─ sub luna lucis | ᶠᵃⁿᶠᶦᶜ ° ⁽ᵖᵃʳᵗ ¹⁾

꒰ :watermelon: ꒱ | ᵃᵘᵍᵘˢᵗ ⁶ | ₍ₘₒₒₙ ˡᶦᵍʰᵗ⁾

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ :pencil: :coffee:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

⌨┊

       ┊hello ea!!~

       ┊

┊so, this post is basically my

┊200 daes on amino fanfic, cause

┊i'm too lazy to write out an actual

┊sentimental blog :") buttt, i will say

┊right here that i adore this place and

┊all the amazing friends i've made these

┊past 200 daes~

┊

┊melon chat, bean sprouts, chat buddies,

┊the enmortals, and everyone in between

┊made my days on ea brighter and more

┊enjoyable^^ thank you for accepting me

┊for me, and i love all of you guys so so so

┊very much!!

┊

┊ //inserts a universe of love for [you|ndc://-me//]//

┊

        ⌎┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

·  ·  · ♡

ㅤㅤㅤㅤfic info • :cherry_blossom:

┊title: sub luna lucis

┊part: 1/?

┊rating: T

┊pairing: chanbaek + kaisoo

┊words: 9,459

┊crossover: harry potter au

┊tags; #TeamCasimir ,

┊          #featurethis

ㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤwarnings + disclaimer • :cherry_blossom:

┊please be mindful, this fanfic contains

┊cursing/profanity at many various points

┊so if you're sensitive to them, i suggest

┊reading with caution

┊

┊this is a harry potter au, which means

┊that it'll be taking place in the harry potter

┊universe. harry potter is owned by j.k.

┊rowling^^

┊

┊exo are their own people

┊and this fic intends no harm to them

ㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤsmol author's note • :cherry_blossom:

┊this may only be part 1, but it's still pretty

┊long~ i suggest wrapping up and getting

┊ready for one long ride^^ also, this was

┊supposed to be longer, but amino has a

┊word limit apparently :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

┊

┊edit: OK, AMINO CAN'T HANDLE 10K EITHER

┊IM SCREECHING, but i guess i'll post the

┊rest separately :")

┊

┊for those who don't know much about

┊harry potter, here's some terminology:

┊

┊- gryffindor, slytherin, ravelclaw, and

┊hufflepuff are the Hogwarts houses,

┊similar to academies

┊- quidditch is a popular wizard game involving

┊broomsticks. whenever i mention "seeker"

┊i'm referring to the quidditch position^^

┊- i'm not sure sure what else to say, so

┊you can research more if you're interested!

ㅤ

thats all, so i hope you enjoy reading!~ :purple_heart:

ㅤ

·  ·  · ♡

“Ready to start our sixth year, Baek?”

Baekhyun quietly exhaled at the question, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “As ready as I’ll ever be, Nini.”

Jongin gave him a large grin, a laugh bubbling out of his lips, “I can’t wait to get back onto the Quidditch field, I think Slytherin has a good chance of winning this year!” Jongin lifted his right hand and entangled his fingers in Baekhyun’s hair, softly tugging at his best friend’s roots. “You better come to all of my games, Baek. I need my biggest fan to cheer me on.”

“Who said I was your biggest fan?” Baekhyun teased, ducking from Jongin’s grip with ease. “You have the amount of appeal as a Mountain Troll.”

“Wha- You’re a bully, Baek,” Jongin mockingly whined, his grin bright and unwavering. His eyes glanced over Baekhyun’s head once they entered the Great Hall, scanning the room for a friend. “Oh, there’s Kyungsoo! Let’s say hi before the Sorting Ceremony,” Jongin said, grasping Baekhyun’s arm and tugging him towards the Ravenclaw table.

Kyungsoo, a short, doe-eyed boy, sat at the edge of the table, giving both Baekhyun and Jongin a fond look as they approached. “Hey, you two. How was your summer?” He asked, leaning his head against his hand propped on top of the table.

Jongin groaned loudly, attracting some attention from students around them. “It was very boring, Soo, I couldn’t do anything fun. I was stuck helping my dad with his Ministry work all summer long.” Jongin pouted, stepping closer to Kyungsoo’s side. He poked Kyungsoo’s cheek, his eyes beginning to sparkle. “Hey, play Quidditch with me and Baek after dinner?”

Baekhyun immediately scrunched up his face, giving Jongin a restless look. “I never agreed to playing Quidditch later, Nini. I’m not stepping on a broom for the life of me.”

“Well, you don’t need to step on a broom,” Jongin retorted. “You just have to sit on it, like a normal perso-”

Baekhyun scoffed, “Don’t try and be a smartas-”

“You two,” Kyungsoo scolded, rolling his eyes in an exaggerated fashion. Kyungsoo shifted his gaze away from Jongin’s pleading eyes, settling to look at the wooden tabletop instead. “Uh, I can’t either play, Jongin. I don’t do Quidditch, but I’ll watch you!” Kyungsoo refused to look directly at Jongin, aware of the puppy dog eyes being sent his way.

“You both are terrible and boring,” Jongin huffed after a few seconds, leaning away from Kyungsoo to fix his own scarf. “All you two do is study all day, there’s no fun in that. You both need to appreciate the arts of Quidditch.”

Baekhyun snorted, duly noting how more students began piling into the Great Hall, tables being filled at a rapid pace. “This is why your grades are so bad, Jongin,” he chided. Ignoring Jongin’s offended sputtering, Baekhyun waved a farewell to Kyungsoo. “We’ll be heading off to our table now, people are starting to come in. Sorry for the bother, Soo.”

Kyungsoo shook his head affectionately, his hand waving back. “I’ll see you guys before curfew. Take care of him, Baek.”

“I don’t have bad grades,” Jongin muttered under his breath as he waved. “They just need a bit of improvement, that's all.”

“Mhm, just a bit,” Baekhyun hummed absentmindedly. He slid into a seat at the Slytherin table, waiting for Jongin to sit next to him. “Look at all of these first years, they look so excited,” he pointed out. As he glimpsed at the new faces, a slight feeling of discomfort began pooling into the pit of Baekhyun’s stomach.

Jongin grumbled as he sat down, watching the new students create a messy line. “They probably are hoping for some Harry Potter, Voldemort-esque drama or something. It’s too bad, they’re many years late. Nothing that dramatic happens anymore.”

Baekhyun frowned, lightly smacking Jongin’s arm with his own. “There doesn’t have to be a murderous dark lord on the loose for there to be excitement. It’s quite sad to actually want that.”

“I know, I know,” Jongin mumbled, rubbing his arm. He propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin on top of his hands. “There are plenty of things to be excited about here, like Quidditch, for example. I just feel like people get hyped and are expecting a lot more drama, and they end up being disappointed by the lack of it, nowadays. People are wired to feed off of that stuff, you know? No drama, no thrill.”

