Written by: "Padfoot"

Pairing: Gyusoo

Prompt: "HarryPotter!AU, person a and person b’s friendship through the years eventually turns into something more."

(Words: 12,566)

 

 

---

 

“Excuse me?  Is it okay if we ride in the carriage with you?”

Kim Myungsoo, 5^th year Hufflepuff student, looked outside of the carriage that he and his friend, Sungyeol from Gryffindor, were riding in.  A Gryffindor student, Myungsoo vaguely remembered him and he had a prefect badge on his robes, smiled up at them with two other students, two Slytherins. 

“All of the rest of the carriages are full,” the Gryffindor continued.  “Is it okay?”

Myungsoo couldn’t quite find his voice, but his best friend, Sungyeol from Ravenclaw spoke up for him, “Of course, get in.”

“I’m Woohyun,” the boy said as he and the other two got into the carriage.  “And this is Sunggyu and Sungjong.”

“I’m Sungyeol and this is Myungsoo,” Sungyeol introduced, pointing at Myungsoo as he mentioned him. 

“Nice to meet you,” Sungjong said.  “Aren’t a Chaser on the Hufflepuff team?  Sunggyu is the Chaser for the Slytherin team.”

Looking at the two, Myungsoo recognized Sunggyu from the Slytherin Quidditch team, but he never had noticed him until now.  When Sunggyu caught Myungsoo’s gaze on him, Sunggyu smiled at him and nodded shyly.  Immediately, Myungsoo felt himself flushing a shade of red and looked away quickly. 

Before anyone else could say anything – Myungso knew that Sungyeol was dying for a chance to tease Myungsoo –  the door opened again.  “Hey!” Dongwoo, another fellow Hufflepuff, called out cheerfully, squeezing into the seat with his friend, Hoya from Ravenclaw.  “For the first time in forever, you aren’t alone!”

Sungyeol rolled his eyes and pushed Myungsoo.  “Scoot over,” he ordered. 

“There’s no room,” Myungsoo mumbled, wiggling in his spot between Sungyeol and Sunggyu. 

A warm arm suddenly wrapped around his waist, bringing him closer to someone else.  “There’s some room beside me,” Sunggyu’s warm voice said. 

Myungsoo hoped that it was too dark to see him blush. 

 

 

The Great Hall was filled with chatter until Professor McGonagall came in with the first years.  Myungsoo absent mindedly watched the students until one of the students moved and Myungsoo’s eyes landed on the Slytherin table.  It just so happened that Sunggyu was sitting right across from Sunggyu’s back was facing him as he talked to Sungjong who was sitting on the other side of the table.  Too busy staring at the back of Sunggyu’s head, he didn’t notice that Sungjong spotted him and was leaning forward towards Sunggyu, whispering something quietly.  Sunggyu turned around and his eyes landed on Myungsoo.  For a split second, their eyes met.  That split second caused Myungsoo to burry his face in his arms, embarrassed.

“Myungsoo?” Sungyeol asked.  “What’s going on?”

Dongwoo laughed and shook his head.  “He just saw Sunggyu look in his direction.”

“Is that so?” Sungyeol asked, his eyes glimmering with mischief. 

A split second too late, Myungsoo realized what Sunggyu was planning.  “No, Yeo-”

Sungyeol was standing up on his bench and yelling across the hall, “Hey!  Sunggyu!  You from Slytherin!  My friend Myungsoo likes you!”

Myungsoo groaned and buried his head in his hands, knowing that the tips of his ears were probably bright red.  The whole Great Hall laughed and Professor McGonagall smiled slightly.  “Thank you, Mr. Lee for that announcement,” she said.  “Is there anything else you would like to say?”

“Nope,” Sungyeol said with a wide grin, sitting down as everyone was laughing. 

“I can’t believe that you just did that,” Myungsoo whispered to Sungyeol as he sat down.  “Why did you just do that?”

Sungyeol gave him a wide grin.  “You’re going to thank me later,” he said. 

“Why will I thank you?” Myungsoo mumbled, staring at ‘Arganosa, Taylor’ who was getting sorted. 

“I’m just sure you will,” Sungyeol answered during the applause after, ‘Ravenclaw!’ sounded around the hall. 

Rolling his eyes again, Myungsoo turned to Dongwoo who was still laughing about it.  “Dongwoo, really!”

“I’m sorry, Soo, but... it’s funny!”

Myungsoo scowled and ignored them for the rest of the sorting, making a point to scowl at the two of them (still laughing) every once in a while.  The sorting ended quickly and McGonagall stood up.  “And now we shall-”

“Wait!”

Everyone turned around to where Sungjong was standing up at the table.  “Sunggyu has something to say!”

The whole hall was laughing.  Through the crowd, Myungsoo could see Sunggyu trying to pull Sungjong down, but failed and let him be pulled up too.  Turning around, Sunggyu’s eyes quickly found Myungsoo’s at the Hufflepuff table.  “Myungsoo!  I like you too!” he yelled, his voice lifting up at the end into a squeak.  As quickly as he said it, Sunggyu fell back down into his chair, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples in embarrassment. 

Myungsoo felt his whole face burning as everyone in the hall roared with laughter, someone starting to yell for them to start kissing, sounding suspiciously like Woohyun.

At the staff table, half of the professors were laughing, others were on the brink of laughter too.  McGonagall’s eyes were glimmering with laughter and she shook her head.  “Well, this is certainly an interesting beginning of the year,” she said.  “Mr. Lee, Mr. Kim, thank you for that announcement.  Now, unless someone else has a confession, let the feast begin.”

Myungsoo was still hiding himself in embarrassment and he was sure that Sunggyu was feeling the same way. 

“I told you that you would thank me!” Sungyeol sang out from the Ravenclaw table. 

With a groan, Myungsoo shook his head.  “I can’t believe you...”

“Myungsoo!” Sungjong’s voice rose about the general chatter.  “Sunggyu wants to meet with you after the feast!”

Myungsoo was pretty sure that he would be a puddle on the floor by the time that the feast ended. 

 

 

All of the students were leaving the hall, but Myungsoo hesitated slightly, wondering if Sunggyu really wanted to meet with him.  Even though he waited until the whole hall was empty, Sunggyu wasn’t there. 

Cheeks burning with embarrassment, Myungsoo hurried out of the hall, not looking where he was going until he ran into a warm body.  Carefully, Myungsoo looked up slowly, finding the prefect badge and Slytherin robes before raising his eyes to Sunggyu’s perfect face. 

“Hi,” Sunggyu said shyly. 

“H-h-hey...” Myungsoo stammered. 

The two stood there together, just staring at each other until finally Sunggyu coughed and pulled something out of the folds of his robes.  “Here...” he said quickly.  “It’s... not exactly flowers and I’m sorry if they’re slightly squished.”

Myungsoo looked down at the salt-water taffies that Sunggyu held out to him and smiled at the sweet gesture.  “Thank you,” he said, taking them.  “But I don’t have anything to give you...”

“No, it’s okay,” Sunggyu said with a little smile.  “I... I like you.  If you want to met with me again... that’s all I want from you.”

The sudden confession made Myungsoo feel warm inside, it was so much different than the yelled confessions across the Great Hall.  “Okay,” Myungsoo said with a nod.  “Breakfast tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Sunggyu said with a smile. 

Looking down in embarrassment, Myungsoo couldn’t find anything to say, but then Sunggyu suddenly pressed a warm kiss on Myungsoo’s cheek.  “Good night.”

Myungsoo watched as Sunggyu took off running to the Slytherin commons, the tips of his ears bright red against his light brown hair.  As he reached the Hufflepuff commons, he opened the door.  The moment that he stepped foot in the common room, he was bombarded with Hufflepuffs, all asking about his Slytherin admirer. 

“Let him breathe,” Dongwoo yelled, pushing his way through the crowd.  “Well, how did it go?”

Myungsoo held his hands against his cheeks as if that could extinguish the fire in his cheeks.  “He gave me salt water taffies,” he said with a little smile.  “And breakfast tomorrow morning.”

Everyone exploded into chatter and catcalls.  Myungsoo turned even redder than the Gryffindor robes and ran up to his dorm. 

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Myungsoo looked at the salt-water taffies that he was still holding, his body heat making the candies soft.  Smiling softly to himself, Myungsoo popped a candy into his mouth.  Carefully, he placed the other candies in a jar and placed them on his bedside table. 

This year was certainly going to be an interesting year. 

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

The next morning, Myungsoo got up rather early, too nervous about Sunggyu, but it turned out that he had nothing to worry about.  Sunggyu looked just as nervous about it as he waited in front of the Great Hall doors.  Even though it was unusual for houses to mix seats, Sunggyu sat with Myungsoo at the Hufflepuff table for breakfast.  The two of them got plenty of stares and whispers behind their back, left over energy from the drama last evening at dinner still clinging onto the students. Despite that, the rest of the breakfast went smoothly.  Sunggyu passed him a muffin, mumbling something about it being his favourite at Hogwarts, which made Myungsoo, turn a bright share of red if he wasn’t red already.  

