The creature snapped in the air, its snout displaying a snarl as it stared at Jaemin. It is a few feet distance from him, and Jaemin thinks he might be able to run off and prevent getting caught but it’s just that his feet are rooted at the spot, and he is losing his strength fast.

The creature takes a few steps in a half-circle, a predatory stance ready to pounce. Jaemin can feel himself sweating, fear choking him up as tears blurry his eyes.

His legs lose their strength as he falls and out of the corner of his eyes he sees the creature pounce at him.

He waits for it. He waits for the pain on his hips from the fall or the pain from sharp teeth breaking into his skin tearing up his flesh, whichever comes first.

He waits for it but none of it happens.

Instead, he hears somebody shout “HYUNG!”  And he is engulfed in the warmth of a pair of strong arms. The scent of pine and citrus engulfs his senses as he is being pulled to be embraced into a strong warm body.

“Jeno!”

He can recognize his scent anywhere. All those Astronomy classes he tried so hard to keep his urge of taking a whiff of his scent under control. Whenever the wind blew it would bring with him the scent of Pine and citrus with it. Jaemin came to like this scent, it calmed him down.

Jaemin instinctively buries his head in the crook of the boy’s neck, his nose along the other’s neckline as he took a deep breath in trying to control his tears. The scent of pine and citrus was everywhere and it calms him down. His hands clasping on the other’s back on his white shirt as he tries to ground himself.

He can hear the creature scamper away towards the Forbidden Forest. There is a flurry of footsteps that stops a distance away from them. He ignores it and buries deeper into the other’s embrace.

Jeno had brought them into a sitting position on the grey stone floor of the corridor. Just like last time Jaemin had let go of his own weight as he leaned on the boy for support, his limbs long turned to jelly.

Jeno separated him from himself. He looked back in a distance as he gestured something. Jaemin’s vision was too blurry to notice but he guessed it was Taeyong. Jeno was positioned in such a way he covered Jaemin’s frame from other’s eyes.

He settled Jaemin on the floor leaning his back on one of the cool stone pillars as he inspected him carefully. He lifted his hands turning them over and lifted his leg to look for injuries. His hands were gentle as if Jaemin would break at his touch; it made something in the latter’s chest squeeze.

He half expected Jeno to scream and shout at him for finding out his secret. But he didn’t expect him to be worried about him.

When Jeno found no injuries on him he let out a sigh of relief.

Jaemin looked up to see those pretty gray eyes staring at him. In the pale blue moonlight, he looked ethereal, enhancing the blue ring around his eyes even more. The blue color was bleeding into the gray in little swirls circling around the pitch-black pupil. Jaemin thought it was unusual but beautiful. His vision was still blurry around the edges due to the unshed tears, but he could still see the gentle expression that has filtered into the pale face of the Slytherin. There was a sense of resignation in his posture as he sighed. He rubbed the heels of his palms on his eyes to relieve some stress, as he sat on his haunches in the stone floor.

Jaemin flinched a bit when Jeno finally moved. Jeno slowed his movement but didn’t stop. He gently cupped his face, the warmth of his calloused hands seeping into the skin of Jaemin’s cheeks. With a delicate movement of his thumb, he brushed his tears away, but Jaemin felt like crying again on his gentle handling. He somehow held it in.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. He won’t hurt you.”

Jaemin suddenly remembers his words from the train.

It’s okay. You’re safe. They can’t hurt you. I am here.

Jaemin smiles a little. It was a bit watery and wobbly but sincere, his cheeks squished against Jeno’s hand. It’s far from the usual charming smile he flaunts to bring people down to their knees. There is something unsure and hesitant about it. It’s gone in a minute.

He places his own hands over Jen’s warm ones.

“Thank you.” the voice came out more wobbly and quieter than he wanted. “And I am sorry.”

For finding out something you were trying so hard to hide. For increasing your burden now that you have to be wary of one more person.

He suddenly remembers that the creature had pounced on them before and Jeno blocked it. The smile was gone from his face replaced with worry.

“Are you hurt somewhere? You just blocked his attack right now.”

Before Jaemin can go for further investigation there was a cry of a wolf that resounded in the distance. Jeno whipped his head towards the sound. His eyes worried at the thought of his brother.