Baekhyun glanced around the table for a drink to settle his uneasy stomach. He wrapped his arms across his chest and sulked when he noticed there weren’t any. “It feels weird when you turn insightful, Jongin,” Baekhyun murmured, settling to observe the first years’ panicked faces. “But, I guess what you said is true. Although, I don’t get the appeal for wanting any lethal creature to roam around. I'd rather choose safety over frenzy.”

“If there’s a monster loose, someone has to catch it, right? That’s the appeal of it all; being known is exactly what people want,” Jongin spoke. “People want to leave a mark on this world, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing to want. But, the world is a big competition. A playing field, if you may. Not everyone has the chance to score and make history, but they know that. However, the excitement still lingers, and they’ll try their hardest to make a point. I guess you can call that feeling, hope.”

Baekhyun gave Jongin a quick side glance before refocusing on the stream new students. “At moments like this, I wonder why your grades are so low.”

Jongin flushed red, a playful yelp in his voice. “You’re horrible, Byun Baekhyun. I hope you fail all your N.E.W.T. classes.”

“Aww, who’s the horrible one now? I’m offended, Nini,” Baekhyun teased, straightening his back. “But, in all seriousness, having a calm environment is nice. I wish that people didn’t have to strive for awful things to happen in order to make a mark in history. If only there was an easier way, where nobody gets hurt.”

Jongin sat quietly for a moment. “You're a very soft-hearted Slytherin.”

“You're no better, you dork.”

“Well, then I'll embrace it. Breaking stereotypes is cool, anyways.”

Baekhyun chuckled, his laughter coming out in quick breaths. He quieted down as he felt his stomach twist at the breaths, wincing slightly at the unnerving sensation. Baekhyun opted to focus tracing his fingertips along the wood of the table, commiting the sensation of well-worn ridges and bumps to his memory. “Jongin, I have this weird feeling that something will happen this year.” Baekhyun blanched at the next light stab of pain at his stomach. “... Something that would give everyone the excitement they want.”

Jongin gave Baekhyun a small hum in return, acknowledging the feeling. “We’ll see, eventually.” He glanced over at Baekhyun’s huddled figure, forehead wrinkling in concern. “Hey, do you need to use the bathroom, or something? You look like you’re about to take a shit.”

“Maybe I do,” Baekhyun sniffed defensively. “It was a long train ride, okay?”

Jongin opened his mouth to respond, but shut it when his eyes caught onto a short figure on the podium. He slightly nudged Baekhyun to straighten up, gesturing at the commanding body.

“Students!”

The chatter in the hall immediately quieted down, people turning towards the authoritative voice. Up at the podium stood a short witch- standing a little over five feet in height- looking down at the masses of students. Baekhyun watched as the first years gawked over her presence, the familiar unanimous thought of, “wow, she’s gorgeous,” sifting through their minds. He was in their exact place five years ago, Baekhyun thought nostalgically. He was one of the many who had gaped at their Heistress’s beauty, one of the many who stared in awe at the variety of teachers, and one of the many who stood clueless in the wide expanse of magic surrounding them. It all had been overwhelming, Baekhyun recalled, wistful memories flooding his thoughts.

“Good evening to all! For those who don’t know me, I am Hogwarts’ heistress, Sophie Edgeworth. I’m thrilled to see so many bright new faces amongst us, there is a lovely future in store for each and every one of you. I know you all have been standing for a while, so I won’t dely the Sorting Hat Ceremony any longer.” The heistress gestured at the worn-out, sagging hat which rested on a stool beside her. “When your name is called, please come sit up here so the Sorting Hat can identify your house.”

Baekhyun absentmindedly listened as names were called up, lazily scanning the faces of jittery students as they squeezed their eyes shut in anticipation. The hat shouted out house after house, leaving students cheering wildly after every called name. Baekhyun’s face stretched into a smile as new Slytherins approached their table, their footsteps soft and cautious. The flashes of acceptance that flew across their faces made his heart warm, it was a sight to behold. While he never vocalized it, Baekhyun really did enjoy the Sorting Hat Ceremony. It was a moment of unity, a moment for everyone to forget about whatever tensions remained between houses and celebrate the youth.

“Oh man, Park is coming in really late,” Jongin muttered, brown eyes squinting at the Great Hall entrance, where a tall figure was sneaking in. “Chanyeol is going to be in a lot of trouble for this. The Head of Gryffindor hates latenesses, apparently. Especially if it’s on the first day back.”

Baekhyun looked away from the incoming students and scanned the room for the boy Jongin mentioned. From his seat, he watched as Chanyeol, the lanky sixth-year Gryffindor seeker, snuck into a seat in Gryffindor’s aisle. His face was flushed red, either from embarrassment or from the effort taken to run inside, Baekhyun couldn’t tell. The boy was heavily panting, his chest heaving with an effort to steady his breathing. Baekhyun noted how his raven hair was matted down with a light gleam, the glow either being water or sweat. Baekhyun assumed it was the latter. A few first years noticed the uncomposed sixth-year as well, opting to keep their mouths closed when the seeker gave them a desperate, shaky smile.

“I hope he’s okay,” Baekhyun whispered, lowering his voice so only Jongin could hear. “He looks like he came back from running a marathon.”

“Maybe he has, he does train like crazy. Let’s ask him later, Baek.” Jongin demanded, his voice spotted with hints of worry.

Baekhyun nodded slightly in agreement, sparing another quick glance at the flushed, panting boy across the hall. “You’re not going to go up to him and challenge him again, are you? I think you should lay off the rivalry for today, he looks pretty beat.”

Baekhyun could trace the friendly rivalry between Jongin and Chanyeol back to their first year at Hogwarts, during Flying Class with Madam Hooch. Jongin and Chanyeol were her favourite students, it was painfully obvious to everyone else in the class. They both possesed a natural talent with broomsticks, resulting in Madam Hooch’s undivided attention and her insistent proposals for them to the Quidditch team. Both exceeded in tryouts, immediately being situated as seekers for their house’s team. From then on, both boys practiced non-stop for the past five years to beat the other. Baekhyun had been afraid that the two would constantly be at the other’s throats, but they were surprisingly civil about the matter, never pushing the other past teasing while maintaining a healthy friendship. At some point, they began giving off a brotherly vibe, much to Baekhyun’s satisfaction.

“I won’t challenge him or anything,” Jongin promised, taking a long, concerned look at his rival. “He looks pretty shaken up, though. I really hope he’s alright.”

The sudden dimming of the lights yanked Jongin and Baekhyun out of their hushed conversation, bringing them back to hear Heistress Edgeworth announce that the Sorting Hat Ceremony was finished. The Great Hall erupted into cheers as the tables were mystically set up, numerous plates of varying foods and goblets of drinks appearing in front of the students. The lights continued to dim, ushering everyone into a silence as the heistress took to the podium to give the usual speech before the welcoming feast.

