“So what’s the plan?” Kyungsoo turned to the Aurors, “How does Xiumin come into this?” Harry eyed Ron before addressing the ten boys crowded around Chanyeol’s bed in the infirmary. “I think you guys should leave this to us adults. We’ll handle-” He couldn’t even finish his sentence before all ten boys were protesting loudly. “Not a chance!” Kyungsoo shook his head. “Yeah, we’re not kids! We want to help.” Kai wrapped an arm across his boyfriend’s shoulders and stared down at Harry Potter. Ooohhh… I’m taller than the living legend himself Heehee. “BabySoo! Look, I’m staring down at Harry Potter!” Kai whispered excitedly into Kyungsoo’s ear. The latter merely rolled his eyes. 

“Technically… he is right. We are still considered teens.” Suho pointed out. “Shut up, gramps! I’m very mature for my age.” Kris scoffed and fist-pumped his chest, “Peace out!” Cue the facepalms. “You shut up!” Lay defended his boyfriend, “You’re the most childish one in the room.” Kris pouted and turned to the still-unconscious Chanyeol once Tao refused to back him up. “I miss you, Yeol. Truthfully, you’re the only who gets me in this group. Krisyeol homies for life! Whaddup.” He pouted harder when Chanyeol remained asleep. “Guys! Be serious.” Chen snapped his fingers at them before turning towards Harry and Ron.

“You can’t just forbid us to help… Xiumin’s my boyfriend-” “He’s our close friend too.” Suho chimed in. Chen nodded, “We want to help. I know we can help. Please don’t do this to us… We-I feel hopeless enough already, knowing that someone I love is in danger and not being able to do anything big time.” He pleaded. One by one, the boys joined Chen in pleading their case. “We know plenty of spells despite our young age.” Suho nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. We can definitely hold our own in a fight!” Luhan added. “If spells don’t work, I can even shove Monster in their faces.” Sehun said with his most serious face as everyone gaped at him. “I swear I have that spider trained to blind someone. Just imagine, his pincers stabbing into their eyes… Muahahahaha. They wouldn’t have eyes to see.” A manic look settled in his eyes. Luhan had to smack his boyfriend to make him snap out of it. 

“Dangerous or not. We’re still capable of making our own decisions.” Kyungsoo eyed the Aurors, “We want to be part of this.” Harry Potter sighed and nodded his head, finally relenting due to their stubbornness. “Fine. You guys can help.” The boys clapped happily before turning serious again. “Do you guys need me to lure Xiumin first?” Kris raised a hand, “I’m the only muggle-born left amongst us.” He volunteered. Tao protested, “That wouldn’t be necessary right?” He stared at Harry, “There are other means, right?” The Auror nodded, “Since a cure is only still in the process of being perfected, we can’t risk you, Kris.” Tao nodded in relief, “What if you become like Chanyeol?” He turned to the said boy immediately, “No offense.” Baekhyun scowled in the other’s stead.

“Your friend’s only being controlled at specific times, I believe?” Harry questioned Chen, “For large parts of the day, Xiumin’s still himself?” The Ravenclaw nodded, “He’s still the same Xiumin. We go to lessons as per usual… I wouldn’t suspect there was something wrong with him the way he’s acting.” Harry and Ron nodded. “Maybe Keto’s only controlling him whenever he’s near the Fraer gemstone.” Kyungsoo arched an eyebrow, “That wouldn’t make sense though…” Multiple pairs of eyes stared at him in confusion. “Keto was already controlling Xiumin before. How else would Xiumin know to steal the gemstone from the dungeons?” He explained. “So it’s unpredictable… when Keto will take over your friend’s body.” Ron concluded, “That’s unfortunate.” 

“Whatever it is, Keto’s main objective is to use the stone to eliminate all muggle-borns. So no matter what, we have to get the Fraer gemstone from them.” Harry stated. “Do you think Xiumin’s carrying it wherever he goes?” Baekhyun asked softly. The Aurors shrugged, “It could also be in his dorm room.” Both Chen and Suho’s eyes widened, after all, they do share the same room as Xiumin. “Who shall have the honor of retrieving the stone…” Harry’s voice trailed off. At once, everyone’s gaze fell upon the two Ravenclaws who also happened to be Xiumin’s roommates. 

