Author's note: I'm really sorry about this being so late, I've been sick with the flu and it's making it very difficult for me to write, so I focused on HCW the last few days.

Uhm, this is from Seunghyun's POV, in his seventh's year/Daesung's fifth. Enjoy~!

Career week always makes him feel conflicted.

On the one hand, the nervous yet excited atmosphere that settles amongst the older years at Hogwarts is contagious and he ends up being swept in it more often than not, plus he genuinely enjoys seeing professionals who are obviously passionate about their work giving speeches. But on the other hand, he can’t help but feel a little bitter about it all, about seeing everyone else around him considering their options.

Seunghyun has, for the most part, come to accept his responsibilities. As Heir Apparent to House Choi he has a lot riding on his shoulders and with this being his final year, he will need to step up soon. There is really no choice for him, in a few years he will take over the family business and legacy. In the meanwhile he’s working for the Ministry. At least he’s mostly free to choose with Department he wishes to work in.

A nervous buzz spreads quickly through the Great Hall. The younger years are off having classes so half the tables are empty and the older students walk back and forth between them, speaking not so much with their housemates as with people who wish to pursue similar careers. There are a few Slytherin mingling but most of them remain sitting at their own table, calmly surveying everyone else.

Sinclair’s smug voice carries to his ears from some distance down the table and Seunghyun ignores it and the laughs from his no doubt unpleasant comment, pressing thin lips to his laced fingers. It’s not as bad as it was some years ago but he had never liked the other pureblood and they never quite recovered from their last fight – but no one expected them to, not after that little “neutrality is cowardice” speech.

His gaze suddenly focuses on someone at the Ravenclaw table commanding a lot of attention and his lips twitch into a grin that he hides behind his hands. Jiyong is leaning over the wood, gesticulating about something, his uniform somehow managing to look immaculate yet casual at the same time. Seunghyun sighs inaudibly, lowering one of his hands to tap against the table, mouth still hiding behind his other hand.

He’d be lying if he said he isn’t a little jealous of his friend and the freedom Jiyong has to pursue his interests despite his responsibilities but he truly doesn’t wish to linger on that feeling. The last thing he wants is to start resenting his friend again, especially one who has always backed him up when asked. Their lot is their lot and he’ll just have to do what he can with what’s expected of him – if nothing else, it’s a very Slytherin way of approaching it.

The Ancient Runes professor comes into the Hall then, commanding their attention with a Sonorus charm and ordering everyone to go back to their seats since the guests are arriving. Everyone complies, even the last few stragglers hurry to their respective house tables once the Headmistress makes her way to the head table with the first few speakers. No one has to ask for silence as the Great Hall grows quiet, that nervous tension returning.

These speeches are going to last all week but the most popular careers always come first. Each day has a specific theme when it comes to guests – Ministry employees, athletes, researchers – but the very first day is reserved for the most sought-after careers. Mostly Quidditch players, aurors, dragon handlers, jobs that sound exciting or dangerous. Unsurprisingly, a lot of Gryffindors end up in those fields but since all of those careers are glorified to a certain degree it’s not uncommon to find a few Slytherins considering them too.

The first speaker steps up and Seunghyun resists the urge to sigh. This will be speech after speech until lunch break and then resuming until dinner. Finally pushing the lingering disgruntlement down he straightens up slightly and does his best to pay attention, aware of the eyes on him, including some of the speakers’.

He’s already a public figure so skipping this or making it seem like he’s not paying attention is a bad political move, nevermind that this entire week is mostly useless for him. It’s not as difficult to force himself to pay attention as he thought and soon enough he finds himself immerse in the Head of the Auror Office’s words. Most people aren’t as excited for this as for the actual aurors and hit wizards to speak, but they listen all the same.

It starts out, predictably, as a noble speech, speaking of the integrity and abilities necessary to qualify for the training program, as well as the duties expected of them. It remains strong but it loses some of its cheerfulness once they reach more somber subjects, like dark wizards and the possibility of permanent injury and the decision to lay their lives on the line to protect others.

A few of the students hooting earlier now seem nervous, exchanging glances and looking a bit subdued. Seunghyun listens and claps politely at appropriate times, keeping his expression neutral but respectful. Truthfully he wouldn’t want to be an auror, as much as he admires the people that do it has always seemed like a far too dangerous job for him and not something he’d be well suited to do even if he had a choice in the matter.