“Students, a new year filled with magical education will be in store for you. As per usual, there have been some changes in the curriculum and staff this year, that I'll be addressing. First and foremost, Professor Zhang Yixing, a good friend of mine and a brilliant wizard will be your new Potions teacher. Also, please welcome Professor Kim Junmyeon. He will be taking the position of your Transfiguration teacher. In other news, any students wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their heads of house, as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should also their Head.” The heistress glanced down at all the students, a look of pride seeping into her eyes. “To finish off announcements, a warm and comfortable bed awaits in your dormitories after this feast. While I know your top priority is to be well-rested for tomorrow's lessons, to have fun tonight! Enjoy, my students, and welcome, once again, to Hogwarts."

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

Abiding to Jongin’s earlier request, Baekhyun was ready to check up on the Gryffindor boy. Baekhyun frowned as he scanned the Great Hall, unable to spot Chanyeol anywhere. He nudged Jongin’s shoulder, averting the other’s attention from his food.

“Nini, finish up eating. Chanyeol isn’t here,” Baekhyun said. “It’s also 8pm, Jongin. We have an hour until curfew.”

Jongin’s eyes widened in realization of the time. He loudly swallowed the food he was chewing in a hurry, causing Baekhyun to cringe backwards. “Oh, shut up, it’s like you’ve never seen someone eat before.”

“You have little to no eating etiquette, you can’t blame me for being grossed out.”

Jongin huffed, standing up and extravagantly brushing his hands against his robes, purposefully ignoring Baekhyun’s disappointed sigh. “Let’s look around for Chanyeol, but he’s probably in the Gryffindor dorms by now.”

Baekhyun nodded at Jongin, his movements pausing when he saw Kyungsoo approach them. “Kyungsoo,” he greeted. “Hey, I know we said that we’d meet up after the feast, but Jongin and I have to check up on someone.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, motioning for Baekhyun and Jongin to start walking with a slight finger. “Is it Chanyeol?” At Jongin’s prompt nodding, Kyungsoo let out a low whistle. “I think most of the Hall saw him sneak in, his height doesn’t make it easy for him to hide. He looked absolutely horrible.”

Jongin grimaced, stepping onto the Grand Staircase with vigor. “He didn’t look that bad, jeez. Just a bit flustered. By the way, do either of you know the for Gryffindor’s dorm?” When his companions shook their heads, Jongin groaned in frustration. Jongin snapped his neck to the side to look at the other students on the staircase. A predatory look filled his eyes, a stubborn glint zeroing in on his peers. “Maybe one of them knows, let’s ask-”

“You know what?” Kyungsoo carefully interjected. “What about we all check up on Chanyeol tomorrow? I don’t think breaking into a different House’s dorm will look good on the first day back, Nini.”

Baekhyun agreed with Kyungsoo, murmuring a soft “yeah” in approval. He watched as Jongin’s face fell even more, concern for a friend washing over his features. Baekhyun patted his back softly, smiling at Kyungsoo when the Ravenclaw headed for his own dorm. Baekhyun gently lead Jongin into the Slytherin common room, heading straight for the dorm room that the two shared with other friends. Jongin collapsed onto his bed the moment he entered their room, the younger brunette releasing a frustrated sigh.

Baekhyun looked around their room, a feeling of relief flushing his system when he realized not much had changed. The dark green curtains still had faint potion stains from their failed trials, the cracks in the ceiling from Jongin’s broomstick crashes still hung above their heads, even their beds clung to the slight aroma of the cologne used by them. Baekhyun ignored the sudden, familiar pang in his stomach, and opened his clothing chest, pulling out his sleeping attire. He glanced over at Jongin, who hadn't moved from his spot on his bed.

“Change your clothes, Nini,” Baekhyun scolded. “You’re acting like a whiny five year old, get yourself together. I’m sure Chanyeol is fine. He was probably just rushed from trying to get here on time.”

Face buried deep into his pillow, Jongin scowled. He was silent, an apprehensive cloud floating above his head. A few seconds later, he lifted his head, turning to Baekhyun with his eyes glossed over. In a low murmur, he said, “He’s one of my closest friends, Baek. Practically my brother, at this point. Of course, I’m going to worry.” Jongin lifted himself from the bed, retrieving a t-shirt and sweatpants from his trunk. “I’ve never seen him look so… tired, I guess?”

Baekhyun’s expression softened, the uneasy knot in his stomach growing larger by each ing second. “I’m sorry, Jongin,” he softly murmured. “That was very insensitive of me to say.”

The room was quiet, the only sounds being the soft breathing of the two friends. After another beat of silence, Jongin exhaled a deep sigh. “It’s okay, Baekhyun. I’m being overdramatic. Chanyeol is a tough guy, he's most likely alright.”

“It’s kind of sweet how much you care, actually.” Baekhyun yawned, getting into his own bed, “You have a big heart, Nini.”

Jongin snorted, staring up at the cracks he made in the ceiling back in their third year with a thoughtful expression. “Baek, do you what you said in the Great Hall?”

“That your etiquette is trash?”

“No, you dumbass. About the weird feeling that something is going to happen.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes, letting out a short hum to let Jongin know he was listening. He was unexpectedly tired, his body sinking into the feathered mattress. The sensation in his stomach dulled to trivial throb, allowing Baekhyun to finally relax. He turned his left ear towards Jongin, readily listening to the other's words.

“I think I’m starting to get that weird feeling you mentioned too. Something just feels… off, I dunno?” Jongin speculated, his voice raising an octave. “There’s this weird feeling in my stomach that tells me something is wrong.  It's like, uhh, a firecracker being set off?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, placing a hand on top of his flat stomach. He glanced over at Jongin, a flicker of understanding ing between the two boys. “I feel that too. It’s been bothering me ever since we stepped into the Great Hall. I think it’s intuition.”

“Intuition that something bad will happen? Cause that’s what I’m feeling right now.”

“It’ll be okay,” Baekhyun murmured, voice deepening. “It always is, after all.” He shut his eyelids, scrunching his nose at the heavy sensation. “I wonder if we're the only ones who feel it, or not.”

“Maybe we are,” Jongin whispered. “I mean, we've known each other since we were in diapers, this is probably some twin sense.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I think you need to be twins for that to work.”

“We're close enough, it's the diaper code.”

“That sounds idiotic,” Baekhyun mumbled. “Anyhoo, things will be alright. Let's not worry too much.”

Jongin stayed silent, grin fading and eyes continuing to trace the cracks in the ceiling. He looked down from the ceiling when their two other roommates appeared, Wu Yifan and Huang Zitao. Jongin briefly nodded at them, idly listening to their loud conversation on the usage of Unforgivable Curses. After an hour of chatter, the two went to bed, leaving the room silent for Jongin’s thoughts to wander.