The next month, Sunggyu kept on courting Myungsoo.  Or at least Sungyeol called it courting, which by definition, it was.  Sunggyu always sat with him at meals when he could, he always took him to class and brought him little gifts like sherbet lemons or Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.  Each time that they could go on a date – their dates were limited due to schoolwork and both of them being on their houses’ Quidditch team – Sunggyu would buy him some more saltwater taffies.  Myungsoo wasn’t sure exactly why Sunggyu chose saltwater taffies, but whenever Sunggyu showed up for a date, he always had a bag of saltwater taffies for him.

The first Quidditch game of the season comes quickly.  Unfortunately for the two of them, it was Hufflepuff verses Slytherin.  Myungsoo was the Chaser on the Hufflepuff team since his second year, while Sunggyu, also a Chaser, had just started last year.   

“Good luck today, Myungsoo!” said Luna, one of the Hufflepuff prefects, cheerfully as she passed with her friends, Amber and Victoria.  “You can beat those Slytherins!”

Myungsoo smiled at her support, but the butterflies in his stomach didn’t settle until he saw Sunggyu waiting for him in the Great Hall, kicking out anyone who tried to sit down next to him.  His face turned into a soft smile as he saw Myungsoo coming towards him.  “Myungsoo, come over here!” he called out.  As Myungsoo sat down beside him, Sunggyu slid a plate filled with he knew as Myungsoo’s favourite breakfast.  “You need all of your energy today.”

“Hey, why are you helping the enemy?” Minho, a Slytherin Chaser, asked, pointing a piece of toast at Sunggyu.  “And the two of you need to stop looking so cute in the morning, it’s not good for my health.”

“Grow up,” Sunggyu demanded, returning to patting Myungsoo’s hair comfortingly.  “If you want cute, go to Taemin and Jonghyun.”

Pretending to be terrified by the idea, Minho gasped, “No!  Never!” before standing up.  “See you down in the stadium, Kim,” he said cheerfully to Myungsoo.  “And Kim-” He pointed to Sunggyu.  “-lose the boyfriend and get your down to the pitch or Malfoy will kick you half way across the pitch.”

Sunggyu chuckled as Minho left the Great Hall.  “It’s okay, I still have time,” he said to Myungsoo who had started to look worried.  “Malfoy’s really fussy about it, but as long as I get a lot of goals today, he’ll be fine.”

After finishing breakfast, the two of them went down to the Quidditch pitch, Sunggyu holding Myungsoo’s hand gently. “You know...”

“Yeah?”

“You’re a great Quidditch player,” Sunggyu said with a smile.  “Play well today, because I’ll be doing my best too.”

Myungsoo laughed.  “Good luck,” he said as he hugged Sunggyu once more before running to his changing room. 

Thankfully he was the first one there.  Even though most of the Slytherin team was already there, Myungsoo was the only Hufflepuff player.  Hurriedly, he changed into his player robes, not wanting anyone to walk in on him as he changed.  He had just finished changing as the rest of the team came into the room.  Syd, the captain and one of the Beaters, cheerfully patted his shoulder as she passed to go change.  Junghwa and Kai, the other chasers were chattering about Longbottom’s class, something about some kind of herb that sounded unfamiliar to Myungsoo.  Their youngest player and Seeker, Jungkook, looked nervous about the match.  Myungsoo tried to smile at him comfortingly, but it didn’t really work. 

“Hey,” their last Beater, Josh Cunfer, greeted Myungsoo as they warmed up together.  “You ready to go up against your boyfriend?”

Myungsoo gave him a crooked smile and nodded.  “Of course, all of our friends have bets on which of us are going to let the other one win.”

“This is not a game!” Josh yelled, mimicking their old captain, Jessie, who had left last year.  “It’s a competition.”

The whistle finally blew and they were up in the air.  Smirking, Myungsoo looked across the field to where Sunggyu was waiting.  It seemed like both of the captains were trying the same tactic to distract Myungsoo by using Sunggyu and vice versa.  Sunggyu smiled back at him, making Myungsoo’s ears to turn red again.  He pressed his hands against his hands against his cheeks to ward away the heat as Madame Hooch stepped into the middle of the field with the Quidditch balls.

“Players, are you ready?”

Everyone nodded as the crowds roared.  Above the rumble, Myungsoo heard Sungyeol’s distinct voice yell, “MYUNGSOO!  Beat his sorry Slytherin !  I have ten galleons on you!”

“No you don’t, Lee, you bet that he would get distracted first!”  Woohyun yelled. 

Myungsoo laughed at the two of them and looked across to where Sunggyu was adjusting his gloves.  Catching his eye, Sunggyu pointed at him and made a thumbs down sign.  “You’re going down, Kim,” he called out. 

“No, you are going down, Kim!”

Without further ado, Madame Hooch released the balls and the game started. 

The score was 160-70 in favour of Hufflepuff, mostly because of Myungsoo or maybe it was Sunggyu who was letting Myungsoo pass, but Myungsoo started to doubt the first as Malfoy started yelling loudly across the field at Sunggyu for that reason.  Below them, Myungsoo could hear cheering and Sungyeol demanding that Myungsoo let him win the bet and get distracted by Sunggyu, but Myungsoo just ignored his friend, letting Woohyun take care of him instead, pressing forward. 

He felt so free as he flew in the air, dodging between players and sending the Quaffle into the hoops again and again.  For a moment, Myungsoo felt like nothing could touch him. 

Looking back, as he flew towards the goals again, he saw Sunggyu tailing him closely, his features set and ready.

Somewhere else on the pitch, someone yelled out, “Kim!  Look out!”

Myungsoo looked forward, but it was too late as the bludger hit Myungsoo square in the chest, sending him flying back and falling off his broom.  Pain filled his chest and he tumbled off his broom, hurtling towards the ground, but suddenly he landed against someone’s arms, stopping his fall.  Opening his eyes slowly against the pain, Myungsoo found himself in Sunggyu’s arms. 

“It’s okay,” Sunggyu whispered in his ear.  “I got you.”

Again, Myungsoo felt his ears turning bright red as Sunggyu landed and let Myungsoo stand on the ground on his own feet, but immediately, Myungsoo’s knees gave out from underneath him and he grasped his chest in pain. 

“Help!” Sunggyu yelled out, kneeling down beside Myungsoo.  He felt acutely aware of the whole school watching them as the medical team rushed out towards them. 

“Kim, are you okay?” Syd asked as she landed down next to them.  The fall air was cool against his skin as the medical wizard took off his uniform and the medic gasped, but it wasn’t because the bludger hit. 

Too late, Myungsoo realized what happened and was yanking his shirt back over his shoulder, but the whole school had already seen the scars marring his chest. 

“He’s a werewolf!”

“A werewolf?”

“There was a werewolf bite!”

Myungsoo looked away from everyone, staring Sunggyu’s knees as tears started to drip down his cheeks. 

“He’s a werewolf!” someone shrieked again and everyone was backing away. Myungsoo’s heart dropped as he waited for Sunggyu to back away as everyone else was, but Sunggyu’s knees didn’t move. 

Instead, Sunggyu’s hands reached forward and touched his chest where the remaining scars of the bite.  For a moment, Myungsoo didn’t see Sunggyu’s beautiful hands, but instead those blood stained hands that ripped him open with those fangs that sunk into his chest, but soon, they were Sunggyu’s hands again, holding him gently and dearly. 

“Why are you... why are you still here?” Myungsoo whispered.  “Why aren’t you backing away like the rest?” 

Sunggyu didn’t reply right away, just watching as the golden fabric fell away from Myungsoo’s body again, revealing the scars to the school. 

“I’m just a monster, Sunggyu, please just leave me,” Myungsoo begged. 

Sunggyu raised his eyes to meet Myungsoo’s teary eyes, they only became tearier as he saw all the trust and love in Sunggyu’s eyes. 

“Why do you trust a monster like me?” Myungsoo whispered.  

Without replying, Sunggyu leaned forward and kissed Myungsoo.  Myungsoo’s eyes fluttered shut as Sunggyu’s warm lips didn’t leave his, pressing him against his gently.  Only when Sunggyu pulled away did Myungsoo open his eyes.  “Because I do trust you.  You aren’t any different, with this bite or not, I trust you.”

Myungsoo was crying in Sunggyu’s arms as the rest of the school watched, turning away from the werewolf boy.   

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

For the night, Myungsoo stayed in the hospital wing, his ribs still stinging a bit from the broken ribs that Madame Pomfrey healed earlier.  He still felt Sunggyu’s lips on his, he wished that he was still safe in Sunggyu’s arms. 

