« She is so cool. My brother was there when she won the Duel Tournament. He said she was so angry she didn’t even cast her spell before throwing it. No wonder she won. »

Oliver and his friend Harry have been watching Byulyi practice her Transfiguration technique for the last ten minutes. The two boys from Slytherin are second years, they should be in the Great Hall doing their homework, but they escaped Mr. Poe’s monitoring and saw Byulyi from the windows. It picked their curiosity, so they went down to the training grounds to see the girl from up close.

Byulyi is alone, her wand in one hand, her book of Transfiguration in the other. She throws spells at various objects. The girl has been working on her skills more often since the course has become increasingly harder each passing week. Sixth year students must learn how to throw spells without casting them. She is rather silent, only grunts and let’s on or two words of annoyance slip out of .

Oliver has an older brother who was a part of the Quidditch team when he was still at Hogwarts, he finished his seventh year by granting a victory to his House. He was a great player and well liked around the school. Oliver wishes to follow in his footsteps. The boy did the tryout at the beginning of the year but didn’t get selected.

« I heard she could make her wand appear out of thin air too! »

Oliver nods, he had also heard the same thing. Byulyi is an impressive wizard, whom even the older students have great respect for. Every Slytherin knows about her, and it gets to the point where some of the youngest students feel anxious just standing near her.

Her status makes her hard to approach, but it is well known that she is extremely nice. Oliver realized it quickly when he passed the tryout; she gave everyone advice and encouraging words even if she didn’t end up picking them for the team. Byulyi also told them to practice more and to try-out again next year. There was nothing but kindness in her words and Oliver didn’t feel defeated when he found out he hadn’t made the team, instead he asked his brother to help him during Christmas break.

Oliver’s brother, who also adored and respected Byulyi, asked questions about how the girl and the Slytherin team were doing. He only played two seasons with her but that was enough for him to know that she was a great player. He even personally pushed Mr. Poe towards the idea of making Byulyi captain. The girl has been perfectly taking the responsibilities ever since her fourth year.

« Next year, I will be in the Quidditch team too. I want to play with her at least once! »

« Well, you should hurry up before it is too late. »

Oliver nods, determined to play the next season in the Quidditch team. The two friends don’t realize they have been discovered.

« Spying on me! »

Byulyi points her want in their direction, a devilish smile on her face, the two boys widen their eyes as a small glimpse of fear brushes their faces. It is only a small stream of water that attacks them, wetting their faces, Byulyi even oriented her wand so that some gets in their nose.

« Not in the nose! »

Byulyi chuckles, she stops throwing water at the two boys and waits for them to dry themselves as best as they can. Unlike Wheein, they didn’t have the idea of using magic to dry themselves. Byulyi keeps laughing at them, but Oliver and Harry don’t even dare to think about taking their revenge on the girl.

« What are you guys doing here? »

« Nothing. We just wanted to take a break from the Great Hall. »

« Hum. Isn’t Mr. Poe watching over it right now? »

« Yeah… But he didn’t see us. »

« So naive… »

Byulyi smiles, thinking back of the times she thought she was so smooth while in reality teachers were just waiting for the right moment to catch her. Mr. Poe doesn’t lose his time running after students, he usually catches them when they least expect and gives them a wonderfully annoying punishment. After getting caught a few times, Byulyi finally understood how to not get caught by Mr. Poe. But this secret was too precious for her to share.

Byulyi looks at the two boys for a moment before being able to put a name to their faces.

« Oliver Smith, I know you. You were at the tryout this year. Good aim but still awkward on your broom. And you… Harry Davies. You got caught stealing food in the kitchen and a house elf turned your hand into a clamp! »

Byulyi laughs again, Harry looks down, it wasn’t his proudest moment. Oliver joins Byulyi’s laughter, he also remembers how his friend came back to the Dungeon with a clamp instead of his right hand. He had to go get Mr. Poe for help. The Head of House had a good laugh before taking care of Harry’s hand.

