A/N: I should probably mention that since Kyungsoo came from Beauxbatons, he blurts out random French sometimes, but nothing a little Google translate won’t fix. (it generally goes along the flow of the dialogue though.) ┐(‘～`；)┌

Kyungsoo scanned the streets for a sign of Seungsoo, who was definitely taking longer than he’d said he would. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Kyungsoo realised what he was seeing. Silhouetted against the fading colors of red and gold, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Kyungsoo’s direction. He sat quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second he hesitated, one of his hands already searching for his wand, wondering whether to shout Protego at the top of his lungs or run. But then the creature soared over one of the street lamps right beside where Kyungsoo was sitting, and he jumped up from his seat in surprise.

“Do you like it?”

Kyungsoo froze as he heard Seungsoo’s sudden voice behind him.

“Oh la vache.” said Kyungsoo in terrified awe, turning around to find his older brother with strange feathers in his hair, “H-how did you get a License for Apparition? And what is that— creature?”

“Obviously, I took the test last year.” shrugged Seungsoo nonchalantly, brushing the feathers off his head.

Kyungsoo wanted to argue that the tests for Apparition weren’t allowed to anyone under 17—  meaning Seungsoo— but he decided it was best not to probe too much into what his brother’s been getting up to.

“That’s a barred owl, by the way. And a damn expensive one at that.” huffed Seungsoo, slumping into the chair across Kyungsoo,“cost me fifteen bloody Galleons, you’d better—”

“Why did you get a owl?” asked Kyungsoo, peeking at said bird on the ground, who was flapping its large spotted wings, “I thought you had a cat— what’s its name— Diablo?”

“Yes he is, and he shall always keep me company.” agreed Seungsoo, “But no matter how much I’d like to keep this expensive bird for myself, I bought it for you— you know, as a welcome to Hogwarts gift of sorts.”

“Oh, thank yo—”

“I do expect you to pay me back in full once you get a job.”

“Wait, wha—”

“And do keep in mind the only reason I gave you a bird is so that you can write home without climbing up the owlery.”

Kyungsoo blinked.

“So I’m just...renting this bird?”

“If you want to put it that way, sure.” said Seungsoo, walking over to the owl, “But it’s yours now, so give it a name or something.”

Kyungsoo watched as Seungsoo perched the bird on his forearm, its wings snowy white and spotted with brown. And large, intelligent eyes scanning its surroundings.

“I want to call it Dio.”

“— because it’s similar to Diablo? Wow, ten points for originality.”

“No, tu es con.” growled Kyungsoo, “It’s the letters of our last name.”

“You named an owl,” said Seungsoo, carefully leading Dio into a large birdcage made of black silver, “after our last name?”

Kyungsoo stayed silent, as he was feeling particularly keen to avoid arguments with Seungsoo on his first day at Diagon Alley.

Seungsoo simply laughed as he picked up the majority of the bags for himself to carry and handed the birdcage over to his younger brother. It was heavy, but judging by the sheer size of Dio, Kyungsoo wouldn’t say he was surprised.

“Now come on, mum’s going to pick us up at the Leaky Cauldron.” said Seungsoo, “and not a word about the Apparating, do you hear me? Not a word.”

“What, scared she might take away your dragon models again?” replied Kyungsoo with a smirk, but struggled to walk as he held Dio’s large cage in both hands.

“I literally just bought you an owl, and you’re already being dead rude.” Seungsoo sniffed.

“Oh sod off.” replied Kyungsoo, rolling his eyes, “After-all, I’m technically just renting it.”

“You’re going to hurt its feelings!” said Seungsoo, casting a pitying glance at Dio, the owl was already asleep, its claws gripped tightly at the bars below, “Poor thing, I feel like I’ve doomed it to a lifetime of suffering when I bought it for you.”

After many exchanges of sarcastic sentences and snarky comments, the brothers arrived at the doors of the Leaky Cauldron, its worn-down exterior resembling that of a Muggle’s barnshed, covered by spiderwebs and old pieces of cloth that Kyungsoo reckoned was once a banner of sorts. He had to admit the green smoke pouring out of the chimney was a bit dodgy though, but then again, so was the moving billboard.

“I should send mum a fire message, shouldn’t I,” muttered Seungsoo as they both settled down at one of the quieter corners in the back of the room, Dio squawked as a particularly loud Ohhhhh resounded from the singer on stage, “To tell them to hurry up…”

“— are there any ways to ensure which house you’re put in?” muttered Kyungsoo, glancing absentmindedly over the crowd of people gathered in front of the stage, “Or does the Hat go with whatever it’s thinking? I— I don’t—”

“You shouldn’t be worrying about it that much, honestly.” said Seungsoo, “Even if, if you get sorted into Slytherin, that doesn’t guarantee a change of character. You’ll still be Kyungsoo, whether you—”

Seungsoo suddenly stopped speaking as a brief moment of eerie silence settled at the bar, hushed whispers circling around the crowd.

And then, from not so far away, Kyungsoo heard screaming. Terrible, terrified, pleading screams. The bar erupted in a fearful frenzy, most of the wizards unsure and confused, but terrified nonetheless. People stumbled and ran over each other, the mass crowd moving together like a giant insect, twitching and crawling towards the exits frantically.

“IT’S A BANSHEE!” someone yelled over the crowd, and Seungsoo stood abruptly from his seat, an alarmed look in his eyes.

“Wha—” said Kyungsoo. He’d only ever read about Banshees in Beauxbatons textbooks. They were dark creatures whose cries were fatal and deadly to whomever heard them, and as far as Kyungsoo knew, they were extinct.

“GRAB YOUR THINGS.” Seungsoo yelled, already out of his seat and looking for an exit, “GRAB THEM AND RUN!”

Kyungsoo frantically reached for Dio’s cage, the bird flapping around and squawking loudly.