This is when plans change. Oftentimes what you picture in your head isn’t akin to reality at all and while the speakers don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing a career in their field, they need to be honest about it, need to tell them what they’re getting themselves into. There will be private and group questions and answers sessions later and more than a few people will change their minds about their future.

The speech ends on that same somber note and the Hall applauds respectfully, if a bit quietly. Following it up with a Quidditch captain may seem like an odd decision but it makes sense to him, at least, they started on a heavy note and having something light hearted to break the tension seems like a reasonable course of action. He recognizes the woman grinning at them from a podium but only in a vague way and it takes the whispering of his housemates to place a name to her face.

Ah, the captain of Puddlemere United. She tosses a quaffle up and down a few times before starting to speak and, to her credit, Seunghyun finds himself being taken in by her incredible energy and enthusiasm, even if he has little to no interest in the sport, nevermind in seeking a career in it. She doesn’t stop still, walking from one side to the other, spinning the ball in her hands and in no time most of the Great Hall is singing various Quidditch related songs in cheer.

He doesn’t really join in since the lyrics are unknown to him – his presence in Quidditch matches has always been limited to when Slytherin is playing and even then he only goes out of House loyalty and obligation – but smiles, chuckling when one of his closer housemates, Smith, swings an arm over his shoulder and waves a banner he must have conjured from Merlin-knows-where, ever the sports fanatic and Puddlemere fan.

Undoubtedly she’s a talented player, to be captain, but she also seems to be an incredible speaker and Seunghyun finds himself thinking she might have a job as one once she stops playing, if the way she has the crowd in the palm of her hand is any indication. Regardless, most of the students are in very high spirits again once the woman is done speaking. She bows in a cheeky sort of fashion before turning her back to them and tossing the ball over one shoulder.

Stunned as they are, it takes a second for people to react and start shoving each other out of the way to catch the quaffle. Thankfully no one uses a wand – the last thing anyone wants is for spells to start flying and accidentally send someone to the hospital wing – but there’s still a lot of shouting and scrambling. Ironically enough the ball ends up in the hands of one of the few people that hadn’t been jumping up and down in a desperate attempt to catch it, although he had been standing up with the rest of them.

The guy looks down at his hands for a moment, utterly surprised, and then a giant grin spreads across his face as he laughs and holds the ball up, making his housemates cheer – Hufflepuffs  all of them and, as usual, they cheer as one, they cheer as loudly for one of them as if they themselves had gotten it. Seunghyun doesn’t know him personally, but he remembers seeing him talk with Jiyong quite a few times and thinks they might be in the same year.

His eyes are about to leave the scene as his clapping slows when something catches his attention. Or, rather, someone. Quite a few people are patting Jiyong’s friend on his back but as they stop the guy sitting to his left clasps his shoulder and leans into him, laughing and smiling and the pureblood blinks, only vaguely aware of his heart stuttering in his chest at the sight.

It’s not that Slytherins are always brooding, contrary to popular belief they laugh just as often as everyone else, even if most of the time it’s when they’re in their own territory, in between friends. He laughs and they laugh and smiles aren’t a rare or even unusual sight but there’s something about that boy’s smile that utterly fascinates him. It’s genuinely bright and happy, even a little bit shy, and almost seems to light up the entire Hall.

He swallows and his mouth feels far too dry. For the life of him Seunghyun can’t remember having seen him before although he’s clearly a Hufflepuff student. Obviously not in his own year, probably not even in Jiyong’s or he would be at least familiar with his face. Younger, then? He has to be at least a fourth year. The boy’s fringe covers his eyes as he lowers his head a little, still laughing, cheeks flushing an endearing shade of-

“Choi!” fingers snap in front of his face and it takes all of his self-control not to jump in his seat. His friend is staring at him, head tilted in confusion. Seunghyun takes a second to clear his throat and get his thoughts back in order, momentarily flustered at what just happened but determined not to show it. The temptation to sneak another glance is there, at the back of his mind, far stronger than it should be but he resists.

“Yes?”

“Are you feeling alright there?”

“Perfectly.”

Smith throws him an unconvinced look but shrugs and moves the conversation along until the next guest is ready to speak. Seunghyun nods at appropriate places and replies when it’s required out of politeness but he’s almost relieved when the next speech starts – and can’t quite stop his eyes from seeking out that bright smile every once in a while, his heart stuttering every single time.