« I am sorry, but it was really funny. Anyway, now that you are here, let’s see what you have. You guys have your wands, right? »

Oliver raises his left hand holding a wand, and Harry gets his wand from his work robe pocket. Byulyi smirks, an almost scary look in her eyes. She just enjoys playing, the two boys aren’t truly afraid, they know the girl has never harmed anyone.

« Okay, you guys know how a duel works, right? »

Oliver shakes his head; Harry follows his friend’s lead and shakes his head too. Byulyi gets even more excited and explains how the point of it is to disarm your opponent. A simple disarming charm does the trick. The two boys both know this charm very well, not needing a demonstration from Byulyi.

The girl tells Oliver to face her and to throw it at her whenever Harry gives him the go signal. The goal is to cast the spell faster than Byulyi and disarm her. Oliver nods, not too sure about his skills when it comes to facing Byulyi, but the girl gives him a firm look.

« Hold your wand firmly. Impose yourself when you cast your spell. »

Harry gives them the signal for them to start, Oliver breathes before screaming Expelliarmus, in Byulyi’s direction but the girl moves to the right and his spell misses her. Oliver tries again, this time Byulyi changes its direction, and it misses her once more.

« I said to be firm! Come on, you can do it! »

Oliver grits his teeth and says the spell more firmly before aiming for Byulyi’s right hand. His spell reaches Byulyi, making her wand fly in the air, but she only has to open her hand for her wand to change direction and get back into her hold.

It seems like Wheein’s magic is quite strong. Even if Oliver’s magic isn’t that powerful, it appears like the spell that Wheein put on Byulyi’s wand is powerful enough for it to work despite the influence of another spell. Byulyi must admit she is incredibly impressive.

« That last spell was good. You know, magic is all about the person with the wand in their hand. You have to believe in yourself more for your magic to be more powerful. »

Byulyi pats his shoulder, she turns toward Harry, it is his turn now. She gives him the same instruction. The boy seems more ready than Oliver, maybe because he has seen how Byulyi won’t do anything to them. He waits for Oliver’s signal and tries to cast his spell, but if Byulyi likes anything it is to play so she turns on herself to dodge Harry’s Expelliarmus and points her wand toward the boy.

Oliver opens his mouth wide when he sees a golden ray of magic coming out of her wand. It is thick and grabs Harry’s wand like a rope before bringing it back to Byulyi. Harry doesn’t even realize he lost his wand; he is too impressed by what had just happened before his eyes.

« How? How? »

« Can you teach us how to do that? »

« Hello, Hyejinnie. »

« Hum. »

Yongsun slides in the seat next to Hyejin, she lets the girl rest one of her legs on her lap and rests her face on her hand while looking at her girlfriend. The library is almost deserted because the hour is late, it is the end of the day, and it will soon close. Hyejin is sitting at a worktable, a few books opened around her as she is taking notes for her Herbology lesson.

Yongsun watches as she runs her hand through her long black locks which cascade beautifully down her left shoulder. Her tie is, as usual, only hanging around her neck and she has a nice view of Hyejin’s chest seeing as the three last buttons of her shirt have been left ed.

The Gryffindor tries to focus on Hyejin’s face as the girl frowns while writing down some words, her thin fingers are playing with the edge of her sleeve; Yongsun’s eyes go back to Hyejin’s exposed chest. She finds her girlfriend beautiful.

Yongsun has been thinking about Hyejin every day for the last week. Ever since they had their little talk around the Great Lake, their relationship has completely changed. She feels like she is discovering a new Hyejin, the Slytherin may still feel watched by the other students when she is with Yongsun; yet she gladly takes Yongsun’s hand in hers, and when she meets Yongsun in a corridor between classes she sometimes gives the girl a quick kiss. But the most intense memory in Yongsun’s head is their make-out session in her room. Thinking back, she believes she wouldn’t have been able to stop if it had gone any further.

« Stop looking at me like that. I can’t focus, and I need to finish this before the library closes. »

Yongsun smiles, she apologizes and pulls one of the abandoned books on the table toward herself instead. She tries to distract herself while waiting for Hyejin to finish but she can’t help herself from throwing a glance at the girl next to her from time to time.