He didn’t know where the sudden slump-like feeling that inhabited his stomach came from. It was a strong emotion, similar to drowning. Jongin felt it pushing down onto his chest, the weighty pressure forcing his eyelids to become heavy and sink to a close. Jongin could feel his heartbeat clearer than usual, the vibration echoing blankly in his mind. His breaths became shallow, as if his lungs were sinking into the mattress with him. Whatever this feeling was, Jongin was desperate to get rid of it.

At the muffled sound of shuffling, Jongin turned his head to Baekhyun’s bed. With a significant effort, Jongin forced his eyes to open, staring at his best friend. The smaller boy still had his hand clenching over his stomach, a slight sheen of sweat coating his forehead. Baekhyun’s eyes were squeezed closed, no doubtedly feeling the same pressure which Jongin felt. Jongin slowly turned his head to watch Yifan and Zitao, noting how the two seemed fine, chests rising and falling insync.

Jongin turned back to Baekhyun, startled when he noticed that he was looking back in pain. The two shared a look, a silent comprehension developing between the two friends.

”This feels very weird.”

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

Baekhyun idly watched as Jongin piled toast onto his plate, the younger simultaneously fighting another Slytherin for the butter. Baekhyun was still rattled by the overwhelming pressure from the previous night, the sensation being imprinted into his eyelids and chest. Jongin and him made an agreement, before heading to breakfast, to let the other know of any eerie events which might occur to might. Both voiced how they were more than willing to free themselves from the awful feeling.

“Baek, you need to eat more,” Jongin said between bites of toast, snapping Baekhyun out of his daze. “Food helps you to think. You think too much, so you need tons food.”

“Please finish chewing before speaking to me,” Baekhyun recoiled. “ me the strawberry jam.”

“What’s the magic word?” Jongin singsonged, his left arm reaching for the jam.

“Fuck off.”

“If that’s your magic word, then you’re going to fail Charms.”

“Just give me the stupid jam, Kim,” Baekhyun chuckled, slowly submitting into his best friend’s morning optimism. “What’s your class schedule? We better have classes together.”

“Even if we don’t, we have more free time this year,” Jongin said, finally ing Baekhyun the jam. Thank god.

“That free time is for studying. Most of us have a lot of N.E.W.T.s to take.”

Jongin frowned, his cheeks puffy from the food. “I’m spending that time with Quidditch, then. This season is going to be rough. You can be all smart with Kyungsoo and study, I’ll actually be having fun.”

“Having fun and failing your finals are hand in hand when it comes to you, Nini,” Baekhyun drawled, thickly spreading the strawberry jam onto his toast. “Whatever, don’t change the topic to Quidditch. What’s your schedule?”

Jongin sighed, shoveling more eggs into his mouth. “In order, I have Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, Apparition, lunch, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and finally, Potions.” Jongin reached for his goblet, nudging Baekhyun in the process. “Which classes do we have together, nerd?”

“We have Charms, Apparition, lunch, Dark Arts, and Potions together. We’ll be separated for Transfiguration and Herbology, our first two periods. I’m also taking Alchemy after Potions, so that’s a separate thing,” Baekhyun responded, pleased with the number of shared classes. “I think Kyungsoo is with us for a lot of these classes too, it’s going to be great.”

Jongin wiped the orange juice off his upper lip, a large grin etched onto his face. “That’s amazing!” He stood up from his seat, placing both hands down on the table. “Baekhyun, I’m going to meet up with Chanyeol now. I think we have Transfiguration together, so I’ll ask him how he’s doing. Get to class safely, nerd.”

Baekhyun scoffed as Jongin roughly ruffled his hair, watching his best friend retreat to the Gryffindor table where Chanyeol sat. Chanyeol looked better off than he had the previous day by a tenfold. The moment he caught sight of Jongin, his eyes brightened and a pearly smile broke out onto his face. Baekhyun found himself fondly observing the interaction between the two seekers, watching carefully as Jongin tackled Chanyeol into a bone-crushing hug, with words flying out of his mouth at a rapid fire speed. Chanyeol laughed in response to Jongin, arms hugging the other back tightly. He mouthed words that Baekhyun couldn’t decipher, his large hands patting Jongin’s back in reassurement.

“That’s great! I was really worried, Yeollie,” Jongin shouted, his voice resonating through the Great Hall. Jongin clasped his hands over his mouth in embarrassment, lowering his voice when he resumed his conversation with Chanyeol.

“He looks better today.”

Baekhyun was startled, peering over shoulder at the voice. He found Kyungsoo, in all his glory, standing with textbooks pressed against his chest. The Ravenclaw nodded in Chanyeol’s direction, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Jongin seems happy, too. I guess we’ve been concerned for nothing, apparently. At least everything is okay, now.”

Baekhyun nodded as he stood, his mind disagreeing with Kyungsoo on his last statement. The pain Jongin and him felt from last night didn't strike him as, “okay,” by any means. One short glance at Kyungsoo, however, told Baekhyun to not mention the weird feelings Jongin and him were experiencing. Instead, he straightened and asked, “We have our first period together, right?”

“Herbology with Professor Longbottom?” When Baekhyun nodded, Kyungsoo pushed him towards the staircase. “In that case, let’s go. We’re going to learn about Venomous Tentacula this year, I’m excited.” Kyungsoo looked giddy, drawing a genuine smile from his friend.

“Isn’t that supposed to be very poisonous? As in, do-something-wrong-and-you-dead, poisonous?”

“What else do you expect from this school?”

“Eh,” Baekhyun chuckled, taking long strides to the greenhouse. “How was your summer, Soo? I forgot to ask earlier.”

Kyungsoo gave a non committed hum, entering the greenhouse with a downplayed look of ecstasy. “It was alright, I guess. I spent the majority of it interning in Diagon Alley. The rest was spent with the muggle side of my family, at some sort of resort in Hawaii.” He took a seat and offered Baekhyun the one next to him. “You? Jongin broke in yesterday, so you never did get to answer.”

“I spent mine at the Ministry, as well,” Baekhyun sighed, taking in the sight of the greenhouse’s multi coloured stems and large, curling leaves. He quickly pulled his hand away from a plant whose vines were beginning to wrap around his arm. With slight hesitancy, Baekhyun softly said, “Father wants to keep our pureblood legacy of working in the Ministry alive, mainly through using me. The entire experience was awful, if I’m to be completely honest.”

Kyungsoo snorted at the sight of Baekhyun edging away from the clingy plants. “They won’t hurt you that much, Baek, relax. And about the legacy, don’t force yourself to do anything because of your bloodline. It’s not worth it in the end.”

“I’ll try my hardest too,” Baekhyun mumbled. He fidgeted in his seat, hoping that the topic of conversation would shift away from family bloodlines. It wasn’t that Baekhyun fully avoided the topic, per say, but he didn’t like the attention he received for being one of the few remaining purebloods either. The responsibilities and implications attributed to the title made Baekhyun anxious; a feeling akin to a silent, but destructive, beast climbing into his thoughts and digging a deep hole to bury itself in. Most people didn't understand the pressure, which kept Baekhyun silent and broody.