He was going to get up from the sitting posture, take back his hands, but Jaemin gripped them harder.

Jeno looked back at Jaemin questioningly.

“It’s your Hyung. Lee Donghae.”

It wasn’t a question. But a statement that indicates Jaemin knows.

Lee Jeno is always calm. He looks at Jaemin, his eyes were unwavering, his posture calm and relaxed.

“I heard you call him Hyung. And Taeyong was standing over there. So I thought it must be Lee Donghae.”

Jeno doesn’t get angry nor threatens him or worse, doesn’t point his wand at him. Jaemin had considered this possibility but somehow Jeno is not someone who hurts somebody.

It was foolish but he trusted him.

Jeno just looks at him for a minute. He looks tired and aloof. Very unlike someone whose secret got found out.

“We’ll talk about this later.”

Jaemin doesn’t let go of his hand when Jeno tugs at them. Instead, he interweaves their fingers together.

“I won’t tell a soul. I promise upon my Gryffindor spirit I will take this to my grave. Nobody is going to know anything, I promise. So please trust me. ”

His voice is firm and determined. Jeno nodded resigned.

“Okay. I trust you. It can’t be helped anyway.”  Is all he says.

Jaemin didn’t expect Jeno to say that he trusts him. He really didn’t. That doesn’t mean he was not happy to hear it. In fact, he was supremely happy. But he didn’t show it.

There was another howl. It was somewhere nearby. Jeno looked restless. The moon was high up in the sky. He tugged at his hands. But Jaemin didn’t release them.

Jeno looks at the Gryffindor, his expression questioning.

Jaemin on the other hand is afraid and worried. He stares at those gray eyes like he is trying to convey his thoughts to him. Thoughts he cannot speak loudly to him about.

Can you not go? What if he harms you? I heard that werewolves cannot distinguish between strangers and loved ones but hurt anybody that comes their way. What happens if you get hurt?

A million questions flutter through those watery blue eyes of the Half Veela as Jeno looks on.

He is squeezing the other’s large calloused hands in his smooth ones. His knuckles turning white in sheer pressure.

Surprisingly Jeno just squeezes back. It’s like he understands his fears. Like he can read the questions in his mind.

“It’s okay. He won’t hurt me or Taeyong Hyung. He still has his mind. He is under the effect of Wolfsbane potion. He won’t lose his mind during this time. Don’t worry nobody will get hurt.”

He gives another squeeze at their linked hands. It’s an action that is assuring that everything is fine. And in a moment of weakness Jaemin lets go.

As he sees the moonlit back of the boy disappearing into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest Jaemin regrets letting go of his hands.

Jeno is absent from the next class. Jaemin tries to find out an excuse to visit him but in the end, he doesn’t find the courage to.

The First Year exams keep them busy and Jaemin barely has the time to think about the other boy. Now that he knows a secret of the Lee’s he doesn’t know what he should do with it. He spends his time in the library with the other first years brushing up their studies as he tries to take his brain off the whole Blue moon incident.

He meets Jeno in Potions and the other classes they share with the Slytherin. They both nod in greeting but don’t talk. Jaemin feels like words are stuck in his throat when he sees the boy, but every time he opens his mouth to call for him his voice doesn’t come out. It’s a bit awkward and Jaemin just wants to resolve the tension between them. But there is no chance of them being alone during these times, so in the end, it remains.

The First Year exam is also conducted in the Great Hall like the N.E.W.T.S and it’s a bit nerve-wracking. Donghyuck squeezes his hand in assurance and Renjun raises his fist like a gesture of ‘fighting’ and Jaemin thinks it’s gonna be fine. He sees Jeno standing beside the door of Great Hall hugging Taeyong as the elder wishes him luck. Their eyes meet when he enters the hall. They both nod, it’s a bit awkward in Jaemin’s part and Jaemin wants it gone.

For the practical exams Jaemin ace Herbology and Charms. Transfiguration was a bit wobbly as when Jaemin transfigured a rat into a snuff box a few furs were left here and there. He hopes Professor McGonagall is kind enough to overlook that.  His flying and DADA were okay and the star chart in astronomy looked more like Donghyuck’s face but Jaemin is sure he will pass in them.