Instead, he woke up the next morning, hearing screaming from the outside of the hospital wing. 

“He’s a werewolf and werewolves are monsters!”

“Mr. Potter, just because he is a werewolf doesn’t mean he’s attacking people.”

“But it fits!  Kendrick was the one who hit the Bludger at him.  He could be mad that they lost the game.”

“Enough, Mr. Potter. Don’t go speculating on evidence as thin as this.  This is not the same as the Chamber of Secrets.”

“But-”

Myungsoo barely had time to sit up in the bed when Professor McGonagall swept into the hospital wing.  A group of students, including Al Potter that were following her scattered away.  Immediately her eyes landed on Myungsoo and she came over to him, a small frown on her face. 

“Mr. Kim, I need to ask you, did you leave your bed tonight?”

Staring at her stunned, he couldn’t find anything to say, but was rescued from saying anything by Madame Pomfrey. 

“He didn’t leave his bed since his friends left him last night, the other Mr. Kim made him promise to stay in there until he came back for him this morning.  What on Earth is going on, Minerva?”

was set into a straight line as she beckoned Myungsoo to follow her.  Slipping on his runners, Myungsoo hurried after her as she started talking. 

“There has been some strange things going on tonight, Mr. Kim,” she informed him as they walked towards the door.  “Very strange indeed.”

The moment she opened the doors to the hospital wing, it felt like Myungsoo had stepped into a whole different Hogwarts.  Everyone was staring at him, from every direction, students were looking at him.  As they descended down the stairs, each staircase was filled with curious students looking at him. 

“Myungsoo!” Sungyeol parted from the crowd and grabbed onto his arm.  “Are you okay?  Ribs okay?”

Managing to pull his eyes away from the other students who were staring at him, Myungsoo quietly asked, “What’s going on Sungyeol?”

“There’s... there’s something you need to see,” Sungyeol said.  “It’s bad, Myungsoo, it’s really bad.”

Just as he said those words, they reached a throng of students who were all straining to see something.  Myungsoo tried to look over their heads as they parted to allow McGonagall and Myungsoo though.  The back of his neck prickled as he felt more eyes staring at him, accusingly, and he felt more confused as he reached the middle of the crowd. 

Then everything made sense. 

It looked like there was a whole shrine in the middle of the halls of Hogwarts.  Grotesque branches and flowers wove around to make a small cage where it was obvious that someone had been taken out of.  On the floor there was blood that nearly made Myungsoo throw up. 

“Kendrick Matthews was found here this morning,” McGonagall told him, though her voice sounded far away.  “He’s alive, but he’s in St Mungo’s receiving urgent care.  He keeps on screaming about a monster and has received many wounds.  Do you know anything about this, Mr. Kim?”

Managing to tear his eyes away and focus on McGonagall’s words, Myungsoo started frantically shaking his head.  “It wasn’t me!  It can’t be me!  It wasn’t!  I swear!” he yelled. 

“Mr. Kim, maybe we need to talk-”

“No!” Myungsoo interrupted, backing away.  “This wasn’t me!  I swear!  I’m not a monster like this!”

Stumbling back, he crashed into someone and when he looked over, his heart fell at the hostility in their gaze.  Backing away, Myungsoo looked around, wishing desperately to run away, but everywhere he looked, there were students around him, staring at him as if he was a monster.

Everything was blurring out as Myungsoo’s breathing came out in short irregular bursts, Sungyeol’s hand on his back and McGonagall talking to him barely doing anything to help him.  Myungsoo could feel himself on the brink of blacking out. 

“Get out of my way!” Myungsoo heard someone screaming and he recognized the voice.  The next second, Sunggyu pushed his way through the crowds, Woohyun and Sungjong right behind him.  “Myungsoo!”

Gratefully, Myungsoo jumped into his arms, crying quietly. 

“Shh, Soo, it’s okay,” Sunggyu mumbled in his ear.  “What’s going on?”

“He attacked a student,” someone spoke up.  He felt Sunggyu stiffen against him, but as soon as Myungsoo clung to him closer, Sunggyu just held him closer and whispered calming words in his ear.  

“Enough,” she said firmly to the group of students.  “Now everyone, go back to your dormitories and get ready for today’s classes.”

Slowly everyone left, grumbling, leaving only McGonagall, Myungsoo and Sunggyu left. 

“Mr. Kim, please Mr. Kim up to the hospital wing,” McGonagall requested.  “He’s very shaken.”

Sunggyu nodded and adjusted his arm around Myungsoo to guide him away.  “Don’t worry, Soo,” he said gently.  “I’ll take care of you.”

Thankfully, Myungsoo leaned against Sunggyu’s shoulder.  “I don’t understand,” he whispered.  “It... it wasn’t me...”

“I know,” said Sunggyu.  “We’ll get through this together.”

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

It took nearly three weeks for everything to go back to normal. 

Well... nearly normal. 

Students’ eyes kept on following him everywhere that he went and there were always whispers.  Even in the Hufflepuff dormitories, Myungsoo could hear them whispering.  More often then not, Myungsoo spent his time in abandoned classrooms with his friends that didn’t point and stare. 

After a couple of weeks, both Myungsoo and Sunggyu were off the Quidditch team.  Sunggyu got in an argument with the team over Myungsoo, eventually leading to Sunggyu getting kicked off the team.  At the same time, Myungsoo quit the Hufflepuff team, feeling horrible every time that he got onto the broom. 

Kendrick, on the other hand, was still in St Mungo’s, traumatized from the attack of the Monster of Hogwarts as everyone had come to speak of it.  From what Myungsoo had heard, it was nearly like Kendrick was dead, unable to respond to the world, though those were just rumors.  Every time someone talked about it, he couldn’t help but feel guilty even though he knew that he wasn’t the one who attaced Kendrick.  The grotesque cage-shrine-thing that the Monster of Hogwarts had set up to trap Kendrick in during the first attack was still there.  Each of the professors had tried vanishing it, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not even vanish one of the dried flowers.  Instead, that hallway was roped off and students were forbidden to go in there.

Just as Myungsoo thought that it was going to calm down – people no longer skirted around him in the hallways or sat as far away as possible during meals – but he was wrong. 

He needed an extra book for one of his assignments and even though Sunggyu volunteered to go with him, Myungsoo said no, thinking that it would be okay to go out alone now.  Going to the library was uneventful, but as he was pulling the book down from the shelf, he heard something. 

“What about that werewolf from Hufflepuff?”

Myungsoo froze as he heard voices from the other side of the bookshelf.  Of course, he could recognize the most famous voice in the school, James Potter.   

“You know what a werewolf looks like.”  The next voice was Rose Weasley’s.  “Teddy doesn’t do anything like that.”

“All werewolves are different!” James said loudly, followed by hushing of a couple of other voices.  “They are different,” he said in a quieter voice. 

“That Kim doesn’t look that bad.”

“But still, we should keep an eye on him.”

Before he could hear any more, Myungsoo rushed out of the library, not caring that he ran into students, causing them to drop their books.  He just needed to get out of there. 

Again, he crashed into a warm body.  It took him a moment to realize who it was and when he realized, he folded himself gratefully into Sunggyu’s arms. 

“Soo?” Sunggyu asked.  “What’s wrong?”

“They still think that I did that,” he whispered.  “They think I’m a monster.”

“Who?”

“Everybody.  I’m sure.  Everyone thinks that I’m a monster.”

“Who are they?” Sunggyu asked again.  “Tell me!”

Shaking his head, Myungsoo didn’t say anything, but Sunggyu saw something over his shoulder.  “Sunggyu, don’t...”

He couldn't say anything to change Sunggyu’s mind as Sunggyu stomped forward and glared at James and his friends.  “You leave Myungsoo alone,” he yelled, not caring that it was a library.  “He’s no where near a monster that you say he is.  Just because you’re Head Boy and the son of Harry Potter, do not think for even a moment that I’m going to let you hurt him because I love him so much.  Don’t you dare think to speak one word against him ever again or I am going to-”

“You love me?” Myungsoo asked in a small voice. 

Sunggyu turned around, the fire suddenly dying from his eyes as he faced Myungsoo.  “What...”

“You said that,” Myungsoo stammered.  “In all of that...”

The tips of Sunggyu’s ears turned red, but he nodded, the realization that he said that coming to him too.  “I do, Myungsoo, I really do love you.”

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

“Do I look okay?” Myungsoo asked, spinning around for Dongwoo to inspect his outfit as he had done about twenty times in the last half hour. 

“You look fine,” Dongwoo reassured.  “And Sunggyu will love how you look no matter what.”

The last visit for Hogsmade was that evening and the next day the students would be going back to their homes for Christmas break.  The group of friends was going to Hogsmade together and Myungsoo and Sunggyu planned to make a date out of it. 

“Are you sure?” Myungsoo asked, spinning around once more for Dongwoo. 