Thankfully, Kyungsoo caught on to Baekhyun’s discomfort and swiftly changed the topic. “So, uh, have you heard about the deadly monster they found in the Forbidden Forest over the summer?”

Baekhyun let out a sigh of relief at the subject change, still keeping an eye out for their late Herbology teacher and the perverted plants. “I have not. This is the first I’m hearing of it, actually.” Baekhyun turned to Kyungsoo, giving the shorter his full attention. “Tell me about it.”

Kyungsoo shot him a grin, his fingers excitedly tapping against his textbook’s cover. “Sometimes, I think you live under a rock, Baek. So, apparently, Heistress Edgeworth and Hagrid found a werewolf lurking in the Forbidden Forest. It was said to be huge, like, really, really big. They found it a week after we left for the summer.”

Baekhyun’s jaw dropped, his eyes instantly widening. “A werewolf? No way.” He inched closer to Kyungsoo, eyes starting to slant suspiciously. “What’s the source? If this is some Rita Skeeter level shit, I swear to god, Kyungsoo-”

“No, no, I heard it from Luhan. His dad is an Auror, so that’s how he knows.” Kyungsoo edged closer to Baekhyun, keeping his voice hushed. “I know a lot of people are freaked out about it, but I think it’s really incredible. I haven’t heard of a werewolf around here since Remus Lupin, and that was years ago!”

“It’s pretty shocking that they found one this close to Hogwarts,” Baekhyun whispered back. “The wizarding world absolutely despises werewolves, but I think they’re pretty neat when they aren’t killing anyone.” Baekhyun’s eyes widened even further in realization. “Wait, did Luhan mention if anyone got hurt by the thing? Who knows how long the thing has been lurking around, it's scary to think about.”

Kyungsoo ionately shook his head, his tapping becoming even more rapid. “He said that there weren’t any recorded cases of it. They'd have to it themselves to the nursery from the pain, which no-one has done. If someone was attacked, though, they’d either be dead or turned into a werewolf themselves. Some werewolves actually die from their monthly transformations, so that’s a possibility as well. But, it's very unlikely that someone got attacked.”

Baekhyun winced, “I hope nobody got hurt. Werewolves are something that could cause an actual riot.” At the sound of a door screeching open, he glanced at the head of the greenhouse, noticing the figure of a breathless man. “Looks like our teacher finally showed up. Time to hush.”

“Mhm, we’ll continue this conversation later,” Kyungsoo chirped, obvious enthusiasm written in his features.

As Professor Neville Longbottom settled into room and began introducing himself, Baekhyun froze in his seat. The familiar feeling from the previous night began growing in his chest, the pressure swirling into his stomach. To avoid attention from any wandering eyes, the Slytherin secretly leaned backward to ease the sudden strain that he was feeling. Baekhyun released a quiet, shaky breath as the pressure calmed, eyes trained on his stomach expanding, as the discomfort dissipated.

That was shorter than it was last night, Baekhyun thought panickedly. It only lasted a minute, compared to the hour of groaning he had done the previous night. The area in his chest where the pain had spurted was replaced with the familiar crawling of anxiety. It was the same feeling he got when Kyungsoo mentioned his pureblood legacy, the same feeling that he allowed to develop ever since he was a child. It was absolutely suffocating.

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo whispered.

Baekhyun turned his head to the side, barely ing Kyungsoo’s concerned gaze. “Uh, yes?”

Kyungsoo lifted his hand slightly, motioning it towards Professor Longbottom. “Attendance.”

Baekhyun felt his cheeks start to burn, his anxiety transforming into bashfulness. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir.”

The man gave Baekhyun a sympathetic smile, his lips pulling together into a small line. “It’s alright. The first class day back always made me nervous, too.”

There was a flitting touch on Baekhyun’s knee, a motion which comforted his thundering heart. Kyungsoo gave him a tiny smile, dragging Baekhyun out of his mid-panic state. Instantly, Baekhyun felt drained. There was a lack of anxiety, a lack of pain, leaving his body with an empty, bare awareness. Empty is better than hurting, Baekhyun decided, releasing the excess air residing in his lungs.

Baekhyun mouthed the words, “thank you,” to Kyungsoo, turning his attention to Professor Longbottom. He refused to dwell on the unexpected bursts of pain, or on his growing panic. Baekhyun huffed to himself, a sense of commitment swelling in his mind. He’ll keep himself busy on important things, like his studies, and hope that it’ll distract him from the amplifying unnatural feeling that something was going absurdly, horribly wrong.

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

Ever since his unforeseen panic attack in Herbology a week ago, Baekhyun had grown accustomed to the random aches of pain he’d get, at least once a day. He never could pinpoint when the feeling would overtake him, he could only anticipate for it to come. Baekhyun was thankful that the aches only lasted for two minutes at most, and that they were easy to conceal from others. He could withstand the pain, Baekhyun thought, reminding himself that it was usually a once-a-day occurrence, multiple panics being a rarity.

Sticking to the pact that he and Jongin had made the first night they experienced the pain, Baekhyun had told him of his small episode when they returned to their dorms.

“Really?” Jongin had asked, an expressionless cloud hovering over his features. “I’ve felt that same feeling in the middle of Transfiguration. It was like…” Jongin fell down onto his bed, his damp hair wetting the sheets from his after-Quidditch-practice shower. “It felt as if something was clawing its way into my ribs. It was short lived, though.”

Baekhyun had gaped at the revelation, surprised that the two had similar, almost identical, experiences, again. “This is the ‘weird feeling’, huh?”

Jongin had snorted, and Baekhyun recalled him sneaking a glance through the window, where Chanyeol and the rest of Gryffindor’s Quidditch team were still practicing out on the field. The Gryffindor’s figure was shadowed, and his face was too far away to be visible, but he seemed content with the sweat he was working up. “I think these random pain attacks are going to happen more often. But, I don’t need this interfering in my work.” He had sat up in his bed, locking eyes with Baekhyun. “I made a promise with Chanyeol earlier. We said that we’d face one another in the Quidditch finals.”

“I’m sure that you could do that easil-”

“He seemed desperate, Baek,” Jongin sighed, looking back out the window. “Something is bothering him, despite how happy he may seem. Maybe he’s getting the same weird vibes that we are, I’m not sure. But, the one thing I do know is that we’re all going through something big, at the moment. Chanyeol’s not letting it bring him down, I won’t let this bring me down either. I’ll practice my Quidditch, overcome this- this pain, and I'll beat him in the final game.”

Baekhyun had felt a surge of pride towards his best friend, that night, a week ago. “I’ll do the same with my classes. Whatever this… this dreadful thing is that’s going on, we’ll survive it.”