His history of magic was passable but Potions, he really doesn’t know. He thinks he made the Wiggenwald potion correctly (it was a bit bluish than the usual sparkling green if you ask Jaemin to answer truthfully), and the Forgetfulness potion was matte orange instead of the metallic sheen orange it usually is.

But overall Jaemin is grateful that it is over and done with.

The First Year exam ends with the beginning of the Quidditch Final and Graduation ceremony following it.

The Quidditch Final match was held between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Gryffindor won by 150 points when their seeker, their very own friend Mark caught the snitch. The Quidditch house cup was finally theirs!

There was a mandatory celebration party in the Gryffindor House Tower. Drinks flowed like water and snacks were brought in from the kitchen. The Gryffindor common room was jam-packed with people even friends from other houses came over, except Hufflepuff. No matter what House comes first so they really can’t blame them for not joining.

Both Mark and Johnny were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. There was a constant string of Congratulations that was being thrown around. Mark was lifted off the ground by the teammates as he was tossed around in the air, loud cheers echoing in the air.

It was a lively atmosphere, but Jaemin was felt a bit off. Maybe it’s because when he is finally relieved of the exam-worries, the Jeno case came back was weighing heavily on his mind. He saw Donghyuck stick to Mark like glue as they laughed on some joke someone cracked. He was grateful that Donghyuck was busy with Mark to notice his unusual mood.

With a heavy mind, he retired from the common room and made it upstairs to his dorm room. Jaemin sat himself down on the window ledge of the first floor dormitory, overlooking the great lake as he contemplated on his next course of action. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t realize someone sitting beside him.

When he did he almost toppled over in shock.

It was Park Chanyeol!

“Hyung!! How did you get in?”

“Why? Is getting into Gryffindor tower that difficult? I spent all most all of my Christmas holiday here with Baekhyun.”

“No….I didn’t mean that…what I meant is….Ummm.”

Chanyeol just laughed loudly throwing his head back. Jaemin for a second thought he was going to fall off.

“I am in pajamas. So people don’t really know which house I belong to. Anyway, most seniors know me to be Baekhyun’s boyfriend so they don’t mind me. Also, I am not really in the Quidditch team or anything so no need to get all competitive.”

“Truthfully Hyung, I always thought that Gryffindors hate Slytherin. But seeing you and Baekhyun Hyung I realized it mustn’t be that serious.”

Jaemin was genuinely curious.

Chanyeol was quiet for a moment.

“It’s the juniors who believe that. As you go up in the senior years the rivalry is still there but not that serious hate. After you all have spent by 5-6 years together by then. Some hate do exists though, no doubt in that. Slytherins were always hated from the time of our ancestors as we are known to be malicious and ambitious. A dangerous combination if you ask me. Put some arrogance due to being pureblood in there and you get a perfect Hated Slytherin.”

He observes the lake down the tower through the glass windows. There is a self-deprecating smile on his face, but it is not necessarily a sad one Jaemin mused.

“But let me tell you Jaemin-ah. It’s not always that way. There are exceptions but the rest also have our own reasons, we also have our own loyalties, our responsibilities. Maybe the peer pressure of that, our upbringing, etc has made us look like that in people’s eyes.”

“Everyone has reasons you say?”

“Yes. You must remember Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were best friends first.”

They were quiet for a while. There was white noise in the background of the party downstairs.

Jaemin was the one to break the silence.

“I found out about it.”

He felt Chanyeol looking at him.

“About what?”

“About the secret. Lee Donghae. I was almost attacked by him, Jeno saved me. He knows that I know.”

“Hmm….so, have you talked to him?”

“I promised him I would take it with me to the grave.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it can’t be helped, he trusts me so it’s okay.”

There was no answer from Chanyeol. Jaemin looked at the elder asking for any comment, anything because he was just so confused about it.

He found Chanyeol looking at him like he had grown three heads.

“Hyung, why are you staring at me like that?”

Chanyeol looked genuinely shocked.

“Jeno said to you that he trusts you.”

