Allowed to die if you buy me something nice
Title: Allowed to die if you buy me something nice
Pairing: Suho/D.O,[Spoiler (click to open)]mentions of Baekhyun/Kris and Sehun/Kai
Word Count: 9.218
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Being Junmyeon a Ravenclaw, Kyungsoo thought he was smart enough to not join the Triwizard Tournament. Well, he was wrong.
Notes: As usual, betaed by shinealightrose! The title is... ridiculous because I'm ridiculous. And the more I write HP!AU the more I want to write only about it, someone get me out of the maze.
There are a few reasons why Kyungsoo hates the Triwizard Tournament. First, it leaves him and his beloved Slytherin team without Quidditch for a whole year, just to watch three losers challenging themselves and risking their lives instead. Boring. Second, it’s the kind of task his idiot boyfriend would love to join, always because of a matter of wizard pride that, in Kyungsoo’s opinion, he won’t obtain no matter what. Third, they will be automatically invaded by foreign students who, as soon as they don’t get chosen for the Triwizard Tournament, will make sure they pass the next months shoving their tongues down to everyone’s throats.
Naturally, the same night of the arrival at Hogwarts, the announcement has everyone excited and jumping on their seats. The Slytherin table, however, limit themselves to exchanging mischievous glances and smirks, except for a worried Kyungsoo who tries to find Junmyeon across the Great Hall. It’s hard to spot him among the blue robes of the Ravenclaws, specially because he’s not the tallest of his species and neither is Kyungsoo, so he doesn’t succeed.
Baekhyun, supposedly his best friend, is the first to notice his nervousness. He casts a gross, charming look towards him, for which he knows he’ll be paying later. “Isn’t little Kyungsoo going to participate in the Triwizard Tournament?”
“I have a long life to enjoy first, thanks” Kyungsoo replies right away, as if rolling his eyes wasn’t enough of an answer.
Kyungsoo manages to chew on a piece of carrot cake before the food disappears from the table, a perfect clean cutlery but an almost empty stomach. Sadly, the lack of food plus the question catches the attention of other Slytherins, and soon he has Jongdae and Sehun looking their way.
“And he has enough fans already,” Jongdae comments. “Jongin is going to get depressed if he suddenly gets a hundred more rivals.”
The mere mention of the Hufflepuff has Kyungsoo flinching on his seat, primary instincts activating the urge of running away. Jongin is, in fact, a Hufflepuff one year younger that seems to have developed an unhealthy obsession for him throughout the Hogwarts years. At first he was young and innocent; so were his attempts to make him a conquest, but as he grew up he started to become simply twisted. And everything became harder when Kyungsoo happened to land his eyes on Junmyeon.
“I still don’t get why he’s dating that plain Ravenclaw when he could be having good times with Jongin,” Sehun responds, careless about the fact that he has Kyungsoo right in front of him, giving birth to the beginning of a glare. “If you know what I mean.”
“Still here,” Kyungsoo warns him, and Sehun only acknowledges him with a feline grin. Junmyeon may not fit into Sehun’s standards, but he surely does into Kyungsoo’s. “And I have to remind you guys that Jongin tried to poison my boyfriend twice because he’s cuckoo.”
And he’s fortunate Jongin is really bad at potions, because the most he accomplished was to send Junmyeon to the Hospital Wing - a mild attack considering Jongin was probably aiming for St. Mungo’s.
Baekhyun cackles. “About you.”
“About everything,” Sehun adds, although he doesn’t realize he’s helping Kyungsoo out of the bullying and this is not. what he intends. “He almost stabbed me in the eye during Potions class last year because I didn’t have more Belladonna.”
As much as they love stories about Jongin’s adventures, the dinner ends and they have to hurry up towards the Slytherin Dungeons before a bunch of tiny first years take over all the space. Kyungsoo makes a failing move to wait for Junmyeon to lecture him, but Baekhyun catches his intentions and pushes him through their way to the Common Room.
“Damn the day you met him,” Baekhyun protests to him once they’re in the dorm, and Kyungsoo can’t help but think he’s coming a year late. Kyungsoo smiles under his sheets, because the only reason he talked to Junmyeon in the first place was Baekhyun: he had sprained his ankle while they were coming back from Hogsmeade, and Junmyeon and his Ravenclaws housemates had been just a meters away from them. “You were Mister Mastermind and he has converted you into a mum.”
Next morning, Kyungsoo doesn’t catch Junmyeon either during the breakfast, and although he suspects Junmyeon might be acting like a loser already and passing the first day of classes in the library, he decides not search for him just yet. He changes his mind after double Transfiguration class with a bunch of annoying Hufflepuffs, after which he’s about to explode.
In effect, he finds his boyfriend in the library after lunch time, surrounded by mountains of books and parchments. He wants to voice out how lame it is that he’s studying on his first day, yet he holds back. Kyungsoo understands that Junmyeon is a seventh year and that he puts too much effort into everything he does, but Kyungsoo seriously shouldn’t date someone so determined. He’s already enough stubborn himself.
Kyungsoo halts in front of him and Junmyeon looks up at him from his table, a smile slowly blossoming.
He doesn’t fall for his loving smile. Repeat. Kyungsoo does not fall for it.
Clearing his throat, he affirms. “You aren’t planning to participate.”
Junmyeon doesn’t seem to notice it’s not a question, because neither his grin nor his enthusiasm falter. “I am.”
Kyungsoo isn’t a guy of scandals and screams when he doesn’t get what he wants. On the other hand, he’s conscious of how his eyes are the best weapon to scare people off. “No.”
Of course, his deathly stares usually work on those who don’t know him, mainly because there’s a stupid rumour about him having basilisk blood. The problem is that Junmyeon has been dating him for a whole year already, so Kyungsoo’s antics are useless.
“Uhm, yes, I am?” he insists, putting his feather aside to give him the look.
Despite being in the library, Kyungsoo can’t repress a childish whine. “Junmyeon!”
A pair of students hush him right away, to which he responds with a clear, intolerant glare, because he won’t allow any loser to shut him up.
Going back to his boyfriend, Kyungsoo raises his hand to ask for a moment, as if he needed to put his thoughts in order to win this argument. It’s an understatement to say Junmyeon is amused, leaning back on his chair and arms crossed as he waits for whatever the Slytherin comes up with.
A few seconds later, the sixth year finds the solution. “I’m going to make out with Jongin if you even dare to put your name in the Goblet.”
Junmyeon snorts. Hard. Which is not something usual. “Fine.”
There isn’t any option for Kyungsoo besides feeling deeply offended, because since when does his boyfriend not care about Kyungsoo leaving him for another guy? Even though Junmyeon has always had a soft spot for Jongin, excusing him after his murder attempts, it isn’t acceptable that he also doesn’t mind sharing Kyungsoo with him. He should actually make out with Jongin to see how Junmyeon deals with it.
“What do you mean fine?” Kyungsoo protests, eyes furrowed.
Junmyeon sighs, and suddenly there it is: the condescending smile that switches on Kyungsoo’s need to punch this boy in the face. Baekhyun always tells him that he has a weird way of showing love; he doesn’t agree, since wanting to hit your boyfriend when he intends to do something stupid is perfectly reasonable.
“Give me a kiss and go back to class, Soo.”
“No,” Kyungsoo stares at him blankly, trying to show how much he hates him for this. “Screw all you crazy Ravenclaws.”
And although he can hear Junmyeon snickering at his anger, he walks away with his chin raised.
Kyungsoo doesn’t give up, but Junmyeon isn’t aware of that. Maybe his talent as an evil mastermind has been downgraded for the last year, yet that doesn’t mean he has run out of ideas. He decides to start brewing the Sleeping Draught illicitly in a corner of the Astronomy Tower, with the mere reason that it’s a nighttime class and nobody will notice a tiny cauldron in a dark corner. He’s right. He hasn’t planned how to give it to Junmyeon though, because it’s going to be very suspicious if he suddenly bakes him cookies or buys him chocolates.
The arrival of Durmstrang’s and Beauxbatons’ students is programmed for Saturday, which translates into days and days of teenagers excitedly talking about what kind of students the other schools will bring. Kyungsoo already knows the answer: slender and elegant in the case of Beauxbatons, and as beastly as possible in the case of Durmstrang.
“Why do you hate it so much, anyways?” Jongdae asks him during Friday afternoon, when they’re already done with classes.
They’re walking down to the Slytherin Dungeon as Sehun and Baekhyun stride behind them, apparently trying to charm Baekhyun’s shoes so that he looks taller.
“It’s just boring,” Kyungsoo answers, pressing the History of Magic book against his chest. “Unless you’re competing, when it’s only entertaining because you’re in danger to die.”
“I think I’m going to join too,” Jongdae confesses all of sudden.
“What?” Sehun runs to catch his friend, jaw hanging down in shock. “No, Jongdae! You’re supposed to stay with me as ‘ the public who laughs at Junmyeon while he dies’.”
Kyungsoo uses the book to hit Sehun, not a pleasant attack considering the size of the sixth year books, but Baekhyun scoffs before anyone can say anything. “Who cares? It’s not like he’ll be chosen.”
Anticipating the fight that is going to explode, Kyungsoo mutters the password and enters the Common Room, empty except for a couple of students doing their homework by the fire. Bad idea, Kyungsoo thinks, since on certain occasions Sehun has enchanted the fire so that it expanded and Kyungsoo’s parchments were eaten by the flames.
“What do you mean I won’t be chosen?” Jongdae continues, his three friends following him inside. “I’m great! I’m brave, smart and…”
Kyungsoo deadpans at the defense. “Why are you listing the qualities of other Houses?”
Of course, Jongdae blushes in realization as Baekhyun and Sehun erupt into laughter. To avoid the mocking, he goes to one of the couches and lies on it, pouting. The younger students turn to glance at the group all of a sudden, startled, and it only takes a bad look from Sehun for them to gather their homework and run away. This is what Slytherins have labelled as the ‘escape of the survivor’, aka older students are the owners of any space in the Dungeon.
“Says he who sucks face with a Ravenclaw,” attacks Jongdae back.
Sometimes, it’s a bit annoying that his friends don’t have the tact to call his boyfriend by his name. He’s not Junmyeon, but a Ravenclaw, and his last name is probably loser. Although maybe the last one is Kyungsoo’s fault because he calls Junmyeon that all the time.
“I haven’t sucked anything with him since we arrived,” Kyungsoo says while all of them accommodate around the fire. He doesn’t mention how he’s suffering for it, but his plans don’t allow him to have a break and throw himself into Junmyeon’s arms. “But soon I’ll be sucking face with Jongin instead.”
He expects to cause a shock, yet he doesn’t. It’s right then when he fears he has spit too much crap during the last days, so the other Slytherins don’t trust his word anymore.
Sehun raises a brow at him, inquiring. “Good luck with that.” Then he gazes at the fire, swinging his wand in what the rest would consider a very risky movement, though he looks too distracted to notice. “Do you know that I share almost all my classes with him and he hasn’t mentioned you, not even once?”
And there fly Kyungsoo’s hopes.
“He’s moved on!” Baekhyun announces, amused at how his friend deflates with the news.
“Be careful, guys,” Jongdae cuts in, with a dark tone that doesn’t match the topic they’re discussing. His eyes stop on the Slytherins one by one, trying to inspire some kind of seriousness in them. “That only means he has found another victim.”
Despite his skepticism about the utility of a Triwizard Tournament, Kyungsoo still attends the welcoming act for the other Wizard schools. Even if he didn’t intend to go, Baekhyun would have forced him anyway. It’s not exciting for him, but it shouldn’t be for his friends either unless they want to join the Cup - like Jongdae - since they’ve already witnessed another Triwizard Tournament Cup when they were in their second year. He would understand the enthusiasm if this was their first time, but it’s not the case.
The waiting on the grounds is long, Baekhyun attached to his hip and Sehun and Jongdae going around to bother some naïve students. He freezes due to the cold weather, stubborn enough not to cast a Warming charm because he’s that tough. For Merlin’s sake, he sleeps in the Dungeons.
“Soo,” a voice calls him when they have been for an hour waiting already.
There’s just one person who uses that nickname on him, besides Sehun when he drinks too much Butterbeer, and it makes Kyungsoo flushed because Junmyeon isn’t supposed to use it in public.
