them again. “Leave him alone. Eat your own breakfast.”

He set his box in his lap while he quickly finished his breakfast, leaving the Slytherin table before the bell rang. He ran into Minho as he was on his way back to his house and Minho was heading to class. “Oh, hey, you finally got a package!”

“Yeah!” Minho walked with him to the entrance of Slytherin, since he was on his way to Potions, anyway.

“I’ll see you in Charms, okay?” he said as he kept going down the darkened hallway.

“Hey, wait!” Minho walked backward, stopping beside Kibum again as he dug a pumpkin pastie out of the box, splitting it in half and handing the bigger side to him.

Even in the dark, Kibum could see Minho’s eyes light up. “Thanks, Bummie,” he said, as he took a bite and started to walk again. 

Smiling, Kibum unlocked the entrance to Slytherin, scarfing down his half as he headed inside.