Since then, Jongin hadn’t perstered him with the “nerdy” remarks, and Baekhyun hadn’t mentioned the extra hours Jongin spent on his broomstick. Kyungsoo had been marveled at the abrupt changes within his close friends, not expecting them to be so dedicated to their ions. It was nice, he thought, days after adjusting to the change. Kyungsoo spent the week studying school material for hours with Baekhyun, then walking out onto the chilly field to root on Jongin.

“It's been a week since you've dedicated, practically your everything, to Quidditch,” Kyungsoo whispered, watching his breath fade away into pale, white puffs, drifting away into the late night skies.

Jongin snickered, a large smile bleeding onto his face. “I think I've gotten better, in this week.” He raised a sweat rag to his forehead, patting the patches of dripping sweat off his face. “How's studying going, Soo? Baek says that you two have been reviewing material every night.”

“He's right,” Kyungsoo sighed. “We've been working our asses off this entire week. At least, seven hours a day of studying?”

Jongin practically choked on the water he was drinking, face turning a light pink from the shock. “Seven hours, plus regular classes?” His voice sounded disbelieving and awed, staring at Kyungsoo through his sweaty bangs. “At this rate, you two will be the smartest wizards in the school by next month, latest.”

A gust of wind picked up, ruffling through Kyungsoo’s light choice of clothing. The small Ravenclaw man wrapped himself with his arms, shivering under the soft glow of the stars. “How do you manage practicing out here every night? It's freezing, and you have less clothes on than I do.” Kyungsoo wrapped himself tighter, glancing over at Jongin’s sturdy figure. “And, I hope we get smarter after this. All this better pay off during our N.E.W.T.s.”

“It will,” Jongin reassured. “Go inside, if it's too cold.” Jongin laid a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, the taller’s his heat sinking into the shorter’s skin. “I think Baek is still studying inside, though. Still don’t find the appeal, but whatever he likes goes, I guess.”

Kyungsoo hummed, leaning into Jongin’s heated hand. He smiled softly when the hand remained in its spot, filling Kyungsoo with a growing warmth that spread to his chest. “I don't mean to intrude, cause I think it's great and all, but, what's with the constant practicing? And Baekhyun’s studying? I mean, you both were ionate about that stuff before, but it's grown a lot. I'm a bit worried, to be frank.” He focused on Jongin’s heat, relaxing under the touch. “You might get sick from the hours you spend out here.”

There were distant shouts from the field, Slytherin’s Quidditch team yelling out words of profanity. They all looked worn out, streaks of sweat adorning their bodies, visible from the light provided by the stars. Their breathing patterns were shaky, bodies shivering from the long-term exposure to the autumn’s breeze. Jongin felt proud, watching his teammates try their hardest to ensure that their seeker wasn't practicing alone, in the lates of the night. They stayed up for Jongin every night that week, which left a minor shadow of guilt in Jongin’s heart. But, he knew that the training would pay off during the games. It had to.

“We’re practicing harder for ourselves, I guess,” Jongin responded. He paused, observing Kyungsoo’s side profile from the corner of his eye. The starlight brought out his features well, Jongin absentmindedly thought. “Don’t worry too much about me, Kyungie.” He jabbed a finger into his chest, puffing it out proudly. “I’m a big boy, after all.”

Kyungsoo giggled, his mouth forming an endearing heart. “If you say so, but I can’t help it. There’s just a different feel with you and Baekhyun lately. You two seem… exhausted? Like, mentally, if you get what I’m saying.”

The Ravenclaw carefully observed Jongin pale, the seeker’s Adam’s apple bobbing from a strained swallow of water. He placed his water bottle onto the bleacher with a shaky hand, clearly composing himself with difficulty. Kyungsoo frowned, mentally berating himself for speaking so loosely. He had been picking up on these actions for majority of the week, his Ravenclaw mindset prodding him to keep all of his friends’ strange behaviours stored into his brain.

“... I’m sorry if I was too straight with you,” Kyungsoo murmured guiltily. He looked away from Jongin to watch his own feet dangle off of the bleacher’s edge. “I just had a feeling…”

Jongin let out a bitter chuckle, not directed at Kyungsoo, from what little he could tell. The seeker still had his hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, massaging small circles onto the soft skin of the older. “We’ve all been having weird feelings lately, huh?”

“Jongin?”

“I don’t know how to say this, Kyungsoo. It’s been rough for Baekhyun and I, recently.”

Kyungsoo kept quiet for a few moments, brain processing the words attentively. “I don’t want to make assumptions, so I’ll be blunt.” He looked back at Jongin, flinching slightly when he noticed the other staring back. “Are you and Baekhyun in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel?”

“Lovers’ quar-” Jongin paused, his jaw immediately dropping open. His face twisted into a mixture of disbelief and disgust, as if the pure thought of Kyungsoo’s implications was sickening. “Um, no, ew, I-” He shook his head rapidly, as if trying to clear his mind from his thoughts. “Honestly, what the fuck? Baekhyun? He’s like my older brother, oh my gosh, Kyungsoo, are you seeing me gag?”

The shorter man stifled a laugh at the unexpected reaction, a small hand flying to cover his blooming smile. With a quick inhale to cover his giggles and contain himself, he nodded at Jongin. “Uh, yes, I can see… you gagging, quite well.”

Unable to silently handle the sight of Jongin’s expanding revulsion any longer, Kyungsoo burst out into a fit of laughs, clutching his stomach to steady himself. Jongin remained sputtering at a gross mental image of Baekhyun- his brotherly role-model- and him doing things meant strictly for couples. After slightly recovering from his distaste, he side-tackled Kyungsoo onto the bleacher surface, pinning the smaller body underneath him.

“Stop laughing!” The seeker whined, face red with embarrassment. “I can’t believe you thought Baek and I were- god forbid, holy shit- lovers. He’s looks like a gremlin and acts like an ogre. How, in the name of Dumbledore, did you think that we’d-” Jongin trailed off, his face burning from repulse.

Kyungsoo gave a bright eyed look up at Jongin, shifting comfortably under the seeker’s body heat. “I didn’t know what I was thinking, Nini,” he sniggered. “If Baekhyun was here, he’d be offended at the things you’ve said.”

“Pfft, that nerd is married to his books. He’d probably call me worse things than what I humbly proclaimed him to be,” Jongin snorted, humming contently as Kyungsoo leaned towards his torso, seeking out the younger’s warmth. Jongin lowered himself until their chests pressed close together, his arms resting on either side of Kyungsoo’s head. Their noses softly brushed as Jongin moved his head, aiming to rest his chin on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. He was softly smiling at the intimate between them. “You smell nice, Soo. Like, I dunno, cinnamon sticks.”

“Creep,” Kyungsoo whispered, shutting his eyelids to fully bask in the moment. “I bet you tell Baekhyun that, too.”

