Author's notes: I wasn't going to upload this today but I ended up finishing the next chapter earlier than I thought. I'm trying to keep these short enough that I can keep writing regularly.

I admit that the owl's name in this was a placeholder until I found something better but in the meanwhile I came up with a backstory and a really bad pun for it so I decided to keep it (even though it's probably been made a thousand times by now). Anyway, hope you enjoy~! <3

Their parting hug had been far longer than necessary but neither of them cared much. It would be some time before they could hang out like this again and that fact made them both entirely unembarrassed to be seen laughing and clinging to each other outside the tea shop. Regular letters keep them from growing distant but sometimes they’re just not enough.

Youngbae used to say their house was a family more than any other. Maybe that’s why most of them still keep in touch or greet each other and talk even if they hadn’t spoken much at all during school, Daesung ponders, making his way back down the street. Sometimes the time outside of Hogwarts feels scary, sometimes it feels incredibly lonely, and perhaps this united feeling of family makes the ache worse.

A shifting picture catches his eye as he walks leisurely. His feet stop almost of their own volition as he hands over a few knuts to the stand vendor and offers a smile before resuming his stride. Normally Daesung wouldn’t even glance briefly at something like The Daily Prophet – muggle newspapers and gossip rags are almost objective journalism in comparison  – but it’s Friday, which means Seungri’s interview is in today’s edition.

They are always a riot to read, quirky and funny and with an almost eccentric sense of humour that made him immediately popular, much to the distaste of older wizarding generations, even his boss and seniors. It’s really a shame wizards don’t have television, Daesung thinks, because Seungri would most likely do very well in some sort of light-hearted afternoon show. He wonders what poor soul he got to harass during the interview this time.

There’s little point in going back to the store when his master would just roll her eyes and give him the rest of the day off so he lets himself wander for a bit, not particularly eager to get back to his apartment. There’s nothing bad waiting for him there – small and cramped as it may be it’s his and Daesung is quite fond of it, but he doesn’t feel like returning quite yet. It will soon be cold enough that he’ll be hurrying home without taking the time to appreciate the view anyway.

The newspaper hits his shoulder rhythmically as he hums something half forgotten, letting his feet just take him wherever they feel like going. Diagon Alley is big but not big enough that it’ll take him long to return, wherever he ends up. As long as he stays away from Knockturn Alley everything should be fine and it’s not like it’s easy to just stumble in there. The place gives off a chilly and creepy vibe strong enough to snap anyone out of their thoughts when passing.

He really should go visit his parents soon. They make an effort to send mail through D-Lite since neither regular mail nor electronics are capable of reaching him here, but he knows they miss him. It’s not like they’re very far away either, maybe he should drop by on his next day off, bring a present for his mum. Stopping by Sugarplum’s and stocking up on chocolate frogs seems like a good idea , the woman has a notorious sweet tooth and the predatory look in her eyes the last time the frogs escaped and they had to hunt them down still makes a chill run down his spine.

A small, happy laughter escapes him, fingers pressing to his own lips as he shakes his head, remembering his mum’s fascination with all sorts of magical sweets. He’s too distracted to notice where he’s going or register the sound of footsteps until someone’s bumping into him around the corner, making him stumble back suddenly. The impact isn’t strong enough to make Daesung fall but he’s thankful for the hand that grasps his arm anyway. At least until his eyes open and his breathing hitches.

High cheekbones, perfectly sculpted eyebrows, pale and smooth skin, eyes so deep and intense as to freeze him in place. They’re partly hidden by the thick-framed glasses and although they fit him well he finds himself cursing the wizarding world’s obstinate refusal to adopt muggle fashion, while simultaneously thanking Merlin that the lenses don’t obstruct the view much. His gaze briefly flickers to small lips when they move but the sound doesn’t register with him.

Daesung is aware that he knows this man, that he knows of him at least, but it’s been a few years since he’s seen his face across the Great Hall, it’s been over a year since he himself left Hogwarts and his memories seem far away and hazy, already much more distant than he wishes them to be, so it takes him a few moments to remember.

Seunghyun. Seunghyun Choi. His recollection becomes a bit clearer once the name comes to him. Slytherin, two years above him, he had become immensely popular during his last few years in the school, to the point of being a known name. Daesung himself only remembers it due to his status and popularity; tried as he might have to avoid gossip it was pretty impossible at the time.