“I’m very sure,” said Dongwoo gently.  “Now, let’s go and meet the others before we’re late.”

By the time the two of them reached the front hall, Myungsoo had permanently worn himself down with worry, but as soon as he saw Sunggyu, all of the worry was out of the window.  Sunggyu was looking the other way, talking to Sungyeol and Hoya.  He didn’t notice Myungsoo and Dongwoo until Woohyun literally spun him around so that he was facing the other way.  As soon as Sunggyu’s eyes landed on Myungsoo, his mouth fell open and he nearly tripped over the edges of his robe as he rushed up to Myungsoo.  “You... you look amazing,” he stuttered, looking down in embarrassment as he started to stutter. 

Sunggyu’s embarrassment only caused Myungsoo to feel more embarrassed, ears turning pink as he mumbled, “You do too.”

Their friends laughed at them and Sungjong pushed them towards outside.  “Get going you two love birds,” he ordered.

The quick walk to Hogsmade was slightly cold, but Sunggyu’s warm hand chased the cold away for Myungsoo.  The evening passed in a excited blur.  Myungsoo and Sunggyu sat in the Three Broomsticks together for a long time, sipping on Butterbeer and talking to each other.  The others had left a long time ago, promising to sit together on the train tomorrow.  Of course Sungyeol and Woohyun made sure to remind them to use protection.  After leaving the Three Broomsticks, Sunggyu took Myungsoo to Honeydukes where he bought Myungsoo assorted candies and of course, saltwater taffies. 

It was already getting late by the time they returned to the castle, but the two of them didn’t want to say goodbye just yet.  Instead, in an unused classroom, the two of them sat in the light of the half moon, sharing a couple of Cauldron Cakes and Butterbeer. 

Scooting closer, Sunggyu pulled Myungsoo into his arms, running his fingers through Myungsoo’s hair and kissing Myungsoo’s cheeks.  Myungsoo smiled and relaxed in his embrace, feeling safer than he had for the past couple of weeks. 

Suddenly, Sunggyu’s fingers stopped in his Myungsoo’s hair and muttered, “What is this?”

Myungsoo opened his eyes as Sunggyu pulled something out of his hair and looked at it in his palm.  “What’s what?”

When Sunggyu wouldn’t show him, Myungsoo brought Sunggyu’s hand closer and looked into it, frowning as he saw a little beetle, its legs waving in the air.  “It’s okay,” he said.  “I’m not scared of bugs.”

Sunggyu scowled and dropped it on the ground, crushing it under his feet before spinning Myungsoo around, checking for something. 

“What is it?” Myungsoo asked as Sunggyu looked at his shoes closely. 

“That was a listening bug,” Sunggyu growled, finishing his search of Myungsoo.  “Hermione Granger made that.  After the war, she invented a listening bug with the help of George Weasley, so that they could spy on Death Eaters.”

“Oh...” Myungsoo remembered that in the back of his head and he nodded slowly.

“I can’t believe they planted it on you,” Sunggyu growled, his eyes narrowed into slits as he looked around.  “I am going to-”

“Calm down,” Myungsoo begged, clinging onto Sunggyu’s robes.  “Sunggyu.  It’s okay.  We’ll be okay.”

Sunggyu took in a shaky breath and shook his head. “Okay, I’m sorry.  Let’s... let’s go to bed now, okay?”

Myungsoo nodded and leaned forward to kiss Sunggyu’s lips gently.  “Good night, Sunggyu.”

“Night, Soo,” Sunggyu whispered, kissing Myungsoo once again.  “I love you.  I’ll always protect you.”

Smiling, Myungsoo let his fingers linger against Sunggyu’s for a few moments before letting go.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He watched Sunggyu leave towards the Slytherin dorms, but Myungsoo started looking for a certain someone.  Spotting Rose Weasley and James sitting in an empty corridor, he headed over, but before he got there, two students pushed past him, yelling out, “James!  James!  They discovered the bug!”

James opened his mouth, but then quickly stopped, spotting Myungsoo behind Al and Hugo.  “Kim-”

Even though all Myungsoo wanted to do was to cry, he stopped himself from breaking down as he spoke.  “I know you bugged me,” Myungsoo said quietly.  “I don’t appreciate it, but you better be thankful that I stopped Sunggyu from coming over here.  Please don’t try that again.  I promise you that I’m not the Monster of Hogwarts.  Good night.”

Myungsoo hurried out of the hall, trying not to show that he was crying. 

 

 

The next day, Myungsoo was excited to go back home with Sunggyu, but Myungsoo woke up from the sounds of people yelling and screaming in the Hufflepuff common room. 

“What is it?” Myungsoo asked Connor who had just came into the room. 

“The Monster of Hogwarts struck again!” Connor yelled, his eyes wide.  “This time, it was Hugo Weasley!”

Even though Myungsoo didn’t want to go because he knew what was going to be waiting for him, the crowds of Hufflepuff students pushed him along to the front hall.  In the front hall, there was a crowd of students.  Myungsoo was trying to push his way out of the crowd, but it was impossible in the crowd until someone saw Myungsoo and screamed, “It’s him!”

Immediately, everyone parted away from Myungsoo and he felt very small under all of their accusing gazes.  “I... I’m...”

“You!”

Looking around, Myungsoo barely had time to duck as Rose threw a punch at him.  He flew down to the ground, holding his nose as Rose hit him again.  “You evil scumbag and now you come back to laugh at your crime.  Laugh at this!” She dragged him forward through the crowd that parted immediately as they passed until they reached the centre.  “Laugh, Kim!  You laugh at this!”

Myungsoo slipped over his feet as Rose pushed him into the middle.  Looking down, blood slipped over Myungsoo’s shoes and bile rose up into the back of his throat. 

“Look, Kim, look at all of this!”

Raising his eyes shakily, Myungsoo felt his eyes welling up with tears as he saw the same cage from the first time and the accusing stares of the students.  “I... I...”

“You’re the Monster of Hogwarts!  You're a monster!

Turning around, Myungsoo saw Rose raising her wand, but he didn’t do any to stop her as she hit him with a curse.  With a flash of light, Myungsoo crumbled down to his knees, landing in the blood, and his chest ached as if someone had just hit him with a bat. 

“No!  Rose!  You can’t!”

Myungsoo closed his eyes, one hand gripping his chest and the other barely holding him up in the middle of the blood of Hugo, as James or Al – someone is all that mattered – stopped Rose from sending another curse. 

“He attacked my brother!” Rose shrieked.  “Kendrick is still not responding to anyone, who knows what’s going to happen to Hugo!  He’s good as dead!  And Kim is the one who did it!  He killed Hugo!  He killed the son of Ron and Hermonie Weasley!”

Everyone in the hall was murmuring from the crowd and suddenly someone yelled out a spell.  Myungsoo doubled over in pain, holding a hand that was now covered in red blisters. 

He heard teachers yelling and students yelling more curses, but none of that mattered.  His whole world was reduced down to the pain as he thrashed on the floor, screaming and writhing in pain. 

“I’m so sorry.  Please stop,” Myungsoo begged into his hands, tasting copper from his blood and the blood from the floor.  “Please stop.”

“STOP!  THIS IS NOT WHAT WE DO AT HOGWARTS!”

Maybe it was his imagination, but the pain had stopped.  Under his breath, he kept on begging and crying for forgiveness from anyone who would give him it. 

“Myungsoo!”

It was Sunggyu’s voice that called out to him and automatically Myungsoo reached out for him as he kept on arm over his face, covering up his hex covered face.  Everything smelled like blood and Myungsoo cried into Sunggyu’s arms as Sunggyu carried him through the crowds and towards the hospital wing. 

“Holy , Myungsoo, you look like .”

“Woohyun, shut the up.”

“Guys! Oh, Myung-“

“Shut up, Yeol and don’t make a comment, Sungjong Lee!”

“Madame Pomfrey!”

Myungsoo felt himself being put down on the bed and the tears resumed, he was sobbing as Madame Pomfrey started bustling around him, asking questions that Myungsoo couldn’t answer. 

“Mr. Kim, I need you to lower your hands.  I need to see your face.”

Shaking his head, Myungsoo refused to move his hands away from his face, flinching away from the hands that were trying to pry his hands from his face. 

“Myungsoo, let us see your face.”

Only Sunggyu could make him do something that he didn’t want, but Sunggyu never forced him to do anything that wasn’t good for him, so Myungsoo let his hands fall back to the bed, crying harder as he heard multiple gasps from around the room. 

“It’s okay, Myungsoo, Madame Pomfrey is going to make you all better,” Sunggyu said gently.  “Don’t worry about it.”

A cool rim of a goblet touched his lips and through Myungsoo’s sobs, he barely managed to swallow the liquid, most of it just trickling down his neck and chin. 

“Just swallow it, Soo, you’ll sleep.”