“Yes. It’s not that I am not happy that he trusts me but Hyung, he didn’t say anything else. And now things are awkward between us, and I really don’t know how to approach this matter. Every time I see him I feel like we need to talk about it but I get scared and it becomes even more awkward. I just want to be his friend. Like. Is that too much to ask for?”

Jaemin figures he is rambling now.

“Hyungggggg……what should I do?”

And now, he is plain whining. This Lee Jeno is making Jaemin lose his last two brain cells.

Chanyeol just looks at him mischievously. Like a cat that got his cream, his grin stretches out so wide Jaemin thinks his face will hurt.

When he finally stops grinning so wide, he pats Jaemin on his back. He still has a smile on his face.

“I think you exceeded my expectations. You did a very good job. I knew I trusted the correct person for the job. I agree with your idea. I also think you need to talk to Jeno regarding this.”

“Huh? What do you-”

Baekhyun comes barging through the door in the right moment to prevent Jaemin from questioning Chanyeol further.

“What’cha doing here?” his voice is loud and cheerful.

“Nothing much, Hyung. Chanyeol Hyung was giving me some advice.”

Chanyeol just hums, eyes full of mirth.

Baekhyun staggers in. There is a flush high on his cheek and gait is unsteady. He drapes himself over Chanyeol’s tall frame. His hands going around the other’s torso in a tight back hug.

“Yeollie, I am drunk.”

Chanyeol just chuckles to his boyfriend’s antics. His eyes still staring into the distance at the Great Lake. He wraps his hands over Baekhyun’s small ones clasped over his chest.

“I can see that, my love. What do you want to do, sweetheart? Do you want to go and sleep?”

Baekhyun makes a sound between a whine and a groan. He starts peppering kisses on Chanyeol’s nape.

“Don’t go back today. I want to cuddle with you, sleepover.huh?”

“Okay.” Chanyeol pecks his lips in answer.

He stands up the tall frame hovering over the shorter one and grabs the underside of his thighs and lifts him up with practiced ease.

 As soon as he picks Baekhyun up, the shorter Gryffindor circles his arm around his neck and legs encircle his boyfriend’s waist automatically, head tucked into the crook of his neck.

It is adorable, how Baekhyun looks like a child in front of his much taller boyfriend as Chanyeol carries him around.

The said Slytherin balances his boyfriend carefully in one hand and pats Jaemin’s head with others. He mumbles a ‘good night, kid’ to the younger as he walks away with the Gryffindor clinging to him like a Koala.

Jaemin wonders whether it will be possible for him also, to have a warm relationship like them.

The next day is a holiday as the classes post-exams remains closed. In a few days, the results of the exams as well as of the House Cup will be announced. The graduation ceremony will also be taking place for the seventh year, so they’ll be busy preparing for the farewell.

Jaemin wasn’t able to sleep much last night. The party went till dawn and it’s only an hour before people left for their dorms. He woke up early and was sitting in the common room when he saw Chanyeol climbing down the stairs from the 4th-year dorm.

“Hyung!”

Chanyeol was a bit surprised by his loud voice in the early morning. When he spotted Jaemin in one of the armchairs, he smiles back.

“Jaemin-ah, morning. Why are you up so early? Can’t sleep?”

Jaemin just nodded.

“What about you Hyung? Going back to your dorm?”

Chanyeol sighs in frustration.

“Don’t even start. This dorm of yours is so lit up I can’t even sleep peacefully. As soon as the sun is up these rooms just lit up like its midday. I need my dark dungeons devoid of sunlight to sleep.”

Jaemin was a bit surprised. He likes up the lit-up dorms of his.

“Are the dungeons dark?”

“Yep, no sunlight. Maybe a little bit but you can’t really tell time there. It’s nice.”

Jaemin scrunches up his nose in disgust.

“No wonder you people are so pale.”

Chanyeol just laughs.

“Anyway, bye Jaemin.”

Jaemin thought about his plan for a second.

“Hyung!”

Chanyeol turns around halfway.

“Do you really think I should talk to Jeno about this? He already has too much on his plate?”

“Honestly, I think you should talk it out. Better than spending sleepless nights on it. Just send an owl to him, if you want I can also pass on your message-”

“I’ll send an owl.”