« I am almost done. »

There is something about Hyejin that tames Yongsun, she listens to the Slytherin and rarely tries to answer back. Instead, she lets her hands rest on Hyejin’s legs, she is wearing trousers today and Yongsun thinks it is a pity she can’t see her pretty legs.

« Now. »

Hyejin closes the books she was reading, and she rolls her parchment before pushing her stuff away and turning toward her girlfriend who has been patiently waiting for her. Yongsun’s brown eyes are excited just from receiving Hyejin’s attention.

« Hello. »

Yongsun leans in, she lets their noses brush against each other, Hyejin travels the remaining centimeters in between them, puts a kiss on Yongsun’s lips, then moves away from her. She believes the library isn’t the most ideal place to make out, even if nearly no one is around.

Yongsun doesn’t push it.

« I have never seen you studying, how do you even pass your classes? »

« I am incredibly charming, teachers believe it is enough. »

Hyejin sighs, but Yongsun smiles at her own joke. She reaches for one of Hyejin’s hands and intertwines their fingers. Hyejin knows Yongsun needs physical contact, it is a huge part of how she expresses her love and receives it. Not giving it to her would be criminal.

« I think you are really pretty. »

« I think you are tired. »

« I am, but you are pretty. »

« What did you do today for you to be tired already? »

« I missed you. »

Hyejin closes her eyes, she isn’t annoyed, but it is a bit too much.

Hyejin sees how tired the Gryffindor is, she thinks it is cute how the girl searched for her despite it. If there is something Hyejin likes about Yongsun it is how she always thinks about her, even when she is tired, or when she is upset, she seems to always have at least some part of her mind on Hyejin.

« Do you want me to walk you to your tower? »

« Will you stay a bit? »

« Sure. »

Hyejin places the books she used on the already full cart and brings her stuff along with her; Yongsun follows her from behind, once they are out of the library, the Gryffindor puts her arm around Hyejin’s hips and walks close to her. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to receive Yongsun’s attention, but Hyejin has learned to appreciate it.

They make their way across the first floor’s corridor to the stairs. Gryffindor’s corridor is higher, Hyejin tries not to mind the glances given by some of the students she meets. As it will soon be three months since they’ve first got together, the glances have lessened, but Hyejin still sees pictures of Yongsun and herself in the school paper.

They walk inside the Gryffindor common room, it is fuller than usual, and Hyejin gets long stares. After all, she is a Slytherin, but Yongsun pulls her toward one of the armchairs near the fireplace and makes the girl sit on her lap. Hyejin looks around her, she so rarely has the time to sit down there.

Gryffindor’s common room is a circle, with staircases facing each other, one leading to the dormitories, the other to the exit. Unlike Slytherin’s common room, the atmosphere is warmer thanks to the fireplace, and the Gryffindor colors give it a unique vibe. Most students occupy the couches and the armchairs around the room, some are studying at one of the worktables, but most are chatting among each other while waiting for dinner.

Hyejin lets Yongsun put her arms around her waist, she tries not to mind the glances she gets, but her body refuses to relax when she knows she is so well observed by people she barely knows anything about other than their names.

« You smell different from how you usually smell »

« Are you implying I stink? »

« No, but this isn’t your perfume. What did you do today? »

« I had class. I then was with Mr. Greysom, he wanted help for… »

« You smell like summer and kimchi. You smell like when I go back home from Hogwarts and my parents are waiting for me, the table set with my sister and Whee… »

Hyejin gets rid of her work robe; she gives a worried look at Yongsun who suddenly seems like she’s reconnected with her thoughts. The Gryffindor’s eyes drop down to Hyejin’s chest again before going back to her face.

« Some Amortentia splashed on me. I didn’t realize even a few drops would still be so effective. »

Yongsun’s nose was right where the potion had landed, Hyejin keeps her work robe on her lap. Yongsun is in her thoughts, she hasn’t studied this potion yet, but she knows the effect of it. The smell is different for everyone as it reminds you of the things you love the most.