Jongin groaned and his body lightly shook, vibrating from his laughs. “No, I don’t go around sniffing him, or anyone, for the matter.”

“Oh. So, I’m special?”

“Of course you are,” Jongin genuinely replied.

Kyungsoo gave a small, affectionate smile in response. He lifted an arm to wrap around Jongin’s shoulders, attempting to ignoring the seeker’s lingering sweat that began to sink into his robes. “You’re paying for my laundry, you know.”

“Stingy,” Jongin huffed, making no indication of moving his face from the juncture between Kyungsoo’s shoulder and neck. He exhaled, blowing a huff of warm air against the other’s trembling neck.

“Having fun?”

Kyungsoo turned his head to the side, glancing down from the bleacher seat. An overworked Baekhyun stood on the ground, a single book pressed against his shivering chest. The said Slytherin’s gaze shifted between his two friends, calmly assessing the situation in his head. Baekhyun released an unbothered sound, lifting himself up on the bleachers to settle in the space beside the two cuddling students.

“I don’t want to look at your face, right now,” Jongin stubbornly grumbled. He buried his face deep into the crook of Kyungsoo’s neck, shielding his eyes from any light.

Baekhyun seemed unfazed by the snide comment, opening his book and tilting it towards the starry sky for light. “Wow, isn’t that funny. I don’t want to see you anytime,” he deadpanned.

Kyungsoo grinned up at Baekhyun, tilting his face back to he could see the studious Slytherin, who chose to sit next to their heads. “I asked Jongin if you two were in the middle of a lovers’ squabble, and he had a very disgusted reaction to the question.”

“Oh,” the elder casually acknowledged. After a beat of silence, Baekhyun raised his head from his book to peek at the duo, realization sinking into his face. “... Jongin’s basically a prepubescent Graphorn who’s eaten way too many flesh-eating slugs in his lifetime to function properly, leading him to life of utmost misery and gassy endeavours, and I’d rather mate with a fucking Hippogriff than have to deal with his bullsh-”

“Alright,” Kyungsoo interrupted, a whole-hearted laugh spilling from his lips. “I think I get the picture.”

Jongin grumbled even louder, sighing in expectancy. “Told you he’d run off his mouth worse than me.”

Baekhyun smirked, “You make it really easy to do so.” He closed his book, deeming the light too dim to read properly. “Want to go inside? Quidditch practice seems to be over, while you two were cuddling for who-knows how long.”

He briefly motioned to the almost-empty Quidditch field, where only two players remained on their brooms to pack up the balls. The scenery was darkened enough for flying to be very difficult, the time nearing nine o’clock. Jongin lifted himself off of Kyungsoo, eyebrows raising in mild surprise at the amount of time that ed while he and Kyungsoo had been talking. A small part of him was disappointed for missing out on valuable practice time, while the other consoled him with the legitimate happiness Kyungsoo had offered him. It was Jongin’s first time feeling that relaxed since their first day of school.

Jongin looked at the small Ravenclaw who was sitting up from his resting position, small hands rubbing his back from the hard bleacher wood. Sharing heat and words with Kyungsoo under the twinkling sky had made him forget all about the daily misery he had endured for the week. It was something he’d do again, Jongin thought earnestly. It was a beautiful distraction.

“I guess we should leave,” Kyungsoo announced, jumping off the bleacher seat and snapping Jongin out of his thoughts. “It’s almost curfew, as well. We don’t want to get into any trouble.”

Baekhyun nodded, ing Kyungsoo on the soft grass. “My brain hurts.”

“Then you should give it a break,” Kyungsoo chided, waiting for Jongin to mix with them before making their way inside. “You’ve been studying a lot, so take a breather. It won’t hurt to rest a bit tomorrow.”

Baekhyun grimaced, discomfort squirming into his gut. “There’s nothing else to do-” To keep me distracted from any incoming pain spasms, remained unsaid. “Besides, not everyone has a stress-relieving cuddle buddy readily available.”

“Then, get one,” Kyungsoo cooly responded, placing a soft hand on Baekhyun’s ear and tugging harshly.

Jongin gaped at the Ravenclaw’s forthright words. “Aw, Kyungsoo, we’re cuddle buddies?”

The Ravenclaw shrugged, beaming at Jongin with sparkling eyes that could rival the stars in the sky. “If you don’t mind! You’re warm and stressed. I’m cold and willing to relax. So, it’s a win-win situation.”

“Ha, take that, Baekhyun!” Jongin cheered, throwing an arm around Kyungsoo to pull him flush against his shoulder. “I have a cuddle buddy, while you’re still desperately in the need of more friends.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, face blank, but eyes fond. “You and I both know that if it weren’t for Quidditch, Kyungsoo and I would be your only friends. Come on, you troll, try me.”

Jongin sniffed, turning his head to avoid Baekhyun’s smug eyes. “... You’re still a loner.”

With a quiet snort, Baekhyun opened his book again, peering through the pages with aid from the castle’s lantern light. He was reading “Confronting the Faceless,” a required book for the Defence Against the Dark Arts course. It was a struggle to read, but Baekhyun was adamant on learning everything he could, no matter how boring it was. His eyes slowly skimmed through pages about repelling dementors, his eyes drooping more and more in protest after every word he processed.

“Oh, hey, you three.” A slight pause. “Not to be rude, but you look miserable, Byun.”

Baekhyun glanced up from the book, a frown adorning his face from the blunt words. In front of the trio stood Park Chanyeol, the Gryffindor seeker who Baekhyun hadn't paid much attention to since the first day back. The boy’s dark hair was slicked back with sweat from his own Quidditch practice, similar to how Jongin’s hair had looked, not too long ago. The seeker wore a large grin on his face, despite the obvious fatigue that was written over his body features. His eyes held a steady, yet soft, gaze on Baekhyun and his friends; a mixture of gentleness and an unidentifiable, guarded emotion, swirling through his pupils. It was strangely alluring, Baekhyun thought, his slight annoyance dissipating.

To say Baekhyun was surprised would’ve been an enormous understatement. The Gryffindor, while he was on brotherly levels of friendship with Jongin, had never interacted much with Baekhyun in their five previous years of schooling. It was an acquaintanceship at most, Baekhyun would say. It was best described as a mutual acknowledgement and respect for one another, one that wasn't vocalized between the two. To have Chanyeol appear in front of him with such a forward statement came off as a mild startle.

“He is quite miserable,” Jongin responded, not missing a beat. “We were actually just talking about his lack of friends and social skills.”

Chanyeol swatted his bangs off his eyes, a breathy chuckle ripping through his vocal chords. “To be fair, social skills are a pain in the ass.” He turned his gaze back onto Baekhyun, jerking his chin at the textbook he held. “You look like you're in pain as you read.”