He cracks his neck, just to observe how Junmyeon approaches him with his blue scarf around his neck, just his red nose peeking out.
“I’m not talking to you though?” Kyungsoo reminds him, and he turns around so fast that he manages to flick his hair.
Junmyeon is used to this type of treatment, thus it’s easy for him to ignore what would hurt anyone else’s feelings. He wraps an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist and brings him closer, at which Baekhyun rudely cringes. “I love when you’re being obstinate.”
“Well, I love when you’re alive and all your limbs are in their right places,” the Slytherin shoots back, a strategy to not smile at how Junmyeon is trying to lure him into sweet traps.
The Ravenclaw responds by planting a peck on his cheek, which his boyfriend doesn’t have time to dodge - not that he would. Kyungsoo immediately wipes away the kiss with the back of his hand, faking he’s disgusted and that he has probably been contaminated with Ravenclaw germs.
“You know what you’ll love?” Junmyeon insists, laughing.
Kyungsoo fires a triumphant smirk towards him. “Next year when you’re not in Hogwarts anymore?”
“Ouch.” Junmyeon scowls at him, and it’s obvious he’s trying to retain the need of scolding him. This is, after all, something he’s worried about, because Kyungsoo has enough admirers to take Junmyeon’s place when he graduates. Baekhyun evilly cackles until he hears what Junmyeon whispers next. “No, you’ll love that, if I win the prize, I’ll buy you a Time Turner on the black market.”
Both Slytherins stare at him, astounded, Baekhyun covering his mouth to contain an embarrassing gasp and Kyungsoo’s right eye twitching in frustration. He is torn between accepting his defeat and taking that Time Turner or preserving his integrity.
“Oh man, I’ll date you if Kyungsoo doesn’t want to,” Baekhyun proposes, perhaps with too much determination.
Junmyeon bats his hands to shut the Slytherin up; in the first place, he knows Baekhyun bad mouths him behind his back because he doesn’t like sharing his best friend. “What do you say, Soo?”
“Damn.”
It’s not only the fact that he loves dark objects - not dark magic - maybe a bit too much; he’s more lured into giving up because it’s Junmyeon, honor student, Prefect and currently Head Boy of Ravenclaw, who is offering it.
“Also, if you keep being this stubborn,” Junmyeon continues, smiling as though he knows he has already won him over. Maybe because of that security, he goes further with the threat, “I’ll start taking points from Slytherin because I can.”
Baekhyun gasps, number one dramatic student since his first year. “You wouldn’t.”
Whether if Junmyeon would dare or not, they never find out. Mainly because the three of them are aware that Kyungsoo won’t reject a present like that one, but also because Beauxbatons makes its appearance.
“A Time Turner, Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo cries as soon as Junmyeon leaves, since his role as Head Boy forces him to keep the students in line. “I’m so screwed.”
Needless to say, Kyungsoo is right. Beauxbatons students are mostly slim figures that move around with a haughtiness that Kyungsoo doesn’t approve of in Hogwarts, his school; while Durmstrang seems to have exceeded themselves by bringing students so tall that Kyungsoo only reaches their waists. Baekhyun even asks a guy if he’s a half giant, which of course gets him into some serious trouble. Kyungsoo doesn’t peer into the fight, but he would swear Baekhyun resolves it in an atypical way, judging that he doesn’t come back to the Common Room until late.
Kyungsoo is focused though, so he doesn’t pay attention to his friend’s incidents. The problem is that now that he doesn’t have to put up his act and fake being angry with Junmyeon, he can freely spend part of the night with him. He’s not supposed to be out of his Common Room at certain hours, but it just so happens that Junmyeon is a Head Boy and Kyungsoo is his weakest point.
The second problem is that when he goes back to the Dungeons, Baekhyun’s bed empty and Jongdae still awake because of anxiety, he falls into a deep sleep.
Next morning, he realizes he has forgotten two things:
1)The potion he was illegally brewing in a corner of the Astronomy tower.
2)Therefore, to make sure Junmyeon didn’t put his name on the Goblet.
It’s too late, he knows it; still he hurries to put on his robes and run to the Great Hall, students pushed down the stairs included. When he steps in, Junmyeon is nowhere to be seen, at least not around the Goblet of Fire. There are currently some Gryffindors crossing the line, papers in hand, and Kyungsoo manages to catch Jongdae about to follow their path.
He’s grasping him by the arm before he can make any move, oblivious and tactless at how nervous Jongdae is. “Please tell me you haven’t seen Junmyeon.”
Jongdae just sends him a meaningful glance, briefly enjoying his misery before going back to his wrecked self. “He did it. Now cross your fingers.”
Indeed, Kyungsoo should cross his fingers and implore, but he would rather put his fingers around his boyfriend’s neck.
“Hey, you!” Baekhyun appears behind them, and Jongdae takes his chance to cross the line as his friends watch him. However, none of them seem interested enough. “What a night, Kyungsoo. Those Durmstrang boys have great, big hands, and do you know what it’s said about hands?”
The other Slytherin shoots a scandalized look his way. “You haven’t gone all the way on the first try, have you?”
“I haven’t!” Baekhyun replies, offended, though Kyungsoo doesn’t understand why he is. Both of them know he would be capable of it. “I’m just talking about hands.”
“I don’t want to hear about how a Durmstrang boy has fingered you.” Kyungsoo nudges him, and not in a playful way, also a bit worried of touching him in case he hasn’t showered yet. “Either way, I’m going to enjoy my boyfriend while he’s alive.”
That night, Kyungsoo runs into the third problem: Junmyeon’s name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.
“Soo, drop it,” Junmyeon protests, though he can’t repress an amused chuckle. “You can’t come with me to all the classes.”
Kyungsoo disagrees: he can, and he will. He’s not embarrassed by his own behaviour during the last two days, even if for some reason people around him seem to be. He has spent the whole day like a leech, in a literal way since he passes most part of the day hugging Junmyeon’s arm and pressing his cheek against it, and he’s not disposed to let it go. If he has to attend seventh year classes, he will.
“I love you,” whines Kyungsoo, provoking a whole set of displeased faces around them. Junmyeon doesn’t take him seriously, of course. “And hate you. Damn I hate you so much.”
He hasn’t believed in love-hate relationships until now, but he has no option anymore. He’s still mad at how Junmyeon has disregarded his opinion and done whatever he liked, and at the same time he’s dead worried over the Tournament. To be honest, Kyungsoo doesn’t blame him, because after a year of being together, they haven’t had the ‘boyfriend’ talk. It’s mostly Kyungsoo calling him boyfriend when he’s not around, and he has never said the magic word in front of him.
“I can see you tonight, okay?” Junmyeon pats him on the head awkwardly, self-conscious of how unusual this conduct is in Kyungsoo. “We have a few interviews, and then I have to patrol but if you want I’ll go to the Dungeons lat-”
“Interviews?” Kyungsoo scoffs, bothered, just realizing he’ll be seeing Junmyeon’s face on The Daily Prophet in a couple of days. Then he finally releases the Ravenclaw and moves his hand around as to comprise their surroundings, somehow indignant. “Have you seen how people look at you now that you’re a Champion?”
“Yes.” Junmyeon smiles toothily, pleased.
It’s an understatement to affirm Kyungsoo doesn’t like that Junmyeon is so happy about that. Kyungsoo definitely isn’t content with the situation itself, but a whole bunch of admirers have been added to the mix. Girls giggling when Junmyeon passes by - with Kyungsoo attached to his frame - or boys that need a tutoring session out of the blue.
Kyungsoo crosses his arms, glare fixed on the Ravenclaw. “Well, you’re not allowed to accept anything from them. Dates, sex, presents, nothing, got it?”
It’s supposed to be a reprimand, as if Junmyeon had already fallen into the trap, but it doesn’t have any effect. For some unknown reason, Junmyeon blushes, a red that seems more intense in contrast with his pallid skin.
Somehow, he manages to gaze at the Slytherin, stammering through his words. “I guess I’m getting these from you?”
Within a second, a smirk emerges on Kyungsoo’s lips, because if he hasn’t heard wrong - and he’s sure he hasn’t - Junmyeon is asking him for sex. After a year, he was starting to think the Ravenclaw didn’t have any sexual need besides dry humping him behind the bushes, yet Kyungsoo is patient like that.
“If that’s what you want, Junmyeon,” he answers, and the way the Ravenclaw flushes even redder is a personal satisfaction. He has succeeded in making the Ravenclaw Head Boy uncomfortable; doesn’t he win a medal or a few galleons? “I mean, the Room of Requirement is there for everyone.”
Perhaps too fast, Junmyeon nods and steps back, and apparently he’s not able to discuss sex and do something else at the same time, because he trips over his own feet. “Al-alright.”
Kyungsoo watches him go with a stupid smile on his face, even though he must have the same gesture on his. He doesn’t realize that maybe they’re suddenly pushing themselves to have sex because Junmyeon will be risking his life during the next few months. Instinct of procreation without being able to procreate, it can’t get better.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?”
Indeed, he should, and he would run away to his Transfiguration class if it weren’t Sehun who asked. The other Slytherin shouldn’t be here either, in the middle of the second floor popping out from nowhere.
Turning around to face his friend, Kyungsoo looks him up and down and takes in all the clear signals: the disheveled hair, the wrinkled robes, the swollen lips, and overall, difficulty breathing.
“Where did you come out from?” he inquires. Bad question, he realizes, and then he places a hand over his heart, the betrayal seeping onto his face. “Please, tell me you weren’t making out with a foreign student too.”
Sehun looks confused, at least more than usual. He might not know a thing about Baekhyun’s escapades with the Durmstrang boy, specially if he has been having one with his own. “With a foreigner? No.”
Noticing the specification, Kyungsoo squints at him. “A Hogwarts student?”
The answer isn’t immediate, but Kyungsoo reads the truth on his features. Sehun deadpans, and it’s a defense to his lies that he has been using since first year and therefore, useless. “Why would you even think that.”
“Tell me!” Kyungsoo jumps onto him, screeching like a maniac. “My little Sehun has found his own Pigmy Puff!”
Sehun refuses to reveal the name of the mysterious guy, so his friends start a hunt to catch him in the act. The younger isn’t dumb enough to let them know, and it isn’t that hard to avoid them because they’re usually busy with their own issues. Baekhyun is barely in the castle anymore, Jongdae is already studying like a lunatic, and Kyungsoo has developed some kind of obsession for the Room of Requirement.
Kyungsoo doesn’t update them about his relationship’s progress, and the truth is that some of the time he passes in the Room of Requirement isn’t exclusively under Junmyeon. The interviews about the Champions are, naturally, pure bullshit; articles that paint the Champions as humble, hard-working students that have gone through a lot of challenges in their lives. Kyungsoo knows first hand that it’s not true, since the only attribute of those three that Junmyeon has is the humbleness, which seems to fade away every time he pins Kyungsoo down in the Room of Requirement.
Champions receive the clue for the first task a month later. Having into account that they’re all used to great, magnificent clues, Kyungsoo gets disappointed when Junmyeon shows it to him: it’s a simple piece of parchment as small as his palm.
“Are they shitting them?” Jongdae asks, laughing at the parchment.
This is an unique occasion, Junmyeon and the four Slytherins congregated by the lake, and Kyungsoo realizes this is the first time they’re exchanging more than a couple of words.
Sehun is currently inspecting the clue, turning it around as though he has the brain and skill to extract something from it.
“Put it into the water, maybe that’ll work,” he suggests before handing it back to the Ravenclaw.
“It won’t,” Baekhyun suddenly butts in. “Durmstrang’s Champion did that and now he has no clue to follow.”
While none of his friends react at the information, Junmyeon stares at him with his lips parted in shock. “How do you know that?”
“Uhm?”
“He’s already banging that Kris guy from Durmstrang,” Sehun explains, shrugging. It’s clear he’s about to make fun of Junmyeon’s face at the news, but then he catches Kyungsoo glaring at him and runs his mouth. “At least he’s not the Champion.”
“We’re not here to talk about my sex life,” Baekhyun complains, although the pleased smile he’s flaunting tells a different story. “We’re here to save Junmyeon’s ass and therefore Kyungsoo’s sex life.”