The fingers around his arm tighten, shaking him a bit, and his gaze slowly focuses to find one of the groomed brows furrowed, intense eyes staring at him, shifting in slight concern. He blinks once, twice, before the realization that he hadn’t been only staring but also gapping washes over him, making him straighten up and jump back a little, his cheeks burning fiercely.

“I’m so sorry!”

Relief seems to flicker over Seunghyun’s face before he offers a small smile, shaking his head and letting go of Daseung’s arm. “No, it’s my fault, I didn’t watch where I was going,” his voice is deep. His voice is deep, with a low timbre that makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, makes the tongue in his mouth feel heavy before he shakes his own head, trying to get some of his bearings back. Honestly, what is wrong with him?

“I’m still sorry,” he offers again with an apologetic smile, feeling more than a little self-conscious about his choice of clothing: muggle, because it’s practical and familiar and his master doesn’t much care what he dresses like as long as it doesn’t obstruct his work. In contrast, the man in front of him is dressed in fine robes, rich and dark and classy. A panicked thought makes its way into his head but a quick look is enough to ensure the clothes don’t seem dirty or ripped anywhere.

Seunghyun smiles a little wider but it seems kind rather than mocking, a hint of dimples showing up for a second. He can feel his cheeks grow hotter and for the first time in a while, he wishes they wouldn’t do that so easily. It’s not so embarrassing when he’s with friends or family, often not even with strangers since he’s grown more comfortable in his own skin, but for some reason it’s only increasing his flustered state.

“Are you feeling alright?” he nods a few times, more vigorously than necessary. One corner of the man’s lips twitches and for a moment Daesung thinks he’s going to laugh but it doesn’t happen. An awkward – if not uncomfortable – silence descends on them, making him unconsciously fiddle with the edges of his hoodie.

Then, abruptly, Seunghyn lowers himself down. A half stammered question makes its way out of Daesung’s mouth before he’s standing up again, newspaper in his right hand being offered to him. Oh! He didn’t even realize he’d dropped it earlier. His fingers grasp it and he thanks him again, not quite able to resist the urge to look down. The pavement stones have cracks in them. Funny, he’s never really noticed that before.

It gets awkward again when neither of them do anything so he clears his throat and nods gently in the direction he had been going in before they bumped into each other. Seunghyun looks over his shoulder briefly, still smiling, before stepping to the side. For a moment Daesung doesn’t move, but then he’s clearing his throat again and smiling back, waving a hand awkwardly as he goes.

He feels eyes on his back all the way down the cobbled path but thinks that it may be his imagination. Plus his cheeks might just burst if he looks back and catches the man staring, so he doesn’t, focuses on moving his feet and controlling his pace carefully, trying to make it seems as if he has somewhere to be but isn’t rushing away. Just a normal walk during a normal day.

The encounter had been all the adventure he wanted for today so he takes barely a moment to catch his breath once he’s out of sight, leaning on a nearby wall for merely a second before quickly making his way to the apartment. The residential area of Diagon Alley seems far too small for the number of people who live there but that’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a bit of spellwork.

His own building is a comforting sight at this moment, old as it is, green paint slowly peeling off, tiny cracks slowly spreading throughout the front. His wand touches the lock lightly, making the door swing open. It should, by the amount of space it seemed to occupy from the outside, barely fit two apartments but in reality there’s five individual ones per floor. Sure, they’re quite cramped and not that big but it’s enough for someone living alone.

D-Lite hoots at him cheerfully once he makes his way inside his own sanctum of solitude and Daesung laughs, walking over slowly and petting him in the head gently, mindful of the feathers. His shoulders drop almost painfully, releasing the tension he hadn’t realized had been building.

“Today has been a weird day, D-Lite,” his voice is almost a whisper, fingers continuing his owl friend between the eyes gently. He hoots again, tilting his head, almost as if asking him if it’d been a good or a bad kind of weird. Magical animals and those that form strong bonds with wizards are often said to have a higher level of intelligence and sentience than common ones – whether it’s actually true or not, he doesn’t know, but for some reason Daesung has no doubt D-Lite understands him perfectly.

He exhales, shakily, but his following smile and the warmth in his eyes are genuine. Youngbae’s presence is always welcome in his life and despite the following encounter having been unexpected and embarrassing, it hadn’t been entirely unpleasant. “It was a… good kind of weird. I guess.”