« I should change before dinner. »

« But you said you would stay with me. »

Hyejin doesn’t move, she stays on Yongsun’s lap, the girl’s arms around her waist; she only feels a tiny bit more comfortable in Gryffindor’s common room. Inside, the Slytherin strongly suspects no one said a thing about her being here because Yongsun is with her, but otherwise they would have expelled her from it.

« Hello, Wheeinie! »

The Ravenclaw almost drowns in the immense bathtub of the Prefect’s bathroom when she makes eye contact with Yongsun, who is currently standing in front of the tub, , a full smile on her face, her two dimples showing. Wheein has already seen Yongsun a couple of times, the Gryffindor doesn’t seem to mind her ness; but Wheein minds it besides it always catches her by surprise.

Wheein always found Yongsun pretty, really pretty. With her constantly messy hair, her loud laugh, her muscular body, and her blunt personality, Wheein thinks she is amazing. Contrary to Yongsun, she is more discreet, and people don’t always notice her when she enters a room; surely at Hogwarts everyone knows who she is, but Yongsun impresses people everywhere, always, even if people don’t know her yet.

« What are you doing here? You aren’t a captain… »

« I still have the password! And I believe I should be the one asking you this question. »

« You are the one who gave me the password. »

« Touché. »

Yongsun slides over the edge of the tub and finally joins Wheein in the warm water. Wheein asked the mermaid on the stained glasses for an energizing bath, the water is blue like a sapphire and despite the hotness, the water diffuses a refreshing feeling at the contact of the skin. Yongsun immerses herself completely, she even swims around; the tub is big enough to do a few strokes.

« This is so nice. »

Yongsun swims toward Wheein, the Ravenclaw doesn’t mind Yongsun so much now that she is in the water. Yongsun always has been an exceptionally touchy person, ever since Wheein became closer to her after the event at the Duel Tournament, Yongsun has been manifesting her affection toward Wheein through physical contact. Holding hands, hugging, and even kissing are normal actions between them.

Yet, it always baffles Wheein how Yongsun doesn’t mind physical contact when they are both . She lets Yongsun hug her, but her face turns red when she feels Yongsun’s s against her own. The Gryffindor is all over Wheein, and it is hard to relax when so many thoughts are rushing through her mind.

« Oh, Wheein? »

Wheein looks up, Byulyi, blonde hair tied up in a messy bun and a towel wrapped around her body is standing in front of her. Wheein wants to die. This is not happening, not while she is here.

Byulyi gives Wheein a questioning look about the girl who is currently hugging her, Wheein tries to make Yongsun let go of her, but the Gryffindor refuses. It is only when Byulyi is finally in the tub with them that she lets go of Wheein and turns around. Wheein looks everywhere but at Byulyi.

« Moon Byulyi, why have you been avoiding me! »

Yongsun splashes the Slytherin who doesn’t even have the time to react, she coughs from surprise, her eyes looking at Wheein, but the Ravenclaw is avoiding any eye contact right now. She is even slowly making her way toward the other part of the tub, toward the pipes from where the water is cascading from.

« I thought we were close, but ever since my birthday you have been distant and cold with me. »

Byulyi’s whole face is red from embarrassment by finally being caught by Yongsun, but also from having Yongsun in front of her. She isn’t fully immersed and Byulyi has a good view of her upper chest. She puts a hand in front of her eyes and fixes the water. She is thankful there is enough foam for it to be impossible to see through the water.

« I am sorry, I had a lot in mind. It didn’t have anything to do with you. »

« You weren’t even here during my Quidditch match. You usually never miss one. »

Yongsun is pouting, her eyes seem teary, but Wheein, who knows Yongsun better, knows right from the tone of her voice she is faking it. Byulyi reaches for Yongsun’s shoulder and pats her, falling right on her trap.