Much to his disgrace, Kyungsoo isn’t any help to discovering what the parchment hides. It’s a double humiliation because unlike him, Chanyeol leads Junmyeon to the right path, which would be great if it weren’t because Kyungsoo doesn’t like Chanyeol a bit. Don’t mistake him, it’s not because Chanyeol is a Gryffindor, but because he’s Junmyeon’s number one admirer, and on top of that he’s not the typical awkward teenager. He’s handsome and charming, and a head taller than Kyungsoo.
“He’s quite smart,” Junmyeon comments one night after sneaking into his dorm. Baekhyun and Jongdae have protested about his presence, but after all they’re snoring loudly in their respective beds, far away from the pair cuddling on Kyungsoo’s bed. “He told me the Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Ravenclaw. The point is that resolving the clue required both intelligence and courage, so he was perfect for it.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the cascade of compliments, even though Junmyeon doesn’t approve of jealousy. “Are you going to tell me what the solution was or not?”
Junmyeon smiles at him in a fond way, as if he could sense Kyungsoo isn’t comfortable with the mention of Chanyeol’s name, and brings him closer against his chest. Kyungsoo mumbles a complaint, yet he’s too relaxed on the bed and between Junmyeon’s arms to put up a fight.
“To burn it.”
“He told you to burn it and you did it?” Kyungsoo gasps, astonished. If drowning the parchment in water sounded stupid enough, throwing it into the fire is at trolls’ level.
“It worked.”
“And?”
“While it was burning, the ashes and fire formed a word,” Junmyeon begins to explain, and apparently that’s all he has to say. He makes a pause, hesitating, and then murmurs. “Your name.”
Kyungsoo handles his own panic in a way he wouldn’t have expected. The only change on him is the beating of his heart and several curses on his mind. He knew this would happen, he just knew it. “My name?”
“Yes.” Junmyeon shifts a bit on the bed, noticing the Slytherin is too quiet after being informed. “Are you mad at me?”
“Of course not,” Kyungsoo laughs, and fortunately the sound is silenced by Baekhyun’s snoring. Junmyeon’s body relaxes automatically, so he adds. “I’m just not very happy about being part of this Tournament.”
“I’ll make it up to you. The Time Turner, remember?”
He better keep his promise, because if the Tournament doesn’t finish him, Kyungsoo will.
The more Kyungsoo thinks about the clue, the more it scares the shit out of him. The Triwizard Tournament is like this, not a game for kids but some serious competition for the three best students of the best three Magic Schools. The tasks are no joke, even if wizards and witches overlook the problematic danger when they think about gold, fame and greatness.
The Tournament can mess with your loved ones and there is a record of past incidents, so Kyungsoo is surprised the clue drew his name - it’s not as if Junmyeon loved him, anyways, right?
It’s inevitable that he gets paranoid as the date of the first task approaches. He feels watched, followed, and it may be not just a sensation of his own. Junmyeon notices his agitation, probably because he’s starting to hide himself in the library too often. Considering Kyungsoo never steps into the place, not even during his exams, it’s a very suspicious behaviour.
“I quit,” Jongdae, official bookworm of the sixth year, announces one afternoon in November. There are just two days left for the first task, and of course Kyungsoo is doing his best to keep himself far from a concentrated Junmyeon. “You coming?”
Kyungsoo just glances up for a brief moment, in time to see his friend rubbing his sleepy eyes. “No. I can’t come back, they’ll look for me in our dorm first.”
Jongdae is currently piling the books between his arms, but he dignifies Kyungsoo with a tired sigh. “Who? Who wants to look for you?”
If someone were to look at Kyungsoo, really look at him, he would be sent to the Infirmary right away. His eyes, wide and alert, are bloodshot; the dark circles around his eyes extend beyond where it’s possible, and there’s a constant spasm in his upper lip. “My kidnappers!”
“What? Oh Merlin. Yeah. Whatever.”
Jongdae abandons him before he can spew more nonsense, and all of a sudden Kyungsoo realizes it’s very quiet in the library and he’s completely alone. That is, except for some distant sound of flipping pages.
“I don’t want to die,” he mutters to himself, nervously inspecting the area as if to spot a Dementor levitating towards him. “Too young, too pretty, it’s not fair.”
“Hyung?” A voice behind him calls him, and well, it’s a very familiar one, which isn’t always a good sign. “Are you talking to yourself?”
Chuckling like a madman, Kyungsoo turns around on his seat to get himself under control before the visitor. There Jongin is, between two shelves, grinning down at him as though he has just seen an angel. Within a second, Kyungsoo goes over his security list: Jongin doesn’t have his wand out, no bottles from questionable origins, and he doesn’t have intentions of offering chocolates filled with a Love Potion.
“Isn’t it a bit late to be studying?” Jongin continues, as friendly as ever.
Kyungsoo isn’t going to lose his time or the last bit of sanity dealing with this Hufflepuff. Just no. “What do you want.”
There’s an implied accusation in the tone that makes Jongin blush, and after a grunt, he blurts out, “I’m not in love with you. I’m not stalking you.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“I’m serious,” Jongin insists, aware that Kyungsoo doesn’t believe a word. The Slytherin flinches back when Jongin takes some steps towards him, thus he stops to not scare him away. Maybe he’s trying too hard not to be creepy, but it’s in his nature and he can’t help it. “I found out there are other Slytherins who are quite interesting. You’re as boring as a Slug compared to them.”
There are two possibilities: Jongin has really forgotten about him, or he’s trying a different tactic to attract him. If it’s the second one, he’s on the bad track, because a Slytherin wouldn’t appreciate insults to their value. Either way, Kyungsoo couldn’t care less about Jongin, yet the younger is smiling as if he’s the one under the effect of a Love Potion. Not that anyone would give Jongin a Love Potion.
“Oh, I have something for you!” he exclaims then, way too enthusiastic. He doesn’t allow Kyungsoo to voice out how he doesn’t want one of his presents, and he extracts something from the interior of his robes. “Take it.”
Jongin hands him a parchment rolled up and with the Hogwarts symbol on it, and Kyungsoo knows right then and there that he won’t be coming back to the Dungeons tonight.
The last thing Kyungsoo remembers is following the instructions on the parchment, and the next thing he feels is himself opening his eyes with a terrible headache.
There is a whole orchestra of screams and altered voices, but he can hardly distinguish anything in front of him. His vision is blurred and he’s not able to move; he knows he’s lying over a hard surface, and that’s as far as his senses go.
“Soo!”
He recognizes the voice, and also the unmistakable touch of hands on his waist. They pull Kyungsoo as to beg him to get up, but all he’s able to do right now is groan.
“Junmyeon, get off him. He has to go to the Infirmary!”
“He’s said something,” Junmyeon whines, sniffing. Immediately Kyungsoo senses bigger arms surrounding him, and the next second he’s being detached from the ground. “He’s awake!”
Just then, Kyungsoo gives into sleep again.
Junmyeon’s still crying when he wakes up, but through the Infirmary’s windows one can tell it’s already past midnight. Although Junmyeon’s tears are an image that shocks Kyungsoo, he allows Junmyeon to cry against his tummy for around fifteen minutes, sobbing and clutching onto him as if Kyungsoo was going to run away from him.
When Junmyeon manages to calm down, he wipes his tears away without a trace of embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have joined the Tournament.”
Kyungsoo isn’t expecting to hear something like that. Junmyeon has been so excited about the tasks, so proud of himself for being chosen to participate, that remorse isn’t something that fits into the puzzle. There must be a reason why he would admit he was wrong, yet Kyungsoo doesn’t want to see him like this because of him. He knows he has been pestering him because the Tournament is dangerous, but he never thought it would get into Junmyeon’s bones.
“What was the task about?” Kyungsoo whispers to him, not able to raise his voice due to a damaged throat.
The Ravenclaw avoids his gaze, ashamed, before revealing it. “Fiendfyre.”
At first, Kyungsoo doesn’t believe him. There’s no way in the world he had just been rescued from Fiendfyre, or the possibility that students of seventh year would have had to face something that important. He knows the Tournament is supposed to be highly controlled, but people died before because of it, and it’s usually these kinds of tasks - when they get excited and throw at them something that usually would be illegal - which end someone’s life.
“You’re kidding.” Kyungsoo pales as Junmyeon just stares at him, apologetic. “Seriously, dark magic?”
There’s a shine on Junmyeon’s eyes that tells him that he’s angrier than anyone, but his actions say otherwise. He takes Kyungsoo’s hand tightly inside his, his eyes still red and his lips dry for the tears. “When I burned the clue, the fire drew your name. Fire that can take form by itself? It had to be Fiendfyre. I thought about it, but it seemed unlikely they would do something so deadly and, at the same time, involve innocent people. I was wrong.”
The Slytherin can’t collect himself to console Junmyeon. In fact, he’s kind of grateful that, despite suspecting what the task was, Junmyeon didn’t tell him a word. He would have thrown a fit, and it wouldn’t have been only for himself.
“Beauxbatons’ Champion needed an intervention,” Junmyeon continues in the silence of the Infirmary. "Sometimes we take this Tournament as a game, but it’s not. It’s just that the last few times the tasks were so easy.”
“Don’t do that to yourself,” Kyungsoo whispers, not letting go his hand even though Junmyeon seems about to do it. The Slytherin feels like he has been thrown off his broom - it happened before - yet he tries to lie because Junmyeon is going to torture himself enough on his own. “I’m alright. And by the way, shouldn’t you be patrolling?”
Junmyeon stares at him as if Kyungsoo has gone crazy. It takes him a several seconds to understand how stupid the question is: of course he has to patrol the castle, given his title, but he isn’t going to while Kyungsoo is in the Infirmary alone. Under Junmyeon’s vigilance, the heat invades Kyungsoo’s cheeks and damn, this doesn’t suit him.
Instead of making sure Kyungsoo isn’t having a seizure that doesn’t let him think, Junmyeon climbs onto the bed with him. There’s barely any space, but Kyungsoo moves so that both of them fit, and the Ravenclaw wastes no time encircling him and bringing their bodies as close as possible.
“See the bright side of life: if you win, you can use the Time Turner to stop past idiot Junmyeon from joining,” mumbles Kyungsoo against his chest, trying not to complain at how even the mere touch and contact is hurting him.
The other boy sighs in exasperation. “Soo, that would leave two me’s in the same temporal line.”
However, Kyungsoo doesn’t get offended at the accusation of dumbness. Much to Junmyeon’s surprise, he laughs, and it’s not the usual relaxed laugh; it’s the kind of sound he releases when Junmyeon is kissing down his neck. He wonders how he’s able to think about that after being thrown to the claws of Fiendfyre, but all his thoughts fade away when Kyungsoo retorts, “Yeah, that’s the point. Two Junmyeons at once.”
Junmyeon is thankful the Infirmary is immersed in darkness, because send him to hell if he’s not blushing right now.
“No! Have you lost your mind? Have you not made me suffer enough? I’m not going to dance in front of the whole school, wait- no, three whole schools while you manhandle me around like your little doll!”
The list of mistakes Junmyeon has made is starting to be quite long. First of all, there is the fact that he had the great idea of asking Kyungsoo to the Yule Ball, when he should have guessed the Slytherin would kick his ass. Not to mention that he has been stupid enough to do it by going to the Slytherin table during dinner time - and he’s wondering how he got into Ravenclaw, damn the Sorting Hat and the ‘it takes your preference into account’.
But then he breaks the golden rule of not getting Kyungsoo angry at you, and of course, it isn’t on purpose.
“F-fine?” he stutters, red cheeks, stepping back as a few Slytherins laugh at his misery. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, glares at him as though he wishes to burn him in flames. Junmyeon hopes he doesn’t actually know a charm for that. “I’ll just ask another person.”
Kyungsoo’s reaction is belated. Junmyeon recognizes his error on his friends’ faces first, beginning with a scandalized Baekhyun, a cackling Sehun and a frightened Jongdae.
“You’ll do what?” Kyungsoo spats at last as he gets up from the table, challenging.
Junmyeon tries not to panic while he convinces himself that Kyungsoo is listening to him, not planning on how to bury his body in the Forbidden Forest. He wouldn’t go to the Yule Ball either if it wasn’t a mandatory condition; indeed, if it depended on him he would spend the night in the Room of Requirement with Kyungsoo.
“Soo, I need a partner,” Junmyeon explains, trembling voice when Kyungsoo starts walking toward him. Naturally, he retreats, and the image is apparently funny because Slytherins are scoffing at him without shame. “Champions have to open the ceremony. I can’t go by myself and dance alone, that’s ridiculous.”