Coughing, Myungsoo tried to swallow the little that made it into his mouth because Sunggyu said it was good, so it must be... right?

Slowly, his body relaxed and he fell back against the mattress with one last sob.  Reaching out blindly, he found Sunggyu’s hand and gripped it tightly as the sleeping potion slowly took over him. 

“It’s okay, Soo, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

Sleeping potion was made for the dreamless sleeps, but Myungsoo dreamed. 

Endlessly, he ran through the forest, chasing after something just beyond the trees. Through the gaps of the trees, Myungsoo could see glimpses and his heart longed to get there, to join the other beyond the trees. 

When Myungsoo woke up, his whole body was aching, but the aches were chased away with a soft call of “Myungsoo?” from Sunggyu. 

Opening his eyes, Myungsoo smiled as he saw Sunggyu leaning over him.  “Hey,” he mumbled, his voice feeling dry. 

Sunggyu carefully gave him a bit to drink, but Myungsoo choked on the water, coughing and gasping for breath as he accidently spat water everywhere.    

“Oh, sorry,” Sunggyu carefully wiped the water off of Myungsoo’s chin and waved his wand to get rid of the water on his clothes and blankets.  Looking up, Sunggyu gave him a smile and patted his head gently.  “I’m so glad that you’re awake.”

“How... how long has it been?” Myungsoo croaked out. 

“Two weeks,” Sunggyu whispered, his eyes darkening.  “It’s okay, you’re okay now.  All of the hexes are gone too.”

Myungsoo gave him a weak smile, inside thankful that he was no longer covered in blisters or bat wings.  “What happened to Hugo?”

Sunggyu shook his head, his hand still Myungsoo’s hair.  “Don’t worry about it,” he said.  “You don’t need to stress about that.”

“Is he dead?” Myungsoo whispered, his heart pounding faster at the thought. 

“No,” Sunggyu said, quickly shaking his head.  “He’s at St. Mungo’s and receiving care there.  He’ll be okay.”

Myungsoo frowned slightly at Sunggyu’s hesitation, but left it alone.  “Does... does everyone think that... I did it?”

Again, Sunggyu’s eyes darkened.  “I won’t let them hurt you again,” he promised.  “No one is going to hurt you.”

Even with Sunggyu’s warm gaze, Myungsoo felt cold all over and rolled over in the bed to avoid looking at Sunggyu’s warm gaze.  “You don’t deserve a monster like me,” he whispered.  “Leave me...”

“Myungsoo.”  He heard Sunggyu walk around the bed so that he was facing Myungsoo again.  “You aren’t a monster.  No matter what everyone says.  Don’t listen to them.  I love you and that’s all that matters, okay, Soo?”

“I’m a werewolf!” Myungsoo screamed.   “I’m a werewolf!  People aren’t supposed to love a monster like me...”

“But I love you,” Sunggyu whispered.  “I love you so much, Soo.  You aren’t a monster to me.  I love you.  That’s all that matters.”

Myungsoo was crying and screaming his hurting heart out into the pillow sheets as Sunggyu drew him into his arms, his crying becoming clear to the whole hospital wing before Sunggyu muffled his cries into his shoulder.  “I love you, Soo.  I love you a lot.” 

 

 

Myungsoo was still being kept in the hospital wing for the next week.  Some of it was still because of the amount of curses that he had taken.  Other reasons were because the students that was after Myungsoo’s blood.  McGonagall had come and talked about it with him, telling him to stay there for a few more weeks before going back to classes.  He didn’t mind very much.  As long as he got the class work from Dongwoo or Sungyeol, he was fine with doing it in the hospital wing. 

The worst part was when he met Ron Weasley. 

Of course, as every single other witch or wizard his age, he grew up hearing the stories of the Battle of Hogwarts, how Ron, Harry and Hermione defeated Lord Voldemort.  He always wanted to meet one of the three, but now, seeing Ron, it nearly made him want to throw up. 

Without thinking, Myungsoo fell down to his knees in front of Ron.  The action came without thought.  Growing up in a half-blood home – his mother was Muggle – he had learned about Korean traditions, but never really thought twice about them. For the first time in his life, Myungsoo fell to his knees for forgiveness.

“I’m so sorry!” Myungsoo squeaked out.  “I’m so sorry about your son.  I don’t even-“

“I don’t blame you,” said Ron quietly. 

Raising his eyes to meet Ron’s, Myungsoo asked, “How do you know that I’m not a monster like everyone says I am?”

“Because something tells me that you aren’t that bad,” Ron said with a smile and helping Myungsoo up to his feet.  “Don’t get hung up about what the other students say about you.  It’ll get better.”

Myungsoo stared at him with wide eyes, unable to speak.  “But... I... your son...”

“He will get better too,” said Ron.  He looked Myungsoo up and down.  “I heard that you got hexed pretty nastily.”

“It’s nothing,” Myungsoo brushed off quickly. 

“Hermione has some pretty good stuff if you need it, so does my mom.”

This time, Myungsoo had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

Ron laughed.  “I assure you this is real.”

“I’m sorry, sir, I just thought that you would be yelling at me or hexing me again,” Myungsoo mumbled sheepishly. 

“Not saying that that hadn’t crossed my mind,” said Ron.  “But don’t worry, I won’t.  I’ll ask Hermione next time what that thing was that’s really good at healing if you get hexed next time.  I must get going now.”

Myungsoo must have been bright red as he shook Ron’s hand in farewell. 

After meeting Ron, most of his anxiousness was elevated, but still, whispers followed him as he walked through the halls the first day after he was released from the hospital wing.  Myungsoo lost track of how many times there was a Puking Pastille or other Weasley Wizard Wheezes merchandise in his food, sending him to the hospital wing again to get it all sorted out.  Myungsoo was crying in frustration as Sungyeol and Hoya hurried him to the hospital wing again when someone hit him with a hex that caused his nose to grow. 

Everything caused Myungsoo to start being paranoid, jumping at every little sound and not eating anything unless he had personally seen it made or if someone ate it before him.  He hardly got any sleep in his dorm room, too scared to sleep just in case one of the Hufflepuffs tried to do something, and instead started to sleep in the hospital wing to cling onto the remaining parts of his sanity. 

The only thing that made it all bearable was Sunggyu.  Sunggyu was there every step of the way.  He didn’t mind eating things to make sure that there wasn’t a Fainting Fancies or a Nosebleed Nougat mixed into it, which did happen a couple of times, making breakfast hospital wing runs a usual thing.  He always held Myungsoo as he cried, kissing away his tears and telling him that it was all right even though it wasn’t. 

Nightmares were the next step.  More often then not, Myungsoo would jerk out of sleep, screaming as he thought that someone was cursing, hexing or torturing him.  Madame Pomfrey brewed him a stronger sleeping potion each time, but his dreams over powered the potion.  Instead, Sunggyu started sleeping with Myungsoo in the hospital wing, holding him every time he woke up screaming and crying.  It helped to know that Sunggyu was there, but nothing was healing everything. 

The next attack happened a month and a half after Hugo’s attack.  Myungsoo didn’t pay attention to who it was.  Everywhere he went, everyone moved away from him except for his close friends who would walk around him like a shield form the glares.  During class, Myungsoo started to sit in the furthest corner of the room, alone unless Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Hoya, Sungyeol, Sungjong or Woohyun was in his class, he was alone.  After classes, Sunggyu was there to pick him up, bringing Myungsoo a small comfort. 

McGonagall called him to her office one day and said the words that shattered Myungsoo’s life, “I think it’s time for you to leave Hogwarts.”

Bowing his head, Myungsoo tried to hide the tears from McGonagall, but failed miserably as she reached out to pat his shoulder.  “I swear I’m not the monster,” said he, looking up.  “I’m not the monster.  I’ll take Veritaserum if that what it takes for me to stay here.”

“I know that you aren’t the monster, Mr. Kim, but the way that your fellow students are reacting, they think you are and the school won’t go back to order until something happens to you or whoever the monster is.  And I see how you have deteriorated in the past couple of weeks.  The other Mr. Kim is the only thing holding you together.”

“I can’t live without him,” Myungsoo whispered, tears dripping onto his clenched hands.  “Please, let me stay until the end of the semester.  Then I’ll leave.”

She sighed and nodded slowly.  “Until the end of the semester.  But you get yourself into shape.”

Myungsoo nodded and bowed deeply.  “Thank you, Professor,” he mumbled, sniffling the rest of his tears. 

“I’ll you back to the hospital wing.”  She stood up and walked around her desk.  “You’ll stay there for the rest of the year.”

As she opened the door, they found James and Rose standing there, just about to knock on the door. 

“Not now, Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley,” McGonagall dismissed.  “I need to Mr. Kim to the hospital wing.”

“It’s okay,” Myungsoo whispered, looking at the floor.  “I’ll go back to the hospital wing by myself.”

McGonagall gave him another one of her steely glances, but nodded.  “Very well then, I will come visit you later.”