« Moon Byulyi, answer me. »

The girl has grabbed Byulyi’s wrist, trapping it under the water with strength, she pulls the girl toward her, forcing her to make eye contact. The younger girl disappears under the water cascade, she doesn’t want to be here. Byulyi’s eyes open widely, now face to face with Yongsun, their noses are almost touching, Byulyi can feel Yongsun’s breath on her lips and her cheeks are warming up.

« I… I… I am sorry. I will be here next time. »

« You will have to wear my sweater. »

« Yes… Yes, okay. »

« Hum… You are really pretty, you know. Moon Byulyi. »

Yongsun lets go of Byulyi’s wrist, she smiles at the Slytherin, happy about her little trick; even if she doesn’t have any explanation from the girl about why she missed the match. The latter backs down until her back touches the wall of the tub, she is a bit disoriented, and many things are rushing through her mind.

Wheein feels pity for Byulyi, she swims back to Yongsun and pulls her away from Byulyi. Still, she doesn’t dare to make eye contact with her friend, she knows it will be too awkward for them to handle.

Wheein doesn’t even know how this situation is possible, usually, no one is ever in the Prefect’s bathroom at this hour; she has been going regularly since her time with Yongsun and she has only met two of Ravenclaw’s Prefects and Remy. She was even wondering if the others use the bathroom. But now it is too much.

Yongsun lets herself be dragged away from Byulyi, she teases Wheein by putting some foam on top of her head, Wheein doesn’t mind it much. The girl thought she would be enjoying a relaxing time in the water, not whatever happened between Yongsun and Byulyi.

The situation seems to be okay, Wheein saw how flustered Byulyi had been when Yongsun started to play with her, while she is used to Yongsun’s antics, it seems like Byulyi still has a lot to learn. Wheein is mixed between laughing and crying when she realized how flustered Byulyi was by Yongsun, it is not often she sees her friend taken aback.

« Why are you leaving Byulyi all alone? We should… »

« I think Byulyi wants to enjoy her bath on her own. »

Wheein keeps a firm hold around Yongsun’s waist, she hopes Byulyi is okay.

« You are telling me you have the password of the Prefect’s bathroom, and you aren’t sharing it with me! »

« Please keep it low. »

« No, no, Jung Speed. What I want to understand, is why you aren’t sharing. »

« You know what? Never mind. »

Wheein walks away from Dana, she goes back inside the castle, and starts to make her way up the stairs; she doesn’t have the opportunity to go far before Dana catches up to her. Her friend tells her to calm down and that she was only joking, but Wheein has enough.

« Come on, Jung Speed. Don’t be like that. »

« I said “never mind”. »

« Oh, bloody hell, don’t be like that. Come on, tell me, I am listening. »

« No. »

Wheein continues to climb the stairs, she grunts when they start to move and she has to wait, but she immediately continues her way to Ravenclaw’s tower when they stop. Dana is still following her, but she has grown silent; she genuinely likes Wheein, and she has always been close to the girl when it came to silly things, but every time their topic took a heavier weight, Dana has been avoiding them with a joke. This time, she sees how it affects Wheein, the girl came to her, and instead of listening to her concerns, she had made another joke.

« I am sorry, Wheein. »

« It is fine. »

It isn’t fine. Wheein continues past Ravenclaw’s entrance, she doesn’t even stop in the common room but instead goes straight to her room where she pushes the door closed and lets her body drop against it.

When she looks up, she sees her roommates looking at her with questioning eyes, it annoys Wheein and she immediately gets out of the room, going back to the common room. There she finds Dana, her head low against one of the big windows. You don’t have to be a genius to understand the girl feels bad about her conversation with Wheein.

The latter doesn’t even bother to calm her friend’s worries, she exits Ravenclaw’s tower and walks downstairs toward the first floor. On this evening, most students are busy catching up on their homework so they can enjoy the weekend to its fullness. Wheein continues to walk down the first floor’s corridor until she ends up in front of an office she knows way too well.