The logic seems to hit Kyungsoo, but it’s for such a short span of time that it isn’t enough to save Junmyeon. Kyungsoo is like this; he doesn’t reason when his wants are in question.
He squints at the Ravenclaw, mistrust blooming. “And tell me, who would you ask if I say no?”
Oh, this a trap, a voice warns him inside Junmyeon’s head, but the round eyes - menacing, scary - in front of him erase every thought.
“You’ve already said no,” Junmyeon points out, and then realizes that was a bad answer because Baekhyun shakes his head behind Kyungsoo. “But I suppose, Chanyeol?”
Automatically, Kyungsoo’s gaze flicks to the Gryffindor table, where Chanyeol’s head stands out between his short friends, and one second later he gapes at Junmyeon, understanding. It’s obvious that jealousy makes him misinterpret the statement, as though Junmyeon has just confessed he has a relationship with Chanyeol. However, Junmyeon doesn’t deny it because, is that the smell of victory?
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Kyungsoo complains as the four Slytherins abandon the Common Room. “I should simply be single, life would be easier.”
Christmas has never been as dark as it is now, when Kyungsoo has to wear his dress robe and dance in public just so that his boyfriend doesn’t fall into Chanyeol’s strong arms. Plus he knows he looks like a dwarf in his dress robe, and the worst thing is he’s positive Junmyeon will look like he has been pulled out from Witch Weekly.
“You might as well be widowed in a couple of months, don’t worry,” Jongdae tells him in a bad mood. He has been bitching about Sehun because the younger didn’t want to be his partner for the Yule Ball, even if both of them are attending alone. Of course, Kyungsoo is the only one who knows that Sehun is actually making out with another mysterious student during his free time.
The Great Hall is about to explode, but Junmyeon’s eyes shine as soon as he spots Kyungsoo, and the Slytherin isn’t ready for this. He doesn’t want to hear the typical movie praises of ‘you look great’ or laugh at Junmyeon as he tries to find his words because Kyungsoo is just oh so beautiful.
And even though the Ravenclaw’s gaze gives that vibe, he has dealt with Kyungsoo for so long that he doesn’t spoil the moment. Instead, he approaches him with a grin and holds out his hand, leading him to the room where the Champions have to wait for their turn.
“Thanks, Soo,” he finally says as they cross the door.
Kyungsoo blushes, not disposed to talk in the presence of the other two couples. “Shut up.”
Embarrassing is a short word for the next hour, and he’s sure this is a trauma that will affect his future life. Even if the spotlight is on Junmyeon because he’s the Champion and well, he’s nice to everyone and handsome and perfect - not in Kyungsoo’s opinion, of course - Kyungsoo does receive attention from his friends. Jongdae manages to snatch a photo of him tripping while dancing with Junmyeon, in which one can see Kyungsoo’s face changing from happiness to utter horror. Sehun disappears within the first twenty minutes and Baekhyun lures Kyungsoo and Junmyeon to sit with him and the Durmstrang boy, who doesn’t speak a word and just keeps looking at Baekhyun like a fool.
Kyungsoo doesn’t want to dance anymore, at least for the next ten years, but when he observes Junmyeon boredly listening to Baekhyun’s nonsense, he offers a dance. Junmyeon refuses, not only once, but the three times Kyungsoo asks. And this is weird, because the Ravenclaw he knows would enjoy the attention and overall, he would accept it.
Therefore, Kyungsoo leans to whisper into his ear, ignoring the attempts of conversation between Baekhyun and Kris. “What’s wrong?”
Junmyeon looks at him in confusion, but the gesture is gone right away and a smile occupies its place. It’s impossible to fool Kyungsoo, especially if it’s one of those forced smiles that Junmyeon has been showing so very often.
“Nothing.”
Kyungsoo huffs, sends a uninterested glance towards his friend and his date, and then grabs Junmyeon by the arm, determined. “Let’s go outside.”
Even though the Champion doesn’t seem to like the idea, he has no time to protest, for Kyungsoo is already pulling him through the students and towards the exit. Some students greet them - Junmyeon - as they walk out of the Great Hall, but no one looks alarmed when they abandon the castle even if they’re supposed to stay inside. Rules, but who follows rules while they have a Head Boy to back him?
“This is an interrogation,” Kyungsoo announces proudly once they’re out in the darkness. His hand slips from Junmyeon’s arm to his hand, and the worry becomes noticeable in his eyes. “Why are you so sulky?”
They don’t go far, and instead of taking a stroll, they hide between Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest. Mainly, because there’s a figure around the Grounds that is, without a doubt, a professor patrolling.
“I’m not sulky,” Junmyeon lies, sitting on the ground. Kyungsoo wants to point out he’s going to spoil his dress robes, but this isn’t the best moment, so he mimics him instead. It’s not like he likes his own clothes anyways. “Just tired.”
“Bullshit.”
Kyungsoo keeps his gaze fixed on the Ravenclaw, who looks at his shoes instead. “Regretting having come with me to the Yule Ball? I told you I’m not good at these events.”
Fortunately, that makes an alarmed Junmyeon raise his head again, the fear of being offensive erasing everything else. “What? No, not at all! You were great, Soo, I’m very happy you came with me. I didn’t really want to end attending with Chanyeol, or worse yet, with a girl.”
A smirk spreads on Kyungsoo’s lips, amused at how Junmyeon gets entangled with his own words. “So you’re only happy I’m not a girl? I’m flattered.”
This time, Junmyeon’s laugh is genuine, and he responds to the teasing by pinching Kyungsoo’s side. The Slytherin, however, uses the comfortable silence to snuggle between Junmyeon’s legs and rest his head on his shoulders, and none of them say anything.
Kyungsoo doesn’t know if he has been under so much pressure - and paranoia - that now he’s imagining things that don’t exist, but he would swear there are strange noises coming from the Forbidden Forest. He stares into the darkness for a while, squinting, and makes sure he’s still carrying his wand with him.
“I wanted to join the Tournament so that you only looked at me.”
Kyungsoo isn’t expecting him to break the silence like this. One doesn’t simply spit those things out without warning, and yet here Junmyeon is catching him off guard. The Slytherin freezes at his words, so abrupt and somewhat brutally honest. He doesn’t move an inch as he tries to understand what’s going on but, realizing he can’t comprehend him as much as he thinks about it, he slowly withdraws to look at Junmyeon’s face.
The boy is biting his lower lip anxiously, as though he’s scared of Kyungsoo’s reaction.
“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo whispers, and he surprises himself saying, “I only look at you.”
Junmyeon shakes his head in denial, still with a hint of shame in the way he gazes at Kyungsoo.
“I won’t be here next year,” he reminds him, even if the other is utterly aware of it. “I know there will be people that will ask you out. I mean, just look at Jongin, he kept hitting on you even if we’re…”
Junmyeon hesitates for a brief moment, and for some reason it seems like he’s asking instead of confirming.
“Together,” Kyungsoo finishes for him, noticing suddenly that Junmyeon thinks he’s walking on thin ice and, apparently, afraid of falling. Or to be precise, of Kyungsoo pushing him down. “I know we don’t talk about it, but we’re together. As in boyfriends. Unless I’ve been wrong all this time.”
“The thing is,” Junmyeon continues, red cheeks due to the mocking smile that Kyungsoo is flashing at him. He coughs to gain time, as he isn’t able to think straight. “I thought that maybe if I could give you something that no one else could, that while I was gone you would remember me-”
Indignant, Kyungsoo gets on his knees and abandons Junmyeon’s hug. There are just a few occasions when he looks like he does right now: as if he were going to tear him apart.
“Wait.“ He scrunches his nose in disgust, speaking so calmly that it’s clear he’s everything except that. “Is this about the Time Turner?”
Judging by Kyungsoo’s face, Junmyeon knows he should lie. But maybe someone has put a few drops of Veritaserum in his drink, because he answers, “Yes.”
“The fucking Time Turner?” Kyungsoo repeats, raising his voice. He punches Junmyeon on the arm, and the guy yelps in shock. “You’re risking your life to buy me a Time Turner because you think I’ll appreciate a dark object more than I appreciate you?”
Within a second, Kyungsoo has his wand tightly clasped between his fingers, ready to attack.
Junmyeon gasps, crawling back to get away from the Slytherin’s claws. “Soo! You may be mad, but that’s not-”
“Petrificus Totalus!”
It takes Junmyeon a few seconds to realize he hasn’t been hit by the charm; it passed by brushing his ear and towards the Forbidden Forest, and he turns around in confusion because he’s positive Kyungsoo wouldn’t miss an objective; therefore, he wasn’t aiming at him.
“What the-?”
There’s a little scream from the darkness and a noisy thud, and Kyungsoo jumps on his toes excitedly. “Aha!”
Junmyeon stays on the ground for several seconds, watching how Kyungsoo runs towards the Forbidden Forest, before getting up and going after him. There’s a high chance that Kyungsoo has lost his mind, because no one sane would run to that place so carelessly. As far as Junmyeon knows, there are dangerous creatures inside.
The situation he comes across is the last thing he would have imagined: Sehun who had screamed earlier, having into account he’s still crying out, and Kyungsoo are staring down at a petrified boy on the ground.
“J-Jongin?” Kyungsoo chokes, making a strangled sound, as he recognizes the familiar face. “This is who you’ve been fuc-“
Sehun points his wand at his housemate, “You’ve hexed him. Fix it!”
“What was I supposed to do?” Kyungsoo protests back, horrified at his own discovery. “You were spying on us!”
“Are you an idiot! We were hiding from you!”
“Calm down, guys,” Junmyeon cuts them off, putting a hand on Sehun’s chest so that he doesn’t go near Kyungsoo. He gives his boyfriend a meaningful look, and Kyungsoo just grunts before undoing the charm. “You don’t want to fight in the presence of a Head Boy.”
Jongin starts moving then, wide-eyed while he watches Kyungsoo as though he’s going to attack him again. The other simply glares at him like a betrayed ex-boyfriend, and Jongin hurries to use Sehun as a shield, trembling.
“You’re nuts,” Kyungsoo censures Sehun, ignoring how Junmyeon holds him by the waist to restrain him. “Because he’s also nuts and you know it and still you’re dating him!”
“Twenty points from Slytherin and ten from Gryffindor.”
“Hey!” Kyungsoo exclaims, because what the hell, Junmyeon can’t take points from his boyfriend, can he?
Sehun gapes at Junmyeon, though Jongin has started to become a leech and is back hugging him like a scared kid. “What did we even do?”
“It’s prohibited to be outside.” Junmyeon rolls his eyes at the question, since it isn’t the first time someone questions his decision. For some reason, it’s always a Slytherin who thinks he’s above the rules and finds no harm in breaking them. “You two go back to the castle. Now.”
It isn’t surprising that Sehun flips them off before obeying; on the other hand Jongin avoids their eyes without a single complaint.
“And you,” Junmyeon calls Kyungsoo then, turning around. The Slytherin has his arms crossed, still angry with the fact that one of his friends is with his old stalker, and more importantly, the boy who has tried to kill Junmyeon on occasions before. “Interrupting our moment to throw charms at Jongin? Should I be jealous?”
As an answer, Kyungsoo pouts. And perhaps it would be a normal reaction for anyone, but not for him. He allows Junmyeon to press him against a tree, arms embracing his frame and lips connecting, because what if he takes more points from his House? It’s his duty to make Slytherin win this year. It’s just him honoring his House.
Right away, Kyungsoo forgets what he was irritated at, for there’s nothing more charming than the older’s lips - definitely, he’s lucky to be the only one who gets to enjoy Junmyeon this way.
“This is pretty nice,” Kyungsoo comments when Junmyeon pulls away, licking his lips. The other smiles cheerfully, although that gesture is soon erased by Kyungsoo’s words. “But I still want my Time Turner.”
“I should break up with him,” Kyungsoo affirms after the Third Task, just when the final results are floating in the air.
His friends laugh at him as they clap, more interested in the Tournament than in Kyungsoo’s misery, but the worst thing is when Jongin pats him sympathetically. That’s more than Kyungsoo can deal with, really, Jongin pitying him because he chose Junmyeon over him?
“Seriously,” he insists, frowning at how the Durmstrang students are celebrating their win. The Time Turner, therefore, has just become a failed dream. “What a scam.”