Baekhyun felt heat crawl up his neck, a nervous laugh bubbling up his throat at the suddenness. “I’m just tired, I guess. It's late, and it's harder for me to focus at night. Everything ends up like a daze.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, crossing his arms. “This is why I'm telling you to rest. Studying this hard makes you look down-right gloomy.” Kyungsoo glanced around the corridor the four stood in, pressing his lips together at the sight of a clock. He began walking ahead, Jongin following close behind. “Talk and walk, people, talk and walk. Curfew is approaching.”

“How are you not a prefect?” Jongin grumbled, shoving his hands into his robe’s pockets. “Or, is over-responsibility a Ravenclaw thing?”

Shuffling his legs to follow behind the two bantering students, Baekhyun felt Chanyeol’s presence fall into step beside him. The smaller man looked up at the seeker, subtly in awe at the height difference. It had definitely gotten larger since their first year, Baekhyun observed. The seeker used to be around his height, but similar to most others and to Baekhyun’s constant dismay, he had a growth burst which sent him towering inches above the Slytherin.

"So,” Chanyeol began. At Baekhyun’s miniscule jolt of surprise, the ravenhead laughed. “Sorry to startle you, Byun.” His face lit up with his laughs, eye corners wrinkling around the mysterious curls of emotions in his pupils. Baekhyun was enraptured. “Just wanted some small talk. How's studying going?”

“It's going alright,” Baekhyun replied, cheeks lightly flushed pink with embarrassment. “Kyungsoo and I go over most of our material every day, and we try to teach ourselves new things too. It’s a work in progress.”

Chanyeol let out a low whistle of iration, eyes tracing the backs of Kyungsoo and Jongin in front of them. “I'm impressed. That's probably why you look like you haven't slept in a decade.”

Baekhyun bit his lower lip, pressing his book back into his chest. “Do I really look that bad?”

“No, no, no,” Chanyeol hurriedly reassured, hands flailing around his built frame. He looked like an overgrown teddy bear, Baekhyun noted. “That isn't what I meant to insinuate… You just look tired- in the cute way, of course- but still pretty beaten down.”

“Oh,” Baekhyun hummed, making an extra flustered blink at the “cute” remark. After moment of contemplation, he looked up at Chanyeol’s side profile. “Things have been a bit rough recently, so I guess that's drained me more than I initially realized.”

Chanyeol kept quiet for a moment, letting the sounds of Jongin’s boisterous laughter to fill in the space. “I hope things get better, Byun,” he whispered after a while, a small, yet sincere, smile gracing his face.

Baekhyun felt a grateful twinge arise in his chest. Chanyeol gave no indication of wanting to intrude into the smaller’s problems, which was something that Baekhyun was thankful for. The Slytherin released a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders loosening into a more relaxed posture.

“Thank you, Chanyeol. You know, you should call me by my first name. ‘Byun’ sounds way too formal,” Baekhyun mumbled.

With the Grand Staircase in sight, Chanyeol slowed down his steps to respond. “Sure thing, Baekhyun.”

“I hope you're feeling alright too, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun continued, carefully noting Chanyeol’s suddenly tensed frame. “On the first day, you seemed really shaken. Jongin told me you’re alright, so I didn't ask myself, but that’s rude of me. Better late than never, though, so are you okay?”

Chanyeol gave a vague hum in response, the swirls of emotions in his eyes becoming less and less distinguishable. “I was just rushed, that day. Thanks for asking though, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol placed a foot on a stair step, glancing at the Slytherin. “I'll see you in Defence Against the Dark Arts tomorrow, then.”

Baekhyun quickly glanced away from the taller’s eyes, face flushing. He's in my class? Since when-

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” Baekhyun stuttered out. “Uh, sorry for being so awkward. Jongin was right when he mentioned how I have little to no social skills-”

Chanyeol raised a large hand to Baekhyun’s head and patted his hair gently, silencing the smaller. Baekhyun’s eyes widened by a small fraction, his mind revelling in the feeling of the Gryffindor’s calloused fingers brushing lightly against his scalp. The soothing touch left as soon as it came, much to the elder’s disappointment. Chanyeol- who was quietly taking in the surprised and curiosity filled eyes peeping up at him- gave one last smile to Baekhyun.

“There's nothing to apologise for, I enjoy speaking to you,” Chanyeol said, shoving the hand that touched Baekhyun’s hair into his pocket. “We should talk more, Baek.”

Baekhyun stilled at that nickname, startling only when the staircase paused near the Gryffindor dorms. “A-ah, we really should! Goodnight… Yeol.” The inclusion of the nickname was a last minute decision, and Baekhyun mentally slapped himself for it. What would Chanyeol think-

Chanyeol’s face went blank for a few seconds, gazing down at the smaller with indecipherable eyes. Slowly, there was a swirl of delight in the Gryffindor’s hazel eyes, a soft smile sinking into his features. “That’s really cute. I like it.” With that said, he turned around and headed toward his dorm’s entrance, waving goodbye at Kyungsoo and Jongin as he ed them. “G’night, everyone,” he said, swiftly disappearing into his common room.

Jongin snorted at the Gryffindor's casual exit. “He’s so edgy at times, what a ladies man.” He diverged his gaze to Kyungsoo, an aura of fondness washing between the two. “Sleep well, Soo. Thanks for everything you’ve done today.”

“Anytime, Nini,” Kyungsoo softly replied, eyes drooping at the tanned seeker’s frame. “Dream well, you definitely deserve the rest.”

“Oh my fucking gosh,” Baekhyun gagged. He pushed past the two cuddle buddies- or whatever the hell their current title was- and approached the Slytherin dorms. “It’s literally like watching my parents flirt, I need to bleach my entire being. Why did I think this wouldn’t be a lovely-dovey cringe fest, I’m disappointed in myself-”

Jongin watched his disturbed best friend ionately mutter under his breath, swiftly returning to Kyungsoo with a confused expression. “Isn’t bleach a sterilizer?”

Kyungsoo sighed, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. “I-it’s a muggle meme. I explained the concept to him during a study session and he’s gotten fond of it. I’ll explain it to you later, okay?”

Giving an uncaring shrug, Jongin pulled Kyungsoo in for a hug, tightly wrapping his arms around the small frame. “You make me really happy, you know that?”

Kyungsoo paused at the sudden confession, jaw dropping open at the sincerity lacing Jongin’s voice. Something is wrong, Kyungsoo thoughtfully mused. Nevertheless, the Ravenclaw returned the embrace, squeezing his arms around Jongin’s waist, pulling him even closer. The heat was comforting, engulfing Kyungsoo’s remaining shivers and replacing it with delicate tingles across the surface of his skin.

“You make me happy too. We’re here for each other, Nini, don’t you ever forget that.”

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

if you made it this far, you're a real trooper :weary: :purple_heart: thanks for reading, and i'll post the rest of what is supposed to be chapter 1 in a few days jzjzj, bye bye!!