« Come in. »

It always impresses her how Mrs. Vera knows before she even knocks on the door that someone is there. The Ravenclaw pushes the door open and enters the office. Mrs. Vera is resting on one of her armchairs, a cup of tea in her hand, she invites Wheein to join her and offers her a cup as well.

« A wonder to see you here. You know, I see you in here more often than some Gryffindors. »

« I guess… »

« Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be a Gryffindor? »

« I enjoy being a Ravenclaw very much. »

Mrs. Vera smiles, she thinks it is funny how each student at Hogwarts is very proud of their House. Yet, Mrs. Vera believes the girl would have been amazing as a Gryffindor, she has all the qualities; she is determined, courageous, and brave. But Wheein’s true Ravenclaw’s nature outshines any of the personality traits that could link her to Gryffindor.

« May I ask what brings you to my office Miss. Jung? »

The young girl drinks her tea, brown eyes looking around before settling on Mrs. Vera’s face.

« Did you know Kim Yonghee well? »

Mrs. Vera thinks for a few minutes, but her brain quickly makes the connections.

« Kim Yongsun’s sister. I took my position at Hogwarts during her fourth year, she had already done most of her schooling. But I do remember her. She is a very intelligent young lady, terrible at Quidditch, but extremely strong-willed. »

Wheein laughs behind her cup of tea. Yonghee is indeed a terrible Quidditch player, it is a wonder she made it into Gryffindor’s team; but it also explains the terrible reputation of the House before Yongsun offered her team a victory two years ago.

« I heard she is a Curse-Breaker these days. I am not surprised, just like her sister, she has strong stands and knows what she wants. This job fits her well. »

« You seem to know a lot about her. »

« And it seems you are interested in Miss. Kim. »

« What! I… No… »

« I knew it! »

« What! No, no! »

Wheein has put down her cup on the table in front of her, she is frantically moving her hand before her face, trying to make herself heard. Mrs. Vera is smiling, she seems more happy than usual, excitement and a mischievous glimpse shining in her eyes.

« It is fine, Miss Jung. You should always follow your heart. »

« Follow my heart? No! I am telling you, I don’t have feelings for Yongsun! »

There is a long silence in the room.

Mrs. Vera puts down her cup of tea, her grey eyes look at Wheein with such softness, the girl is scared to acknowledge the situation. There has been a misunderstanding and Wheein wants to go back in time for it to never happen.

« I made a bet with Mrs. Juny. She is very sure you will choose a path related to Quidditch, I told her I believed you will choose something related to your interest in magic. Since we had our little talks in my office, I started to understand more and more about your point of view on magic. I must admit, your vision of this world brings many things to the table. I hope you never stop questioning what you see.

« You have a gift, and you have realized it very early on, magic just makes sense to you. When you read about magic, things click uniquely in your head. You see its limits and you are concerned by the power of this tool we have been blessed with. »

« I am glad you understood that there is the need for a balance in the world. While it would be amazing for the world to be ruled by people that only have good intentions, it happens for some to have good intentions at the root of actions that are seen as ill by others. »

Wheein nods, her eyes are shinning, intelligence and magic mixing in her pupils. Mrs. Vera smiles, her grey eyes are excited, because magic is such an exciting thing, and everyone has their personal way of using it.

While Wheein handles magic in a natural way, she often limits herself to what she learns in books. Fortunately, the girl’s knowledge seems limitless, and she always knows how to use spells wisely. On the other hand, Byulyi uses magic in a completely different way, her creativity and her understanding of magic make her a powerful wizard just like Wheein. It is like she can read the flux of magic around her and wields it at her own will.

Mrs. Vera is amazed at both students’ way of understanding and practicing magic. She knows she wasn’t capable of doing anything of the sort at their age.

« Tell me, Miss. Jung. Are you interested in the position of Curse-Breaker? This is an especially difficult and dangerous job. »

« I know. But I have been in correspondence with Yonghee. She has told me a lot about her job. »

« I trust you to achieve good results during the O.W.L. then. »

Wheein nods, she knows she needs a lot of good grades at her O.W.L., this way she will be able to choose the subject she desires for her N.E.W.T. and follow the Curse-Breaker path, just like Yonghee.