Pairing: Suho/D.O,[Spoiler (click to open)]mentions of Baekhyun/Kris and Sehun/Kai
Word Count: 9.218
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Being Junmyeon a Ravenclaw, Kyungsoo thought he was smart enough to not join the Triwizard Tournament. Well, he was wrong.
Notes: As usual, betaed by shinealightrose! The title is... ridiculous because I'm ridiculous. And the more I write HP!AU the more I want to write only about it, someone get me out of the maze.
There are a few reasons why Kyungsoo hates the Triwizard Tournament. First, it leaves him and his beloved Slytherin team without Quidditch for a whole year, just to watch three losers challenging themselves and risking their lives instead. Boring. Second, it’s the kind of task his idiot boyfriend would love to join, always because of a matter of wizard pride that, in Kyungsoo’s opinion, he won’t obtain no matter what. Third, they will be automatically invaded by foreign students who, as soon as they don’t get chosen for the Triwizard Tournament, will make sure they pass the next months shoving their tongues down to everyone’s throats.
Naturally, the same night of the arrival at Hogwarts, the announcement has everyone excited and jumping on their seats. The Slytherin table, however, limit themselves to exchanging mischievous glances and smirks, except for a worried Kyungsoo who tries to find Junmyeon across the Great Hall. It’s hard to spot him among the blue robes of the Ravenclaws, specially because he’s not the tallest of his species and neither is Kyungsoo, so he doesn’t succeed.
Baekhyun, supposedly his best friend, is the first to notice his nervousness. He casts a gross, charming look towards him, for which he knows he’ll be paying later. “Isn’t little Kyungsoo going to participate in the Triwizard Tournament?”
“I have a long life to enjoy first, thanks” Kyungsoo replies right away, as if rolling his eyes wasn’t enough of an answer.
Kyungsoo manages to chew on a piece of carrot cake before the food disappears from the table, a perfect clean cutlery but an almost empty stomach. Sadly, the lack of food plus the question catches the attention of other Slytherins, and soon he has Jongdae and Sehun looking their way.
“And he has enough fans already,” Jongdae comments. “Jongin is going to get depressed if he suddenly gets a hundred more rivals.”
The mere mention of the Hufflepuff has Kyungsoo flinching on his seat, primary instincts activating the urge of running away. Jongin is, in fact, a Hufflepuff one year younger that seems to have developed an unhealthy obsession for him throughout the Hogwarts years. At first he was young and innocent; so were his attempts to make him a conquest, but as he grew up he started to become simply twisted. And everything became harder when Kyungsoo happened to land his eyes on Junmyeon.
“I still don’t get why he’s dating that plain Ravenclaw when he could be having good times with Jongin,” Sehun responds, careless about the fact that he has Kyungsoo right in front of him, giving birth to the beginning of a glare. “If you know what I mean.”
“Still here,” Kyungsoo warns him, and Sehun only acknowledges him with a feline grin. Junmyeon may not fit into Sehun’s standards, but he surely does into Kyungsoo’s. “And I have to remind you guys that Jongin tried to poison my boyfriend twice because he’s cuckoo.”
And he’s fortunate Jongin is really bad at potions, because the most he accomplished was to send Junmyeon to the Hospital Wing - a mild attack considering Jongin was probably aiming for St. Mungo’s.
Baekhyun cackles. “About you.”
“About everything,” Sehun adds, although he doesn’t realize he’s helping Kyungsoo out of the bullying and this is not. what he intends. “He almost stabbed me in the eye during Potions class last year because I didn’t have more Belladonna.”
As much as they love stories about Jongin’s adventures, the dinner ends and they have to hurry up towards the Slytherin Dungeons before a bunch of tiny first years take over all the space. Kyungsoo makes a failing move to wait for Junmyeon to lecture him, but Baekhyun catches his intentions and pushes him through their way to the Common Room.
“Damn the day you met him,” Baekhyun protests to him once they’re in the dorm, and Kyungsoo can’t help but think he’s coming a year late. Kyungsoo smiles under his sheets, because the only reason he talked to Junmyeon in the first place was Baekhyun: he had sprained his ankle while they were coming back from Hogsmeade, and Junmyeon and his Ravenclaws housemates had been just a meters away from them. “You were Mister Mastermind and he has converted you into a mum.”
Next morning, Kyungsoo doesn’t catch Junmyeon either during the breakfast, and although he suspects Junmyeon might be acting like a loser already and passing the first day of classes in the library, he decides not search for him just yet. He changes his mind after double Transfiguration class with a bunch of annoying Hufflepuffs, after which he’s about to explode.
In effect, he finds his boyfriend in the library after lunch time, surrounded by mountains of books and parchments. He wants to voice out how lame it is that he’s studying on his first day, yet he holds back. Kyungsoo understands that Junmyeon is a seventh year and that he puts too much effort into everything he does, but Kyungsoo seriously shouldn’t date someone so determined. He’s already enough stubborn himself.
Kyungsoo halts in front of him and Junmyeon looks up at him from his table, a smile slowly blossoming.
He doesn’t fall for his loving smile. Repeat. Kyungsoo does not fall for it.
Clearing his throat, he affirms. “You aren’t planning to participate.”
Junmyeon doesn’t seem to notice it’s not a question, because neither his grin nor his enthusiasm falter. “I am.”
Kyungsoo isn’t a guy of scandals and screams when he doesn’t get what he wants. On the other hand, he’s conscious of how his eyes are the best weapon to scare people off. “No.”
Of course, his deathly stares usually work on those who don’t know him, mainly because there’s a stupid rumour about him having basilisk blood. The problem is that Junmyeon has been dating him for a whole year already, so Kyungsoo’s antics are useless.
“Uhm, yes, I am?” he insists, putting his feather aside to give him the look.
Despite being in the library, Kyungsoo can’t repress a childish whine. “Junmyeon!”
A pair of students hush him right away, to which he responds with a clear, intolerant glare, because he won’t allow any loser to shut him up.
Going back to his boyfriend, Kyungsoo raises his hand to ask for a moment, as if he needed to put his thoughts in order to win this argument. It’s an understatement to say Junmyeon is amused, leaning back on his chair and arms crossed as he waits for whatever the Slytherin comes up with.
A few seconds later, the sixth year finds the solution. “I’m going to make out with Jongin if you even dare to put your name in the Goblet.”
Junmyeon snorts. Hard. Which is not something usual. “Fine.”
There isn’t any option for Kyungsoo besides feeling deeply offended, because since when does his boyfriend not care about Kyungsoo leaving him for another guy? Even though Junmyeon has always had a soft spot for Jongin, excusing him after his murder attempts, it isn’t acceptable that he also doesn’t mind sharing Kyungsoo with him. He should actually make out with Jongin to see how Junmyeon deals with it.
“What do you mean fine?” Kyungsoo protests, eyes furrowed.
Junmyeon sighs, and suddenly there it is: the condescending smile that switches on Kyungsoo’s need to punch this boy in the face. Baekhyun always tells him that he has a weird way of showing love; he doesn’t agree, since wanting to hit your boyfriend when he intends to do something stupid is perfectly reasonable.
“Give me a kiss and go back to class, Soo.”
“No,” Kyungsoo stares at him blankly, trying to show how much he hates him for this. “Screw all you crazy Ravenclaws.”
And although he can hear Junmyeon snickering at his anger, he walks away with his chin raised.
Kyungsoo doesn’t give up, but Junmyeon isn’t aware of that. Maybe his talent as an evil mastermind has been downgraded for the last year, yet that doesn’t mean he has run out of ideas. He decides to start brewing the Sleeping Draught illicitly in a corner of the Astronomy Tower, with the mere reason that it’s a nighttime class and nobody will notice a tiny cauldron in a dark corner. He’s right. He hasn’t planned how to give it to Junmyeon though, because it’s going to be very suspicious if he suddenly bakes him cookies or buys him chocolates.
The arrival of Durmstrang’s and Beauxbatons’ students is programmed for Saturday, which translates into days and days of teenagers excitedly talking about what kind of students the other schools will bring. Kyungsoo already knows the answer: slender and elegant in the case of Beauxbatons, and as beastly as possible in the case of Durmstrang.
“Why do you hate it so much, anyways?” Jongdae asks him during Friday afternoon, when they’re already done with classes.
They’re walking down to the Slytherin Dungeon as Sehun and Baekhyun stride behind them, apparently trying to charm Baekhyun’s shoes so that he looks taller.
“It’s just boring,” Kyungsoo answers, pressing the History of Magic book against his chest. “Unless you’re competing, when it’s only entertaining because you’re in danger to die.”
“I think I’m going to join too,” Jongdae confesses all of sudden.
“What?” Sehun runs to catch his friend, jaw hanging down in shock. “No, Jongdae! You’re supposed to stay with me as ‘ the public who laughs at Junmyeon while he dies’.”
Kyungsoo uses the book to hit Sehun, not a pleasant attack considering the size of the sixth year books, but Baekhyun scoffs before anyone can say anything. “Who cares? It’s not like he’ll be chosen.”
Anticipating the fight that is going to explode, Kyungsoo mutters the password and enters the Common Room, empty except for a couple of students doing their homework by the fire. Bad idea, Kyungsoo thinks, since on certain occasions Sehun has enchanted the fire so that it expanded and Kyungsoo’s parchments were eaten by the flames.
“What do you mean I won’t be chosen?” Jongdae continues, his three friends following him inside. “I’m great! I’m brave, smart and…”
Kyungsoo deadpans at the defense. “Why are you listing the qualities of other Houses?”
Of course, Jongdae blushes in realization as Baekhyun and Sehun erupt into laughter. To avoid the mocking, he goes to one of the couches and lies on it, pouting. The younger students turn to glance at the group all of a sudden, startled, and it only takes a bad look from Sehun for them to gather their homework and run away. This is what Slytherins have labelled as the ‘escape of the survivor’, aka older students are the owners of any space in the Dungeon.
“Says he who sucks face with a Ravenclaw,” attacks Jongdae back.
Sometimes, it’s a bit annoying that his friends don’t have the tact to call his boyfriend by his name. He’s not Junmyeon, but a Ravenclaw, and his last name is probably loser. Although maybe the last one is Kyungsoo’s fault because he calls Junmyeon that all the time.
“I haven’t sucked anything with him since we arrived,” Kyungsoo says while all of them accommodate around the fire. He doesn’t mention how he’s suffering for it, but his plans don’t allow him to have a break and throw himself into Junmyeon’s arms. “But soon I’ll be sucking face with Jongin instead.”
He expects to cause a shock, yet he doesn’t. It’s right then when he fears he has spit too much crap during the last days, so the other Slytherins don’t trust his word anymore.
Sehun raises a brow at him, inquiring. “Good luck with that.” Then he gazes at the fire, swinging his wand in what the rest would consider a very risky movement, though he looks too distracted to notice. “Do you know that I share almost all my classes with him and he hasn’t mentioned you, not even once?”
And there fly Kyungsoo’s hopes.
“He’s moved on!” Baekhyun announces, amused at how his friend deflates with the news.
“Be careful, guys,” Jongdae cuts in, with a dark tone that doesn’t match the topic they’re discussing. His eyes stop on the Slytherins one by one, trying to inspire some kind of seriousness in them. “That only means he has found another victim.”
Despite his skepticism about the utility of a Triwizard Tournament, Kyungsoo still attends the welcoming act for the other Wizard schools. Even if he didn’t intend to go, Baekhyun would have forced him anyway. It’s not exciting for him, but it shouldn’t be for his friends either unless they want to join the Cup - like Jongdae - since they’ve already witnessed another Triwizard Tournament Cup when they were in their second year. He would understand the enthusiasm if this was their first time, but it’s not the case.
The waiting on the grounds is long, Baekhyun attached to his hip and Sehun and Jongdae going around to bother some naïve students. He freezes due to the cold weather, stubborn enough not to cast a Warming charm because he’s that tough. For Merlin’s sake, he sleeps in the Dungeons.
“Soo,” a voice calls him when they have been for an hour waiting already.
There’s just one person who uses that nickname on him, besides Sehun when he drinks too much Butterbeer, and it makes Kyungsoo flushed because Junmyeon isn’t supposed to use it in public.
He cracks his neck, just to observe how Junmyeon approaches him with his blue scarf around his neck, just his red nose peeking out.