With a nod and a short bow, Myungsoo walked slowly down the hall, his heart heavy and his eyes stinging with tears. 

“There he is!”

He didn’t even bother to look up as he heard students running away from him and without looking up, he knew there was someone in front of him, wand out and pointed to him. 

“Let me pass,” Myungsoo whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear.  “Just let me pass.”

Everything felt numb, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t feel the impact of the spell as he flew back halfway across the hall, sliding painfully against the cobble stone floor. 

“What are you doing?  You can’t use your wand against another student!”

Myungsoo didn’t move as he heard someone running past him.  He recognized Hyuna, the Head Girl, later and was grateful that she stood up for him. 

“Fifty points from Ravenclaw!  I would expect better from you McCoy!”

While everything was focused on Hyuna and McCoy, Myungsoo pushed himself up to his feet and limped out of there, away from all the students, somewhere he could be alone. 

It was hard to find somewhere to hide.  Everyone was looking for Myungsoo.  Holing himself up in a nook under a window in the furthest corner of the castle that he could find, Myungsoo cast concealment shields and cried for hours.  Outside of his hideout, he heard his friends running past every so often, yelling his name.  Still, Myungsoo just sat in his own little world. 

Footsteps came closer and he looked up to find Sunggyu walking towards the window he was hiding under.  At first, Myungsoo thought that Sunggyu could see past his charms, but Sunggyu’s eyes fluttered away. 

“Sunggyu!” Hoya called as he and Sungjong caught up with Sunggyu.  “Did you find him yet?”

Sunggyu glared at him, but nodded.  “I don’t know where he went.”  Sunggyu sighed and slid down against the wall, right beside Myungsoo, but unable to see Myungsoo still.  “I wish that he didn’t have to be hurting like this as much.”

Fresh tears made their way down his cheeks as Myungsoo reached out shakily for Sunggyu, only stopping when his fingers were a few centimeters away from Sunggyu’s.  Sunggyu’s fingers twitched as if he could tell that Myungsoo’s fingers were right there, but didn’t move much more than that.  “McCoy will regret that he did that to my Myungsoo,” he growled.  “He will...”

“Just concentrate on finding Myungsoo first,” Sungjong said dryly.  “Then you can seek revenge.”

Sunggyu sighed and nodded in consent.  “You go ahead,” said Sunggyu.  “I’ll catch up with you.” Hoya and Sungjong nodded, leaving Sunggyu behind to go look for Myungsoo again.  Sighing, Sunggyu traced patterns in the sun on the floor.  “Myungsoo...”  

Myungsoo nearly replied, but held a hand over his mouth, still not ready to show himself to Sunggyu. 

“Myungsoo... come back to me soon,” Sunggyu whispered.  “I’ll protect you no matter what.  I promise.”

Watching Sunggyu stand up and walk away, tears started to run down his cheeks again.  Burying his head in his hands again, Myungsoo stayed there, as the sunset over the Black Lake and the moon started to rise. 

The moonlight danced on Myungsoo’s skin.  Looking up at the sky, he noticed that it was going to be the full moon soon, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about it.

Everything was quiet.  Long ago the students had stopped hunting for Myungsoo, the curfew had passed hours ago.  Sunggyu and the others were the ones that stayed out the latest, he could still hear them calling out for him until the only echoes were from Myungsoo’s breathing. 

Now that night fell, Myungsoo let the spells disappear around him, trusting the night to hide him better than spells ever could. 

The silence was shattered as Myungsoo heard someone coming down the hallway.  Loud breaths and heavy footsteps accompanied by something being dragged across the floor.  Slowly and carefully, Myungsoo peered around the corner and gasped. 

It was the Monster of Hogwarts, but it was nothing like he expected.  It had black wings and long sharp claws.  Blood dripped everywhere as it trapped its victim in a cage like the last three attacks. 

Under all of the blood and gore, Myungsoo could barely recognize McCoy, the boy who had hexed him in the halls today.  Unconsciously, Myungsoo let out a squeak and the monster turned towards him. 

He stood frozen as the monster made its way towards him, he could say anything as the monster drew closer.  It raised its head to look at Myungsoo and the moment that Myungsoo saw his eyes, he knew it wasn’t a monster.

“Sunggyu?”

The monster froze at the word, stopping in mid hiss, blood still falling from his mouth.  

“Sunggyu, it’s you,” said Myungsoo, taking a step forward.  “It’s you, right?”

As he said those words, getting closer and closer, the monster relaxed slightly and his great big wings started to melt away and the claws disappeared into the moonlight until it was only Sunggyu standing in the middle of McCoy’s blood. 

“Myungsoo... what’s going...” Sunggyu looked around and gasped as he saw all of the blood and McCoy.  “Oh... no...”

Without thinking, Myungsoo grabbed Sunggyu’s hand and they raced out of the castle into the Forbidden Forest together. 

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

For the past months, Sunggyu had been the one comforting Myungsoo, but that night, Myungsoo held onto Sunggyu tightly as he cried.  Sunggyu was leaning against a tree, crying and shaking as he looked at the blood on his hands.  Standing beside Sunggyu, Myungsoo hugged him tightly.

“It’s okay,” Myungsoo whispered into Sunggyu’s ear.  “We’re going to be okay.”

“What have I done?” Sunggyu sobbed.  “I did all of this?  I attacked all of the students...”

Ignoring all he blood on his shirt, Myungsoo held Sunggyu closer.  Sunggyu tried to push Myungsoo away, taking a few steps away, but Myungsoo followed Sunggyu, catching him in a back hug and pressing his face between his shoulder blades. 

“Let go!” Sunggyu yelled. 

“You never let go when I wanted you to, I’m not going to let you go,” Myungsoo whispered against Sunggyu’s shoulders.  “I’m not going to let you go.”

Sunggyu took slow shaking breaths and fell down to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees.  “It was me all along,” he whispered.  “It was me... I can’t... it was me!”

Falling down to the ground beside Sunggyu, Myungsoo took Sunggyu’s hand.  “It hadn’t happened before,” he said quietly.  “Not until this year.”

Nodding once, Sunggyu sighed and looked into the shadows.  “I... can’t believe this.  Why only this year?”

With a frown, Myungsoo played with the fabric of Sunggyu’s pants.  “What’s different this year?” he asked.  “Something at home over the summer...”

“Nothing has changed,” Sunggyu said firmly, but then hesitated.  “Except you.”

At the same time, they realized what it meant.  “No...” Myungsoo whispered. 

“I’ve been attacking the students that hurt you!” Sunggyu exclaimed, jumping up to his feet.  “Like Kendrick pushed you off the broom during the Qudditch match, Hugo was the one who planted the bug on you, Shay was going to plant Puking Pastiles in your food the next day, I heard her in the common room one day and then McCoy cursed you today.  Oh my god...”

“You’re attacking these students because of me,” Myungsoo mumbled, looking down at the roots around his feet.  “So once I leave the school, you won’t attack anyone and then you can finish school.”

“No, Myungsoo.”

“That’s the only way,” said Myungsoo with a glare.  “No one has to know it’s you.  It can always be me.”

“Myungsoo...”

“It’s the only way.”  Myungsoo locked gazes with Sunggyu, feeling his eyes filling with tears as Sunggyu reached up to touch his cheek.  “It’s the only way,” he repeated sadly. 

Slowly, Sunggyu nodded and brought him closer to his chest.  “Okay.  Let’s do that.”

Myungsoo gave him a small smile.  “Thank you for protecting me,” he said, tears running down his cheeks. 

“I’m always going to protect you,” Sunggyu vowed.  “You’re always going to be safe with me.” 

Letting out a shaky breath, Myungsoo relaxed into Sunggyu’s arms once more, hoping that it wasn’t the last time. 

 

 

They spent the rest of the night together out in the Forbidden Forest and only emerged after they knew the students would be up and discovering McCoy.  Again, everyone looked at Myungsoo, but nothing really mattered to Myungsoo.  He was going to protect Sunggyu and that’s all that mattered to him. 

Again everyone parted away from Myungsoo and McGonagall was there, looking at him over her glasses.  “Mr. Kim...” said she quietly with a shake of her head.

Myungsoo bowed his head, staring at McGonagall’s shoes instead.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.  “I’ll leave the school.”

He turned around to the rest of the students who all flinched away from his gaze.  “I’m sorry,” he repeated before walking towards the Hufflepuff commons to go leave Hogwarts. 

 

 

Everything was packed up.  When he had gone up to the Hufflepuff commons, uncharacteristically, it was quiet.  Everyone had left, not wanting to be around Myungsoo.  Instead, it was only the seven of them up in the boys’ dorm, packing up Myungsoo’s things.  Every once in a while, Myungsoo would have to stop, the tears too much for him, but Sunggyu was there, holding him tightly. 