« Now. I believe you should tell me the true reason why you are here. »

Wheein lets a grin appear on her lips, Mrs. Vera always seems to know everything. She reads her students quite well, but it is only because she is careful of each Hogwarts student she meets. Those children are the future of the wizarding world, and she always feels a mix of sadness and pride when she sees them start their adult life.

« Miss. Kim Yongsun might be related to one of your problems? »

Mrs. Vera tries, she heard about the two students, they always seem to be linked and there is a strange dynamic between them. She genuinely wonders what it could become in the future.

« Yongsun? »

Yongsun looks behind her, Byulyi standing there in her Quidditch uniform, pants green toward her knees from the little tricks she tried on her broom, she has her blonde hair in a mess, which clashes greatly with her usual so well put on self.

« Are you training already? The next match is not for a while. »

Yongsun is contemplative, she has the box of Quidditch balls open in front of her, Byulyi can see how she isn’t paying attention to the Quaffle but to the Golden Snitch instead. It is being held between Yongsun’s index and thumb.

« You know how I was asked to be a Seeker twice already? »

The blonde nods, she knows about it very well. Quite often, when students pass the tryout, they want to be Seekers, it is only when they try to catch the Golden Snitch that they realize the difficulty of it. When Yongsun passed the tryout, she asked for the Keeper position, but Oscar Allan, the captain of the team at this time, gave her a Chaser position.

Her second year, Oscar offered her the Seeker position since the last one had graduated, and the position was free. Yongsun refused and it was a big deal within the Hogwarts Quidditch community given that it is so rare for someone to refuse the position. Yongsun kept playing as a Chaser.

It was only during her third year that she finally became a Keeper after Oscar finished his schooling and left the position vacant. It made the school paper that Yongsun refused the Seeker position once more and took up the Keeper role position instead.

« I wonder why everyone likes this position so much. »

Yongsun turns around, her brown eyes seem darker than usual as they dive into Byulyi’s gaze. She looks at the Slytherin, and Byulyi has to drop her gaze; Yongsun has an intense way of looking at people, it is hard to maintain it for a long time.

« Why do you like being a Seeker so much, Moon Byulyi? »

« I think… I like the challenge. It is a bit like life, chasing something you want. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t. »

Yongsun nods, her eyes go back to the Golden Snitch, she inspects it. The little ball isn’t alive, its wings pressed against its body. Yongsun has to let go of it for the ball to become alive and fly away.

« Have you ever chased something and didn’t get it? »

Byulyi wants to laugh bitterly. But she knows Yongsun is asking the question genuinely, she appreciates the pure honesty from the girl, always, and about everything.

Ever since the news of Hyejin and Yongsun dating, Byulyi has fell between two chairs, her heart on the verge of exploding from the pain. It has been so hard to juggle between wanting to be happy for her friend and the pain of not having your feelings returned. In the end, she had kept her distance from Yongsun, avoiding her during classes, in the corridors, in the Great Hall without much explanation. Yongsun didn’t confront her about it, but she once saw how Yongsun’s smile fell when she practically ignored her in the corridors.

« It did happen to me, yes. »

Yongsun puts down the Golden Snitch in its special pocket and closes the box. She turns toward Byulyi fully, her body is resting against the box, and Byulyi stands on the opposite wall of the small room. The Slytherin finds it hard to keep up with Yongsun’s powerful stare, her emotions are always so raw, it punches Byulyi in the heart despite the distance between them right now.

« You regret it? Chasing after it, do you regret doing it? »

« I don’t. I don’t regret the person I was at that moment. I would do it again if I had to. »

« You know, I thought about it a lot. Why you were such a good captain. »

The taller one frowns, she is rather confused by the girl’s train of thought. But still, it is interesting to hear her talk.