“I’m not talking to you though?” Kyungsoo reminds him, and he turns around so fast that he manages to flick his hair.
Junmyeon is used to this type of treatment, thus it’s easy for him to ignore what would hurt anyone else’s feelings. He wraps an arm around Kyungsoo’s waist and brings him closer, at which Baekhyun rudely cringes. “I love when you’re being obstinate.”
“Well, I love when you’re alive and all your limbs are in their right places,” the Slytherin shoots back, a strategy to not smile at how Junmyeon is trying to lure him into sweet traps.
The Ravenclaw responds by planting a peck on his cheek, which his boyfriend doesn’t have time to dodge - not that he would. Kyungsoo immediately wipes away the kiss with the back of his hand, faking he’s disgusted and that he has probably been contaminated with Ravenclaw germs.
“You know what you’ll love?” Junmyeon insists, laughing.
Kyungsoo fires a triumphant smirk towards him. “Next year when you’re not in Hogwarts anymore?”
“Ouch.” Junmyeon scowls at him, and it’s obvious he’s trying to retain the need of scolding him. This is, after all, something he’s worried about, because Kyungsoo has enough admirers to take Junmyeon’s place when he graduates. Baekhyun evilly cackles until he hears what Junmyeon whispers next. “No, you’ll love that, if I win the prize, I’ll buy you a Time Turner on the black market.”
Both Slytherins stare at him, astounded, Baekhyun covering his mouth to contain an embarrassing gasp and Kyungsoo’s right eye twitching in frustration. He is torn between accepting his defeat and taking that Time Turner or preserving his integrity.
“Oh man, I’ll date you if Kyungsoo doesn’t want to,” Baekhyun proposes, perhaps with too much determination.
Junmyeon bats his hands to shut the Slytherin up; in the first place, he knows Baekhyun bad mouths him behind his back because he doesn’t like sharing his best friend. “What do you say, Soo?”
“Damn.”
It’s not only the fact that he loves dark objects - not dark magic - maybe a bit too much; he’s more lured into giving up because it’s Junmyeon, honor student, Prefect and currently Head Boy of Ravenclaw, who is offering it.
“Also, if you keep being this stubborn,” Junmyeon continues, smiling as though he knows he has already won him over. Maybe because of that security, he goes further with the threat, “I’ll start taking points from Slytherin because I can.”
Baekhyun gasps, number one dramatic student since his first year. “You wouldn’t.”
Whether if Junmyeon would dare or not, they never find out. Mainly because the three of them are aware that Kyungsoo won’t reject a present like that one, but also because Beauxbatons makes its appearance.
“A Time Turner, Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo cries as soon as Junmyeon leaves, since his role as Head Boy forces him to keep the students in line. “I’m so screwed.”
Needless to say, Kyungsoo is right. Beauxbatons students are mostly slim figures that move around with a haughtiness that Kyungsoo doesn’t approve of in Hogwarts, his school; while Durmstrang seems to have exceeded themselves by bringing students so tall that Kyungsoo only reaches their waists. Baekhyun even asks a guy if he’s a half giant, which of course gets him into some serious trouble. Kyungsoo doesn’t peer into the fight, but he would swear Baekhyun resolves it in an atypical way, judging that he doesn’t come back to the Common Room until late.
Kyungsoo is focused though, so he doesn’t pay attention to his friend’s incidents. The problem is that now that he doesn’t have to put up his act and fake being angry with Junmyeon, he can freely spend part of the night with him. He’s not supposed to be out of his Common Room at certain hours, but it just so happens that Junmyeon is a Head Boy and Kyungsoo is his weakest point.
The second problem is that when he goes back to the Dungeons, Baekhyun’s bed empty and Jongdae still awake because of anxiety, he falls into a deep sleep.
Next morning, he realizes he has forgotten two things:
1)The potion he was illegally brewing in a corner of the Astronomy tower.
2)Therefore, to make sure Junmyeon didn’t put his name on the Goblet.
It’s too late, he knows it; still he hurries to put on his robes and run to the Great Hall, students pushed down the stairs included. When he steps in, Junmyeon is nowhere to be seen, at least not around the Goblet of Fire. There are currently some Gryffindors crossing the line, papers in hand, and Kyungsoo manages to catch Jongdae about to follow their path.
He’s grasping him by the arm before he can make any move, oblivious and tactless at how nervous Jongdae is. “Please tell me you haven’t seen Junmyeon.”
Jongdae just sends him a meaningful glance, briefly enjoying his misery before going back to his wrecked self. “He did it. Now cross your fingers.”
Indeed, Kyungsoo should cross his fingers and implore, but he would rather put his fingers around his boyfriend’s neck.
“Hey, you!” Baekhyun appears behind them, and Jongdae takes his chance to cross the line as his friends watch him. However, none of them seem interested enough. “What a night, Kyungsoo. Those Durmstrang boys have great, big hands, and do you know what it’s said about hands?”
The other Slytherin shoots a scandalized look his way. “You haven’t gone all the way on the first try, have you?”
“I haven’t!” Baekhyun replies, offended, though Kyungsoo doesn’t understand why he is. Both of them know he would be capable of it. “I’m just talking about hands.”
“I don’t want to hear about how a Durmstrang boy has fingered you.” Kyungsoo nudges him, and not in a playful way, also a bit worried of touching him in case he hasn’t showered yet. “Either way, I’m going to enjoy my boyfriend while he’s alive.”
That night, Kyungsoo runs into the third problem: Junmyeon’s name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.
“Soo, drop it,” Junmyeon protests, though he can’t repress an amused chuckle. “You can’t come with me to all the classes.”
Kyungsoo disagrees: he can, and he will. He’s not embarrassed by his own behaviour during the last two days, even if for some reason people around him seem to be. He has spent the whole day like a leech, in a literal way since he passes most part of the day hugging Junmyeon’s arm and pressing his cheek against it, and he’s not disposed to let it go. If he has to attend seventh year classes, he will.
“I love you,” whines Kyungsoo, provoking a whole set of displeased faces around them. Junmyeon doesn’t take him seriously, of course. “And hate you. Damn I hate you so much.”
He hasn’t believed in love-hate relationships until now, but he has no option anymore. He’s still mad at how Junmyeon has disregarded his opinion and done whatever he liked, and at the same time he’s dead worried over the Tournament. To be honest, Kyungsoo doesn’t blame him, because after a year of being together, they haven’t had the ‘boyfriend’ talk. It’s mostly Kyungsoo calling him boyfriend when he’s not around, and he has never said the magic word in front of him.
“I can see you tonight, okay?” Junmyeon pats him on the head awkwardly, self-conscious of how unusual this conduct is in Kyungsoo. “We have a few interviews, and then I have to patrol but if you want I’ll go to the Dungeons lat-”
“Interviews?” Kyungsoo scoffs, bothered, just realizing he’ll be seeing Junmyeon’s face on The Daily Prophet in a couple of days. Then he finally releases the Ravenclaw and moves his hand around as to comprise their surroundings, somehow indignant. “Have you seen how people look at you now that you’re a Champion?”
“Yes.” Junmyeon smiles toothily, pleased.
It’s an understatement to affirm Kyungsoo doesn’t like that Junmyeon is so happy about that. Kyungsoo definitely isn’t content with the situation itself, but a whole bunch of admirers have been added to the mix. Girls giggling when Junmyeon passes by - with Kyungsoo attached to his frame - or boys that need a tutoring session out of the blue.
Kyungsoo crosses his arms, glare fixed on the Ravenclaw. “Well, you’re not allowed to accept anything from them. Dates, sex, presents, nothing, got it?”
It’s supposed to be a reprimand, as if Junmyeon had already fallen into the trap, but it doesn’t have any effect. For some unknown reason, Junmyeon blushes, a red that seems more intense in contrast with his pallid skin.
Somehow, he manages to gaze at the Slytherin, stammering through his words. “I guess I’m getting these from you?”
Within a second, a smirk emerges on Kyungsoo’s lips, because if he hasn’t heard wrong - and he’s sure he hasn’t - Junmyeon is asking him for sex. After a year, he was starting to think the Ravenclaw didn’t have any sexual need besides dry humping him behind the bushes, yet Kyungsoo is patient like that.
“If that’s what you want, Junmyeon,” he answers, and the way the Ravenclaw flushes even redder is a personal satisfaction. He has succeeded in making the Ravenclaw Head Boy uncomfortable; doesn’t he win a medal or a few galleons? “I mean, the Room of Requirement is there for everyone.”
Perhaps too fast, Junmyeon nods and steps back, and apparently he’s not able to discuss sex and do something else at the same time, because he trips over his own feet. “Al-alright.”
Kyungsoo watches him go with a stupid smile on his face, even though he must have the same gesture on his. He doesn’t realize that maybe they’re suddenly pushing themselves to have sex because Junmyeon will be risking his life during the next few months. Instinct of procreation without being able to procreate, it can’t get better.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?”
Indeed, he should, and he would run away to his Transfiguration class if it weren’t Sehun who asked. The other Slytherin shouldn’t be here either, in the middle of the second floor popping out from nowhere.
Turning around to face his friend, Kyungsoo looks him up and down and takes in all the clear signals: the disheveled hair, the wrinkled robes, the swollen lips, and overall, difficulty breathing.
“Where did you come out from?” he inquires. Bad question, he realizes, and then he places a hand over his heart, the betrayal seeping onto his face. “Please, tell me you weren’t making out with a foreign student too.”
Sehun looks confused, at least more than usual. He might not know a thing about Baekhyun’s escapades with the Durmstrang boy, specially if he has been having one with his own. “With a foreigner? No.”
Noticing the specification, Kyungsoo squints at him. “A Hogwarts student?”
The answer isn’t immediate, but Kyungsoo reads the truth on his features. Sehun deadpans, and it’s a defense to his lies that he has been using since first year and therefore, useless. “Why would you even think that.”
“Tell me!” Kyungsoo jumps onto him, screeching like a maniac. “My little Sehun has found his own Pigmy Puff!”
Sehun refuses to reveal the name of the mysterious guy, so his friends start a hunt to catch him in the act. The younger isn’t dumb enough to let them know, and it isn’t that hard to avoid them because they’re usually busy with their own issues. Baekhyun is barely in the castle anymore, Jongdae is already studying like a lunatic, and Kyungsoo has developed some kind of obsession for the Room of Requirement.
Kyungsoo doesn’t update them about his relationship’s progress, and the truth is that some of the time he passes in the Room of Requirement isn’t exclusively under Junmyeon. The interviews about the Champions are, naturally, pure bullshit; articles that paint the Champions as humble, hard-working students that have gone through a lot of challenges in their lives. Kyungsoo knows first hand that it’s not true, since the only attribute of those three that Junmyeon has is the humbleness, which seems to fade away every time he pins Kyungsoo down in the Room of Requirement.
Champions receive the clue for the first task a month later. Having into account that they’re all used to great, magnificent clues, Kyungsoo gets disappointed when Junmyeon shows it to him: it’s a simple piece of parchment as small as his palm.
“Are they shitting them?” Jongdae asks, laughing at the parchment.
This is an unique occasion, Junmyeon and the four Slytherins congregated by the lake, and Kyungsoo realizes this is the first time they’re exchanging more than a couple of words.
Sehun is currently inspecting the clue, turning it around as though he has the brain and skill to extract something from it.
“Put it into the water, maybe that’ll work,” he suggests before handing it back to the Ravenclaw.
“It won’t,” Baekhyun suddenly butts in. “Durmstrang’s Champion did that and now he has no clue to follow.”
While none of his friends react at the information, Junmyeon stares at him with his lips parted in shock. “How do you know that?”
“Uhm?”
“He’s already banging that Kris guy from Durmstrang,” Sehun explains, shrugging. It’s clear he’s about to make fun of Junmyeon’s face at the news, but then he catches Kyungsoo glaring at him and runs his mouth. “At least he’s not the Champion.”
“We’re not here to talk about my sex life,” Baekhyun complains, although the pleased smile he’s flaunting tells a different story. “We’re here to save Junmyeon’s ass and therefore Kyungsoo’s sex life.”