He didn’t have much time. In order to not attract unnecessary attention, and possibly warn off Keto who could possibly be monitoring Xiumin, the rest of the boys and the Aurors had not followed him to the Ravenclaw Tower. He was going in alone. Unlike the Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff common rooms where one simply needs the password to enter, to gain access to the Ravenclaw common room requires one to answer a riddle correctly. “The poor has it, the rich needs it, and you’ll die if you eat it. What is this it that I speak of?” The eagle knocker on the door asked. It took mere seconds for him to get it right. “It is nothing.” He mumbled. “Nothing it is.” The eagle knocker spoke and the door swung open, inviting him in. 

He hurried to the third floor boys’ dormitories and swept into the room shared by Chen, Xiumin and Suho. Where can it be? He flipped open Xiumin’s trunk and ransacked through the many cloaks and books it contained. Come on. Come on. Come on! He was starting to get anxious. The Aurors had no idea where Xiumin currently was, so there was every possibility that the said boy could walk in on him searching through his stuff. When the trunk rendered his search fruitless, he crouched down onto the floor and bingo he dragged out the second smaller trunk from under Xiumin’s bed. He was just about to pull out the trunk from underneath the bed when the door creaked open and a pair of shoes appeared at the doorway.

“What are you doing in my room, Kris?” Xiumin frowned. Kris coughed awkwardly and rose to his full height. The Ravenclaw’s face was void of any emotions and Kris felt a shiver run down his spine. I’m in deep . “Erm… C-Chen borrowed my comic collection and he hasn’t returned it. Told me to get it from his room, so here I am.” Kris stared at the other’s chin; he couldn’t meet Xiumin’s stare, if he did, the other would find out. “Chen’s bed is over there.” Xiumin pointed to the other side of the room, “That’s my bed you were searching under.” The Ravenclaw’s tone had dipped and it was now borderline creepy, the way there was an edge to Xiumin’s voice. 

“You’re not Xiumin, aren’t you?” Kris frowned. I guess the game is up. Xiumin closed the door ever so slowly and locked it, his eyes flicked up to meet Kris’s as his lips curled into a smirk. “You’re not that dumb for a mudblood.” Xiumin chuckled in Keto’s voice. He stepped closer to Kris before he bent down to pull out the trunk from underneath his bed. “I know what you’re looking for, mudblood.” He spat and rummaged through the contents of the second trunk. “Despite knowing the danger that comes with it, you came looking for it… aren’t you afraid that you’ll end up like your other mudblood friend?” Xiumin stared up at Kris who refused to back away. 

“B-Before you do anything, I have one question…” Kris stuttered and grabbed onto the hem of his cloak. “At least, give me an answer before you have your way with me.” Xiumin tapped on his chin before shrugging, “Okay. I can grant you that… because you won’t be in any state to ask questions after I’m done with you.” He folded his arms and smirked. Kris flinched. “How are you controlling Xiumin? I know he’s in there somewhere… you’re messing with his mind. Stop messing with his mind!” Kris balled up his fists. Xiumin laughed in his face before grabbing at the front of Kris’s cloak. “Dark magic, of course… remember that day in the Do Mansion. I’ve been in his head all this time.” Keto said. “Poor little Xiumin has been screaming at me, trying to get me out of his pretty little head, but to no avail. If you want to save your friend, you would have to cast on me the exact same spell I used on him… only then can I surrender the binds.” 

Kris grabbed onto Xiumin’s fist and stared deep into the other’s eyes. “I know you’re in there, Minnie. Fight! Don’t yield to this madman. Please… Come back. The guys need their friend back, and I-I need you back.” He rushed out. For a second there, Kris swore he saw a shadow of the real Xiumin behind those eyes before the Xiumin standing before him whipped out a pale orange stone- the Fraer gemstone and flashed it in his face. The last he heard was Keto’s chilling voice biding him goodbye, before Kris’s body crumpled to the ground. 

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