Byulyi realizes, as she is looking at Yongsun, in her uniform, tie hanging around her neck, she doesn’t feel the usual sting in her chest. She feels calm, her emotions aren’t all over the place, and her thoughts are only focused on what Yongsun is trying to tell her right now.

« You always know exactly what you want. You don’t regret the past because during that moment you did what you truly wanted to do. You are like that, Moon Byulyi, a doer. You have an idea and pursue it, even if you aren’t sure of the outcome. »

Byulyi isn’t sure if she should respond. Yongsun is looking at her, her gaze never leaving her face, if Byulyi had been courageous enough to face the intensity of it, she would see the sincerity hidden in her pupils.

« Me. I never know what I want. I feel like the world happens around me without ever asking me for my opinion. Even if I try to fight, I don’t even know what I am fighting for. Everyone, everyone knows what they want.

« Wheein wants to be a Curse-Breaker, and she keeps finding ways to make it a reality. Hyejin fought for our relationship, she knew what she wanted, she wanted us. And you, you fight for your team on the pitch, always. I didn’t even deserve to be a captain in the first place. Mrs. Vera was right to give the position to Ian.

« I just… I am nothing… I’m not even a good wizard. Just a pretty face. Even you understood it, you know… You know to not be friends with me. »

« Yongsun… »

Byulyi walks over to her, dropping her broom on the ground, she anticipates Yongsun falling on her knees, she catches the poor girl in her arms. Yongsun holds on to her, arms circling her neck and silent tears falling on Byulyi’s shoulder.

It is silent, Yongsun sobbing against Byulyi, letting go for an instant. Her heavy heart makes her hold on tighter to Byulyi. Reliable, kind, warm Byulyi. Why won’t she be my friend?

« Yongsun, you aren’t just a pretty face. You are an amazing woman; you have led countless battles ever since you arrived at Hogwarts. You changed our dress code, you lead your team to victory, and you weren’t even the captain at this time, you speak up for everyone. You are amazing.

« You are an amazing wizard Yongsun, Wheein knows it. Our little Ravenclaw told me many times about your skills. You are an important part of Hogwarts, you know that, right? You made Hogwarts history, you gave Gryffindor its golden status back. »

Yongsun only tightens her arms around Byulyi’s neck, her face is hidden against the girl’s shoulder, she is leaning most of her weight on Byulyi, wishing to find some support in the girl. Byulyi holds Yongsun against her, a strong posture, she is a solid person. She gently pats Yongsun’s hair, trying to calm the girl down.

Most of the thoughts in Byulyi’s mind are understanding of Yongsun’s feelings. It is funny how she also felt desperate just a few weeks ago. Everyone goes through slumps, Byulyi knows, she lets Yongsun rest against her. There is something ironic about the situation, but she refuses to let her thoughts hurt her.

« You are amazing Yongsun. I think you are amazing. »

Author's Note:

Hello, it is me again. As you can see, I am on time this week! Wonderful, wonderful!

Well, first of all I will say thank you to @byulyisupremacy on Twitter for beta reading this chapter, tracking all the mistakes and making some sentence make sense! I really appreciate the help! It is better like this, right?

Also, talking about the story, this chapter isn't really moving the story forward, I am well aware. But it lays some grounds for future development so it was needed to have it. I believe everyone will see the scene differently, depending on what they want to see, and I find it very funny. Hehe. I enjoy reading the comments and seeing how the same thing was read very differently.

Since, I set it in the Harry Potter universe, I know magic and stuff is important, bla bla. But it is actually not that easy to handle this universe properly, this is why I have been a bit shy about going deeper, except for Quidditch which seems to be the central point of this story, not that it was my intention at first. But maybe it lacks magic a little, so I am thinking of ways to make it more relevant to the story. 

For now, this chapter is happening in March, and we are growing toward the end of the year. So... there is that. Hehe. Well I think that it is enough.

Thank you again at @byulyisupremacy (which is a great name, I must say), and thank you to all of you following and giving feeback, upvoting, the story. Thank you thank you, this is quite cool! On this note, have a good day, stay safe and enjoy your week! See you!