Much to his disgrace, Kyungsoo isn’t any help to discovering what the parchment hides. It’s a double humiliation because unlike him, Chanyeol leads Junmyeon to the right path, which would be great if it weren’t because Kyungsoo doesn’t like Chanyeol a bit. Don’t mistake him, it’s not because Chanyeol is a Gryffindor, but because he’s Junmyeon’s number one admirer, and on top of that he’s not the typical awkward teenager. He’s handsome and charming, and a head taller than Kyungsoo.
“He’s quite smart,” Junmyeon comments one night after sneaking into his dorm. Baekhyun and Jongdae have protested about his presence, but after all they’re snoring loudly in their respective beds, far away from the pair cuddling on Kyungsoo’s bed. “He told me the Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Ravenclaw. The point is that resolving the clue required both intelligence and courage, so he was perfect for it.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the cascade of compliments, even though Junmyeon doesn’t approve of jealousy. “Are you going to tell me what the solution was or not?”
Junmyeon smiles at him in a fond way, as if he could sense Kyungsoo isn’t comfortable with the mention of Chanyeol’s name, and brings him closer against his chest. Kyungsoo mumbles a complaint, yet he’s too relaxed on the bed and between Junmyeon’s arms to put up a fight.
“To burn it.”
“He told you to burn it and you did it?” Kyungsoo gasps, astonished. If drowning the parchment in water sounded stupid enough, throwing it into the fire is at trolls’ level.
“It worked.”
“And?”
“While it was burning, the ashes and fire formed a word,” Junmyeon begins to explain, and apparently that’s all he has to say. He makes a pause, hesitating, and then murmurs. “Your name.”
Kyungsoo handles his own panic in a way he wouldn’t have expected. The only change on him is the beating of his heart and several curses on his mind. He knew this would happen, he just knew it. “My name?”
“Yes.” Junmyeon shifts a bit on the bed, noticing the Slytherin is too quiet after being informed. “Are you mad at me?”
“Of course not,” Kyungsoo laughs, and fortunately the sound is silenced by Baekhyun’s snoring. Junmyeon’s body relaxes automatically, so he adds. “I’m just not very happy about being part of this Tournament.”
“I’ll make it up to you. The Time Turner, remember?”
He better keep his promise, because if the Tournament doesn’t finish him, Kyungsoo will.
The more Kyungsoo thinks about the clue, the more it scares the shit out of him. The Triwizard Tournament is like this, not a game for kids but some serious competition for the three best students of the best three Magic Schools. The tasks are no joke, even if wizards and witches overlook the problematic danger when they think about gold, fame and greatness.
The Tournament can mess with your loved ones and there is a record of past incidents, so Kyungsoo is surprised the clue drew his name - it’s not as if Junmyeon loved him, anyways, right?
It’s inevitable that he gets paranoid as the date of the first task approaches. He feels watched, followed, and it may be not just a sensation of his own. Junmyeon notices his agitation, probably because he’s starting to hide himself in the library too often. Considering Kyungsoo never steps into the place, not even during his exams, it’s a very suspicious behaviour.
“I quit,” Jongdae, official bookworm of the sixth year, announces one afternoon in November. There are just two days left for the first task, and of course Kyungsoo is doing his best to keep himself far from a concentrated Junmyeon. “You coming?”
Kyungsoo just glances up for a brief moment, in time to see his friend rubbing his sleepy eyes. “No. I can’t come back, they’ll look for me in our dorm first.”
Jongdae is currently piling the books between his arms, but he dignifies Kyungsoo with a tired sigh. “Who? Who wants to look for you?”
If someone were to look at Kyungsoo, really look at him, he would be sent to the Infirmary right away. His eyes, wide and alert, are bloodshot; the dark circles around his eyes extend beyond where it’s possible, and there’s a constant spasm in his upper lip. “My kidnappers!”
“What? Oh Merlin. Yeah. Whatever.”
Jongdae abandons him before he can spew more nonsense, and all of a sudden Kyungsoo realizes it’s very quiet in the library and he’s completely alone. That is, except for some distant sound of flipping pages.
“I don’t want to die,” he mutters to himself, nervously inspecting the area as if to spot a Dementor levitating towards him. “Too young, too pretty, it’s not fair.”
“Hyung?” A voice behind him calls him, and well, it’s a very familiar one, which isn’t always a good sign. “Are you talking to yourself?”
Chuckling like a madman, Kyungsoo turns around on his seat to get himself under control before the visitor. There Jongin is, between two shelves, grinning down at him as though he has just seen an angel. Within a second, Kyungsoo goes over his security list: Jongin doesn’t have his wand out, no bottles from questionable origins, and he doesn’t have intentions of offering chocolates filled with a Love Potion.
“Isn’t it a bit late to be studying?” Jongin continues, as friendly as ever.
Kyungsoo isn’t going to lose his time or the last bit of sanity dealing with this Hufflepuff. Just no. “What do you want.”
There’s an implied accusation in the tone that makes Jongin blush, and after a grunt, he blurts out, “I’m not in love with you. I’m not stalking you.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“I’m serious,” Jongin insists, aware that Kyungsoo doesn’t believe a word. The Slytherin flinches back when Jongin takes some steps towards him, thus he stops to not scare him away. Maybe he’s trying too hard not to be creepy, but it’s in his nature and he can’t help it. “I found out there are other Slytherins who are quite interesting. You’re as boring as a Slug compared to them.”
There are two possibilities: Jongin has really forgotten about him, or he’s trying a different tactic to attract him. If it’s the second one, he’s on the bad track, because a Slytherin wouldn’t appreciate insults to their value. Either way, Kyungsoo couldn’t care less about Jongin, yet the younger is smiling as if he’s the one under the effect of a Love Potion. Not that anyone would give Jongin a Love Potion.
“Oh, I have something for you!” he exclaims then, way too enthusiastic. He doesn’t allow Kyungsoo to voice out how he doesn’t want one of his presents, and he extracts something from the interior of his robes. “Take it.”
Jongin hands him a parchment rolled up and with the Hogwarts symbol on it, and Kyungsoo knows right then and there that he won’t be coming back to the Dungeons tonight.
The last thing Kyungsoo remembers is following the instructions on the parchment, and the next thing he feels is himself opening his eyes with a terrible headache.
There is a whole orchestra of screams and altered voices, but he can hardly distinguish anything in front of him. His vision is blurred and he’s not able to move; he knows he’s lying over a hard surface, and that’s as far as his senses go.
“Soo!”
He recognizes the voice, and also the unmistakable touch of hands on his waist. They pull Kyungsoo as to beg him to get up, but all he’s able to do right now is groan.
“Junmyeon, get off him. He has to go to the Infirmary!”
“He’s said something,” Junmyeon whines, sniffing. Immediately Kyungsoo senses bigger arms surrounding him, and the next second he’s being detached from the ground. “He’s awake!”
Just then, Kyungsoo gives into sleep again.
Junmyeon’s still crying when he wakes up, but through the Infirmary’s windows one can tell it’s already past midnight. Although Junmyeon’s tears are an image that shocks Kyungsoo, he allows Junmyeon to cry against his tummy for around fifteen minutes, sobbing and clutching onto him as if Kyungsoo was going to run away from him.
When Junmyeon manages to calm down, he wipes his tears away without a trace of embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have joined the Tournament.”
Kyungsoo isn’t expecting to hear something like that. Junmyeon has been so excited about the tasks, so proud of himself for being chosen to participate, that remorse isn’t something that fits into the puzzle. There must be a reason why he would admit he was wrong, yet Kyungsoo doesn’t want to see him like this because of him. He knows he has been pestering him because the Tournament is dangerous, but he never thought it would get into Junmyeon’s bones.
“What was the task about?” Kyungsoo whispers to him, not able to raise his voice due to a damaged throat.
The Ravenclaw avoids his gaze, ashamed, before revealing it. “Fiendfyre.”
At first, Kyungsoo doesn’t believe him. There’s no way in the world he had just been rescued from Fiendfyre, or the possibility that students of seventh year would have had to face something that important. He knows the Tournament is supposed to be highly controlled, but people died before because of it, and it’s usually these kinds of tasks - when they get excited and throw at them something that usually would be illegal - which end someone’s life.
“You’re kidding.” Kyungsoo pales as Junmyeon just stares at him, apologetic. “Seriously, dark magic?”
There’s a shine on Junmyeon’s eyes that tells him that he’s angrier than anyone, but his actions say otherwise. He takes Kyungsoo’s hand tightly inside his, his eyes still red and his lips dry for the tears. “When I burned the clue, the fire drew your name. Fire that can take form by itself? It had to be Fiendfyre. I thought about it, but it seemed unlikely they would do something so deadly and, at the same time, involve innocent people. I was wrong.”
The Slytherin can’t collect himself to console Junmyeon. In fact, he’s kind of grateful that, despite suspecting what the task was, Junmyeon didn’t tell him a word. He would have thrown a fit, and it wouldn’t have been only for himself.
“Beauxbatons’ Champion needed an intervention,” Junmyeon continues in the silence of the Infirmary. "Sometimes we take this Tournament as a game, but it’s not. It’s just that the last few times the tasks were so easy.”
“Don’t do that to yourself,” Kyungsoo whispers, not letting go his hand even though Junmyeon seems about to do it. The Slytherin feels like he has been thrown off his broom - it happened before - yet he tries to lie because Junmyeon is going to torture himself enough on his own. “I’m alright. And by the way, shouldn’t you be patrolling?”
Junmyeon stares at him as if Kyungsoo has gone crazy. It takes him a several seconds to understand how stupid the question is: of course he has to patrol the castle, given his title, but he isn’t going to while Kyungsoo is in the Infirmary alone. Under Junmyeon’s vigilance, the heat invades Kyungsoo’s cheeks and damn, this doesn’t suit him.
Instead of making sure Kyungsoo isn’t having a seizure that doesn’t let him think, Junmyeon climbs onto the bed with him. There’s barely any space, but Kyungsoo moves so that both of them fit, and the Ravenclaw wastes no time encircling him and bringing their bodies as close as possible.
“See the bright side of life: if you win, you can use the Time Turner to stop past idiot Junmyeon from joining,” mumbles Kyungsoo against his chest, trying not to complain at how even the mere touch and contact is hurting him.
The other boy sighs in exasperation. “Soo, that would leave two me’s in the same temporal line.”
However, Kyungsoo doesn’t get offended at the accusation of dumbness. Much to Junmyeon’s surprise, he laughs, and it’s not the usual relaxed laugh; it’s the kind of sound he releases when Junmyeon is kissing down his neck. He wonders how he’s able to think about that after being thrown to the claws of Fiendfyre, but all his thoughts fade away when Kyungsoo retorts, “Yeah, that’s the point. Two Junmyeons at once.”
Junmyeon is thankful the Infirmary is immersed in darkness, because send him to hell if he’s not blushing right now.
“No! Have you lost your mind? Have you not made me suffer enough? I’m not going to dance in front of the whole school, wait- no, three whole schools while you manhandle me around like your little doll!”
The list of mistakes Junmyeon has made is starting to be quite long. First of all, there is the fact that he had the great idea of asking Kyungsoo to the Yule Ball, when he should have guessed the Slytherin would kick his ass. Not to mention that he has been stupid enough to do it by going to the Slytherin table during dinner time - and he’s wondering how he got into Ravenclaw, damn the Sorting Hat and the ‘it takes your preference into account’.
But then he breaks the golden rule of not getting Kyungsoo angry at you, and of course, it isn’t on purpose.
“F-fine?” he stutters, red cheeks, stepping back as a few Slytherins laugh at his misery. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, glares at him as though he wishes to burn him in flames. Junmyeon hopes he doesn’t actually know a charm for that. “I’ll just ask another person.”
Kyungsoo’s reaction is belated. Junmyeon recognizes his error on his friends’ faces first, beginning with a scandalized Baekhyun, a cackling Sehun and a frightened Jongdae.
“You’ll do what?” Kyungsoo spats at last as he gets up from the table, challenging.
Junmyeon tries not to panic while he convinces himself that Kyungsoo is listening to him, not planning on how to bury his body in the Forbidden Forest. He wouldn’t go to the Yule Ball either if it wasn’t a mandatory condition; indeed, if it depended on him he would spend the night in the Room of Requirement with Kyungsoo.
“Soo, I need a partner,” Junmyeon explains, trembling voice when Kyungsoo starts walking toward him. Naturally, he retreats, and the image is apparently funny because Slytherins are scoffing at him without shame. “Champions have to open the ceremony. I can’t go by myself and dance alone, that’s ridiculous.”