Less than a hour later, Myungsoo was all packed up, every time that Myungsoo wanted to scream that he wasn’t the monster, he looked at Sunggyu and knew that he had to.  For Sunggyu. 

Myungsoo took his trunk and looked around the room with a little sigh. 

“Ready to go?” Hoya asked. 

Slowly, Myungsoo nodded and took Sunggyu’s hand.  “I love you,” he whispered. 

With a smile, Sunggyu nodded and kissed him lightly.  “I know, I love you too.”

Even though nobody wanted to see him in the Hufflepuff commons, every single student was crowded around the front hall as Myungsoo brought his things downstairs to where a carriage was waiting for him.  McGonagall gave him a tight smile.  “Mr. Kim, your mother will be expecting you.  Rosemerta will be waiting for you when you get to Hogsmade.” 

Nodding, Myungsoo turned back to his friends once more and gave them a shaky smile conscious of the other student’s gaze upon them.  “Thank you,” he whispered.  “I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that you’re sorry,” Sungyeol ordered.  “It’s not your fault.”

He tried to smile, but tears could only run down his face.  “I’ll see you later,” he mumbled. 

“Write everyday,” said Sungjong with a little smile.  “Don’t worry about us.  Whoever the monster is, they won’t hurt us.”

Myungsoo’s heart warmed a little bit as Sungjong said again that they believed that he wasn’t the monster, that Myungsoo leaving Hogwarts wouldn’t do anything to cease the attacks, but he knew that they would stop without him fueling Sunggyu’s inner demon. 

“Goodbye.”  Myungsoo hugged each of them once more and turned to Sunggyu who was looking down towards his feet.  “Sunggyu.”

Tears were running down Sunggyu’s cheeks steadily and Myungsoo reached out from under his cloaks so take Sunggyu’s hand.  “Sunggyu...”

When he looked up, Myungsoo could see Sunggyu’s heart written plainly in his eyes.  Unable to hold back, Myungsoo threw his arms around Sunggyu, crying into his shirt quietly.  Sunggyu held Myungsoo tightly, running his fingers through his hair lovingly.  “I’ll protect you forever, Soo,” Sunggyu whispered into his ear. 

“You don’t need to anymore,” Myungsoo mumbled. 

Sunggyu couldn’t find anything to say, Myungsoo could feel him trying to swallow his tears.  “Here, read this when you’re home,” Sunggyu said quietly, handing him a letter.  Myungsoo nodded, unable to look up at Sunggyu.  Quickly, Sunggyu pulled him into a hug again, holding him tightly in his arms, pressing small kisses onto his forehead and cheeks.  “We’ll see each other when the school year ends, right?”

Myungsoo nodded, trying to wipe away his tears.  “We will,” he promised. 

Sunggyu smiled at him and ruffled his hair.  “I love you, Soo, don’t forget that.”

Instead of replying, Myungsoo reached up and kissed Sunggyu.  Immediately, Sunggyu responded, holding Myungsoo even closer, kissing him until they had to part for air.  Myungsoo could tell that Sunggyu was crying from the salt water on his lips.  Reaching into his robes, Myungsoo drew out a bag of the saltwater taffies.  The plastic rustled as Myungsoo handed Sunggyu the bag.  “Here... I love you so much.”

Slowly, Myungsoo let go of Sunggyu’s hands, his eyes never leaving Sunggyu’s face for a moment.  Sunggyu looked like he wanted to reach out and call for him, but he just stood there, watching Myungsoo walk away from him. 

“Mr. Kim,” said McGonagall.  “It’s time for you to go.”

Myungsoo nodded and got into the carriage, hiding himself away from the staring eyes of the students who seemed to want him dead, and the warm eyes that loved him so much. 

 

 

The wheels of the carriage were rumbling unevenly over the grounds.  Since he had left the castle, Myungsoo wanted nothing more than to cry, but he knew if he started, he would never stop.  Instead, he shakily shoved saltwater taffies into his mouth, barely muffling the hitched breathing as he tried his best not to cry. 

Looking at the letter beside him, Myungsoo carefully picked it up and unfolded it.  Even though Sunggyu had said to open it when he got back home, he needed Sunggyu’s comfort now. 

Dear Myungsoo,

By the time you read this, you must be home.

But you’ll be coming back soon.  I promise.

When you leave Hogwarts, I will ask James Potter to meet me in the Forbidden Forest and I will confess that I am the Monster of Hogwarts so you can return back to Hogwarts tomorrow. 

I don’t know what’s going to happen to a monster like me, Azkaban maybe, but don’t worry about me.  You deserve someone so much better than a monster. 

When this is all over, forget about me.

I love you.

Sunggyu.

Stunned, Myungsoo reread the note a couple of times and cried out in desperation.  Quickly, he kicked open the door of the carriage and jumped out.  The Forbidden Forest was in the opposite direction, even if he ran, it would take him a long time to get to the forest and then who knows how longer to actually find Sunggyu.

If Sunggyu had his way, in a couple of hours, he would be dead.   

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

His lungs were burning and his legs felt like lead, but Myungsoo kept on running through the Forbidden Forest, scrambling over roots and occasionally crashing into trees.  Stopping for a moment to catch his breath, Myungsoo listened carefully to the forest, trying to hear someone.  For a brief second, Myungsoo thought he heard someone talking in the distance and he took off towards it.  As he got closer, he heard yelling and his heart dropped in his chest.   

Bursting into a clearing, Myungsoo saw everything and reacted in the next second. 

Sunggyu, it was no longer Sunggyu, but the Monster of Hogwarts, was backed up against a tree, hissing at the student in front of him.  Sunggyu’s big black wings were thrashing in the air, causing strong drafts of wind to buffet the clearing.  Across the clearing, Rose Weasley had her wand pointed towards Sunggyu.

In a flash, Myungsoo was in between her and Sunggyu, screaming, “Don’t hurt him!”

He managed to save Sunggyu, but it was too late to block the spell. 

His legs weakened underneath him as the spell sliced a large gash across his chest, hot blood gushed down his chest, staining the air with an hot tang.  Still, Myungsoo stumbled up to his feet and stood between Rose and Sunggyu.  “Don’t hurt him,” he said again, his heart beating hard. 

“What are you doing?” Rose asked, his wand pointing at Myungsoo now.  “Get out of the way.”

“No.”  Myungsoo shook his head firmly, spreading his arms like a shield.  “I’m not going to let you hurt him.”

“You know what he did to Hugo,” Rose yelled.  “He killed him!”

“No, he didn’t mean it!” Myungsoo pleaded.   The pain was making it hard to think, but one thing remained clear: He didn’t mean it.    

“How do you know that?”

“Because I love him,” Myungsoo answered.  “I love Sunggyu and he loves me back.”

“No one can love this monster,” Rose snarled, her hand shaking badly.  “And this monster certainly can’t love anyone.”

Tears were running down Myungsoo’s cheeks as he shook his head.  “Everyone can love.”

Turning his back to Rose, Myungsoo took a step towards Sunggyu, reaching out towards him.  “Sunggyu... Sunggyu, it’s me,” said Myungsoo.  His voice was shaking and tears run down his cheeks as he reached for Sunggyu’s slumped shoulders.  His great wings were limp, his face covered in a scars and feathers, but underneath all of that, it was still Sunggyu.  “Sunggyu... It’s your Soo.  I love you.  If you love me too... please... just this once... stay with me.”

There was no reply.  Tears burned Myungsoo’s eyes and cheeks.  Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Myungsoo continued, “Sunggyu... no matter what, I’m going to protect you.  Even if they say that I can’t love someone like you, I promise you that my love will protect you no matter what.”

“The only reason he loves you is because your friend made a big fuss over it at the Welcome feast,” Rose argued from behind Myungsoo.  “If he didn’t do that, Sunggyu would’ve not known you.”

Ignoring her, Myungsoo pushed Sunggyu’s hair out of his eyes, gently holding his cheek.  “Sunggyu.  You aren’t a bad guy.  I promise.  I love you.”

The wings slowly melted, fading away, but still hiding Sunggyu from the rest of the world.  “You shouldn’t be in love with a monster.”  Sunggyu's voice was ragged and rougher than usual, but to Myungsoo, he didn’t sound like a monster, only someone that he loved.  “You deserve someone better.”

“I want you,” Myungsoo whispered.  “Only you.”

Tears ran down his cheeks steadily and Sunggyu hung his head.  “Myungsoo, you should’ve let me die.  Just let... just let them kill me.”

“Everything you taught me this year... taught me that we can love someone, even if I have the scars that I do.  Please.  Don’t say that you want to die.”

“All monsters need to die.”

“But you don’t need to die,” said Myungsoo firmly.  “Not you.  Not you...” 

Before anyone else could move, suddenly James’s voice echoed through the forest.  “Rose!”