He saw the elder smile and leaves the common room through the portrait exit.

In the end, Jaemin didn’t send it.

Renjun was extremely nervous when the results arrived. Jaemin was also nervous but less. He had no high expectations regarding studies or pressure from home. His parents are happy as long as Jaemin is a happy decent wizard. It was the same for Donghyuck. So they watched with great amusement as Renjun paced around in the corridor in front of the Great Hall. They were to receive their report cards by owls, and Renjun was not ready for it.

Jaemin and Donghyuck practically dragged him in.

Dramas aside, Jaemin’s results were better than average. If he is being a bit self-satisfied he would say that they were pretty good. The only problem was Potions which he passed by bare minimum marks. Otherwise, it was pretty satisfactory for him.

A glance at Donghyuck’s card and his satisfied happy face tells him his best friend fared pretty well too.

Renjun on the other hand had a deep scowling face, but knowing him his results won’t be too bad.

His expression is scary to look at and he seems like he will hex anybody who irritates him. But Fearless Donghyuck begged for his death and went to annoy Renjun. He got chased halfway around the Great Hall and got beaten up in the end, while Jaemin chilled in the background.

The notice board midair in the ceiling revealed the top ten students of each batch, and Renjun almost broke the goblet and it was made of metal. Jaemin warned himself to never get into his bad side.

He was tiny and he was scary.

The cause of this irritation was Lee Jeno whose name flashed at the top of the first year batch board followed by Huang Renjun and the rest of the other students.

In the 3rd year batch board the 2nd  position was occupied by Lee Taeyong on the 5th year batch in the first position it was Lee Donghae.

 Kim Jummyeon was in 3rd following the eldest Lee.

He can see Park Chanyeol in the 4th year list in 3rd position with multiple O’s in his O.W.L.S.

Jaehyun was 5th in 3rd-year batch.

And looking at them Jaemin felt that he was friends with a lot of geniuses. But he was never the ambitious type, more of a laid-back-and-enjoy-life kind, so for him as long as he passes with good enough grades and the professors like him he is satisfied.

 “Lee Jeno is like a monster. Their whole family is monstrous. How can somebody get grades like that! Even his brother Donghae was consistent with his grades. Some genes they got!”

“Don’t you know? They got different fathers. And they don’t even know who they are. You’re wrong about the genes part.”

“Oh! That’s interesting. No wonder they try so hard, a messed up family huh?”

Jaemin was getting irritated with the direction in which the gossip is going. But he didn’t stop them in fear of causing a ruckus and getting his friends involved.

“I heard his mother was Kingsley’s apprentice and now youngest of the Wizengamot.”

“Apprentice or mistress? Are you sure she didn’t sleep-”

A bang resounded from their table.

It was Renjun. He slammed the table and glared at the gossipers.

“If you have enough time to speak trash about someone utilize that time to study, you brain dead idiots. Can’t even get your name on the scoreboard and you think you have the right to criticize someone’s family. Are you that bored? Get a life then!”

He glared at them again before sitting down. There was no trash talking after that.

“Ooooohhhhh! Renjun-ah you were so cool now”

Donghyuck gave him thumbs up. As much as Donghyuck doesn’t like Jeno he is not someone who insults someone's family especially when it is an outstanding woman like Mommy Lee.

Jaemin was intrigued.

“I thought you hated Jeno for snatching the first place. You looked so angry then.”

Renjun just gave him the what-bull-are-you-speaking stare.

“You’re misunderstanding something.  I was angry at myself not at him. I like getting a first place but it’s by my own merits and intelligence. As much I don’t like Jeno I just can’t ignore the fact that he is a hard worker. I have had classes with him and that boy is always working hard on his lessons and is good at studying. The Professors are unbiased they saw more merit in him than in me. He was more deserving. That’s it. Next year I’ll work extra hard and beat him.”

Jaemin stares at him surprised.

Ah! He has got some really cool friends.

“Renjun-ah, you were so cool! Wanna go out with me?”

Renjun looked at Jaemin like he finally lost his mind, while Jaemin smiled stupidly at him. Donghyuck looked outright disgusted.

“HELL NO!”

“Renjun-aaaahhh…..”