The logic seems to hit Kyungsoo, but it’s for such a short span of time that it isn’t enough to save Junmyeon. Kyungsoo is like this; he doesn’t reason when his wants are in question.
He squints at the Ravenclaw, mistrust blooming. “And tell me, who would you ask if I say no?”
Oh, this a trap, a voice warns him inside Junmyeon’s head, but the round eyes - menacing, scary - in front of him erase every thought.
“You’ve already said no,” Junmyeon points out, and then realizes that was a bad answer because Baekhyun shakes his head behind Kyungsoo. “But I suppose, Chanyeol?”
Automatically, Kyungsoo’s gaze flicks to the Gryffindor table, where Chanyeol’s head stands out between his short friends, and one second later he gapes at Junmyeon, understanding. It’s obvious that jealousy makes him misinterpret the statement, as though Junmyeon has just confessed he has a relationship with Chanyeol. However, Junmyeon doesn’t deny it because, is that the smell of victory?
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Kyungsoo complains as the four Slytherins abandon the Common Room. “I should simply be single, life would be easier.”
Christmas has never been as dark as it is now, when Kyungsoo has to wear his dress robe and dance in public just so that his boyfriend doesn’t fall into Chanyeol’s strong arms. Plus he knows he looks like a dwarf in his dress robe, and the worst thing is he’s positive Junmyeon will look like he has been pulled out from Witch Weekly.
“You might as well be widowed in a couple of months, don’t worry,” Jongdae tells him in a bad mood. He has been bitching about Sehun because the younger didn’t want to be his partner for the Yule Ball, even if both of them are attending alone. Of course, Kyungsoo is the only one who knows that Sehun is actually making out with another mysterious student during his free time.
The Great Hall is about to explode, but Junmyeon’s eyes shine as soon as he spots Kyungsoo, and the Slytherin isn’t ready for this. He doesn’t want to hear the typical movie praises of ‘you look great’ or laugh at Junmyeon as he tries to find his words because Kyungsoo is just oh so beautiful.
And even though the Ravenclaw’s gaze gives that vibe, he has dealt with Kyungsoo for so long that he doesn’t spoil the moment. Instead, he approaches him with a grin and holds out his hand, leading him to the room where the Champions have to wait for their turn.
“Thanks, Soo,” he finally says as they cross the door.
Kyungsoo blushes, not disposed to talk in the presence of the other two couples. “Shut up.”
Embarrassing is a short word for the next hour, and he’s sure this is a trauma that will affect his future life. Even if the spotlight is on Junmyeon because he’s the Champion and well, he’s nice to everyone and handsome and perfect - not in Kyungsoo’s opinion, of course - Kyungsoo does receive attention from his friends. Jongdae manages to snatch a photo of him tripping while dancing with Junmyeon, in which one can see Kyungsoo’s face changing from happiness to utter horror. Sehun disappears within the first twenty minutes and Baekhyun lures Kyungsoo and Junmyeon to sit with him and the Durmstrang boy, who doesn’t speak a word and just keeps looking at Baekhyun like a fool.
Kyungsoo doesn’t want to dance anymore, at least for the next ten years, but when he observes Junmyeon boredly listening to Baekhyun’s nonsense, he offers a dance. Junmyeon refuses, not only once, but the three times Kyungsoo asks. And this is weird, because the Ravenclaw he knows would enjoy the attention and overall, he would accept it.
Therefore, Kyungsoo leans to whisper into his ear, ignoring the attempts of conversation between Baekhyun and Kris. “What’s wrong?”
Junmyeon looks at him in confusion, but the gesture is gone right away and a smile occupies its place. It’s impossible to fool Kyungsoo, especially if it’s one of those forced smiles that Junmyeon has been showing so very often.
“Nothing.”
Kyungsoo huffs, sends a uninterested glance towards his friend and his date, and then grabs Junmyeon by the arm, determined. “Let’s go outside.”
Even though the Champion doesn’t seem to like the idea, he has no time to protest, for Kyungsoo is already pulling him through the students and towards the exit. Some students greet them - Junmyeon - as they walk out of the Great Hall, but no one looks alarmed when they abandon the castle even if they’re supposed to stay inside. Rules, but who follows rules while they have a Head Boy to back him?
“This is an interrogation,” Kyungsoo announces proudly once they’re out in the darkness. His hand slips from Junmyeon’s arm to his hand, and the worry becomes noticeable in his eyes. “Why are you so sulky?”
They don’t go far, and instead of taking a stroll, they hide between Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest. Mainly, because there’s a figure around the Grounds that is, without a doubt, a professor patrolling.
“I’m not sulky,” Junmyeon lies, sitting on the ground. Kyungsoo wants to point out he’s going to spoil his dress robes, but this isn’t the best moment, so he mimics him instead. It’s not like he likes his own clothes anyways. “Just tired.”
“Bullshit.”
Kyungsoo keeps his gaze fixed on the Ravenclaw, who looks at his shoes instead. “Regretting having come with me to the Yule Ball? I told you I’m not good at these events.”
Fortunately, that makes an alarmed Junmyeon raise his head again, the fear of being offensive erasing everything else. “What? No, not at all! You were great, Soo, I’m very happy you came with me. I didn’t really want to end attending with Chanyeol, or worse yet, with a girl.”
A smirk spreads on Kyungsoo’s lips, amused at how Junmyeon gets entangled with his own words. “So you’re only happy I’m not a girl? I’m flattered.”
This time, Junmyeon’s laugh is genuine, and he responds to the teasing by pinching Kyungsoo’s side. The Slytherin, however, uses the comfortable silence to snuggle between Junmyeon’s legs and rest his head on his shoulders, and none of them say anything.
Kyungsoo doesn’t know if he has been under so much pressure - and paranoia - that now he’s imagining things that don’t exist, but he would swear there are strange noises coming from the Forbidden Forest. He stares into the darkness for a while, squinting, and makes sure he’s still carrying his wand with him.
“I wanted to join the Tournament so that you only looked at me.”
Kyungsoo isn’t expecting him to break the silence like this. One doesn’t simply spit those things out without warning, and yet here Junmyeon is catching him off guard. The Slytherin freezes at his words, so abrupt and somewhat brutally honest. He doesn’t move an inch as he tries to understand what’s going on but, realizing he can’t comprehend him as much as he thinks about it, he slowly withdraws to look at Junmyeon’s face.
The boy is biting his lower lip anxiously, as though he’s scared of Kyungsoo’s reaction.
“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo whispers, and he surprises himself saying, “I only look at you.”
Junmyeon shakes his head in denial, still with a hint of shame in the way he gazes at Kyungsoo.
“I won’t be here next year,” he reminds him, even if the other is utterly aware of it. “I know there will be people that will ask you out. I mean, just look at Jongin, he kept hitting on you even if we’re…”
Junmyeon hesitates for a brief moment, and for some reason it seems like he’s asking instead of confirming.
“Together,” Kyungsoo finishes for him, noticing suddenly that Junmyeon thinks he’s walking on thin ice and, apparently, afraid of falling. Or to be precise, of Kyungsoo pushing him down. “I know we don’t talk about it, but we’re together. As in boyfriends. Unless I’ve been wrong all this time.”
“The thing is,” Junmyeon continues, red cheeks due to the mocking smile that Kyungsoo is flashing at him. He coughs to gain time, as he isn’t able to think straight. “I thought that maybe if I could give you something that no one else could, that while I was gone you would remember me-”
Indignant, Kyungsoo gets on his knees and abandons Junmyeon’s hug. There are just a few occasions when he looks like he does right now: as if he were going to tear him apart.
“Wait.“ He scrunches his nose in disgust, speaking so calmly that it’s clear he’s everything except that. “Is this about the Time Turner?”
Judging by Kyungsoo’s face, Junmyeon knows he should lie. But maybe someone has put a few drops of Veritaserum in his drink, because he answers, “Yes.”
“The fucking Time Turner?” Kyungsoo repeats, raising his voice. He punches Junmyeon on the arm, and the guy yelps in shock. “You’re risking your life to buy me a Time Turner because you think I’ll appreciate a dark object more than I appreciate you?”
Within a second, Kyungsoo has his wand tightly clasped between his fingers, ready to attack.
Junmyeon gasps, crawling back to get away from the Slytherin’s claws. “Soo! You may be mad, but that’s not-”
“Petrificus Totalus!”
It takes Junmyeon a few seconds to realize he hasn’t been hit by the charm; it passed by brushing his ear and towards the Forbidden Forest, and he turns around in confusion because he’s positive Kyungsoo wouldn’t miss an objective; therefore, he wasn’t aiming at him.
“What the-?”
There’s a little scream from the darkness and a noisy thud, and Kyungsoo jumps on his toes excitedly. “Aha!”
Junmyeon stays on the ground for several seconds, watching how Kyungsoo runs towards the Forbidden Forest, before getting up and going after him. There’s a high chance that Kyungsoo has lost his mind, because no one sane would run to that place so carelessly. As far as Junmyeon knows, there are dangerous creatures inside.
The situation he comes across is the last thing he would have imagined: Sehun who had screamed earlier, having into account he’s still crying out, and Kyungsoo are staring down at a petrified boy on the ground.
“J-Jongin?” Kyungsoo chokes, making a strangled sound, as he recognizes the familiar face. “This is who you’ve been fuc-“
Sehun points his wand at his housemate, “You’ve hexed him. Fix it!”
“What was I supposed to do?” Kyungsoo protests back, horrified at his own discovery. “You were spying on us!”
“Are you an idiot! We were hiding from you!”
“Calm down, guys,” Junmyeon cuts them off, putting a hand on Sehun’s chest so that he doesn’t go near Kyungsoo. He gives his boyfriend a meaningful look, and Kyungsoo just grunts before undoing the charm. “You don’t want to fight in the presence of a Head Boy.”
Jongin starts moving then, wide-eyed while he watches Kyungsoo as though he’s going to attack him again. The other simply glares at him like a betrayed ex-boyfriend, and Jongin hurries to use Sehun as a shield, trembling.
“You’re nuts,” Kyungsoo censures Sehun, ignoring how Junmyeon holds him by the waist to restrain him. “Because he’s also nuts and you know it and still you’re dating him!”
“Twenty points from Slytherin and ten from Gryffindor.”
“Hey!” Kyungsoo exclaims, because what the hell, Junmyeon can’t take points from his boyfriend, can he?
Sehun gapes at Junmyeon, though Jongin has started to become a leech and is back hugging him like a scared kid. “What did we even do?”
“It’s prohibited to be outside.” Junmyeon rolls his eyes at the question, since it isn’t the first time someone questions his decision. For some reason, it’s always a Slytherin who thinks he’s above the rules and finds no harm in breaking them. “You two go back to the castle. Now.”
It isn’t surprising that Sehun flips them off before obeying; on the other hand Jongin avoids their eyes without a single complaint.
“And you,” Junmyeon calls Kyungsoo then, turning around. The Slytherin has his arms crossed, still angry with the fact that one of his friends is with his old stalker, and more importantly, the boy who has tried to kill Junmyeon on occasions before. “Interrupting our moment to throw charms at Jongin? Should I be jealous?”
As an answer, Kyungsoo pouts. And perhaps it would be a normal reaction for anyone, but not for him. He allows Junmyeon to press him against a tree, arms embracing his frame and lips connecting, because what if he takes more points from his House? It’s his duty to make Slytherin win this year. It’s just him honoring his House.
Right away, Kyungsoo forgets what he was irritated at, for there’s nothing more charming than the older’s lips - definitely, he’s lucky to be the only one who gets to enjoy Junmyeon this way.
“This is pretty nice,” Kyungsoo comments when Junmyeon pulls away, licking his lips. The other smiles cheerfully, although that gesture is soon erased by Kyungsoo’s words. “But I still want my Time Turner.”
“I should break up with him,” Kyungsoo affirms after the Third Task, just when the final results are floating in the air.
His friends laugh at him as they clap, more interested in the Tournament than in Kyungsoo’s misery, but the worst thing is when Jongin pats him sympathetically. That’s more than Kyungsoo can deal with, really, Jongin pitying him because he chose Junmyeon over him?
“Seriously,” he insists, frowning at how the Durmstrang students are celebrating their win. The Time Turner, therefore, has just become a failed dream. “What a scam.”