Myungsoo turned towards her quickly.  “Rose, please... don’t call them.  Please... let us run away...  we won’t hurt anyone ever again.”

Slowly, she shook her head.  “Hugo needs justice,” she whispered.  “You’ll understand one day.”

As Myungsoo grabbed his wand to do anything to save Sunggyu, she screamed, “James!  James!  We’re here!  Help!”

James with Al and Lily right behind him burst into the clearing.  James pointed his wand towards Myungsoo and Sunggyu causing Myungsoo to instinctively move in front of Sunggyu to protect him. 

Everywhere that Myungsoo looked, it seemed like there were more and more wands pointing towards him.  Behind him, he could feel Sunggyu trying to move, snarling at the others who were threatening Myungsoo. 

In the distance, there was a howl and a crazy, crazy, crazy idea came into Myungsoo’s head. 

Looking up, Myungsoo yelled, “Reducto!” and a jet of light shot out of the end of his wand.  Everyone ducked as broken branches and burning leaves rained down on them, but Myungsoo stood still as the light of the full moon shone down on the clearing. 

In the corner of his mind, he heard someone yelling, “No!  Myungsoo!” and everything went dark. 

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

When Myungsoo looked back after everything was over, he could never remember what happened right after that.  The only thing he could remember was pain.  Everything was just a blur of pain, but underneath, Myungsoo could vaguely remember flying, Sunggyu’s worried gaze and then a pit of darkness after that. 

When the darkness lifted, Myungsoo’s whole body was in pain.  He groaned and tried to shift his body into a comfortable position.

“Myungsoo?” someone called out to him.  “Myungsoo, can you hear me?”

Slowly, Myungsoo opened his eyes and smile drowsily at Sungyeol and Dongwoo who were leaning over him.  The two of them smiled at him too, Myungsoo missed their worried gazes before the smile. 

“What happened?” Myungsoo asked, looking around.  He was in the Hospital Wing, lying in one of the beds. 

“You didn’t take the Wolfsbane Potion,” Dongwoo scolded.  “The whole evening was really long for you.  You’ve been here for... a couple of days.”

“Oh...” Myungsoo’s fingers traced the blankets under his hand, absent-mindedly.  He knew that there’s pain somewhere in his body, but he was still a little numb, still not totally aware of the world around him.  “Where’s Sunggyu?”

No one answered for a moment and Myungsoo was trying to find more strength to ask again when finally Sungyeol said, “He loves you a lot, Myungsoo, just sleep for now.”

Obeying, Myungsoo slipped away again, unaware of the pain that the world had dealt him. 

Again in his dreams, he chased after someone in the shadows, just beyond the trees.  This time, Myungsoo could recognize Sunggyu’s great wings and his heart beat faster and faster as he rushed after Sunggyu. 

“Sunggyu!” he called out.  “Sunggyu!”

He woke up in the hospital wing and this time, Woohyun was sitting in the chair beside his bed.  “Hey, Myungsoo!  You’re awake!”

Myungsoo stared at him for a moment, trying to decide what was different about him before trying to sit up, asking, “What happened?”

Woohyun laughed, helping him lean back against the head of his bed.  “Not feeling very well?” he guessed.  “You look pretty much like .”

With a glare, Myungsoo asked again, “What happened?”

Woohyun frowned slightly, looking down at the ground.  “Sunggyu... he told me that he was going out to the forest for a little while and that he needed time alone.  But he asked Rose Weasley to meet him out there.  He admitted to being the Monster of Hogwarts and... asked her to kill him or turn him in.  Then you came back.  The teachers found Sunggyu’s note in your pocket.  They know that you aren’t guilty any more.  The Potters came too and then... you turned into a werewolf.  I got there just in time to see you... attacking Al, but James pushed you off of his brother... I don’t know what happened, Myungsoo.  It all happened so fast, one second you were there and James was hitting you with spells and then the next second, Sunggyu was there.  He grabbed you and flew out of there.  It was pretty amazing.”

Woohyun stopped again, playing with the edges of the blankets.  “We... didn’t see where you went.  All of the teachers searched for you.  The Ministry of Magic was also involved.  James said that he hit you with a lot of curses and Rose mentioned she used Sectumsempra on you.  We were all so worried that you were already dead.  They called in your parents to the school.”   

Nodding, Myungsoo tried to picture the evening, but all he could remember was a blur of pain and Sunggyu’s warm arms holding him safe.  Slowly, Myungsoo raise his eyes and looked at Woohyun.  “Woohyun... where’s Sunggyu?”

Woohyun ran his fingers through Myungsoo’s hair gently, in a way that Sunggyu used to do it, giving him a small and sad smile, tears falling down his cheeks.  The pain that Myungsoo knew was waiting to take him crept forward, but he asked again, “Where’s Sunggyu?” 

There were tears in Woohyun’s eyes as he spoke.  “You... you were nearly dead,” Woohyun whispered.  “Sunggyu was panicking so much.  He had no idea what to do.  He nearly took Madame Pomfrey hostage so that you could survive.  They saved you, but you’ve been unconscious for the past three weeks.  Sunggyu tried to wait.  He really did, but for you... he had to go.”

Myungsoo’s heart turned cold and he could barely whisper, “Sunggyu...”

“He’s gone, Myungsoo, he’s in Azkaban.”

Everything went silent. 

Myungsoo couldn’t hear Woohyun as he stared at him.  Woohyun’s mouth was moving as if he was saying anything, but nothing registered over the roaring in Myungsoo’s ears.  He felt Woohyun draw him into a hug, rubbing his back and whispering something in his ears.

Loud screaming filled the room, like a broken animal crying for help. 

Myungsoo couldn’t even recognize his own voice as he scream and cried for Sunggyu, wanting him to come back. 

Pushing Woohyun away and the others – Madame Pomfrey, Sungjong, James who had just arrived – Myungsoo stumbled out of the hospital wing, ignoring the sharp pains shooting up his leg and running as fast as he could. 

Somehow, his feet found their way to a blocked off hallway.  Tearing down the barricade with his hands, Myungsoo ran into the hall, only stopping when he saw the cage that the Monster of Hogwarts – no, it was his Sunggyu – left after it attacked Hugo Weasley. 

His hands were shaking as he reached towards it.  Myungsoo could nearly imagine the Monster’s claws – his Sunggyu’s hands – creating the cage, making sure that the victim could not escape and hurt his soul mate. It was him, it was Myungsoo, who caused all of this. 

With a scream, Myungsoo rushed forward and clawed at the branches of the cage, trying to rip it down with his bare hands.  All of the professors had tried pulling it down, but Myungsoo’s hands held a certain magic in them as he destroyed the whole cage, yanking down each of the branches that created the cage until he was standing in a mess of broken branches and crushed flowers. 

“Sunggyu, Sunggyu.  I set you free.”  He destroyed the cage that Sunggyu was imprisoned in, but where was he?  Why wasn’t he back to Myungsoo’s side?  “Sunggyu!  Sunggyu!  Where are you?”

There was blood everywhere, Myungsoo remembered the day after the attack how Rose Weasley pushed him into the puddle of Hugo’s blood, the coppery taste filled his mouth again as Myungsoo screamed and cried, the pain in his heart too much to handle.  Sinking down to his knees, he sobbed into his hands, blood getting everywhere and everywhere hurt. 

“Kim...”

Myungsoo barely looked up as James’ voice came right beside him, softly speaking to him.  “Bring him back,” Myungsoo whispered into his blood stained hands.  “You need to set him free... where did you take him?”

James didn’t reply, only gently rubbing Myungsoo’s shaking shoulders.  The silence only caused Myungsoo to sob harder, crying for Sunggyu to come back to him. 

“I loved a monster... I loved a person.  I love him.”

Around him, he was barely aware of the others crowding around him, pushing James away in order to hold Myungsoo tightly in their grasp, comforting him just like Sunggyu did, but would never again. 

“I’m going to get him back,” Myungsoo whispered, his voice hoarse from the screaming and sobbing.  “I’m going to set him free again.”

Finally, the world decided to show him a little bit of mercy as everything faded away from Myungsoo, dragging him into the shadows where monsters belong. 

 

 

.~;✩★✩;~.

 

 

The cold sea air chilled his body as his claws tore at everything standing in his way.  Even the Dementors were staying away at his howl of warning.  His heart pounded loudly, chanting over and over the name of the one he is here for.  

The bars of the cage tore easily under his claws.  There wasn’t much time left as the prisoner stepped out of the shadows.

It’s the one that he has missed for the longest time, the one who he wanted to have in his arms for years, the one who promised him that he’d protect him. 

The prisoner looked at him warily, not trusting a werewolf that had broken into his cell.  But just like a couple of years ago, when he saw the werewolf’s eyes, he knew exactly who he was.    

Sunggyu stared at him surprised, his mouth hanging open.  “Myungsoo?”

 

 

The Monster of Hogwarts was freed once more.